Fountain Pens

JugV2

JugV2

Simply boring.
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Feb 8, 2011
Location
Tasmania
That's right.
I've always wanted to master using a fountain pen. On impulse I bought a disposable one from an office supplies shop, to see if it would be practical to use.
I think you should have decent handwriting if you buy one of these, as mine is parallel with a doctor's scratchings.
But I digress.

Do any of you use a fountain pen regularly?

If so, what brand, colour, why do you use them over regular pens etc?

Discuss.


2
 
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I used to, but so much of what I need to write is on computer.

I picked up a Pelikan, they're very good, but it's hard to go past the Parker 51, from the 40s. I've a couple of those. Just like razors, if they made em today, you couldn't afford them. They did bring out a reissue recently, for a princely sum, but the quality was never anywhere near the original.

As with Gillettes, there's millions out there.
 
Parker 25 in brushed stainless here for me... almost like the one I used all through school (from age 11) to the end of Uni (I used to have one with green nose and cap trim... this one is the common/ popular blue) with my standard avant garde turquoise ink :D

Why do I use it? Slows me down and makes my writing less illegible. Also stops colleagues borrowing it and failing to return it mostly.
 
When I was in my big $$$ Sydney corporate sales roles I did toy with getting a fountain pen, as like many others I always found them to have a real mystique.........however in the end I think the perception of them being more likely to end up messy etc had me change tact towards a rollerball instead. Ended up making a relatively cliched choice and went for a Mont Blanc rollerball in platinum. Was a nice little pen but as with a lot of luxury goods the value in owning one tended to get diluted as it seemed every 2nd guy had a knockoff one he'd bought in Bali or Hong Kong. So I flogged it off to a colleague and went back to the plastic fantastics instead. :)
 
I have just 4 fountain pens, but looking to expand in the future.
Currently have a Parker Arrow Flighter (1983), Lamy Safari, Parker Jotter and an ONLINE pen.
Dream pens would have to be Parker 51 and Lamy 2000.
I would say my handwriting has greatly improved, and the friends that I have converted say theirs have as well.
I use them over regular pens because you begin to grow an appreciation for writing, and it no longer becomes a chore!
Lamy Safari is a great pen that everyone should have - cheap too, at just $20 from some online stores
 
I don't think I posted my recent purchase:


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Waterman Laureat set, fountain pen and ballpoint/rollerball
 
I have a modest collection, mostly vintage. I bought my first fountain pen in 1982, for university: wrote every exam with it, and it still works a treat.

Today, I have just refilled this 1941 Defender, complete with military clip, that has just been serviced by the guru of Sheaffer vacuum filles, Gerry Berg. It holds about 1.5ml from a single plunge, and it is not an oversized pen; just extremely well engineered. The nib is amazing: almost extra fine, but crisp as a straight razor. I love writing with it...

Oj62p0k.jpg
 
silverlifter said:
I have a modest collection, mostly vintage. I bought my first fountain pen in 1982, for university: wrote every exam with it, and it still works a treat.

Today, I have just refilled this 1941 Defender, complete with military clip, that has just been serviced by the guru of Sheaffer vacuum filles, Gerry Berg. It holds about 1.5ml from a single plunge, and it is not an oversized pen; just extremely well engineered. The nib is amazing: almost extra fine, but crisp as a straight razor. I love writing with it...

Oj62p0k.jpg
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Nice looking Sheaffer. I sometimes look at my "tiny" collection thinking what could/should go for my Kamisori addiction!!
I only have 1 vintage a, Parker Duofold Demi, Burgundy with G/T and a 94 Montblanc "Burgundy'' G/T used 1/2 dozen times (looks like NOS)!! Rest of the pens are all later models, 4-5 NOS and a Parker Duofold (Big Red) used once.
When I write I almost exclusively use my Pilot Vanishing Point, which has become my go to-favourite.
 
LesC said:
When I write I almost exclusively use my Pilot Vanishing Point, which has become my go to-favourite.
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I get into a groove with a pen, and could just keep using it, but then I feel bad about the others that aren't seeing any use. I have a Lamy 2000 with a Mark Bacas medium cursive italic nib that is permanently inked with Sei-boku, otherwise, I limit myself to one or two fills before putting another one in the rotation. That way they all get to see some use over time... It also means that I get to delight in a pen that I haven't used for some time again! :)
 
My vintage pens (mostly old Waterman) tend to get left in a drawer, as I have had problems with leaks when they're carried around. So I usually use modern pens for my daily drivers - the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point/Capless limited edition 2007 orange, and a Sailor 1911S with music nib (equivalent to a Western BB stub). I've simplified my ink collection by giving it away, so now I'm just operating with Robert Oster Blue Denim, which I love.
 
Gargravarr said:
My vintage pens (mostly old Waterman) tend to get left in a drawer, as I have had problems with leaks when they're carried around. So I usually use modern pens for my daily drivers - the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point/Capless limited edition 2007 orange, and a Sailor 1911S with music nib (equivalent to a Western BB stub). I've simplified my ink collection by giving it away, so now I'm just operating with Robert Oster Blue Denim, which I love.
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Ahh - the Sailor Music nib! A favourite of mine.
 
Gargravarr said:
My vintage pens (mostly old Waterman) tend to get left in a drawer, as I have had problems with leaks when they're carried around. So I usually use modern pens for my daily drivers - the Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point/Capless limited edition 2007 orange, and a Sailor 1911S with music nib (equivalent to a Western BB stub). I've simplified my ink collection by giving it away, so now I'm just operating with Robert Oster Blue Denim, which I love.
Click to expand...
I love the Waterman Medium nib. I find they are finer than the Mont Blanc medium and suit my ingrained copybook style. I only use Waterman ink for those. Is there better do you think?
 
Wal59 said:
I only use Waterman ink for those. Is there better do you think?
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Serenity Blue remains the gold standard. All of the pen restorers and nib specialists I have dealt with use it as their test ink. I love it, but I don't use it all that much as I tend to prefer iron galls and permanent inks. If there is one thing I can't abide, it is smudging. :p
 
If you are looking for something a bit different, the Muji aluminium comes with a fine nib and is a joy to write with. Very cheap too, should pay about $25 and $13 for a standard converter.
 
Wal59 said:
I love the Waterman Medium nib. I find they are finer than the Mont Blanc medium and suit my ingrained copybook style. I only use Waterman ink for those. Is there better do you think?
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silverlifter said:
Serenity Blue remains the gold standard. All of the pen restorers and nib specialists I have dealt with use it as their test ink. I love it, but I don't use it all that much as I tend to prefer iron galls and permanent inks. If there is one thing I can't abide, it is smudging. :p
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The Waterman inks are certainly reliable. There's a saying that "if a pen won't write with Waterman inks, then it won't write". That said, I'm very pleased with how the Robert Oster inks perform. I have big, loopy handwriting, so a broad nib helps to show off lots of nice shading.

Wouldn't iron gall inks be corrosive to your pen?
 
Gargravarr said:
Wouldn't iron gall inks be corrosive to your pen?
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No, modern iron galls are fine. They do require slighly more care insofar as it is not a good idea to let the ink dry out in them, but the notion that they eat pens is FUD. I have used them in pens for decades now with no issues; quite the contrary, I love the way that the colour changes as it dries on the page, and once the line is put down, it stays down. You'd have to burn the paper to make it illegible.
 
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