What Now?

[jvillan29]

Got my first fp pen yesterday, TWSBI 580al with fine nib. Did a quick flush and inked it up with a sample of Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo (moonlight). Since this is my first and very first time ever using a fp, it is amazing how well it writes and feels. Keep in mind I can't compare it to anything since it is my first time ever utilizing a device of such artistry and value. Wish I began this journey awhile back hehe.

 

Is this where it all begins, looking forward to my next pen (Pilot), quality paper, storage and pouches, inks, eye loupes, etc. Wow, am I becoming ill??

 

How was your experience when you began this journey? Also anything you might add that I might need for this hobby??

Edited March 4, 2015 by jvillan29

[tmcneil82]

I wanted one "high end" $50 pen, and that was it. 4 years later I have quite a few more pens than that one, and don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

 

As for what you need? Everything. How else can you compare what you have with other pens if you don't have them to try out!

 

 

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

[Randal6393]

Welcome to FPN! Only the best enabling help done here.

 

Enjoy your stay in the asylum. And don't forget -- we inmates run it.

[Barkingpig]

A second job?

And if you are "ill" then you are certainly in good company with the rest of us! I am not interested in a cure either. I have just learned to treat this as I have all my addictions & GIVE IN! Seriously as someone who also began this adventure (only last March) I would only say be sure you have taken time to enjoy each purchase before rushing into the next one. I have bought more pens, inks & papers than any one human could possibly use & am not sorry about any of the purchases only perhaps the timing of same. The joy & fascination of each new one has seemed stimulus for me to "try another!" I question that I have appreciated each before adding to the "stable." ( BUT I stopped drinking in 1985 because I realised I do NOT have the same "button or switch" that others have to "limit" my drinking.) Perhaps that is true with my succumbing to this hobby as well. BUT it is certainly fun & I encourage you to continue your "journey. (Just watch out for the speed limits & stop signs! )

[zaddick]

Also anything you might add that I might need for this hobby??

 

A strict budget and a backbone to stick to it.

 

Some of us have one or the other, but many have neither and hence all the comments about watching out for the slippery slopes of vintage, ever rising definitions of "high end" and the like.

 

I'll echo the comments about going slow and trying to really figure out what you like or dislike about a pen before buying in mass quantities. I'll also say that once you have some real ideas, don't be afraid to buy the one "expensive" pen instead of the 2 or 3 more affordable pens that will not really scratch your itch.

 

Buy from the classifieds here when possible to save time and get a pen you can have more confidence in. I think this is a great group of people as a whole and those that are less then stellar tend to disappear (or be driven away) after a short while. For example, I just traded very expensive pens ($2K plus each) with another member I have never met in person because I have seen his comments on the site, he had a good history, and we were able to establish a connection with a few emails. That is a great aspect of this community and not one to take lightly when you are in your exploratory phase.

 

Take it from me... I am the #1 top member according to the metrics put in place a few months ago.

 

OK, I am a good guy, but the ranking is not the best measure of trustworthiness as we have only been gathering ratings for a short period and there is no adjustment for historical transactions.

[MrRogers]

I bought my first FP (Visconti) in Black Cat cigars in Philly probably 12-15 years ago. Started accumulating a few a year from there and got into vintage pens a few years ago. The past 3 months I've been making my own which is beyond addicting. 10$ in acrylic and a 30$ nib and feed and the sky's the limit.

[Ambrose Bierce]

I would say look into paper first. My mistake when I first got into FPs was that I thought nixe was useless. A good stack of paper makes all the difference in the world. Also be sure to check out ink samples. Enjoy your stay in the nut house

[shawndp]

The best suggestion I can offer is get to thoroughly know your pen before you buy another. This means try a few different inks and see how it behaves on different papers before you relegate it to good or bad status. Also, try not to get caught up in the pen-of-the-moment craze - buy a few nicer ones rather than whatever is hot that week. I made that mistake with Pilot - a while ago, the Metro was all the rage - it wasn't for me though and there are two in my pen-box just sitting there. Same with the Lamy Safari / Al-Star / Vista (guess who owns three Lamy's) - excellent pens, just not my cup of tea... On the other hand, I bought a Pelikan M205 and looked it and went "meh". It didn't look impressive and didn't work with my paper at work - but then swapping in Bernanke Blue and a BB nib made it one of my fav pens. I guess what I am saying is enjoy the journey...

