Any Advice For A Newbie?

[KaiserPhilhelm]

It all began when I relayed to a friend that, when writing with a ballpoint pen in my diary, my wrist often hurts. His reaction was one of horror. "Your wrist should not hurt!" ... which was followed by a lengthy discussion about fountain pens.

 

Well, I made my first purchase on Amazon the other day:

 

Lamy Safari, Yellow, with a Fine Nib (and converter)

Noodlers Bulletproof black ink

 

I'm kind of new at this. Any advice for a newbie? I don't even know where to begin.

[KBeezie]

Put the ink into the pen...

 

Though if you have a converter and bottled ink (I have Noodler's Black Eel which is the lubricated version of Black), take the barrel off the pen, make sure the converter is installed, dip the nib into the ink (I suggest getting some sample vials from Goulet Pens for like 2.50, and mainly keep some ink in a vial for re-filling on the go), then twist the knob on the back to push the piston down (to create a vaccum), then twist it back up to take in the ink.

 

Once you got some ink taken up in the converter, just wipe away some of the excess ink from around the nib with a paper towel, and you're ready to write (once you put the barrel back onto the pen )

 

Was there anything particularly confusing you didn't know? There's also some Stickied posts on the top of this section of the forum that may be helpful. Particularly the one about the top things that could go wrong with a brand new pen.

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[KBeezie]

Oh and don't attempt to "flex" the pen, most modern pens do not have a flex nib and you should only need to touch the paper to get some ink flowing, using excessive pressure on the nib could damage it permanently. I noticed some new people seem to have a misconception that most fountain pens flex. (and just because a pen has a gold nib does not mean it flexes, some gold nibs are rather rigid)

 

PS: What gravitated you to Lamy anyways?

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[Pax85]

Oh and don't attempt to "flex" the pen, most modern pens do not have a flex nib and you should only need to touch the paper to get some ink flowing, using excessive pressure on the nib could damage it permanently. I noticed some new people seem to have a misconception that most fountain pens flex. (and just because a pen has a gold nib does not mean it flexes, some gold nibs are rather rigid)

 

PS: What gravitated you to Lamy anyways?

 

The move toward Lamys would be my fault. I have been writing with one for quite a while now, and I consider it my workhorse...Journaling, class essays, etc., although I have the Al-Star, not the Safari. When Kaiser came to me the other day, I just had to extol the virtues of my trusty Lamy and Noodler's ink. I currently have bottles of Bulletproof Black, Bad Blue Heron, and Antietam. I have never had an issue with my Al-Star, although there is a bit of nib creep, and that really doesn't concern me. I also have a Parker Vector, in case the Lamy gives out (although i doubt that will happen) and a custom Newton pen, which writes wonderfully but is reserved for those extra special documents and letters.

 

Yeah, Kaiser should have never mentioned his wrist pain and ballpoint issue to me. To be fair, I also mentioned gel pens and roller balls, but I might have been slightly biased towards the fountain pens.

[KBeezie]

I hear of people complain of wrist pains as well, but usually its because of the extra pressure required to get a ballpoint to flow, and not using cursive or other continuous forms of writing.

 

And in regards to the Lamy comment, it's primarily bias-by-association, I have a particular friend who keeps calling them lame-eys. (I don't personally own one, or write with one, but visually they do not appeal to me).

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[Pax85]

Haha, I will say that yes, the Lamy's are a bit utilitarian as far as visuals go, but they do get the job done.

 

In regards to the ballpoint pain, yes, that is what I have experienced as well, which is why I encouraged Kaiser to do away with them entirely. I may be a bit of an extremist, but I refuse to use a ballpoint. I like writing too much!

[Beckwith]

I see two areas for advice:

 

1) Regarding your wrist pain: Discomfort probably has more to do with how you're writing than what you're writing with (unless your pen is absurdly heavy). In my experience fountain pens help because they can force you to slow down and have better writing technique (i.e. with your arm rather than just fingers and wrist).

 

2) Regarding becoming totally addicted to fountain pens: I've recently gotten into used pens. If there are any pen stores near you they may have some for sale. These tend to be good deals, as most pens are made of materials that shouldn't really degrade too much with time or use provided that they have been cared for properly. As I'm sure you've found, many good attractive pens will start somewhere in the $75-$100 range. The same pens are less than half that in perfectly good used condition.

