Fountain pen questions from a less experienced user.
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Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Thanks. I got the preppie and the Prefounte. I know they are under $10 but you get what you pay for.
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I did not. I think I found a work around with the clear pens. Get a couple different colors and match the ink to the color.
With most things, you do get what you pay for. I don’t see pens being any different.
My TWSBI will be here on Monday, along with a TWSBI inkwell and a bottle of black eel ink.
I have a few Preppies ... got them free in Noodler's eyedropper bottles. They are remarkably good for a $5 pen ... but can't hold a candle to one costing 10x more. There are inexpensive "entry level" pens that one can try ... and end up staying with without the need for a quality upgrade after deciding that one enjoys fountain pen writing ... but the Preppie is not really one of those.
But a decent introduction pen, learner pen, back-up ...
Never tried the Prefounte.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Both seem to have the same no frills nibs. Very similar to the pilot disposable fountain pen. I just took a gamble not needing an entry level pen and thinking it would work for a highlighter. But the preppie nib is very fine and the noodlers highlighter ink is on the faint side. They are fine entry level but I certainly do not recommend either. For a little more money the twsbi
Models punch well above their weight.
This entire chain of discussion (what is the most important part of a pen etc...) has been bouncing around in my head for a while and always ends at me puzzling through the "Pen of Thesueus" and pondering what gives a pen identity and when does changing parts change to a new pen. I suspect it would be one of those things where 10 different people would give 10-12 different answers.
More on point, I love the Pilot Metropolitan, the Pilot Varsity, and the Platinum Preppy for less expensive pens (although, the metropolitan always seems more expensive than I remember). Lamy Safari/Al star pens are great, if you can get along with the triangle grip, and get a good nib. Most of the big name brands have excellent entry level pens and many of the more established brands out of China can be great as well.
I think nib and section are tied for most important parts of a pen but only to a point. The nib dictates the writing experience (in concert with the ink and paper), but the section dictates how comfortable it is to hold the pen and if either doesn't agree with your preference, it can make a pen nearly unusable. It is generally easier to swap a nib, so I guess a good grip might get the edge. Once the experience is enjoyable enough, I think you enter the realm of diminishing returns and/or want vs. need quickly. Based on my collection, I am certainly willing to pay more for a pen I find aesthetically pleasing, otherwise, I would have stopped after finding a couple pens that wrote well and fit my hands well. Oh dear, don't even get me started on how much I enjoy exploring different filling mechanisms.
As my rambling might indicate, the more I think about my preferences/priorities the more I get drawn into the numerous fountain pen related rabbit holes as there are so many variables to tweak. My Lamy 2000 gets along great with some inks and is a dry, frustrating mess with others, these traits can be exacerbated or mitigated with different papers. I still love the pen and it gets used regularly. When I first started in pens I was drawn to broad/wet/stub nibs but have recently gravitated towards workhorse nibs with lines that are thin enough to simply work on most paper and with most inks.
In closing, everyone else here has done a great job answering your questions already and you could pretty much replace "pens" with "razors" and get similar answers on the rest of the forum. I have pens that I love because they are cheap, take a beating, and consistently deliver without any fuss. I have pens that I spend almost as much time looking at and playing with the filling mechanism as I do writing. Both of them make me happy, and there are people in my life who think I've lost my mind when it comes to pens on both sides. Some think using the antiquated nonsense is ridiculous, some think I "waste" way too much money on cheap plastic pens. Their opinions just make me glad that they don't make the same choices I do.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
I’m also beginning to recognize the importance of pen maintenance. I flushed out three pens today. Two that were dormant for a long period of time. Quite the messy process using pen flush but seeing the amount of ink coming out was pretty crazy.
When I started, I kept far too many pens inked at any given time. The result was that they didn't get used enough, and started having problems.
Cutting down to the bare minimum of inked pens helped a lot. I usually drift toward inking up a few more than I need ... but I do try to keep the number as far down as I can.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
This is excellent practical advice and I’m going with that. I see that’s my downfall in the past when I’d pick up the fp bug. I’d ink several pens (too many) and then neglect them.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Oh man, I love that! It reminds of the old saw about the New England woodsman who has had the same ax for 70 years. He replaced the handle four times and the head three, but swears it’s the same ax. Or that 70's rock band from the state fair circuit on its fifth line up in which none of the current members were actually in the band when they had their hit single on FM radio.