[Buzz_130]

Welcome to FPN, and you are in very good company!

 

I started with an "inexpensive" pen (Lamy Safari), and then the journey really began. I didn't take some good advice and learn what type of pen I would enjoy using the most. I purchased many on impulse rather than thought or research. I've now settled down into knowing exactly the type of nib and body I enjoy using while writing. I wish I had spent a bit more time with understanding ink, but I'm beginning to understand many of the characteristics of ink. Start with samplers, and you'll be able to experiment with a lot of colors and characteristics of ink. Finally, don't leave out the requirement for decent paper. If you grab a stack of office copy paper, you won't be impressed with your 580. Once you transition to heavier weight paper or fountain pen friendly paper, you'll begin to see and feel an enormous difference.

 

At some point along the way, you may even decide to work on your handwriting!

 

Buzz

[Bo Bo Olson]

 

Your 64 crayon box of inks. Soon you will have 10...do use the ink sampling to get the right ten.

 

Buy good to better paper, either a ream or a 100 sheet box every 3 inks. You need 90g, 100, 110 & 120 g paper. (Rhoda is 80g but good.) I have some 150-160 g papers too. You need 90g not the normal 80 g copy paper. 90g allows better shading.

I had Lamy Turquoise; the ink all Turquoise are compared too.

Nice but rather 'blaaaa' on 80g paper. Then in Ink Reviews, I saw the then two reviewers both showed it shading.

I had a small pad of 90g paper...scribbled on it and it shaded.

Never bought any 80g paper thereafter.

 

Good to better paper costs only a couple cans of Coke or cups of Starbuck's coffee.

 

You need both low maintenance two tone shading inks and high maintenance supersaturated vivid inks....the last is really needed if you allow your self to fall into the spiderweb and baby spiderweb width nib trap.

B can be a lot of fun.

 

You need....2 semi-vintage and vintage 'true' regular flex nibs. Pelikan 200 will do instead; one of the better modern nibs. In most modern nibs are either nails or semi-nails.

 

I would suggest getting an EF in nail, M&F in semi-vintage....'90's and before regular flex (or a Pelikan 200) and a B nail. A Safari is good in the nibs are cheap (@$7.00), easy to change. It is a Large pen.

Standard sized...ie needs to be posted,but having much better balance than Large pens would be a 200. Nibs cost @$25.00.

One should post Standard and Medium-large pens like a P-51 or 600 Pelikan. Large pens, some can be posted but are mostly too top heavy to post. I do not find them as well balanced when they are not posted as a posted Standard sized pen.

Many refuse from religious grounds to post a pen, and then have the nerve to complain a Standard pen is too small, because they don't post.

A posted Standard pen is longer than an un-posted Large pen....has better balance too. In back in the day where everyone had a fountain pen, it had to be light, nimble and have great balance.

Today....Large pens are easier to be seen. (grumble, grumble)

 

A dab of good wax on the pen will prevent posting mars.

 

Once you have those two pens each with a couple nibs....it's time to go semi-flex....and they will be vintage. I suggest a Pelikan 140.

This is not a 'Flex' pen . A "Flex" pen is a superflex a different cat. Please read my signature.

 

Writing is 1/3 nib width&flex, 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink, and in that order. A wise poster said 1/4th because you have to include the writer.

 

Hold the fountain pen behind the big index knuckle, not before it like with a ball point. Let the weight of the pen decide if it rests at 45 degrees right after the big knuckle, 40 degrees at the start of the web of the thumb, or if heavy, 35 degrees in the pit of the web of the thumb.

