fountain pen and left handed

[Latro21]

i have a medium pilot knight, medium waterman phileas and sheaffer viewpoint calligraphy pen, loaded with namiki blue, waterman florida blue, and sfeaffer skrip red, respectively. i write directly across, or sometimes i turn overwriter, but most of the time i push the pen across the paper, with the papers bottom edge squared to me. i usually end up turning and angling the pens every which way while writing and have been amazed at just how smooth these write.

 

i have zero problems with the knight and namiki ink with smudging since the pen puts down the perfect amount of ink, and the namiki ink dries nearly instantly.

 

since the phileas has a wider nib than the knight and writes a little wetter, the ink takes a tiny bit longer to dry, but i still have no problems with smearing.

 

with the viewpoint, currently im using the fine calligraphy nib, and it writes quite wet, but still i dont have to worry about smearing the ink with normal writing. even with the shape of the nib it writes very smoothly at all angles.

 

i also have a parker "21" with a fine nib and it also writes excellently and puts down a perfect amount of ink for me with great smooth writing. i need to get some more ink so i can do some more writing with this pen.

 

basically, as long as your nib isnt scratching and digging into the paper, and your ink is drying before your hand moves over it, you have nothing to be concerned about. a scratchy nib can be adjusted, and ink can be changed.

[southpaw]

Another leftie underwriter here who enjoys a variety of nibs, although a regular old fine is my preference for daily writing. I have used stubs, italics, and flex nibs. For italics, I do like a left-footed oblique.

 

As to fast drying inks, R&K, Waterman, Diamine, J. Herbin, Pilot, Pelikan, Noodlers waterproof inks (especially the Swisher and Swishmix ones), and Visconti work well for me. Noodlers regular inks tend to be a bit slower, and PR inks are also slow. Aurora is a medium on dry time ime, as is Lamy.

[veganmark]

Richard,

 

I'm replying to this post of yours as a lefty to correct you on your statement. There are indeed left-handed fountain pens. These are pens designed exclusively for left handed folks, like myself. Often they have a rounded tip or a small ball in the nib that allows the ink to flow to the paper smoothly without drag. Several pen manufacturers make pens for southpaws including Parker, Inoxcrom, Pelikano, and Ted Lapidus. All one has to do is to venture over to http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk and look at their small but nice collection of lefty pens and you will realize, very quickly, that your statement no longer holds true.

 

Mark

 

(Reposted from another thread)

 

Okay, gang, <b><i>lissen up!</i></b> There is no such thing as a left-handed pen. Got that? GOOD!

 

Some lefties, as do some righties, work best with a straight italic. Some lefties, as do some righties, work best with a eft-foot oblique italic. Some lefties, as do some righties, work best with a right-foot oblique italic. It all depends on how you hold your arm, hand, and pen in relation to the paper.

 

As for flex, this exemplar (from my site) was created <i>ex tempore</i> (on the spur of the moment, for you non-Latin-junkie types) by my friend Deborah Basel, a professional calligrapher who just happens to be a leftie.

 

<img src="http://www.richardspens.com/images/site/flex_db.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

 

Deborah is an underwriter, but I know at least one overwriter who has figured out a very effective workaround to the "lefties can't use flex" maxim

 

In short, do not let anyone tell you what you can or cannot do with a pen. Explore for yourself.

[OldGriz]

Richard,

 

I'm replying to this post of yours as a lefty to correct you on your statement. There are indeed left-handed fountain pens. These are pens designed exclusively for left handed folks, like myself. Often they have a rounded tip or a small ball in the nib that allows the ink to flow to the paper smoothly without drag. Several pen manufacturers make pens for southpaws including Parker, Inoxcrom, Pelikano, and Ted Lapidus. All one has to do is to venture over to http://www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk and look at their small but nice collection of lefty pens and you will realize, very quickly, that your statement no longer holds true.

 

Mark

 

Sorry Mark I don't agree with your opinion on left handed pens...

