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Variety is the spice of life, so I bought a bunch of things.  My photos don't really do any of the things in this post justice, so I am going to also include the advertisement photos.  This pen looks really nice, and I love the way the cap really locks onto the body. It comes with six cartridges, blue and black, and a piston converter. I don't know anything about this brand (or the brands of any of the other pens in this post), but this pen writes as well as my Pilot or my Lamy from my limited experience with it. The overall presentation and aesthetic are very classy. The solid chrome look seems like something you'd find on an executive's desk. The same pen also comes in gold, chrome with gold inlay, gold with chrome highlights, green, and some others, but I went with the simplest.    Feel the temperature of writing! Of the pens I've purchased, this one definitely seems to be the most "cheap." It's just so blatantly plastic. I think it also writes a bit worse than the others, but I wouldn't swear to that without first getting more experience using it. Having said that, the plastic is very thick, and the threads feel solid for plastic-on-plastic. They take quite a bit of turning to close completely, and I don't feel like leaking will be an issue. One thing I do not like about it is that the cap does not fit onto the body. Once the cap is off, it's just out there in the universe waiting to be lost. From a functional perspective, I don't like that the pen is so short. It doesn't fit my hand very well. Another thing I don't care for is that the photographs heavily implied that two pens were included. I would not have paid as much as I did for a single cheap-looking pen of dubious manufacture if I had realized that's what I was getting. It's my own fault for not being more careful, but multi-packs seem common, and this seller went out of his or her way to lay on the "two pen" thing. All that aside, I bought this for the cool see-through tank which holds a massive volume of ink, and I got what I wanted in that regard. This pen also comes with a converter, but I don't plan to use it. These are the star of the show:    Even the seller's photograph doesn't show just how pretty these are. The red one especially is gorgeous, with the blue not far behind. The other thing that I love about these pens is that they feel incredibly solid. I was expecting cheap plastic bodies, but these things have real heft and there's definitely some metal under that rosin. I can understand that not everyone would want a heavy pen, but I like it. They feel like a high-quality object. The caps on these, like the one on the Wordsworth and Black pen, seat really strongly. It adds to the impression that these pens are not made with a shave-every-corner attitude. These pens also come each with an individual felt pouch, and the set came with a single, stronger faux-leather style pouch. They seem to write just as well as my Pilot or Lamy, but I only scribbled out a few dozen words with them. I feel like I got an absolutely amazing deal at less than $18 for four beautiful pens of very solid construction that came with their own carrying cases. If they don't fall apart, or turn out to have serious problems writing as I continue using them, these were a 10/10 buy, and I might go back and get some of the other varieties they sell. I also bought the Iroshizuku ink, as mentioned. It does flow very well, but the color doesn't live up to its promise on the paper I grabbed for testing. It's nice, but it looks like any old violet ink, and I would never guess from seeing it on paper that it was a "better" ink than any others. I'm going to try using some bright white paper and see if it makes a huge difference over the parchment-style paper I scribbled on when I first opened the bottle. Even if it doesn't look any more impressive on the white paper, I'd buy more of this brand because it does seem to write very well, and both the ink and the bottle it came in look wonderful sitting on my desk. 
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Aug 25, 2019 02:54
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Not sure where I found it, but this is probably of interest to the thread. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNPZ-f_IWDLz2S1hO027hRQ
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Aug 25, 2019 18:51
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bulletsponge13 posted:Not sure where I found it, but this is probably of interest to the thread. How the gently caress does a letter locking video start hurling Jordan Peterson poo poo at me in the recommendations Either way, this is awesome. The Mary Queen of Scots last letter is interesting.
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Aug 25, 2019 20:07
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I ended up watching at least an hour the other night while on Ambien. Letterlocking is dope.
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Aug 25, 2019 22:35
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I also ordered one of Goulet's notebooks with my own, and I'm really digging the Murasaki-shikubu on the Tomoe River paper they make them with. I'm just kind of using it as a journal at work because I get bored sometimes when calls are slow, and this way I can practice my cursive.
