What Now?

[ac12]

I second others; paper and ink.

 

Paper

 

Good, or at least decent, paper makes all the difference in the world.

Choose the wrong paper and the ink would feather, blot and/or bleed through

Also the finer the nib, the more sensitive it is to the paper. Textured paper is BAD for a Fine nib pen, the textured paper snags at the fine nib, making for a bad writing experience.

 

There are many other good/better papers; Clarifontaine, Rhodia, Red and Black, etc.

 

But I'm cheap, so I use Staples, single subject wire bound notebooks, made in BRAZIL. And that works for 90% of my writing, which is my daily journal. Staples also has BRAZIL made filler paper. Note that the country of origin is important. Paper from other countries are not as friendly to fountain pens.

 

My blank papers are:

• Staples, 20#, Sustainable Earth, sugar cane paper. I use this for my letter writing.
• Hammermill, 28#, Color Copy Digital
• HP, 32#, Premium

As for inks:

 

Today, there are sooooo many inks to choose from. You don't have to pick between a couple brands and colors like I did in school. But don't go crazy. You can spend weeks or months looking for the "perfect ink." For the first few inks, just get a bunch of samples of whatever base color you like, choose one and use it. Then get another pen, and then take your time trying out different samples. And DOCUMENT your testing, as it will be very difficult to recall what ink #1 was like when you are at ink #20 three or four months later.

 

Other stuff

• I use a 1 gallon tub to clean/flush my pen in. That way I keep the ink from staining the white sink (which my wife would kill me if I stained it). I dump the inky water into the toilet and immediately flush the toilet.
• I use a cookie pan/tray lined with paper towel, any time I open the ink sample vial or ink bottle. The reason is to contain the ink spill, when I spill (see next item)
• Get a small candle holder, or similar to hold the ink sample vial, when you are reinking the pen. The vial is very easy to knock over, and spill ink all over. I knocked over an ink vial once, and ruined the cloth table place mat. Luckily the ink did not reach the table cloth, or that would have been an expensive replacement.

 

 

N-Joy

[maverick777]

First, welcome and sorry for your wallet.

 

Here was my journey in 9 months:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/286084-celebrating-9-months-of-fountain-pen-usage-lots-of-pics/

 

A lot of good advice has already been given but I share some thoughts as well.

 

Use your pen. Try different inks and papers. Figure out what you like and don't like over time. Ask questions about how you might address those areas. Can it be done without buying a new pen (ie nib smoothing, nib swapping)? What pens would do better in the areas you listed?

 

This forum is full of useful information and helpful people. So ask questions, watch videos, and enjoy the experience of using a fountain pen.

 

This forum is full of useful information, but I'll

[Blue_Moon]

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??

 

If I had it to do all over again, I'd go with the three brands in my signature plus a Lamy or three. However, hindsight is certainly 20-20. I wouldn't know, however, what to do or not to do if I hadn't done it the way I did it in the first place. In other words, it's a learning process. You don't (and aren't expected to immediately) know everything about what you like or don't like about pens, paper, and ink. Start small. Buy cheap pens that interest you. Accept the fact that there are some you'll love and some you'll hate. This is the same principle, but not to the same degree, in my opinion, with ink and paper. During this process, you are learning exactly what you love about pens and what you don't care for. For example, I thought I liked heavier pens. Then I met my match with a Franklin-Christoph Model 29 - Bellus. I didn't know what heavy was, until I got that pen, and made the discovery that it was so heavy I didn't care for it. Then, I discovered that I really preferred lighter to medium weight pens in general. There are other characteristics that you will like or dislike about, not only pens, but paper and ink as well. You'll gravitate toward those pens, inks, and paper that have the qualities that you really like. As you mature, you'll probably begin selling some of those pens you thought previously, that you just couldn't live without, and buying some that you know you will enjoy, not just shiny eye candy.

 

Realize that the pens you buy today are for this stage of your fountain pen maturity level, and will change as you grow in the hobby. Don't buy too many too quickly. Enjoy them one at a time. Be grounded, and realize - the much laughed about "rabbit hole" is real. It is so very easy to be sucked down it. Guard your spending, or you will be broke. Don't be so anxious, looking ahead, that you don't enjoy what you've got today. Last piece of advice - Sit back, and enjoy the ride!

[ailevin]

I can't remember the forum (I have multiple hobby addictions), but when a new member signed up, he/she was welcomed with "... and here is your handbasket." While we all seem to take slightly different paths, there is a great deal of wisdom and valuable advice in hobbyist communities like this. However, the advice, while usually not hard to understand, is not always easy to follow. I guess you can only gain so much from the experience of others, and of course there is the process of figuring out what is most important to you. There is a saying that I like, though I don't know where to attribute it: "Experience is how we avoid mistakes, but making mistakes is how we gain experience."

