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Hello all, So I just started a new job (yay!), and I'm trying to figure out the best pen/ink setup to use at work. I've been using my Lamy Safari with a converter filled with Diamine Bilberry. However, the way my desk/office is set up, I don't really have the space or desire to be storing ink bottles and refilling pens (I currently have a little sample vial in my desk drawer, but really, if I could avoid ending up with colourful hands whenever I run out of ink, that'd be helpful). I decided cartridges would be a better option, but...I'm not terribly fond of Lamy inks (aside from the bottle of Lamy Green that I keep around to fill a Preppy eyedropper marker), as they strike me as being kind of washed-out. So, to make a long story longer, I just ordered a Nemosine Singularity from xfountainpens with a .6mm nib and a box of Diamine Blue-Black carts from JetPens (no affiliation with either company). I'm wondering, though, what other folks love/hate in the cartridge world. tldr: I have and use bottled ink at home, but want to use cartridges in my office. A .6mm nib Nemosine Singularity and Diamine Blue-Black carts are coming my way. What other cartridged inks do folks recommend?

Hi~ I've done some looking online but I am quite unsure about this) I am new to Fountain pens and just got my Noodler's HoD ink yesterday (btw, loving it; but haven't received my Lamy F yet) Now, I filled the Preppy and thought "If I end up having to fill my Lamy at school, I don't wan tmy ink to get smashed". You see...My school isn't the best one, People break into lockers all the time and like to take things like that (glass bottle = smashed...or the'll try to get a buzz from it.) ---------- Can anyone suggest a cheap ink that I wouldn't care about as much if it was smashed? It doesn't matter what the bottle is made of (it can be glass), It just has to be a cheap black (picky teachers...uhg) ink that is low enough in price were even I (who is dirt poor xD) can have it in my locker so I can fill my pens in an "emergency" Sorry If this is an odd thing to ask but I really have little money to waste an dI may end up needing to leave a bit there sense I probably won't check the pen too often...

A question for the ink-masters around. I have used a quite dry ink in one of my FP's. Horrible and annoying to write with. I didn't want to work on the nib of the FP, since with more wet inks it does pretty fine. So I decided on treating the ink by adding some detergent. But i overdid it a little. Ooops. So now the ink is too wet. Not extermely, but just a little too much. Is there anything I can do to reverse my detergent-action a bit? The ink is very saturated, so if f.e. adding some water or other liquid (such as ....?) could be a possibility. But maybe that way I'm completely spoiling my ink. Does any-one has an idea?

Has anyone here come across a case of ink bubbling(?) through the breather hole while the pen is not in use? I've seen it happen to my pens over the past few days (we're having a heat-wave here in the Netherlands, and indoor temperatures have gone over 30C), and I was wondering if there's any cause for concern (gunk forming?).

Hey guys, I'm going to China for a few months this coming year, and I can only take one suitcase and one carryon with me. I cannot, for obvious reasons, be without my trusty Lamy Safari for this long, and so how best to transport it? Is it safe to bring it filled onto the plane with me, so I can write during that 12 hour plane ride? Or will it get ink everywhere? Can I write with it while airborne, or will the air pressure make it go all wonky? Also, how do I travel with ink safely? How do you guys deal with planes and pens? Whats the best way to pack them? Thank you!

