New Fountain Pen, Need Advice

[Frank C]

Hello again, I have another question, but not about the pen. I have been doing all of my notes in a cheap notebook with rings and green lines. I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. It works, but it isn't exactly the best writing experience. Although it is a much better experience with my townsend. I was wondering if any of you know of a good professional notebook with quality paper.

 

I did a quick check on staples and found this: http://www.staples.c.../product_652466

 

Does anyone know how good that paper would be for a fountain pen?

 

I could always just get another one of my notebooks, but I figured now would be a good time to upgrade on the quality.

 

I purchased a Black n' Red notebook several years ago at Office Max. Yes, it is good paper for fountain pens. I always like Clairefontaine and Rhodia (paper made by Clairefontaine). These notebooks are made in France, a country where people use fountain pens. You can find them many places by doing an online search. They come in many sizes and formats. Lately, I've been using graph paper and dots, just for fun.

 

You may get tired of buying ink cartridges. Using a converter and bottled ink is much cheaper in the long run. Unless you end up buying 300 bottles of ink because there are so many interesting inks out there!

[JohnZ]

Hello again, I have another question, but not about the pen. I have been doing all of my notes in a cheap notebook with rings and green lines. I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. It works, but it isn't exactly the best writing experience. Although it is a much better experience with my townsend. I was wondering if any of you know of a good professional notebook with quality paper.

 

I did a quick check on staples and found this: http://www.staples.c.../product_652466

 

Does anyone know how good that paper would be for a fountain pen?

 

I could always just get another one of my notebooks, but I figured now would be a good time to upgrade on the quality.

 

I purchased a Black n' Red notebook several years ago at Office Max. Yes, it is good paper for fountain pens. I always like Clairefontaine and Rhodia (paper made by Clairefontaine). These notebooks are made in France, a country where people use fountain pens. You can find them many places by doing an online search. They come in many sizes and formats. Lately, I've been using graph paper and dots, just for fun.

 

You may get tired of buying ink cartridges. Using a converter and bottled ink is much cheaper in the long run. Unless you end up buying 300 bottles of ink because there are so many interesting inks out there!

 

Well, my local Staples carries the Black N' Red notebooks and I have heard good things in regards to bleed through with those. I have a lot of writing to do and I should have bought a notebook sooner. So, I am going to have to try one of those because I cannot wait for the shipping. If that turns out to be a bad purchase, I will look into a clairefontaine.

 

I may get tired of ink cartridges, but I do not see it happening soon. At the moment, I do not mind paying a little bit more for convenience and I cannot get adventurous with inks because I need everything to be blue or black.

[Frank C]

It sounds like you have made some good choices and are going in the right direction. If everything needs to be in blue or black, I'd be using blue-black.

[JohnZ]

It sounds like you have made some good choices and are going in the right direction. If everything needs to be in blue or black, I'd be using blue-black.

 

Thank you. As for ink color, I should have been more clear: I can use blue or black. I do not need both. I prefer black, so I just use black ink. I have used blue and blue-black in the past, but by the time I need a refill, I miss black. I just find black easier to read.

 

Update: the Black N' Red notebook I got is perfect. The outside and binding is nice and the paper is great. Ink drys fast, my fine nib makes a fine line, and no bleeding at all. I can write on both sides.

 

I am happy to say that all of my recent purchases have turned out to be great purchases. Thank you all.

Edited January 13, 2013 by JohnZ

[RMN]

Hi John

 

Cleaning after every two loads is indeed like changing the oil of your car after every two times at the pump. Totally unnecessary.

If you use cartridges with the same ink and write almost daily with it, I would clean very 6 weeks or so. That can be a light clean.

Furthermore do a thorough clean every time you change ink colours. the stuff that gives your ink it's colour might react with those of another ink.

And do a thorough clean if you take your pen out of use for a prolonged time.

You can leave your ink in the pen for a week or two. Perhaps you will need to start the pen again after that time by wiping a wet tissue over the nib.

The earbulb is a good idea for any brand of C/C fountainpen.

 

Storage: for a few hours: horizontal or nib up. For a longer period nib up. If you store the pen empty and clean store it any way you like.

 

Pressure: a good fountainpen will glide over the paper on only it's own weight. That is if you have the good hold at about 45 dgrs in the web between forefinger and thump. Do a search here on FPN on "grip of death"

 

Converters have a pro and contra. Pro: you can use them in the cleaning process, you can choose any ink you like.

