Had I But Known - My Most Painful Newbie Mistakes

[haruka337]

1. Sometimes, someone's concept of a "restored" vintage fountain pen is a superficial cleaning. Before purchasing, always ask if everything has been disassembled, properly cleaned, newly sacked (if it's such a pen), repaired, functioning and if ALL parts are present within the "restored" pen.

 

Unless one would like to try their hand at vintage fountain pen restoration, cough-up the extra cash and stick with reputable restorers with high ratings and reviews.

 

2. Replacing or repairing a damaged gold nib can be expensive. So, uh, be careful. Please.

 

3. Once one moves beyond affordable "starter" fountain pens and into more expensive models, there will be a need, from time to time, to make adjustments to the nib. This is why a few pen sellers (i.e. nibs.com) will tune and test all fountain pens before shipping.

 

If you're like me, impatient with an unsteady hand, it's best to leave adjustments to professionals.

Edited June 9, 2015 by haruka337

[inkstainedruth]

1. If you're looking at a vintage pen online (particularly on the Bay of Evil) ask *LOTS* of questions. And look at ALL the photos. I ended up overpaying on a few pens for which I'm now going to have to lots of $$ on repairs, because I got greedy a couple of times.

1A. Some sellers don't know what they have and even if you ask the "right" questions they might not be able to give you the answers. This, BTW goes for anything, not just pens I was looking for a really expensive book a number of years ago and thought I'd gotten a line on a German edition of the book, which was okay for me because I wanted it for the photos; still pricy at $175 US, but that beat the $425+ I was being quoted elsewhere. Contacted the seller. whose response was (literally): "It's a needlework book. It's in German."

2. Find out what works for *you* -- a pen might have lots of positive reviews, but may end up being too large or too small to be comfortable to write with (especially when you're sitting down to write the Great American Novel).

3. Nibs that match the color of the barrel look really cool -- until the color starts to flake off and gunks up the slit.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[GSteer]

Over buying, and by that I mean quantity. These things aren't going anywhere so spend time figuring out what fits you best by trying other peoples pens. Visit shows, handle pens, write with pens, and then, only then, start putting a list together of what fits your preference and head towards the right sized, styled, nibbed and fit for you.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

I guess I am cut from a different cloth, or insane.

 

I think pitfalls are half the fun.

 

The bigger the risk the bigger the reward!

 

No, but seriously....I have been fortunate I have not fallen into any pitfalls.

 

Mainly because I was already following most of the advice given.

 

1. I started out buying new moden pens from from authorized dealers.

 

2. Never buy from eBay unless you can afford to be ripped off.

 

3. Never buy pens as an investment, use them!

 

4. Buy pens you like and do not be afraid to risk buying a pen online, as long as you buy from a reputable dealer with a return policy.

 

5. I never bought an ink I was not happy with.

 

6. You can never have too many pens.

 

7. Use your pens regularly!

 

8. Do not attempt to modify or repair your pen unless you qualified to do so.

 

9. Do not be overly attached to your pens nor spend more than you can afford, follow this and you will have no problem carrying around your High Dollar pens.

 

10. Loss a pen and next time you will be more careful, but do not let losing a pen stop you from carrying nice pens.

[Manalto]

An extension of Blue Knight's #13 is - Take into consideration that your tastes and preferences may change, and probably will.

[BobR]

My best newbie mistake: snapping a pen in half because it was in my pants front pocket and I sat down.

And your avatar perfectly captures the moment when you saw what happened.

 

I now avoid complicated filling systems, eg Snorkels, button fillers. I can't repair them myself and they dislike me as well.

 

And I learned that very saturated inks are not for me.

Edited June 10, 2015 by BobR

[deepak23]

Its not easy to repaint brass body pens. You need at least two months to get it right...

[Bklyn]

I guess I am cut from a different cloth, or insane.

 

I think pitfalls are half the fun.

 

The bigger the risk the bigger the reward!

 

No, but seriously....I have been fortunate I have not fallen into any pitfalls.

 

Mainly because I was already following most of the advice given.

 

1. I started out buying new moden pens from from authorized dealers.

 

2. Never buy from eBay unless you can afford to be ripped off.

 

3. Never buy pens as an investment, use them!

 

4. Buy pens you like and do not be afraid to risk buying a pen online, as long as you buy from a reputable dealer with a return policy.

 

5. I never bought an ink I was not happy with.

 

6. You can never have too many pens.

 

7. Use your pens regularly!

 

8. Do not attempt to modify or repair your pen unless you qualified to do so.

 

9. Do not be overly attached to your pens nor spend more than you can afford, follow this and you will have no problem carrying around your High Dollar pens.

 

10. Loss a pen and next time you will be more careful, but do not let losing a pen stop you from carrying nice pens.

Great stuff. Actually, great stuff from all.

[delano]

This. Is. The. Best. Thread. Ever.

[ethernautrix]

I don't remember my newbie mistakes, since those happened so long ago. Oh wait, I suppose if I had known more twenty years ago that I could have sent my leaking pens or unsatisfactory nibs to pen repairers and nib grinders - rather than back to the manufacturers that didn't always fix the problem (usually, but not always) - then I might not have given up on those few pens.

 

Probably I should have learned the first time a pen barrel and nib unscrewed from the cap clipped to my collar not to wear them there, but I was stubborn. These days, I can't clip my Nakayas to my shirt, cos they're clipless. I will clip a Kullock Parker 51 to my shirt though, but on the inside, so if the barrel loosens somehow, at least I'll feel it falling. Yeah, so I guess I do still do that and will continue to that, until I invent the detachable pen pocket.

 

Nibs can be fixed or ground or tweaked.

