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Same Great Paste posted:After trying to understand by going back and forth between all of EF, F, M, and B for a few days the thing that really stands out to me is the physical feedback differences. Gun to my head I still can’t reliably see a difference between the smaller three (broad is certainly broad). I can certainly feel EF drag, F slightly less, M seems neutral-ish, and B glides. This will also be very different between manufacturers. Sailor nibs all have more "pencil-like" feedback, even mine that have been re-ground into different shapes by a nibmeister. Pilot nibs are generally super smooth, even at finer sizes.
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Jul 28, 2022 19:00
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My favorite ink review blog is Mountain of Ink. Here’s her page on fast drying inks: https://mountainofink.com/blog/fast-dry-inks
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Aug 7, 2022 16:00
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If I had to pick a single ink line to use for the rest of my life it would be Pilot Iroshizuku, and I think a lot of other people would make the same choice. It flows nicely without being too wet, wonderful colors, interesting shading while still being clear and legible, and dries nicely. It does have good distribution in the US, so you don’t need a friend in Japan to get it for you if you end up liking it and want more.
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Aug 8, 2022 04:39
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It’s just a meet up, but Pelikan provides some swag for attendees: “Past examples of swag provided by Pelikan have included pen holders, cases, note pads, and ink.”
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Aug 10, 2022 22:26
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I think this was my first time going to the SF Pen Show that I didn’t buy anything! I thought I might pick up a new bottle of ink or two, and an outside chance that I fall in love with a pen, but the more I saw the more I felt content with what I already have. I didn’t even hit up the ink sample stations. What is happening to me?
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Aug 27, 2022 03:57
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Chip McFuck posted:Delta's back! With a bizarre feature! I love it. I wish more pen makers spent as much time on functionality like this as they do on aesthetics.
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Aug 30, 2022 17:15
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Corrigenda posted:Also, would I be out of line to ask for something to cover shipping costs? To return their stuff to them? Of course that wouldn't be out of line.
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Oct 14, 2022 17:54
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I AM GRANDO posted:Cultpens.com has a sale running today through the 11th, 10% off a lot of stuff. For pens significantly cheaper than in the US, it makes a lot of things really cheap. A lamy 2000 would be $130 with the sale. Diamine ink is really cheap there as well. It’s in the UK, but with free shipping to the US on orders over $135. From my time in the r/fountainpens subreddit I have a good impression of CultPens, but I've never ordered from them personally.
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Nov 9, 2022 18:48
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Pilot 823 or Pilot 845 Urushi (the latter retails for $850 in the US but like most high end Pilot stuff it’s trivial to buy direct from Japan on eBay for $400)
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Nov 11, 2022 23:54
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I had a run of several Safaris all with nibs that were misaligned out of the box. Even their higher end pens like the 2000 don't have nibs to my liking. The 2000 in particular has a very small sweet spot.
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Nov 17, 2022 20:42
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Same Great Paste posted:Thanks for saying this. I love my 2000 and it’ll be my daily until one of us dies but I’m glad to know “it’s not just me” with the sweet spot. Definitely not just you. I love the look and feel of the 2000, so after selling my two different attempts at getting one with a nib I liked, I bought one of the 4 color ballpoint versions.
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Nov 18, 2022 01:52
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After almost a year since my initial inquiry, my two custom urushi pens from Bokumondoh are ready! They’re a Franklin-Christoph 20 and a Franklin-Christoph 50. I’m so excited for them to get here:  
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Nov 26, 2022 05:33
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grack posted:Peyton Street Pens is a reliable seller, I've bought from them a few times with no issues. Seconding this. I’ve bought from them and I’ve met them several times at the SF Pen Show too.
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Jan 4, 2023 04:07
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My Pilot 845 is one of my favorites for sure.
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Jan 10, 2023 08:02
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I have a Rotring Newton that's all metal. Also a Schon DSGN Pocket 6 that's machined anodized aluminum. I used to have a Kaweco Sport Brass. Do you have a specific question?
