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Quick story: I carry 2 pens at work, one for me (usually my TWSBI 540) and one for patients (whatever I find at the desk) to sign consents and such (I'm a nurse if it matters). Thursday I was hurrying to get a patient ready for a procedure and didn't grab a cheapo pen, so I let the patient sign with the TWSBI after telling them not to press down hard. She started to sign and commented, "This is a beautiful pen!" and started asking about where I got it, ink, etc. We were still chatting about the pen after a few minutes and the doc poked his head in to see how we were doing. The patient asked if he'd seen the pen (he hadn't), so he came over to look at it. Cue further discussion about pens, how much they cost, where to get them, the doc doing a bit of sample writing on a blank consent. Pretty sure I just sold 2 540's and sent a couple of people to Goulet or isellpens. Anyway, fun pen story at work, and now I'm the guy with the fancy pen.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:11
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Diamine Dragon Red is pretty cool too.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:18
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Brightman posted:Got my Pilot Metropolitan early today. Goulet Pens threw in a Tootsie Pop with this one...okay.
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Feb 3, 2013 03:54
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Diamine Oxblood is the coolest ink to have on your fingers.  Oh god why did I just buy a bottle of 54th Massachusetts I'm too broke to be buying any ink right now and why would I even need a bulletproof blue-black oh jesus. 
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Feb 3, 2013 03:55
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cobalt impurity posted:Oh god why did I just buy a bottle of 54th Massachusetts I'm too broke to be buying any ink right now and why would I even need a bulletproof blue-black oh jesus. You never know when you'll need a good blue-black. I usually try to keep at least one pen inked with one. I don't suppose you have a handy comparison between that and Legal Lapis/Legal Blue/Contract? I've been told that LB is just Art Browns (NYC store)'s version of Legal Lapis, but the box I got from there was marked Contract. Also, I think that Noodler's Red-Black is pretty nice. The bottle I got a few years ago dries to a nice brown-ish color; it's very subdued, and semi-bulletproof, which is a nice bonus. Bulletproof inks seem pointless until you knock over a cup of coffee or whatever onto something fairly important.
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Feb 3, 2013 04:29
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How's the dry time on oxblood? I love the color of Noodler's Tiananmen, but it will still smudge after 20 minutes or more on my rhodia pad.
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Feb 3, 2013 04:57
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SnakesRevenge posted:How's the dry time on oxblood? I love the color of Noodler's Tiananmen, but it will still smudge after 20 minutes or more on my rhodia pad. On Clairfontaine paper it dries in just a few seconds, but the pen I have it in is pretty stingy and dry. I just tried it on something I wrote a few hours ago and it won't smudge at all. That is, unless there's moisture on your fingers. It runs like crazy at even a little dampness. I can't speak for Tienanmen, but Oxblood is a good blood-red ink if you can keep it dry.
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Feb 3, 2013 05:02
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Hey, just to add to the lefty part of the OP: Pushing a regular nib around with the left hand can be a skippy, scratchy, and even rippy experience. The tip of a LH nib is rounded to prevent us horrible southpaws from defiling both nib and paper. It really does the trick, but Pelikan and Lamy are the only manufacturers of these nibs that I know of so far. Lamy's LH nibs are only in size medium, too. Bastards. e: for words...good? Great Horny Toads! fucked around with this message at 13:51 on Feb 3, 2013 |
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Feb 3, 2013 13:44
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I have a Noodler's Creaper Flex Nib pen that while I enjoy for writing and drawing purposes, I do not enjoy for non-writing purposes-- it seems the pen either leaks or there is some serious evaporation going on. It's definitely going through ink faster than it should be. I'm using this as justification to pick up a new, different pen along with a brush pen for drawing purposes. I have a question I've been holding on to because I'm not sure it truly belongs here. I've been writing letters using Noodler's Purple Martin, but realize now that it isn't at ALL waterproof. Are there any methods for adding a bit of protection to written or drawn pages (like a spray fixative or something similar) after the fact? Alternatively, does anyone have any recommendations for a waterproof purple that isn't too bleedy or flowery? I'm not married to the idea of purple and was actually hoping to get my hands on a bottle of Noodler's Empire Red for the same purposes, since it's eternal and I've heard nothing but good things, but it's not available.
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Feb 3, 2013 15:10
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You could try the ol' hairpsray trick. I think Aquanet is the classic for charcoal and graphite drawings, though I don't know if it'd be too wet for ink.
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Feb 3, 2013 18:24
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evilneanderthal posted:Will one of these converters fit in this Sheaffer cartridge pen from the 90s? Is that the Reaktor? I just rinse and refill a the cartridge with a syringe.
