Do you use a fountain pen?
Discussion
Lord Marylebone said:
Sway said:
My work was fairly 'forgiving', so I've always used my JFK Montblanc since buying it.
For ages, I had a proper guilt for it - bought at LHR for a stonking price, but I already had a nice Parker Duofold international that wasn't too expensive but already more pen than I needed when there's such great pens from Lamy/TWSBI/etc.
However, it's worth it.
Everytime I'm in a meeting (whether in the office or on Skype) and need to make notes, it's just pleasant unscrewing the cap and writing with it.
Need a William Hannah A5 notebook though - that's the next stationary based indulgence.
Are we starting on notebooks now? Please say yes For ages, I had a proper guilt for it - bought at LHR for a stonking price, but I already had a nice Parker Duofold international that wasn't too expensive but already more pen than I needed when there's such great pens from Lamy/TWSBI/etc.
However, it's worth it.
Everytime I'm in a meeting (whether in the office or on Skype) and need to make notes, it's just pleasant unscrewing the cap and writing with it.
Need a William Hannah A5 notebook though - that's the next stationary based indulgence.
All my A4 pads are pretty bod standard office stuff, but when I’m sat in meetings I take an A5 notebook to write in.
A Concord Noir Flexi A5 is my choice.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Concord-Noir-Flexi-Notebo...
For A4, I use black and red. They're nice enough, and fairly cheap.
Make superb paper planes too.
However, as mentioned I really want one of these.
https://williamhannah.com/collections/a5-classic-n...
I got a sample of the paper - lovely and thick, incredibly flexible in layout/colour/etc. and just a pleasure to write on. The idea being it, like my JFK, would be a lifetime companion.
Dappr - the JFK wasn't cheap, and I had to make some sacrifices to get it. However, it's just perfect. The blue is my favourite colour, I'm a huge space buff so the apollo lander engraved on the nib is awesome and I really like the chrome banding. It's also relatively subtle - those who aren't into pens but are into 'brands' are often surprised when they find out it's a MB which I like.
It helps that when I saw it in LHR, for some reason it was nearly 30% cheaper than rrp.
The William Hannah notebooks remind me of the Filofax notebooks of around 20 years ago, a clever development admittedly. I was about to say that the Hannah notebooks were expensive at £100 but then I remembered paying about £80 for a Filofax in the late 90s.
The paper that Hannah uses works well with fountain pens which is not the case with all notebooks, I like the quality of Moleskine and Leuchturm but the paper doesnt work, ballpoints and pencil only.
For that style but UK made and good paper have a look at Stamford notbooks
https://stamfordnotebooks.co.uk/
The paper that Hannah uses works well with fountain pens which is not the case with all notebooks, I like the quality of Moleskine and Leuchturm but the paper doesnt work, ballpoints and pencil only.
For that style but UK made and good paper have a look at Stamford notbooks
https://stamfordnotebooks.co.uk/
Edited by BT Summers on Sunday 15th November 08:11
I take loads of notes but have got fed up of using my fountain pen for that as most have rubbish paper, work only supply rubbish ones and it gets expensive to buy your own.
Sadly, I now do most of my meeting notes on a surface go, but at least the aluminium stylus is quite tactile.
Where I won’t need to share the notes and for throw away notes I use my pen.
Sadly, I now do most of my meeting notes on a surface go, but at least the aluminium stylus is quite tactile.
Where I won’t need to share the notes and for throw away notes I use my pen.
blueg33 said:
I take loads of notes but have got fed up of using my fountain pen for that as most have rubbish paper, work only supply rubbish ones and it gets expensive to buy your own.
Sadly, I now do most of my meeting notes on a surface go, but at least the aluminium stylus is quite tactile.
Where I won’t need to share the notes and for throw away notes I use my pen.
I followed a tip given on here some pages ago and keep handwritten records. It all depends on your job but increasingly we may be asked to justify our actions and decisions some years from now. If you can produce a handwritten and dated record of instructions or actions then this may get you off the hook. Keeping your own notebooks, at home, may be good insurance and possibly better than notes on a computer,Sadly, I now do most of my meeting notes on a surface go, but at least the aluminium stylus is quite tactile.
Where I won’t need to share the notes and for throw away notes I use my pen.
Edited by BT Summers on Sunday 15th November 10:31
Sway said:
alorotom said:
blueg33 said:
Lockdown has meant am using my limited edition Pelikan Chicago more. I had stopped using it for work as I was worried about leaving on a train or in a hotel, or even breaking it as the travel case is a soft one and my overnight bag gets a bit rammed.
Odd you say this as, I’ve found with WFH exclusively im using my james dean montblanc daily and I’d somewhat forgotten how wonderful it is to use!For ages, I had a proper guilt for it - bought at LHR for a stonking price, but I already had a nice Parker Duofold international that wasn't too expensive but already more pen than I needed when there's such great pens from Lamy/TWSBI/etc.
However, it's worth it.
Everytime I'm in a meeting (whether in the office or on Skype) and need to make notes, it's just pleasant unscrewing the cap and writing with it.
