Default Does Anything Write As Wet And Smooth As A Waterman?

[cvac]

So I'm still getting used to my new pens, having mostly used cheap ballpoints for many years.

 

Right now I am a Lamy Al-Star and a Waterman Phileas. Both are using their own respective brands of ink, but the Waterman has a cartridge in it, whereas I'm using the converter in the Lamy. Both are medium nibs. When the cartridge in the Phileas runs out, I'll put some ink in the coverter from a bottle of Diamine Sapphire Blue.

 

I was at my girlfriends place over the weekend and showed her my new pens. She used fountain pens in private school abroad before college, so I was curious about her opinion. She said she much preferred the Waterman because it wrote a lot smoother.

 

At this point, I like both pens, but I'm not 100% sure if I prefer the drier flow of the Lamy or the wetter flow of the Waterman.

 

Does anything write like the Waterman? Or do most brands run drier?

[P.A.R.]

Are you referring to the inks or the pens? Different pens have different rates of flow and a pen will write differently based on the ink you put in it. If I'm not mistaken Waterman is on the wetter side. The whole wet-dry scale thing is not definitive though.

 

If you're looking for wet flow, there are several brands to choose from - the ones I've liked are Diamine, Private Reserve, and Noodlers (in about that order of increasing wetness, in most cases.)

[asaha]

I guess it is the Lamy ink which make the writing less smooth. I had mistakenly thought my L2K was not smooth and dislike it when using the Lamy black ink. Now my L2K is one of my top smooth pens with Noodler's HoD. I think I do not like Lamy ink. :roflmho:

[danahn17]

Are you referring to the inks or the pens? Different pens have different rates of flow and a pen will write differently based on the ink you put in it. If I'm not mistaken Waterman is on the wetter side. The whole wet-dry scale thing is not definitive though.

 

If you're looking for wet flow, there are several brands to choose from - the ones I've liked are Diamine, Private Reserve, and Noodlers (in about that order of increasing wetness, in most cases.)

I've also found Pilot Iroshizuku and De Atramentis to be on the more watery side.

 

If you're referring to the pen itself, I'd say there's some variation from pens of the same make and model too. I can't guarantee that if you were to buy another Waterman, it'd be just as wet and smooth as the one you use now However, it's my understanding that Sailor also has a reputation for smooth nibs (not sure about the wet part though). Of course, you can also get a nibmeister to tweak your nib too.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Actually, from my reading before,Waterman wrote some what dry, because of their some what wet inks.

Like Pelikan is some what wet because of it's somewhat dry inks.

The dry-wet pen ink combo allowed both to meet in the middle.

 

There use to be flame wars about Waterman's supposedly narrow nib vs Pelikan fat ones.

Came down to, Waterman had two nib sets, one a bit thinner and the other the same as Pelikan. :roflmho:

Pelikan also has two nib sets, but one of them is only for the 800.

 

Lamy ink is on the dry side. So put a 'wetter' ink in it.

 

I only had one Waterman, a Graduate(Their then cheapest---Safari), a chrome fingerprint trap I got rid of. The first pen I bought on Ebay, the first I sold. It seemed to write alright. I had though by the time I sold it become a semi-flex freak and it was normal flex.

 

One of my smoothest nibs is a steel Cross Townsend nail. In it is a nail I don't use it much.

My P-51 nail is smooth too, I do use it from time to time in editing.

 

I have many smooth or smooth enough nibs. The key is what is smooth enough for you.

Many a noobie gets caught up in Butter Smooth.

That is some times good to have; sometimes perhaps not, depending of what you want, what paper and ink you are using.

 

On better, smoother paper one don't want too smooth a nib.One needs a tad of tooth....to many noobies, tooth = scratchy.

One man's scratchy, is another man's tooth.

 

Some times though a pen is just scratchy. One checks the alignment of the tines with a 10-12 X loupe and adjusts it.

 

Or smooths it on a brown paper bag, cardboard box or a small picture frame and glass with water. Those are the least abrasive ways to go, before moving on to micro-mesh.

What is gone is gone, and costs $70 to re-tip.