 

My journey began in late high school or early college (>40 years ago) with an inexpensive Sheaffer cartridge pen. I splurged on a "low end" XF MB piston filler (perhaps a 221) in grad school, and used it until it literally fell apart in my hands. This soured me on MB durability, and Japanese roller ball pens with fine points were making a splash, so I used those for a few years out of school. In the early 1980s, I visited The Fountain Pen Shop while it was still in downtown Los Angeles, and picked up my first vintage pen for daily use, a Parker 61. Though I am a big fan of the 61 today, it was a poor choice at the time for several reasons, not least of which was my lack of understanding what I liked in a pen and what I needed given my pattern of use.

 

Sadly, that pen bounced around a drawer for almost another ten years, until if was saved by the internet. I moved my desk, found the 61, and began a search for how to restore it. I found the zoss list, a couple online sellers/restorers, a local club, and I started searching through vintage and modern pens to help figure out what I wanted in a pen. I collected a couple dozen pens, figured out what I liked, and settled down with just a couple that were daily users (Pelikan 600 or 400, and Sheaffer Snorkel with triumph nib) and I only used two inks, Waterman Florida Blue or Mont Blanc Black.

 

Flash forward 15 years to last April. I bumped into a familiar name from the olden days, Nathan Tardiff, in a new context--Noodler's pens and inks. Before I knew it, I was reengaged in a new world of pens, inks, and papers. This time around I am spending more time on inks and paper, and I haven't spent much time with vintage pens, since they haven't changed. But I have tried some modern pens that are new to me, particularly Pilot pens.

 

You've gotten lots of good suggestions already, but I would add:

• Budget is one thing to manage, but in addition, when you think about a pen purchase identify your target price range. In any given range from $20 to $2000 there are going to be pens that get a good deal of love from folks on the forum. Not everyone will love every pen, and different pens may appeal to you in a given price range. However, especially in the non astronomical price ranges (for me <$500) there will be a good deal of consensus on the good choices in that price range, and IMO those are the pens to try first as you figure out what you like. Also, these pens are more likely to be found for sale on the forum and tend to have reasonable resale on the forum for obvious reasons.
• If you are trying a pen in a price range or category/type that is new to you, try to stay with one of the consensus picks without much modification. Until you've tried a few more pens, you may not recognize that something that looks or sounds quite similar, can in fact give you a very different writing experience. Once you have a better feel for your preferences and the variables, it will become much more intuitive.
• Sampling ink and paper is loads of fun, and with today's online retailers, there is the ability to try many combinations without breaking the bank. I was surprised at how changing paper and ink changed my writing experience with a given pen. Right now I seem to be more focused on paper than ink or pen. I'd recommend trying out a Rhodia Pad as they are not too expensive, readily available, and handy to have around. Also, at least get a sample of Tomoe River paper, my current personal favorite. Several online retailers will send you a couple sheets in cream and white for a few bucks. If you have a local art supply, you can learn a bit by just feeling the paper, and some places will have samples or sample books that they will let you use to test out how different papers take your favorite ink.
• You can sample inks in a variety of ways but I prefer dipping cartridge pens without cartridge or converter installed. They are very easy to flush out and clean using an ear syringe--those invariably blue squeeze bulb things that are available for a couple bucks each. You can also sample inks either with a calligraphy pen (nib holder and a nib or two can be purchased at an art store without buying a full calligraphy set) or a glass pen. I prefer a nib with feed because it allows me to write longer samples and gives a line, flow, and writing experience more similar to what I expect from my other pens. The Pilot Metropolitan ($15) is a reasonable choice, and something to try out anyway as a very high value pen in its price class. The Pilot Petite I is cheaper ($4?), but also writes well, and cleans fairly easily. The disposable or semi-disposable pens like PIlot Varsity or Platinum Preppy write well, but are a bit more difficult to clean because of their more complex feed system. There are also durable, cheaper Chinese cartridge pens available.
• Pen hygiene can be made easier and more fun if you collect the right tools and assemble a little chemistry set as your ink sample collection grows. I found a 50 vial test tube rack on Amazon for ~$5, and some screw top plastic test tubes that hold about 3x what the sample ink vials hold. I also bought 100 disposable 3ml transfer pipettes; each pipette is a one piece plastic eyedropper/bulb combo. I have a couple of those blue ear syringes with the tips off in different places for specific pens, for instance the capillary filler of a Parker 61. I have some distilled water for diluting and mixing inks and for final rinse after cleaning. You can also get some pen flush or mix up your own home brew, but I have found relatively little need for it, except with abused vintage pens.

