I've only ever had one other fountain pen... an inexpensive Waterman. Which I really like actually. Then last week, I was looking for a Christmas gift (for someone ELSE, not me) and I walked into this pen shop. Somehow I came to be holding this Stipula Florentia in my hand, and I had to have it... beyond all reason. My Dad had recently told me that he was going to give me some money for Christmas and I spent the entire amount (almost $500) on a PEN. I can see from another posting that I probably paid too much for it, but it's history now and I'll learn how to buy pens at better prices from now on.

I stumbled upon this site because I am looking for help with my pen. I filled it with Lamy ink, and it worked well in the shop (possibly on really smooth paper?) but at home it scratches along more than my Waterman, and the ink just doesn't come out at all on the first pen-stroke of almost every other word I write. It's a medium tip (seems that a lot of ink comes out though). Sorry for my lack of pen-vocabulary etc but I'd really appreciate any ideas you may have. And if you have an idea for me, please use laymans term as much as possible until I do learn this business better. Thanks!

Sue

This post should really be moved... perhaps the mod will see it and move it to where more eyes will land on it.

Was it inked in the shop? Same pen? Are you using the converter? Or a cartridge? If the cart, maybe the ink just needs to get going better.

I think you should try to flush some water through it. Get a tube or something to force the water. I've even just sucked water through my mouth. After flushing, ink it again.

Also, BE CAREFUL when playing with the section and nib. Many nibs have been THRASHED by slipping out of the hand while shaking water out of them.

So, CAREFUL!

I agree with James. Clean it out with maybe a soap and water rinse.That glue residue may still be in there.The Florentia is one of my favourite pens!!!
Beautiful colouring.Here is my beauty:



A review is here:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=33537

Hope that helps some.Congrats on a great pen and indeed one hard to find these days.

Jim

First, a couple of protocols. Welcome to FPN. I hope you enjoy your time here and that you become a regular contributor. Many new people, in fact too many in my mind, preface their questions here with some apology about how "stupid" their question is. The only "stupid" question is the one you did not ask. So ask away!

Second, congrats on getting a great pen. Stipulas are excellent pens, and the Florentia is one of their best. Don't let the price disappoint you. You probably got one of the lovely amber pens. It is made of celluloid and hand crafted. If you got the model I think you did, $400 to $500 is really the going retail price for it.

On buying a new fountain pen, it is a good idea to flush it with water, and maybe a drop of dish washing liquid, to dissolve any residual oils from the manufacturing process. Lamy ink should work just fine in the pen, so don't worry about your choice of ink.

When you say you filled the pen, how does it fill? Do you have a piston filler? (Do you grasp the end of the barrel and screw down a piston that is inside the barrel? The whole barrel acting as the ink reservoir?) Or is it a converter? (Do you unscrew the barrel from the section (front part of the pen) and use a small plexiglass piston thingy that rests inside the barrel? I ask because the kind of filling system you have will determine the manner in which you clean the pen.

Should you empty the pen of the ink it has now and start over? I can only say that I would. And once you refill the pen, I would replace the cap and let the pen stand upside down (in a cup or pen stand), nib down, for an hour or so the get the ink flowing into the ink feed. I would then touch the pen to paper and gently push to open up the tines (the split in the nib's end) to get the ink flowing onto paper.

All this is not intended to be complicated. Priming a new pen is a straightforward procedure, really. It just takes practice.

I would suggest that you explore Richard Binder's web site. Richard is a master pen mechanic who is a member here. He has a very useful "glossary" of pen terms on his web site that is a very good way to start learning pen vocabulary.

If you have any more questions or issues, come on back and ask. We will be more than happy to enable assist you.

Edited: Apologies. Richard's web site is www.richardspens.com

One idea I have is if you could go back to store - maybe they can help you?

I've also heard (and it has been my experience) that Lamy ink tends to be drier than other inks.

Anyway - welcome, we hope you like it here, and good luck!

Thanks everyone! I never imagined I would get so much help so quickly! It seems maybe I've posted this in the wrong spot, so I'll try to learn about this site as quickly as I can. If this discussion about my pen should be moved, I'll find it, but I hope it won't get erased because I still need the information. Thanks for encouraging my questions. VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. I really feel welcomed... will try out your ideas later today.

Sue, my comments here come under the "for what it is worth" category. I did a search on the web and I could not find any vendor currently selling a Stipula Florentia. Maybe someone else might have better luck, but I could not locate any. The Florentia is a very worth while pen (and one hell of a pen for a second ever FP), and you might have snagged one of the few remaining examples of one new in the box. That fact would merit a double congrats!

Edited: If or when the moderators move your thread, it will simply be moved to the "Writing Instrument" forum, and not hard to find.

The last place that had a few was pensinasia.But that was a year ago.
I bought mine from Weaver.Sure glad i did!!

Jim

Congratulations on your fine Italian pen. After you try all the suggestions you might want to try taking your pen back to the shop where you bought it to see if they have a resident pen repair person. One of the great things about having a fountain pen is that we all learn from one another and that is part of the fun!

Keep reading all the neat stuff on this site and you will soon become knowledgable and increase your appreciation of the fountain pen.

Apart from paper, are there any other changes in your writing between the shop and home?

For example, I have one pen that wrote fine at work, but skipped at home. Took me a few minutes to realise I was writing lounging on the bed with a clipboard propped on my knees so that the pen was almost horizontal - nowhere near as effective for a device that has been described as a controlled gravity-fed leak.

Relevant to this time of year, I've found reliable fountain pens skip horribly on the coated material used for many Christmas card and present labels.

Oh, and welcome to FPN!

Regards, Myles.