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rio posted:I hate wasting ink! [Ask] me about using a cartoonishly bright and malevolently behaved platinum green cartridge for a week just so I could fill it up with Zhivago. Turns out that I had a platinum converter the whole time, so joke's on me. Oh, I received a new toy from China this week, a Jinhao 650:  To its left is a TWSBI 580 and a Jinhao 159 for reference. That might be real wood, it's certainly textured like it. It's a hair shorter and fatter than the 159 and about 15 grams heavier. Despite being fatter than the 159, it has a much skinnier section, kinda nullifying the entire reason to buy a giant pen like this. The nib is very smooth and well-aligned out of the box, as was the 159 when I received it. The converter it came with is fairly well built; not quite as good as a Japanese/German/American one but far ahead the other Chinese converters I've used. This thing makes me sort of sad that I spent extra money to get a ~premium German nib~ with my x450, because this is presumably the stock one it would have come with.
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Feb 7, 2014 22:32
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So, uh, penfriends. I just got a thing. I got to work today and the catering manager said she had something for me, and handed me an E.S. Johnson No. 5 dip pen. It's in pretty good shape considering its age (the company shut down in 1921 at the latest and the pearl-handled holders like mine were apparently common in the late 1800s). The nib appears to be gold-plated and is decently flexible. Are these supposed to have any kind of reservoir on them? It doesn't write much before it needs more ink. I suppose I could jury-rig a feed to it if I had to, if I wanted to actually use it regularly.
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Feb 8, 2014 03:27
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Solkanar512 posted:So Goulets is going to sell Pelikans at the following prices: They'll special order the M400, too, but I don't know how much it would cost. That's rather pricey, even though I love Pelikan pens.
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Feb 8, 2014 04:41
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What other converters fit a Pilot Metropolitan? The squeeze bulb one holds far too little ink and requires twice daily refilling (I write constantly at work) and I don't want to make it an eyedropper because I'd rather not run the risk of a leak over original documents or in my pocket.
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Feb 8, 2014 13:36
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kim jong-illin posted:What other converters fit a Pilot Metropolitan? The squeeze bulb one holds far too little ink and requires twice daily refilling (I write constantly at work) and I don't want to make it an eyedropper because I'd rather not run the risk of a leak over original documents or in my pocket. The only way to get more ink in a Metropolitan would be to refill an ink cartridge, since it doesn't take the larger CON-70 converter. (Now you have an excuse to troll ebay for a cheap Custom 74.)
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Feb 8, 2014 14:24
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Welsper posted:The only way to get more ink in a Metropolitan would be to refill an ink cartridge, since it doesn't take the larger CON-70 converter. I ordered mine with a CON-50 converter from Goulet pens, which they sell separately. I had had enough experience with fixed squeeze bulb pens to know that I preferred converters. Alternatively I used to use plastic pipettes to refill my old cartridges for Preppys (impossible to find compatible cartridges locally). It was more labor intensive than a converter but worked fine.
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Feb 8, 2014 16:07
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kim jong-illin posted:What other converters fit a Pilot Metropolitan? The squeeze bulb one holds far too little ink and requires twice daily refilling (I write constantly at work) and I don't want to make it an eyedropper because I'd rather not run the risk of a leak over original documents or in my pocket. Mine came with a cartridge of Pilot ink. Did yours? You can wash that out and refill it with an eyedropper. It holds a lot more ink than the squeeze bulb, and you can easily tell how much ink is left.
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Feb 8, 2014 17:21
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I want more pens and more inks. Particularly inks. Most of mine are inked with Lamy Black. Edit: Do Pilot Parallels work well with regular fountain pen inks?
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Feb 9, 2014 06:09
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I believe they can use a CON-50 so I am assuming yes. Probably depends on how well mannered the ink is.
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Feb 9, 2014 06:37
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The "cleaning converter" that comes with the Parallel is essentially a CON-20, so you can fill it with whatever. I used Pelikan yellow highlighter ink in it without problems, and the nib/feed come apart easily if you mess anything up.
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Feb 9, 2014 10:38
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Testing out a sample of De Atramentis Charles Dickens and absolutely love it. It's a sortof low saturation black with a hint of green that feels very old timey. Lot's of shading as well. Only tested it in an also new Metropolitan with M nib that writes much wetter than my various EF pens, so I'm not sure if I'll buy a bottle yet. I can see why people like the Metropolitan as an entry level pen. Definitely writes nicer than the Safari. I don't care much for the grip though; the lip where the cap goes is right where I normally put my fingers.