Hello FPN, I'm posting on here because I really have no idea where to start - some of you are SO knowledgeable I'm hoping you can help! Perhaps this post can also be a reference for other people like me who are just getting started. The Background: I'm currently completing an internship / studying abroad in the United Kingdom, and will most likely be in Germany next summer for another internship. Being here has provided me with access to materials related to FPs that I have never experienced before. With that being said I'm originally from the North-eastern part of the United States, which is where I'm attending University studying Financial Economics with the intention to study medicine for my post-graduate studies. I received my first FP as a gift from my German friends when I was no older than 12 - at that time my FP hardly received any use at all. I always knew that I had it, but never used it because I was afraid kids at school would steal it, and I would be ridiculed for being different (both of those being highly likely). Coupled with my inability to easily procure ink cartridges in the U.S. and my complete lack of knowledge about converters, I also didn't want to "waste" my meagre ink cartridge supply. Regarding penmanship, I think I'm the only one of my friends that learned to write in cursive before learning to print! The first school I attended didn't teach "print" until the fifth grade. Naturally, as that was the first way I learned to write, and I find it quicker, I have always tended to write in cursive. My cursive however is dreadful, and it's something I've wanted to improve. Fast forward a few years to my recent past: After spending time in Germany last summer, the introduction to converters and, resulting from long hours during the school year, the means to procure what I wish - I'm now on a mission to expand my palate and understanding of the FP world. What I have: Pens - currently all of the pens I have are LAMY, because frankly I think (in my obviously biased opinion) that they are decent pens and if they happened to get lost I would not be worse for the wear. I have a LAMY: Studio, Al-star F, Al-Star 1,5, Safari B, My least favorite pen is the studio, for some reason I've never really liked it besides the day I bought it, and my favorite pen which I use constantly is the Blue Al-Star with an F nib Penmanship - a 5 book set off of Amazon that is supposed to teach me Spenserian. Paper Goods: only moleskin and basic writing paper. Ink - LAMY Black well ink, Noodler's Bulletproof ink What I'm looking for: Someone to point me in the right direction (hence the title). I would really like to improve my handwriting, and learn new fonts. I've read enough posts to understand that this is not a timeless task, and is probably something I will spend the rest of my life learning - which I'm fine with. To me it is something that is invaluable, especially in this digital world. With that being said, where does one start? Is it better to try and attend a class (are there even such things??) to learn the basics? Are there exercises people do? I'm also looking for someone to point me in the right direction for pens - I love my LAMY Al-star, but I think I'm ready to branch away from LAMY (or get a new one...) and begin understanding more about fountain pens. Clearly there are many old pens, new pens, weird, old pen makers and everyone on this network seems to have a ridiculously passionate opinion about everything they prefer about their pens. Nibs. Flexible nibs? Are certain nibs for certain papers? inks? pens? Are there nib guidelines? Do certain fonts require certain nibs? Are there nib-makers in this world? I'm not even sure what to ask for here because the extent of my knowledge about nibs is that they write differently and I like my LAMY F better than my LAMY B - and my LAMY 1,5 writes "cool". Inks - clearly my parents failed to educate me because until I started reading posts on here I thought there were ballpoint inks, gel pen inks, and the ink I had in my cartridges. Whoops. Does ink matter? Are there preferred inks for different things? How does one know what ink they like? I've noticed that all papers are not created equally. I will also admit that I was somewhat shocked when I learned that Moleskin had a horrible reputation amongst FP users. I now understand why (many of the reasons people seem to dislike their product are reasons I too have encountered - and ignorantly dismissed) people have definite opinions, but I frankly had no exposure to various types of paper where I lived in the States. What paper does one use for different things? Is there a standard weight that below which I should not ever buy? What about daily diaries, in both the European and American sense of the word? I've read things about Clairefontane (spelling?), are they the gold standard? So, if people would be willing to comment and tell me/show me where to find what I'm after I would be much obliged. I know that I have much to learn but I haven't found a thread yet that seems to address my questions and I'm tired of looking around and only getting a titbit here and a tad there. One last thing - I love getting letters, and that is where most of my time writing is spent. I often joke with my friends and family that I'm unloved if I check my mailbox and I don't have letters or that I am loved by so-and-so if they have sent me a letter. I'm not sure if that will help people answer my questions in a way that is more directed to me, but it might provide a little insight into my young mind.

Looking for a blue ink with a purple tint and a black ink with gold tint. Also needs to be non waterproof to make it easy to clean. Any ideas of nice inks that fit ?

