Here’s a beautiful Waterman 94 in the pattern known as grey pearl. It’s a stunning pattern raised from the obscurity of just another grey marble by the splashes of red throughout. The 94 is a good size of pen at 12.6 cm, and it’s quite thick. It makes for a very comfortable pen to write with.
The nib is a beauty: smooth, flexible and wet. The nib is where Waterman, like Swan, comes into its own.
Though I’m no expert on American Watermans, I suspect that there is a problem with this pen.
That, to my mind, is not a 94 cap. It’s the cap from an Ink-Vue, I believe. The cap fits well, the pattern is the same but the clip is not something I’ve seen on a 94, nor is the band.
So this beauty is a Frankenpen. That doesn’t bother me too much. It’s going to sit on my desk and be my daily writer and here’s why:
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Oh! I have two Waterman 94s (one with a fine flex nib as well) so this post really caught my eye – I’ll have to check my cap as well, just out of curiosity. Lovely nib you have there. I think I’m on a mission to hoard these!
They are great pens and they come in some of the nicest patterns ever made.
Yup – enough said. Though I have no experience with Onoto, Swan and Waterman are my favorites for just this reason. The writing sample says it all. But to be totally honest here, I really should add that, for me, there is also the matter of the subjective experience of forming the letters and words with a pen like this. I may be risking some raised eyebrows in saying this but I find a certain “sensuality” in the writing experience itself when using a pen and nib like this. I wonder how many others feel this way?
Oh, I completely agree. Writing with a firm nibbed pen can be quite pleasurable but essentially it’s just getting the job done. Writing with a flex nib is a pure pleasure for its own sake.
Deb
I think that you probably have the correct cap as it looks very similar to the caps I have on the same pen, but I think that the clip has been replaced. I have come across quite a few Waterman pens where the clip fixing has let them down and are either missing, or sometimes replaced – most recently on a Patrician.
Clip technology is an interesting topic. Some makers had a weak design and the clips break relatively easily (e.g. Watermans and the Onoto clip that looks like the one on the Magna), if those are easy to replace it is not the end of the world, but a more complex fixing such as the Waterman, or the Swan that presses into the cap need more specialised repair. I suppose Waterman tried to improve the design over the years until the finally got rid of the rivetted or bent over tab type fixing. I suspect that makers like Parker just made a load of spares of their washer type clips so that they could be quickly replaced – possibly even in store. I just wish I could find a stock of spare clips to replace all of the ones I am missing.
Simon
Hi Simon,
You may well be right. I spotted that the clip was wrong and then I think I convinced myself that the ring was wrong too. A replacement clip seems quite likely.
So many Watermans appear with a broken clip, as you say. Though I have replaced clips on Swans – including the heat-inserted ones – I’ve never got around to replacing Waterman clips. It doesn’t appear to be too difficult, if you avoid the riveted ones. That’s too fiddly by far, for me. Like nibs, you can never have enough spare clips.
Lovely Waterman’s Deb; I have a Canadian 32 in exactly the same material – on which the clip had to be replaced. Mine has a superb smooth stub nib that I suppose one might call semi-flex, with amazing line variation. Waterman’s knew a thing or two about nibs as you say!
From my limited knowledge I would say that the clip on your pen is from an Ink-vue – I was looking at one on a well-known auction site and decided that it was a) too much money and b) probably a nightmare to fix!
Yes, they are unduly complicated and fragile.
Reminds me, I have Waterman 94 with a keyhole nib which needs to be restored but the section doesn’t seem to want to move, so I think I will consider sending it out for repairs.
Usually these aren’t too much of a problem. Heat usually frees them up.
I have a Canadian Waterman 94 with a ‘Waterman Ideal 4’ nib with one broken tine. Any thoughts on where I might find a replacement nib?
Sorry, I don’t know of any source. Are these nibs uncommon? It might be worth considering repair if no replacement can be found.
I haven’t been able to locate one on the popular auction site yet, but it is possible I am not looking in the correct place?
Repair would be a great option if it is possible. Can you recommend someone to approach about this?
Write to info@goldnibs.com. Their website appears to be down but they remain active in FaceBook. They have done first-class work for someone I know. It’s quite expensive but you can decide whether to proceed when they give you an estimate.
Will do, many thanks for your help👍.
I hope it works out for you. These are great pens.