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Aug 26, 2019 06:03
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bulletsponge13 posted:Also, has anyone personal experience with the Zebra offerings? I love their ballpoints, but everything I'm seeing is saying they use proprietary carts, and there arent any adaptors yet. That is true but you should just refill cartridges with the ink you like. Their cheapo FP writes really really well. I’ve had a couple of them and never had a skip - ever - which is better than I could say about any low-end Pilot, Platinum, etc. including the Metropolitan, Prera, and other related pens. I don’t know of any other pens nearly as cheap as theirs that I would even consider using. The drawback is that the feed has a cloth wick inside it that absolutely locks that pen into using one color forever. Most would say that you aren’t getting the “true” fountain pen experience with it, but everything is relative, right?
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Aug 26, 2019 06:59
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Even though I think I've solved my problem with my Metro, I now want another pen. Aside from the Safari, what are some good models in the <$30 range to check out? I'm looking around ebay for Lamy and TWSBI stuff and Wing Sung keeps popping up. At least a handful of theirs look like TWSBI clones. Are they worth ~$20 just to have something new to play around with?
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Aug 26, 2019 15:51
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the TWSBI eco is under $30 already and is a great pen, I stopped using my metro and safari once I got it (and honestly I use it way more than my VP because of how long the ink in it lasts).
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Aug 26, 2019 16:16
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I really like the Moonman pens, especially the m2. You could also go with a cheap Jinhao x450 or x750 and swap out the nib with a jowo for about $30. There's also stuff like the Diplomat Magnum, platinum pleisir, kaweco something or other in the sub 30 dollar range but I have not used any of them myself. Edit: Eco is definitely a good choice if you want a larger ink capacity and a cool filling system. Sankis fucked around with this message at 17:23 on Aug 26, 2019 |
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Aug 26, 2019 17:20
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Get the Eco with a stub nib! Very fun to use
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Aug 26, 2019 17:44
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Sankis posted:I really like the Moonman pens, especially the m2. I am really enjoying the ad copy for fountain pens. quote:
I think I'm going to have to have a TWSBI. They're a lot more interesting than the Safari.
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Aug 26, 2019 18:53
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Sankis posted:I really like the Moonman pens, especially the m2. Moonman pens are also the exact size of the Kaweco Sport Delux clip. Which fixes the biggest drawback for like 6 bucks.  https://www.gouletpens.com/products/kaweco-sport-deluxe-clip-black?variant=14646144696363
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Aug 26, 2019 19:20
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Anyone have trouble with a noodlers Ahab spitting up ink? My flex nib is having a hard time holding in ink.
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Aug 28, 2019 14:59
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Kierena posted:Anyone have trouble with a noodlers Ahab spitting up ink? My flex nib is having a hard time holding in ink. I found mine completely unusable. Constantly belches ink into the cap, yet writes dry (???)
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Aug 28, 2019 16:31
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So, I impulsively bid $8 on an ebay auction for a Parker 45 (Fine) because they seem like cool old pens to try as I branch out from my Pilot Metro, then completely forgot about, then was notified that I won the auction. Now it's here!     I'm really digging it so far. It writes extremely smoothly (especially for the price), and I like the look of it. It does skip here and there and sometimes the line is less dark, so I'm considering cleaning it out, but I'm not sure quite how to go about it. Also, it uses a squeeze converter which I've never used before. Any tips on using this kind of fill system? When I put it in the ink, do I just squeeze it once (I'm assuming the ink would just be pushed back out otherwise), or multiple times to fill it completely? To clean it, do I just do the same as with ink, but with water, I guess? I may need to pony up for a better journal as well. The Leuchterm journal I'm using works decently, but (at least with this Herbin ink) it smudges on the page even well after it should be dry, which is weird. I'm assuming it's the paper surface. I did notice that a local bookstore has Midori notebooks, so I might try those out.
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Aug 28, 2019 20:45
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Do a really thorough flush with some soapy water (squeeze it full, squeeze it out, repeat) and then again with just water. Your lines may be a bit diluted for a while, just keep writing.