 

I would suggest you read the following articles on Richard Binder's site. Richard knows more about nibs and pens than anyone I know... and his wife is a left handed fountain pen user.

Fountain Pens for Lefties and Special Nibs for Lefties

I sat in on a "I must have a left handed pen discussion" between Richard and another fountain pen user... Richard tried to make the person understand there is no specifically made left handed nib

Richard finally asked him to test 5-6 different pens.... including his wife's pen..... the person finally said one was absolutely perfect and must have been Barbara's pen... it was not... it was just one of the Pelikan pens with a standartd nib that Richard had on site so that people could test different nib widths.....

 

As for your comment about comment "Often they have a rounded tip or a small ball in the nib that allows the ink to flow to the paper smoothly without drag"... All fountain pens have a tipping of hard material at the end of the nib. The tipping on a fountain pen nib is not to allow ink to flow (that is done by the slit, and geometry of the feed), but does allow the nib to flow smoothly and not wear out.

I looked at the pens you mentioned on the website and every one of them is a standard model by the company and not a special model developed for left handed people...

Anythinglefthanded.co.uk is just selling them as left handed pens....

You will see some pens that have left or right handed oblique nibs, but the general concensus is that they are not for a specifically right or left handed writer... an oblique nib is for someone who rotates the pen when writing and depend on the direction of rotation will need a left or right handed oblique nib.

[Carrie]

Many years ago I bought a Parker which was packaged as a lefthanded pen. I now know that it had an oblique nib. I'm a leftie overwriter, I couldn't for the life of me get that pen to write properly, it skipped more than it wrote. Simple answer is that although I rotate the pen, I don't need an oblique nib, in fact, I can't write properly with one. It may well be that pens advertised as lefthanded ones will suit some lefties, but they won't suit all.

[wrath186]

I'm left handed and have never had a problem with FP's or inks. I do overwrite most times, though. Noodlers, Diamine, Mont Blanc and Sailor inks have never given me a problem with smearing or ink in my shirt cuffs. I generally use a medium to broad nib on all of my pens. What I have found is that fine or extra fine points can sometimes pierce the paper I'm writing on. That seems to be the only issue I have with FPs, but YMMV.

 

Hope this helps.

[Bill Smith]

I am a left handed overwriter wondering what all the fuss is about.

[SidandNancy]

Interesting! :hmm1: I wondered if there was such a thing as a left handed FP (being a lefty). Perhaps left handed FPs are just a gimmick. I think I'm an underwriter (I'm assuming that an over writer is a lefty who twists their wrist around to avoid smudging as they write?). Like Chris Chalmers, I turn the paper towards the right, so instead of writing left to right, I write vertically, and don't have any smudging problems. As long as the pen is new, I can usually write with any type of nib - F, XF, M. I have found however, that with used pens (and this could of course just be a co-incidence with the pens I have purchased and no real basis in the science of FPs), that I need to have at least a medium nib. Fine nibs on used pens just don't seem to work for me. Any ink is great, but from a cleaning perspective, I find that purple coloured inks are a right royal pain to clean out of the pen. There's my lefty five cents, for what it's worth!

Edited June 1, 2010 by SidandNancy

[Parse Error]

Don't worry about it. When I got my first pen, it's more of a question of writing slow enough for the ink to dry... this isn't a question anymore but the only time that you have to be careful is when you write with an extremely wet pen or ink that takes forever to dry.

 

Otherwise, you'll get used to almost anything.

[coyotewhisper]

I am a left hander myself. I find the issue is not such much the nib, it's the ink. Ink with a fast drying time, that is a smudge proof as possible. I agree with Richard, there is no such thing a left handed fountain pen. The myth is left handed people should not use a fountain pen. I have been told this by a couple major pen retailers. That is what it is a myth. I proud to be left handed proud to write with a fountain pen. My nib preference is a fine nib, my ink preference is J Herbin or Diamine. I find for me personally that broad nib that puts down a wetter line does not work well for me. Do not listen the stories. Enjoy using your fountain pen, be proud of being part of the 10% of an elite group that is left handed.