[KBeezie]

As I'm sure you've found, many good attractive pens will start somewhere in the $75-$100 range. The same pens are less than half that in perfectly good used condition.

 

Faber-Castell BASIC (Carbon Fiber) with a Steel Fine Nib (this is my smoothest writer in the fine range) - 45$ new

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/fabercastell_basic/uncapped.jpg

 

Montblanc 225, extra fine nib (14K Gold, Platinum Coated) - $50 (Vintage, used)

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/montblanc225/1.jpg

 

Pilot Metropolitan Bronze Lizard, Medium Nib - $15 (New)

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/pmetro/uncapped.jpg

 

Platinum PTL-5000 w/ 14K Gold Fine nib (sold as a Wancher Limited Urushi Maki-e Pen) - $50 (new)

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/wancher_makie/full.jpg

 

1st, 2nd, and 4th

Sheaffer Touchdown Admiral (Fully Restored) w/ Feathertouch (14K gold + Platinum Coated) Extra Fine Nib - $50

Sheaffer Craftsman (Restored/Polished New Sac) w/ #33 14K gold Fine Nib - $21

Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral (Fully Restored) w/ Medium 14K Gold Open Nib - $76 ($41 + $35 to restore it completely)

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/sheaffer/group.jpg

 

But I guess some people have a difference of opinion on what's "good" or what's "attractive"

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[KBeezie]

One thing I can think of, which you already know half of: Ink and Paper makes a difference. Fountain pens like Roller Balls are particularly sensitive to the type of paper and ink used. You may find that some of the papers you might use for school that worked fine for ballpoints may be incredibly unfriendly to FPs and RBs.

 

To name a couple examples:

- Moleskine (most of them anyways), tends to be great for pencils and ballpoints, but easy bleed and feathering with FPs

- Cambridge Limited (that $9 notebook made by mead with very soft paper), feathers and bleeds like crazy with fountain pens

- many of the 100% Recycled papers tend to be rather inconsistent with fountain pens

 

There are some situations I've found like CPP University notebooks that work rather well for fountain pens and are only $1.50 each, or any of those "dollar store" notebooks that say "Made in Brazil" have a good chance of being FP Friendly.

 

Point is try some of the paper you have around the house and you may see what I mean, also avoid very very soft paper since the fibers can get caught in the nib, and makes the flow terrible til you carefully get that tiny bit of fiber out of the nib or feed.

 

and never use a FP on a cardboard surface.

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[Pax85]

Interesting, I've never had an issue with Moleskine, at least with Noodler's ink, BP Black. I have yet to try another kind with those notebooks, however. I agree with the recycled papers, although I did find a cheap lined paper at OfficeMax good for note taking that doesn't feather. There is a bit of a problem with bleed through on some inks on that brand, although I tend to write one-sided anyway when I am doing in-class essays. For note taking, if there is a bit of bleeding, I don't mind since I am the only one reading them.

 

I will have to check out those dollar store notebooks. I use Clairefontaine for letters, but that can get expensive just for class notes, and I am always on the lookout for good FP paper that won't set a starving graduate student back too much (or in Kaiser's case, a starving college student )

[kalem]

get out while you still can.

[KBeezie]

Interesting, I've never had an issue with Moleskine, at least with Noodler's ink, BP Black. I have yet to try another kind with those notebooks, however. I agree with the recycled papers, although I did find a cheap lined paper at OfficeMax good for note taking that doesn't feather. There is a bit of a problem with bleed through on some inks on that brand, although I tend to write one-sided anyway when I am doing in-class essays. For note taking, if there is a bit of bleeding, I don't mind since I am the only one reading them.

 

I will have to check out those dollar store notebooks. I use Clairefontaine for letters, but that can get expensive just for class notes, and I am always on the lookout for good FP paper that won't set a starving graduate student back too much (or in Kaiser's case, a starving college student )

 

With noodler's black eel and my fine and extra fine nibs, the Moleskine Cashier notebooks I got for $12 (a 3 pack) were fine, but with almost every other pen or my Snorkel (Medium Nib) there was quite a bit of odd feathering. It's not just feathering, but it's like a bunch of 'spikes' like it shoots up whatever stray strand there is in the paper, and of course Moleskine has basically ignored me in regards to submitting a problem about their quality (they seem to not care about FP or Rollerballs).