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Feb 3, 2013 22:26
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either way but I'd prefer to know for sure.|
Really enjoying the Safari (fine) I bought a couple weeks ago. Also picked up a Bic disposable from staples and hero pack from the link in OP and they all write nicely. I only have heart of darkness for ink right now, but Ottoman Azure and Aurora 125 blue are in the mail.
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Feb 4, 2013 00:46
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lucifer chikken posted:I have a question I've been holding on to because I'm not sure it truly belongs here. I've been writing letters using Noodler's Purple Martin, but realize now that it isn't at ALL waterproof. Are there any methods for adding a bit of protection to written or drawn pages (like a spray fixative or something similar) after the fact? I keep a candle handy, but I imagine that's only really practical for small things, like addresses on envelopes, rather than a whole sheet. I've also heard hairspray works, but I've never tried it.
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Feb 4, 2013 01:26
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Thank you both-- the hairspray might work, I know I've used that on dry media art work and it was much more pleasant than aerosol sealants. I'll have to run some tests to see if hairspray is too wet when sprayed, also planning on stopping by the art store tomorrow to see if there are any options I haven't considered. I've also picked up a bunch of ink samples to see if I can find a really steady ink in the range from purple to red that will hold fast to paper despite rain and condensation from drinking glasses and whatever other clumsiness.
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Feb 4, 2013 05:51
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The Proc posted:Is that the Reaktor? I just rinse and refill a the cartridge with a syringe. I don't *think* so. I've had a hell of a time finding a picture of this specific pen, but from what I've been able to find (e.g. here and here) it looks more like the cartridge school pens than the Reacktor. That post identifies a pretty similar pen as being potentially from the 70s, but that pen is flat black whereas mine is translucent black.... I got the pen from my dad, so the pen could easily be from anywhere between like 1960 and 2001 or so when it came into my possession. Given the latter date, it's possible that it was a fairly new Reacktor, but I don't think so. I hadn't seen him use a fountain pen ... ever, really. I'm gonna see him in a few weeks, so I'll ask then... it's entirely possible that he remembers nothing whatsoever about the pen, but you never know. I have ordered that converter, betting money that both I and some random person on the internet are able to measure the diameter of something. So, we'll see how that turns out. I could reuse the cartridge as you mentioned, but then I'd need the syringe, etc... The converter seems like the preferable solution, assuming it fits. evilneanderthal fucked around with this message at 07:56 on Feb 4, 2013 |
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Feb 4, 2013 07:51
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Have any of you used the Lamy Joy? I like the look of it and it seems to be similar to the Safari in construction.
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Feb 4, 2013 14:31
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My Pilot Metros came in this weekend, and gave one to my brother. First off, it is a lot heavier than I expected, heavier feeling then both my Noodler's Konrad and my Lamy Al-Star. It is a very smooth metal finish that feels pretty good in my hand. It writes like buttah.  The M Pilot nib writes a lot finer than the Lamy M nib I'm noticing, and it seems to be a fantastic no-fuss pen. Writes right away, and I barely feel any friction on the paper at all. While it isn't a screw cap, in my opinion it stays attached pretty well. Like, I don't think my Al-Star's cap takes any more force to remove.I can't understand why this pen is only fifteen bucks.
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Feb 4, 2013 16:11
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Chas McGill posted:Have any of you used the Lamy Joy? I like the look of it and it seems to be similar to the Safari in construction. I'm pretty sure the Lamy Joy is just the 'calligraphy' version of the safari and thus only comes with italic nibs. The nib units should be interchangeable though, and the Safari also has been available with an italic nib.
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Feb 4, 2013 16:37
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Chas McGill posted:Have any of you used the Lamy Joy? I like the look of it and it seems to be similar to the Safari in construction. It's basically a longer Safari with an italic nib, Gwrtheyrn is right that the nibs are interchangable. Is there anyone selling Pilot Metros in the UK not at crazy inflated prices?
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Feb 4, 2013 16:54
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Are those Lamy italic nibs proper fountain pen nibs with hardened iridium/osmium/whatever tips, or are they just sharpened steel "calligraphy" nibs?
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Feb 4, 2013 21:51
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Strangelet Wave posted:Are those Lamy italic nibs proper fountain pen nibs with hardened iridium/osmium/whatever tips, or are they just sharpened steel "calligraphy" nibs? A cursory glance at FPN would indicates that the Lamy italics do not have any tipping material on them
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Feb 4, 2013 22:06
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gwrtheyrn posted:A cursory glance at FPN would indicates that the Lamy italics do not have any tipping material on them Ah, that's a shame. I've tried my hand at regrinding a couple of round nibs into italics, but I wanted to compare them to the real thing.
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Feb 4, 2013 23:51
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Just randomly strolled in here and was like hey - I need a birthday present for myself. Just ordered a Metropolitan since I haven't used a fountain pen since 2nd grade (it was mandatory). I hate you goons.
