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I always go with F (or Japanese F, which is even finer) so I can write tinily if required.
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Dec 8, 2020 20:06
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Heath posted:Do you have a photo of exactly where it's leaking? I looked and it was leaking from around the nib so that's exactly what I did. So far it seems to be working, I've left it uncapped for a couple hours now and I'm not seeing any more leaking. I am guessing that the cap was squeezing the pen enough to stop the leaking but once the cap was off it was loose enough to leak.
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Dec 8, 2020 20:34
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gschmidl posted:I always go with F (or Japanese F, which is even finer) so I can write tinily if required. I don't know if this is true for all nib designs, and it's probably not recommended, but if you flip your pen over and write with the tip upside down, it should be a lot finer. I do it sometimes if I'm, say, going back and trying to edit in a missed word
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Dec 8, 2020 20:41
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Bank posted:What are folks' thoughts on nib sizes? I have mostly M but eyeing a TWSBI Vac Mini and debating if I stick with M or go with F. I'm leaning towards F since I already have the Eco in M; realistically I'll never use these for writing actual documents, just signing random things and scribbling random thoughts. If I do have a need, I'll just pick out whatever point makes the most sense irrespective of which pen it's on. I guess I may have answered my own question and will buy the F, I want the variety. Over the past few months, I bought a few TWSBI's, all in the more or less budget range. I found F to be, well, fine for writing. The TWSBI M is really nice for drawing, the F is just too timid a line and an M will give your lines just that much more body. I also have a TWSBI GO B and just a few moments ago I emptied it, I'll rinse it out and it will go to the bottom of the drawer. In my opinion, the Go just does not feel good in the hand, I dislike the plastic that makes up the body. The Nib itself is indeed a B but it has trouble starting when drawing or writing with a bit more confidence. I might consider getting a B Nib for a 580 some day, but right now the ECO put me off B. If it is for writing, I recommend a TWSBI F or a Pilot M, for drawing go one size bigger.
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Dec 8, 2020 21:49
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Keetron posted:Over the past few months, I bought a few TWSBI's, all in the more or less budget range. I found F to be, well, fine for writing. The TWSBI M is really nice for drawing, the F is just too timid a line and an M will give your lines just that much more body. I also have a TWSBI GO B and just a few moments ago I emptied it, I'll rinse it out and it will go to the bottom of the drawer. In my opinion, the Go just does not feel good in the hand, I dislike the plastic that makes up the body. The Nib itself is indeed a B but it has trouble starting when drawing or writing with a bit more confidence. I might consider getting a B Nib for a 580 some day, but right now the ECO put me off B. Sounds good, thanks for the info! I realize we all have different handwriting but reading your post makes me want the variety of nib sizes even more. My son (6) has gotten into this stuff too so I'll be buying him a Kakuno. He saw the smiley face on the nib and was sold.
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Dec 8, 2020 21:53
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Bank posted:What are folks' thoughts on nib sizes? I like broad nibs and I cannot lie.
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Dec 8, 2020 21:56
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I think my writing looks best with a very fine nib since I tend to write very slanted and put long tails on everything. But I hate how finicky fine nibs can be, since the ink flow is naturally more restricted at the tip, and you don't get the obvious shading and color variation of a larger nib. I also like a stub, but I will go back and forth on them frequently. I've never used a broad but I'd like to try one for letter writing.
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Dec 8, 2020 23:15
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I write with medium or fine nibs as my handwriting tends to look pretty bad on anything larger. If I want my writing to look a little more fancy then I grab something from PenBBS for a bit of variation at smaller sizes. Their nibs are a sort of a mini-fude.
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Dec 9, 2020 00:30
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howe_sam posted:I like broad nibs and I cannot lie. broad sqoad
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Dec 9, 2020 00:48
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Noodler's Ahab + after-market JoWo #6 Broad = a beautiful firehose for <$50. Just remember to clean the snot out of the Ahab before you ink it. Dish soap and ammonia and strong language until your hands cramp.