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Feb 9, 2014 17:34
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Yeah, same issue for me with the Metropolitan - I have had to adjust my grip to use it. I wish that I could combine the Safari and Metropolitan into an entry level super pen.
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Feb 9, 2014 18:41
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Do most pens come with a converter or do I need to order them separately?
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Feb 10, 2014 15:03
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Motley posted:Do most pens come with a converter or do I need to order them separately? Depends on the price. High end pens always come with the converter, lower end ones usually do not. The Metro is an exception to this.
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Feb 10, 2014 15:24
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Solkanar512 posted:Depends on the price. High end pens always come with the converter, lower end ones usually do not. The Metro is an exception to this. What about the Diamond 580? I can't figure out if it does or not.
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Feb 10, 2014 15:29
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rio posted:Yeah, same issue for me with the Metropolitan - I have had to adjust my grip to use it. I wish that I could combine the Safari and Metropolitan into an entry level super pen. It's funny that you say that. http://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Kakuno-Fountain-Pens/ct/1984 The triangular grip of the Safari, the high-quality nibs of Pilot and a creepy smile staring up at you from the pen.
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Feb 10, 2014 15:36
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Motley posted:What about the Diamond 580? I can't figure out if it does or not. The whole body of the 580 is a converter of sorts. Pens like these are generally known as a "piston fill" pen, and have a huge ink capacity because of it. This is one of the main reasons why it's such a popular (and awesome) pen.
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Feb 10, 2014 15:43
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I'm currently experimenting with transitioning from using converters to cleaning/re-using cartridges for some of my Pilots. I'm curious if someone could explain how they clean old cartridges for reuse. For example what do you use to clean them, what steps,procedures, etc.
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Feb 10, 2014 15:59
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Solkanar512 posted:The whole body of the 580 is a converter of sorts. Pens like these are generally known as a "piston fill" pen, and have a huge ink capacity because of it. This is one of the main reasons why it's such a popular (and awesome) pen. Ah, I wondered what piston fill meant. Thanks for the info, makes me want one even more.
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Feb 10, 2014 16:03
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wodan22 posted:I'm currently experimenting with transitioning from using converters to cleaning/re-using cartridges for some of my Pilots. I'm curious if someone could explain how they clean old cartridges for reuse. For example what do you use to clean them, what steps,procedures, etc. I think the first time I'd hit it with warm water mixed with a bit of dish soap or even some ammonia if it's a particularly crazy ink. Rinse really well. Shouldn't be any different from cleaning out a pen to be honest.
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Feb 10, 2014 16:05
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Solkanar512 posted:Depends on the price. High end pens always come with the converter, lower end ones usually do not. The Metro is an exception to this. All my cheapo chinese pens have come with converters, while the only one over 10 bux I've gotten (lamy safari) did not, haha.
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Feb 10, 2014 18:06
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Luisfe posted:All my cheapo chinese pens have come with converters, while the only one over 10 bux I've gotten (lamy safari) did not, haha. Interesting... Good to know!
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Feb 10, 2014 18:47
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Solkanar512 posted:Interesting... Good to know! Cheap is a relative term, Lamy Safaris tend to be priced the same as upper mid range Hero pens in China.
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Feb 10, 2014 19:23
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I CANNOT EJACULATE WITHOUT SEEING NATIVE AMERICANS BRUTALISED!
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Solkanar512 posted:Depends on the price. High end pens always come with the converter, lower end ones usually do not. The Metro is an exception to this. How much writing is typical from a fill on the Pilot Metropolitan converter? It seems small to me.
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Feb 10, 2014 20:56
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Oh, no. I dropped one of my pens six inches onto my desk, and it landed right on the tip of the nib. It's bent at like a 90 degree angle now. Luckily it's a Pilot Metro, so in the worst case I'll just buy another, but man, it sort of felt like watching my child get hit on the playground. I'm going to try and re-straighten it with a flathead screwdriver. It's just the very tip of the nib that's sort of curled under; the rest of the nib appears as it always does. Don't really know what else to do, since having it repaired by a pro would cost more than just buying a new one in the event that I ruin it.
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Feb 10, 2014 21:31
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asylum years posted:Oh, no. I dropped one of my pens six inches onto my desk, and it landed right on the tip of the nib. It's bent at like a 90 degree angle now. Luckily it's a Pilot Metro, so in the worst case I'll just buy another, but man, it sort of felt like watching my child get hit on the playground. Much like seeing your kid get hit on the playground, you don't go straightening it out with a screwdriver. You hire a professional to get it right.
