Do you use a fountain pen?

[Snails]

When this thread started I didn't own a fountain pen. I now have 6.

I started with the Jinhaos, X450 126 and 250. These are all okay, I have difficulties with hard starts with the 126 and 250, but I think this might be due to the Diamine inks.

Then I purchased a Lamy Logo, which I have liked

and more recently a Sheaffer Targa 1030 and Sheaffer Targa 1003 (hasn't arrived yet) as I really like the look of the inlaid nibs. I believe from the description that the 1003 is one of the 1980 '1st editions' however as far as I can tell they are identically to the pens made 10 years later.

edit: Turns out the caps and end of the barrel are slightly different and it is as the ad stated.

1030

Edited by Snails on Wednesday 29th March 13:22

[Robbo 27]

Snails said:

When this thread started I didn't own a fountain pen. I now have 6.

I started with the Jinhaos, X450 126 and 250. These are all okay, I have difficulties with hard starts with the 126 and 250, but I think this might be due to the Diamine inks.

Then I purchased a Lamy Logo, which I have liked

and more recently a Sheaffer Targa 1030 and Sheaffer Targa 1003 (hasn't arrived yet) as I really like the look of the inlaid nibs. I believe from the description that the 1003 is one of the 1980 '1st editions' however as far as I can tell they are identically to the pens made 10 years later.

edit: Turns out the caps and end of the barrel are slightly different and it is as the ad stated.

1030

Thats a good looking pen.

Sheaffer Targa website was referred to earlier but just in case you missed it here it is:

http://www.sheaffertarga.com/

[Prohibiting]

^(just noticed I forgot to cross a letter 't')





First favourite (ordered a full pot). This colour somehow really suits the pen. It's a darkish purple but interesting enough to actually look purple without being too bright or silly. The translation for the name of this ink is 'wild grapes'.


Second favourite (ordered a full pot)








My handwriting less than 2 months ago when this thread was started:

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 29th March 13:43

[Robbo 27]

Prohibiting said:

^(just noticed I forgot to cross a letter 't')





First favourite (ordered a full pot). This colour somehow really suits the pen. It's a darkish purple but interesting enough to actually look purple without being too bright or silly.


Second favourite (ordered a full pot)

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 29th March 13:33

Edited by Prohibiting on Wednesday 29th March 13:35

I know someone who is a bit OCD about inks, she has hundreds of bottles, ok she makes a good living from doing pen and ink drawings so a very good excuse. She regards the Sailor inks as best in the world, and I can see why from your writing sample. The shape of the bottle may pose a problem with that big nibbed Pelikan but you can always decant the ink into a different shaped bottle.

I can see that you are happy with the work that was done on the nib.

PS remarkable difference in the handwriting from two months ago, is this practice or having a tailor made nib?

Edited by Robbo 27 on Wednesday 29th March 13:44

[Prohibiting]

Yep, I love the shading of that Sailor teal coloured ink. I did some research of what samples I wanted to order as I love the look of shading inks.

I'm extremely happy with the pen and won't be changing it now. It writes perfectly with zero problems and it's the perfect thickness and wetness for my style. Also, the pen itself to hold feels the perfect weight and shape in my hand. Overall, very happy indeed It was definitely worth paying £35 to have the nib fine-tuned.

PS: I edited my post and added a picture of my old handwriting less than 2 months ago as a result of this thread.

[Prohibiting]

Robbo 27 said:

PS remarkable difference in the handwriting from two months ago, is this practice or having a tailor made nib?

Just a little bit of practise every now and again for a few minutes each day. I haven't specifically tried by writing out pages and pages over and over again. The only effort I've made is to form the letters correctly. I google imaged "Palmer Cursive handwriting" and there's some images of how to form the capital letters so when I started to improve, if I couldn't remember how to form a certain letter, I'd look at the image on my computer. Now I can remember what the letters should be and I'm building up the muscle memory now slowly. I take my time to write as I want it to look good but it's getting faster now.

...and of course, having a nice fountain pen with a nib that you can enjoy helps a lot too.

[motco]

Robbo 27 said:

8Ace said:

Saw that and did wonder.

To the poster above who has a white Jinhao 159 - I have an identical one that was delivered yesterday. It's like writing with a marrow. I normally post my pens but the bigger steel Jinhao pens are too heavy when writing like this.

Just seen this: pretty. Interesting to show the difference in line thickness with a steel and gold nibs. Wouldnt have expected that.

http://blog.gouletpens.com/2017/03/edison-nouveau-...

Thanks for the link, not sure what to make of the nib comparison, as you say interesting.

By the reference guide there does not appear to be a significant difference between the nibs until you get to the Broad and stub nibs and i cannot see much of a difference on the written page between gold and steel. It used to be said that gold nibs were always smoother and better than steel nibs, no longer is that always the case.

I guess it's due to the Young's Modulus of the two metals making the 'spread' of the nib's twin tips greater on the less stiff gold nib. With stub and Italic nibs, the greater bulk of metal at the tip could well offer sufficient added rigidity to offset the effect. All pure guesswork...

[uncinqsix]

Prohibiting said:

Yep, I love the shading of that Sailor teal coloured ink. I did some research of what samples I wanted to order as I love the look of shading inks.

That's the stuff I have on order. Looks great in your pics.

I'm enjoying the Iroshizuku Fuyu-Gaki I have (it's the darker more-reddish orange than Yu-Yake).They really are very nice inks.