So welcome aboard, enjoy the ride, and try to hang on on to your handbasket.

 

Alan

[Ecriveur]

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??

 

A TWSBI 580 that writes well out of the box is a very good pen, especially considering its very reasonable price.

 

You've basically now got everything you need so I wouldn't rush to start acquiring other things. I'd suggest instead browsing the reviews on these forums to see what people like about certain pens and what they don't. Those things may or may not align with your own tastes so they will help to narrow things down when you decide you want a second pen.

 

You might also think about what you will be using your pen for and under what circumstances. So for example if you travel a lot and want to have a fountain pen with you when traveling, you might want to scan reviews of less expensive pens, i.e. pens that won't be too painful to lose if they go missing during your trip. You may also want to use two pens at a time, e.g. a "main" pen and a second pen for making mark up or margin notes in red ink. I do that and so I have a Lamy Studio Royal Red for the red ink pen so it's easy to remember which pen has the red ink. I remember reading that the author Neil Gaiman writes the first draft of his novels using two fountain pens, each one holding a separate color ink. He alternates the pens from one day to the next so he can always look back and see how much he accomplished on a prior day. So if you envision scenarios like these, you can think about what pen would go well with your TWSBI 580.

 

You might also want to have a look at the TWSBI inkwell video at the Goulet Pen Co website. TWSBI has an interesting inkwell for refilling most of its pens and it's not just a bottle with a cap. It's got some interesting features that you'll see in the video. If you plan on doing a lot of writing at a remote location, the inkwell may be something worth considering. And I mean a lot of writing. The TWSBI 580 has a huge ink capacity, so you'd really have to be writing pretty heavily for days before you'd need a refill.

[Mark Bee]

There's some great advice in this thread. Like the OP I've been wondering what sort of rabbit hole this is I've stumbled into. (A very good one - but a potentially expensive one.) After I started writing with a muji pen, I started wondering what other pens might feel like, and I wanted to be able to compare and contrast them as I became familiar with the characteristics of each. I've jumped in with both feet, and I've been devouring everything pen, paper, and ink related that I can find. There is so much out there that it can be a bit overwhelming. I've found myself pouring over posts on this forum dating back years and years.

 

I've been keeping a notebook with notes on pens and inks (ok- its a very short list so far), but I can see its going to be helpful as I explore this world in increasing depth. I realize I'm jumping into someone else's thread, but thanks for all the advice, all the same.

[Frank C]

Lots of good advice in this topic. I would only add that you should take it easy and make sure that you are enjoying this hobby. Practice your penmanship with your new pen and do lots of research before buying a new pen; there are so many options out there. I always advise going to a real pen store and a pen show. It appears you live in California. There is a pen show it San Francisco in August.

[Ecriveur]

There's also a very good pen show every February in the Los Angeles area (specifically the Manhattan Beach Marriott).

[Frank C]

There's also a very good pen show every February in the Los Angeles area (specifically the Manhattan Beach Marriott).

 

Yes, it was great; you just missed it.

[Blue_Moon]

There's some great advice in this thread. Like the OP I've been wondering what sort of rabbit hole this is I've stumbled into. (A very good one - but a potentially expensive one.) After I started writing with a muji pen, I started wondering what other pens might feel like, and I wanted to be able to compare and contrast them as I became familiar with the characteristics of each. I've jumped in with both feet, and I've been devouring everything pen, paper, and ink related that I can find. There is so much out there that it can be a bit overwhelming. I've found myself pouring over posts on this forum dating back years and years.

 

I've been keeping a notebook with notes on pens and inks (ok- its a very short list so far), but I can see its going to be helpful as I explore this world in increasing depth. I realize I'm jumping into someone else's thread, but thanks for all the advice, all the same.

 

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

[Runnin_Ute]

papers and inks......

 

Black n Red notebooks

Clairefontaine Triomphe

Rhodia

Leuchtturm1917 notebooks

Made in Brazil composition books (and other papers)

Apica CD series notebooks.

HP Laser papers -24/28/32 lb.

 

You will learn about different paper sizes (A4 is slightly bigger than US letter)

 

Samples from Goulet, Anderson pens and a few others.