I have pens which I replaced the nib… and it’s the same pen. I have a pen that I replaced the body and cap…and it’s the same pen. I don’t really consider cartridges or converters part of “the pen” and freely swap them in and out, but on my Pelikans and Snorkel, the filling system is “the pen”. My Retro 51 is all about the artwork on the body and cap; I could toss the nib section and converter, but it would still be the same Retro 51. But my Platinum 3776, on the otherhand, feels like its essence is the nib and the body is just there to hold on to. The nib is certainly the star of the show – the beating heart, as it were. Also, the nib is friction-fit and wedged in tight. You can’t just replace it; it isn’t designed to be swapped out casually like a Pelikan or Lamy. I don’t know if any of that makes sense, and I’m certainly WAY over-thinking things. But it feels like every pen gives off its own vibes and that makes this hobby fun.
Agreed. The Pilot Metro does feel more expensive than it is, maybe because it has a certain heft and the nib is so good. I should use mine more than I do.
Very astute observation. In my case, I would say I also chase nib characteristics. The soft bounce of the Pelikan M200 nib. The smooth stiffness of a Jowo. The line variation on my stub grind. The Platinum 3776 is just…so. The flex of the Pilot FA nib I recently got is a WHOLE new thing. I value new tactile experiences, as well as expressing myself through writing in different ways. I aim to channel that expression into writing more thank you cards, mailing better birthday cards, taking better notes, being more organized and productive, etc. Of course, you don't need a fancy fountain pen to do those things, but I do find that enjoying writing more has been an encouragement to do more written correspondence.
Well said!
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
So what does everyone use to clean fp ink off hands?
I’m asking for a friend.
Advice appreciated.
I’m asking for a friend.
Advice appreciated.Barkeepers Friend followed by a generous helping of moisturizer.So what does everyone use to clean fp ink off hands?
I’m asking for a friend.
I only know because a friend told me.
So what does everyone use to clean fp ink off hands?
I’m asking for a friend.
I use time.
Ink Nix!
works great!
works great!
You need to bear in mind what you are going to use your pen for when choosing a nib. I'm a crossword guy, so I always opt for F or XF.
Then, there's the matter of ink flow v. capacity. Choose a broad or stub nib and you'll need to refill more often. That's a deal killer for some users, and another reason I prefer F and XF nibs.
Bottom line: think carefully how you will use your pen when choosing a nib. Even better, just buy more pens with different nibs for different tasks!
Then, there's the matter of ink flow v. capacity. Choose a broad or stub nib and you'll need to refill more often. That's a deal killer for some users, and another reason I prefer F and XF nibs.
Bottom line: think carefully how you will use your pen when choosing a nib. Even better, just buy more pens with different nibs for different tasks!
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
In terms of the most important aspects of a pen, for me, I should be able to forget it's there.
If I'm aware of how it feels in hand, it's not comfortable enough. After the first few seconds of writing, it should have disappeared into a natural hand position. No steps or discernible threads in contact with my fingers or thumb. Not slippy, cumbersome, or unbalanced. Also, if I have to write slower than I want to, or have to faff around for a while to get it started, it's no good either.
A medium nib seems to suit my everyday writing, but I'm not averse to something a little broader or narrower, so long as it doesn't come with scratch or bleedthrough. I don't overly care what it looks like or is made of, so long as it's no more fragile than any other wrtiting implement (note I said implement, not instrument. I would never consider a pen an instrument).
So cost aside, my hierarchy would be:
Ergonomics
Reliability
Durability
All three have to be right for me to get on with it, but that's the sequence in which I would lose interest in it.
If I'm aware of how it feels in hand, it's not comfortable enough. After the first few seconds of writing, it should have disappeared into a natural hand position. No steps or discernible threads in contact with my fingers or thumb. Not slippy, cumbersome, or unbalanced. Also, if I have to write slower than I want to, or have to faff around for a while to get it started, it's no good either.
A medium nib seems to suit my everyday writing, but I'm not averse to something a little broader or narrower, so long as it doesn't come with scratch or bleedthrough. I don't overly care what it looks like or is made of, so long as it's no more fragile than any other wrtiting implement (note I said implement, not instrument. I would never consider a pen an instrument).
So cost aside, my hierarchy would be:
Ergonomics
Reliability
Durability
All three have to be right for me to get on with it, but that's the sequence in which I would lose interest in it.
