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  1. Hello, I have been looking for good cheap nibs to practice grinding with for the last couple months. Even nibs like the Goulet nib, however were a bit too expensive as I knew I would screw a few up. Then I found these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/3pcs-Platinum-Plated-Iridium-Point-Medium-Fountain-Pen-Nibs-new/221718724268?_trksid=p2045573.c100033.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31031%26meid%3D4f16a20a6c224b2899c516d333cacc03%26pid%3D100033%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D160976970969 (no affiliation with seller). They write a medium nib, are better than the stock nibs on most Chinese pens, and are cheap enough to make (and mess up on) crazy modifications just for fun. They are number 5 nibs, so they fit a good number of pens. Just thought I would share. Thanks, Phillieskjk
  2. First, If this is in the wrong forum or considered advertising, please, by all means remove it. I have no affiliation with the seller, I was just wondering if anybody had found any pen with a solid gold nib for cheaper. Anyway, the pen is a Hero 711 with a 10k solid gold nib. Yes, it is only 10k, but still, it is solid gold. And the price??? $16. $16!!!!!!! Has anybody seen a solid gold nibbed pen for cheaper than this one? Ebay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hero-711-Black-Chrome-Cap-Fountain-Pen-New-In-Box-10kt-Solid-Gold-Nib-/230799200250?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35bcb44ffa Thanks, Phillieskjk
  3. When I saw it was a Pilot and it had a smiley face nib...I had to have it! Not bad for a pen that cost less than $15, I'd say. Knowing it was from JapanI opted for the medium nib, which is more or less somewhere between a fine and a medium nib in the USA. Yes, it's a cheap plastic pen...with a lot of character! It's a remarkably smooth writer at this low brow price point and what's not to love about a smiley face nib that uses the air hole for the nose? It puts out a fairly wet ink...I like that. I have had no negative issues with this little Kakuno (even the name is cute) to date. If you have a large hand, I would suggest you stay away...but my hands are so small I can purchase gloves in the children's department. The cap comes in an array of cheerful colors but the body is a not so cute see thru gray. I would give it an 8 on a 1-10 scale because I think it would be so much more appealing if the barrel was an opaque white. It comes in an adorable box with one black Pilot ink cartridge. I think it is a terrific gift for a child...like me. (I'm thinkin'...baby's first fountain pen...well in my case...grand baby's first fountain pen). I quickly put Kakuno right next to my shopping list in the kitchen. Where will you put yours? P.S. The plastic grid behind the pen and note in the picture was another new purchase from the amazing little/big country of Japan. Its called a shitajiki mat and I use it with my light box to keep my lines properly aligned while I write letters or practice calligraphy. It has the added advantage of creating a soft glide to the surface between you table, paper, and pen (We call it a paper towel here). It comes in two sizes and can be found at jetpens.com.
  4. Hello everyone, I am searching for a new pen to use at school, I am currently using a F Safari since 1month and a half. I had bad experiences with some parkers 45 so I searched and now I am hesitating about some "cheap" combos, especially with indian or chinese pens, as i think some could give an enjoyable writing experience. Here are the combos : Jinhao X450 + Goulet #6 nibJinhao X450 + FPR #6 nib FPR Triveni Jr with #5.5 nib These are around ~20-30$, I especially like the Triveni for his triple-filling system, I write a lot at school and an eyedropper solution can be appreciable, in fact i'm just searching for a great ratio quality/cost combo, so if you know other cool combos that i can think about, other brands etc to look at, I'm in Other : For info my favourite ink used is Noodler's Q'ternity (FD), if there are any problems tell me, Thank you. Edit : Do you know how performs the FPR nibs compared to the Jowo/Goulet ones ? FPR → 10$ (shipping in) Goulet → 21,50 $ (shipping in)
  5. Gambol 5 Subjects notebook (from Kokuyo) My Subjective Rating: 2/5 My Objective Rating: -1 Pros: cheap (+2)easily available (+1)wire-bound (+3)good value (page per dollar) (+2)divider every 40 pages (+1)rounded corners (+1)Cons:feathering is quite severe (-3)bleedthrough is quite severe (-3)only good for dry fountain pens/ballpoints/pencils (-3)single-wire binding (-1)soft cover is not durable (-1)Price: RM6.90 (1.90 USD/1.60/£1.30)Binding: single-wire binding Size: A5 Number of Pages: 200 Printing: 7mm lines (24 lines/page) Gsm: (not specified) Cover: Thick paper (soft) Page colour: white (slightly greenish discolouration) Additional Information : blank yellow paged divider every 40 pages.index pageBlank lines at the top of each page for number and dateNo marginRuling does not start and end at the end of the sheetsPhotos:
  6. Mister John

    Duke/uranus Snakeskin

    About six months ago, I discovered the amazing treasure trove of cheap Chinese pens available on eBay. While suspicious of the quality on offer at such low prices, I thought it worth plunking down fifty bucks of fun money to find out. I had heard the Duke was one of the more reputable of the Chinese pen manufacturers, so I spent $7 of the Duke/Uranus snakeskin. At that time, the Pelikan Lizard had just come out and I wanted to compare the Chinese and Pelikan versions of lizard/snake scales. It goes without saying that, in all ways artistic, the Pelikan blows this pen away, so this review will only examine the pen on its own merits. I've now had the piece for six months and used it off and on during that time. It's been in various rotations three times, or about 6 weeks of reasonably intense usage. The pen arrived in a nice blue Duke labeled gift box or approximately the same dimensions as a typical Waterman pen box. Inside, the pen was enclosed in a narrow plastic bag. It came with the converter pre-installed and, from first appearances, looked pretty good. Like most Chinese pens, this one features a brass body with a silk-screened pattern and then a clearcoat layer of varnish on top. The pen itself is of moderate weight, approximately that of a Sheaffer Prelude. It is a thin pen, but not obnoxiously so. A close inspection of the pattern reveals no disastrous defects, but the screening is certainly imprecise and incomplete in places. The design looks much better from a distance than up close, where the sloppy craftsmanship is more readily apparent. The pen does have some nifty features that elevate it somewhat. The cap band is handsomely inscribed "URANUS" in a Roman font, together with some stars and some Chinese script. Uranus is, I believe, a sub-brand of Duke. After 6 months, it has held its luster and looks quite nice. The clip features a lovely compass rose design, and the tassie features an ivory circle in a sea of black. These details are all well executed. The nib is a nice design too, featuring a crown logo with rays splaying out toward the end of the nib. At the bottom is the word Duke inscribed in san serif all-caps. While the design elements are good, the craftsmanship of the stamping is less so as the imprint is weak. Holding the pen side by side with a Pilot 78g, the difference in the quality of the nib inscription is striking. All of this is to say that you do, to some extent, get what you pay for. A large part of the difference between a $100 pen and a $7 pen is in the quality of the materials and craftsmanship. I would say that, for the price, Duke has done a very creditable job on the design and execution. The cap snaps on and off and posts securely. Many Chinese pens feature snap on/off caps, presumably for cost reasons, but getting the correct amount of force to hold the cap on seems to be a challenge for many. Most err on the side of way too much force. Baoer, in particular, seems to suffer from this problem a fair bit. Some, like certain Hero pens, employ too little force. Duke, however, has found the "butter zone" for the force needed with this cap. It's easy to remove, but does not remove itself. One also worries that, even if the force is correct initially, wear and use will lead to a situation where it's no good. After 6 months of use, however, there is no sign of any problem. On to the writing. (See attached written review.) This pen is perfectly fine. I'm glad to have satisfied my curiosity about Chinese pens, but I do not see myself getting any more of them, at least at this price point. The $30 Kaigelu pens that are an homage (copy) to the Parker Duofold Centennial are rather nice, but these very inexpensive pens have to make too many sacrifices in the name of cost reduction to be inspiring. In a way, I'd prefer the more honest approach that Pilot and Sailor have taken with this market. The Platinum Preppy and Plumix cost about the same or less. They do not try to pretend to be a high-end pen, even from a distance. What they do well is to produce an interesting writing experience with a number of options. Duke/Uranus, on the other hand, provides a reliable writing experience, but not an interesting one. I would recommend passing on these unless you are in the position of needing a reliable pen with a more upmarket (at least from a distance) design. Even then, I would say that springing for a Pilot 78g is probably still a better bet as these can be had for around $15. By the way, if anyone wishes to trade for this or other inexpensive Chinese pens I own, I would happily take most deals. Please PM me.