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Dec 9, 2020 01:10
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I'm trying to buy a Kanuko and hit the JetPens $35 min basket for free shipping. I've added some random things I wanted (syringe, converters etc..) but wondering if there are other cheap things I should consider loading up on? Otherwise I might just bite the bullet and pay a bit more to get it from Amazon. FWIW I was looking at a Platinum Preppy to see how the super low end feels, but it seems like a pain to refill ink. I'd have to either convert to an eyedropper by buying o-rings and grease and risk having it leak. Or, buy a converter more expensive than the pen, and still risk the body cracking (obviously it's just a $5 pen, but still..). It just kinda seems like more trouble than it's worth since I already have 3 highly recommended pens (Safari, Eco, MR).
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Dec 9, 2020 01:59
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Blunt-tip and bulb syringes are pretty useful to have around if you don't have either. Maybe a couple of smaller size notebooks or a 15ml bottle of Diamine ink if you'd like to try something different. I'd also suggest a set of brass sheets or a loupe if you want to adjust nibs on your own, but I don't think Jetpens sells either. For the Preppy, you could also use the cartridge it comes with and refill it when it runs low with a syringe.
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Dec 9, 2020 03:07
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For what it's worth, I've been using the same duo of eyedropper converted preppies on and off since 2015 and they've never so much as burped on me. I do periodically refresh the grease on the threads, but that's nothing-maintenance. Bonus: they look trashy/pedestrian enough that nobody bothers trying to steal them at work!
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Dec 9, 2020 06:50
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The Preppy is the peasant king of fountain pens.
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Dec 9, 2020 07:09
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I've made my Lamy 1.5mm nib my everyday, stuck on my workhorse Lamy Vista, which I really like for some reason despite owning ~6 Lamy's in a variety of colors I also decided that since I don't really like my MB Mystery Black that much (at least compared to my Diamine Quartz Black) nor do I enjoy my Monteverde Capri Blue any longer, that I would combine them and see if I could make a halfway decent Blue-Black. So far I've created a decent Navy Blue that has some nice shading (Capri) and has good flow (MB). I'm calling it "Professor Shark Blue" and will enjoy it until it is gone, then buy a real ink lol
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Dec 9, 2020 11:16
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Remora posted:Noodler's Ahab + after-market JoWo #6 Broad = a beautiful firehose for <$50. not on this side of the pond. Oh wait, I found a store that carries the pen but anyone know a Dutch shop selling JoWo nibs? I would think you can buy them considering the manufacturer is German. The pen goes for 23EU so that is a steal.
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Dec 9, 2020 19:20
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Keetron posted:not on this side of the pond. Oh wait, I found a store that carries the pen but anyone know a Dutch shop selling JoWo nibs? I would think you can buy them considering the manufacturer is German. The pen goes for 23EU so that is a steal. Not Dutch but fpnibs.com has a good rep and they are in Spain IIRC.
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Dec 9, 2020 19:27
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Welp, ended up buying a Pentel Kerry pencil in addition to the Kakuno, and a couple of Preppys, so that put me...way over what I initially planned to spend. The Kerry (yes I know it's a pencil but I've seen pencil chat here so..) looks like a really old fashioned pencil, but it seems to be tried and true and gets great reviews. I have a bunch of 0.5mm pencils but will try out 0.7mm as I don't write tiny and don't do any drawing/math.
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Dec 9, 2020 19:52
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I hope Nathan Tardiff is doing okay these days. There's a lot about 2020 that could groove him the wrong way. I did my monthly aggressive shake of all my noodlers bottles and decided to ink up something with Zhivago for the first time in forever and, gosh, I just love that ink.
