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  1. Ok, here we go....I am looking to purchase my first, and last, gold nib pen. The last pen that I will ever use. This pen will be my workhorse pen, as I will use it for journaling, I might even keep it in my pocket throughout the day. I'm looking to spend under or around $200. These are the pens that I would like to pick from: 1.) Waterman Carene 2.) Pilot Custom Heritage 91 3.) Karas Kustoms Ink (all copper) 4.) Pilot Namiki Falcon I would like to note that I'm NOT interested in any piston fillers, as I would prefer a pen that uses cartridges and converters. I enjoy carrying extra supplies and the rare instances in which I actually have to go to my Altoids can and grab my backup ink. I'm looking for a smooth nib, and I plan to write with a Fine or Fine-Medium nib. Here are a list of some of the pens that I currently own, that are decent writers to me: - Pilot Metro (Fine nib, Section is a little too thin) - Parker Urban 2016 model (current workhorse) (Medium nib) - Jinhao 911 - Jinhao 8802 (Pocket Carry) - Hero 901 - Parker Urban 2012 model (Medium Nib) (a little dry/resistant writer, but it feels nice in my hand) For some reason, I'm leaning mostly towards the Carene and the CH91. Has anyone had any issues out of the pens listed? Which one would be best for all-around heavy use? Thanks!
  2. I want to dip my toes into the TWSBI world but am really not sure what pen would be best for me. My current stable of pens comprises a mix of current and vintage pens: -Lamy Safari, Al-Star -Parker Vector -Duke 902 Fude -Kaweco Sport Classic and AL -Sheaffer Triumph 550 -Sheaffer Targa Lacques -Parker Vacumatic Debutante with flex nib What am really looking for, is to have a pen with a filling system other than cartridge and the looks of a demonstrator eyedropper -hence TWSBIs seem to fit the bill almost perfectly. I use my pens for two specific purposes; writing and doing calligraphy/ lettering with them. With this in mind, I was thinking of a transparent Eco, due to price and looks, but I understand that its nib is not as easy to swap as that of a Vac. Yet I'm not entirely sure that I want to spend $70 on the first plunge. What do you all guys recommend?
  3. Ok... first post, no idea what Im doing. If you dont want to put up with a Newby, stop here. This is probably an age-old post topic, but I didnt see one, so Im starting my own. Anyone willing to tolerate my ramblings and help/weight-in, would be much appreciated. I believe in the awesomeness of handwriting. I developed a love and skill for it when learning mechanical drafting in high school. My mom was a self-taught calligraphist (?) and her dad could fill a piece of blank paper with handwriting that made it look like it was college ruled. Anyway... I love the skill, art and value of it. And I believe your handwriting says something about you. (It crushes me that they barely even teach cursive in school anymore and place almost zero value on handwriting of any kind now that we live in the digital age) Initially, my weapon of choice was a 0.3 Pentel draftsmans mechanical pencil. Not $5, but under $40-50 pretty easily. As for pens, I settled on decent Uni-ball Micro slim black rollerball. Nothing special, but most people saw me as a pen snob for insisting on these. (Id rather stick a ball point in my eye rather than write with one) I knew about Montblanc pens in high school, but only could dream of having one someday. So here I am, 20 years later, ready to buy my first fountain pen. I know nothing about them. But as I mentioned, the idea of a Montblanc has always intrigued me. Im doing well enough that I can probably treat myself to the price of one as an occasion gift (birthday, Christmas, etc), even though 99% of the population would see spending that on a pen to be insane. (And admittedly, I still think its a little silly, but hey - its would be one of a very few endulgences I allow myself) - Side note: how in the world do people come to own 25-50-100 high quality pens?? That sounds like tens of thousands of dollars... I digress. My concern is this. Do I really want to drop $350-1000 on a pen when Ive never even used a fountain pen before? Im terrified that either, A) Ill damage it by not knowing how to use it, Ill drop it or otherwise break it, C) Ill lose it, or D) I just wont like it. So do I buy something else to mitigate the aforementioned risks? I dont want to buy a cheapie and get turned off from getting something better due to its quality. And, if Im going to buy a medium range pen, Id rather just spend a few more bucks and get the real deal. To make matters worse, I lose pens all the time. Granted, maybe I would keep an eye on a $500 pen, but then again, its not like I lose my current $2 rollerballs on purpose. And not using it is not an option. If Im going to buy it, Im going to use it - as much as possible. I guess it gets way more complicated from there - 149? 146? Limited edition? Nib size? (I do believe in one for writing, one for signing, maybe even one for printing, but Im also not ready to buy two or three just yet) And Im enthralled by the concept of Montblancs bespoke nibs. The handwriting analysis and custom nib option sounds too cool. Im also open to a used option, but know nothing about what, where, how or who that process involves. Long story short - any advice on purchase #1? I defer to the community of experts. Thank you.