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Feb 1, 2023 19:16
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I'm betting they go with the Pilot × Pokémon Charizard
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Feb 2, 2023 00:04
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I keep a bottle of 3:1 Yama-Budo:Shin-Kai as a gorgeous purple. Someone first came up with it as a substitute for Lamy Dark Lilac.
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Feb 12, 2023 02:16
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Not that stupid. Air expansion is your only enemy, so make sure the ink reservoir is as full as possible, and store the pen with the nib up so that any air can expand up and out of the feed and nib without pushing ink along with it. Have a paper napkin ready for the first time you unscrew the cap, just in case, but I've done it lots of times.
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Feb 28, 2023 22:18
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My Vac700R cap never felt fragile. There's also the TWSBI Classic to look at. Next step up after Vac 700R and Classic is probably is the $130 range, e.g. Pilot Custom Heritage 92 ($130 shipped from Japan on eBay), Pelikan M200 ($135 on Amazon), and then up to the $200+ range, e.g. Pilot Custom 823 ($220 shipped from Japan on eBay).
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Mar 4, 2023 01:47
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KingColliwog posted:I don't think I would mind, but it's certainly worth trying before spending. If you like the idea of a pen like the 823 but not its aesthetic, I love my 743. It’s not a piston filler but the button filler converter is great, and if you order from Japan you get all sorts of specialty nib options like Falcon, Waverly, and others.
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Mar 4, 2023 15:52
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I found this comprehensive comparison of all the different Pilot Custom models to be very useful when I was deciding which to get: https://kmpn.blogspot.com/2011/06/pilot-custom.html?m=1
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Mar 5, 2023 18:33
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I’m the opposite, I guess. I always wanted to like Lamy but their nibs have never agreed with me. I owned two different 2000s and both had really small sweet spots for writing. Then the high end Pilot nibs grabbed me with their glassy smoothness and they’ve always performed great for me. I have some higher end Sailor hardware (Taccia) too but I don’t prefer the feedback sensation.
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Mar 6, 2023 05:09
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KingColliwog posted:Thanks to you in particular, since it's that post that made me consider the Pelikan. Glad to be of assistance! I hope you enjoy your Pelikan, they're nice pens. I also have a strong preference for posting my pens. One of my favorites is a Franklin-Christoph 02 that I had done in urushi and maki-e by Bokumondoh. They have a slightly weird profile that tapers down so the cap can post deeply. Franklin-Christoph nibs are excellent (Jowo #6 but always tuned or custom ground in house). No piston filler though. I will say even the longer Pilot models like the 823 feel on the edge of OK length-wise when posted for me, since they're pretty light. I don't have a 92 but I expect it would be quite comfortable posted.
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Mar 8, 2023 19:13
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Platinum Carbon Black is also very popular.
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Mar 13, 2023 04:20
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You still get hosed by Pilot's silly North America pricing, though. I got mine from Japan on eBay for $220 shipped, rather than the $330 Nibs.com is asking.
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Mar 17, 2023 17:01
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Absolutely gorgeous. I still think about a Decapod or a Dorsal Fin from time to time. Maybe I'll try one at the next SF Pen Show.
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Mar 30, 2023 17:38
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Karl Hungus posted:I've avoided posting in this thread because I have a problem. I'm addicted to what I consider pens in the mid-price range ($200-$1200). My favorite pens are Graf von Faber-Castell, Cross, and recently Visconti. Let me know if you want more detail or images about a given pen. Obviously I have a lot more inexpensive pens in boxes but the "expensive" ones are what I concentrate on at the moment. How did you gravitate toward those brands? I have also moved toward a similar price range of pens but have focused on Pilot, Taccia, and Franklin-Christoph. I’ve been curious about Visconti for their own bodies but have heard the actual nibs and feeds are so-so, which I would consider unacceptable in that price range. Which Visconti do you like most?