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Feb 5, 2013 03:45
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I really don't have a question, but I gotta brag a little about my latest find. I'm a "casual" fountain pen enthusiast. So when I see some in a junk shop, I always look them over. Last weekend I bought a 1940's style Parker "51" for five bucks in an antique store. Yeah, $5.00. It has a 1/10 12k gold filled cap and a fine/medium fine nib that was crusty with (yuck) blue ink. I figured it was a basket case for the price but I my plan was to sell the cap. To my surprise, the bulb is in fine shape and with a little distilled water I cleared out most of the blue ink. I have some "QWINK" so I pumped just a little ink into the bulb to see if it would fill, hold and write. It works flawlessly! I love this pen. I could sell it and I need the money, but poo poo I can't do it now. Here is "GLADYS"  FAKE EDIT: I lied, here are some questions: This pen was crusty when I got it, but the vacuum bulb seems in good shape, should I be weary of it cracking when having it completely filled? The bottle of "QWINK" I have is roughly 6 years old and it appears to be fine, will it deteriorate over time? Is it still a good ink to use? When should I replace the ink?
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Feb 5, 2013 03:54
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CannedMacabre posted:This pen was crusty when I got it, but the vacuum bulb seems in good shape, should I be weary of it cracking when having it completely filled? Nice find! If the pen is old, the rubber sac inside will break down, so it could at some point spring a leak. Be careful about wearing it in a pocket of clothes you like. You could probably look up how to replace the sac and wouldn't be too hard if you're at all handy. If taken care of, ink lasts a long time. A really long time. I have a bottle of ink from the 60s that's still useable. The only time you would need to throw out old ink is if your bottle got infected with mold. In order to prevent that from happening, just keep the lid tightly closed, keep the ink out of light (in a box, drawer, or cupboard), and never squirt unused ink back into the bottle if it's been in your pen for more than a week. That last thing is a topic of debate, but I'm of the "better safe than sorry" school. You're losing less than a mL if you just pour it down the sink and non-premium ink is cheap.
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Feb 5, 2013 04:09
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Wow, thanks for the quick response. Let's hope this does not start a new bank account draining hobby for me.
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Feb 5, 2013 04:23
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How do I get ink for this thing oh god what am I doing?
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Feb 5, 2013 04:37
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Get yon bottle of ink, dip the nib in until completely submerged, twist that long black knob until it won't twist anymore, then twist it back et voila! e: poo poo, let's get visual. How to use a piston cartridge converter. First, unscrew the body of the pen so it's just the nib, grip section, and bare converter.  Next, dip the nib into the ink all the way until it's completely submerged, going onto the grip section a little bit. Some pens might have a "fill hole" or something so if yours does, make sure that is fully submerged.  Twist the knob on the end to send the piston plunger all the way to the bottom. Twist 'til you can't twist anymore, but don't go nuts and hulk out on it.  Twist the knob back, slowish, to suck up ink with the plunger. There will usually be a small air bubble because of the air space in the feed, but just repeat these two steps and that should eliminate it.  Wipe that mess off. You don't want inky fingers. You will probably get them anyway, but at least put in some effort.   Voila! Start writing something useful to society! 
cobalt impurity fucked around with this message at 05:27 on Feb 5, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 05:01
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I was disappointed at the end that your ink didn't really match your nailpolish.
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Feb 5, 2013 06:12
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Fountain pen fan art. Drawn with a Pentel Kanji Fude Pocket Brush and and a Pentel Aqua brush. Lettering with the new Parker 51.
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Feb 5, 2013 08:02
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Left-handed calligraphy is hard   Visconti green in a TWSBI Diamond 540 with 1.5mm stub nib
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Feb 5, 2013 08:47
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WAFFLEHOUND posted:How do I get ink for this thing oh god what am I doing? To get ink you should buy some at a store, either online, or in real life if you can find one. This is much easier than punching a squid and trying to get your ink fresh. For fancy ink you can get Iroshizuku ink for $28. It's quite nice, has some really vibrant colors, comes in the standard 50 ml, and should last a few years unless you write a crap ton. For cheaper ink with lots of variety in function as well as color there's Noodler's which is made by a crazy person. It's about $12.50 a pop, comes in 3 oz jars because gently caress metrication. For a quarter more you can get Diamine inks at 80ml a thing, they are also colorful, and reportedly vary from crap that will feather a lot or never dry, to stuff that's alright (I can vouch for Steel-Blue, although it's kinda fruity). Even cheaper ink: Private Reserve. $8.80 for 50ml, the color selection is different, the colors don't match the color of the labels very well, and I haven't had any personal experience with the ink myself but have heard good things. You can order samples from Goulet for like a $1.25~2.50 for 2ml, and I think they're good for a fill or two depending on the pen. I'd say start with some Noodler's (not Baystate Blue, it stains pens, so you'll need to "sacrifice" a pen to it if you want the bluest blue) and then get some Iroshizuku for fancy stuff if you find one you like. There are other inks out there, these are just the ones I've used or heard a decent amount about. There's also pen brand inks, like Lamy ink, Parker, etc but they tend to just be a few colors, however they often perform solidly from what I hear.
