Rotring pens
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Hello, I really want to buy a set of Rotring Variant pens. I know I would never find replacement parts for them, because they are older then me (probably), but I love the look, and I bet they feel great in hand. I have a newer isograph pen, that I use on a daily basis- mostly writing and minor technical sketching- but I realy love that retro look of the Variant. Can't wait to put my hands on them! What do you guys think? I'm wasting money?
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You can still buy Rotring Isograph pens [I think the older Rapidographs are rarer]. Look on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps%26amp;field-keywords=rotring+pens+isograph%26amp;rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Arotring+pens+isograph
You are likely to break the thinner nibbed ones line 0.25 [white-hoop] and 0.18 [red-hoop], even the 0.35 [yellow-hoop] is delicate.
The thinner ones also block up easily...
My experience with them was never good - Rotring is like using AutoCAD, while a pencil is like SketchUp, a spreadsheet is like Revit... you choose
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True, they block up & are difficult to clean... but Oooh! when they work they're wonderful. I treasured mine as much as my paint brushes. The older, heavier ones especially have a quality that's like using a beautiful fountain pen. As well as using them for all my graphics work, I had a Rotring special edition writing pen that looks like a long, aluminium bolt... very stylish!
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PS. I've just seen two sets on e-bay
edit: I'm getting old - it wasn't a writing pen it was the mechanical pencil. Again, lots still available on e-bay (apparently they haven't been made for 15 years). It's the weight & balance of them as well as the machined look that I remember. Stefanq, if you like to sketch with pencil, I think you'ld love these.
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Great - these Rotring pens are almost a devotional!
By the way - with these pens I've started sometime (long ago).
Before you start to draw, you have to shake them gently 3 to 4 times up and down.
(not over your pants, the tablecloth, any drawing or the carpet)
Then you can hear the faint clicking of the metal valves inside which is the
signal that everything is ok ...No, no waste of money at all!
PS: If you do not hear the clicking, you have to go to the sink and brush
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Thank you all for your thoughts! It's done! These old beauty's are mine. To be honest, when I made this first post, I had already established an appointment with the seller. And yes, I know all about the shakes and that clicking, I even read about how to fix them. They are gorgeous, not new, but very clean and well preserved. In fact, the image I posted, is the real image of the pens. I paid only 20 euro. for all that you see in that image. I bought my first rotring isograph with 18 euro, last week, and it looks much cheaper, like a disposable pen.
Can't wait for the weekend, to fill them all(maybe not the 0.2 one). And thank God for the hand writing, I have to do it every day, and I think it's a beautiful and healthy thing to do....still.
Regards,
Stefan
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@tig said:
Rotring is like using AutoCAD, while a pencil is like SketchUp, a spreadsheet is like Revit... you choose
Well said TIG.
When I was on the drawing board I did most of the drafting using a clutch pencil and only used a pen to 'heavy up' the outlines, external walls etc.
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Boy. . .those take me back. I have a set of those myself. Loved drawing with them. . .when I could get them to draw. THey are cantankerous. same with the Koohinors and the like.
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I had a set many years ago, leaked all over the place and never got on with them. Nicely made but as useful a toaster minus the heater elements.
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Speaking of Heater Elements.. . these pens had humidifiers to keep them in. And all of this cleansing solution to wash them out. the 000 Nib was about as useful as drawing with a nail. and so darn expensive!!
Ahhh. . .takes me back. One can look back with nostalgia--but really .. .I'm glad they're ancient history. They really were terrible but awesome at the same time.
BTW ...anybody remember using one of these? And having it glop all over the mylar . . .or worse . .the rag linen? I'm really dating myself aren't I?
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And of course the precursor to Rotring pens - Graphos pens -
which you had to adjust to get the ink-flow/weight right and they too were as blobby as a ruling-pen !
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and yet. . .in the hands of the master. .. what beautiful drawings would come
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I discovered the other day that I have two of the 7-pen Rapidograph sets with the rotating humidifier container. I loved using those pens but they were a lot of work to keep clean. If I had the time to use them, I'd get one of the sets out again.
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I'm using the 0.7 one for some time now, and I'm loving it!
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@david_h said:
BTW ...anybody remember using one of these?
Sadly, yes. Hated those. Rotrings as well. Vile things.
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