Pelikan GO with Private Reserve ink

[caligatia]

So my Pelikan GO fountain pen came in a few minutes ago. And so did the ink I'd ordered for it.

 

1. I managed to fill the pen with bottled ink without spilling a drop or getting any on my hands. (Or on anything else.) Considering this was my first non-cartridge fill, I'm pretty darn pleased with myself.

 

2. The pen itself is cool.

 

http://pics.livejournal.com/caligatia/pic/000etyfs/s320x240

 

I haven't sat down and written anything long with it, but it sits comfortably in my hand when I scribble nonsense words on paper. The grip doesn't have the hard edges that my Lamy Safari does (my only complaint with the Safari). It has a slightly smaller diameter than my hand's ideal, but it's not uncomfortably small. (I understand that the Pilot Vanishing Point -- on its way to me now via the postal service, yay -- is larger around. Good. I think I need that.)

 

The seller told me this medium-point pen -- not GO pens in general but this particular pen -- writes like a fine point. And she's quite right. The line I'm getting is only slightly thicker than the Safari's extra-fine point. Another plus.

 

3. The ink. I'm not happy with the ink. Private Reserve "Plum" looked like a very nice bright purple on my screen. In reality it's got a lot of pink to it. Actually, you see the pink on the picture of the GO? It's exactly the same shade. Which is neat for color coordinating, but not so good for someone who wants a rich purple.

 

Other than the color, the ink is quite nice. I was scribbling on plain cheap copy paper and the line was true with no feathering or bleed-through. So I'd be willing to try another shade of Private Reserve in the future.

 

So there we go, my new acquisition in a nutshell. Overall I'm delighted and can't wait to try the pen out further. Thanks muchly to both the seller and to the person who suggested I might like the GO!

[caligatia]

So I sat down and did some writing with the GO. Turns out the nib is too wide for me after all. However, I have a black and pink pen with dark pink ink, and I have a niece who just learned how to write and loves pink.

 

I checked with my sister to see if this was an acceptable gift. Turns out that my niece constantly borrows her stepfather's fountain pen and is in love with the thing. So she's going to adore having her own.

 

The ink I will give to my sister. I will inform Munchkin that only grown-ups can refill her pen until she's older. (I'm not giving bottled ink to a four-year-old, even one who knows to be careful with fountain pens.) There will also be rules as to when and where she may use the pen, as to prevent any accidental ink blots.

 

I'm so delighted that it's a good gift, and that she already has fountain pen experience. I can't wait to see her reaction when I give it to her tomorrow!

[lefty928]

Wow. I've been going back and forth on the PR plum, which I thought was sort of a reddish purple. Is it really hot pink, even after you've tried shaking the bottle?

[caligatia]

Wow. I've been going back and forth on the PR plum, which I thought was sort of a reddish purple. Is it really hot pink, even after you've tried shaking the bottle?

 

Not quite hot pink -- more like very dark pink with a hint of purple. Which is really weird, because even in the bottle it looks like a very nice regular purple. I dunno. I did shake it first...

[Ghost Plane]

That's not what MY bottle looks like. You think you got a funky batch?

[caligatia]

That's not what MY bottle looks like. You think you got a funky batch?

 

Maybe. I've never gotten this ink before, so it's not like I have anything to compare to...

[Ghost Plane]

Mine's more the color you get when you bite into a black plum. Slightly reddish purple.

[caligatia]

Mine's more the color you get when you bite into a black plum. Slightly reddish purple.

 

Huh.

 

I need to go re-read the thread on purple inks. My ideal is one that's evenly balanced or just very slightly towards the blue side, not the red. Royal purple, basically. Although the Noodlers nightshade appeals to my inner goth girl...

[lefty928]

I was interested in that reddish plum look -- but not pinky purple. Hope you find a purple more to your liking. For myself, I think I'll hold off on buying a bottle of the plum, but it sounds like you will make your niece a very happy girl! It's odd how so many girls that age go through that passion for pink stage. I'm looking forward to reading what you think about your VP! (A recent post has re-interested me in Nightshade, too! And I thought my ink fever had abated ... )

Edited May 26, 2007 by lefty928

[caligatia]

I was interested in that reddish plum look -- but not pinky purple. Hope you find a purple more to your liking. For myself, I think I'll hold off on buying a bottle of the plum, but it sounds like you will make your niece a very happy girl! It's odd how so many girls that age go through that passion for pink stage. I'm looking forward to reading what you think about your VP! (A recent post has re-interested me in Nightshade, too! And I thought my ink fever had abated ... )

 

I personally never went through a pink stage as a child, but then again I was a total tomboy. So I don't get it. But hey, if it makes the munchkin happy, I'm all for it.