 

Writing is 1/3 nib width and flex, 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink in that order.

 

A lot of people have used or do use a fountain pen and don't know much.

As a kid back in the silver dime era, I was one.

I still don't know a lot compared to some folks.

 

By coming here one finds out how little one knows ...even after years here.

 

it's fun learning though.

 

It's impossible to make binding judgments with only two pens. So don't worry about it excessively. Up to the girl said Waterman is better, you was quite happy.

 

Waterman has some high level pens, that according to the how much I spend on it must be better school of thought, would make them so.

Lamy has the 2000 as it's top of the line.

 

Some folks here their Safari nibs.

Others . Depends a bit on the luck of the draw.

In you had no second thoughts before that girl brought you doubts.

You could have had a good nib in your Safari.

 

 

I have a couple of pens on the dry side, a couple wet writers, but most of mine seem to fall more or less in the middle.

Edited May 14, 2012 by Bo Bo Olson

[georges zaslavsky]

waterman used to be something excellent before 1995, now it is nothing special

[patrickfp]

I was in the almost exact same situation when I bought my Lamy Safari with a medium nib. Prior to that I had been using a Waterman Phileas with a medium nib only for six years. I found the Safari nib to be too dry and skipping a bit. I ended up replacing it with a 1.1 mm nib and was more than happy especially because I also fell in love with italic handwriting. I wish I had try the nib with Waterman ink before throwing it away.

 

In my opinion, Waterman Phileas (M) is a wonderful writer. It's smooth, and it has a very good balance.

[CAG_1787]

My Waterman Phileas is very smooth, but so wet as to drive my extra fine proclivities to distraction.

 

I've heard that Watermans have become more unpredictable in quality over the last few years, due to changes in their manufacturing locations.

[lapis]

My Charleston is very wet and very smooth, but my Crest even more so (same nib widths with same inks on same papers)...

 

Mike

[Ghost Plane]

The Phileas writes a lot like more expensive pens. Try different inks in that Lamy to see if you can improve the performance.

 

If you like the Phileas, you may adore a Carene. It has an inlaid 18kt nib and is pretty sturdy. Most of the Italian pens will feel similar, only not as plasticky.

 

Get experience with different papers and inks before you get many more pens. Sounds like you started with a really good one.

[myn]

Love my Waterman Phileas. Sturdy, reliable and elegant.

[jslallar]

My Waterman Phileas is very smooth, but so wet as to drive my extra fine proclivities to distraction.

 

I've heard that Watermans have become more unpredictable in quality over the last few years, due to changes in their manufacturing locations.

 

And I thought the Parker had shifted places and Waterman stayed where it was in France?

Can somebody confirm this!

[Gcouch]

I love Waterman pens. They're my everyday writer of choice, wouldn't go to anything else. I like them because they wright wetter than most and are durable and have over all good quality. Go with Waterman and Parker Quink (I use this combo everyday)

[OldGriz]

Yes, many other pens

[dickydotcom]

Yes, many other pens

+1

 

My two Pelikans are both very wet writers.

Dick D

[Markk]

I guess it is the Lamy ink which make the writing less smooth. I had mistakenly thought my L2K was not smooth and dislike it when using the Lamy black ink. Now my L2K is one of my top smooth pens with Noodler's HoD. I think I do not like Lamy ink. :roflmho:

 

Totally agree. I put some ink other than Lamy and my Vista started to write quite nicely.

[Chris S]

My first real FP was a Phileas. Still use it everyday. I love this pen. I have tried a few different inks in it - never had a problem yet. Right now it's full of PR Ebony Green.

[Pfhorrest]

It all depends on the combination of nib, feed, and ink you are using. This is a very delicate balance that can change drastically even between identical models of the same brand. For instance, I had two Lamy Safaris in Medium. Optimal performance with the first was with Noodler's Black, and optimal performance with the second was with Waterman Black. These inks are quite different in composition, yet one pen preferred the latter while completely rejecting the former, and vice versa. This, with two factory-made nibs on the same model pen. Play around with inks and you'll find the perfect writing for any pen (providing it's decently made).