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Aug 28, 2019 20:57
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Heath posted:Do a really thorough flush with some soapy water (squeeze it full, squeeze it out, repeat) and then again with just water. Your lines may be a bit diluted for a while, just keep writing. Hey, we live in the same town, do you know of a local place for pens and pen stuff?
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Aug 28, 2019 21:35
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Keret posted:So, I impulsively bid $8 on an ebay auction for a Parker 45 (Fine) because they seem like cool old pens to try as I branch out from my Pilot Metro, then completely forgot about, then was notified that I won the auction. Now it's here! $8 for an early model Parker 45 Flighter GT? That's a damned good deal, and your pen will have a solid 14k nib. As has been mentioned, you should clean the pen thoroughly before you try and use it. Just stick the nib end in a sink and just squeeze the converter until the water that comes out is (mostly) clear. Be warned, it'll take a while due to how the 45s are made but you'll get there eventually.
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Aug 28, 2019 21:54
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Keret posted:So, I impulsively bid $8 on an ebay auction for a Parker 45 (Fine) because they seem like cool old pens to try as I branch out from my Pilot Metro, then completely forgot about, then was notified that I won the auction. Now it's here! If you rotate the pen so the pushbar is facing to your left or right, when you depress it you should be able to see the sac slowly reinflate after you let go (obviously, don't do this with ink in it). What you'll want to do is do that — slowly push the bar, let go, and wait for the sac to reinflate — a few times. Ideally you'd wait until no more bubbles are coming up in your bottle, but probably 7–8 times ought to do it. I grabbed a Midori notebook on a whim a while back, one of the MD ones (apparently those use different paper than the travellers notebooks, or something like that). It works pretty nicely with whatever ink/pen I've tried out in it. I did find myself being more careful about waiting for things to dry, but that's mostly because it's a notebook and I normally just write stuff on loose paper where I can just set it aside. Also yeah, that's one hell of a price. I miss my 45, drat thing fell out of my pocket at a highway rest stop somewhere… Incidentally, if you're looking for cartridges, Aurora carts fit as well as the Parker ones.
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Aug 28, 2019 22:52
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Hey, we live in the same town, do you know of a local place for pens and pen stuff? Not really. The Right Card downtown has a couple but they're not great. If you can afford a trip down to Boulder, Two Hands Paperie carries a ton of inks (J. Herbin and Iroshizuku mostly) and a bunch of Lamys, Pilots, and some more upscale ones. Tons of paper, obviously. I pop in there every time I go down.
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Aug 29, 2019 01:24
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Heath posted:Not really. The Right Card downtown has a couple but they're not great. If you can afford a trip down to Boulder, Two Hands Paperie carries a ton of inks (J. Herbin and Iroshizuku mostly) and a bunch of Lamys, Pilots, and some more upscale ones. Tons of paper, obviously. I pop in there every time I go down. Thanks for the tips. I make it through Boulder on moto rides occasionally. Could make for a good destination.
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Aug 29, 2019 01:42
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The feed (technically a "collector") on a Parker 45 is particularly difficult to clean. It wraps all the way around the nib unit, which is designed to be interchangeable. For a deeper clean, you can remove the nib unit and then spray water through the section with a bulb syringe, leave it to soak overnight, or use an ultrasonic cleaner. But if the pen already writes well then you might not need to mess with this.
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Aug 29, 2019 03:31
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Welp, ebay is dangerous. I just bought a pen lot including:
*Jinhao x750 *Wing Sung 3009 with Bobby M nib and Wing Sung EF nib *Iraurita Kaweco clone All for $25. The nibs look just fine in the pictures. I can't find much about the Kaweco clone though. Seems Iraurita is the name of the nib company. The nib itself is stamped "iridium point" but a bit of Googling leads me to believe that true iridium tips are pretty rare now and maybe not likely to end up on a random used clone on ebay. The pen itself looks pretty neat, it's brushed aluminum or steel I think. The Kaweco clone looks like the Delike Alpha but without a clip.  And the nib on it:  I think it's this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P-ije2hUqg HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Aug 29, 2019 |
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Aug 29, 2019 19:32
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How does this keep happening? I bid $10 on this and forgot about it till I got an email saying I won it. 