  7. I seem to have a growing collection of inexpensive Chinese fountain pens that share three things in common: they’re black, with chrome and/or gold trim; they’re comparatively heavy (composed primarily of brass or aluminium); and they’re surprisingly inexpensive. The Bookworm 679 very much fits that bill – so why am I bothering to review it? Well, for a couple of reasons – apart from the fact that this was supplied to me by JustWrite Pens (www.JustWrite.com.au), free in return for an impartial review. First of all, because no-one else seems to have reviewed it yet – but secondly, because it turns it out’s a pretty nice pen, especially for the price. If you’re a fan of the Jinhao x450, especially, you may find this pen is right up your alley – though it has a couple of advantages over the x450, which I’ll discuss in the review below… Just so you know, as with a number of other reviews I’ve done for lower end pens, I won’t be ‘scoring’ this one out of ten – to my mind, it’s just not fair to compare some of these lower price point pens to their pricier counterparts. ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design – Sleek, glossy black – with classy looking faceted cap and barrel I don’t know why it is that so many pen manufacturers seem to favour the colour black – but as far as I know, that’s the only colour this pen comes in. Black, with gold trimmings on the cap and barrel… and a duotone (gold and chrome) nib. What marks this pen out a little is the fact that it’s not a pure cylinder – the cap and the barrel (apart from the last 1.5cm) is faceted – 12 straightish edges in all. That, and the fact that the clip ends with what (only) appears to be some kind of wheel – though sadly, unlike some other pens, the wheel is soldered to the clip, and doesn’t turn as the pen is clipped into or taken out of your pocket. A slip-on lid covers a smooth plastic grip section. The cap is clearly designed to post, and fits snugly onto the stepped-down ending of the pen barrel. This is one of the pen’s advantage over the Jinhao x450 – I’ve already cracked the inner cap on one of those suckers, and no longer dare to try and post them. http://i.imgur.com/dWU6VAw.jpg http://i.imgur.com/aNnQOhx.jpg My first impressions with this pen weren’t overly favourable – mainly because it was one of several black pens I received at the same time. But as I’ve spent time examining it more closely and using it, it’s grown on me. I guess this is subjective, but I like the fact that it’s not a straight cylinder – and the clip, though its ‘wheel’ doesn’t actually spin, nonetheless seems to be easier to slide into a pocket than the very stiff clip on the Jinhao x450 and x750. http://i.imgur.com/2MzfGXT.jpg Construction & Quality – Well-made, not flawed or blemished, seems pretty durable The cap and barrel of the pen are made of brass – they’re heavy, and don’t seem too prone to denting. The black lacquer surface seems to adhere pretty well to the pen, but only time will tell whether it’s prone to peeling or scratching away. The end of the barrel is plastic – it reminds me a little of the ending on a Parker Vector, though obviously the diameter is larger. Weight & Dimensions – A pretty substantial pen in the hand The first thing you notice about this pen when you pick it up is its ‘heft’ – it weighs around 41.5g, or 25.5g minus the cap. The diameter of the cap and barrel is around 12mm; the grip section tapers from 11mm down to around 9mm – which I find pretty comfortable, especially if I’m holding it well back from the nib. Capped, the pen is 140mm long; uncapped it’s a shortish to 119mm; posted, it extends to 160mm. Though it’s designed to be posted, I find it a little more comfortable if I leave the cap off – simply because of the weight, there are no problems with balance either way. Nib & Performance – A very pleasant writing experience A close inspection of the nib revealed that it seems to swoop down towards the tip – as if to stiffen the nib and provide for a finer line. And certainly, compared to the nibs on the Jinhao x450 and x750, this one lays down a finer line (which for me is another advantage of this pen – the Jinhaos I tend to replace the nib with a Goulet EF, F or 1.1mm stub). Aesthetically, either you’ll like the nib and the ‘finless’ feed or you won’t – I didn’t mind the look of the nib (gold, with a chrome ‘swirl’, and the word ‘Bookworm’ inscribed along its length) – but I tend to like the underside of the feed to be at least a little bit less bland. Then again, how often does anyone write upside down? The nib and feed are friction fit, and can be removed for cleaning purposes. I’d guess this is around a #5 size nib. http://i.imgur.com/Dam0eZi.jpg http://i.imgur.com/6jJCuUE.jpg More important than the nib’s appearance is its performance – and I found this to be very pleasant. It’s a nail-like