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Dec 9, 2020 23:44
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The Electronaut posted:Not Dutch but fpnibs.com has a good rep and they are in Spain IIRC. Including shipping, the nib would cost the same as the pen so yeah but no. But look what I found: https://www.amazon.com/Moonman-Fountain-Additional-Transparent-Eyedropper/dp/B08DDBCWK7/ According to a review I found the Broad is actually an Oblique and that pricing is interesting while most of the reviews are okeeish. Talking about reviews: Last week a bottle of KWZ Honey arrived and it left me with mixed feelings so far. First, it is a ton of ink for very low money, that is nice. Second, it smells a bit sweet, like honey and writing with it for a longer time is slightly nausiating to me and when it dries the smell is gone. A gimmick for those who like it. Third, after writing with Iroshizuki inks and Platinum Carbon ink, this ink feels very scratchy. It could be caused by the pens, the two pens I put it in are not among my normal ones so I will try these pens again with Iroshizuki to figure out where the issue is and if I will do away with those pens or if it is the ink. Fourth, the color is nice, shades like a mofo and is pleasant reading so do use for letters to people you like. Anyone else find some inks to write smoother than others?
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Dec 10, 2020 14:18
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That's totally a thing, with Iroshizuku inks being renowned as exceptionally smooth.
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Dec 12, 2020 18:08
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Yeah, I find Pilot's line the most consistent when I just want a basic color that will write well.
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Dec 12, 2020 18:42
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Another question about ink. Should I splurge 200EU on this set: https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/diamine-ink-vent-blue-edition-inktpot-set-25-kleuren.html For some reason the English version of the site does not work... Anyway, 25 bottles of 50ml sheen and shimmer ink. That is a bit overkill, isn't it?
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Dec 13, 2020 11:47
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Keetron posted:Another question about ink. Should I splurge 200EU on this set: https://www.lacouronneducomte.nl/diamine-ink-vent-blue-edition-inktpot-set-25-kleuren.html It's the (2019, I assume) inkvent calendar, a gift set of inks not otherwise available (except as refills?), so naturally it's going to cost a little more.
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Dec 13, 2020 11:58
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gschmidl posted:It's the (2019, I assume) inkvent calendar, a gift set of inks not otherwise available (except as refills?), so naturally it's going to cost a little more. It is the inks from that calendar, yes and in 50ml glass bottles as shown on the page linked. I mailed the seller about it, it is not the 24x7ml & 1x15ml advent calendar itself because in that case it would be excessive for a diamine product and I would not consider it.
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Dec 13, 2020 13:27
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Should you do it? Not if you don't have the disposable income. Is it overpriced? Not for 25 50ml bottles of Diamine special inks.
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Dec 13, 2020 13:32
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endlessmonotony posted:Should you do it? Not if you don't have the disposable income. This is a good answer, thank you.
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Dec 13, 2020 14:42
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I recently came to terms with the honeymoon ending between me and fountain pens and I now need deal with the persistent problems. I have found myself using my pens substantially less and I think it comes down to inconvenience with writing with them. A typical scenario would be: Once a day, I have to write something. But first, I have to take the pen to a faucet and run some water down the nib. Then I can use it for awhile--with inconsistent writing because of the dilution. If I need to write more, I'll eventually have to do this again in the same session. Something I just wrote out was a table that was just dates going back to late August to early December. So just imagine me going down a table, putting in MM/DD/YY dates and a horizontal line to the right. Also, I couldn't consistently get a horizontal line. I tried various means of holding the pen and found I had to do it real slow and real hard. This isn't limited to one particular pen nor one particular ink. However, I tend to stick with Jinhao bullet pens and PenBBS pens due to the size and aesthetics (surprisingly, I guess). I think they all have 0.5mm nibs. I also do like Noodler's ink but this happens with all of them. The general issue is that ink flow does not keep up, and the writing comes across as scratchy, but I think that's from having to ultimately press down hard. This also happens anywhere between trash paper and Tomoe River. I checked the nibs with a loupe some time ago and didn't really see anything I thought was too outlandish. I also clean the pen out aggressively when I refill. However, my water is very hard so I wonder about deposits. The only other thing I can think to do is get some brass sheets or whatever they are between the tines and try to widen out the pens.
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Dec 21, 2020 21:33
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Are you just cleaning with water? Because that's what it sounds like, and that's the problem if so. It certainly sounds like a feed problem. Nothing that you're describing is normal behavior. One of the advantages of fountain pens is that they write with zero pressure. If you have to push down, or dip it in water, there is something wrong with the pen. Mostly, I hope you haven't been pushing hard or long enough to permanently damage the pens.
