fountain pen and left handed

[penwala]

I have a nice mont blanc - and was wondering - should I be aware of any problems if I am left handed?? Do left handed people need a different nibs??

Thanks guys...

[kissing]

I'm not an expert on this, but the answer to your question is: not necessarily.

 

Some left handers can write perfectly with any nib (I think it depends on whether you're an under writer or over writer). Do you experience any problems using your MontBlanc, and other fountain pens? If you have no problems, such as the nib feeling uncomfortable, or ink smearing on your hands, shouldn't be a real problem. (fast drying inks are often recommended for lefty's )

 

There are many left handed users of fountain pens on this site who will come to your aid soon

 

There are "left-handed" nibs available on many models of pens, but I haven't heard of them being used that much..

[Richard]

(Reposted from another thread)

 

Okay, gang, lissen up! 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 ex tempore (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.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/site/flex_db.gif

 

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.

Edited January 28, 2007 by Richard

[jsonewald]

The short answer - you probably won't have any problems. The most likely is ink smearing as your hand moves across the fresh writing. If it happens, it can be fixed by using a different ink. The only other problem I've experienced is with some extremely fine point nibs, or nibs that are really not well polished. A lefty pushes the nib more than pulls it, and that may cause it to dig into the paper.

 

Out of all the pen+ink+paper combinations and years of left handed writing, I have had so few problems that I don't ever think about it.

Edited January 28, 2007 by jsonewald

[barryrubin]

One thing you may want to consider as a leftie is ink. Depending on your writing syle you may want very quick drying ink. I would like to suggest Noodlers Polar Blue---it drys almost instantly. Hope this helps.

[Capt. Pat]

I'm a left handed underwriter and have had no problems using "stock" nibs on MB, Waterman, Pelikan, Lamy or Shaeffers.

[Ray-Vigo]

Also a lefty here: I'm an overwriter. I find ink makes the biggest difference. As long as you have an ink that dries pretty quickly then you'll be fine. It doesn't matter how wide the lines you write are if all the ink on them is dry anyway.

 

I suggest Waterman Florida Blue or Waterman Blue-black without reservation. I've used both and never had problems with them.

 

I did have a lot of problems with Levenger inks, so I avoid them now.

[OldPott]

As a lefty, I think a lot depends on your style. Richard's advice is as sound as you could get.

 

There are many different ways in which lefties cope with the double problem of writing the wrong way for our hand and our pens (we should all really work from left to right) and trying not to hide and/or smudge everything we do.

 

I'd agree as well that ink can make a difference - but I'm a fairly careful underwriter (in that I don't usually end up with ink on the side of my hand) but I still prefer to use ink that dries pretty fast.

 

If you need to understand a bit more about what type of left-handed writer you are, there's a good page here on left-handed writers, although I can't really believe some of them!

 

You might have to adjust your grip a bit, if you are used to holding a pen quite low down - gripping the pen a little higher may help, especially with any smudging issues, but the key is, as others have said, to experiment.

 

Like jsonewald, I no longer think about it.

 

Now, right handed scissors, they annoy me... :bonk:

[Annie]

My child is a lefty and writes with a Lamy Safari with a nib, identified as a

"left-handed" nib on the Swisher Pens site, and a "left-handed 1mm right oblique" nib on the Pendemonium site. If you already own a Lamy Safari you can purchase one of these "left-handed" replacement nibs for about $12.00 to see if you like it.

 

Pelikan also makes a Pelikano with a "left-handed" nib. These are also available from Swisher Pens. Perhaps Richard Binder is familar with this nib and can tell us if it is right-oblique or left-oblique.

[SinLoi]

What is the fastest drying inks? Colors etc.?

 

I'm new and a leftie too.

[jsonewald]

What is the fastest drying inks? Colors etc.?

 

I'm new and a leftie too.

