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Returning To Fps, Anything I Need To Know About A Vanishing Point?


memphislawyer

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Been kicking around returning to fountain pens. the problems in the past are that for other than maybe writing a letter at home, using one in my office is beset with problems. I may make notes to a file, sign letters, make a bank deposit, sign a pleading at court, and maybe a few notes in trial while a witness is being examined. I rarely write for more than 5 minutes at a time. I don't think ink capacity is going to be as crucial for me as other factors.

 

Wetness of the ink on paper: Someone said Noodlers inks dry faster. I like Private Reserve DC Super show as far as color, Montblanc Blue and Waterman Florida Blue. Any comments on what blue ink would work best?

 

Nib: I like seeing some line variation and had a pen once modified by a lady at Duke, but I did not write well enough to appreciate it. I may write a letter once every 3 months if that. Mostly I sign letters and make bank deposits or take some quick notes. I see that most Vanishing Points on ebay come with medium.

 

Grip: I guess I will learn how to hold it, I see some posts say it is a problem, maybe 20% of the people say so?

 

I have a Visconti Opera Club black guilloche ballpoint. Kinda too thin, as I sometimes might grip it too tight. I am told get the Pelikan 600 or 800 but now we push the price of the pen from $130 or so up over $220ish. I liked the Van Gogh Midi size a lot (the black guilloche opera club to me is thinner than the regular Opera Clubs). How does the Vanishing Point compare.

 

I want the carbonesque version I think, blue preferrably. Any advice on where to get a deal, just PM me. My options are ebay and perhaps Richards Pens I think (he has no blue carbon) but he tweaks the nib, if that is a deal. I dont think I will get a ground nib by him, that pushes the price up another $30 or $40.

 

Any thoughts I should know before I pull the trigger?

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Well......

for wetness issues, I would say Noodlers as well as PR are both inks in my experience that take a good while to dry, I like PR more than Noodlers, but if you plan on handing a document to someone you've just signed, it will likely get smeared.

 

I would go with Waterman or Pelikan, both dry rather quickly, and are very safe, time tested inks. Not the most expansive color palette, but more than sufficient for professional use.

 

Grip is very subjective, the VP will force you to orient the pen in the correct manner, I have owned them, and they are not an issue, you will get used to them in a very short period of time.

 

OK, now the the meat and taters.

 

for nib size preference it is most important that you buy a nib size above what you normally prefer, they run very thin, I like medium's and the broad fit the bill, I made the mistake on the first one buying a medium, and it was basically a true fine. As for where to buy, You will pay a bit more of a premium buying it for Richard Binder, but it will be dialed in as far as writing and flow. You can bid on an auction from seller Engeika and try to get a great deal, even his buy it now prices are pretty decent. He is an excellent seller, and within 2-4 days it will be in your hands from Japan, I have had several transactions with him.

 

Worth noting, the Carbonesque looks kind of "cheesey" up close, just my opinion, but in pics it looked much cooler.

 

The Pilot nibs write very nice, they tend to have a little squeak for a period of time, but I believe it will go away.

 

Happy Holidays and good luck.

 

David

 

PM me if you happen to get one, and let me know how the process went.

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David, thank you. I liked DC SUper show in Private Reserve and also Waterman Florida Blue. I think I like medium in Montblanc and Visconti Nibs I used, so I suspect Broad then in the Vanishing, but then again, some posts seem to say medium is medium even in the Vanishing Point. See, I read too much!!

 

And, I read a post that said some people prefer to use the cartridges? I dunno about that.

 

Found a seller offer two bottles of ink to go with the pen and if since he is out of the DC Supershow for the freebie, wonder if he would let me pay the difference and get two of the bigger bottles (adds about $3 per bottle for twice as much ink).

 

Engeika- seems to have all buy it nows and they are more than the seller referenced above.

Edited by memphislawyer
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They're nice pens, fairly heavy, with a large gripping section. If you have a traditional "tripod" grip (thumb @ 9:00, forefinger @ 3:00, middle finger @ 6:00) you'll be fine, the pens clip falls nicely between thumb and forefinger, the folks who have difficulty more than likely grip a pen differently.

 

They come with a nice 'springy' but not flexible 18k gold nib, the nibs are ball tipped (easy to write with if you're coming from a ballpoint), smooth and do not show significant line variation.

 

Japanese nibs tend to run a bit narrower than "western" nibs, Pilot Fine = Other XtraFine, Pilot Medium = Other Fine, etc.

 

The pens are nicely constructed and very handy for quick notetaking, despite the lack of a cap they seem not to dry out too quickly. Extra nib units in F/M/B are readily available for about $60.

 

I'd suggest Goulet Pens if you don't have a place in mind yet, they have great service, great pricing and a fantastic website. They're regular contributors here and really nice folks.

 

Cheers, Ted

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Ok, heavy. Can you compare it to say the Visconti line, or a Montblanc 146? I guess, quick notes, or 5 to 10 minutes, weight does not matter as much.

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If you can go a little higher in price the Decimo model is both thinner and substantially lighter, as well the clip is a lot less prominent in it's height and width, it's still got the quick click mechanism though.

 

Trust me a Medium Asian nib is in no way a medium in Western nibs.

