Another newbie

[bdngrd]

Hello,

I started lurking in Fountain pen Network about 6 months ago and slowly began to get sucked in. I have always liked good writing tools, from mechanical pencils to roller balls but have become a new convert to FPs. My sister gave me a hand-me-down Philleas that I messed around with and ended up liking. Because I had a few Cross Century BPs and a Rotring Roller ball already and liked them, I decided to try out a Rotring 600 FP. When it came, I inked it up and have started to really like FPs. It was nice, but a bit too tough-guy. Then came the Townsend in Carbonite, which was perhaps a bit too soon in my career, maybe too impulsive, although it writes like a dream. I also bought another one on the Marketplace and realized I spent too much the first time. Lesson #1- be patient, deals show up all the time!

 

After lurking a while and reading all of the reviews in the forums, I had a small spending spree at isellpens.com. The Duke shark, mini torpedo, Wality 69, and Laban Meno came soon after. Great service. With such a number of pens coming in, I spent a lot of time and tested each one out for a while. The Laban was my favorite as it was so colorful and pleasing to hold. It wrote well after some work with a paper bag. The Dukes have been slow starters, even after much rinsing, soap, and flossing with 35 mm film. They sure are heavy though. The Wality is unbelievably reliable, even if a bit cheap feeling and scratchy. (Still, an amazing value at under $10.00!) I learned a lot reading the forums about how to make pens work better. Thanks everyone! Lesson #2 – Read the forums and know that some new pens take some tweaking.

 

I began to search for more variety and color. After reading so much praise for Danitrio and Kevin’s service, I tried out a set of cum laudes, one bigger than the other. Kevin was very helpful, and was patient with my newbie ordering blunders. The shipping was so fast it seemed like I had just shut down my computer and the doorbell rang! I excitedly went through my new pen ritual and it is now my daily user. I have only inked the smaller one. I’ll post more on this pen later.

Lesson # 3 – Colorful celluloids are really nice. Heavy metal pens have their place, but I’m changing, Evolving? Maturing? Mutating? What is next?

 

Realizing that all of my pens are C/C, except for the Wality, I decided I wanted to try a piston type. My Pelikan 250 demonstrator is on the way after reading the forums and being informed of a great price. Thanks again. I’m looking forward to the Pelikan experience. It is not really colorful, but all of those Pelikan fans must be on to something.

 

And just today, I have decided to look into vintage pens, Esties and maybe a Parker Vacumatic or a Sheaffer Balance. Just bought my first Estie, and am doing my homework on the vacs. I’ll post the lesson about vintage pens if I learn any. Any advice form the community? I think there might be some fun in trying to restore some pens that were around before I was born and making them into daily writers.

So anyway, I’ve seen a transition from the heavy metallic pens to colorful celluloids to vintage? And to think I still have only tried one ink!

 

At some point I’ll try a review, as the ones I have read have been so entertaining and helpful.

Will try to post a picture next.

[*david*]

The most important community advice about fixing pens is as follows:

 

Whatever work you intend to do, no matter how simple it may appear, practice it on a worthless piece of junk first. Then (after doing it wrong the first time), you'll know what to expect when working on a better pen.

[wdyasq]

The most important community advice about fixing pens is as follows:

 

Whatever work you intend to do, no matter how simple it may appear, practice it on a worthless piece of junk first. Then (after doing it wrong the first time), you'll know what to expect when working on a better pen.

I recently bought an Arnold celluloid pen the seller failed to mention there was no nib. It had a beautiful blue/silver/black barrel. I decided to take the thing apart. I tied a bit of heat to the section, No luck. More heat was applied, grippers were tried - still, no luck. I finally built a section holdign tool of wood just a few thousandths of an inch large and matching barrel holder. Heat to 160F, checked with an Infrared thermomenter, soak the heat, check - blow the barrel up.

 

When I finally stuck it in a lathe and cleanded off the section I could smell the celluliod but I could not see were the barrel ended and the section started. I am glad I did it but, if it had been more than a junk pen to start I would have wondered what I did wrong.rather than wonder WTH the previous repair person stuck it togther with.

 

Ron

[KCat]

Lesson #1- be patient, deals show up all the time!

