December 29, 2008

Dear Classic Fountain Pen crew,

I just received my pen back today, ahead of schedule, and it is just like new! I am 100% satisfied and would not hesitate to recommend you to any other pen folk. Thank you for the wonderful job that you do. I could not be happier.

May you enjoy continued success in 2009!

Kind regards,
Loren E. Clive

December 28, 2008

Hi Jonella!

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas - and thanks for the very special card - and John! You should have popped in - we always have a guest room made up and plenty of hospitality!!! You could have seen all my pens and had some fun!! I know you must have been very pushed for time - so only joking really - being so close and so far away is not easy, is it?

The Tea Time arrived today - it missed being here for Christmas by one working day - it cleared customs Christmas Eve - so today was the first day for the post office to deliver. I filled it immediately with Diamine Sapphire Blue and used it to snail a friend - what a nib! Ken Schillinger may well be in touch because I posted about it on FPC and he has one of your red LEs - and is teetering towards getting a Mandarin now - me and my big mouth - hehehe!!!

I haven't tried the Sailor inks yet - I let them settle a little after being turned every which way but up for days.

Again John and Team - excellent pen and service - a huge thanks, and Happy New Year to you all!

Hugs,
Chris

December 28, 2008

Thank You from Australia

Thank you to all the crew at Classic Fountain Pens. My Namiki Falcon (with the Extra Fine and Extra Flexibility) arrived today. It writes superbly and I am very pleased with your service. As for expectations: I had none. I own a number of pens and I find that the pen dictates how I write. Learning what the pen wants from me takes a little time - I need to be broken in - and because this nib is so radically different from the other pens and nibs, I suggest it may take a little longer than usual. (I hope so, because the learning is so much fun.)

Again, thank you all so very much.

Kakkib li'Dthia Warrawee'a

November 18th, 2008

Hi John,
I received the red Aurora Optima that I'd sent in for a badly scratched cap and barrel. Thank you for such wonderful repair work! You'd never know anything had happened to the pen! I guess I'd better start thinking about adding another Aurora to my collection.

Thank you so much,
Kate

It was nice talking to you last night as well. For some reason the nicest people I deal with these days work for pen companies. It really re-establishes the relationships you used to have when shopping in small stores. About 20 years ago I worked for some time in Madras, India where the stores were organized by specialty. There was one whole street that might have medical supplies, or drugs or nuts and bolts etc. To this day I still remember the faces and discussions I had with shop keepers who would never let me enter their stores without a long chat and a 'Campa Cola' India's version of Coca Cola. Relationships build loyalty and that is always good for business.

Your invoice accurately reflects my order.

Many thanks,
David

November 10th, 2008

Dear John,

My 3 pens have just arrived. Thank you so much for your the work you performed on them. Each of them now writes beautifully. I am very pleased.

Rob Mazza

November 5th, 2008

Hello Jonella! Hello Sarah! Hello John!

Just received my Pelikan Polar Lights. I am absolutely embarassed how fast the parcel came.

Our latest mail correspondence was not even a week ago !!!
PERFECT work, John! Wonderful smooth and sooooo broad. Phantastic, as always.
Thank you so much. Thanx also to Jonella and Sarah for the great service.
Now all the Chirstmas letters can come - I'm ready for action with a gorgious pen :-)
Manny sunny smiles to LA and America

(now finally again with a good president - so the dark times seem to be over and brighter days are dawning :-))))

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Erich Plessberger

October 30th, 2008

Jonella, Danielle, John:

Both the stub which I ordered from Jonella and the medium which accompanied the superb '31 Gold that Danielle discovered have exhausted my supply of superlatives.
I can't thank you all enough. 
And if you happen to come across a new White Gold '31 and/or a Green '35, please notify me. 

Morgan

October 29th, 2008

Dear Nibsters,

Thanks so much for taking the time to help me out with my order -- and producing a fantastic replacement nib for my Parker Sonnet. It writes like a charm in spite of my fears about the "very fine" nib -- thanks to everyone who helped out (and I think I corresponded with just about all of you)!

