Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Same like using the eco very much. Broad nib.
I just ordered the vac model. Medium nib.
Fountain pen questions from a less experienced user.
- Thread starter LMcC
- Start date
I just ordered the vac model. Medium nib.
Lefonque
Even more clueless than you
TWSBI is well liked on most pen forums.
When it comes to discovering your pen-preferences, in my experience there's one major thing to find out, and then there's all the rest. All the rest like new or vintage, ink colours, IG or not, girth, weight, filling systhem, looks, brands, hooded nib or not, snap on or twist cap, demonstrator, ...
The major thing to find out (in my experience): nib preference. Do you prefer the precision of an EF, the unobtrusiveness of an F, the presence of a B(BB), the 'makes my writing look better' qualities of a stub/CI. Or maybe even the door to exquisite writing skills /caligraphy of a flexnib.
Starting with a Lamy Safari helped me to find out. You can buy extra nibs of different widths at very low cost and change nibs very easily. That's how I discovered my preference for stubs and CI's (and an occasional EF) long before getting my first MB149BB to a nibmeister.
Enjoy your discovery!
The major thing to find out (in my experience): nib preference. Do you prefer the precision of an EF, the unobtrusiveness of an F, the presence of a B(BB), the 'makes my writing look better' qualities of a stub/CI. Or maybe even the door to exquisite writing skills /caligraphy of a flexnib.
Starting with a Lamy Safari helped me to find out. You can buy extra nibs of different widths at very low cost and change nibs very easily. That's how I discovered my preference for stubs and CI's (and an occasional EF) long before getting my first MB149BB to a nibmeister.
Enjoy your discovery!
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
This is very true. Years ago I went to a pen show and had the benefit of trying a number of nibs before buying a pen. I thought I was sold and set. Later I bought a different model on line same nib but it’s not the same. That one is not like butter.
I agree that the nib is the most important consideration.
However, it's not the only one, and some others are also critical to the selection of a pen.
Length (posted where intended), weight (and importantly, balance), and girth are all factors fundamental to to the choice of a pen.
Hands differ in size, gripping technique, angle, and purpose (i.e. a mere signature pen vs one for lengthy writing), and these are all affected by those factors. None can be dismissed when shopping for a pen.
Even the nib itself cannot often be reduced to just one choice. Different nibs for different purposes, signature, calligraphy, accounting, marginal notes, script size, &etc. Flexible nibs only for those that know how to use them.
Still, I agree that non-functional choices should be secondary, lest one acquire a beautiful pen that's uncomfortable, difficult, or impractical to use.
Less expensive pens do not always equate to poor QC. The Platinum Preppy is a pen that is less than 10 bucks and is an outstanding writing pen.
Pelican of Germany also makes some entry level pens in that same price point ( how they can do that is beyond me), but they are great writers. Before I retired, I always kept a handful of them at my desk, to give to anyone who was wondering what a fountain pen was all about.
On the other side, high price does not always mean perfection. I have never had a Mont Blanc that didn't need some additional nib work. Same with Monteverde...great pens, crap for factory nib tuning.
You want really good writing pens, seek out restored vintage pens, pens made from the 1930's to the 1970's. They are not very pricey but are awesome to use.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
I think I agree with this. The nib is obviously important, but there are other considerations that someone may rank higher. People can get into fountain pens for many different reasons and buying a pen for its design or esthetic appeal is perfectly valid to me. Somewhat ironically, the nib is simultaneously the most important part of the pen and the least. By that, I mean that the nib is what makes a fountain pen, a fountain pen. If you don't care about the nib, than save yourself a lot of money and get the rollerball version of the pen you like. Nibs are paramount to the connoisseur who savors the feel of the tipping on the paper and appreciates the personalization it lends to their writing. On the other hand, nibs are often replaceable and always modifiable. They are readily tuned to write wetter, drier, smoother, or toothier, or ground to display line variation, though that will induce additional cost and hassle to send it to a nib meister. The pen's body, however, is rather immutable. The body is what you look at 99% of the time and hold all of the time, so you better like it.