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Feb 10, 2014 21:36
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The Entire Universe posted:Much like seeing your kid get hit on the playground, you don't go straightening it out with a screwdriver. Cool, know anyone who will take care of it for less than the 15 bucks it would cost me to just replace the pen? Because I'm sort of tight on cash these days.
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Feb 10, 2014 21:43
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asylum years posted:I'm going to try and re-straighten it with a flathead screwdriver. It's just the very tip of the nib that's sort of curled under; the rest of the nib appears as it always does. Don't really know what else to do, since having it repaired by a pro would cost more than just buying a new one in the event that I ruin it. I would suggest a small pair of pliers wrapped in some paper or rubber bands to avoid scratching it. PRADA SLUT posted:How much writing is typical from a fill on the Pilot Metropolitan converter? It seems small to me. One usually lasts me about two weeks of daily but light note keeping. If you're a college student or something I expect it would last you a few days. I believe that converter is larger than a more standard converter, but I could be wrong. If you go this route just remember to let the nib sit in the ink for several seconds to suck up as much of the ink as possible. Either that, or consider an eyedropper or piston fill pen. Otherwise the Metro is loving amazing and you can let your friends try it would without worry. The Entire Universe posted:Much like seeing your kid get hit on the playground, you don't go straightening it out with a screwdriver. 
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Feb 10, 2014 21:46
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The Entire Universe posted:Much like seeing your kid get hit on the playground, you don't go straightening it out with a screwdriver. Maybe if somebody hits your kid.
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Feb 10, 2014 21:54
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Solkanar512 posted:I would suggest a small pair of pliers wrapped in some paper or rubber bands to avoid scratching it. Well, that worked. Thanks. Bent right back into place and writes just as it did before. 
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Feb 10, 2014 22:01
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PRADA SLUT posted:How much writing is typical from a fill on the Pilot Metropolitan converter? It seems small to me. These are small numbers, but the difference can be pretty significant. My Kakuno with a CON-20 feels like it constantly needs refilling, while my Pelikan M205 (small piston filler) feels like it lasts forever, even though on paper it only holds 50% more ink.
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Feb 11, 2014 00:22
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So the Hero 359. It's a blatant Lamy Safari knockoff down to the converter knob being a dead ringer for the z26  Feels pretty ok, way lighter than a real Safari/Vista, nib has a bit more feedback (I hesitate to say scratchy because it isn't quite but you definitely feel it more than a real Lamy nib) Couldn't get my z24 apart to sterilize it so I tossed it and bought a z26 since it looks nicer inside the Vista and they were on sale for like $2.75. Might take pictures of the Hero and the clean and reassembled Vista later
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Feb 11, 2014 01:14
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So I've fallen in love with my 1.9mm italic Lamy Safari and can't bear writing with normal nibs anymore. I'd like to buy a cursive italic nib around 1mm for everyday note taking, but want to try a new brand instead of going for another Lamy*. I'm willing to spend up to $120 (including shipping to Australia), does anyone have suggestions on where/what to buy? Wide pens are preferred; I've used pens that are skinnier than the Safari and I find them very uncomfortable for prolonged use. * I've seen a lot of discussion online about whether the Lamy italic nibs count as crisp or cursive italic and the conensus seems to be "somewhere in between the two". I find that mine starts skipping when I write too fast. Am I right in assuming that this issue would go away with a proper cursive italic nib, or do I just need to suck it up and write slower?
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Feb 11, 2014 05:01
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asylum years posted:Cool, know anyone who will take care of it for less than the 15 bucks it would cost me to just replace the pen? Because I'm sort of tight on cash these days. To be honest they'd tell you to get a new pen. Fountain pens employ capillary action to 'pull' the ink out onto the page. Trying to fix it with a screwdriver, or for that matter anything short of stuff like jewelers' tools (including a loupe) will just leave imperfections in the alignment of the tines and cause the pen to just drip ink all over the page, or get all scratchy, or simply not produce any ink at all. E: just how close are those Chinese Hero knockoffs? Close enough that you could get the Safari copy and just slap an authentic Lamy nib on it? Feed and reservoir are pretty easy to get right, it's the precision in the nib that's tough in a $2 pen I imagine.
FAUXTON fucked around with this message at 05:25 on Feb 11, 2014 |
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Feb 11, 2014 05:21
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The Entire Universe posted:To be honest they'd tell you to get a new pen. Trying to fix it with a screwdriver, or for that matter anything short of stuff like jewelers' tools (including a loupe) will just leave imperfections in the alignment of the tines and cause the pen to just drip ink all over the page, or get all scratchy, or simply not produce any ink at all. No poo poo, that was my entire point. quote:Trying to fix it with a screwdriver, or for that matter anything short of stuff like jewelers' tools (including a loupe) will just leave imperfections in the alignment of the tines and cause the pen to just drip ink all over the page, or get all scratchy, or simply not produce any ink at all. p.s. I fixed it with a screwdriver and pliers in about 3 minutes. Not what I'd do with any other pen, but in this case it worked out a-okay.