[GDR]

I have tried to use fountain pens on and off for nearly thirty years and have not been successful in finding one that I can use. I am I guess what people on this forum would call an 'overwriter' and I write 'away' from myself, tilting the paper or note pad at an angle. When I write the pen travels in a North Easterly direction (if i can put it that way!)

 

I'm not aware that my writing style is unique, I'm sure it isn't, but every pen I've had has failed me. Mostly these have been mid range Parkers and Watermans. My problem is not with smudging the ink, the position of my hand avoids this naturally when I write. No, my problem is that all the fountain pens I have tried dry out on me as I write. The amount of ink that is put down on the page gets fainter and fainter until the ink flow is practically choked off all together. I have tried things like trying not to hold the pen too upright and not pressing on etc. None of these things have worked. If any one suggests writing under the page like a left handed 'underwriter' you may just as well suggest I write with my right hand. I can't do it and my handwrting looks awful that way.

 

I have seen a left handed page on this site demonstrating a number of different left handed writing positions, and all of these people apparently writing just fine with fountain pens. That amazes me because I am now pretty much convinced that the fountain pen only really functions properly for right handed people, only the way they use it allows for the proper flow of the ink. Left handed underwriters write in a similar way and I can see how fountain pens work for them too, but not us left handed overwriters.

 

Pens that have nearly worked for me, or performed better than most, are the Parker Frontier (a good cheap pen no doubt for right handers)and briefly I thought I had found the holy grail with the Pelikano Junior fountain pen. Utimately however, whilst these have worked better than most, the nibs do not stay wet and I could not use either of these pens for other than the odd paragraph or to sign birthday cards.

 

Having read great things about the Lamy Safari I recently purchased one with a 'Left Handed' nib. I liked the look and feel of the pen, I allowed myself to become hopeful as I waited for the pen to arrive in the post. Alas, it was inferior to the off the shelf Parker Frontier and unlike with the Pelikano it was obvious from the strart I couldn't use it. It was a dry writer (for me) and skipped infuriatingly.

 

So, I guess that is why I have joined this network. I suppose I'm hoping for a miracle, some advice that will deliver to my yearning left paw a nice fountain pen I can use and treasure. Or is what I suspect true, that the only left handed overwriters who can use fountain pens are those with some peculiar lucky kink in their style that works with a nib?

[GDR]

I am a left hander myself. I find the issue is not such much the nib, it's the ink. Ink with a fast drying time, that is a smudge proof as possible. I agree with Richard, there is no such thing a left handed fountain pen. The myth is left handed people should not use a fountain pen. I have been told this by a couple major pen retailers. That is what it is a myth. I proud to be left handed proud to write with a fountain pen. My nib preference is a fine nib, my ink preference is J Herbin or Diamine. I find for me personally that broad nib that puts down a wetter line does not work well for me. Do not listen the stories. Enjoy using your fountain pen, be proud of being part of the 10% of an elite group that is left handed.

 

Hi. What reason did these retailers give for advising left handers should not use Fountain pens?

[dexaco]

I'm a lefty underwriter who has been using fountain pens for over fifty years. I turn the paper to the right, somewhere between 30 and 45 degrees - it can vary depending on how much space I have! Most of my pens have "normal" nibs and I don't have any problems with them. In terms of "special" nibs, I have the Lamy 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9 italic nibs, and reground all three of them to left-oblique. In use I rotate the pen with one of those nibs fitted to the left. I also have a Parker Slimfold (UK-made, 1960s) which has a soft, left-oblique stub nib which is lovely to write with, the only problem being that the pen is a tad on the small side. Again, I rotate that pen slightly to the left, as I do with my Lamy Studio with OB nib. All of my other pens, those with standard nibs, I hold square-on to the paper, for want of a better term - no rotation.