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Aug 30, 2019 16:39
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Theres like a basalt pen i remember. What was its name?
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Aug 31, 2019 02:04
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ZeusCannon posted:Theres like a basalt pen i remember. What was its name? One of the Visconti Homo Sapiens
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Aug 31, 2019 02:16
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That was it thank you. Ill never afford one but i wanted yo find it again.
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Aug 31, 2019 02:27
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HenryJLittlefinger posted:Welp, ebay is dangerous. Just a note - "Iraurita" isn't a brand, it's the Chinese translation for "iridium". Iridium, in terms of fountain pens, just means any hard metal used as the tipping material for a nib, as actual iridium for tipping hasn't been used since the 50s.
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Aug 31, 2019 03:29
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grack posted:Just a note - "Iraurita" isn't a brand, it's the Chinese translation for "iridium". Iridium, in terms of fountain pens, just means any hard metal used as the tipping material for a nib, as actual iridium for tipping hasn't been used since the 50s. Huh. I found your explanation plus a speculation that itaurita is a portmanteau of iridium and aurita (Gold) on one of the pen forums. No matter, I’m not expecting either of those materials in the nib anyway. It’s more a curiosity for me. I think $25 is worth the other three in that lot alone from what I’ve figured out. A pocket pen would be nice too. Now I have a reason to get an ink sampler from Goulet. The browns and oranges are what I’m after now. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 04:10 on Aug 31, 2019 |
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Aug 31, 2019 04:02
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grack posted:Just a note - "Iraurita" isn't a brand, it's the Chinese translation for "iridium". Iridium, in terms of fountain pens, just means any hard metal used as the tipping material for a nib, as actual iridium for tipping hasn't been used since the 50s. Chinese for iridium is 銥 (yi) and I don't know how you get "iraurita" from that.
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Aug 31, 2019 07:21
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Dad Hominem posted:Chinese for iridium is 銥 (yi) and I don't know how you get "iraurita" from that. "Iraurita" conforms much more closely to Japanese romanization conventions than Chinese ones
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Aug 31, 2019 16:42
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Since it was on sale, I got a Monteverde Invincia Nebula (medium nib) off Goulet. It's a nice pen, quite colorful, and writes well. My only objection is that it's quite heavy, so it's bound to make your hand tired after long writing sessions.
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Aug 31, 2019 17:22
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Keret posted:So, I impulsively bid $8 on an ebay auction for a Parker 45 (Fine) because they seem like cool old pens to try as I branch out from my Pilot Metro, then completely forgot about, then was notified that I won the auction. Now it's here! Hey, I have one of those! (though mine is missing the black knob at the end). They are sturdy little things, and the fine point is smooth and actually writes fine, as opposed to other Parker models where the fine resembles more of a medium. Mine writes with no skips, maybe yours is a bit clogged; in my experience, old FPs tend to be forgotten while inked and the ink dries inside. The nib and section on mine come out just with a small pull; as someone else said, they are designed to be swapped around. Maybe you can try to put the nib-section assembly in room temperature or slightly warmer water (not hot) for a while, see if any old ink comes out - sometimes you can be surprised at the amount of old, dried ink in there. This was my first vintage FP and I actually put the nib in ethanol for a while with no apparent side effects, but I do not really recommend this approach, as ethanol can attack and straight-up dissolve some plastics.  I got this odd, tiny (9.5 cm, 3.7 inches uncapped, 10.5 cm, 4.1 inches capped) Sea-Gull brand Parker "knockoff" from the 50's. It has the Parker arrow on the cap and the nib is a bad copy of an Arrow Vacuumatic one, complete with golden paint (that actually comes off if you so much as clean it with a cloth). Funny thing, the knock-off nib is actually pretty solid, rigid and writes smoothly, no skips or scratches. The odd part is that Parker did never release a pen with this red-and-white pattern, so this is an original design disguised as a Parker. I looked around a bit and found that someone else had a very similar pen reviewed some time ago: https://munsonpens.wordpress.com/category/sea-gull-fountain-pens/ . It apparently comes from a japanese factory that sold vacuumatic "clones" under the Junior imprint (and probably many other unnamed ones) so that explains the "Parker" clip and nib.  