[AlexC1981]

Exige77 said:

I've sent out another 3 Platignums today.

Received mine thank you
I thought the envelope must have been from you when I saw the colour of the ink on the front. Very nice. What was it?

[ClockworkCupcake]

AlexC1981 said:

Exige77 said:

I've sent out another 3 Platignums today.

Received mine thank you

Me too. Thank you, Exige77.

[AlexC1981]

Prohibiting said:

Second favourite (ordered a full pot)

I like this. I've got lots of pens now, but only one ink as I have been limiting myself to washable in case of accidents. I think it's time to be a little more adventurous.

Congratulations on the improvement of your writing, I'm very impressed and it's made me think perhaps I can do the same.

I like your Pelican too. When I started reading this thread, I would not have liked it, thinking it a bit flamboyant and a fountain pen a bit of an eccentricity. In fact, I commented that I preferred the hooded nib pens because they were not so obviously fountain pens, but now I find myself looking at more and more exquisite designs.

[ClockworkCupcake]

AlexC1981 said:

Congratulations on the improvement of your writing, I'm very impressed and it's made me think perhaps I can do the same.

Yes, indeed.

I have a Calligraphy book that I bought years ago but have never even read. It's just sitting on a shelf. I'm inspired to give it a go now, especially since I now have two pens with oblique nibs.

[wong]

Robbo 27 said:

I used to live in Jardines Lookout. From memory there are some pen shops in Des Voeux Road in Central, antiques shops which had a tray of pens for sale, perhaps long gone. I also used to go to China Products in Causeway Bay, pens were just a few cents then. I think the shop has been pulled down when the MTR was built.

Hop Cheong - Thats where I bought the MB 146 (and matching ballpoint). It was just over 200 pounds for both 20 years ago.

[RizzoTheRat]

Much as I'm liking my Jinhao 599, I've ended up with ink on my fingers quite a few times, and have had to clean excess ink out of the cap once or twice. I've just discovered that the converter had come adrift thought so hopefully that's the cause.

X450 turned up the other day and is a beautiful looking pen for the money, writes nicely but I'm tempted to get another one with a fine nib as I find my writing more readable with the fine 559 than the medium X450

[Robbo 27]

RizzoTheRat said:

Much as I'm liking my Jinhao 599, I've ended up with ink on my fingers quite a few times, and have had to clean excess ink out of the cap once or twice. I've just discovered that the converter had come adrift thought so hopefully that's the cause.

X450 turned up the other day and is a beautiful looking pen for the money, writes nicely but I'm tempted to get another one with a fine nib as I find my writing more readable with the fine 559 than the medium X450

A loose converter might be the issue, if you can carry the pen nib uppermost that could also help,

My 450 is still in the mail, ordered a dark mottled red. The good thing about these pens is the affordability, you can buy them just to try out, if they are not for you wash them through and put them away or offer them to children or other pen newbies, everyone likes the gift of a pen.

[Matt Cyclone]

wong said:

Robbo 27 said:

I used to live in Jardines Lookout. From memory there are some pen shops in Des Voeux Road in Central, antiques shops which had a tray of pens for sale, perhaps long gone. I also used to go to China Products in Causeway Bay, pens were just a few cents then. I think the shop has been pulled down when the MTR was built.

Hop Cheong - Thats where I bought the MB 146 (and matching ballpoint). It was just over 200 pounds for both 20 years ago.

I recently got myself a nice Waterman (which was inspired from reading this thread!) from a shop between QRC and Des Voeux road, don't know the name but its my go to stationary shop when I'm at the office in Sheung Wan.

I miss the old China Products, when we moved back here last year I was going to show Mrs Cyclone the Lane Crawford on QRC to find its now a Zara!!

[Robbo 27]

Matt Cyclone said:

I recently got myself a nice Waterman (which was inspired from reading this thread!) from a shop between QRC and Des Voeux road, don't know the name but its my go to stationary shop when I'm at the office in Sheung Wan.

I miss the old China Products, when we moved back here last year I was going to show Mrs Cyclone the Lane Crawford on QRC to find its now a Zara!!

For the possible interest of others China Products was a great shop, sold everything from serious surgical products to 1940s style bicycles, umbrellas for 30p, silk on a roll that the then Mrs Robbo could take to her tailors, several floors of everything you can imagine. all whilst listening to 'Home home on the range' sung in cantonese. Happy days.

[Prohibiting]

Thanks for the comments.

Here's a better ink sample for those of you who have shown interest in Sailor's Yama-Dori ink. On the Internet it is very popular indeed.

Apparently it has a very good "sheening" property but on the 80gsm Clairfontaine paper that I'm using, it doesn't show. I've read that I need to use something like Tomoe River paper which will really show it off. The same applies to my Pilot Yama-Budo ink (the darkish purple coloured one).





Great alternative to your standard blue or black.

Edited by Prohibiting on Thursday 30th March 13:36

[Vroom101]

ClockworkCupcake said:

AlexC1981 said:

Exige77 said:

I've sent out another 3 Platignums today.

Received mine thank you

Me too. Thank you, Exige77.

Me too. Thank you, Exige77

I've filled the pen with some Pelican Blue Black, but only written a few words so far. It's quite a lightweight pen, but writes well.

Prohibiting said:

My handwriting less than 2 months ago when this thread was started:

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

[Prohibiting]

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!