Contra: you will need a bottle to refill, and the capacity is usual very small. Now this is no problem with the Cross as those cartridges are very small too, but as described you can ride one cart piggy-back in the barrel of most pens, and you can easily have a few spare ones with you. Changing a cartridge takes seconds. Changing a converter a whole hassle with bottles and wiping your pen clean and often having to scrub fingers.

 

 

D.ick

Edited January 13, 2013 by RMN

[JohnZ]

Thank you. I do have a death grip, but I do not apply any pressure on the nib. I just like to hold the pen tightly. I actually have a hard time using ballpoints now because I keep trying to write without pressure and nothing happens.

 

Update: I switched to the "tripod grip". Takes some getting used to, but it is much more relaxing.

Edited January 14, 2013 by JohnZ

[nickapos]

Thanks for the replies everybody. I never realized how big converters were. The suction mechanism and the part you twist take up a lot of space. It looks like the converter does hold more, but it is not a big difference. For now, I am definitely sticking with cartridges. I like the convenience of cartridges and I am not going to be getting creative with inks. I will be doing all of my writing in black ink and cross' black ink (I think it is actually made by pelikan) is perfect for me. Not the best ink in the world, but reliable enough for my needs.

 

A spare cartridge in the pen? Why doesn't the instruction manual mention that? That seems like something worth mentioning. I will have to give that a try.

 

Most FP's will hold two short international sized cartridges (I am not sure about the size of the cross cartridges, although from the other posts, I guess that it is about the same). Flushing is not necessary every day, however if you use cartridges you will see gradually the ink in the nib getting thicker and thicker. So every two weeks or once a month flushing is a good idea.

If you use a converter do not worry about flushing if you are using the pen frequently and with the same ink.

The action of filling from a bottle, cleans any dried ink residue that is left in the pen.

That is why in various Parker FP usage instruction leaflets, it is suggested to fill and empty the converter about 3 times.

That way you get more ink in your converter, and clean your pen at the same time, without even realising it.

[nickapos]

double post. sorry

Edited January 14, 2013 by nickapos

[JohnZ]

Thanks for the help everyone! I do not think I will need any more advice regarding the pen now that I have a great pen, good ink, and a great notebook. I'm off to the handwriting section for general improvement and to work on my grip.

 

Update: After seeing how quickly I go through cartridges and calculating that one $8 bottle of Cross (pelikan) is the equivalent of about 7 $5 packs of cartridges, I have decided that in the near future I will be ordering a green converter and a bottle of black ink.

 

This leaves me with one more quick question. As you guys have said, always clean the pen when changing inks. So, if I go from a black cartridge to a black bottle of cross' rebranded ink, do I need to clean it?

Edited January 14, 2013 by JohnZ

[swright007]

This leaves me with one more quick question. As you guys have said, always clean the pen when changing inks. So, if I go from a black cartridge to a black bottle of cross' rebranded ink, do I need to clean it?

 

If it is the exact same type ink I would say no you wouldn't. However, if it is by a different company or a different shade of black by the same company, then the inks will be different and you wouldn't want to mix them and possibly take away from the intended ink's appearance on paper. I think you will enjoy using a converter and there are lots of amazing ink shades out there. I just today ordered Noodlers "54 Massachusetts". It is a blue-black ink that is water resistant.

 

Scott

[JohnZ]

Thank you once again Scott. I thought for sure that I would be a cartridge only guy, until I realized my ink consumption. I would spend around $50-60 a year in ink cartridges. Do you know how greatly that changes with bottles? That number drops to about $16. Taking another minute or two to refill suddenly does not seem like such a sacrifice. I still do not think I will get that creative with inks, but I could see myself investing in a very nice bottle of ink further down the road.

[RMN]

Hi John

 

AFAIK the ink in the catridges is from a different supplier than the bottles. I think the bottled ink is Pelikan ink. I don't remember who supplies the carts.

 

 

D.ick

[JohnZ]

Okay, thanks. I'll clean it before using the converter.

 

One more thing: after filling the converter, what do you use to wipe the nib with?

Edited January 15, 2013 by JohnZ

[nickapos]

I use a paper towel.

 

Keep in mind that there are companies that sell ink in larger containers than the usual 60ml you may find in a stationery shop. In the end with these containers your ink may come even cheaper than the average bottle.

 

I will not supply links because there are a lot of options so it would be best for you to do your own research and choose what suits you best.

Also check out Indian inks. They are very affordable.