Mine is probably newer that the one depicted in the article; instead of the lever, it had a terrible aerometric filler (in the pic, over a real Parker 21 aerometric filler) that had been squeezed with too much force and then forced back in, cracking the barrel from the inside  . Luckily, though old ink had seeped there, the crack does not reach the outside, and the pen is actually still water-tight. Something else that is not apparent from the pics nor the article is that the red plastic (celluloid? who knows), once cleaned, is very very transparent: you can actually see the nib through the cap. I could have fixed the sac and put the filler back in place, but I was concerned about the cracked barrel. So I did something I had actually never done before: got some silicone grease for the threads in the nib unit, and converted the pen into an eyedropper.  I really like how the ink looks inside the pen. The grease worked wonders, it does not leak at all. This pen will be reserved for home use, as I am concerned about the crack; should it start leaking from there, I'll look for a transparent silicone sac instead. This level of transparency really is something I had not seen in low-end pens this old before, so I really want to make good use of it.
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Aug 31, 2019 18:36
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Tulip posted:"Iraurita" conforms much more closely to Japanese romanization conventions than Chinese ones True, but it’s not a Japanese word and the only thing I’m finding when I google it in Japanese is as the nib material of Chinese pens.
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Aug 31, 2019 19:25
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Dad Hominem posted:Chinese for iridium is 銥 (yi) and I don't know how you get "iraurita" from that. It's the only way that "iraurita" is ever used.
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Sep 1, 2019 01:54
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grack posted:It's the only way that "iraurita" is ever used. The word does come up in association with Chinese pens, but it doesn't mean that it's the "Chinese translation for iridium". I know I sound nitpicky but the pen community is full of unsourced half-truths that are hard to stop once they get rolling.
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Sep 1, 2019 02:37
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Is there a standard for fountain pen sections? I have this ebonite Recife I was given by my mother-in-law with a busted section. It is also a stiff writer but I recall getting a good flow out of it before the section took a poo poo. It unscrewed right out so I'm imagining it's fairly interchangeable.
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Sep 1, 2019 21:34
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   This is my mom's Sheaffer. I think it's an Imperial. She says a friend tried to work on the nib but it doesn't flow well. Can you even buy these nibs alone anymore, or is it a whole unit? It looks as if the nib may have been rewelded at some point.
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Sep 2, 2019 16:22
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It may just be a matter of bending the tines apart a bit. They look glued together in the photo.
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Sep 2, 2019 16:58
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My eBay loot showed up.  The Lamys are kind of a mixed bag. The black one came with a second grip/nib section because the original was “broken.” I saw that the nib apparatus was just unseated like 1 mm or less, pushed it back in, and the one converter I have between the two fits and works in both just fine. The red one will not take the converter, but a Lamy cartridge fits just fine. In addition to the two pens and three grips, there is one extra fine nib. So one 1.5 mm nib, two M, one EF. I’m going to send the red one to my art major niece with the M and EF nibs plus some cartridges. The silver Chinese clone is pretty good, just really wet so it feathers on this Gallery Leather paper. The Wing Sung is really cool. The Bobby M nib on it puts down the perfect amount of ink to see the subtlety in the Noodler’s Sequoia and it shades nicely.  Picture quality ain't great to see the ink differences but pic is linked to huge. Maybe I’ll work on my penmanship if I can make myself care about it. The Lamy wide nib is probably wasted on me right now but it’s fun. HenryJLittlefinger fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Sep 4, 2019 |
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Sep 4, 2019 04:01
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