Hello from Singapore

[silverxii]

Hi!

 

I'm a student hailing from South East Asia, and completing my A levels soon. I wanted a fountain pen since very young as they looked so sleek and classy but didn't have a chance to get any due to the high prices and my parents didn't encourage the use of them as they were more troublesome than ballpoint/gel pens. However, I've decided that I want to jump onto this bandwagon because I think FPs can produce handwriting that has 'feeling' and they sorta show the characteristics of the person's writing better. Also, they're way cooler than ballpoint pens...

 

Anyway, I need help choosing a starter pen. I've worked with nib pens (just nib and holder, nothing else) and find them rather scratchy perhaps due to the need to constantly dip the nib into ink. So, I'd prefer something that is smooth, but not very smooth and I'd like to feel a little amount of 'feedback' from the paper (I like the feeling of writing).

 

So far I've considered the LAMY Vista Transparent/Safari Black, Parker Frontier. Any others that you guys recommend? I'd prefer a Fine nib, slight flex (or semi-flex) medium to light weight. I don't really need something aethestically pleasing. As long its not alien its fine with me...

 

Thanks in advance people

silverxii

[pingjun]

Hi, from the title of your thread, I believe you are from Singapore. I am from Singapore as well.

 

 

[silverxii]

Ooh... Thats great!

Are there more Singaporeans/SEA people here in FPN? I look forward to meeting you all

 

@pingjun: What pen are you using?

[mike1]

Welcome to FPN. Any of the pens you mentioned should be a fine starter pen.

[alpha1]

You wont get a flexi nib in the starter range, though.

[pingjun]

Ooh... Thats great!

Are there more Singaporeans/SEA people here in FPN? I look forward to meeting you all

 

@pingjun: What pen are you using?

 

Hi. Currently. I own & use 17 FP.

 

They are:

2 Parker Vectors [1F, 1M]

2 Parker 45 [1F, 1M]

1 Parker Frontier [M]

1 Pilot Knight [M]

1 Pilot Birdie [M]

1 Pilot [Model Unknown] [F]

1 Hero 336

1 lamy Vista [M]

2 lamy Safari [1F, 1M]

1 150M Pelikan [F]

3 Pelikan Level 65 Pen [1M, 2F]

1 Pelikan Pelikano [M]

 

And I am afraid that this number will continue increasing.......

 

[Clive Merrick Morel]

Welcome to FPN, Silverxii!

Want to see a REALLY flexible nib in action? Check-out this

video.

 

If you're after a starter FP -- and I mean a starter's starter -- you wouldn't go too wrong by purchasing one from the Pilot Knight Collection. No 'bells and whistles', but a decent writing and simple to maintain FP. I've owned several over the past few years, and they just 'work.' I've taken them to places that I wouldn't take a good FP. Oh yeah - and they're under $35!

 

Sailor FPs are touted as being incredibly smooth writers (right out of the box, i.e., withought having their nibs 'fine-tuned' by a nibmeister). I've had no personal experience with them, so I can't comment on them with any authority/veracity. (I certainly wouldn't have any difficulty 'living' with this one! Here's a little more on the gem.) Many FPN members have had nothing short of outstanding results with their Sailors, so it's definitely worth taking a chance and adding one to your collection. Yes, collection . . . for if you hang out here long enough, you'll be inundated with an assortment of all makes and models!!!!!! This is a "good" thing...... :roflmho:

 

Enjoy yourself -- and please post often.

 

Best Regards from Encinitas, CA.

 

-Clive

 

 

[silverxii]

Hey,

 

Thanks for you recommendations. I personally went to a store nearby and bought a parker vector and a hero 329 already since they only cost SGD13 and SGD 1.50(about USD1.00 only!!!). Also bought a Parker Quink Black.

 

Using the parker vector was easy. It was sort of a piston filled mechanism. It wrote quite smooth and was nice to hold too. However, the nib was a medium nib and was a bit too thick for my preferences.

I tried the Hero 329 next and was surprised at how such a cheap pen can actually write smooth enough and feels nice enough in my hands. The Hero 329 had a fine nib (although still a bit too thick for my taste) and I decided to go with this immediately.

 

The only thing I don't know is how to fill and maintain the ink barrels (or converters). Anyone could give me any help with this?

(I probably should post this somewhere else? If required, could the moderaters please shift this post somewhere appropriate? Thanks in advance)

[Readymade]

I tried the Hero 329 next and was surprised at how such a cheap pen can actually write smooth enough and feels nice enough in my hands. The Hero 329 had a fine nib (although still a bit too thick for my taste) and I decided to go with this immediately.

 

The only thing I don't know is how to fill and maintain the ink barrels (or converters). Anyone could give me any help with this?

(I probably should post this somewhere else? If required, could the moderaters please shift this post somewhere appropriate? Thanks in advance)

 

Hello! Like you I recently started using FPs.

 

Where did you get your Hero 329? I've been looking for one for a while in S'pore. Have a Hero 336 and, while scratchy and with a Fine nib only, can't complain at such a super low price

 

What do you mean by "maintain"? The pens you have are pretty much maintenance-free so long as you don't drop 'em or anything. Besides, they're really inexpensive... Just don't use India ink!

 

Parker Vectors aren't piston-fillers btw... I assume it's got a convertor? With convertors, you can use ink bottles to fill fountain pens that normally take ink cartridges. (Hence, "convertor")

 

Hero 329 uses an aerometric filler.

