Carbon Copies Followup

[esquire]

Way, way back I posted trying to find the best fountain pen for carbon copies.

 

I finally got around to buying a Waterman Hemisphere after trying it out at the store on carbon paper. At the store, it seemed to work fine and the third page was legible. So I wrapped it up and took it to work happy knowing I finally found an FP for carbon copies.

 

The happiness did not last. At work, the third page was illegible. Even after I pressed hard, fearing for the life of the nib, the third page was barely legible.

 

Within a few days, I gifted the Hemisphere to a colleague as a token of my appreciation for his business.

 

And now I come before you with a resolution to find an FP suitable for carbon copies. My next test subject may be the Waterman Carene, or better yet, a Sailor Trident. If I can get my hands on one.

[Tsujigiri]

I got the Hero 70 off ebay after reading that thread, and that might be the perfect solution. A cheaper and more readily available Trident-type pen. Mine doesn't write well at all angles, but it does at the right ones, and I'm sure I could get it to work at all angles with a little grinding. You don't have to fear for the pen because it's not expensive, and it's made to be pushed hard.

[hari317]

And now I come before you with a resolution to find an FP suitable for carbon copies. My next test subject may be the Waterman Carene, or better yet, a Sailor Trident. If I can get my hands on one.

 

I have had excellent results with my Parker 180 F/B. I use it to fill six copy "stores requisition" forms.

 

Best,

Hari

[jar]

Way, way back I posted trying to find the best fountain pen for carbon copies.

 

I finally got around to buying a Waterman Hemisphere after trying it out at the store on carbon paper. At the store, it seemed to work fine and the third page was legible. So I wrapped it up and took it to work happy knowing I finally found an FP for carbon copies.

 

The happiness did not last. At work, the third page was illegible. Even after I pressed hard, fearing for the life of the nib, the third page was barely legible.

 

Within a few days, I gifted the Hemisphere to a colleague as a token of my appreciation for his business.

 

And now I come before you with a resolution to find an FP suitable for carbon copies. My next test subject may be the Waterman Carene, or better yet, a Sailor Trident. If I can get my hands on one.

 

Can I suggest you look backwards.

 

Carbon copies was an issue faced by the manufacturers in the 30's-60's until the advent of 'NCR' paper. Look for a Manifold nib pens, a classic Parker Vacumatic or Duofold, a 51 or 61, a Sheaffer Lifetime, Balance or realy Triumph nibbed pen.

[dpmahon]

Way, way back I posted trying to find the best fountain pen for carbon copies.

 

I finally got around to buying a Waterman Hemisphere after trying it out at the store on carbon paper. At the store, it seemed to work fine and the third page was legible. So I wrapped it up and took it to work happy knowing I finally found an FP for carbon copies.

 

The happiness did not last. At work, the third page was illegible. Even after I pressed hard, fearing for the life of the nib, the third page was barely legible.

 

Within a few days, I gifted the Hemisphere to a colleague as a token of my appreciation for his business.

 

And now I come before you with a resolution to find an FP suitable for carbon copies. My next test subject may be the Waterman Carene, or better yet, a Sailor Trident. If I can get my hands on one.

I use a fine point Parker 51 for carbons at work. Sheaffer pens made in the 1940's with the Triumph nib also seem to work best.

[FrankB]

I have had the best results on carbon paper with an Esterbrook with a manifold nib.

[mstone]

Way, way back I posted trying to find the best fountain pen for carbon copies.

 

I finally got around to buying a Waterman Hemisphere after trying it out at the store on carbon paper. At the store, it seemed to work fine and the third page was legible. So I wrapped it up and took it to work happy knowing I finally found an FP for carbon copies.

 

The happiness did not last. At work, the third page was illegible. Even after I pressed hard, fearing for the life of the nib, the third page was barely legible.

 

Within a few days, I gifted the Hemisphere to a colleague as a token of my appreciation for his business.

 

And now I come before you with a resolution to find an FP suitable for carbon copies. My next test subject may be the Waterman Carene, or better yet, a Sailor Trident. If I can get my hands on one.

