Do you use a fountain pen?

[bitchstewie]

As a starter I've ordered a Jinhao X450 off Amazon and an interesting looking bottle of ink.

It's quite funny how you feel like you've been "done" paying £7 for what looks a good quality fountain pen but it'll be here tomorrow and I hate waiting especially on Xmas week when I'm off work anyway

[flight147z]

Robbo 27 said:

if you like a bigger chunky pen try the Jinhao 159, something smaller and lighter is the Jinhao 599, styled like a Lamy pen.

Chinese fine nibs are usually too fine for European writing unless your handwriting is very small, buy a Medium nib if you can.

In terms of improving your handwriting it is all down to practice, when you can write 8888888888888888888888888 and the last eight is the same as the first you have made it.

Having a slow morning so just bought a Jinhao 599 based on this. Cheers for the tip

[hashtag]

3 Lamy Safari's with different coloured ink for daily use.

Mont Blanc 149, on my desk at home

[Robbo 27]

My logic may be skewed but if you are a first time user of a fountain pen then as much as I like the best of modern and vintage pens it is hard to justify spending £100+ just to try out, then use once and put away for years.

Vintage pens are a very tempting area too and be on the lookout for a Parker 51, out of production for 45 years but still sought after, you may even find that some older relatives have pens that were either given as presents and not used or used and put away when the new fangled ball points becaome popular.

More often than not these pens will have been put away with ink and need a service, a flush through as a minimum, but it may be worth ask the question to Granny.

Edited by Robbo 27 on Wednesday 28th December 11:39

[matsoc]

I am not a fountain pen enthusiast but I use them sometimes, in certain situations I still like send some letters hand written. Obviously also when I send gifts I generally add an hand written note. I admindently do not remember to have personally bought one but I own several Montblanc, it seems to be a quite recurring gift.

[Gingerbread Man]

I have a Parker Sonet. Nice to use a fountain pen, although I don't that often. I have swapped in ink pots as my cartridges were drying out.

I've one or two others also. Fancy the matching ball point of my Sonet.

Edited by Gingerbread Man on Saturday 14th January 23:47

[Snails]

davepoth said:

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.

I was fortunate that in primary school I had a left handed teacher. She taught be how to write with a fountain pen without smudging or getting ink all over. She taught me to write from underneath the line I was writing on, whereas lots of lefties write in-line with the line or from above allowing the hand to smudge. I remember it took me a short while to get use to, as previously I had written from above with my hand curled round like a proper leftie.

[bitchstewie]

Robbo 27 said:

My logic may be skewed but if you are a first time user of a fountain pen then as much as I like the best of modern and vintage pens it is hard to justify spending £100+ just to try out, then use once and put away for years.

I know I like fountain pens, it's more about the practicality and perseverance vs. being lazy and reaching for a gel pen I suppose.

I like the Dunhill and Montblank stuff but I'm intrigued by the myriad of other stuff out there, Japanese in particular as some of the special editions simply look amazing, but then you're into being scared to use the thing.

[AstonZagato]

I like an italic nib on a fountain pen. These are surprisingly difficult to source.

I currently have two from Italix (via Mr Pen):

The "Parson's Essential"
http://www.mrpen.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d184.html

and

The "Churchman's Prescriptor"
http://www.mrpen.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d186.html

Both are very good. They only get used to write thank you cards so sit for long periods without being touched. They were a little too free flowing with ink when I first boght them but they have settled down.

[SPR2]

[url][img]http://thumbsnap.com/


I have had this one for many years and still use it. Not sure on details for though.

[Robbo 27]

SPR2 said:

[url][img]http://thumbsnap.com/


I have had this one for many years and still use it. Not sure on details for though.

This is a Parker 45, produced in their many thousands during the 60s and 70s and still a very practical and useful pen today. Takes Parker cartridges or with a converter as shown, The pen has the unusual feature that you can unscrew the nib to clean it or even replace the nib for something different.

If you want to maximise the performance of the pen I suggest that you unscrew the nib and give it a good rinse under the tap and then a soak overnight.