Laurie

October 23rd, 2008

Hello Jonella.

I just wanted to tell you that the pen arrived today in perfect shape. Just in case I showed it to my wife and her face said all, it has been a 100% hit. We tried the nib and the satisfaction has been absolute with nothing else to be desired. All just perfect. Thanks.

Perhaps in a near future I may order from you the Nakaya LE if still available. I think that it is a very special pen and the bamboo motive and techniques used are extremly well done.

Cheers

Jose

October 20th, 2008

John: I received my 1935 model Parker Vacumatic that I dropped on the kitchen floor back Friday. It's perfect.

I bought the pen in Washington D.C., brought it home, and proceeded to drop it within one week. The "re-tip job" you did was fantastic! The stroke is as smooth as butter and the flow is just right. Thank you so much for saving my pen.

John
Hennessey, Oklahoma

October 17th, 2008

John: Those two pens are so beautiful and write as well or better than anything else you have sold me.

You're the best. Thank you so much.

I can't wait for this election to be over, assuming, of course, that Obama
wins!

Enjoy your weekend,

Craig A. Rimmerman

October 13th, 2008

Dear John and Jonella,

I have received this weekend the Montblanc Medici which John has retipped and reground into a stub before leaving for the NY/NJ pen show.

He has once again done WONDERFUL work. I am so happy with the way the nib writes. It starts without hesitation, is incredibly smooth, has great line variation and a commensurate ink flow. It is impeccable.

Thank you also for completing this work so quickly.

I am very grateful to you both. With all my best wishes,

October 3rd, 2008

John,

Three pages in: I love the nib. What a beautiful pen. (Regarding Nakaya)

Thank you.

Good weekend,

Britt

September 28th, 2008

Sarah,

Just a quick email to let you know how pleased I am with the adjustments you made to my pen. It is like this magic writing tool. I can't believe how smooth it writes.

Thanks again.

Robert

September 15th, 2008

Thank you Jonella : )
The great pen arrives safely, with only a day of delay from UPS and I really appreciate your continual service!

But I would like to emphasize again how important the nib is. If the nib performs horribly, no matter how the look of the pen is it will be bad.

Mr. Mottishaw and the team create such a wonderful nib exactly for my needs. I fill my days with excitement when I write in my journal and do my homework. Thank you thank you! It writes silky smooth... and requires no extra pressure to write, yet very precise on paper. I think this is the art of Nibsters...

Best Regards,
Willy

July 29th, 2008

Hello Jonella

My new fountain pen arrived while I was away over the weekend and so I have been busy using this lovely thing all day - it's as good as was promised - probably better. Please thank John for all his hard work before he went away on vacation to get it ready for me!

Thank you all once again.

Best regards

John

John G Roberts
Cartoonist & Caricaturist

July 9th, 2008
Dear All,

I'd like to thank you very very much. I received the pen yesterday and it does not disappoint me

in any way. Not only it's got a very nice shape but it also writes wonderfully and what a smoothness of its nib!!!

So... Encore merci beaucoup beaucoup pour votre rapidité d'exécution, votre professionalisme et votre gentillesse. Il est infiniment agréable de traiter avec des gens passionnés de leur métier comme vous l'ètes!.

You will have to translate!

I am so satisfied that I will probably further take an interest in some of your nice pre-owned fountainpens.

Thank you again!

Best regards

José

June 19th, 2008

Jonella and Jon,

Have received the MB149 with re-tip as detailed below. John has again done a great job.  What was previously somewhat of a chore to write with is now a pleasure.  The ink flow is consistent and rich, and the left oblique customization adds some nice character to the lettering.

My repeat business is testimony to your maintenance of high quality standards.

Thanks,

Tom Gibbons 

June 18th, 2008

Hi – the 51 arrived today. Thank you!

