What Pen Did You Finish Today?

[chromantic]

Decided to bring my 140 tonight and saw it was almost out so had to do a quick fill at the last minute, Monteverde Sapphire.

[inkstainedruth]

This morning it was the Poseidon Pearl Konrad, with diluted Akkerman Dutch Masters Ceruleum Blauw van Vermeer.

But it was okay because I have six more pens with me on this trip....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[praxim]

Three fell over in rapid succession, although for different reasons. The sac died in a Waterman 55, possibly owing to viole[n]t ink, then, while making notes about that, the GvFC Intuition and Onoto 6000 ran out one after the other. The Onoto is beautifully preserved, coming with matching pencil in a case, from about 1925. The No 3 nib feels like it is still settling in. It is one of those older Onotos which works well so long as you avoid abrupt movements, which can cause a more random distribution of ink than intended. Ink was GvFC Viper Green.

 

The GvFC Intuition (Pelikan Königsblau) has a smooth M nib and a slight tendency to dry out after a few days, perhaps owing to its push cap which needs a firmer shove to seal tightly. By contrast, a Lamy Imporium (not much more expensive) writes immediately after a week or so. The piano white Intuition is attractive and a good writer. I will see how I find drying, or feel about, it after the next rotation.

[inkstainedruth]

Today it was the Noodler's Boston Safety. Since refilled since I was too lazy to flush it.
I'm not a great fan of this past spring's Baltimore/Washington Pen Show's LE ink, Luck of the Draw, but it does behave well in that pen.... And it does seem to be pretty water resistant (so good for signing checks and addressing envelopes.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mitto]

I did finish any today. Too many pens inked and too little to write with.

[Antenociticus]

About to go travelling for a while, so I've been cleaning out lots of pens this week. Today it was two Looms, a Conklin Minigraph, a Pilot Vortex and a Cult Pens Pocket Pen.

[Freddy]

The followin'.........................................................................

Fred

[inkstainedruth]

Today it was the Poseidon Pearl Noodler's Konrad, and it's highly diluted (at this point) fill of Akkerman Dutch Masters Ceruleum Blauw von Vermeer. Didn't quite get through my morning pages journal entry this morning, and had to finish out with another pen for about the last page or so.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[praxim]

Finished the Lamy Imporium today, relatively quickly (for me) after I filled it. I have been writing with it quite a bit, it being an excellent pen. Ink was Pelikan Edelstein Ruby, kindly introduced to me via a sample from an FPN member from whom I bought an older pen and one of a bunch of Edelsteins I bought a few months ago. The Imporium and Ruby proved a very nice combination. A little like some GvFC pens, the Imporium is well appreciated by those who own one but that number is not high, the brands trailing in the marketing stakes.

[chromantic]

Brought my M405 with Stipula Fading Grey to work as, in the dim light at home, I thought it was full when in reality it was empty. Will have to fill it when I get home. Fortunately, I had topped off the Dark Blue in the M300 and brought that, too, so I wasn't without either Stipula or Pelikan.

[KaB]

lot of writing today. Already emptied a Visconti HS with EF nib (R&K Alt Goldgrün) and a Montegrappa (stub) with KWZ Aztec Gold IGL.

And I have the feeling I'll empty my 1936 Vacumatic with Diamine Chocolate too before the day comes to an end.

[inkstainedruth]

The Pelikan M120 Iconic Blue. Thought there was more ink in it than there was. I've been running it since late September, and the Commonwealth Pen Show, when I bought it and the ink I've been running in it, MB Beatles Psychedelic Purple LE.

Trying to decide whether to refill or flush the pen and let another one in the stash come out and play for a while....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[aderoy]

Finished a GvFC Classic using what else than GvFC Cobalt Blue.

What is next? Have to think about it for a few hours. Most likely will be a blue-black or black ink in ???

[ENewton]

Emptied and flushed my Platinum 3776, which had been filled with Kyo-Iro Soft Snow of Ohara, and just filled a Kaweco Sport with J Herbin Amethyste de l'Oural.

[inkstainedruth]

Waterman Exclusive (F nib). The pen is now being flushed out and I'm going to be evaluating the converter I bought for it -- It seemed to be fine, only this morning it got stuck in the barrel (I still have some Tsuyu-kusa on my hands about 7 hours (and two liberal applications of Ink Nix) later, in the attempt to get the converter out.

The blue Cross Solo (B nib) is probably next to be flushed -- that converter is almost empty (much as I like Monteverde Horizon Blue -- even diluted -- it's time to swap out for a different ink; and a different pen...).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[praxim]

Omas 555/F filled with J Herbin Lie de Thé. When the pen came to me it needed work to retain a required new seal. There is still some risk that at some point the end will fall off the piston, needing more drastic surgery and repair.

 

The 555 is smallest of the Omas group of the time (555 / 556 / 557) yet still is very comfortable to handle. It is of the facetted variety and in quite a nice burgundy resin. Nib is silkily flexible, running from medium to broad.

 

Lie de Thé grows on me. It was made a little darker than normal by the inks previously used in the Omas and soaked into its structure.

[sharonspens]

Edison Mina, extended length, in Superman blue/red swirl. Filled with Herbin 1670 Rouge, used to do Christmas cards. It was a long weekend.

[praxim]

Waterman Man 100 Patrician, the sapphire one, with M nib. A basically cylindrical pen, not light but with excellent balance and a silky, hard 18k nib. Beautiful colour and pattern in the barrel. Ink in this case was GvFC Burnt Orange, something I will put only into a C/C pen. Nice colour though.

[praxim]

Adding to the above a Waterman 52 in red ripple. The pen is visually gorgeous and in wonderful condition. It writes silkily but is not glassy hard like the Man 100 Patrician; rather, with a soft feather touch. Whatever I paid for it, it was a bargain, and on checking my records looks like it may have been in reality too.

 

Two interesting things arose while using it. The ink was Pelikan Edelstein Sapphire which previously looked quite light in a Soennecken with fine nib. In the Waterman it was rich, very close to Visconti Blue, and a great colour.

 

The other thing was that if I stored it nib-up then it could dry out, yet if I left it unused on its side for a couple of days then it was apt to blob on first writing. This is the same behaviour as found in the sometimes maligned vintage Onoto. Like the Onoto (rather than peculiar to the Onoto) it seems to be a function of three things. One, the unfinned feed is difficult (or they would not have invented fins!). Two, adding heat to a nib-down pen whose barrel is essentially the ink reservoir (even within a latex sac) creates uneven ink flows if you are not careful. Three, finer nibs and feeds have less of a problem, broader ones more. It looks to be far less a function of the brand or filling mechanism.

[praxim]

Tibaldi 26L with GvFC Gulf Blue. Nice enough pen except I am distracted by the fact that its piston is very stiff, one reason it did not have much ink in it, despite it coming as, and looking like, a restored pen. Perhaps the cork was not sufficiently reduced for fit. Workshop time coming up. Oh, what, I am supposed to be with other people at christmas???