nib, but you can get a little line variation if you want to force it – and it lays down a fine-to-medium line. The nib was fairly dry when I first inked it up, but with a bit of sustained downward pressure (to force the nibs apart – see Steve “SBRE” Brown’s videos for more info on ‘how to make a dry nib wetter’), I found it began to write really nicely, and lay down a not-too-dry, not-too-wet line. Apart from that small adjustment, the nib provides an enjoyable writing experience. http://i.imgur.com/rCcWHgI.jpg Filling System & Maintenance– Standard International Cartridges – Converter Supplied The Bookworm 679 takes standard international cartridges, if that’s your preference – but comes with a cartridge converter supplied. The converter looks very similar in design and construction to the cheap plastic converters that come in most of these Chinese pens – but with a black band around the top of the converter, inscribed with the brand name ‘Bookworm’. http://i.imgur.com/yvUE0J6.jpg Cost & Value/Conclusion – Full marks from as far as I’m concerned! The Bookworm is not a high-end pen – but at AU$12.95 from JustWrite (you can probably find it cheaper, but for Australian buyers this comes with a 2 year warranty) it’s a really good buy – especially if you’re trying to introduce someone to the fountain pen habit, and want to give them a classier looking pen. I’d be very happy to recommend this as a pen that looks, feels and writes a fair way above its price point. Thanks to Kevin from JustWrite for providing it for me to review.
  8. I've been researching Noodler's Ahab Flex for a while, and I really really like it. Particularly the flexiness. I've been interested in fountain pens for a couple years, and my actual firsts were a pack of pilot varsities, which turned me off from fountain pens because of their weird scratchiness (which may or may not have been my fault; I was younger and dumber) I know the ahab can't compare it to a true flex pen, but I'm a poor high school student, so 20 bucks is a lot to me. It totally seems worth it from what I've seen, even though a lot of what I've seen tell me (beginner) to stay away from it till I've amassed some experience. I've also looked at "flexy" fpr dillies that have a similarly affordable price that seem to have a rep for being pretty safe (or safer than an ahab at least), but I don't really like their appearance, and the ahabs seem to have more line variation and flexibility, which is what I'm totally in love with. I also really like the ahab because I am equally obsessed with calligraphy, and would like to learn it myself, so I was thinking about buying the speedball calligraphy kit on amazon, but I'm not sure if I should go with the type with an oblique holder or a straight one. I'd like to try Ornamental/Spencerian/Engraver's type calligrapby rather than gothic. One of the reasons I want the Ahab despite obvious drawbacks (like my newbity and tinkering) so much is because of the beautiful works I've seen done with the pen, which I'd also like to be able to do someday. Does anyone know if this is a decent book to staft with? (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0486409511/ref=ox_sc_act_image_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER) I have looked into a lot of other types of pens that probably would have been way better as a first pen for me like lamys and pilots or preppies and jinhaos and the like, but I also feel like I couldn't survive without the Ahab. Should I just give up on the Ahab and go for something more dependable (like a workhorse lamy or a cheaper and safer dilly)? Like I said, I'm a really poor hs student with only like 50~70 dollars to burn on a fountain pen, both calligraphy and fountain pen ink, a calligraphy set, and a calligraphy book. Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for the help
  9. phillieskjk

    Baoer 701 With Hooded Nib

    First Impressions (8)For a dollar forty, I wasn’t expecting much, but this pen proved to be a great value for the price. It is a true fine nib, and I have not had any problems with it thusfar. Appearance (9)The design of this pen is a gold gridded body with a black cap, black section, and a steel hooded nib. The pen feels less wide in person than it appears in the photos. Construction (8)This pen has seemingly very good build quality for a Chinese pen. It is made of metal and is a little heavy, I don’t have an exact weight but it feels like it is about the same weight as my Jinhao x450. Nib (5)The nib on this pen is a fine hooded steel nib. It has no flex, and is a little bit scratchy, but it is still usable, and I was able to make it a little bit smoother after a bit of tweaking. (Brown paper bag). Although this is not very descriptive, this nib did not seem very wet or very dry, and is in the middle. If I had to pick one side I would say that it is