To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: “No, that’s a pen...” A truly impressive line! Just what I wanted. I’ll let you know how many inches it writes to the bottle...

Once again, thank you. Fantastic job, and in record time.

Best,

Karen Traviss

June 16th, 2008

Dear John,

You have really outdone yourself with this new nib. I must have had 6 or 7 nibs made especially for me over the years but this one is the best ever. It is so smooth and the there are no false starts.... Difficult to achieve with a flexible oblique nib. I had a look at the nib under a microscope and it is amazing how symmetrical and smooth it is.... Even with such magnification. I am totally blown away and will struggle to use my other nibs from now on! Lucky this one can be moved to different pens otherwise I fear they may be neglected.

Yours Sincerely

Andrew

June 11th, 2008

Hi John!

Well, it was worth the wait! The orange Danitrio Eye dropper arrived
this afternoon safe and sound. 4 months! I'm impressed! The nib is
so smooth and perfect! Thank you so much. I had considered selling
this pen, but it may become one of my favorites now. Really, it turned
out exactly how I wanted it. (You can't see me, but I'm doing the
happy dance...)

Best,
Mary Ann Marler

June 7th, 2008

I just wanted you to know that I received my first order from Classic Fountain Pens; an Ake Tamenuri Nakaya Decapod.
 
I am thrilled with the performance of the pen. When you asked what my writing style was and I responded that I was a left handed underwriter and that I write primarily block letters at a slow to medium pace, you configured the pen perfectly. 
 
The pen is slightly dry. I get nervous when I get a dry writer since I have always taken it as a sign of an ink flow problem, and usually the pen will skip.
 
The flow on this pen is perfect, and from the time I filled it to the first touch on paper, it has never skipped a beat. 
 
Your recommendation to use a medium soft and flexible was also perfect. This was based on my input that Bexley's Bock fine nibs were some of my favorites.
 
I'm a very happy customer, and I am in the process of determining which pen I will get next.
 
Doug Cooper
Albuquerque,
New Mexico.

May 30th, 2008

Dear Danielle,

I have received the Sailor fountain pen you shipped to me, and it is perfect. It is the best pen I have used in the 25 years I've had fountain pens.

My thanks to you and everyone who helped eith my order. You can be sure I'll be back again soon.

Sincerely,

Wayne Bottner

May 29th, 2008

Hello to the best little pen works in the west !

I received Nakaya portable cigar in blue today....wow! the pen is ethereal in its color and its ultra clean lines move me into considering whether this pen may have a soul.  Clearly it manifests a spirit that is a pure reflection of its maker...I like this pen a lot!!!

I look forward to receiving the others I have ordered..These pens are magnificent!

Thank you

Roger

May 7th, 2008

Jonathan:

Have received both Montblanc and Pelikan books, and both will be indispensable additions to my reference library.
I must add, however, that the Collectors Edition of Pelikan Writing Instruments is probably the most beautiful and comprehensive edition of its kind that I've yet seen. 

Thank you for offering something so remarkable.

Morgan

May 7th, 2008

Jonathan,

I received the pen yesterday afternoon, and I'm delighted with the results. Please, let John know that the Fine nib (which I expected to perform like an Extra Fine) is smooth and with excellent flow--I can't hardly feel any drag at all, yet it retains useful feedback. It was not hard to imagine that the combination Nakaya + Nibs would produce amazing results, but it's even better when it becomes a reality.
Thank you very much for you help.

Best,

José de Piérola

May 1st, 2008
Hi,

My new Nakaya Cigar Portable Aka-tamenuri, (the dark red-red) with a flexible fine nib arrived just yesterday, after a several month wait. 

When we were kids, mailing away for anything sight unseen, like a Tony the Tiger bathtub power racing speed boat (only needed 34 box tops) built up expectations that eventually crystallized into an unreachable ideal. The Tony the Tiger power boat was disappointing. Very. In fact I stopped eating that cereal in protest.