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Feb 11, 2014 05:47
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Soricidus posted:It is small. If you have the CON-50, it only holds about 0.6ml. The CON-20 can take up to 0.9ml in theory, but just dipping and squeezing probably doesn't get it that full. By comparison, a piston filler like a TWSBI 580 can hold up to about 1.9ml, and a vacuum filler like a TWSBI Vac-700 or a Pilot Custom 823 can hold well over 2ml. Is there some kind of secret to refilling the Pilot then? I get like a page of writing out of it and it's empty. I'm sticking it in the ink, past the air hole, squeezing a few times, and withdrawing. It seems like even if I pop the top off, there's like nothing inside. I'll try dunking it deeper. PRADA SLUT fucked around with this message at 06:09 on Feb 11, 2014 |
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Feb 11, 2014 06:00
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PRADA SLUT posted:Is there some kind of secret to refilling the Pilot then? I get like a page of writing out of it and it's empty. I'm sticking it in the ink, past the air hole, squeezing a few times, and withdrawing. It seems like even if I pop the top off, there's like nothing inside. I'll try dunking it deeper. I always drop it in until the bottom of the grip is touching the ink.
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Feb 11, 2014 13:22
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PRADA SLUT posted:Is there some kind of secret to refilling the Pilot then? I get like a page of writing out of it and it's empty. I'm sticking it in the ink, past the air hole, squeezing a few times, and withdrawing. It seems like even if I pop the top off, there's like nothing inside. I'll try dunking it deeper. Stick the nib all the way into the ink until it's completely submerged. Some ink is going to get on the grip, so have a paper towel handy. Squeeze the bulb, then wait a few seconds. You have to give the ink time to be drawn up through the feed by the weak vacuum force in the bulb. Do the ol' squeeze-n-wait a couple more times and it should be completely full.
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Feb 11, 2014 13:24
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naptalan posted:So I've fallen in love with my 1.9mm italic Lamy Safari and can't bear writing with normal nibs anymore. Probably a little beyond your budget but the pilot 743 custom stub is straight baller. It's the first italic pen I've owned but I haven't looked back. Anecdotally, compared the the safari and the cocoon it has a much softer feel but still feels as responsive as the two and given that it's a slightly wider stub (~1mm I think?) you get a lot of really nice line dynamics out of it. Disclaimer however, this is definitely not a super crisp italic pen, it feels very bold and though the horizontals aren't ultra sharp they contrast really nicely with the verticals to the point where it's barely an issue imo, I get a lot of calligraphic use out of this pen and it pulls of germanic scripts beautifully and smooth as butter. I actually started looking at this range because in the shop it looked and felt slimmer than my safari and I thought that's what I wanted, but comparing the two now the pilot is definitely fatter, not by much though, it's also rounded/barrel shaped. I might be wrong but I think the 74 series is basically the same, just shorter and without the gold plating. Google says they go for like 160 aus so it might be worth a shot. Look for "SU" (stub or "Japanese Broad"), pilots are pretty easy to come by in aus so you can probably find one locally no problem. this link explains the series pretty well, requires translation but has some nice sample videos. cobalt impurity posted:Stick the nib all the way into the ink until it's completely submerged. Some ink is going to get on the grip, so have a paper towel handy. Squeeze the bulb, then wait a few seconds. You have to give the ink time to be drawn up through the feed by the weak vacuum force in the bulb. Do the ol' squeeze-n-wait a couple more times and it should be completely full. Yeah this sounds legit. I go nuts when I refill and just submerge the poo poo out of the pen, I've learned to always have a rag or tissue handy so it's never a big deal, I figure they're designed for this junk. I give the CON-70 5 really slow squeezes with a few seconds between squeezes. I've never had any issues, in fact I've literally never run out of ink in the middle of something, I usually have to blast a fair bit of ink out if I'm eager to try a new ink or something. diddy kongs feet fucked around with this message at 13:44 on Feb 11, 2014 |
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Feb 11, 2014 13:31
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diddy kongs feet posted:I might be wrong but I think the 74 series is basically the same, just shorter and without the gold plating. 74 is size 5 nib (the smallest of Pilot's numbered sizes), 743 is size 15 (the biggest of Pilot's normal production line). The size of the nib alone makes the bigger nib have more flex.
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Feb 11, 2014 13:56
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