Do you use a fountain pen?

Do you use a fountain pen?

Author
Discussion

covmutley

3,012 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
Bought myself a cross Bailey this morning. My 12 yr old daughter teases me about my terrible scribble that only I can decipher, but we got her a calligraphy set as a stocking filler and the look on her face when I actually put some effort in was priceless. Inspired me to take some pride in my hand writing.

Handled a few in the shop and the cross just seemed to sit nicely in my hand. Got home and found it a tenner cheaper on t'Internet but I may have ended up with something not so comfy buying online so hey-ho.

Had a practice tonigt and progress is being made! I find it really hard to slow down from the normal scribble I rush in work though.




Edited by covmutley on Tuesday 27th December 21:28

WestyCarl

3,217 posts

124 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
A quick question for the experts. I use a Cross something (black and cost £50 ish a few years ago) with Cross ink cartridges.

However I find it regularly dries up and refuses to write. I've tried soaking the nib in cold warm water to clean it but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm beginning to think its the crap paper I use at work (photocopier paper)

Any suggestions?

ClaphamGT3

11,269 posts

242 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
sticks090460 said:
Yes. Basic Lamy. Cost virtually nothing, work really well. I never use anything else if I can help it. Hate Biros.
Agree - great pens. Tend only to write with these or a rotring .35, which, curiously, I always use for notes in my day book #youcantakethekidoutofbuildingsurveying

Robbo 27

3,605 posts

98 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
WestyCarl said:
A quick question for the experts. I use a Cross something (black and cost £50 ish a few years ago) with Cross ink cartridges.

However I find it regularly dries up and refuses to write. I've tried soaking the nib in cold warm water to clean it but it doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm beginning to think its the crap paper I use at work (photocopier paper)

Any suggestions?
Cross pens are usually reliable, Cross ink isnt the best but unless you have a converter then you are stuck with them, no other cartridge will fit.

So the probability is that ink has dried behind the nib in the feed channel from the cartridge, try taking the cartridge off and either use the ear bulb as shown above or push a drinking straw over the threads and try sucking clean water up through the nib and up the straw, do this a few times. If you can pull water through the nib this should mean that the ink channel is clear.

Put the cartridge back on and the barrell and the cap. Leave the pen to stand nib down for an hour or so. I expect that all will now be good.

If it isnt this means that the slit in the nib is wrong and this isnt an easy fix, it can be too narrow or too wide. You can try shaping the shoulders of the nib or it could be the position of the black feed relative to the nib, there is a lot of trial and error here, but the first stage is to make sure that the nib and feed are not blocked.



dfen5

2,397 posts

211 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
Preferred colour when using an ink pen? I'm using Lamy blue/black for signing docs that get scanned and emailed (I do have a digital signature pad but I don't like the result).

NiceCupOfTea

25,280 posts

250 months

Tuesday 27th December 2016
quotequote all
I've had a Waterman Expert for 10 years+ which I use on an almost daily basis. Lovely thing to write with. Unfortunately I dropped it a couple of weeks ago and bent the nib. I bent it back as best I could but it's not quite the same. I know I can buy a new barrel but that's pretty much a new pen and it holds some sentimental value...

E24man

6,654 posts

178 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
Preferred colour when using an ink pen? I'm using Lamy blue/black for signing docs that get scanned and emailed (I do have a digital signature pad but I don't like the result).
I have red ink in my red sparkle Dunhill AD2000
I have blue ink in my blue sparkle Dunhill AD2000
I have black ink in my carbon fibre Dunhill AD2000
I have purple ink in my silver carbon fibre Dunhill Sentryman Explorer II

bitchstewie

Original Poster:

50,767 posts

209 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
Preferred colour when using an ink pen? I'm using Lamy blue/black for signing docs that get scanned and emailed (I do have a digital signature pad but I don't like the result).
I must say I'm taken with some of the less common colours. When I was a kid at school I'm fairly sure it was blue or black and ink meant Quink.

Blown away at the choice available these days though I suspect that's more down to having the internet to choose from vs. WH Smiths.

Mannginger

9,032 posts

256 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
Yup, my writing's not great, too scrawly, but is always better when from a fountain pen. That said, having lost a couple of semi-decent pens over the years I now just buy a box of V Pens which tend to last me a year or so of use / leaving behind in meeting rooms etc.