just a little bit wet. Filling System (4)This pen takes standard international cartridges or a converter. It ships with a screw converter. I am not sure whether it is my pen or my converter, but I can never fill the converter more than about 2/3 full, which makes it a lot less practical as it needs to be filled much more often. I will update this once I get a chance to see whether it is the pen or just the converter. Cost and Value (10)This pen is about as good of a deal as you can get, I got mine for 1.40 USD shipped from EBay. The buy it now price is around $7, but you can easily get it for cheaper in in auction with patience. Conclusion (7)All in all, this is a great pen for the price. The nib is a little scratchy, but it is not that bad. The design is excellent and the build quality is great for a pen of its price. For $1.40, it is all you could want and more. Pictures Below (Sorry for small size) http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODU1WDEwMDA=/z/DPwAAOSw0vBUc1DN/$_14.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzQ0WDEwMDA=/z/aEwAAOSw2XFUc1DK/$_14.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAwMFgxMDAw/z/3asAAOSwj0NUc1DT/$_14.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTE3WDEwMDA=/z/xCwAAOSwAL9Uc1DQ/$_14.JPGhttp://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAwMFgxMDAw/z/3hIAAOSwj0NUc1DW/$_14.JPG
  10. I decided to take some pictures while I was making a simple pen box for my father's birthday. I was so happy when I found a Parker 45 (that was in great aesthetic and functional condition) for my father's 45th birthday. But there was no box so I needed to make one myself. If you want to give away fountain pens without a box, maybe this simple tutorial can help you. I managed to finish this box under one hour and I spent nothing, every material and tool that I used was found at home. 1. Materials needed: - coloured cardboard - some kind of foam (polystyrene, thick cardboard, etc) - piece of old paper (for the greeting card) - any kind of textile - a few pins - short leather strip (or any other material that you think will work) 2. Tools needed: 3. Making the cutting plans for the box (dimensions in centimetres): 4. The bottom part cut and prepared for folding: 5. The bottom part folded and prepared for glueing: 6. Top part cut and prepared for folding: 7. Top part folded and prepared for glueing: 8. Cut the foam to the interior dimensions of the bottom part: 9. Cut the groves in the middle of the foam with the sharp blade, two cuttings at an angle of 45 degrees: 10. Take the piece of textile and cut it to the dimensions so it covers the foam. After it is positioned fix it to the foam using some pins. Install the leather strip in the same way: 11. Take the greeting card, write whatever you want in it and glue it in the inside of the top cardboard piece: (the inscription 'Boldog születésnapot' means Happy birthday in hungarian) 12. Put the top part on the bottom part and you're finished : I know it is nothing special or fancy, but it is simple, cheap and fast to make if you need a basic gift box. Hope I was helpful for somebody. Have a nice day!
  11. a.zy.lee

    Half-Price Iroshizuku In Uk!

    Let me start by saying that I have NO affiliation with Amazon or the retailers selling these Pilot Iroshizuku inks On Amazon UK, if you search "iroshizuku", you can find almost the whole range for around only £15! Normally, one would have to pay around £30 for these. They're even shipped for free! I'm not sure if these retailers ship to other countries for free or sell elsewhere for the same price. So, if you want an Iroshizuku ink, but haven't gotten one because of the price, you're in luck! Unfortunately, the prices do change from time to time, but you can track the prices using http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/ Some links to the more popular inks: Kon-Peki http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Iroshizuku-Fountain-Pen-Ink/dp/B0018HJVS6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399811984&sr=8-1&keywords=iroshizuku+kon-peki Asa-Gao http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Iroshizuku-Fountain-Pen-Ink/dp/B001AX7TFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399812002&sr=8-1&keywords=iroshizuku+asa-gao Yama-Budo http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Iroshizuku-Fountain-Pen-Ink/dp/B001PWFZ02/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399812748&sr=8-1&keywords=iroshizuku+yama-budo Fuyu-Gaki http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pilot-Iroshizuku-Fountain-Pen-Ink/dp/B002BV11I6/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1399812773&sr=8-10&keywords=iroshizuku Unfortunately, Tsuki-Yo was available, but I can't find it at this time. It will probably be re-stocked soon with the £15 price tag. I hope this was useful to you.