Need a William Hannah A5 notebook though - that's the next stationary based indulgence.
I have a JFK set that rarely sees any use at all (also bought at the LHR T5 boutique) - it feels too slim since Ive been using the James Dean (LCY boutique) a lot ... for reference:
James Dean is based on the 149 isn't it?
When I went in, they had the Homer Ltd edition, which I think was the first Ltd edition to use the 149 sized nib.
I tried that, as I've also a love of Ska/Reggae and the Trojan engraving on the nib is stunning - but it's a really odd shape (shaped after a horse's head) and it just felt wrong in the hand. Then I spotted the JFK, which at the time had sold out in navy and been replaced in burgundy.
The JFK is far from lightweight (much weightier than a regular resin 146) so gawd knows how heavy a James Dean is!
When I went in, they had the Homer Ltd edition, which I think was the first Ltd edition to use the 149 sized nib.
I tried that, as I've also a love of Ska/Reggae and the Trojan engraving on the nib is stunning - but it's a really odd shape (shaped after a horse's head) and it just felt wrong in the hand. Then I spotted the JFK, which at the time had sold out in navy and been replaced in burgundy.
The JFK is far from lightweight (much weightier than a regular resin 146) so gawd knows how heavy a James Dean is!
I know a few people who rave over the William Hannah stuff but it's a tad too pricey for my tastes plus I tend to go for cheap stuff that 'just works' - for ~A5 size journal type books I prefer the Tesco Moleskin clone, which with 80gsm paper is very fountain pen friendly.
On pen numbers - me three at over 100 pens. I have tried to get rid of a few and need to do another set of adverts on the UK FB pens for sale type groups. Not helped by the fact that on going through my late father's stuff I've added four Parker 51s, a Parker 'The New' Duofold Senior and a rOtring Initial.
On pen numbers - me three at over 100 pens. I have tried to get rid of a few and need to do another set of adverts on the UK FB pens for sale type groups. Not helped by the fact that on going through my late father's stuff I've added four Parker 51s, a Parker 'The New' Duofold Senior and a rOtring Initial.
Glad I stumbled upon this one. I was toying with another MB to add to my small collection but having read the posts about the Chinese specials on Amazon I took the plunge and grabbed two new fat ones for some lockdown meeting scribbles.
Just arrived with some new ink and one is fab, the other arrived with a fine nib after ordering a broad one but I genuinely can’t be bothered to send it back.
Plucking up the courage to get a William Hannah notebook now as well...
Cheers all,
Just arrived with some new ink and one is fab, the other arrived with a fine nib after ordering a broad one but I genuinely can’t be bothered to send it back.
Plucking up the courage to get a William Hannah notebook now as well...
Cheers all,
Edited by jonobigblind on Wednesday 25th November 15:19
A number of fashion houses had/have pens produced in their name, often by Laban in Taiwan. Generally, they are not that great but could still be worth the 10 minutes that it is going to take to get the pen working.
The pen is probably fully of dried up ink, just take it apart, and leave it to soak for as long as you can in a cup of warm water with a couple of drops of washing up liquid. after that run the section with the nib under a cold tap until the water runs clear.
In most cases the pen will take an International which is a standard cartridge, fit a new one, leave it nib down on a paper towel and you should see ink flowing soon. You are good to go.
It is a pity about the glued on clip, I don't think that there is much you can do about that.
Some people don't like the shiny metal sections because their fingers slide down the pen.
I f this pen whets your appetite and you want to try something a little bit bettwer, try a Jinhao X750 which should be yours for about £5 delivered from Ebay.
eta I have seen a similar YSL pen in new condition with its box on sale on ebay for around £50.
The pen is probably fully of dried up ink, just take it apart, and leave it to soak for as long as you can in a cup of warm water with a couple of drops of washing up liquid. after that run the section with the nib under a cold tap until the water runs clear.
In most cases the pen will take an International which is a standard cartridge, fit a new one, leave it nib down on a paper towel and you should see ink flowing soon. You are good to go.
It is a pity about the glued on clip, I don't think that there is much you can do about that.
Some people don't like the shiny metal sections because their fingers slide down the pen.
I f this pen whets your appetite and you want to try something a little bit bettwer, try a Jinhao X750 which should be yours for about £5 delivered from Ebay.
eta I have seen a similar YSL pen in new condition with its box on sale on ebay for around £50.
Edited by BT Summers on Wednesday 25th November 17:08
After enjoying my TWSBI Eco for nearly 12 months now, I feel like I should buy something a bit nicer.
I bought the Eco because I hadn't used a fountain pen since school, and wasn't sure if I would use it, but I have ended up really enjoying it.
The budget for my next pen is £100 (I'm pretty sure it classes as 'stationary' for the purposes of my company accounts..)
Any suggestions?
I bought the Eco because I hadn't used a fountain pen since school, and wasn't sure if I would use it, but I have ended up really enjoying it.
The budget for my next pen is £100 (I'm pretty sure it classes as 'stationary' for the purposes of my company accounts..)
Any suggestions?
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