AndStilliRise

2,295 posts

115 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
I tend to write everyday. I use a ledger to record my daily todo list and activities which i have to complete. Being a developer i do get a few strange looks from all over the office. That being said, i would love to try and improve my handwriting, it really is a mess and having spent years with Big pens looking for an upgrade. Would anyone have an idea with what i could start with, it does not have to be a fountain pen, just something that can help me with my handwriting. I tend to have a heavy arm and press on the pens. Even the Big pens seem to crack after a couple of weeks.

If there is a course i can do?


ThunderGuts

12,230 posts

193 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
I use one of these when needed, purple or green ink.


Robbo 27

3,605 posts

98 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
AndStilliRise said:
I tend to write everyday. I use a ledger to record my daily todo list and activities which i have to complete. Being a developer i do get a few strange looks from all over the office. That being said, i would love to try and improve my handwriting, it really is a mess and having spent years with Big pens looking for an upgrade. Would anyone have an idea with what i could start with, it does not have to be a fountain pen, just something that can help me with my handwriting. I tend to have a heavy arm and press on the pens. Even the Big pens seem to crack after a couple of weeks.

If there is a course i can do?
A useful youtube vid on improving handwriting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzpmb0xBDzc

If you want a tough and heavy pen I can recommend the Jinhao 159, a low cost pen that can take abuse being mainly laquered brass construction, you can always upgrade if the pen bug bites, the 159 should cost you less than £5 on ebay.


AndStilliRise

2,295 posts

115 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
Robbo 27 said:
AndStilliRise said:
I tend to write everyday. I use a ledger to record my daily todo list and activities which i have to complete. Being a developer i do get a few strange looks from all over the office. That being said, i would love to try and improve my handwriting, it really is a mess and having spent years with Big pens looking for an upgrade. Would anyone have an idea with what i could start with, it does not have to be a fountain pen, just something that can help me with my handwriting. I tend to have a heavy arm and press on the pens. Even the Big pens seem to crack after a couple of weeks.

If there is a course i can do?
A useful youtube vid on improving handwriting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dzpmb0xBDzc

If you want a tough and heavy pen I can recommend the Jinhao 159, a low cost pen that can take abuse being mainly laquered brass construction, you can always upgrade if the pen bug bites, the 159 should cost you less than £5 on ebay.
Thanks man.

curlyks2

1,028 posts

145 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
If I'm handwriting anything, 90% of the time it'll be with a fountain pen. For preference, an (original) Cross Century.


motco

15,919 posts

245 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
I have ordered a couple of Jinhao X450 models. The choice was at variance with Robbo 27s advice but I liked the look of them, and thought that the cost is so modest that a mistake was no real loss. The heavier one (159) Robbo recommended looked too heavy and the lighter one (599) none too attractive. Not being perverse, Robbo, but I just like the look of the X450 and the reviews seem good too. I'll report back...

gifdy

2,065 posts

240 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
I've used fountain pens since school. Nowadays I use the Bic throwaway pens. No hassle and write really well.

davepoth

29,395 posts

198 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
No. I'm left handed, and the few years of learning to use one at primary school were utter inky messy hell. I arrived at senior school and ballpoints were allowed, and that was the last time I touched one.

Jaroon

1,441 posts

159 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
Fountain pens are a touch too council for me, only ever use a quill. IN!, wins PH.

Robbo 27

3,605 posts

98 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
motco said:
I have ordered a couple of Jinhao X450 models. The choice was at variance with Robbo 27s advice but I liked the look of them, and thought that the cost is so modest that a mistake was no real loss. The heavier one (159) Robbo recommended looked too heavy and the lighter one (599) none too attractive. Not being perverse, Robbo, but I just like the look of the X450 and the reviews seem good too. I'll report back...
Its all a personal choice, I have no experience of the 450 model so I would be interested to hear of your opinion. As a rule they are well made and do what is expected of them. It might be worth spending a small amount of money on some quality universal cartridges, a pack of 12 Montblanc cartridges should be around £4, I think most Jinhaos come with a converter, so a bottle of ink would be the way to go.





andy_s

19,397 posts

258 months

Wednesday 28th December 2016
quotequote all
ali_XFR said:
Had to use fountain pens at school. Good old Parker vector. Since then I've had a couple for work. I got a waterman when I got a new job a few years back. First day, first meeting somehow managed to drop it on its nib. Never been the same since. I've always wanted a Pilot Myu/ Murex but never got round to hunting one down on eBay and now the prices are nudging £300. Surprised it's design hasn't been mimicked by someone else



https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2013/1/28/my-founta...
I use my Myu regularly; not the best writer but gorgeous design.