Do you use a fountain pen?

[Robbo 27]

Treb0r said:

I use a Lamy Safari at work and on the recommendation of this thread I bought a Jinhao 159 from eBay for the sum of £3 delivered (UK seller).
It's great!
The nib is very smooth and I love the extra weight compared to the plastic Safari. I find it helps my handwriting to "flow" a bit more and avoid being scratchy.
Thanks for the recommendation!

The 159 is a very good pen for very little money, design is taken from Montblanc without being a direct copy, a substantial feeling pen with an excellent nib. The pen isnt for everyone, its big and chunky but for £3 it isnt expensive and will still be working in 50 years time.

[SystemParanoia]

The Mad Monk said:

E24man said:

The Mad Monk said:

You really think it is worth 2,600 of them?

I would not, and did not, pay anywhere near that for it - is that what you are offering?

You didn't seem to want to say how much you paid - which is your right, so I Googled....

https://howtospendit.ft.com/womens-style/3022-dunh...

It could have been a 30year service gift from work... And it only cost him his entire working life.

Worth it!

Most long termers get a crappy watch or a next shopping voucher

[E24man]

The Mad Monk said:

You didn't seem to want to say how much you paid - which is your right, so I Googled....

https://howtospendit.ft.com/womens-style/3022-dunh...

I bought mine second-hand last year. Did you check the date on that article you linked?

You seem to have rather a large bee in your bonnet about this pen so I find myself having to point out three rather blindingly obvious things to you,

1. Goods don't always sell for the RRP
2. Second hand goods hardly ever sell for the RRP
3. What on earth business is it of yours what I or any other thread contributor pays for our pens.

[The Mad Monk]

E24man said:

3. What on earth business is it of yours what I or any other thread contributor pays for our pens.

Quite right. It isn't any of my business.

However, I do hope you won't be offended if I am curious.

[Prohibiting]

Love it. Just oozes class.



The extra-fine nib is perfect for a lefty like me. I read that the Montblanc's usually write a little on the broad side so I stepped down to the extra-fine to counteract that. I like the fine nibs so that the letter holes don't get filled with ink.

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 1st March 13:37

[Sway]

Just swapped to my second Lamy cartridge in my Safari - and now it's running very dry on the downstroke...

Absolutely fine, even at speed, side to side or upstroke.

Any ideas? It's a fine nib, which I've had no feed issues with up until now.

[Adenauer]

Prohibiting said:

Love it. Just oozes class.



The extra-fine nib is perfect for a lefty like me. I read that the Montblanc's usually write a little on the broad side so I stepped down to the extra-fine to counteract that. I like the fine nibs so that the letter holes don't get filled with ink.

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 1st March 13:37

How many goes at that before you got it that tidy?

Be honest.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Well, I must say that I am enjoying my Jinhao X450 and X750. As I get used to them, I'm starting to notice the difference in the fine nib on the X750 and the medium on the X450 more and more - it's funny how the eye gets dialled in. I think I am starting to like the X750 more than the X450 but there isn't much to choose. The X750 flows a little better, and writes a little smoother. I also think the Lava Red design of the X750 looks much better than the Sky Blue of the X450, with the latter looking a little cheap and nasty.

My Hero 616 still hasn't arrived, but I guess it has only been 11 days since I ordered it and it is coming all the way from China, so I shouldn't really expect it yet.

[Prohibiting]

Adenauer said:

How many goes at that before you got it that tidy?

Be honest.

Honestly, first attempt! But I was being extra careful!

[Robbo 27]

Prohibiting said:

Love it. Just oozes class.



The extra-fine nib is perfect for a lefty like me. I read that the Montblanc's usually write a little on the broad side so I stepped down to the extra-fine to counteract that. I like the fine nibs so that the letter holes don't get filled with ink.

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 1st March 13:37

Thats a very nice pen, impressive. I might be wrong but I think the 18K marking is so that it is ok for the French market who dont regard 14K as a gold nib.

[Robbo 27]

Sway said:

Just swapped to my second Lamy cartridge in my Safari - and now it's running very dry on the downstroke...

Absolutely fine, even at speed, side to side or upstroke.

Any ideas? It's a fine nib, which I've had no feed issues with up until now.

A few things to check. The first is are you using the same paper, bought a new notebook last week with bad paper that my normally reliable EDC just does not like.

Lamy nibs are usually very reliable, so I would firstly make sure that you have pushed the cartridge far enough into the section, it might be leaking air a little.

Take an inch of sellotape and stick it over the nib, pull the tape and nib sharply away from the pen, as if you were striking a match away from you. The nib should come off. Have a look at the back of the nib and try cleaning it with some tissue. Alos have a look at the nib from the front, the tines should look like 00. I dont expect this is a problem unless the pen has been dropped.

Then dip the black feed in 1cm of water and leave it for 10 minutes, dry it and then put the nib back. You will see two grooves in the feed where the nib slides onto.

I suspect that this will fix the problem.

If it doesnt, try a different cartridge, Rarely the ink can be a bit slow to find its way to the nib, especially if you let the pen run dry after the first cartridge, so i would leave the pen stood upside down, capped for 30 minutes just so this allows the ink to fully reach the nib.

Hope this helps.

[Prohibiting]

Robbo 27 said:

Thats a very nice pen, impressive. I might be wrong but I think the 18K marking is so that it is ok for the French market who dont regard 14K as a gold nib.

Yes, did some research before I purchased and that was the case in France up until a certain year. I also read that you could simply go to a Montblanc Botique and purchase the pen with an upgraded nib for a higher price which is the likely scenario. Sort of like a special order I suppose.

I have found that being a lefty, as the fountain pen is technically being held the wrong side of the paper (right handers will pull the pen across the paper whereas a lefty will be pushing more) it's a little hard to start when taking a pause for more than 10 seconds compared to my TWSBI. I have to make sure I touch it on the paper and press a little firmer to begin writing again if I take a long pause to ensure it starts okay. That's my only gripe but I'll get used to it.

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 1st March 15:35

[Robbo 27]

Prohibiting said:

I have found that being a lefty, as the fountain pen is technically being held the wrong side of the paper (right handers will the pen across the paper whereas a lefty will be pushing more) it's a little hard to start when taking a pause for more than 10 seconds compared to my TWSBI. I have to make sure I touch it on the paper and press a little firmer to begin writing if I take a long pause to ensure it starts okay.

If you are ok with the hard starting then fine, if the pen is new tand you want it sorting then this is fixable by Montblanc, the flow just needs tweaking a bit, the tines probably need an adjustment. If it is an older pen then I know someone who can fix this very easily.

MB might clip your ear for using anything other than MB inks in a new pen! I know i am biased against Diamine but I would try a Montblanc ink and see if the problem goes away. If you like reddish inks, try the MB Corn poppy red.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Oops. I just bought this on Amazon for £2.99, because reasons.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B014XU3TLY

[SystemParanoia]

I hope you have small hands

[ClockworkCupcake]

SystemParanoia said:

I hope you have small hands

Actually, I do.

[SystemParanoia]

This pen may work for you then.
I hate that i cant use mine.. its elegant

[ClockworkCupcake]

SystemParanoia said:

This pen may work for you then.

SystemParanoia said:

I hate that i cant use mine.. its elegant

[Robbo 27]

I struggle to grip with chrome nib sections, my fingers just slide to the paper, hope it works for you.

I have been looking for a Parker 51 styled pen, perhaps with a modern twist and I like the look of this Jinhao 911

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Jinhao-91...

However it seems to be available with a fine nib only.

[SystemParanoia]

Good find!!!