After picking up my 6 yr old from school, I showed her the new PR Avacado ink I am using...
She asked if anyone makes a golden color or a pink color...
So I showed her the PR and Noodler color charts...
"Daddy, next time you buy ink would you get me some Apache Sunset, it is real pretty and I am tired of writing with blue ink"....

Not only did you guys bring out the ink monster in me... but it is contagious... my little one is now infected...

UH!! ... BTW... this is not a complaint... it is bragging...

lol...very cute story! Go get her some pink ink and let her play with it

Wow, 6 graders get to use pens now? I didn't get to use a pen until 4th grade.

Not 6th grade.... 6 yrs old.... first grade...
She decided after kindergarten that she wanted me to make her a fountain pen...
I told her she needed to learn to write cursive.... downloaded some training pages and gave them to her...
2 months later she came back with a piece of paper on which she had written
"Daddy,
I can write now, please make me a pen
Mari Mullane"

Now obviously she does not have a fine hand... but I was not going to discourage her.... Needless to say she got her pen...

Hi,

Should she want some Apache Sunset or Private Reserve Shell pink, give me your address.

Dillon

Thanks... just sent you an email... she is gonna love it...

To quote Van Morrison for a moment: 'It's too late to stop now!'

Neil

OK, now for your opinions...
I want to brighten up this green a bit... should I consider Sherwood Green or Spearmint from PR to do it.... or should I look at another brand's greens...
I am trying to get it closer to the green of my VP...
The ink flows real nice from the medium nib now and I don't want to change that..

Hi,

I normally use a little Pelikan Turquoise and Private Reserve Buttercup. Add the inks drop by drop, mix, and test with a dip pen until it is the right colour.

Dillon

Hi,

Just one last thing, the inks are packed already with a few notes.

Dillon

Hi,

By the way, do you have a picture of her pen and some information about what the pen is made of, what in the nib made of, and so on.

Dillon

Very cool .

Second the request for pics of your girl and her pen.

Here is a picture of my daughter's pen

The pen is an Executive Style Fountain in 10K Gold Plate. I keep a few of these around for people who want an inexpensive fountain pen... the nibs are German Iridium tipped. The problem is that the plating does not wear well and will start brassing after a short while..... I am very careful to explain this to anyone who wants one. I have been trying to convince my supplier to at least offer this pen in a chrome plating that will not wear...
This particular pen is made of cocobolo, my daughter's favorite wood... it writes very nicely for an inexpensive kit pen...
It is about 5.5" closed and just under 5" open the cap does not post
The body diameter is about .5' and the the nib area is comfortable tapering from .375 just in front of the screw area to just about .312 at the nib
She loves it and writes with it about every other day...


Here is the love of my life...

How cute is SHE! I love her hammer.

Aw...like father like daughter Are her classmates impressed or curious about the different pen she uses from the rest of the kids?

That pens look kinda heavy; is it heavy?

The way she has that soccer ball under her control is the same way she has you under control, Tom. But, that's the way we all want it, and that's the way it is intended. Love it while you can. She'll be 46 someday like my daughter. But you know what...it's just as much fun watching them at the older ages as when they were that young.

Enjoy, man, it doesn't get any better that that! :bunny1: 9

oh boy, Griz. You are in trouble. That little face is gonna break hearts.

Thanks for the pics - of the pen too. She is precious.

Actually the pen is not heavy at all... she seems to have no problems with it.. the fact that the cap does not post gives it a nice balance....
My biggest problem is reminding her how to hold it when her mind wanders and she does not watch what she is doing.... but that is being a 6 yr old... and being a Daddy who watches over her and teaches her...

As for school, they won't allow her to write in school with a fountain pen in first grade... she is a smart little girl and the school split up her classes ... she takes all her language skills classes (reading, writing, grammer, etal) with a second grade class and her math and social studies in first grade...
Her second grade teacher told us she is reading and writing at fourth grade level and may skip second grade next year...
As you might be able to guess, I am a bit of a proud parent... sorry for bragging

You have to love the girly hammer! Who knew such things existed?

