Hello, I'm Igno. I live near Maastricht in the Netherlands and yes indeed, a good reader just needs half a word, it's the hometown of Wim...the famous Stipula-addict.
We'll get to him, later in this little story. Anyway, through my entire life, I had a hate/love relationship to fountainpens. From the dip-ins out of my earliest schoollife, yes, i'm getting to my "fifties", till my newest and that's the incredible Stipula 991. I owned Omas, Pelikan, Waterman, almost all in M nib, and I was happy with them. At least in the beginning....
Afterwards I realised, Icouldn't write properly with those pens. Problems with inkflow, not a smooth writer, perhaps you all know about these experiences.
So a lot of these pens, I sold them. :bonk:
And that's the way I found Wim. He bought an Omas Ogiva and another one I can't remember the type. It was an Omas, I'm sure.... I guess Wim should know...
Anyway, I talked with the guy about fountainpens in general and at the end of Stips in a far more specific way, well you know him I guess....
To end up a long story, I bought a Stipula 991 M nib in Italy,( thanks for your great service and immediate answers Suzanna) :D
I liked the pen very much, I like Italian products in general. I owned a lot of vintage Alfa Romeo's and I tell you, talk with them cars and they do everything you want. A '71 Alfa Romeo Giulia is just like a dream... But back to the Stip. Let me give you some inside information. When I am writing I turn my hand, read: pen in a certain left angle. My M nib could not handle.
On this specific day, I tell you, the famous Wim did a hell of a job on my nib. It took him almost two hours but as a result I'd never a smoother personalised pen. He is a perfectionist in all he's doing. Thanks again Wim, you're a miracle!! :sick:
For those who should like to see the master at work, I hope there is an attached picture, I tried it anyway.. I looked a few days to FPN and I guess I like the atmosphere. Thank you for reading.

Hello and welcome!

Great to hear that FPs aren't all that bad to you anymore

The pic of Wim sort of stalled on my computer about half way through, I don't know if this is happening to anyone else but can you shrink it down a little and post again I would love to see a real pic of Wim not just a cartoon .

Vele dank,

Kurt H

Hi Igno,

First of all, welcome to the little nut house on the digital prairie,

Of course, I am a little in 2 minds regarding your intro here .

I resized your pic a little, because it was rather large at full size. Could you maybe resize it, or email me a copy, so I can fix the bottom part as well...

Thanks for the very kind words, btw, although I don't know what to make af the little emoticon after the word miracle...

Warm regards, Wim

Welcome Igno to our home away from home. I hope you enjoy this community as much as we do!

Ok fixed...

Warm regards, Wim

Welcome to FPN! I hope you enjoy it here. Wim has such respect for the Stipulas he's convinced many of us to put one on our wish list.

Hey Wim, do you usually hold that lapping (?) film off the desk to use it on a nib? I've always used it on a hard surface. I barely touch the nib to it though, I'm always so afraid of wrecking a nib.

Hi Igno,

Welcome to FPN. We are still looking for a non-Mad Ducthman (Corien is our resident non-Mad Dutchwoman). Care to take the challenge ?

Make yourself at home.

Wim,

Is that a Waterman Florida Blue shirt you were wearing ?

Denis.

Hi Leslie,

If you look very carefully, you may just notice that in the picture, the lapping film is positioned between the tines, in order to take make the sharp inner tine edges just that little more rounded, making sure I am not creating a baby bottom.

Essentially, the M nib was reshaped to a relatively fine, left footed OM nib, angle about 8 degrees or so. And smoother than my ST Dupont reference nib .

I just looked at the way Igno held the pen, and shaped the nib point accordingly, that's all.

Warm regards, Wim

Hi Denis, Too late, we met 3 times already... And it is contagious, you know


No, that's PR DC SS 2003 blue .

Warm regards, Wim

Welcome aboard! Wim has certainly set a high goal for the Dutch! See you around the boards.

Good evening and welcome, Igno.

Your entry here and being near Maastricht is a mixed blessing. While your proximity to Wim is good in that we will be able to commission you to go over to Wim's and properly dress him down when he's been misbehaving may be offset by the fact that the ever increasing numbers of Dutchmen here may well have us all speaking Dutch pretty soon. That would truly be a riot! We English speakers aren't nearly as language facile as you guys over there.

Irregardless, (as entirely too many Ameriicans say) if you don't enjoy yourself here, it's got to be your fault!

Hallo Roger,

u zou zich niet moeten ongerust maken. Wij zullen beginnen om het geen Nederlands te spreken. Nooit.

Vriendelijke groeten,

Denis.

Hoi Denis,

Nee, wij kunnen schriven in het Nederlanse taal. Ja?

Hallo Elaine,

Ik wens dit ik kon. Ik gebruik enkel BabelFish Maakt dat ding eigenlijk iets leesbaar?

Denis.

Welcome to the FPN Igno. Looking forwards to your posts.

I see that Wim is setting quite a standard for the rest of us to follow - I mean, a dress shirt, tie and suit vest to do nib smoothing. Wow. I assume he changes when it comes time to test the nib with ink - right?

Anyway, welcome aboard Igno.

Gerry

I wouldn't bet on it, Denis. After all, you are the one who told me what a democratic Board FPN is. Look, if Igno, Elaine, Wim and who knows what others become a majority here, I'll just have to learn Dutch.

Quick story: Sorry, Wim. I think I told you this off board.

I had a good friend in Braunschweig, Germany. While visiting them in 1970, I asked Armin to please speak German to me, as I thought that in the two weeks that we would be there, I might improve on my extremely juvenile German.

2 days passed, and Armin quietly aproached me, put his arm around my shoulder and said, "Roger, I know that you want us to speak in German, but if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if we continue in English. Frankly, your German is so bad that it is difficult for me". It requires a good friend to tell you that.

Babel Fish is always the source of great amusement. I pity those who need to have it translated back in English in order to get your meaning...
Native speakers can understand what you’re saying, but I bet even the most modest among them will hold that their English is better than your Dutch.

Igno, I hope you’ll like it here. I do. I am one of the rare Dutchmen who didn’t need Wim to go mad... I guess exile did it for me.

Hello Wim,

Off course, I used a wrong emoticon. I,m sorry. Should be . Looking up to you in admiration!!!!!

Regards,

Igno

A warm welcome to the nuthouse from warmer climes, Igno!

I'm sure you're already feeling quite at home here (looks like I might have to add Dutch to the list of languages I'd like to learn one day :doh: ). Me, on the other hand, I'm starting to feel a little outnumbered...

I look forward to you sharing your wisdom with us.

I have dabbled in learning Dutch. I'm not so good at it. I read much better than I speak or hear. It should have been:

Nee, wij kunnen in het Nederlands schrijven, ja? No, we can write in Dutch, yes?

Brava! (so much for my Italian) ... Zo is het!

Ik was op vakantie, en las vandaag deze berichten. Ik kan ook een weinig Nederlands spreken. Een heel kleine beetje Nederlands.

(I've forgotten almost all of it!)

ElaineB

Hello Igno and welcome to the place where fountain pens are still king! Well, at least in our minds they still are. I look forward to reading your posts in the future.