Well, between this thread and the last thread several people have suggested looking for a vintage manifold nib. It is not the case that every nib that someone calls a "nail" will work for this; there's a big difference between "no flex" and "can withstand the pressure needed to write through several sheets of paper". I do not feel comfortable pushing that hard on my 51, or most of the pens I have--even with fairly rigid nibs. On an esterbrook manifold nib, however, you can push as hard as you want. I find a finer nib works better than a broader one for this. Another possibility is something like a hero 616 (like a 51, but only a couple of bucks so you don't have to worry so much about breaking it).

[haziz]

Hero 360 for $5 or 4 pens for $15. Writes beautifully.

 

http://www.isellpens.com/hero3.html

 

Sincerely,

 

Hany.

[mooshi]

Hero 360 for $5 or 4 pens for $15. Writes beautifully.

 

http://www.isellpens.com/hero3.html

 

Sincerely,

 

Hany.

 

SWEET! I was about to get this at cutepens for like 20 dollars or something. I can't believe isellpens has 'em on sale for $5.00USD!!! Thanks for the heads up!

 

-- Moo

 

[Tsujigiri]

Hero 360 for $5 or 4 pens for $15. Writes beautifully.

 

http://www.isellpens.com/hero3.html

 

Sincerely,

 

Hany.

 

SWEET! I was about to get this at cutepens for like 20 dollars or something. I can't believe isellpens has 'em on sale for $5.00USD!!! Thanks for the heads up!

 

-- Moo

 

Did you look for the Hero 70 on ebay? I was about to get the 360, until ZeissIkon wrote about a seller that lists Hero 70's up on ebay for bid with free shipping from Hong Kong. Not many people bid on them, so I got mine for $2.75. He got his for even less. It's the same nib as the 360, just a different body.

[Silvermink]

I'd also probably go for an Esterbrook with manifold nib. That's what they're designed for.

[ZeissIkon]

I got the Hero 70 off ebay after reading that thread, and that might be the perfect solution. A cheaper and more readily available Trident-type pen. Mine doesn't write well at all angles, but it does at the right ones, and I'm sure I could get it to work at all angles with a little grinding. You don't have to fear for the pen because it's not expensive, and it's made to be pushed hard.

 

Tsujigiri, try flossing the nib (from all four directions) with a piece of .001" shim stock. One of my 70s was a little reluctant to start, dry, and wouldn't write at "in between" angles; after I flossed it, it starts right up, writes through 360º of rotation, and while it's still drier than the other, it's not too dry for comfort.

 

Hey, the best thing about the Hero 70 is that, if you watch eBay for a week or so, you can almost certainly get one for a couple bucks including shipping from China. My two, together, cost less than $3.50, shipped. And I'd challenge any manifold nib ever made to write through more carbons. As a bonus, it's also a fountain pen you can hand to any BP user and they'll be able to write with it (no particularly position required), and can't hurt the nib short of dropping it on concrete (I'm not certain that would harm it). Also doesn't hurt that it looks nice...

[Tsujigiri]

That sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the tip!

[mooshi]

Hero 360 for $5 or 4 pens for $15. Writes beautifully.

 

http://www.isellpens.com/hero3.html

 

Sincerely,

 

Hany.

 

SWEET! I was about to get this at cutepens for like 20 dollars or something. I can't believe isellpens has 'em on sale for $5.00USD!!! Thanks for the heads up!

 

-- Moo

 

Did you look for the Hero 70 on ebay? I was about to get the 360, until ZeissIkon wrote about a seller that lists Hero 70's up on ebay for bid with free shipping from Hong Kong. Not many people bid on them, so I got mine for $2.75. He got his for even less. It's the same nib as the 360, just a different body.

 

Oh cooooool! I had no idea that there was another model out there with the same nib. Thanks!!!

 

-- Moo

 

[esquire]

Great suggestions. I think I'll try the Hero or Esterbrook with a manifold nib. I'd love to try a 51, but that Pen is a classic and I'd hate to ruin the nib on one.