A six-year-old using a fountain pen that her father made for her. Quality.

So, what does she think of having inky fingers?

t!

A lot more than her mother thinks of them....

Yesterday, I loaded her pen with some PR Avacado and mentioned that the ink writes a bit wet in her pen and she needs to let it dry...
Of course I showed her what I meant by smearing it after I wrote with it...
WELL.... of course she had to do that a bunch of times to test it herself when she was practicing her penmanship....
Mommy, was not to appreciative of the lesson when we went out to dinner and saw green ink on her fingers... Daddy almost got his butt kicked...

Hi Tom,

Great story, and lovely daugther you have! And it is very nice to hear you are such a proud parent!

My own daughter just left the nest, in September, to go to university. Funnily enough, although she wasn't home a lot during the 3 months prior to starting her studies, it feels very different now.

Anyway, enjoy while you can!

Wamest regards, to your daughter and wife too!
Wim

So does she use fountain pens? Or does she think it's one of those weird things her dad does that she wouldn't even think of?

My daughter is 5 (6 in January) and son is 3. I've had to set aside a Hero 257 and a (repaired) cracked Parker 21 for their use after my daughter announced that a Sheaffer green-striped balance that came in the mail was hers. Well, it was a balance jr and cost me $6.00 with shipping, but I don't think she is ready for the flex nib. She still is asking me to show her how to fix one of daddys pen.

As for inky fingers - you mean heavy magic-marker stains are not the normal hand decorations? At least she didn't come to the table with play-clay under her nails.

John

Hi John, No, she just doesn't like the fact that FP inks can smear, especially because she is left handed, and prefers (thin) gel pens as a result. Also, none of her friends use fps, which doesn't help either. I guess she does think it is a little geeky , although she is quite interested in italic nibs. She has to draw a lot in various inks as part of her study, so I reckon she'll get drawn to fountain pens soon enough .

Warm regards, Wim

I use both gel pens and FPs, FPs more.

oldgriz, your daughter is so adorable! :bunny1:

So did you get "her" some of that Apache Sunset yet???

heh heh.....

-Bruce

It's on the way.... had to place an order with Pendemonium, so I added it to that order...
I am such a horrible father... I spoil her rotten...

She's a doll. How could you not spoil her? Better to spoil her with pens and ink than jewelry. At least the pens and ink serve a purpose.

Has she shown any interest yet in making pens with you? What a treat that would be, to teach that trade to you daughter.

Bear

Yes, she has.... but I think she is a bit young to use the lathe yet.... I will probably start by teaching her how to sand the finished blanks smooth.... then help me with the assembly of a pen of her own...
HOWEVER, she has learned to sweep up under the lathe for me... and I never asked her too... she just decided that after all that work I do making a pen, I should rest a bit and let her do it.... I WILL NOT ARGUE THAT POINT!!

Sounds like she's spoiling you back. Smart girl.

There's some old saying about daughters having their fathers wrapped around their little fingers that comes to mind. . .

My wife was that way with her dad.....anything daddy's little girl wanted.....

-Bruce

PS - I know I earlier said I wouldn't use it(Apache Sunset) myself, but there must be some pathogen that comes through the monitor and creates this odd infection......



PSS - Let me know if that amber source works out.

edit: more spelling errors :doh: ....and a PSS while I was at it.

What a lovely daughter you have, Tom! I think it's great that you are showing her how to use and appreciate fountain pens.

OK, you've inspired me. I went out today and bought a fountain pen for my 5 y.o. daughter. Three of them to be specific. I got a 3 pack of the pilot varsity fountain pens, one in black, blue, and purple. My daughter loves them. I figure that when she gets more adept at using them, I will buy her something nicer.

Way to go.... you are going to have a great time together teaching her to write with one...
Just think of that additional binding time you will share... nothing can top that time together...