 

If you want an expensive pen but can't justify the cost so you settle for the less expensive pen that you don't like as much, just bite the bullet and get the one you want. You'll end up spending less money. (Because eventually you will get that more expensive pen.)

 

Use your pens. Use your best pens wherever you want. While you're at work using your cheaper pens, a burglar could break into your home and take all your best pens. Don't let fear of loss rob you of the enjoyment of using your best pens.

 

It isn't a newbie mistake, because there was no way for me to know, but when I bought my first Nakaya Piccolo for $250, I should have bought four or five of them. I had not handled one, only read the reviews and seen photos here. Then it took another couple of years before the Nakaya understanding dawned (I had chosen the wrong nib size). Even after buying a couple of more after price increases, I thought I would not buy another one. Another couple of price increases... another couple of Nakayas.... However, my pen purchasing overall has declined drastically.

 

You know, generally, if it's not one mistake, you'll make some other mistake. Roll with the punches.

Edited June 11, 2015 by ethernautrix

[ac12]

Something that I am seeing happen more frequently.

 

Don't get a $100+ fountain pen with a flex nib as your first flex pen, then go trying to make it flex as much as it can.

When you spring/destroy the nib, a replacement nib and installation will cost you at least $100, likely more. And that is, IF a replacement nib can be found. Remember flex nibs have not been made in a LONG time.

[haruka337]

Something that I am seeing happen more frequently.

 

Don't get a $100+ fountain pen with a flex nib as your first flex pen, then go trying to make it flex as much as it can.

When you spring/destroy the nib, a replacement nib and installation will cost you at least $100, likely more. And that is, IF a replacement nib can be found. Remember flex nibs have not been made in a LONG time.

True dat!

[LisaN]

1. You won't be able to re-sac 100% of your vintage celluloid pens successfully. You do everything right...some just won't make it. Salvage the nib... the cap... the hardware... Have a good cry and move on.

 

2. Do not lend your pens to civilians.

 

3. Always keep your expensive pens in a pen case unless you are actively using them and are in a seated position. Never stand and carry a pen in your hand, especially not an uncapped one.

[Sasha Royale]

Custom work, on nibs and feeds, can work wonders. The first corrective action that should

be tried, is free and totally reversible.

ADJUST THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE PEN BARREL. (That's you.)

[Polanova]

 

2. Never buy from eBay unless you can afford to be ripped off.

 

 

I got most of my pens from the bay & never got ripped off

Don`t seriously know what you`re talking about

[haruka337]

1. You won't be able to re-sac 100% of your vintage celluloid pens successfully. You do everything right...some just won't make it. Salvage the nib... the cap... the hardware... Have a good cry and move on.

 

2. Do not lend your pens to civilians.

 

3. Always keep your expensive pens in a pen case unless you are actively using them and are in a seated position. Never stand and carry a pen in your hand, especially not an uncapped one.

If I can add to #2:

 

Always keep one or two cheap, throw away pens for non-fountain pen users to borrow. Unless someone is interested in learning about fountain pens, don't lend it out--sometimes, non-users will push down too hard on a nib, which may separate tines and warp or bend the nib. I had a cashier push the nib and feed on a pen out of alignment by pressing down hard on the side of the nib (held it incorrectly) because she couldn't get it to write. It happened so fast, but, luckily, it was a $16 steel nib. Had it been a softer gold nib, well, I would have wept heavy, sorrowful tears.

Edited June 12, 2015 by haruka337

[xwingrox]

Don't buy a bottle of ink unless you've tried a sample in all of your pens and papers. Inks that get rave reviews here on FPN may not necessarily work out for you. Ink bottles last a loooong time. And a bottle here or there adds up to a collection of twenty inks that aren't used much

 

Don't buy a bunch of "cheap" starter pens to "try things out." A Safari here, a Kaweco there, a Metropolitan there, etc etc - you'll quickly reach the $200 mark where you can buy one really good pen

 

Look into making your own notebooks. It's all to easy to spend $100 on Japanese notebooks

 

Don't ever think that you can make money buying pens cheap on Ebay and reselling on FPN. You might win a few here or there but there is zero guarantee.

[Barkingpig]

 

I got most of my pens from the bay & never got ripped off

Don`t seriously know what you`re talking about

I also have been fortunate to purchase pens from Ebay @ prices I could afford & have been pleased with each. My first three Omas were Ebay purchases & each made me happy enough to order a new release pen from a "brick & mortar store" AND pay the price the dealer is charging for the pen. Without the opportunity to purchase the first pens @ their reduced price I wouldn't have felt comfortable to do so. The new pen will cost almost as much as the three other pens combined & because I have been happy with the others I am comfortable with that.

[Frank C]

You can only write with one fountain pen at a time. One is better off buying a few good pens, rather than lots of cheap pens.

[ancalagon]

Don't buy a bunch of "cheap" starter pens to "try things out." A Safari here, a Kaweco there, a Metropolitan there, etc etc - you'll quickly reach the $200 mark where you can buy one really good pen

While there is a good point here about lots of small amounts adding up, I'm going to give (nearly) the opposite advice: do buy cheap pens to try things out.

 

I tried out hooded nibs because I could get one for $4 or $5, thinking I'd be really disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised, and I'd never have tried them out at all if I'd had to spend a lot to do it. I know what I like with respect to pen weight, grip, and balance much better than I did, because I tried a bunch of different pens. It would have been much more expensive to figure out my tastes by experimenting with expensive pens.

 

You can also learn quite a bit about nib tweaking on cheap pens. I'd never have dared even trying nib smoothing on an expensive pen, for fear that I'd break it. I have no such qualms about fiddling with the nibs on cheap pens.