In a message dated 2/12/2007 4:57:24 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, eric@xxxxxxxx writes: Okay, every pen company makes mistakes... But Max makes a good point. I write the hell out of my vacs – one is 70+ years old. I wish I had more like that. Why are they being so draconian? And the rest of the fp world isn’t really like that. IS it? Eric D. Zamir-Zimmerman Eric, I agree..........today (and for the past month) have been using a Golden Web vac, circa 1937, and it writes perfectly. Yes I did have to restore it, and in several years it may again, need a new diaphram, but there are fewer pens of this quality and looks in the new pens. Randy