Good Thing I Kept My Mouth Shut

I wish I knew what I know now about the Eversharp Skyline Sstainless when I wrote The Catalogue.   I didn't have one or have the chance to handle one at the time I wrote the book.  I knew they were out there, but seems like all I was seeing were the pens at the occasional online auction.  

All I knew at that point was that they existed and they were very, very expensive when they turn up.  In fact, until the price of gold went through the roof starting a couple years ago, these were more expensive than even a Presentation 14k or a Command Performance.

But I had also harbored a concern about the Skyline Stainless pencils that I didn't express at time: the possibility that they could be faked.  While the pen caps are slightly tapered and the metal overlays are therefore specially made, the pencil barrels are perfectly straight.  Therefore, I reasoned, all it would take to "make" a Skyline Stainless is an ordinary presentation pencil and a bit of stainless steel tube of the correct diameter from a hobby store.  Well ok, that and the patience and skill needed to remove and replace a derby-- no small task, but the stakes are high enough to make it worthwhile to give it a try.

NOTE:  This article is now included in the print version of The Leadhead's Pencil Blog, available anywhere you buy books, or also from The Legendary Lead Company.

To order, here's the link:  Volume 1 at Legendary Lead Company