  12. Hey all, Lord Z here! I just went pen shopping...ish. I went to an antique mall, looking for pens from people who know nothing about pens, and so miss-price them. Anyway, I found a nice vintage pen for $50, and it was gold-nibbed, so I thought I would look it up. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. I cannot find the pen anywhere online. So here I am. What I need: Model. Price. Barrel material. Anything else you can scrounge up on it. Characteristics: MISC: I found the company: Imperial Pen and Pencil Co. Went bankrupt in 1951. Other than that, I can't find much. Nib: 14k, fine or medium, springy, maybe minor flex. Nib Markings: Imperial, 14k, USA Body: Black, tapered ends, gold clip, silver band on barrel marked "Imperial" with a crown. Action: lever fill. Large-ish ink sac. Measurements: I have not measured the pen yet, but if you need me to, I can. It is very big, perhaps the size of a Conway Stewart Wellington and similar in shape. Photos: Thanks a ton, Lord Z
  13. This is not a fountain pen review. I have been looking for a pen that I can write ‘fast’ (as the main priority) with variation in line width. I have no idea of where to start but end up purchasing a bunch of pens with stock 1.1 italic. Personally I have been using fountain pens with EF or SEF for many years. Sailor profit with music nib – this is more of a stub than italic and there is no problem with the flow. It writes a wet, wide line. Monteverde Intima with 1.1 italic – a beautiful pen but I have a problem with the italic nib from the start. It skips and writes with a dry line. I have tried flushing and applying gentle pressure. It continues to skip and write a dry line. I have just received a Monteverde Impressa from gouletpens today with 1.1 italic. It has the chrome version of the 1.1 italic and writes a better line. TWISB classic with 1.1 italic , Noodler’s walnut – this nib is surprisingly dry. However, there is no skipping during writing so far. The pen is the right size for my hand. I wear size L gloves. This is a piston filler. TWISB diamond 580 with 1.1 italic, Noodler’s Liberty Elysium – this is an identical if not the same nib as the one on TWISB classic but there is clear sample variation with TWISB nib. The nib on this pen writes a nice wet but wider line subjectively. It is a much bigger pen. Lamy AL star with 1.1 italic, Noodler’s Polar Black – I have half a dozen of Lamy Al star and I have ordered the 1.1 italic nib. It writes just like any other Lamy Al star – slightly scratchy but nice wet line. Jinhao 159 with a Goulet 1.1 italic, Noodler’s walnut – this is a big pen that costs US$6 including postage. I ordered 4 of them. I change the nib to the Goulet 1.1 italic. It is smooth, wet and enjoyable pen to write with. The nib has dried up once while capped in drawer and I have primed it once but has not had a problem since then. The top seven pens in the pen tray are the pens mentioned above..sorry about the quality of images from my phone... From my limited experience with 1.1 italic, I think the decisions are not hard. If you want a piston filler, get the TWISB. It writes well and is well built. If budget is a problem, the Jinhao 159 (and I suspect any other Jinhao with replacable nib) with a Goulet 1.1 italic is the best value for money. The jinhao and the Goulet nib costs me US$21.00. Monteverde is a beautiful pen with sample variation but from my experience with its italic so far, I will pick TWISB over it. As for the Sailor pen, there is no doubt about its music nib. It is the only pen here with the gold nib. However, there is less line width variation comparing to the italics. I hope this helps! Enjoy….