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Feb 5, 2013 16:13
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Brightman posted:Even cheaper ink: Private Reserve. $8.80 for 50ml, the color selection is different, the colors don't match the color of the labels very well, and I haven't had any personal experience with the ink myself but have heard good things. Ugh, gently caress Private Reserve. I bought a bottle of Naples Blue, a really nice blue. The drat ink would smear days after writing just because I put my hand on it. Maybe folks have better luck with it, but ugh. And yeah, the Noodler's dude is kinda crazy, but charming crazy. He'll be like, "gently caress the Fed! I'll make an ink to show them how pissed off I am!" So at least we get nice ink out of the deal. I really need to try out Iroshizuku at some point. How permanent is that stuff?
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Feb 5, 2013 16:24
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Solkanar512 posted:Ugh, gently caress Private Reserve. I bought a bottle of Naples Blue, a really nice blue. The drat ink would smear days after writing just because I put my hand on it. Maybe folks have better luck with it, but ugh. Iroshizuku is not permanent if you're looking for waterproof or really anything proof. They are inks designed specifically for color and good behavior permanence be damned.
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Feb 5, 2013 17:08
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I did some tests with Iroshizuku ink in regards to water, left it in the sink overnight and it faded, but was still there. I've heard probably half and half good/bad stuff about Private Reserve, but with any ink company there's some crappy inks, also paper/pen/nib combinations to take into account and it's all very nebulous in the long run. Fake edit: Found the water test:  That ink is usually more green-blue than blue, so yeah, it fades a decent bit. Of course HoD is basically unmovable. Brightman fucked around with this message at 18:16 on Feb 5, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 18:13
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This might be sacrilegious, but I like to mix a little bulletproof black into my Iroshizuku inks using a syringe. It makes for really nice shades of blue black and though I haven't tested it, I tell myself it makes them slightly more waterproof.
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Feb 5, 2013 18:40
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Brightman posted:I did some tests with Iroshizuku ink in regards to water, left it in the sink overnight and it faded, but was still there. I've heard probably half and half good/bad stuff about Private Reserve, but with any ink company there's some crappy inks, also paper/pen/nib combinations to take into account and it's all very nebulous in the long run. Oh, that's great! I'll have to add some to my xmas/birthday list or something and give them a shot. kirtar posted:Iroshizuku is not permanent if you're looking for waterproof or really anything proof. They are inks designed specifically for color and good behavior permanence be damned. I'm just looking for something that won't bleed off of the paper and on to my hand days later. I don't need anything truly permanent.
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Feb 5, 2013 18:50
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I find Iroshizuku inks to have water-resistant properties. Water drop tests are great for my needs, since I'm much more concerned about bleeding when I spill a drink (I also do bleach & hand sanitizer tests). Noodler's ink properties depends on the series it is. "Eel" series is very lubricating but is not water resistent. Bulletproof is, and is also bleach resistent. However, since Nathan designed the some of the inks to change color if it has bleach (in line with his theory that check washing is the greatest personal financial threat  ), you have to read up a little on the inks to see if it will shed color (to detect tampering). http://noodlersink.com/noodlers-ink-properties/ has a great spreadsheet.J. Herbin ink is usually not water resistent. But it has beautiful watercolor like shading and is very gentle & not as pigmented so some people really like them for vintage pens. It's nice for vintage sac fillers so I'm not at the sink expelling little amounts of water for 5 minutes every time I need a color change. Lamy, Waterman, and Diamine inks in my experience is also not water resistent, except for the irongall blue-black ones. Nor is Montblanc except for the irongall blue-black. A lot of the popular brands like Lamy and Pelikan make a washable blue ink that's great for children or if you are clumsy and do not care for water-resistance. From what I've heard, these blues also fade after a couple of years. Pilot & Sailor are water-resistant enough that I can read my notebook if I spill water/coffee/tea on it. If I really want water, bleach, and alcohol proof then I use Sailor nano black & blue-black. They are dark and velvety, and dries super fast. Platinum also makes a pigment ink that's fantastic and comes in a great shade of medium blue. jomiel fucked around with this message at 19:00 on Feb 5, 2013 |
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Feb 5, 2013 18:58
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cobalt impurity posted:Voila! Start writing something useful to society! 
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Feb 5, 2013 19:09
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Feb 5, 2013 20:28
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