It is worth around £25 today, it would have cost about £4 when new

Edited by Robbo 27 on Wednesday 28th December 17:09

[tobinen]

Robbo 27 said:

If you get stuck let me know

Just in case it is a Parker 51 and not a 61 here are pictures of both,

I was fortunate enough to have used both of these at school and I am left handed. You soon adjust OK. I also had a 25 which I didn't care for much. Not that I paid for them, mind you!

[SPR2]

Robbo 27 said:

This is a Parker 45, produced in their many thousands during the 60s and 70s and still a very practical and useful pen today. Takes Parker cartridges or with a converter as shown, The pen has the unusual feature that you can unscrew the nib to clean it or even replace the nib for something different.

If you want to maximise the performance of the pen I suggest that you unscrew the nib and give it a good rinse under the tap and then a soak overnight.

It is worth around £25 today, it would have cost about £4 when new

Edited by Robbo 27 on Wednesday 28th December 17:09

Thank you for that information.

[bitchstewie]

Well the Jinhao has arrived courtesy of Amazon and I must say I am floored at how nice it appears to be for £7.

There are no obvious rough edges, no chips, everything appears to line up so at worst I'm guessing the "gold" trim might wear quickly or something but I really can't complain at the initial impression.

Unfortunately Amazon haven't yet delivered the ink so it remains to be seen what it writes like.

[The Vambo]

aka_kerrly said:

Haha, Back in school a few of the teachers insisted on having seating plans. I was once sat on the left side of someone who was left handed and used a fountain pen He would get halfway across a page before dragging his wrist through the wet ink or having to ark his arm whilst having his wrist almost double backed on itself like a claw.

Known as corrie fisted in Auld Scots or mongo freestyle if your older brother Andy did it.

[SystemParanoia]

The Vambo said:

aka_kerrly said:

Haha, Back in school a few of the teachers insisted on having seating plans. I was once sat on the left side of someone who was left handed and used a fountain pen He would get halfway across a page before dragging his wrist through the wet ink or having to ark his arm whilst having his wrist almost double backed on itself like a claw.

Known as corrie fisted in Auld Scots or mongo freestyle if your older brother Andy did it.

I can write from beneath with a crappy biro..

but if it want my fountain-pen lettering to look nice, then its out wit the old claw fist.

Ill have to try more from beneath and wrote from the shoulder.. but i just make no progress every time i try

[AlexC1981]

I inked up my old Parker Vector today that I have owned since school, but never really put to any use. My writing is quite untidy, but there was a definite improvement with the fountain pen, so I decided to order some stuff.

I've ordered some Quink washable blue ink, which seems to be a nice pale blue. I have always liked the lighter watercolour-like blues. Plus washable is a bonus as I'm bound to get my cuff in it at some point!

I found the nib on the Vector a bit broad for my liking so I have ordered three Jinhao's, two medium and one fine to see how I get on with them. Priced at £2.25, £2.74 and £2.48 delivered, I thought why not?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301456234301?_trksid=p20...
The textured finish on this one appears very smart. This is the fine nib.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131600117736?_trksid=p20...
Big fat 159.


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/JINHAO-Y6-Green-co...
Ordered this one as an alternative medium in case the 159 is too fat for my hand and I could not decide between green and orange.


Now I have to forget about them for the next three to five weeks while I wait for them to arrive on the slowboat from China.

[andy-xr]

I bought a wacom tablet for Photoshop use but I also use it in evernote quite a bit for quick scribbles of things I need to remember

[Robbo 27]

Just been speaking to someone who has wrecked a £400 Parker by forcing a Lamy cartridge into it, he foolishly thought that all cartridges would fit any pen and it was just branding. He has come to me asking to fix it but when plastic threads have completely broken away there is nothing that can be done. Pic below. It was sold for parts.


As a general rule, buy the cartridge that is made by your pen's maker.

All the Chinese pens that I have see take the International cartridge, widely found in WH Smiths and other stationers. Also all the Chinese pens come with a converter so that you can use bottled ink.

All Parkers will only take Parker cartridges, Most Sheaffers will only take Sheaffer Cartridges, later Watermans will take the international cartridge, Lamy pens will only take Lamy cartridges.

[motco]

£400 !! There's a fair bit of profit in making those, I'm sure.