[debraji]

I don't want to repeat all the good advice you've already received in this thread, but I do want to emphasize that if you get the opportunity to either go to a pen show, visit a brick & mortar pen store (sadly, a vanishing breed), or meet up with fellow fountain pen users (a "Pen Posse"), do it!

 

There is nothing like seeing and holding and writing with a pen before you buy it. I've made assumptions about which size pen would suit me that were completely confounded when I got the opportunity to hold the actual pen. (I'm looking at you, Pelikan, and you, Edison!) This is especially important if the pen of choice is expensive.

 

Also, some pens that look okay on the Internet are absolute stunners in person. (Not that the pens are persons, but you get the idea...)

[jvillan29]

I don't want to repeat all the good advice you've already received in this thread, but I do want to emphasize that if you get the opportunity to either go to a pen show, visit a brick & mortar pen store (sadly, a vanishing breed), or meet up with fellow fountain pen users (a "Pen Posse"), do it!

 

There is nothing like seeing and holding and writing with a pen before you buy it. I've made assumptions about which size pen would suit me that were completely confounded when I got the opportunity to hold the actual pen. (I'm looking at you, Pelikan, and you, Edison!) This is especially important if the pen of choice is expensive.

 

Also, some pens that look okay on the Internet are absolute stunners in person. (Not that the pens are persons, but you get the idea...)

I would love to try out pens before purchasing. Wished I got into this hobby a month earlier, then I could have made the LA Pen Show!

 

I am looking at the Pilot 912 and 92, probably would have purchased one of them by now, but like you said, it would be nice to hold them first.

[Misfit]

Storage.

[sandy101]

Perhaps nobody has stated the most obvious bit of advice.

 

You need to write stuff.

 

Letters, postcards, poems, shopping lists, novels, short stories, betting slips or algebra.

 

Use your pen to carve your marks into whatever paper you are using.

 

Since returning to Fountain pens, I set myself a goal to write to distant friends and relatives at least once every 6 weeks. After the initial response - which was surprise - I started a small slow correspondence revolution. Yes, social media has its place, but writing at length where you can explain things a bit more - it's a different experience.

 

It's not the tools you have, but what you make with them that counts.

 

Nice pens inspire me to write more - and, yes, part of it is vanity - but so what?

[Frank C]

 

Since returning to Fountain pens, I set myself a goal to write to distant friends and relatives at least once every 6 weeks. After the initial response - which was surprise - I started a small slow correspondence revolution. Yes, social media has its place, but writing at length where you can explain things a bit more - it's a different experience.

 

It's not the tools you have, but what you make with them that counts.

 

Nice pens inspire me to write more - and, yes, part of it is vanity - but so what?

 

More good advice, when I thought that I all the good advice had already been given. Once you have equipped yourself to write, you should write!

[helene20]

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??

 

It's so nice to see how passionate people are with fountain pens on this forum.

 

I started using FP in my teenage years and just started to collect seriously last year.

 

On top of my FP collection, which is slowly growing, I love trying new paper, pouches, ink etc. For ink I order samples first to see if I like this ink. Then I order big bottles when I am in love.

 

Something that I added is the Midori Travelers Notebooks. I love them and use them when I travel and also as an agenda. It's something you might look into. And you can write in them with FP.

[helene20]

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! )

 

Congratulations for stopping drinking.

 

I don't drink or smoke and my addiction is FP, ink, paper etc. The way I see it is that if I drink a 24 a week and buy a cartoon of cigarettes that would come close to $100 a wk where I live for over $5K a year. And that would be gone forever. I prefer to have the addiction of fountain pens in my life

[jvillan29]

Continuing my journey as a drifter, having this addiction of WANTING to fill my pen with ink of other beautiful colors, so that the nib can glide across quality notebook paper, I ended up at Kinokuniya Bookstore of Little Tokyo located in Los Angeles. As I entered the store, I walked straight to the stationery section and at the corner of my eye, fountain pens! Oh know! I glanced at a few pens, then suddenly a Silver box with a delightful bottle inside, was in the grasp of my left hand. Iroshizuku Asa-Gao! Taking a few steps down the aisle, my fingers were on a path of checking the smoothness of quality paper. And in my right hand, I could not resist the superb smoothness of the Apica Premium A5 notebook. I checked out of the store with happiness, like a kid in a candy store impatiently wanting to get home, so I could try out my goodies I have purchased!

[jvillan29]

OK folks I have a Pilot CH 92 on its way from Japan. I purchased the item March 26, and it is at USPS Los Angeles, waiting to be sorted and ship to my local USPS. I can't wait to compare the pen with the TWSBI 580 AL.