- Thread starter
- #28
This is what initially turned me off to transparent pens, but the TWSBI had such good reviews, as well as coming with tools and instructions for disassembly (and price of course) so I figured I had to try it.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Oh man, like a bullet to the heart!
I DETEST demonstrators. I don't know why. I get why people like seeing the ink swirling around, and why in the olden days, when the pen salesman pulled out the demonstrator to show off the snazzy new filling system, people said "dude, that's so cool! I want THAT one!" But they just don't do it for me. I don't want to see the ink swirling around. I want to see a tastefully designed and appointed pen. I read all the love for TWSBIs and get why they are on everyone's "best starter pen" list and all the rest. But I just couldn't do it. I couldn't love it. And I might add that TWISBI isn't the only widely loved, widely praised pen that I look at and can't love. I guess that's my burden to bear. I wish nothing but happy writing to you and all TWISBI enthusiasts.
Lefonque
Even more clueless than you
I have never owned a demonstrator of any kind even thought I have owned countless pens over the years. I don’t mind the ink window. Having said that I rarely look at the ink window and check.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Sure, an ink window is fine. Especially nicely integrated ones such as on most Pelikans. But I’m probably less flummoxed by the lack of an ink window than some people seem to get.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Whoa now tell us how you really feel...Oh man, like a bullet to the heart!
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Oh, did I lay it on too thick? Sorry. BTW, @LMcC , I am absolutely NOT criticizing your pen, so please don’t take my little tantrum that way.Whoa now tell us how you really feel...
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
As the OP said, I too toyed around with an inexpensive fountain pen back in my younger days. Fast forward 40 years and my granddaughter has sparked an interest in fountain pens once again. While my first fountain pen was an inexpensive pen that was likely packaged in a blister pack and used cartridges, my new pen that I just ordered is a TWSBI 580ALR in Prussian Blue. I won’t use it as an every day pen, but I will use it to relearn cursive writing and improve my penmanship. My everyday instrument is a Cross Select Point Rollerball. I love the heft and feel of the cross and the way the gel ink flows easily to the page. I don’t like the relatively short life of the refills. But, it writes on any porous surface including some of the slick stocks. So, it will be my daily driver since the fountain pen is limited on what stocks it can write on, or so at least is my perception.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
My preference is a broad nib. But that doesn’t help with my messy penmanship. And using standard pads it can feather which adds to the problem. At work I’ve heard it referred to as the Abraham Lincoln pen. My new order. The twsbi vac is a medium nib just to experiment.
I'll gladly share that burden with you, for I too, have no love of demonstrators.
I simply don't like transparent pens and I won't pretend to.
They remind me of insect larvae!
Thanks folks. I’ve now got two different TWSBIs incoming—an Eco and a Go. To which of you enablers should I send the bill?
I regularly used cheap fountain pens in high school and college, and have thought about getting back into them many times since.The only thing holding me back is how little I write on paper these days. I’m going to try to move my casual correspondence with one distant old friend to stationary. Since he gifted me a fairly nice Schaefer FP for my high school graduation, he’s the obvious choice.
I can’t see going back to a planner and paper notes generally, since pretty much everything I do in those regards needs to be shareable with colleagues or family. Getting into new thread territory at this point...sorry. To be continued later.
I regularly used cheap fountain pens in high school and college, and have thought about getting back into them many times since.The only thing holding me back is how little I write on paper these days. I’m going to try to move my casual correspondence with one distant old friend to stationary. Since he gifted me a fairly nice Schaefer FP for my high school graduation, he’s the obvious choice.
I can’t see going back to a planner and paper notes generally, since pretty much everything I do in those regards needs to be shareable with colleagues or family. Getting into new thread territory at this point...sorry. To be continued later.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
I just got the twsbi vac in today. First impression is very favorable. Of course it’s plastic but very sturdy feeling and it has a heft to it. The nib is also very cool abs more fancy. Of course I’m also comparing this to the platinum pen I also received today. I know that’s $10 but it’s pretty much junk.