 

Here is the one I bought from this very seller, a beautiful blue color too, no problems with the transaction.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pilot-18K-DECIMO-SLIM-Capless-Fountain-Pen-Blue-/290605598725?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a9718805#ht_717wt_1270

 

You have your choice in nib widths from this seller, if your a medium guy go for Broad and you'll be pleased with the outcome.

 

I'd say this is your best deal.

 

Good luck

 

David

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Here's my Namiki VP with an empty "M" nib inserted.

 

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae360/chc_hmc/NamikiVPWeight.jpg

 

Sorry for the quick shot from my cell.

See with what large letters I have written you with my own hand. GaVIxi

The pen is the interpreter of the soul: what one thinks, the other expresses. (MdC)

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David, thanks for that link. 1point, thank you for the picture. Anyone know how the Decimo compares to the regular Vanishing Point as far as weight and diameter? I am this close to getting one, maybe black or the matte black one.

 

As far as inks, maybe get Florida Blue by Waterman. I dont usually have a problem with notes getting wet, so bulletproof is not as much of a concern as faster drying or smearing or bleeding through paper, and even then, I will be using copy paper and letterhead 90% of the time. I do not write many checks thanks to automatic drafts and debit cards, so forgery is not as much of a concern either.

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If you want line variation, have someone like John Mottishaw at nibs.com sell you one with a custom stub nib. it will cost you a little extra, but it will have line variation, and be very smooth. think he might even have a used one for sale. After you get a custom nib, all the factory stuff feels sub-par.

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Ok, either a fine or medium, I just have to decide. I like a semi wet look and some shading characteristics.

 

On the refilling of the cartridges, how hard is that? What sort of syringe does one get (I have one I think from a Walgreens, but it has the big ole blunt end, more like an eyedropper for kids)

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Here's a quick writing sample of between the Namiki VP's F and M nibs.

 

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae360/chc_hmc/NamikiVPF_MWritingSample.jpg

 

Tried to take a clean shot of the Nibs up close but this is the best I can do with a cell phone.

 

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae360/chc_hmc/NamikiVPF_MWritingSample_ii.jpg

 

This one I posted in another thread if you've not seen it already.

 

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae360/chc_hmc/NamikiVP3BCiSampleWriting.jpg

http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae360/chc_hmc/NamikiVP3BCI.jpg

 

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

See with what large letters I have written you with my own hand. GaVIxi

The pen is the interpreter of the soul: what one thinks, the other expresses. (MdC)

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1m, thank you for that. Love the crispness of the fine nib in your pictures, but love the deeper color of the Medium nib. Oh what is this ditherer to do?

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1m, thank you for that. Love the crispness of the fine nib in your pictures, but love the deeper color of the Medium nib. Oh what is this ditherer to do?

 

:headsmack:

 

Buy 1 pen and 3 nib units: fine, medium and cursive italic!

 

:headsmack:

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I don't think you will have an issue buying a VP out of the box. Although I am sure there are examples, I don't think many need tuning. You can get more ink in a cartridge, but I prefer the Con-20 squeeze converter. The fine lines of Pilot pens means that even the smaller amount of ink lasts a very long time before it needs to be refilled. As far as ink, I would suggest you try Pilot or Namiki Blue. It isn't as intense as Florida Blue, but I like it and it does resist water, which may be an issue for legal documents and it is a very safe ink.

 

Dave

Edited by rdh
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Dave, Im not worried about legal documents. If a court pleading got wet, well, it would be in the courthouse and there would be more issues. I want more for me, than anything, and being able to tell the difference between a nice vibrant blue ink and photocopies.

 

Now, is the 20 the same one it comes with usually, or is that the 50? Some of the converters I see on ebay seem like they are clear. Is one preferred over the other?

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Now, is the 20 the same one it comes with usually, or is that the 50? Some of the converters I see on ebay seem like they are clear. Is one preferred over the other?

I'm assuming it's the 50 while the 20 is for the Squeeze Converter.

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/Pilot_Pen_Parts_s/956.htm

See with what large letters I have written you with my own hand. GaVIxi

The pen is the interpreter of the soul: what one thinks, the other expresses. (MdC)

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Mine came with the 50, which is a tiny piston converter. You can get the 20 for just a few dollars, or can ask the seller to throw one in for free. I think the squeeze converter is easier to use, but you can't see the ink levels. The flow of water and ink that it generates also is more forceful and thus flushes the nib and feed better when you use it. The pen also comes with a metal cap that slips over a cartridge, if you use one of those. If you use a cartridge without it, the push button smushes the plastic cartridge and eventually no longer works, or worse, breaks the cartridge and ink goes everywhere.

 

Dave

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:headsmack:

 

Buy 1 pen and 3 nib units: fine, medium and cursive italic!

 

:headsmack:

There's a "B" Nib on the way, but I'm also contemplating a Raden.

See with what large letters I have written you with my own hand. GaVIxi

The pen is the interpreter of the soul: what one thinks, the other expresses. (MdC)

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:headsmack:

 

Buy 1 pen and 3 nib units: fine, medium and cursive italic!

 

:headsmack:

There's a "B" Nib on the way, but I'm also contemplating a Raden.

 

Why not contemplate a maki-e? :mellow:

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