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Apr 9, 2023 16:45
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stealie72 posted:Brass seems like it would be really heavy. But on the metal bodied kaweco front, I've got a Lilliput and it is pretty great for a pen I can carry in my watch pocket. I used a brass Kaweco Sport for a good while, and I liked the heft. It's a short pen so the weight doesn't change its balance in your hand, it just makes it feel more solid. Only thing I will say is that at a distance sitting on a desk it can look like a large caliber bullet. My boss had a good startle when he first saw it. It also comes in steel if you want the heft and a different color.
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Apr 12, 2023 16:59
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Doctor Hospital posted:The M nib on the Go is very smooth and it stays inked up and ready to go at a moment's notice, so I can definitely see it becoming my out-and-about pen. I haven't been in this hobby for long but I'm already smitten with TWSBI's utilitarian designs. My hot take: for the average user, TWSBI is what Lamy wishes it were.
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Apr 17, 2023 21:42
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Some sellers will even swap the nib you want in from another pen they have in stock without making you buy both. I know Nibsmith.com does that for Sailor and Taccia pens.
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Apr 20, 2023 18:56
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Keetron posted:I'll just stick to Japanese pens in the future.
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May 1, 2023 16:44
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Heath posted:No, you've got it backwards. You buy a bunch and then you realize you only use one or two and then you stick to those
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May 15, 2023 17:32
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SixteenShells posted:ooooo that looks pretty! You might find a sweet spot in pens with ink windows (e.g., Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, some Pelikans, Sailor Realo).
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May 22, 2023 17:02
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DicktheCat posted:Life has been insane and I forgot to check the pen thread. Now that I'm back, I'm losing my mind at the fact this exists as a thing. The Pikachu one is sold out, but there's also now a Rayquaza one. DicktheCat posted:One of the inks is shimmer, should I wash it out in the same day as use, or is it ok to use like a normal ink, and just make sure to clean it really good in between? How often should I lubricate the piston, too? It's fine to use as a normal ink. You will probably still find the occasional bit of shimmer particle in your next fill of ink no matter how well you clean it. But it's fountain pen ink, it won't damage the pen just sitting in there, the way India ink would. As for lubrication, just whenever you take it all the way apart for cleaning, since you'll inevitably end up cleaning off the lubrication then too. For cleaning between fillings, just filling and emptying with water until it runs clear enough should suffice, I wouldn't disassemble it every time.
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May 23, 2023 01:34
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madmatt112 posted:Those Pokémon pens… I expected a maybe fifty dollar cheapish pen like a kakuno but branded… I have the Kakuno Eevee and Pikachu set, you can order it on Amazon Japan shipped to the US. Came to about $50 for the two pens and shipping I think.
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May 23, 2023 07:31
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sb hermit posted:but to be serious, that $5 could just go towards another twsbi eco which is a reasonable and sound investment You could just buy another TWSBI Eco and it will come with a wrench! Edit: oh wait that's what you were saying. Yes well.
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May 29, 2023 21:13
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It's like someone urushi'd a Moonman Q1
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Jun 9, 2023 19:53
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I like the house nibs from Franklin-Christoph, and their Stub Italic Gradient (SIG) is smooth but still has the line variation of an italic.
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Jun 12, 2023 05:05
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Sankis posted:How much does it usually cost to get a nib fixed? My Pilot Falcon has never written particularly well so I got it in my head that I could smooth it out during a fun episode Gena Salorino is great, I've had them do custom grinds for me on lots of pens. https://www.customnibstudio.com/ Michael Masuyama is also a legend in nib grinding and I've sent him pens too which have always turned out great. http://www.mikeitwork.com/ Repair costs will always depend on how bad it is; Gena's site says $30-75 for straightening bent nibs. Mike's says ~$40.
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Jun 15, 2023 17:30
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| # ¿ May 16, 2024 02:22 |
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I firmly believe that nib tuning and custom grinds are the best money you can spend on fountain pens.
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Jun 16, 2023 16:54
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