Waiting for my Nakaya, the idea of the pen enjoyed a similar crystallization of expectation. For the first time ever something not only met but exceeded such images.  The pen is truly exceptional:  starting with the unpretentious ceremonial quality of the presentation box, to unwrapping the pen seeing the rich color and elegant shape, the lovely evidence of human craftsmanship, to finally feeling the pen’s perfect warm balance in my hand. 

I inked the pen and finally understood what fountain pens are about;  I’ve used them for years, had many, and experimented with a lot of different nibs, new and old.   This pen danced over the page and I had a pleasure in the act of writing like no other pen, even better than the Pelikan John tweaked into an archi-italic for me several years ago.  I spent a solid  hour just writing notes, doodles, handwriting exercises, sketches and naughty limericks,  trying to make my hand worthy of the pen.  The thought of getting rid of the rest of my pens actually flashed through my mind. Naahh.

To put the cherry on top, the pen is attractively priced for a fine writing instrument. There is a lot of stuff out there priced much higher that doesn’t even start to touch the experience.  For all of these reasons plus one more- John and his crew are a true pleasure to do business with- I recommend the Nakaya line without reservation.

Sincerely,

David Morriss
Sarasota, Florida

April 28th, 2008

Hello Nibsters: John, Jonella, Danielle, Sarah and Jonathan… Oh… Miss Q too!!

Getting back home after a hard working day, I was so glad to find by my doorstep a well packaged Priority Mail box from you guys. Too bad it wasn’t gift wrapped. I always enjoy receiving and opening a package. Regardless, I opened it and found within it the treasure box I was really looking for.

As I opened the Pelikan box I was gratified by the sights of a beautiful fountain pen: the M620 Grand Place. The photos don’t do justice to this pen. It looks and feels so much better in my hand. I am glad I purchased this little piece of writing art. I feel grateful I am able to enjoy the beauty of this pen and write with such a nice  work of art.

The other reason for great joy and satisfaction upon getting my hands on this pen, is the pleasure of inking it (Noodler’s blue) for the first time and putting the nib to work! No trouble at all handling this cursive italic nib. Found the sweet spot immediately. It writes effortlessly and consistently with light or medium hand pressure (I don’t put much pressure on the pen). I think I’m going to enjoy this pen for a long time. This writing jewel definitely is a keeper.

Please accept this sincere testimony of appreciation for this medium-fine cursive italic nib. It is a wonderful, perfect wet nib with very nice line variation that writes without hesitation from the first stroke to the last. So far so good and I feel it will be for the better. My personal thanks to John for the custom job on the nib. I extend an Email handshake to him.

Yours Truly,

Herman Lugo

April 22nd, 2008

Dear Jonathan,

I recieved my Omas Milord yesterday and I am very pleased with it!    I want to thank you for your suggestion on going with the Omas over the other pens I mentioned.   It has a nice weight to it and is very comfortable to write for a long period of time.  The extra fine nib writes a little bit wider than my Sailor Fine but I can still read my small handwriting!   Please thank John for his work on making this pen so smooth.  I haven't been able to put the pen down and have used one cartridge in less than 2 days! 

Once again I have to thank you and everone at Classic Fountain Pens for such great products and excellent service!   I'm spoiled now and don't think I can buy pens from anyone else!

Michael Vice

April 18th, 2008

Jonathan:

Received my Flexible Double Oblique nib this morning.

Please tell John for me that he achieved perfection -- repeat -- perfection.

Thank you, both.

Morgan

March 24, 2008

Dear Jonathan, Mr Mottishaw and all the people at CFP

Hi again, last Friday I received the OMAS pens and just let me tell you I
have no word to describe how happy excited pleased etc etc I am with the
pens. The old style paragon was a dry pen that just make me sad when I
received for first time, now wow! its really amazing! The nib its the most
incredible that I have, smooth, wet, super-fast-responsive, its really
fantastic! The arco also writes in the same way, this are now pens that will
make any an enthusiast about fountain pens. I am 100% sure this pens are in
much better shape than when they leave OMAS factory.