[JohnZ]

Okay, I wasn't sure if I needed to use a cloth or just a paper towel.

 

Yes, I know they can come in very big sizes. The largest I have seen is 130ml. I think 60mL is perfect though. I can easily fit a 60mL bottle in my desk drawer. Since I am ordering the converter through cross, I am just going to get one of their bottles with it. The Pelikan ink they use is reliable and good quality. I am not going to buy premium inks until I have used my pen more and I know what I want in an ink.

[nickapos]

Cool. Enjoy your pen!

[JohnZ]

Well, another cartridge ran empty today and since my converter and ink will be here tomorrow, I decided to clean it. My nib section is wrapped in paper towels inside of a mug as I type this. I was going over the process of filling a converter and it is pretty straight forward: Put converter in pen, twist counter-clockwise, dip nib in ink, twist clockwise, and wipe nib.

 

Now, my question is about the dipping process itself: How much of the nib is being dipped? I want to make sure I do not get too much air, but I also do not want to be cleaning my entire gripping section. Also, it says to hold the pen by the converter and twist. The converter is tight enough that the nib section will not fall off into the bottle?

[Frank C]

Well, another cartridge ran empty today and since my converter and ink will be here tomorrow, I decided to clean it. My nib section is wrapped in paper towels inside of a mug as I type this. I was going over the process of filling a converter and it is pretty straight forward: Put converter in pen, twist counter-clockwise, dip nib in ink, twist clockwise, and wipe nib.

 

Now, my question is about the dipping process itself: How much of the nib is being dipped? I want to make sure I do not get too much air, but I also do not want to be cleaning my entire gripping section. Also, it says to hold the pen by the converter and twist. The converter is tight enough that the nib section will not fall off into the bottle?

 

"Put converter in pen, twist counter-clockwise, dip nib in ink, twist clockwise" --After I submerge the nib, I twist the converter up and down three or four times in order to fill the feed with ink. You will see the level of ink rise in the converter each time you do it. Most people drip out about three drops back into the bottle so the pen is less like likely to drip.

 

"How much of the nib is being dipped?" --There is usually a vent hole on the feed near the section. This must be submerged in order to suck up ink. You should immerse part of the section into the ink in order to fill it. I often run a little water on the section after filling in order to facilitate cleaning it.

 

"Also, it says to hold the pen by the converter and twist. The converter is tight enough that the nib section will not fall off into the bottle?" --I have never had a section fall off a pen. If it were that loose, you wouldn't want to use it; it would leak like a sieve!

 

Glad to see you decided to go this route. It is what most fountain pen users do. I actually prefer pens that use a filling system other than c/c.

 

WARNING: You will get ink on your fingers! This is part of using a fountain pen. Some inks are removed with hand soap, some aren't. I have found that the process shampooing my hair removes any ink from my hands.

 

I hope this helps; Good Luck!

[JohnZ]

Well, I have some bad news. I got my ink and my converter today, but after multiple attempts I could not get the converter to fill with ink. I even cleaned the pen twice and spent 2 hours on it. After awhile I found the problem... The converter has a crack in the plastic. That crack is all it took to destroy any chance of creating a vacuum it looks like. I filled the converter with water and sure enough, the water seeped through the crack. It looks like I will be contacting cross to get a replacement.

 

On the plus side, I am happy that my pen was not the problem and I still have cartridges to use in the mean time.

 

Thanks for the advice Frank.

[Frank C]

Well, I have some bad news. I got my ink and my converter today, but after multiple attempts I could not get the converter to fill with ink. I even cleaned the pen twice and spent 2 hours on it. After awhile I found the problem... The converter has a crack in the plastic. That crack is all it took to destroy any chance of creating a vacuum it looks like. I filled the converter with water and sure enough, the water seeped through the crack. It looks like I will be contacting cross to get a replacement.

 

On the plus side, I am happy that my pen was not the problem and I still have cartridges to use in the mean time.

 

Thanks for the advice Frank.

 

Sorry to hear about that. At least the crack manifested itself before the converter was full of ink! That would have been a mess. I'll be waiting to hear about your new converter. FYI, I have tested a few converters by occluding the opening with my finger while twisting the plunger back. You can see if it will pull a vacuum that way. Sometimes you have to wet your finger to get a seal.

 

Chances are good it wasn't your pen, because it works fine with the cartridges. I do admire your pertinacity; most people would have given up well before two hours.

 

Best of luck,

 

Frank