 

As for ink, most of my pens are filled with Diamine ink. A couple of the Lamys have Lamy cartridges, and a couple or three of my Parkers (Vector, Reflex) have Parker cartridges. Ink isn't an issue for me.

 

Derick

[lefty928]

I have tried to use fountain pens on and off for nearly thirty years and have not been successful in finding one that I can use. I am I guess what people on this forum would call an 'overwriter' and I write 'away' from myself, tilting the paper or note pad at an angle. When I write the pen travels in a North Easterly direction (if i can put it that way!)

 

I'm not aware that my writing style is unique, I'm sure it isn't, but every pen I've had has failed me. Mostly these have been mid range Parkers and Watermans. My problem is not with smudging the ink, the position of my hand avoids this naturally when I write. No, my problem is that all the fountain pens I have tried dry out on me as I write. The amount of ink that is put down on the page gets fainter and fainter until the ink flow is practically choked off all together. I have tried things like trying not to hold the pen too upright and not pressing on etc. None of these things have worked. If any one suggests writing under the page like a left handed 'underwriter' you may just as well suggest I write with my right hand. I can't do it and my handwrting looks awful that way.

 

I have seen a left handed page on this site demonstrating a number of different left handed writing positions, and all of these people apparently writing just fine with fountain pens. That amazes me because I am now pretty much convinced that the fountain pen only really functions properly for right handed people, only the way they use it allows for the proper flow of the ink. Left handed underwriters write in a similar way and I can see how fountain pens work for them too, but not us left handed overwriters.

 

Pens that have nearly worked for me, or performed better than most, are the Parker Frontier (a good cheap pen no doubt for right handers)and briefly I thought I had found the holy grail with the Pelikano Junior fountain pen. Utimately however, whilst these have worked better than most, the nibs do not stay wet and I could not use either of these pens for other than the odd paragraph or to sign birthday cards.

 

Having read great things about the Lamy Safari I recently purchased one with a 'Left Handed' nib. I liked the look and feel of the pen, I allowed myself to become hopeful as I waited for the pen to arrive in the post. Alas, it was inferior to the off the shelf Parker Frontier and unlike with the Pelikano it was obvious from the strart I couldn't use it. It was a dry writer (for me) and skipped infuriatingly.

 

So, I guess that is why I have joined this network. I suppose I'm hoping for a miracle, some advice that will deliver to my yearning left paw a nice fountain pen I can use and treasure. Or is what I suspect true, that the only left handed overwriters who can use fountain pens are those with some peculiar lucky kink in their style that works with a nib?

 

I switched to writing underhanded a few years ago (very happy that I did this), but until then I was an overwriter. Sorry to hear about your troubles, but I do wonder if it's the position of your hand. I say this because I had no difficulties writing with a fountain pen as a child, teenager, and twentysomething. Several years ago, however, I did start having trouble writing not only with fountain pens, but with rollerballs. As you describe, the pen would dry up or skip. Even some brands of gel pen would dry up on me, even though I tried holding the pen at different angles. I just avoided rollerballs. It took me an embarrassingly long while to realize that somehow my hand position had evolved over several years from a fairly straight but overwriting position to what I used to deride as "a hook." I attribute it to work stress over the years! You might just observe your hand position, then experiment with small adjustments in the way you hold your hand to see if you can both maintain your comfort, yet increase flow. At any rate, hope you do eventually find a pen that works for your writing style.

[pajaro]

OMG, look at all the smart people who are lefties! Almost like the time I sat down to dinner in a restaurant with three friends and we noticed we were all lefties.

 

I am a lefty, primarily an over-writer, but also under-write. I have several MB 144s, a Generation, a 31 and have used 146s and a 149 in the past. No issues writing with them. I have had a few of these 144s for over 20 years.

 

I did try a couple of Pelikan obliques recently. M1000 OM, O3B and M400 OM, all give the interesting result that if I twist them to normal for an oblique they write M or 3B, but if I rotate them to the usual orientation for a pen they write a finer line. It seems obvious. Just an observation.