Please say thank you very very much to Mr Mottishaw.

I am really so excited with this pens that now I want to send you all my
pens to be tuned by Mr Mottishaw! so in the near future you will have more
news from me.

But at this moment I just want to say thanks again

Very very best,

Ricardo

March 19, 2008

Dear Friends at Classic Fountain Pens, Inc.:

I received yesterday my Sheaffers Levenger, translucent Aegean Seas pen which you cleaned and increased the ink flow.  I did not know why it worked poorly, often stopping shortly after beginning use, but now understand it was plugged due to poor maintenance habits.  I am reviewing your Pen Maintenance page and will henceforth be much more thorough and routine in cleaning all my pens, ESPECIALLY one which I use for red ink!  Thank you for fixing this one and informing me of the nature of the problem, so that I may become a better pen parent.  Question:  is it better to store them empty or filled with water?

Best wishes to all!

March 12, 2008

Dear Jonathan,

It was a delight to receive the pen in perfect condition today - the increased flex in the nib has made the writing perfectly smooth.

I am very delighted with the pen and your service - I am one very satisfied customer.

Many many thanks


Stephen

March 6, 2008

Wowie! Thanks! What two Waterman shops (US and France) couldn't manage
to figure out, you did perfectly. It's  writing better than I
remember, so the adjustments you made were right on.

I'll call soon about my Pelikan Souveran 800M's need for a medium
italic nib. I replaced the lost pen -- okay quality, not as nice as
the original, but I have to live with it. I want to replace the lovely
medium italic nib that made the original such a joy to use. I think we
talked about that a while ago.

Mara

March 5, 2008

The fine nib works great with my block printing, and is smooth as hell. Way smoother than expensive ball points or roller pens I’ve bought before, being “afraid” to get a fountain.

So thank you for all your help and knowledge.

I saw the note about using the converter to flush the ink out of a spent cartridge, but I’m not sure how to do that. Do you have a picture or instruction on your site somewhere?

Thank you….

March 1, 2008

John:

I've received the customized 14k Oblique nib that you crafted for the wonderful Pelikan Lapis '31 LE that I bought from you earlier.

Superlatives fail me. 

I believe that "perfection" is the only appropriate description for your work.

Thank you, again,

Morgan Kane  

February 27, 2008

I received the Sheherazade today and in record time for a parcel from the USA: shipped on the 19th and in my hands on the 27th.  What a smart looking, yet distinctive, pen it is; better than any picture I've seen, but it does look good in the pictures nonetheless.  I've just written one page with it and it (unposted) feels perfect in my hand; I never post a pen.  The Bexley nib is fantastic, as are all my Bexley nibs.  This is my fifth Bexley and the more I get the more I want.

Great doing business with you and I'll be back again.

Best regards,
Bryan Gallow

February 07, 2008

Dear John,

Yesterday, I received the Pelikan M600 14C two-toned OBB nib that you have sculptured to a rounded cursive italic. The nib writes very smooth with adorable line-width variations. The inkflow is dryer and still does not skip. The 0.85 - 0.9 mm size is just perfect for my everyday writings.

I love this nib, John - it's the best I have. Thank you very much for sharing your Gift.

jaime g. dorotan

February 01, 2008

Jonathan,
I received my Waterman and Duofold back and I must say that John performed magic on them. They are pure joy to write with! The cursive italic really transformed my writing. The pens now out perform what my hand is capable of producing. I would love to know how John’s trip to Nakaya went. I ordered a Nakaya before I knew you could order one. I am sure it would have been easier communicating with you as there is a slight language barrier. They were delightful however and it was interesting to email back and forth with Ms. Yoko Kono. I eventually settled on a Shobu Piccolo with fine gold gradation Maki-e on the grip with the gold stronger at the nib thinning toward the threads. I nib I ordered is a two tone medium stub. This was not a cheap pen but I am looking forward to receiving it. The problem is that I do not want to put down the two that John worked on!