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Dec 21, 2020 21:53
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Remora posted:Are you just cleaning with water? Because that's what it sounds like, and that's the problem if so. It certainly sounds like a feed problem. Normally I just use water, yes. I've experimented between ammonia and detergents but didn't really notice a difference. My next attempt was going to be with something acidic in case I'm getting a mineral build up from hard water. I don't think anything is turbo hosed yet from pressing down. I would expect in particular to see the tines starting to pull upwards, which I don't see.
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Dec 21, 2020 22:16
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Clean with ammonia and detergents every so often, or when you start noticing feed problems. And use distilled water if your water is really that hard, I did that when I was on well water.
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Dec 21, 2020 22:28
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I use just standard pharmacy distilled water to clean, just for problems like this. Also I've noticed Pilot's nibs tend to suffer from problems like this a lot less than anything else in my budget. Parkers are such hard starters.
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Dec 21, 2020 22:33
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A little plain dish soap goes a long way. Ink tends to build up deposits in the corners of your feed that don't easily dislodge with plain water, because it takes time for it to dissolve into the water whereas a soap will actually break it down and loosen it. It's why you can sometimes flush a pen until it's clear, put fresh ink in it, and it writes just fine until the next day and suddenly your ink is coming out darker, or an entirely different color.
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Dec 21, 2020 22:35
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Meanwhile, I just recently visited my office building for the first time since vacating it in March. I had left a Platinum Preppy in a pen holder on the desk. I uncapped it and it wrote like a charm after sitting for ten months straight. A slightly noticeable amount of ink evaporation from the cartridge was the only observation of note.
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Dec 21, 2020 22:57
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Pioneer42 posted:Meanwhile, I just recently visited my office building for the first time since vacating it in March. I had left a Platinum Preppy in a pen holder on the desk. I uncapped it and it wrote like a charm after sitting for ten months straight. A slightly noticeable amount of ink evaporation from the cartridge was the only observation of note. Well gently caress. Got a real good one then. The Pilots take a week or two without writing. The Parkers take a day or two.
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Dec 21, 2020 23:01
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Pioneer42 posted:Meanwhile, I just recently visited my office building for the first time since vacating it in March. I had left a Platinum Preppy in a pen holder on the desk. I uncapped it and it wrote like a charm after sitting for ten months straight. A slightly noticeable amount of ink evaporation from the cartridge was the only observation of note. Platinums seem to be this way across the board. Even my Preppies write flawlessly after months.
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Dec 21, 2020 23:08
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As someone who doesn’t write very much. I really appreciate when a pen will write after a month. So far, my standouts are the preppies, twsbi 580 & Mini, and the opus 88 koloro. Obviously your mileage will vary, but I’ve had best luck with those.
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Dec 22, 2020 05:45
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Preppies have got the sprung inner cap. That being said, my Kaweco Sport has sat as long idle as my Preppy without issue.
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Dec 22, 2020 15:01
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Anderson pens got a limited number of the Pro Gear cocktail series in and I'm pretty sure I managed to snag the last one in the Piccadilly Night colorway. Literally, right after I placed the order they changed to out of stock. One of my favorite pens in a super-limited grail color for me. Here's hoping they didn't oversell and won't cancel my order!  
Chip McFuck fucked around with this message at 21:55 on Dec 22, 2020 |
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Dec 22, 2020 18:56
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How particularly bad are Noodler's inks for flow rate and drying up in the pen's working bits in general? Based on what people were saying, I was going to do a cleanup soon and refill. I have other inks but I wanted to set my standards appropriately low for any of them that get some Burma Road Brown or everyone's love/hate favorite, Bay State Blue. Just remember that I did say that I've had problems with all varieties of inks. I'm just assuming the Noodler's inks of the lot I would be trying are going to add another layer of trouble. On the other hand, I still want to try them while working through feed issues because if I can continuously write with them, then I have probably sorted everything out.
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Dec 23, 2020 22:08
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