I have always wanted a vintage Aurora 88 with flex or semi-flex nib, but I'm always hesitant due to the known issues with the piston mechanism and plastic that can be fragile. The ones in good condition always seem like the most perfect pens on Earth for me. I love semi-hooded nibs (I loved my Lamy 2000 that I had for 12 years before losing it on the literal worst day of my life, and losing the pen wasn't the reason it was the worst day ever, although it contributed a bit). The flexible Aurora 88 nibs just have such a personality in they way they put ink onto the page. You're so lucky to have such a fine example!
G'day, Doodle-mate! Just came across this post. The Aurora 88k is more for me pen to hold, and its nib is far better than the "51". Nevertheless, I really couldn't complain if I were restricted to a well-tuned "51". Love your take on pens (I must be a frustrated engineer.) Cheerio!
This original vintage Aurora 88 has been inside my top 5 favorite fountain pens of all time. I have the Nikargenta model (with the Nikargenta alloy cap and trims). However, the second one I bought with the golden cap is unusable due to a faulty piston mechanism ( an extremely common failing in these vintage pens, according to many owners’ testimonials). I don’t dare to attempt to fix it myself despite having a bunch of spare seals and parts meant for this pen’s repair. And I don’t know or have access to anybody who can reliably fix the pen for me. It saddens me no end. I’m astonished to see you easily unscrew the section from the barrel on your pen. I would kill to have that happen on my pen. From everything I have heard from other owners and users on pen forums (including my experience with my own pens), the section on this particular vintage 88 is almost a fiendishly immovable object and requires expert handling and techniques to separate from the barrel. You’re so uncommonly lucky. Anyway, I absolutely adore this pen. It is as close to perfection as a pen can possibly be - for me. The size, feel, aesthetics and the wonderful semi-hooded 14k nib. Sublime on both style and performance. I wouldn’t part with this pen for anything in the world. It trumps the P51 by a lot. Which is also saying a lot. Thanks so much for a well-done review worthy of this peerless old pen.
Thanks so much for the kind words! I knew nothing about this pen but saw a vintage one & it caught my eye. Checked a few on ebay for 2 weeks then found one that seems good condition for the price. With a little bit of work, patience, & attention to detail it's turned out great.
Almost every pen maker in the late 40's and into the 50's had a pen model that was at least a shout out to the P51. Another candidate for most copied is whoever first thought of the cigar shaped piston filler like the MB 149.
The early 88's also came with nibs that were soft/springy. Later models had stiff nibs. Relating to the cap, I don't believe anything is missing. As I see it, the ring on the section is there to work with the cap similar to the Lamy nubs. In the pens I have, the tolerances are very tight and well manufactured.
Oh nooo, I missed the uploaded because I was taking a shower 😓 Your uploading schedule is absolutely perfect for when I start watching videos, it’s 19:25 right now so it’s pretty much chill-time and you’re videos are a great start to the evening!
Well I think regular personal hygiene should supersede TH-cam comments. So glad to hear you're not one of them odd duck fountain pen obsessed guys who hasn't bathed in weeks. Keep washing & watching I say!
I wonder if gluing some clear self-adhesive strips inside the cap would help. One of my old MB pens has them inside the cap and it holds on nicely on the pen while the capping action is very smooth... I grew up in Belarus and my first fountain pen that I used in school was a clone of Parker 51, " made in USSR". Of course, I had no idea what design it was because Parker pens were not sold anywhere for a couple more decades. My pen had a converter looking filling mechanism though... That pen was quite ubiquitous in the USSR...
I thought about that but the engineer in me begins to cringe when I think of that. There's very little clearance to allow for a tape or thin spring steel strips to increase the friction. It was designed as an interference fit, which should only be for one-time fitments not repeating. Or else you could harden the metal so it doesn't wear out as much. You'd like my video of a Soviet fountain pen. Here's the link th-cam.com/video/3ktPhYWRchU/w-d-xo.html
I saw on your channel you do wood working projects! Here's one I did for cigar boxes into pen boxes. I can imagine you'd be able to do a MUCH better job than me! th-cam.com/video/nNYyctyOfQg/w-d-xo.html
Excellent vid & a nice pen. Interesting how well the Pelikan 140 did in comparison. I don't think my 140 is as flexy but I think it's a lot newer than yours. The Aurora 88 is sure a nice writer.
