Do you use a fountain pen?

[Vroom101]

Prohibiting said:

Vroom101 said:

Really well done on the handwriting improvement. You've made fantastic progress. Remind me - are you also left-handed?

Thanks Yes, left-handed, so if I can do it, anyone can!

Lefty here too. Looks like there's hope for me yet! I must practice more. Do you write from above or below the line?

[Marty Funkhouser]

Just started to use my old Parker 25 I had at school...so much more enjoyable to write with than ballpoints etc.

[Prohibiting]

Vroom101 said:

Lefty here too. Looks like there's hope for me yet! I must practice more. Do you write from above or below the line?

I write from above with my paper turned slightly anti-clockwise. Doing it like this also makes it easier to get the slight slant in the letters as well.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Marty Funkhouser said:

Just started to use my old Parker 25 I had at school...so much more enjoyable to write with than ballpoints etc.

I did some research on my old Parker 25 last night, just because I happened to be on Pen Collect and saw they had a Parker 25 page.

A little research on there and also More Engineering suggests it is a Mark III, since it has no nib breather hole, has a dimpled end, and is stamped "Made in England" on the cap. That implies it dates from 1979 onwards, but this confuses me as I'm almost certain I was using it at school in 1977.
I changed schools in 1978 and I am sure I was using that pen at the school before rather than after.

[Robbo 27]

I should probably stop buying these pens, 45p including postage.

It is worth the purchase price just to give it away.

[ClockworkCupcake]

I like my Jinhao X750 in Lava Red so much that I decided to buy another X750. This one is black with glitter (referred to as "Shimmering Sands") and cost the princely sum of £1.97

Edit: And a plain black one for work, for £2.29

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Friday 31st March 10:53

[ClockworkCupcake]

I may have just accidentally bought this one as well, for £2.79 and it's a UK seller too so should arrive in a couple of days.



And I decided I fancied a Jinhao 250 Flighter as well, so that is coming over from China for £2.28



I should step away from the computer now, I think.

Edited by ClockworkCupcake on Friday 31st March 11:05

[ClockworkCupcake]

[RizzoTheRat]

ClockworkCupcake said:

Marty Funkhouser said:

Just started to use my old Parker 25 I had at school...so much more enjoyable to write with than ballpoints etc.

I did some research on my old Parker 25 last night, just because I happened to be on Pen Collect and saw they had a Parker 25 page.

A little research on there and also More Engineering suggests it is a Mark III, since it has no nib breather hole, has a dimpled end, and is stamped "Made in England" on the cap. That implies it dates from 1979 onwards, but this confuses me as I'm almost certain I was using it at school in 1977.
I changed schools in 1978 and I am sure I was using that pen at the school before rather than after.

I used a 25 through school, but unfortunately have no idea what happened to it. One big advantage, besides the slightly neater writing, was the nice solid stainless barrel, as I have a tendency to chew pens. I actually managed to dent the end of it though

[wong]

Sway said:

Cheers chap.

Just had a look, only two listing for the Sailor I really like the look of (1911L Realo piston filler), however I have a mate at work heading to Tokyo in April, so will have a chat with him to see if he'll pick me one up, post me the docs and chuck the pen in his case...

If I could get that for a decent chunk less than a montblanc 146 I'd be a very, very happy chappie!

Would this be the model? Sometimes they have slightly differnet names/translations in Japan. Gives you an idea on price (Remember to add Tax)

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/auc-youstyle/it...

[Robbo 27]

RizzoTheRat said:

I used a 25 through school, but unfortunately have no idea what happened to it. One big advantage, besides the slightly neater writing, was the nice solid stainless barrel, as I have a tendency to chew pens. I actually managed to dent the end of it though

The 25 was a great model for their intended market, well made and schoolboy proof, how Parker can make such a good job of their low priced pens with good design and manufacturing and make such a mess of their high end products is a mystery.

I hadnt heard of the More engineering web site thanks for posting.

[Robbo 27]

ClockworkCupcake said:

I may have just accidentally bought this one as well, for £2.79 and it's a UK seller too so should arrive in a couple of days.



And I decided I fancied a Jinhao 250 Flighter as well, so that is coming over from China for £2.28



I should step away from the computer now, I think.



]

The first pen reminds me of a Hero pen that I owned about 10 years ago, I made the mistake of having it delivered to work and a colleague wanted the pen more than I did. Unusual in that it had a ceramic coating.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Robbo 27 said:

The first pen reminds me of a Hero pen that I owned about 10 years ago, I made the mistake of having it delivered to work and a colleague wanted the pen more than I did. Unusual in that it had a ceramic coating.

Yes, the white and blue one is similarly described as being ceramic. I won't know for sure whether it is or not until it arrives.

I noticed earlier in the thread that AlexC1981 posted a picture of the Baoer 508 so have just been looking at those this morning too. I have so far resisted the temptation to buy one - I think 4 pens in one day is more than enough for now.

[motco]

I've just remembered that I used to have a Parker 25 too! Where the devil is it, I wonder?