 

Anyway, I'm now looking for more inks -- bored with the usual blue/black/green/red -- and more pens

[graceaj]

Hi,

 

I'm also an A-level student using fountain pens, and have a bunch of them, including Parkers, a Hero 336 & a couple of cheap Pilots from Mustafa. Where did you get your 339? Anyone else know where to get other models as well? The Hero is suprisingly good for a cheap pen, except for the fact that it can't seem to hold much ink. Or am I just doing it wrong? At any rate, it seems like something I can bring to school and not worry about losing. And I need more pens to hold the purple & turquoise Pelikan ink I got as well. :roflmho:

 

 

 

[Readymade]

I'm also an A-level student using fountain pens, and have a bunch of them, including Parkers, a Hero 336 & a couple of cheap Pilots from Mustafa. Where did you get your 339? Anyone else know where to get other models as well? The Hero is suprisingly good for a cheap pen, except for the fact that it can't seem to hold much ink. Or am I just doing it wrong? At any rate, it seems like something I can bring to school and not worry about losing. And I need more pens to hold the purple & turquoise Pelikan ink I got as well. :roflmho:

Hello to you too

 

I got my Hero 336 from Mustafa. Tons of 'em there.

 

Was there last night and picked up a Parker 45 :embarrassed_smile: And discovered that Mustafa has 3 pen counters.

 

I'd like a 329 though. PM'ed silverxii but he hasn't replied yet.

 

The 336 (and 329 too I think) doesn't seem to hold very much 'cos of the cheap aerometric filler. You only get as much ink in as the air you squeeze out. No valve or anything.

 

Wonder how the ones in Parker 51's work?

 

I tried the turquoise and violet Pelikan inks, like you, but didn't like them at all. For some reason they didn't flow very well and felt a bit grainy. In any case the shades were too bright.

 

All the best for your A's

[pingjun]

I'm also an A-level student using fountain pens, and have a bunch of them, including Parkers, a Hero 336 & a couple of cheap Pilots from Mustafa. Where did you get your 339? Anyone else know where to get other models as well? The Hero is suprisingly good for a cheap pen, except for the fact that it can't seem to hold much ink. Or am I just doing it wrong? At any rate, it seems like something I can bring to school and not worry about losing. And I need more pens to hold the purple & turquoise Pelikan ink I got as well. :roflmho:

Hello to you too

 

I got my Hero 336 from Mustafa. Tons of 'em there.

 

Was there last night and picked up a Parker 45 :embarrassed_smile: And discovered that Mustafa has 3 pen counters.

 

I'd like a 329 though. PM'ed silverxii but he hasn't replied yet.

 

The 336 (and 329 too I think) doesn't seem to hold very much 'cos of the cheap aerometric filler. You only get as much ink in as the air you squeeze out. No valve or anything.

 

Wonder how the ones in Parker 51's work?

 

I tried the turquoise and violet Pelikan inks, like you, but didn't like them at all. For some reason they didn't flow very well and felt a bit grainy. In any case the shades were too bright.

 

All the best for your A's

 

Hi. How much did your Parker 45 cost? I am also interested of getting 1 hero 329 as well

Edited October 2, 2007 by pingjun

[Readymade]

Hi. How much did your Parker 45 cost? I am also interested of getting 1 hero 329 as well

 

Costs S$39.

 

From many of the posts in this forum though, you could probably get it for cheaper on eBay.

 

Was just needing a little retail therapy

[Shangas]

Hey SilverXii,

 

Australian by nationality but Malaysian by heritage. My family comes from Malaysia, just across the causeway. And I have family who live in Singapore, a fine, fine country indeed. I always enjoy going to Singapore. Welcome to the Fountain Pen Network.

[Readymade]

About the Hero 329: just received a PM from silverxii and it seems like a case of mistaken identity -- (s)he's got a Hero 336.

 

The hunt continues!

[lecorbusier]

That's interesting, I got my first FP during the first year of my A Levels too! I tried using it in school but the pen kept quitting on me. After a few months, I switched back to my cheaper Pilot disposable FPs, which were much more reliable than that pen. I shan't tell you which brand but since it was a gift for my O Levels, I have been keeping it as a gift until recently when I re-inked it. I guess my hands must have grown: can't really use a small pen now.

 

[pingjun]

That's interesting, I got my first FP during the first year of my A Levels too! I tried using it in school but the pen kept quitting on me. After a few months, I switched back to my cheaper Pilot disposable FPs, which were much more reliable than that pen. I shan't tell you which brand but since it was a gift for my O Levels, I have been keeping it as a gift until recently when I re-inked it. I guess my hands must have grown: can't really use a small pen now.

 

Pardon me, but are you also from Singapore?

[lecorbusier]

Yes, I am from Singapore. But I have not been staying in Singapore for a while. And now I am back briefly!

 

 

That's interesting, I got my first FP during the first year of my A Levels too! I tried using it in school but the pen kept quitting on me. After a few months, I switched back to my cheaper Pilot disposable FPs, which were much more reliable than that pen. I shan't tell you which brand but since it was a gift for my O Levels, I have been keeping it as a gift until recently when I re-inked it. I guess my hands must have grown: can't really use a small pen now.

 

Pardon me, but are you also from Singapore?

 

[damien]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm living in Singapore (ie. Singaporean ) and am currently doing my undergrad studies at NTU. Got my first FP with my NS salary.

 

I currently own 2 pens: a Mont Blanc P145 Chopin (currently SOMEWHERE around the world, I'm not sure where ) and a Lamy Studio (on its way from UK).

 

Cya around!

 

 

Damien

[Readymade]

Welcome to the fold damien.

 

I assume you got the MB with your NS salary? Talk about starting with a bang

 

Out of curiosity, why'd you order the Lamy Studio from the UK? Is it significantly cheaper there?

 

---

 

btw, am trying to put together a mass order for the FPN Dumas Tulipe Noire ink. If you're in Singapore and reading this please PM me