You often mention tolerances, so in a way the cap should be applauded for dispensing with a clutch ring (I'm still not entirely sold on the Lamy 2000 'ears') and (my) cap holds fast closed and posted. But I guess one would only really know how effective it is after years of use. Also, you recently reviewed the Jinhao X159 and the Majohn P136 and were perplexed they don't post. Perhaps they would if the barrel ring were (like the Aurora 88) just slightly proud of the plastic barrel.
Oh boy, apparently this Italian pen is just as the Italian Cars of those times: Beautiful, temperamental and needs a lot of tune up anf maintenance. I like it, but I prefer the Sheaffer and Parker of that time. I think I'm interested in the latest "reissue" of this pen though🤔. Thanks for the video.
6 cam shafts, 24 and a half carburetors, non synchro transmission & a steering wheel so small you can barely hold on! Takes a team of 3 expert race mechanics to get er running just right.... But when she does, it puuuuuuuuurrrrs
I have vintage Aurora 88P with steel cap. It caps perfectly - nice and tight, but it’s all rusty on the inside, I don’t know if it’s a common issue or it’s just my pen
I snagged one from ebay thanks to your review,so thanks. You can put a piece of sticky felt inside the cap,or even a piece masking tape,maybe it will solve the cap issue...
Glad you like the pen. Yeah there's a few "band-aid" type fixes but that stuff drives me nuts as an engineer! There's a special tape called UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) I might look into, but its typically too think for this application. If I had access to the shop when I did my engineering, I could make a sweet fix for the cap.
@@Doodlebud if you cant access a lathe, you can get a punch die set and silver sheet in the correct gauge,and punch out a new clutch ring if its in between the sizes of the die,the problem here lies in centering the inner circle(but its doable),good luck!
I'd probably end up killing the hamster and be left with a circumcised finger by the time I'm done. She's a juicy writer now for sure. Still need to find my loop to give 'er a look; think it needs a slight tweak by the feel of it.
Since watching the vid, I've had a play with my Pelikan 140, and yes I agree with you the pen is way too small, that said it is a great deal more flexy than I'd given it credit for. Its a really nice fluid bouncy flex pen. Mine is around 26 years old (from new) & has enormous emotional attachment but over the last few years has been overlooked as a writing instrument. Wrongly so & not any more. Thanks again for the video, being a coward I'd choose the classic Parker 51 over the Aurora 88, but the Aurora 88 has it in the writing department.
Without seeing the pen here are the things I would check first. In the section there is a little wedge like portion that is adjustable to control ink flow. See if there is one first of all or try adjusting. Next thing if that doesn't work, would be he oring in the ink chamber. If it's not sealing well it won't create the light vacuum required and the air/ink exchange is simply not bing controlled and will leak out
@@AtilioEscobar good luck! I always start with the easiest thing first. But my guess would be either the little wedge is missing all together or the oring is toast
@@Doodlebud So I seem to have fixed the issue. I changed the ink and it's working good. But..now I'm having leaking where the pen grip unscrews from the pen body, where the silver ring is(right above the pen grip). It unscrews freely. Should I put silicone grease or shellac on the inner threads?
Hmmmm you could give that a try. I suspect it might be the oring if the ink is coming out like that. Worth a try for sure, but might be more of a band aid than an actual fix
Oh, we are here because you're a nice guy....and it just so happens that you have some cool pens.
The Aurora 88 is a _gorgeous_ pen. Wow. Thank you!
I have a Parker 51, a Lamy 2K and a Aurora 88 in my daily carry. The vintage 88 is one of the best pens ever made.
I really really enjoy this pen. Also makes me just slow down a bit when I use this pen.
I have always wanted a vintage Aurora 88 with flex or semi-flex nib, but I'm always hesitant due to the known issues with the piston mechanism and plastic that can be fragile. The ones in good condition always seem like the most perfect pens on Earth for me. I love semi-hooded nibs (I loved my Lamy 2000 that I had for 12 years before losing it on the literal worst day of my life, and losing the pen wasn't the reason it was the worst day ever, although it contributed a bit). The flexible Aurora 88 nibs just have such a personality in they way they put ink onto the page. You're so lucky to have such a fine example!
Yeah there's definitely some quirks to the pen. But it is a dream to write with when it's working just right. Love the look of the pen too.
G'day, Doodle-mate! Just came across this post. The Aurora 88k is more for me pen to hold, and its nib is far better than the "51". Nevertheless, I really couldn't complain if I were restricted to a well-tuned "51".