I've had good experience with:

Noodler's, Luxury Blue, Walnut, Polar Black, Navy, and Zhivago

Waterman, Black cartridges or bottle

Aurora Black

Lamy, Blue or Black cartridges

Parker, Quink Blue or Black cartridges or bottle

 

I've had less good, but not necessarily bad experience with Private Reserve. It depends on the pen, paper, and ink combination. Sherwood Green is more of a problem. Copper Burst and Black Cherry less of a problem.

 

I've had bad enough experience with Levenger Cobalt to quit using it. It smears no matter what.

[anniemac]

I'm a leftie, fairly new to FPs, but have had stacks of advice from this forum. I now have 5 vintage pens, only one of which was actually recommended for a lefthanded writer. ALL write perfectly well.

I am an under writer so I don't have the ink-smearing problem, in fact I position the page at about 45 degrees.

The only ink I've ever had a problem with was Visconti Blue, but I don't think my leftieness was the issue.

I've taken a few ideas on board, such as looking at firmer nibs, and medium as opposed to fine, but I've not ruled any pen out on the basis of this.

In my limited experience, whatever the nib, if you like it, you can make it work. You have to adapt to each pen, like you would to a different car.

[jonro]

I'm a left-handed overwriter and have not had any difficulty with any of my pens. Well, I am still getting used to gripping my Namiki Vanishing Point, which has a clip exactly where I grip it. But that's a different story. I'm fairly new to the world of fountain pens, but I've had good experience with Levenger's inks and Namiki's. I found that Noodler's Cactus Green and Walnut smear when I write. That's too bad, because I really like those inks. Diamine and Private Reserve inks were recommended to me as quick-drying inks. Once again, I haven't had any difficulty with any of the nibs I've used.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Jon

[Armchop]

:meow:

Hello penwala

I too am leftie. I write better with a FP than ballpoints.

(I am an underwriter which has it's own problems). With a ballpoint one needs to hold the pen at a high angle to the page (well I do anyway!) but with a FP the pen is at a lower angle to the paper cos that's how FP nibs work. Thus your hand will bew further away from the ink. The lonk OldPott gives is excellent.

Lots of good advice in these posts but basically try out different pens rather than different inks IMO. I prefer pens I can write with at a low angle (eg less than 45degrees).

Good luck and persevere - don't get put off. I now enjoy writing far better once I'd found a few pens that suit me.

 

 

Armchop

[aunt rebecca]

hi,

 

i am a left handed underwriter.

 

barbara binder is a lefthander overwriter.

 

after using her pens--i ask richard to make my nibs like hers.

 

it is all very quirky, logically barbara's pen should not feel so good in my hand, yet it does.

 

btw i cannot use the lh pelikano or lamy nibs--they pull.

 

:bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1:

[Cloud]

Hello,

 

I did 3 pollsome time ago about type of nib/flexibility and size of nib. Here are the links to each of them

 

flexibility

 

Type of nib

 

Nib size

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

[Kalessin]

I'm a left-handed overwriter who prefers medium, broad, oblique medium and oblique broad nibs.

 

My most common inks are Waterman Havana Brown, Waterman Florida Blue, Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue, Quink Black, Quink Blue-Black, and Quink Washable Blue.

[cmenice]

This has made no difference to me. I use my pens with both hands. I'm ambidextrous. I have found writing a little more difficult when using my left hand. But for me writing lefty seems more rewarding.

[georges zaslavsky]

I am ambidextrous and here is a sample of four sentences two written a left hand two written wit hthe right hand. Two sentences were written with a sheaffer and the other two with a mb146. I have no probs to use standard nibs when they are flex or semi flex.

[Chris Chalmers]

I am also a lefti - an underwriter - and place the paper with the right hand edge parallel with the adge of my desk - so write towards myself, rather than across.

I use all types of nibs, flex, italic, stub, ultra fine - dip, and calligraphy - with no problems at all. In fact a special nib is just another challenge, so nibs discarded are discarded for other reasons...........I love 'personalised' or meistered nibs too!

My favourite inks are Diamine, Waterman, Parker, Aurora, Sailor and when I get to the bottom of a page I just put it aside to dry, I like wet writing pens and don't have small writing.

 

Hope this helps - but don't be put off, just enjoy! :)9