  14. Let me start by telling you that I am a teenager who goes to middle school. This means that all of my fountain pens I am carrying will be thrown everywhere, crushed between walls, dropped, and so on. I used to write with my Parker Sonnet at school, since that is the cheapest pen I have. However, yesterday, I dropped my pen at school and the cap almost broke. I am afraid that my fountain pen is going to break soon. Although Parker Sonnet is one of the cheaper fountain pens, I am 13 years old and $100 is a lot of money to me. Is there any cheap (less than $100), but well performing pen I can bring to school? Thank you in advance. -William S. Park
  15. Hello fellow fountain pen enthusiasts, I am working on a new, inexpensive, high performance flex pen and I need some insight into what other people are interested in. If you love a good flex pen, and are interested in something new and exciting… Please click on this link, and it will take you to a survey. It should take about 10 minutes. Seven people who complete the survey will have an opportunity to test drive prototypes! Thank you for your time! PrestoTenebroso
  16. I'd like a 1.1mm Italic nib pen to run some Bad Black Mockasin. I'll use it for document signing and other such stuff, so nothing ridiculous looking. $50 absolute tops What are your recommendations? Please no Kaweco's! Thanks, Adam
  17. Yet another one with prices to good to be true: http://www.9penshop.com/index.php .
  18. Overview: The Pilot Metropolitan is a "budget" fountain pen from Pilot. the reason that I put the word budget in quotes is the fact that the only thing budget about this pen is the dirt cheap price of USD $13.78. I got everything that i expected and even more when i bought this pen. Looks: This pen has simple styling and a very utilitarian design. it is dressed in matte black with a glossy plastic midsection. when capped, a small silver metal band is visable. the cap itself is marked "pilot japan" and has a simple silver clip. it does not stand out, but it is not too plain either. 10/10 Construction/Build Quality: this pen has a surprisingly qualitative build. With the matte black painted brass barrel and cap, it has considerable heft. The main thing that originally made me nervous about purchasing this pen was the cap. up until this point, I have never trusted a pen with a cap that doesn't screw on, with the exception of the innovative clutch system on the iconic Parker 51. I took the risk on this pen, figuring that if the cap doesn't clip on to my liking, i could keep this pen on my desk as a desk pen, and i do not regret the risk at all. the cap fits on like a glove and it takes considerable force to remove it, therefore, i trust this thing just as well as my screw on caps on my old sheaffers that are my usual daily drivers. 10/10 Filling System: This pen employs a cartridge-converter system, and accepts special Pilot cartridges/converters. this pen came with a squeeze converter installed that holds a considerable amount of ink. the converter itself is of very high quality. it almost reminds me of a thicker variant of a standard ink sac from a older style pen like i normally carry. at $8.59 for a 12 pack of cartridges, i believe that i am going to be going to be using the converter full time. no complaints here. 10/10 Writing Quality: a pen can have all the looks, but what really matters in the end is how well the pen writes. this pen doesn't fail to deliver in this department, either. it has a medium nib that lays down a line that looks a little bit finer than my Sheaffer Touchdown that also has a medium nib. This pen writes fairly dry, but is far from being skippy and problematic. the nib is extremely smooth and overall, this pen performs much better than a pen normally found within this price range. 10/10 Price/Value: this pen costed me a grand total of $13.78. thirteen dollars and seventy-eight cents. the price is the only thing cheap about the pen. Pilot could have sold this thing for $50 and, even then, i would have felt like a got a good deal. 'nuff said. 10/10. Conclusion: As i stated earlier, this pen is an incredible value and i would recommend it to anybody. if you're a seasoned pen collector/user that's looking for another pen or a novice that's looking for a first pen to see what the world of a FP is like, this is the pen for you. Here's some pic's. sorry for the blurriness. the iphone camera ain't all that great. http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse949c469.jpg http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd6286bed.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5366c41c.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps9730d549.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps1416ac4a.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps01dc93fd.jpghttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps4618da04.jpg http://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k457/lmarine0510/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd3e85789.jpg
  19. I just received a Haolilai 661A, which I ordered from eBay. Since there is little about this brand on FPN, I thought I'd post this very informal, handwritten review.The pen I purchased was http://www.ebay.com/itm/FOUNTAIN-PEN-HAOLILAI-661-FINE-NIB-SILVERY-PURPLE-H055-/121127212869. The photo posted here of the pen is is from the eBay listing. My review is in the attached image, though I can't seem to modify the orientation of the photo.