Love your take on pens (I must be a frustrated engineer.) Cheerio!
This vintage 88 is so wonderful to hold and write with. But I find it does tend to dry up because of the fitment of the cap.
I laughed so loud at "circumcise a hamster", I scared my cat! 😆😆😆😆
Such a tinny nib was so hard for me to work with!
🤣🤣❤️
Wow! Hooded nib is awesome. I remember the vintage Parkers: 51, 21, 41, 61... This is a beautiful fountain pen...
This original vintage Aurora 88 has been inside my top 5 favorite fountain pens of all time. I have the Nikargenta model (with the Nikargenta alloy cap and trims). However, the second one I bought with the golden cap is unusable due to a faulty piston mechanism ( an extremely common failing in these vintage pens, according to many owners’ testimonials). I don’t dare to attempt to fix it myself despite having a bunch of spare seals and parts meant for this pen’s repair. And I don’t know or have access to anybody who can reliably fix the pen for me. It saddens me no end.
I’m astonished to see you easily unscrew the section from the barrel on your pen. I would kill to have that happen on my pen. From everything I have heard from other owners and users on pen forums (including my experience with my own pens), the section on this particular vintage 88 is almost a fiendishly immovable object and requires expert handling and techniques to separate from the barrel. You’re so uncommonly lucky.
Anyway, I absolutely adore this pen. It is as close to perfection as a pen can possibly be - for me. The size, feel, aesthetics and the wonderful semi-hooded 14k nib. Sublime on both style and performance. I wouldn’t part with this pen for anything in the world. It trumps the P51 by a lot. Which is also saying a lot.
Thanks so much for a well-done review worthy of this peerless old pen.
Thanks so much for the kind words! I knew nothing about this pen but saw a vintage one & it caught my eye. Checked a few on ebay for 2 weeks then found one that seems good condition for the price. With a little bit of work, patience, & attention to detail it's turned out great.
Almost every pen maker in the late 40's and into the 50's had a pen model that was at least a shout out to the P51. Another candidate for most copied is whoever first thought of the cigar shaped piston filler like the MB 149.
The early 88's also came with nibs that were soft/springy. Later models had stiff nibs. Relating to the cap, I don't believe anything is missing. As I see it, the ring on the section is there to work with the cap similar to the Lamy nubs. In the pens I have, the tolerances are very tight and well manufactured.
Oh nooo, I missed the uploaded because I was taking a shower 😓
Your uploading schedule is absolutely perfect for when I start watching videos, it’s 19:25 right now so it’s pretty much chill-time and you’re videos are a great start to the evening!
Well I think regular personal hygiene should supersede TH-cam comments. So glad to hear you're not one of them odd duck fountain pen obsessed guys who hasn't bathed in weeks. Keep washing & watching I say!
Dammit! A better line woulda been "Cleanliness before Penliness"
@@Doodlebud Good things never happen on the first try do they? 😉
I wonder if gluing some clear self-adhesive strips inside the cap would help. One of my old MB pens has them inside the cap and it holds on nicely on the pen while the capping action is very smooth...
I grew up in Belarus and my first fountain pen that I used in school was a clone of Parker 51, " made in USSR".
Of course, I had no idea what design it was because Parker pens were not sold anywhere for a couple more decades. My pen had a converter looking filling mechanism though... That pen was quite ubiquitous in the USSR...
I thought about that but the engineer in me begins to cringe when I think of that. There's very little clearance to allow for a tape or thin spring steel strips to increase the friction. It was designed as an interference fit, which should only be for one-time fitments not repeating. Or else you could harden the metal so it doesn't wear out as much. You'd like my video of a Soviet fountain pen. Here's the link
th-cam.com/video/3ktPhYWRchU/w-d-xo.html
I saw on your channel you do wood working projects! Here's one I did for cigar boxes into pen boxes. I can imagine you'd be able to do a MUCH better job than me!
th-cam.com/video/nNYyctyOfQg/w-d-xo.html
For a hooded nib its quite impressive how much flex you get with it.
I ADORE my 88K, from '56 or '57, nearest I can date it. Perfect pen!
Super classy pen
@@Doodlebud The epitome of class!
“Circumcise a hamster.” Beauty.
Excellent vid & a nice pen. Interesting how well the Pelikan 140 did in comparison. I don't think my 140 is as flexy but I think it's a lot newer than yours. The Aurora 88 is sure a nice writer.
