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Lhotse MAGNUM Custom Clipless Fountain Pen - in Pele's Hair Acrylic.

(Click each photo for a larger view)

Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (capped) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (size comparison) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (uncapped) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (close-up)
       
Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (uncapped-2) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (close-up-2) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (size with ruler) Pele's Hair Lhotse Magnum (eyedropper o-ring)

 



A
bout the Name:
The Lhotse (pronounced "loat---as in goat-- say") is named after Mount Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain on earth. Lhotse is best known for its proximity to mount Everest and the fact that climbers ascending the "standard route" on that peak spend some time on its northwest face. And in fact Lhotse has the smallest topographical prominence value of any the other mountains in it's group.

Lhotse Dimensions:
The Lhotse shape is known as a "cigar", and is one of the most iconic and popular clipless fountain pen styles ever made. It has a gradual taper from the center (joint) out to either end, ending in a nice round-over. The clipless style and short length allows the pen to be very portable. It can easily fit in a pocket, purse, briefcase or knapsack. The standard length is about 5 1/2", but it can be ordered in any custom size between 5" and 6" (or even longer if desired). The pen uses a standard Cartridge/Converter inking system. It can be fitted with a #5 or #6 nib. Nib finishes available for STEEL nibs are: 2-tone, polished steel, Black Oxide (#6 only), or Ruthenium (#5 only). Current tip sizes are x-fine, fine, medium, broad, and two italics (1.1 both; 1.4 for #5 only, and 1.5 for #6 only). 14 & 18K Gold nibs are also available as a special order.

Lhotse MAGNUM:
The Lhotse MAGNUM is a larger version of the Lhotse that is 18% larger. The MAGNUM has a capped length of 6 1/2" (165 mm) and a diameter of .71" (18 mm). The threads are also larger than the original to maintain the scale. The only part of the pen that isn't scaled up is the nib. The MAGNUM uses the same #6 nib as the original size. This is because a larger nib isn't available in steel. But if you would prefer a larger nib, PELIKAN offers a larger nib in their M1000, as does Bock in their type 380. But both are only available in 18k, so the upgrade cost would be much more expensive vs the standard #6 steel nib.

Lhotse Options and Upgrades:
The Lhotse is another pen style that allows for a few upgrades and options. You could add metal accent bands to the base of the cap, or add a HIDDEN RING clip (see the Tortoise Shell). The accent bands are available in several finishes (24k gold, nickel or Rhodium, and come in a variety of diameters with widths from 1 to 4mm (n 1mm increments). As stated above, you can also upgrade your pen with a 14k or 18k gold nib.

Inking system upgrades... Because of the style of the barrel, The Lhotse is not very conducive to adding a blind-cap for a piston or button filler. But it can be ordered as Lever-filler, Bulb-filler, or Eyedropper.

I also offer a variety of hand-made Pen Props and Pen Buttons. You can order a Pen Prop in a material to match your pen, or any one of the wooden styles made in a variety of stained or dyed colors. The Pen Buttons are available for any of the clipless pens.



About this Pen:

Like many of the pens, this one was a special order. The client wanted a specific size (6 1/2"), then wanted the rest of the pen enlarged proportionally. I make up size layouts for all my pens (similar to a blueprint), so the resizing was easy on paper. I just found the percentage of the increase on the length, then increased the layout file by that percent. It then reset the size for the rest of the parts. But the actual turning of the parts turned out to be the harder part of the job. My muscle memory kept wanting to make the parts smaller. But with a little extra time and attention, I got the pen sized exactly the way the client wanted it. One feature this pen has that you don't usually see on a Lhotse is the addition of the o-ring to make the pen an eyedropper.

About this Material:
The material used on this pen is called PELE'S HAIR, and is an Alumilite acrylic. If you're intrigued by the name as I was, I won't spoil it-- check it out for yourself here: About Pele's Hair. Alumilite is a soft acrylic and turns very well. The shavings come off the tool as a string of powder that falls to dust in your hands. One of the advantages to the Alumilite is the color mix you can get with it and the pearl additives. Together they make beautiful colors.

Pen Specifications:
Color / Material:
Pele's Hair Acrylic.
Length: Capped = 6.50" / Uncapped = 5.80".
Diameter: Max = .71" / Ends = .59".
Weight: Capped 30.9 gms. Uncapped 20.8 gms.
Nib: Meister #6 Black Oxide steel.
Filling System: C/C or Eyedropper.