 

Hold the fountain pen lightly, like a featherless baby bird.

Do not make baby bird paste.

 

Do not join the Pen of the Week in the Mail Club. (Been there, rented the table to the guy selling the T-shirts.)

or the Pen of the Month.

The pen of the Quarter club is ok. That allows you to have much better pens...and time to find out why they are better.

 

Suggest you get a stiff nib italic Calligraphy book.....there are some 6 basic strokes you can use once you get into more flexible nibs when drawing letters.....besides which there are some very pretty scripts.....sadly, I'm still in the open the book to see how to draw the letters. Your Safari can do that with a 1.5 or 1.1 nib. I like the 1.5 so I can see my mistakes easier.

A Safari & a Pelikan 200...will do you just fine for the next few pens.

Edited March 4, 2015 by Bo Bo Olson

[sail1942]

Buy some quality paper from Rhodia or Clairefontaine. You won't regret it.

[Stu L]

 

Do not make baby bird paste.

 

 

Best quote ever - I love ya Bo bo.

 

Where are these pen of the month/ quarter club you keep talking about. Are you talking metaphorically about buying whatever's a hot topic that month or is there an actual club?

[Bo Bo Olson]

There is the book of the month club....in Scotland there is the Single Malt of the Month.

 

No, there is no real Pen of the Week-Month in the Mail Club....thankfully.

There is the adrenaline rush when one wins one....then anticipation.....the Mail man is coming and Christmas is early..... nothing in the mail box and it's been 8 hours already.

 

It is one gets greedy.....pretty.. Cheep....Cheep...Cheep says the little bird.....so one gets a pretty cheap pen...instead of a pretty good one.

 

Everyone has one...need one......not really....not quickly.

There are P-51's that are top of the collection due to jewels or colors....one needs to know which....so when one comes up inexpensively, you know it's worth chasing.

 

Sheaffer has a rare beautiful 3rd tier Carmine colored pen.....to bad I was always broke from Pen of the Week or Month. Now that was a 'cheap' pen well worth waiting for....having some money stuck away. But you have to do a lot of reading to find out....which pens one 'must' have vs space fillers.

 

Of course you need an Esterbrook....but not just any....wait for one of the pretty red, copper or blue ones....green one, gray ones...8 shades of gray.....two to three of every other color.....oh well....one does need a good selection of Esties.

 

The hunt is fun....staying in budget is important....another pen similar will be there next week or next month....with in budget.

Snipe or bid with in the last 15 seconds only...once...bid your max, don't get in a bidding war, being a bigger fool than the other. If it goes for under your Max, you win...if it's over you made the other jerk pay a fair price.

 

Take your time....I chase the nib....there are some @ 45 nib widths and flexes one 'needs'....once you have a good selection of nibs....you can chase models....with a nib you have so you can sell your extra nib.

[Kelly G]

All good advice. My best is, don't worry too much about it all. As long as you're not spending the rent/food money and causing no one any pain, it is a harmless obsession. Enjoy the ride. At some point in 10 - 15 years, if you are fortunate, it will all come into sharper focus and you will slow down and sort it all out.

 

Good luck and have fun.

[thatotherguy1]

Honestly, you already have everything you NEED. At this point it's things that you want that you're going to be going for. You have a good pen, ink, and paper- now you're just expanding the collection

If you like the idea of playing around with inks, buy samples instead of whole bottles unless you've already tried the ink and love it. If you buy a sample and you don't like the ink, you're just out a couple of bucks and two or so milliliters of ink. If you buy a bottle and don't like it, you've got a lot of ink to toss or otherwise get rid of and at least about $10 down the drain. However, if you buy a sample and love it, you can always use up the rest of the sample and buy a whole bottle later.

If you're going the sample route, keep an ink journal. I use a Rhodia No. 11 pad as my ink journal- just write down (in that ink) what ink it is, a writing sample maybe, your thoughts, whatever you'd like. I do a scribble, name, whether it was a cartridge or not, what pen I used, and my thoughts on it (labelled Notes).