You often mention tolerances, so in a way the cap should be applauded for dispensing with a clutch ring (I'm still not entirely sold on the Lamy 2000 'ears') and (my) cap holds fast closed and posted. But I guess one would only really know how effective it is after years of use. Also, you recently reviewed the Jinhao X159 and the Majohn P136 and were perplexed they don't post. Perhaps they would if the barrel ring were (like the Aurora 88) just slightly proud of the plastic barrel.
Oh boy, apparently this Italian pen is just as the Italian Cars of those times: Beautiful, temperamental and needs a lot of tune up anf maintenance. I like it, but I prefer the Sheaffer and Parker of that time. I think I'm interested in the latest "reissue" of this pen though🤔.
Thanks for the video.
6 cam shafts, 24 and a half carburetors, non synchro transmission & a steering wheel so small you can barely hold on! Takes a team of 3 expert race mechanics to get er running just right.... But when she does, it puuuuuuuuurrrrs
I have vintage Aurora 88P with steel cap. It caps perfectly - nice and tight, but it’s all rusty on the inside, I don’t know if it’s a common issue or it’s just my pen
I do like a hooded nib. Pretty.
I snagged one from ebay thanks to your review,so thanks.
You can put a piece of sticky felt inside the cap,or even a piece masking tape,maybe it will solve the cap issue...
Glad you like the pen. Yeah there's a few "band-aid" type fixes but that stuff drives me nuts as an engineer! There's a special tape called UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight) I might look into, but its typically too think for this application. If I had access to the shop when I did my engineering, I could make a sweet fix for the cap.
@@Doodlebud
if you cant access a lathe, you can get a punch die set and silver sheet in the correct gauge,and punch out a new clutch ring if its in between the sizes of the die,the problem here lies in centering the inner circle(but its doable),good luck!
Circumcize a hamster, ha! That should be your next video! Oh yeah, nice job tweaking the pen! Looks like a sweet little writer.
I'd probably end up killing the hamster and be left with a circumcised finger by the time I'm done. She's a juicy writer now for sure. Still need to find my loop to give 'er a look; think it needs a slight tweak by the feel of it.
@@Doodlebud r/holup
Since watching the vid, I've had a play with my Pelikan 140, and yes I agree with you the pen is way too small, that said it is a great deal more flexy than I'd given it credit for. Its a really nice fluid bouncy flex pen. Mine is around 26 years old (from new) & has enormous emotional attachment but over the last few years has been overlooked as a writing instrument. Wrongly so & not any more. Thanks again for the video, being a coward I'd choose the classic Parker 51 over the Aurora 88, but the Aurora 88 has it in the writing department.
The cap on my 88P fits as snugly as any of my Parker 51s, but the 51 models, whether gold or steel nibs, are more fun to use.
Does your cap have an inner clutch assembly or it just slides against the metal on the inside of the cap?
thinking about getting an 88p from the 50's. does your nib have spring/flex to it?
I have all three, greatly prefer the 88
I just got my 1st 88p vintage. But the ink is falling out of the nib and won’t stop dripping? Would u know why? 😣
Without seeing the pen here are the things I would check first. In the section there is a little wedge like portion that is adjustable to control ink flow. See if there is one first of all or try adjusting. Next thing if that doesn't work, would be he oring in the ink chamber. If it's not sealing well it won't create the light vacuum required and the air/ink exchange is simply not bing controlled and will leak out
Awesome. Thanks so much @@Doodlebud. I knew u’d have some good troubleshooting solutions. I’ll take a look and give an update.
@@AtilioEscobar good luck! I always start with the easiest thing first. But my guess would be either the little wedge is missing all together or the oring is toast
@@Doodlebud So I seem to have fixed the issue. I changed the ink and it's working good. But..now I'm having leaking where the pen grip unscrews from the pen body, where the silver ring is(right above the pen grip). It unscrews freely. Should I put silicone grease or shellac on the inner threads?
Hmmmm you could give that a try. I suspect it might be the oring if the ink is coming out like that. Worth a try for sure, but might be more of a band aid than an actual fix
Nice review they dont do nibs like this anymore
Did you say what year your 88 was from?
I can't remember but I did a review on it with more details
th-cam.com/video/h7iYDBSNMkA/w-d-xo.html
*neighborhood Doodlebud.... 🤓
You popped into my head a few days ago....Glad all is well.
@@stargazer1359 my eyes first read I "pooped into you head" 💩😳
@@Doodlebud hehehe