  4. Hey there, I am using a Lamy Safari Medium and a Pilot Metropolitan Fine as my daily pens in my high school and am looking for a next level pen for myself that I particularly want to be in Gold nib (I have talked about why I need a gold nib in my introduction topic https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326436-help-for-next-level-fountain-pen-in-gold-nib/?do=findComment&comment=3904231). Now I want the pen to have a huge ink capacity as I want to start writing with Fountain Pens in my mid term and final examinations as well. Right Now I am considering Lamy 2000 for $185 (INR.12000) and Pelikan M600 for $295 (INR.19000) as these are some of the few piston filled options that I have which I can buy from my local pen store in New Delhi. Others are used Vintage pens like Sheaffer Imperial V Triumph Lifetime for $178 (INR.11550).
  5. Hello fellow FPN members!! After getting a few nice pens (pilot c74, platinum 3776, Laban Mento with Pendleton Nib...) I've decided to delve into a pen that really connects with me. I love Japanese pens as they seem to all be made entirely in-house and I love pens that are completely unique. I remember finding out that Bock and Yowo nibs were almost exclusively the nibs used in the West and my idea of Western pens falling a bit because of it. Don't get me wrong; they make great nibs! However, I'd like something a bit more... unique. So, I've narrowed my listings down to some insane grail pens that I absolutely want. They vary quite a bit in price but I'd like your opinion on what I should get. What I want is something with a soft nib, a very smooth writing experience and easily transportable to college. Because I will be bringing them to school, it would be nice to have a cheaper pen but I won't complain too much if it ends up being more expensive. I'd like to stay within a budget of $1600. Here are my favorite findings: Aurora Optima Auroloide ($495) Pelikan M800 ($609) Visconti Homo Sapiens London Fog ($796) Sailor King of Pen Pro Gear ($816) Danitrio Densho Shu-dame ($1040) Nakaya Decapod twist w/ 'sm' Two-Tone nib and Elastic Finishing ($1050) Namiki Yukari Royale Vermillion Urushi ($1200) I really love two-tone, beautiful and intricate nibs! Maybe even more than how the pen body itself looks at times Thanks for all further feedback!
  6. Hey guys I'm wanting to start collecting pens, I've found a nice montblanc 032p for sale and I'm considering purchasing it, the details that I have received are posted below Model: Montblanc 032P Construction year: between 1967 and 1970 Colour: black System: cartridge system Size: 5,11 inches Nib: 14ct goldnib in M size Condition: near mint condition Features and informations about this pen:You are bidding for a Montblanc 032P in black. This model was produced between 1967-1970. The pen is the same like the MB 32 but with a special sign at the end of the barrel. The nib size is M. The name Montblanc and the respective model number were always engraved on the cap band. Special on this model is the yellow point at the end of the barrel. This yellow dot shows that it is a cartridge pen. The fountain pen has no scratches or dents and comes in a near mint condition. What I'm trying to find out is what is a reasonable amount of money to pay for this pen,as I said I am new so ANY help would be greatly appreciated
  7. After being interested in fountain pens for a longer time now and having a few ones in my collection, I decided I want to get my first "really expensive" fountain pen. I checked many pens and did a lot of research for ones which excited me, and it basically boils down to the Andy Warhol and the new Rouge et Noir. Before I had some other pens in the race aswell, from Chopard, Cartier, Sailor and others, but the two from Montblanc were the most exciting to me now. I will be listing what are cons and pros for me, aswell as some general preferences of mine, and I hope you can give me some advice which pen you would pick or some points which I didn't think about yet. Keep in mind that I didn't try them out in person yet and will not have the chance to do so either, no shops in my area carry them. So, without further ado: http://www.fahrneyspens.com/Galleria/1/114724-Large.jpg Montblanc Rouge et noir (the new one) Pro: -I like the design of the pen. It's kind of classic but has an edge to it, it's not just plain "elegance" like the Meisterstück range are. I like that is has a bit more pizzazz, that's more of my style. -The pen is not that big. To me, I prefer my pens smaller. It has many advantages: It's easier to clip and fit in a shirt pocket, it's not overly flashy and doesn't feel like you're trying really hard (that's how I feel about the 149) and often it's also more light. The possibly reduced ink capacity doesn't bother me very much. Smaller things are also just more aesthetically pleasing to me. -The price. I know, it's a seriously expensive pen, but compared to the Andy Warhol, the price is a positive. It's about 200 bucks difference. - I really like the clip with the snake, I wish it had the green eyes on the non-LE though. For clarification, I am interested in the non-LE even though the picture shows the LE, I don't have that much to spend on it. The clip is still really cool though, even though some might not like it, I really really like it. -It's rumored to be only sold this year, so after this year this might be kind of an "exclusive", which is an idea that I would enjoy. I love rare things. -I find it interesting to match this with some snake leather goods (fake or real) for some outfits, I think you can pull an interesting look with that. Con: - While I like the fact that the star is on red ground on the top, I am not so sure about the size. The oversized logo is maybe a bit too