I've been in the kiddy pool of fountain pens for a couple of years. I got a cheap calligraphy set back in middle school that half worked. I got a Lamy Safari with a fine and italic nib and a converter for Christmas about two-three years ago. I really love it. Once I used all the blue ink that came with it, I bought some Noodlers Bulletproof Black and pretty much called it a day.
In the interim I got a dip pen on a visit to the Peanuts Museum and have had a lot of fun with it. It kind of kindled my interest in a flex nib. Of course, the Safari can't handle that and good flex pens are very expensive so my dip pen will have to suffice until I hit gold sometime.
Regardless, I'm looking to add a little flair to my writing while still maintaining a classic look that can be used for most correspondence. I'm thinking Oxblood. Am I right in thinking that it's subtle enough to be used all the time but still have that spark that makes it stand out?
Now, a little story: I recently went on a four month road trip across the United States. The western half is of course fraught with mountains. Lots of air pressure change. I brought my Safari with me for journaling and writing postcards. I didn't put two and two together. Somewhere in Montana, I took the cap off my pen and - whoosh - I looked like I just came from booking at the police station. Apparently the up and down of the mountains acted like a pump, slowly pulling all the ink from cartridge into the cap. Somehow the cap kept the the ink from leaking out into my bag, but once I released that seal, I discovered what puts the 'fountain' in fountain pen. Just a little PSA for all you roadtripping nibbers.
In the interim I got a dip pen on a visit to the Peanuts Museum and have had a lot of fun with it. It kind of kindled my interest in a flex nib. Of course, the Safari can't handle that and good flex pens are very expensive so my dip pen will have to suffice until I hit gold sometime.
Regardless, I'm looking to add a little flair to my writing while still maintaining a classic look that can be used for most correspondence. I'm thinking Oxblood. Am I right in thinking that it's subtle enough to be used all the time but still have that spark that makes it stand out?
Now, a little story: I recently went on a four month road trip across the United States. The western half is of course fraught with mountains. Lots of air pressure change. I brought my Safari with me for journaling and writing postcards. I didn't put two and two together. Somewhere in Montana, I took the cap off my pen and - whoosh - I looked like I just came from booking at the police station. Apparently the up and down of the mountains acted like a pump, slowly pulling all the ink from cartridge into the cap. Somehow the cap kept the the ink from leaking out into my bag, but once I released that seal, I discovered what puts the 'fountain' in fountain pen. Just a little PSA for all you roadtripping nibbers.