 

And as far as the VP goes, I should have it by this time next week. And ohhhhhh it's going to be a long seven (or so) days...

[caligatia]

Oh, and lefty? I think I may be catching ink fever. I want a dozen pens just so I can have all those lovely rich colors to write with anytime I want... *grin* I'll be using blue in my VP so I can use it for work, but that frees my Lamy Safari up for some Nightshade... Although I really would prefer to find an inexpensive but gothy-looking pen for the nightshade. The Safari just doesn't say Addams Family, sigh.

 

Ack. Must stop desiring new pens! Bad Caligatia! I should go do homework...

[lefty928]

Oh, and lefty? I think I may be catching ink fever. I want a dozen pens just so I can have all those lovely rich colors to write with anytime I want... *grin* I'll be using blue in my VP so I can use it for work, but that frees my Lamy Safari up for some Nightshade... Although I really would prefer to find an inexpensive but gothy-looking pen for the nightshade. The Safari just doesn't say Addams Family, sigh.

 

Ack. Must stop desiring new pens! Bad Caligatia! I should go do homework...

BWAAHAAHAAAHA!

 

That's how it starts.

 

P.S. I don't recall going through a pink stage, but I did go through a "wear only skirts because pants are for BOYS" stage at four. I was girly, sigh. And I've gotten plenty of pink gifts for various toddlers of the female persuasion over the years. Gifts are easy at that age; it's buying for older teens that's hard.

 

[Ghost Plane]

I didn't get into skirts until I was old enough to stop skinning my knees. Late 20s?

 

Look at a swatch of the Black Cherry if you'd like a nice blood color.

 

For sheer purple, Levenger's Amethyst matches my purple Carene.

[caligatia]

Look at a swatch of the Black Cherry if you'd like a nice blood color.

For sheer purple, Levenger's Amethyst matches my purple Carene.

 

Sweet! Thank you! More things to add to the want list...

[caligatia]

I gave the pen to my niece this afternoon. My mother, my sister, Munchkin, and I went to our favorite local tearoom, this wonderful frilly Southern place... I met them there, and gave Munchkin the pen while we waited for our tea. She went nuts over it. I'm glad I took a few sheets of FP-friendly paper, as she wanted to try the pen out immediately. "Look, look at the color!" she squealed. I got lots and lots of thank-you hugs from her, too, and when she was writing she demonstrated that she does indeed know how to hold the pen correctly. (I swear, this kid may be four, but she's going on twenty-five. *grin*)

 

So yeah, it was the perfect pen for her. Many thanks to the person I got it from -- you know who you are.

[BrianTung]

I gave the pen to my niece this afternoon. My mother, my sister, Munchkin, and I went to our favorite local tearoom, this wonderful frilly Southern place... I met them there, and gave Munchkin the pen while we waited for our tea. She went nuts over it. I'm glad I took a few sheets of FP-friendly paper, as she wanted to try the pen out immediately. "Look, look at the color!" she squealed. I got lots and lots of thank-you hugs from her, too, and when she was writing she demonstrated that she does indeed know how to hold the pen correctly. (I swear, this kid may be four, but she's going on twenty-five. *grin*)

 

Awesome. There's nothing like someone who's genuinely excited about a hobby gift (as I know well from my other hobbies!). The possibilities...are endless.

[Ghost Plane]

Besides the pleasure she gets now, think how grateful she'll be years from now when she's got legible handwriting and knows how to use a good pen.

[caligatia]

Besides the pleasure she gets now, think how grateful she'll be years from now when she's got legible handwriting and knows how to use a good pen.

 

That would be cool indeed.

 

If she winds up using the pen a lot and really getting into it, she may be getting new ones for holidays. She's crazy about pens and school supplies already -- just like me when I was little -- so it'd be neat if we could share a love for FPs...

[antigone]

I'm glad that pen managed to make someone happy

 

 

[caligatia]

I'm glad that pen managed to make someone happy

 

Thank you again!