 

Lesson #2 – Read the forums and know that some new pens take some tweaking.

 

Lesson # 3 – Colorful celluloids are really nice. Heavy metal pens have their place, but I’m changing, Evolving? Maturing? Mutating? What is next?

All good lessons. All lessons I think most of us go through at some point. You sure hit the ground running.

 

I'm not terribly patient but have been enough to save a few $ over the years (if you can call spending less money on a $50-$100 FP "saving". Like the wife who comes in with bags of clothing and shoes worth hundreds of dollars and proudly says "I saved you a lot of money today."

 

Unfortunately, some pens do require some tweaking. Even (gulp) the occasional Pelikan.

 

Re: lesson 3. I think a lot of folks start out with equating weight with quality. And certainly some metal pens are very sturdy and well-made. But yes, as you get more into the hobby I do think the value and beauty and quality of celluloid and hard rubber become apparent.

 

What is next? Ink obviously. With all those pens you should be stocking up on ink. Diamine, Waterman, Noodler's, PR, Aurora. lovely variety of colors and characteristics. Eventually you will probably discover that each pen has "its own ink". You may have more than one pen that takes to a particular ink. But you must give them a chance to sample the different flavors so they can decide.

 

I still have not inked my yellow Pelikan. But I plan to take pics this week and maybe then...

Edited July 5, 2006 by KCat

[BMWRT]

Welcome.

You are well on your way

[Judybug]

Welcome to FPN! You've certainly got your feet wet! Are you using all your pens or have you come up with a rotation schedule?

 

I have several capped pens and two desk pens. Two of my capped pens are Waterman Phileases. Appearance is what originally attracted me to them - I liked the two-tone gold/silver nibs as well as the case with its art-deco trim. But they are great writing pens, too. One of my Phileas pens was laid up for several months with the ink cartridge still in place. When I got it out to use a few weeks ago, I was horrified to see that the gold plating on the nib had some corrosion. I have since ordered and received a new nib, but this taught me a lesson - if you're going to lay a pen up, take the cartridge or converter out and clean it up.

 

It's interesting that a NoNonsense $8.00 Sheaffer I have was laid up for years with the ink cartridge in. When I got it out recently, there was no corrosion at all. But of course, it doesn't have that spiffy two tone nib. And it's not as smooth a writer as the Phileas, although I like it and use it quite a bit.

 

Enjoy your pens and enjoy the forum!

 

Judybug

[bdngrd]

Thanks for the respnses everyone,

I am starting a rotation and am hoping to keep only a few writers inked at a time. I'm a high school teacher, and will be doing some work over the summer planning for next year, so I hope the pens will get a workout. Also, I will be trying out new inks as well, it sounds like fun to find out which inks work best or match well with the pens. As a teacher I have have thought about red ink, but have read so many cautions that I have shied away so far. Any thoughts?

Bill

[mike1]

Welcome to FPN. I thought the red ink was a thing of the past. I think I read something about some one using a lavender ink for grading in school.

[KCat]

My feeling is that any ink has the *potential* for doing damage if the pen is inked and then not used regularly. Reds and purples are more likely to stain. But if you are using the pen daily, and using a pen you aren't concerned about staining (such as one that is translucent or made of older celluloid) then you should be just fine. I used nothing but WM purple in my Phileas for about two years. Maybe longer. Never had any clogging problems and while the converter did get slight purple staining, that's just a converter that no one sees. I also had WM purple in my first Pelikan 200 for a good year or more (I loved purple) and the ink window never stained. So some of this depends on the pen material and some on the ink.

 

WM red is really *BRIGHT* And will definitely stand out on the page. I've had Noodlers Saguaro in a pen for a while (months) and had no problems with it. I do clean my pens every couple of months in most cases.

[southpaw]

Hi and welcome to FPN! Sounds like you're off to a fantastic start with some great pens and, like most of us, progressing the same ole route up the learning curve. Just seems we all have to go through most of it the "hard" way for some reason. On the positive side, it sure is fun trying out so many pens ! Take care and see you around.

[Mannenhitsu]

Hello and welcome aboard! Before you know it, you'll have a house full of pens and your other half will be pulling their hair out!