A sample rack is useful too- Goulet sells 40 vial sample racks that help keep the inks organized and all in one place.

Don't be afraid to experiment a little- with different pen designs, manufacturers, countries of manufacture, filling mechanisms, materials, nib widths, etc.

Silicone grease and a good loupe are indispensable if you're going to be using eyedropper pens (silicone grease) or doing any repair or tweaking work at all on your nibs. The liquid silicone grease TWSBI gives you is fine for lubricating pistons and O-rings, but you'll need the actual pasty grease for eyedropper pens and sealing purposes. Make absolutely certain the grease is ALL silicone- bad things can happen in your pen or ink with anything else in the mix. 100% silicone is the only way to go.

Welcome to the hobby!

[jvillan29]

Omg what did I get myself into....wow after looking at some videos of the nakaya line fp's. Such grace and beauty of art. Now my mind is really playing tricks with me (have to get one)! I am in trouble now!!

[Arkanabar]

I'm going to emphasize the best advice you've gotten so far:

 

1. Set a budget and stick to it.

 

2. Figure out what you really like in a pen, and what you don't. If it's a pen with one or more characteristics you don't like, don't buy it. This is why I'm not going to buy any Lamy cheaper than the Logo -- they all have triangular grips, which I don't like. Not on the Safari/Vista/Al-Star, not on the Nexx, not on the ABC, not on the Pelikano, Pelikano Jr., or Twist, not on a ballpoint or mechanical pencil, not even on an Omas 360, which I once thought should be a grail pen.

 

3. Figure out the paper and ink that you like as well. Don't buy stuff with characteristics you don't like.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Arkanabar

[thatotherguy1]

Omg what did I get myself into....wow after looking at some videos of the nakaya line fp's. Such grace and beauty of art. Now my mind is really playing tricks with me (have to get one)! I am in trouble now!!

Hook, line and sinker

Seriously though, Nakayas are beautiful pens. You've chosen a worthy grail IMHO

Welcome to the addiction

[ISW_Kaputnik]

You are ahead of where I was with my first pen, a Parker IM, which had major problems with the nib drying out between uses. It was barely a month before I decided that I either needed to buy a new fountain pen, or just give up on them. I went with the former, and haven't looked back.

 

By contrast, your very first pen is a good one. Maybe you can do better (you don't mention which Pilot model you have picked for your second fountain pen), but really, you have a better starting point than many people around here did. Some five years after my first fountain pen, I have many more of the things that I need. I think the ones I regret the most are the superfluous "good starter" pens that I accumulated before I could bring myself to shell out more than that for a single modern pen, or take a risk on a vintage one. Mind you, my Pilot FP 78G, Lamy Safari, Lamy AL Star, Kaweco Classic Sport, Pilot Petit 1, Pilot Varsities, Hero 336, Platinum Preppies, Jinhao 159, etc. are all perfectly good pens at their level, but in hindsight it was silly to accumulate all of these before taking a real step up with the Pelikan M205 and Pilot Vanishing Point.

 

The fountain pen purchases I least regret are the many different types of FP friendly paper I've accumulated. It turns out that I fill notebooks at a pretty fast clip, so it's not likely that these will go to waste.

Edited March 6, 2015 by ISW_Kaputnik

[jvillan29]

Great advice (along with the others mentioned above), but this is what I would like to avoid, the dreaded kick to the side - dust collecting fp. I know it will be impossible, since every pen is different amongst each other and along comes style, feel, size, weight, and differences of nibs (oh boy). And I know members will be giving great reviews and experience of different fp's. But we too are different! So I guess it's really upto me hehe, so the next pen on my list is between the Pilot 912 and Namiki Falcon. Btw I am enjoying the TWSBI. So far it writes well and smooth to my likings! But I haven't tried other pens or nibs yet, so I am like a kid at the candy store!!