I am looking for a bottled ink for fountain pens that is close in color and qualities to Pentel EnerGel black. I know those pens use a gel hybrid ink, so I am looking for something close. They are my favorite ballpoints, maybe tied with V5 Precise RT. I will be using the ink in a Lamy Al-Star EF. I have Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin, but there is no sheen, and it has a wierd green tone to it. I want pure black. I do not want India ink or carbon or pigmented inks. So which ink is closest to what I am looking for? Pure black is a must (no color undertones, not even gray), some sheen would be a bonus. I do not see anything in Noodler's line like that except maybe X-Feather, which I have had no experience with. I believe Bad Black Moccasin and X Feather are supposed to be the darkest Noodler's inks, despite HoD, so I would venture to guess that Noodler's is out. I have not tried Infinite Black by PR. I have heard good things, but not necessarily about its color. Does anyone have experience with Aurora Black or J Herban Perle Noire? Do they have these wanted qualities? Do you have any other ink suggestions? Thanks ahead for the input.

So I just got an Esterbrook J with a NOS 2668 (Firm Med.) nib, and I was wondering what the best ink to get would be. I currently only have bottle of black Parker Quink. I would like to get an ink that is on the cheeper side (I'm a student so I don't have too much money) and maybe blue or something? I read on another post that Esterbrooks write on the drier side so it would be best to get a wetter ink, I'm pretty new to this whole Fountain Pen thing/lifestyle so I don't know much about any of that either.

Just as the question says. To ink or not to ink?

Omas Green- on Rhodia dotPad N°16 paper- with a Lamy Al-Star, extra-fine nib- from a 2 ml sample Ink characteristicsFlow? No complaints. (average?)Lubrication? Average.Shading? Moderate.Spread? No complaints. (none?)Feathering? None observed on Rhodia paper.Saturation? Sweet spot. (medium?)Show-through? Very little—almost none on Rhodia paper.Bleed-through? None on Rhodia paper.Smear (dry)? No.Waterproof? No. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2834/8987881277_5d616e8ffc_o.jpgOmas Green by jakoblwells, on Flickr http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5341/8987883073_34c3162332_c.jpgOmas Green [back] by jakoblwells, on Flickr http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5458/8993124654_afb2823c50_o.jpgOmas Green [extra] by jakoblwells, on Flickr

This is a really fun greenish blue ink. It reminds me of what concentrated ocean water from someplace tropical might look like. It is like a mini Caribbean vacation in a bottle

I'm staying in Fargo, ND for 2 weeks. While I don't enjoy the city (I'm a small town guy), I did get brave and venture onto Broadway. I discovered TWO stores that sell the Noodler's brand, both on Broadway. One is Art Materials/Uptown Pen. It was mostly art supplies, but they were totally out of Ahabs and other Noodler's pens (too bad). They also had a tiny selection of Noodler's inks. To my surprise, they had quite a collection of pens: mostly Cross, Parker, and Lamy but also an expensive Yard-o-Led and Montblanc. There was also a selection of inks including Waterman, Parker, Cross, Pelikan, and some brand I don't recall. The other was Zandroz. It was disappointing with a handful of vintage pens in the case and 3 bottles of Noodler's ink (now 2 thanks to my time in the store). The owner of the store reassured me that the sister store in Sioux Falls, SD has quite a lot more selection. I was nice about it, but I need a reason to go down there beyond the possibility of some pens.

I'm looking for an ink the same hue as perrier et menthe, which is perrier with mint syrup. J Herbin has a hue named Diabolo Menthe, but it's not even close. http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/Untitled-1.jpg the colour of perrier menthe http://www.jherbin.com/images/diabolo_menthe.jpg the ink colour Clearly, two different colours. Does anyone have suggestions?