  20. I have some FP experience and am considering getting some Serwex pens (http://goo.gl/Qfp9rY). I'm rather attracted by the decent reviews, nice nibs, and cheap shipping, as well as the price. Currently I have an Ahab and a Preppy. My Preppy's nib is rather stubborn (perhaps randomly so), so I'm looking for a Preppy replacement. My ink is Noodler's Polar Blue, which tends to bleed, so I'd like a really fine nib (student = cheap paper). I'm considering a Serwex 77B or 962. I'm also slowly getting better at my italic hand, so I really want a stub as well. Do any of you have experience with these pens? Do you have any advice or recommendations?
  21. I'm looking for a pen that costs around £40(price of converter included). I would prefer it to be a wet writer, or just not dry. I'm considering the Faber-Castell Ambition, TWSBI 580, Parker Urban and Lamy Studio Any thoughts or suggestions?
  22. I have recently bought a couple of "festival" journals from Sainsbury's. They were half price "£2.50" each. They are A5 size with a soft cover, 96 pages with an elastic band, book mark and a envelope at the back. I've only seen lined versions and they come with blue, black or pink covers. Watch the prices though, as last time the pink & blue were on sale, but the black ones were not. The paper is slightly off-white cream colour which means brown, violet and turquoise inks stand out really well. The paper is thinner than the Leuchtturm 1917 & Moleskin journals. With dry pens(Parker/Platinum Preppy/Plasir) and dry inks the paper behaves well. There is little bleed through, but the indentations are visible, and the text shows through when held up to the light. With wetter pens (Jinhao X450) and a heavier touch - visible dots and marks appear on the other side. The G2 & Signo pens don't show through. At £2.50-£5 these make good notebooks for drafting, casual use or folk trying out fountain pens for the 1st time. I'm thinking perhaps diaries or notebooks for teenagers. The paper is too thin for drawing with anything more than pencil, but then the off-white makes it a bit harder to see. A good book to have by the bedside for a dream journal or for jotting down ideas before redrafting on a computer of another journal.
  23. Hello everyone. First of all I wanted to say thank you to those who've made my introduction into the world of FPN so welcoming, it's much appreciated. Some of you may have seen my 'Bought a Flex Pen' thread. If so you'll know that I bought a Noodler's Creaper as my first fountain pen and it's been 'misbehaving', to say the least. I still want to try and fix it (thanks those who've helped!) but right now I think it might be time to cut my losses and get a better pen. Currently I don't own any fountain pens, and I want to get my first. However, I'm not particularly well off (I'm still a student) and I definitely can't afford an expensive pen. I'd like a flexible-nibbed pen that I can practice Copperplate styles with, but apart from that I'm pretty open to suggestions. I'm completely new to fountain pens and I could use some help. I've already been offered some good advice but I'd like to get this sorted. Where are all the UK fountain pen shops? What brands are cheap and good to look out for? What should I look for in my first pen? I know this thread is a bit obscure, but I just wanted to ask for some help entering into the world of fountain pens and to thank those who've helped me out (thank you!). Many thanks, Joe
  24. Wigglesworth98

    Good Blue Ink For Cheap Paper

    Hello Fountain Pen Network! This is my first post ever, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. I am looking for an ink that will perform well on cheap paper (loose leaf, copier, notebook), mainly because I am a 15 y/o in high school. I really love how my pen writes (TWSBI mini, fine nib) it's just that I cannot really use it on some of the cheap paper that I have access to. Right now I have a deep purple Noodler's ink that bleeds quite a bit. I like the color, it is just that it bleeds a bit too much for double-sided assignments I must do. I did some reading about iron gall ink, which sounds great for cheap paper, but I do not want to risk my pen as it is just my second one. I use it every day so any quick advice would be greatly appreciated. One last thing, I would like to get blue ink, if there are any recommendations that fit the kind of ink I'm looking for. Thanks!
  25. QuantumMechanics

    Getting The Most Out Of Cheap Nibs

    Are there any reliable ways to make cheap nibs last? Do they handle converters better than cartridges, and/or do they need more diligent maintenance?





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