 

For visual representation, here's some links (I'd embed but it may be a tad too bandwidth heavy):

 

Moleskine (old scan)

Older Scan of Moleskine but higher resolution scan down the middle

 

Cambridge Limited - Front

Cambridge Limited - Back

 

I love Rhodia, but it can take a while to dry with Black Eel if I use anything larger than a Japanese Fine Nib.

 

Far as classroom notes, Mead's 5-star been doing rather decently for me:

Front and back of a recent scan of 5-star

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/reviews/paper/house/mead5star_front.jpg

http://static.karlblessing.com/reviews/paper/house/mead5star_back.jpg

But the Arc Paper you get with Staple's Arc Notebooks seem better:

http://static.karlblessing.com/reviews/paper/house/arc_front.jpg

http://static.karlblessing.com/reviews/paper/house/arc_back.jpg

get out while you still can.

You know this is probably the best (economical) advice in this thread.

Edited April 24, 2014 by KBeezie

[Bo Bo Olson]

Learn to hold a fountain pen like a fountain pen, behind the big knuckle. Let the weight of the pen settle where it rests, just behind the big index knuckle at 45 degrees, at the start of the web of the thumb at 40 degrees or in the pit of the web of the thumb, at 35 degrees.

 

a fountain pen floats on a little puddle of ink, so needs no pressure. Hold the fountain pen, like it was a baby featherless bird.....

Don't make baby bird paste!!!!

 

Fountain pens come in vintage medium-small like a Pelikan 140, Standard, like an Esterbrook or Pelikan 400, Medium Large like a P-51...or a modern Pelikan 600. These can and should be posted, in they balance better....and posted are quite long enough....longer than an un-posted large pen.

 

Modern pens seem to only come in Large like a Lamy Safari, Pelikan 800, MB 146, Cross Townsend or giant pens like a MB 149 or Pelikan 1000. Don't post these, they will then be ill balanced.

 

Many coming new to fountain pens chase the skinniest nibs around XXF, EF (Japanese EF and F).

They have very small sweet spots. They require a very bright supersaturated ink.

 

F is a good writing nib....there is tolerance with in a company's standards, and each company has it's very own standards. Don't get AR if one nib from the same company is slightly bigger.....no one oddly complains about it being slightly smaller than it should be....very odd.

M gives you a smoother nib.

F&M are often very good nibs for two toned shading inks.

You do need both.....

B can be fun.... You should not lock your self into super small nibs alone.

 

Writing is 1/3 nib width&flex, 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink and in that order.

 

Do not buy ink jet paper.....if you have an ink jet printer....combo laser & ink jet is a substitute for real paper....laser....80 g is not good enough....90g will give you shading that 80g lacks or later 100-110, and heavier 120g paper is what you should have for for your scribbling paper.

 

Good to better paper costs only a couple cans of coke or cups of Starbucks coffee more than a nice 90g laser paper.

You should buy a ream or small box of good to better paper every second bottle of ink.........you will have much more fun that way.....believe me. I did it all backwards....chasing pens, then inks and finally papers.

 

 

You should go to Richard Binder's com, it is the basics of fountain pens, nibs, filling systems, good advice about ink and very many pretty vintage and modern pens. It will take some three days. It use to be 96% of all I knew came from there, now it's only 93%...one learns something new every day about fountain pens, paper and inks.

 

Do Not Join....the Pen of the Week in the Mail Club, nor the pen of the month club.

Wait....research...ponder, wait....get into the Pen of the Quarter in the Mail Club...you get a much better pen in that Club.

Stay with in budget plus 10% when buying on Ebay...and you should know what you are doing....so take your time. Do not get into a bidding war. Make your top bid and forget about it. That pen will be there again next week, or next month. The hunt under budget is the fun part....not the expensive uncontrolled 'greed' of I got to have it Now!!!.

 

 

A lot of people get AR about nibs being wider than they want....for real narrow nibs buy only Japanese....a nib designed for printed tiny Japanese script.