I am trying to get my fingers back in some semblance of controlling a writing instrument after (... a long time ...) of using only computer keyboards. A fountain pen seemed like a motivator to get going on this. I have a Baoer sonnett 3018, Hero 329 and Wing Sung 233. I purchased a bottle of Noodler's Bernanke Black -- the quick drying feature seemed to be a good idea for my note taking and some mathematical solving I do at work. And so far I have no complaints. The Baoer sonnett is easily the best pen, but I like the nib on the Wing Sung, gives a little finer line than the Baoer, but it does like to leak where the nib joins the section. I have a Nemosine Singularity with an extra fine nib in the mail. Here is a sample of a sketch I did yesterday. It is a old stump. My daughter, who is an architecture student suggested I first trace the outline of what I wanted to draw so that's what I did. The other 99% is freehand and might be about the second thing I ever tried to sketch in my life. Must've taken a couple of hours, I struggled with how to get the grain of the wood to show and came up with the light, short stroke idea. I tried different shading ideas in different areas, just playing around... So now I'm bitten by the fountain pen bug, and thinking sketching is a good way to get fine motor control working again in conjunction with the eyes-brain interaction. I will be getting Frank Lohan's book, "step by step pen & ink..." soon. The question I have for the brain trust here: Given I have two goals, first to use a pen more in writing, working math problems where I sometimes pause for a few minutes to contemplate the problem, and then restart -- what would be a good ink for that? I think the bernake black maybe dries up a little too quick on the nib and it takes a bit to get a line started again. Second goal is playing with sketching, which means less pause time between pen on the paper. I'm only interested in black ink at this time. Any sage advice? Thanks in advance. Here is the sketch. Done with Noodler's Bernanke Black, using mostly the Baoer Sonnett.

I just wonder what methods people use to fill ink. I assume most of you use bottled ink and some sort of converter, and here is going to be the big question: Do I have to dip my whole nib inside a bottle of ink to draw up like 2/3 of the converter's capacity? Or could I removed the converter and fill it completely without having a messy nib? The second way is how I usually do it, but keep in mind that I use the same ink in the same pen all the time. It draws up more ink and is less messier. The problem is that I never heard of anyone doing it like this, is there an obvious risk that I'm overlooking?

Greetings all! My name is Tracie Lee and I live in Buckhead, Georgia and I am a pen enthusiast and writer. I love everything to do with pens, paper, writing, ink, etc. I have a bunch of pens, but now I feel like I need to educate myself on the proper maintenance of my pens, the best papers to use for the different types, what inks are preferable, which nibs are better (fine, medium, broad), etc. I look forward to conversing with you on these and other topics.

Hey FPN'ers, I just made a post over on the G+ fountain page about making a case for carrying around four ink bottles to gage response, and one of the users made a really interesting suggestion. He said he wouldn't want anything the size of a actual glass bottle, but would want something more like the Goulet ink sample vials. I think his suggestion is awesome and would work with the design I already make for my pen cases. What I would like to know is how many ink vials would people want to be able to carry around with them? Also, if you would want a different type of marterial from the fleece/raw silk combo? I also think it would be worth while, if there are more than two ink vials, to include a strip of vynal type material above the ink vials so that users could write the ink name on a small label and place it there and easily remove/apply a new label when they change their regular inks. What do people think? Would anyone be interested in that? Cheers, Phil

Hey FPN'ers, I just made a post over on the G+ fountain page about making a case for carrying around four ink bottles to gage response, and one of the users made a really interesting suggestion. He said he wouldn't want anything the size of a actual glass bottle, but would want something more like the Goulet ink sample vials. I think his suggestion is awesome and would work with the design I already make for my pen cases. What I would like to know is how many ink vials would people want to be able to carry around with them? Also, if you would want a different type of marterial from the fleece/raw silk combo? I also think it would be worth while, if there are more than two ink vials, to include a strip of vynal type material above the ink vials so that users could write the ink name on a small label and place it there and easily remove/apply a new label when they change their regular inks. What do people think? Would anyone be interested in that? Cheers, Phil

Hi all, I was wondering if there was any difference in charicteristics provided by the modern production plastic feeds and the previous ebonite feeds fitted to the MB 146 and 149 range? Is the difference in flow etc. noticeable? Many thanks, Badger