[AlexC1981]

There's no need to hold back at £2 a pen and they take up no storage space I just spent £6.98 on brunch!

I ordered the Jinhao ceramic plum tree pen for mum. Still waiting for the Baoer and I've also ordered a Jinhao 8812 with a dark wood barrel.

I have recently taken delivery of an off-white X750, which is smashing, probably the best one yet. The section is the perfect size and shape, just a bit smaller than the 159.

I picked up a Jinhao 163 from the post office this morning, which was quite expensive at £4.68. I'm a bit disappointed with it because it doesnt have the iridescent sheen you can see in the photo below. It's still attractive, but it's just a dark metallic lacquer.

I'll do a group photo when they all arrive. I'm waiting to see Robbo's group photo

[ClockworkCupcake]

AlexC1981 said:

There's no need to hold back at £2 a pen and they take up no storage space

Very true. I just added a Baoer 801 in "Black Shimmering Aurora Borealis Pattern" finish for £1.50, bringing today's purchases up to 5 pens. I really will stop now. Honest!



Total spend for the 5 pens is £10.83 including postage. You can't really argue at that price.

[Robbo 27]

AlexC1981 said:

. I'm waiting to see Robbo's group photo

I dont have many pens left, over the past 3 years I have sold or given away around 300 pens and have around 20 today. I had two specialist areas which was Montblancs before 1960 and Parker from 1925 to 1960. the ones that I have left have a bit of a story to them



This Montblanc 149 was a gift around 15 years ago, someone had been advised by their accountant to invest at Lloyds, they were offered an investment as a Name, for around £70000, I warned against it, the accountant said I should not interfere. If they had gone ahead they would have had an end of year cheque to write of £360,000. A nice thank you gift.



This Parker vacumatic belonged to my father. In 1951 he was going by bus to the Festival of Britain, he was writing as the bus went over a bump, he dropped his pen and bent the nib. He went to the Parker stand at the exhibition and they replaced the nib with a Duofold nib. Whilst he was waiting he tried out the Parker 51, bought one and used a Parker 51 for the rest of his life. this pen and pencil date from 1946.



These next two pens show some humilty, this 1950s Esterbrook set was a made for the average US worker who wanted a good pen but didnt have much in the way of spare cash, a lower priced pen. Very well made and works perfectly today. Esterbrook had the good idea of making around 20 spare different nibs for a variety of uses that were simple to screw to fit nib.



My favourite pen of all. This Parker was made in 1931, this was depression era in America and Parker nearly went bust, their expensive Duofold pen was too much money in a time of austerity and they needed a new line of pens that were affordable to the average worker. This Parker saved the company. A button filled pen it is a joy to use and has a superb nib, makes you smile as you use it, still working after almost 80 years. It may look marked, just static dust, the pen looks like new.

Edited by Robbo 27 on Friday 31st March 14:05

[Sway]

wong said:

Sway said:

Cheers chap.

Just had a look, only two listing for the Sailor I really like the look of (1911L Realo piston filler), however I have a mate at work heading to Tokyo in April, so will have a chat with him to see if he'll pick me one up, post me the docs and chuck the pen in his case...

If I could get that for a decent chunk less than a montblanc 146 I'd be a very, very happy chappie!

Would this be the model? Sometimes they have slightly differnet names/translations in Japan. Gives you an idea on price (Remember to add Tax)

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/auc-youstyle/it...

It would kind sir, and much cheaper than I'd previously found...

If I may, could I drop you a Pm in a few weeks when my friend is over for you to find a similar deal I can get him to pick up? I think I'm right in saying that if bought within Japan it's a 10% sales tax on top of the advertised price on rakuten? That'll still save me nearly £200!

[wong]

Sway said:

It would kind sir, and much cheaper than I'd previously found...

If I may, could I drop you a Pm in a few weeks when my friend is over for you to find a similar deal I can get him to pick up? I think I'm right in saying that if bought within Japan it's a 10% sales tax on top of the advertised price on rakuten? That'll still save me nearly £200!

I think there is a 1911 M and a 1911 L and this is 18mm diameter, so I presume it is the L. I think the (M size) in the description refers to the nib. Make sure your friend gets the right nib for you "buy the nib, not the pen". If he buys it in Japan, he may not have to pay tax - I was In Japan last year on holiday and many large dept. stores have tax free counters (bring your passport). I thought it a little cheeky for Rakuten to charge tax which they say is a handling charge, but the emails were in Japanese and google translate has its limits. I was surprised that many Japanese pens were much cheaper ¬ 60 % of the US/European price. They justify it in that the US market pens get an included converter, but that wont matter with a piston fill. Before you commit, have a look at the Platinum President (converter) which is a similar size and style.
Also, in the spirit of this thread, buy a Jinhao 159 (a MB 149 homage) and be amazed.

[wong]

Some of the Japanese pens have a wider variety of nibs :- UEF, EF, F, FM, M, B and some special nibs like a music nib (wet stub) and soft fine nibs - semi-flex. Also the Japanese nibs tend to be 1/2 a size smaller than Western nib sizes.