Western nibs are designed for cursive writing so are wider, and first with the sizing.

Fountain pens are Alchemy; not a boring science.

 

The idea is to have fun scribbling.....no one has fun scribbling with a ball point or a roller ball. We all on this com are having fun.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Pax85]

get out while you still can.

Haha yeah, that's probably good advice.

[OcalaFlGuy]

While you're waiting for your pen and ink to arrive, read ALL of these 2 threads.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/187706-five-bad-things-that-happen-with-new-pens/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/7670-welcome-to-the-first-stop-frequently-discussed-topics-forum-and-faqs/

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[KaiserPhilhelm]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

Yes, part of the inspiration for going with Lamy was the influence of Pax85. Part of it was that it seemed reasonably cost efficient, as I didn't know whether I would enjoy writing with a fountain pen. Part of it, also, was a long conversation I had with another one of my friends who, growing up in Germany, had to use fountain pens when learning how to write. They used Lamy in German elementary school, perhaps because the grip is such that you have to hold the pen correctly.

 

I think with this thread I was thinking something along the lines of, "If you wished someone had given you one piece of advice when you bought your first fountain pen, what would it have been?"

[ac12]

@KP

The biggest advice is not to do what I did in college. Do NOT grip the pen TIGHT. All that will do is give you a cramp in your hand.

 

 

About inexpensive paper.

Go to Staples and look for

- notebook, spiral bound, 1-subject, MADE IN BRAZIL (2 for $1 during the back to school sale in July/Aug)

- filler paper, MADE IN BRAZIL

The BRAZIL paper has been consistently the best of the low cost paper that I have tried.

Note that as far as Staples (or any store) is concerned, the country of origin does not matter. So you have to search/dig thru the notebooks and filler paper to find the Brazil paper. In my case, the Brazil paper did not show up in the store until late July. They had other country papers earlier (Vietnam and Egypt). Hang tough and wait for the Brazil paper, you won't be disappointed. Now if you have a wide WET pen and black ink, it may shadow. But for the most part it work just fine.

 

Next step up would be the sugar cane based notebooks, then "Red and Black" notebooks.

 

The other paper to look at is Staples Sugar Cane base blank printer paper. This is 20# paper, so a bit heavier than the notebook and filler paper (16#). But it has stood up to anything that I wrote on it. And it wasn't expensive. The only problem is no line, so you have to use a guide sheet under it, to keep your writing straight and level. It is not SMOOTH, so XF nibs will feel the paper surface, but Lamy F and wider should be fine.

[RudyR]

Thanks for all the responses!

 

Yes, part of the inspiration for going with Lamy was the influence of Pax85. Part of it was that it seemed reasonably cost efficient, as I didn't know whether I would enjoy writing with a fountain pen. Part of it, also, was a long conversation I had with another one of my friends who, growing up in Germany, had to use fountain pens when learning how to write. They used Lamy in German elementary school, perhaps because the grip is such that you have to hold the pen correctly.

 

I think with this thread I was thinking something along the lines of, "If you wished someone had given you one piece of advice when you bought your first fountain pen, what would it have been?"

 

 

Learn to flush and maintain your pen properly.

[Beckwith]

But I guess some people have a difference of opinion on what's "good" or what's "attractive"

 

 

Hey, this is my point exactly... All of those restored pens with gold nibs are a steal. And yes, there are certainly many nice new pens for less than $75. What I was trying to get at is, as KBeezie illustrated, if you want a pen with a precious nib, or from a "name brand" manufacturer, you don't need to buy one new and pay full sticker price.

[KBeezie]

 

 

Hey, this is my point exactly... All of those restored pens with gold nibs are a steal. And yes, there are certainly many nice new pens for less than $75. What I was trying to get at is, as KBeezie illustrated, if you want a pen with a precious nib, or from a "name brand" manufacturer, you don't need to buy one new and pay full sticker price.

 

Paying full sticker price for a Brand New MontBlanc (even what they have on the 'cheap end') would kill me anyways lol. (but it's nice to know there's a warranty with new pens... assuming the repair/replacement department don't screw it up further).

 

And some companies like Sheaffer, well...they just don't make em like they used to.