Hello, my name is Justin, and I'm a new FP junkie.

I've been writing cursive exclusively since I learned it in 5th grade. But it is tiring on the hands with a ball point pen. Now a Licensed Engineer, Church note taker, avid journalist... I write a lot. I got my first hand on a FP when my brother in law gave me one for his groom's men's gift. I don't know what it was, it was a white metal body gold trip pen with a snap on cap and a converter ink capsule. One day I was complaining about how I needed to unscrew the body slightly so that the cap would actually snap on... he forced the cap on... which flared out the cap to non-functional status... and I lost the pen... but I had fallen in love with the fell of the fountain pen over the paper, and how smooth the ink flowed when the pen was happy, and how involved it was to put the ink in, check the ink level, vary the line weight with pressure, straighten out the tines when it was scratchy, etc.

So I am back in the game, as I just got married, and my gift to myself was a Pelikan M215 fine point with some Noodler Blue-Black ink. Thank you for this site, as it was what I used to point me to my new pen that I love.


Now for the obligatory new member questions:

I write a lot of notes on contract drawings, and I need an ink that stands out. Red works the best, but I don't like red for my normal note taking. I'm hoping I could compromise with either a brown, or dark red. I was thinking Noodler's Eternal Brown, but I saw that FPN had a brown exclusive from Nathan too... Anyone have an opinion of either of these on cheap paper? Any reason to get one over the other? And how do I order the FPN Galileo Manuscript Brown? Any other suggestions?

Also, I love my fine print nib, since it seems to now flow really well, and I have small handwriting... but I would like to try an italic. Any tips on how to get an extra nib, or how to modify my nib to be italic?

And I would like to improve my handwriting, and even learn some calligraphy or something. I would just like my normal longhand to be more consistent and legible. Any tips on how to best learn how to write better?

Thanks again for this great network!

Hi Justin - welcome to FPN! Congratulations on your wedding! May you be happy for many, many years!

You got a great starter pen, one on which it is possible to change nibs. You might want to check Richard Binder's website. He sells Pelikan nibs and would be able to get (or fashion) an italic nib to your specifications. You can then use your pen with the italic nib or the one you've got. (Of course, you can always buy another pen too, if you want - I'd recommend it, since each pen feels different and is a joy to use.)

On the ink, your idea about FPN Galileo Manuscript Brown is a good one. Are you looking for an ink that is bulletproof (i.e. when dry it will not be affected by water) or does it not matter? For reds, I would suggest a Burgundy, if you don't want to go with a very red ink. I have Swishmix Burgundy, which I like very much (you can get it at the Swisher Pen website). Another brown that I like quite a lot is Private Reserve Copper Burst, which has nice shading to it (but it is not waterproof).

Try the subforum on Penmanship here for tips on writing. I think that the most important piece of advice for improving writing is to slow down, but there is lots, lots more on that subforum.

Again, welcome! Good to have you with us!

Erick

Hi there and welcome too!
I'm happy that you like FPs.
As to inks, check out the inks forum here but first find out how "permannt" etc your ink must be. There are hundreds of inks which you'll like (as to the colour and flow)

Mike

I've read a little on the Bulletproof, and I like what I hear. How permanent is bulletproof ink on counter tops, linoleum desks, clothes, etc?
The idea of having something water proof when I go out into the field where it might rain or get coffee spilled on in, permanent sounds good.

What is the appeal of “shading” with the inks?

With my handwriting, I don’t think I can slow down most of the time, since I’m taking notes for speed. But since I’m self taught, I don’t know good technique for all letters, and I would like to learn how to make it prettier and more consistent... like the attached

I might try to scan in some handwriting later... see if anyone could offer tips.

http://www.constitution.org/tj/

Welcome to FPN!!

Welcome Justin.

Hello and welcome to FPN

Welcome to the FPN!!

Hello Justin and welcome to FPN from a neighbor just a bit north and west of you, in Mendocino county. Glad to have you here.
And....as an aside, sorry 'bout all the smoke we sent your way from the lightening complex fires this summer. It was brutal, wasn't it?
I hope you enjoy this forum. It's a vast, rich source of information and support from those of us who share this addiction love of all things (fountain)pen and ink.

cheers

Welcome to FPN!

Hello and welcome aboard the FPN, from the "Water-Winter Wonderland" of Michigan.

Thanks everyone. I need a archival red ink suggestion

Yippee - another pen person in the Sac area. I'm just NE of there in Auburn. Fountainpenjunkie is in Sac, and there are a few others nearby (one is in Dixon as I recall). Did you know there is a Pan Pacific Pen Club (PPPC) in the Bay Area? They meet 4 times/year, usually once in Vallejo which is much closer to us. I've been to several, and they are terrific to go to. There are folks selling and talking pens. You get to try out/see/feel pens you'd otherwise only read about. Lots of good folks to bounce ideas off of, just like in this forum. Welcome, Usui!

Welcome to FPN.