[GDR]

I have tried to use fountain pens on and off for nearly thirty years and have not been successful in finding one that I can use. I am I guess what people on this forum would call an 'overwriter' and I write 'away' from myself, tilting the paper or note pad at an angle. When I write the pen travels in a North Easterly direction (if i can put it that way!)

 

I'm not aware that my writing style is unique, I'm sure it isn't, but every pen I've had has failed me. Mostly these have been mid range Parkers and Watermans. My problem is not with smudging the ink, the position of my hand avoids this naturally when I write. No, my problem is that all the fountain pens I have tried dry out on me as I write. The amount of ink that is put down on the page gets fainter and fainter until the ink flow is practically choked off all together. I have tried things like trying not to hold the pen too upright and not pressing on etc. None of these things have worked. If any one suggests writing under the page like a left handed 'underwriter' you may just as well suggest I write with my right hand. I can't do it and my handwrting looks awful that way.

 

I have seen a left handed page on this site demonstrating a number of different left handed writing positions, and all of these people apparently writing just fine with fountain pens. That amazes me because I am now pretty much convinced that the fountain pen only really functions properly for right handed people, only the way they use it allows for the proper flow of the ink. Left handed underwriters write in a similar way and I can see how fountain pens work for them too, but not us left handed overwriters.

 

Pens that have nearly worked for me, or performed better than most, are the Parker Frontier (a good cheap pen no doubt for right handers)and briefly I thought I had found the holy grail with the Pelikano Junior fountain pen. Utimately however, whilst these have worked better than most, the nibs do not stay wet and I could not use either of these pens for other than the odd paragraph or to sign birthday cards.

 

Having read great things about the Lamy Safari I recently purchased one with a 'Left Handed' nib. I liked the look and feel of the pen, I allowed myself to become hopeful as I waited for the pen to arrive in the post. Alas, it was inferior to the off the shelf Parker Frontier and unlike with the Pelikano it was obvious from the strart I couldn't use it. It was a dry writer (for me) and skipped infuriatingly.

 

So, I guess that is why I have joined this network. I suppose I'm hoping for a miracle, some advice that will deliver to my yearning left paw a nice fountain pen I can use and treasure. Or is what I suspect true, that the only left handed overwriters who can use fountain pens are those with some peculiar lucky kink in their style that works with a nib?

 

I switched to writing underhanded a few years ago (very happy that I did this), but until then I was an overwriter. Sorry to hear about your troubles, but I do wonder if it's the position of your hand. I say this because I had no difficulties writing with a fountain pen as a child, teenager, and twentysomething. Several years ago, however, I did start having trouble writing not only with fountain pens, but with rollerballs. As you describe, the pen would dry up or skip. Even some brands of gel pen would dry up on me, even though I tried holding the pen at different angles. I just avoided rollerballs. It took me an embarrassingly long while to realize that somehow my hand position had evolved over several years from a fairly straight but overwriting position to what I used to deride as "a hook." I attribute it to work stress over the years! You might just observe your hand position, then experiment with small adjustments in the way you hold your hand to see if you can both maintain your comfort, yet increase flow. At any rate, hope you do eventually find a pen that works for your writing style.

 

Thanks for your advice, I'll try making adjustments to the position of my hand. Like you in the past,I've recently found even Rollerballs and some Gel pens a problem and yet as a child I used a little fountain pen no problem (unfortunately I lost that pen..)and indeed that is where my love of fountain pens started.

[arpegiator]

I once tried to write with a fountain pen (probably 20+) years ago and the pen did not work! At first I thought there was something wrong with the pen. I then realised that the pen only worked if you pulled the pen, thus writing with your right hand. When pushed as a left handed person would write it did not work. I’m not sure if it was an inferior pen perhaps?