Hi everyone from Turkey. As you know I am new here I am looking for a pen for good signature and I meet FPN while I was looking at information about my research at internet. I have got a no idea about pens, nib, stub, ink etc. I want a pen for usually signing maybe sometimes take notes or writing. but my priority is signing. So what is the best pen (roller, ball-point, fountain) for you? Of course nib size, stub, oblique or straight etc. Thank you very much

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if this is ink on the section of a Montblanc Starwalker Rubber/Metal fp. I asked the seller specifically about it and he could not provide more direct info, as I was wondering why it wasn't simply removed before selling: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300919548876 If it is something that cannot be removed (Noodler's golden brown ink?), then it would be better to know about it sooner rather than later. And my second question has to do with authenticity--sorry to be sneaking this in, since I know many people are tired of answering these kinds of questions! any help would be much appreciated. Does it look real or fake? And this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/261227387489?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 ? (I would get it in store rather than deal with ebay, but it's twice as expensive there...) In the first pen linked to, the rubber doesn't seem to have that nice textured/mottled look on the authentic Starwalkers, but it could be due to the bad quality of the photos. The seller provided a serial number for it. Otherwise, any comments or suggestions? I've looked at the guidelines on penboard.de...

Noodler's La Couleur Royale - on Rhodia dotPad N°16 paper - with a TWSBI Diamond 580, medium nib - from a 2 ml sample Ink characteristics Flow? Good flow. Lubrication? Above average. Shading? Just below moderate. Spread? No complaints. (none?) Feathering? None observed on Rhodia paper. Saturation? Medium-high; well-saturated. Show-through? Some on Rhodia paper. Bleed-through? None on Rhodia paper. Smear (dry)? No. Waterproof? No. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7365/9052004336_b5805cab4a_o.jpgNoodler's La Couleur Royale by jakoblwells, on Flickr http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/9052005732_9f7446ae06_b.jpgNoodler's La Couleur Royale [back] by jakoblwells, on Flickr http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3832/9049773315_912e9c3b58_o.jpgNoodler's La Couleur Royale [extra] by jakoblwells, on Flickr

This is my review for De Atramentis Vanilla. Before I start to talk about the ink I would like to apologize for the kitten paw prints on the review itself. On the other hand, my current batch of foster kitties highly recommend this ink This ink is just a wee bit dry with an extra fine nib, but I didn't notice that until I finished my written review.

After falling in love with several Diamine colors, I've decided to take the plunge and make a good sized order to Diamine in the UK. Being in the US, the markup on Diamine products is horrendous. For example, the best price I've seen in the US for 30ml amounts of Diamine ink is Goldspot, who charge $7 per with free shipping. If I buy direct, however, the cost falls to about $3.50 per with a shipping cost of $16 approximately. This puts the break even point for a UK order at 4-5 bottles. Obviously, it pays to bunch the purchase owing to the flat shipping rate from the UK and to buy more rather than less. My anticipated purchase size is about 12 bottles. After reading many reviews and trying some samples, I have my heart set on: Sargasso Sea Oxblood Eclipse Black-green Which leaves about eight bottles in play. I am hoping that the good people of FPN can help me fill out my order. I love deep, dark blues, shading, sheen, and non-smearing inks. Being a lefty, the last is an important quality. Slow drying is death to an overwriting lefty. I have a lovely Pilot Custom Heritage with a Falcon nib that works wonders at flex, so sheen is definitely a consideration. My plan is to choose based on the eight or so most popular responses. I am interested in the best in show, the Diamine colors that are exceptional examples of whatever color family they draw from. In the event of ties, I will favor greens, yellows, oranges, and browns, which I have fewer of than other colors. But, that being said, please give me your best in show opinion irrespective of my underrepresented colors. I will report back on what I order and provide some reviews on the ink forum as to my impressions. Thanks in advance for contributing to this most important project.