Stephen Ruffin   

January 28, 2008

Hi Jonathan --

Just wanted to let you know that I received my Omas Milord on my birthday a few weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying it.  {You sold the pen to my mom, Janice Ferester.}  At first I was a little concerned that the medium nib was laying down too broad a line -- then I discovered that this was really true of only of the cheap paper that we were using at our office, which soaks up ink like a napkin.  On most other paper types, it lays down a very smooth, generous-but-not-too-wet line.  I also love the weight (like a feather), size (roughly comparable to an M600), and color (which, despite your website's description, I would call a darker grey -- it is in fact dark enough to wear on a yellow or beige shirt without a clash of color). 

I did notice that the nib itself seems to be missing indications of its gold content.  Do you happen to know why that is? 

In any case, thank you once again for delivering a great product.  Every pen that I've purchased from Classic (this is my third, plus I bought an extra M600 nib) has been terrific -- I keep getting new favorite pens, each with its own personality! 

Phil Ferester
Lacey, WA

January 25, 2008

 Sharon,
 
 I received the Omas Bronze Hi Tech FP yesterday. It is PERFECT! I don't know if it required much work, but it writes exactly as I had requested. Thank you for your help. I will certainly be calling you again for my next  pen purchase.
Thanks for everything.

Steve Zukerman

January 24, 2008

The Tea Time I ordered arrived today.  Of course I couldn't wait to try it out.  It has the broad cursive italic nib which you custom made. 
 
Incredible.  Smooth as glass.  Simply glides across  the paper.  The italic nib is in fact the best that I have ever had:  very broad on the vertical and very thin on the horizontal.  Even my handwriting appears elegant.  I have had similarly named nibs before, but never as beautiful as this.  Your work is as always exceptional.
 
Of course, I should not overlook the pen itself.  Amazingly it is conveniently short when closed, but pleasantly long when posted.  I much prefer a long pen to write with.  I think it has something to do with the unique positioning of the barrel and cap threads.  Terrific.  The color is excellent too: reminiscent of older period pens.
 
Thanks very much much for the care that went into the design of the pen and the craftmanship of the nib.  As always you have far exceeded any reasonable expectation.  This will be a tough act to follow.  But then, I have said that before.
 
          Oz

January 23, 2008

I recently received my new Sailor Sapporo Mini pen, and I love it.  It will fit in my smallest purses, yet it is not too small for my hand.  It is my second Sailor pen, and I have been very happy with both.  I now write so many more letters than I ever used to write, since I started writing with Sailors. Thanks for the prompt service.

Joan Sutton

January 20, 2008

Hi Sharon,

I love the Mini's that arrived this weekend.  The blue one is almost a purple, and with the silver appointments, it's stunning.  A one-hundred-dollar fountain pen with a nib like that, it's hard to believe. ... it's a wonderful little pen.  The blue is unlike any other blue I own, and visually stunning. 

cheers,
Jim

January 18, 2008

Dear Jonathan,

I received the Bexley-tea yesterday, and it is superb. I especially appreciate the barrel diameter and the ratio of the cap length to the pen body length. Lovely design and it writes beautifully...

With thanks,
#19/29 (Elizabeth)

January 17, 2008

Just wanted you to know the pen arrived and I’m really enjoying using it.  My brother had warned me that my new one would have a fatter barrel than the one I already owned and it turns out I like the new one better.  Also, whatever you did to the point makes it write much more smoothly than my first Vanishing Point.  Terrific service from nice people – what more could a customer want? 

Thank you so much!
RKS
Roxanne Kröon Shepherd

January 16, 2008

Hi John & Jonathan,

I received my Bexley Sheherazade in Tortoise w/Broad nib this afternoon. I have been using it after it warmed up - it's cold in the Chicago area right now!

This is the smoothest and best nib that I have ever had and the pen is also gorgeous to look at and hold in your hand.

Thank you!!!
Joe Nemedi