Parker Vacumatic Blue Diamond Major...a favorite.

A few weeks ago,  I was out with some friends that knew about this blog and as usual, the first question that came up was "What's your favorite pen?"  My gut instinct was to run for a Sarasa .4 in Blue-Black.  Jetpens sells them for $2.20 and do not tell them this,  but I would pay double that price any day of the week for those.

Then,  the more I thought about it...and after watching everyone's eyes roll around horribly after 20 minutes of discussing the finer points of ink flow, pen weight and other stuff, I realized there's a lot more to it. There are my favorite pens and then there are my favorite pens.   My Sarasa is my favorite daily pen just because I know it's rock solid but when the zombie apocalypse happens there are other pens that I would make sure I have in my bug out bag or if I am grabbing a pen to throw in my pocket for a night out I wouldn't grab the Sarasa. See?  Favorite vs. Favorite.

One of my definite favorite pens needed some love. I can do all the work I need on 95% of my fountain pens..pull them apart, replace what's needed and shine them up properly but the Parker Vacumatics are a different monster.  This one needed professional help. (why does the scene from Ferris Bueller always come to mind here?  "Relax, You have nothing to worry about I'm a professional."   
I needed to send this one off for some love and to do the work I chose Pentiques.  I sent a late night email that had a response in about 5 minutes and the second I returned from Copenhagen I mailed it off to them.  Oh and it was terrifying to drop this thing in the mailbox.

Look at the clear celluloid bands...crazy clean.

After about a week or two (your mileage may vary) a payment and a few other friendly emails, my mailman dropped off a pleasant surprise. Imagine Christmas morning except in the form of a small very well wrapped and packaged US Mail Priority Box.

Sea glass really isn't that manly.

Blown Away. Time actually stopped.  Here's a 65 year old pen that is now as close as it was to when it rolled off the assembly line as it ever will be. Un-inked, shiny, sparkling. Amazeballs.

Here's how it's broken down.  That plunger on the far right is for filling this thing. It's happily inked now  (equally scary just dirtying this thing up) and will get used. A lot.

This pen makes me want to write long letters that I don't even really care if they ever get read by anyone. Just write and hide them away for some stranger to find one day.   It's that good.  It's a joy to write with. I said it before.  Mr. Parker, thank you. you created almost perfection.

Again,  it's personal.  For me..this is a classic pen in my perfect color and nib size.

The Blue Diamond doesn't hurt either.  So thank you Pentiques for your work restoring this beauty. I am hoping I can give this another 65 years of use.

Good Pen.