I once tried to write with a fountain pen (probably 20+) years ago and the pen did not work! At first I thought there was something wrong with the pen. I then realised that the pen only worked if you pulled the pen, thus writing with your right hand. When pushed as a left handed person would write it did not work. I’m not sure if it was an inferior pen perhaps?

[arpegiator]

I have tried to use fountain pens on and off for nearly thirty years and have not been successful in finding one that I can use. I am I guess what people on this forum would call an 'overwriter' and I write 'away' from myself, tilting the paper or note pad at an angle. When I write the pen travels in a North Easterly direction (if i can put it that way!)

 

I'm not aware that my writing style is unique, I'm sure it isn't, but every pen I've had has failed me. Mostly these have been mid range Parkers and Watermans. My problem is not with smudging the ink, the position of my hand avoids this naturally when I write. No, my problem is that all the fountain pens I have tried dry out on me as I write. The amount of ink that is put down on the page gets fainter and fainter until the ink flow is practically choked off all together. I have tried things like trying not to hold the pen too upright and not pressing on etc. None of these things have worked. If any one suggests writing under the page like a left handed 'underwriter' you may just as well suggest I write with my right hand. I can't do it and my handwrting looks awful that way.

 

I have seen a left handed page on this site demonstrating a number of different left handed writing positions, and all of these people apparently writing just fine with fountain pens. That amazes me because I am now pretty much convinced that the fountain pen only really functions properly for right handed people, only the way they use it allows for the proper flow of the ink. Left handed underwriters write in a similar way and I can see how fountain pens work for them too, but not us left handed overwriters.

 

Pens that have nearly worked for me, or performed better than most, are the Parker Frontier (a good cheap pen no doubt for right handers)and briefly I thought I had found the holy grail with the Pelikano Junior fountain pen. Utimately however, whilst these have worked better than most, the nibs do not stay wet and I could not use either of these pens for other than the odd paragraph or to sign birthday cards.

 

Having read great things about the Lamy Safari I recently purchased one with a 'Left Handed' nib. I liked the look and feel of the pen, I allowed myself to become hopeful as I waited for the pen to arrive in the post. Alas, it was inferior to the off the shelf Parker Frontier and unlike with the Pelikano it was obvious from the strart I couldn't use it. It was a dry writer (for me) and skipped infuriatingly.

 

So, I guess that is why I have joined this network. I suppose I'm hoping for a miracle, some advice that will deliver to my yearning left paw a nice fountain pen I can use and treasure. Or is what I suspect true, that the only left handed overwriters who can use fountain pens are those with some peculiar lucky kink in their style that works with a nib?

I have exactly the same problem (I'm also an overwriter). I find as a left handed person we push the pen rather than pull. Fountain pens do not seem to work when pushed. For it to work you need to hold the pen at an angle with the back of the pen facing away from your hand and in turn you pul the pen instead of push. I however find this writing position unnatural and do not use fountain pens.

[pajaro]

I have exactly the same problem (I'm also an overwriter). I find as a left handed person we push the pen rather than pull. Fountain pens do not seem to work when pushed. For it to work you need to hold the pen at an angle with the back of the pen facing away from your hand and in turn you pul the pen instead of push. I however find this writing position unnatural and do not use fountain pens.

 

I have been using this positioning of the pen for about 56 years. Back in those days most ballpoints were blobby -- they left blobs of ink, and I positioned them the same way anyway. It was as easy back then to use a fountain pen.

 

Today, if I were starting out, I think I would agree that there would be little reason to put up with the inconveniences of fountain pen use whether I were right handed or left handed. I would still be a left handed over writer, though. I am increasingly preferring my Pelikan K200 ballpoint with a broad refill for daily stuff. The click top is easier than pulling the cap off of anything.

[dkim87]

There should not be a problem if you use a nice round tip fountain pen. Obviously stubs and semi-flex or flex nibs will not be as generous to us left handers, but a regular round tip fountain pen should work just fine.

I myself am a left handed over writer and never had any issues with a round tip nib.