much of offensive branding for me. -Without the cap on, the pen almost looks a bit bland to me. The nib has some cool snake design on it, but that's about it, most of the interesting design is captured in the cap. -There is no ink window. This hardly counts though, because afaik both of them don't have one unfortunately. http://s2.glbimg.com/LODD7jml86Zy7g5quE-KNh1lAOc=/smart/e.glbimg.com/og/ed/f/original/2015/12/03/andy-warhol-caneta-montblan.jpg Montblanc Andy Warhol Pro: -The design is fantastic. The oversized cap gives it a bit of a stocky look, it makes it cute and awesome at the same time. The color scheme is great and there are many great design elements to it. -Andy Warhol as an inspiration is good, and I love that they chose the tomato soup artwork for the cap, as that is the one I know and love the best. I love tomato soup in general, lol. The dollar on the nib is really nice aswell. -The montblanc branding on this pen is fairly minimal without being invisible, and it's probably one of those pens which not everyone who knows about montblanc will recognize. -Just want to mention the cap again, the cap is just amazing with everything about it. Although I believe that when clipped to a shirt, it might not look as flashy as the Rouge et Noir. -Definitely a Limited Edition, which will probably be worth something at some time in the future. I have no intention to sell it ever probably, but just knowing that I have something sought after feels good to me (yes, I know it sounds superficial). Con: -The price. They are both very expensive pens, but this is the more expensive one, with a sizable difference, not just peanuts. -The pen (especially the cap) is very heavy. When carrying it in a bag or something, that will be no issue, but I imagine that to be more uncomfortable and less secure when it's clipped to a shirt pocket. -The size. It is bigger, and I like smaller things. It's not exactly a huge pen, but a few more milimeters (I think 7 more in length when capped) can make it stick out from a pocket more and would make me a bit uneasier to carry it that way. Although I think the size will not be a big problem when writing with it, unfortunately I can't try it. Thanks for reading my wall of text and I hope you can help me decide!
  8. I've been quite dissatisfied with the nib of my Parker 51. It had some sort of a broad nib, maybe a factory oblique, maybe worn out, maybe ground by someone. We'll never know. I had two issues with it: This shape was probably never meant for left-handed use.The nib had a very narrow sweet spot and produced extreme skipping and scratchiness outside it.It was too broad for my taste.If you look at the pictures, you can see that it had this weird angled surface at the end of its tipping. That surface was the sweet spot. So I took the plunge and decided to do something about it. I went into an OBI shop to buy some grinding stuff - unfortunately, the finest they had was K1200. Anyway, I thought I'd experiment with more, so I bought a K240, K600 and K1200. I took off the hood (fortunately I hadn't sealed it yet) and took out the nib for a ride. K240 was useless, probably too rough to do anything to the nib. K600 was quite nice - I could very quickly grind away the angled surface and make the two tines equally large. After that, I flattened the top and bottom a bit, just enough to give a little line variation, but I wouldn't dare call it italic. At this point, the nib felt already better and didn't skip anymore. But it was very scratchy. I grabbed the K1200 paper and started to polish it. First I just stroked it on the grinding surface, then I inserted it into the collector and started moving it as if I was writing with it. Finally, I put together the pen, filled with some ink, and tested it. Then I polised some more, writing actual words on the K1200 paper. (Ink could be wiped off from it with just a paper tissue.) Here's how it looks: As a result, I no longer have any issues writing with it left-handedly. The nib has a new sweet spot which is much wider than before and now fits the way I hold the pen. I guess I could still make it even better if I had more patience and an even finer piece of polishing paper. Here are some thoughts for anyone that wants to try it at home. Only do this to pens that you wouldn't feel very sorry about, should you ruin the nib.Be very careful. You can't grow back what you ground off.You really don't need to apply much pressure.Grinding paper is probaly not the right tool, but it can do the job.The finer grinding surface you can use, the smoother your nib will be. Thanks for reading! If you have any advice on how to do it even better, I'm always curious to know more.
  9. Finally, I decided on my next pen and it is going to be a blue Esterbrook. Just a notch higher above my first acquisitions. The lure of thsi pen is remmebering it was coming when I was growing up, the nostalgia of it. The seller says says that the sac was replaced and the buyer has 100% good feedback (EB) in thousands of transactions so I expect I will not be disappointed. I read a little and I am also interested in the Osmiroid sketch nib. Hope there are some samples around here I can see and evaluate for the next move. Wish me luck and many writings! Now, what will be the next?
  10. markscamilleri

    First Fountain Pen

    Hi all! I've suddenly decided that I want to start using a fountain pen. I would like to know some pens that are great for beginners, but professional looking . I am a student, so chances are that when I am not using my computer, I would be using the fountain pen. Also, I don't know which is better, cartridge or ink (from the pot) and I appreciate help in that section as well. Thanks





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