Helping Newbies, One Step At A Time

[senzen]

I would also suggest that newbies not worry about reverse writing. It's a good feature on a B nib to have something finer in an emergency to do a small amount of writing. It's also easy to mess up a nib by pressing too hard doing that and new fountain pen users may not have learned to use such a small amount of pressure.

 

It's a good point, perhaps the first hint to newbies should be: it's supposed to glide, you shouldn't be pressing down like with a ballpoint pen; obvious until you realize you're doing it too... In truth I only use them upside down when running out of space on the page, but it's good to know you can.

[senzen]

 

Greed is a deadly sin..........my wallet died of that sin many, many times.

 

 

 

Amen... But it's hard to give up the thrill of the chase.

[Purrceyz]

As someone who has recently gone back to using fountain pens after 40 years and is on a budget, I'd offer the following advice for newbies.

 

Don't be afraid to try inexpensive pens. Pilot and Platinum make some very good starter pens (the Preppy & Metropolitan) and many Jinhao or Wing Sung pens are good writing pens (very cheap on Ebay). If you are someone who loses pens outside of the house (like me), only take the most inexpensive pens with you. You do not need to spend a fortune to enjoy this hobby.

 

The same applies to ink. Waterman, Diamine and J. Herbin all make great affordable inks. I purchase ink samples at my local/online pen store (Wonder Pens), test out the ink before I commit myself to a full bottle. For Americans, many of the online retailers (Goulet etc.) also sell ink samples.

 

For paper, I do like Rhodia (which is more expensive). However, I also use other cheaper options. If you live in a city with Japanese dollar stores, they often sell notebooks that work really well with fountain pens. (There are 3 Ichiban Livings in my city, all their items are $2.25 Canadian). Other brands that have worked well for me are Peter Pauper Press hardcover lined small journals, I use these for bullet journalling (available on Amazon and Chapters.ca) , Markings brand (available at Walmart) and Studio (available at Dollarama, a Canadian dollar store).

Edited August 31, 2017 by Purrceyz

[AmandaW]

As you begin to collect a few inks make a swatch for each of them. Even though monitor colours aren't exactly reliable it does give some indication to compare what you have to what has caught your eye or highlight gaps or persuade you that you already have enough. I am amazed at how often I reach for mine.

 

There are lots of ways to keep swatches - a special notebook, a proprietary device like the Col-o-ring (which has very nice paper) or something you make yourself (I use a business card book because I had an old one laying around).

 

What you put on each swatch is up to you. Mine is minimalist - a large patch applied with a brush and some lettering. Have a look around - there are some very creative examples to be seen!

 

 

[senzen]

The biggest lesson for me has been to have patience: the capillary system will fill, in its own time; banging on a pen that doesn't write serves no purpose and will probably damage the nib: look for other possible causes, from the obvious (you've run out of ink) to clogged feeds or malfunctioning converters. Blatantly obvious to those who've been there, not so for those starting out.

 

For instance I was puzzled with a Pelikan m600 that decided to write dry with Iroshizuku Yama Guri (it came out much lighter) while it had been wet with Tsuyu Kusa (much more saturated). Instead of trying to fix it, I just put it away and tried it this morning: works fine, Yama Guri looks like its own self again. As with slow cooking, we need to understand slow writing.

[Carrau]

Regarding the issue of abbreviations, I wonder whether it wouldn’t be useful to have a help file of abbreviations, slang, jargon, and technical terms related to fountain pens?

[Bo Bo Olson]

After one spends three days reading Richard Binder's site, jargon becomes less of a problem

.

Nail no tine spread.....a rigid nib, also called manifold...good for pressing through lots of copies of carbon paper if that stuff is still used. Hard to bend into a pretzel.

I recommend one in EF and B. EF for editing. B for fun and a big wet line....that most 'noobie's' want because they think that is what it's all about.

Semi-nail....if hard pressed 2X tine spread vs a light down stroke. A tad less hard.

Most modern pens are those, because they are hard to bend and the companies don't have to exchange nibs to Ball Point Barbarians.

 

A 3 X tine set of three. Regular flex, semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex..........those are not the lazy I'm hip, 'flex' pens. The proper term there is Superflex. Please read my signature. A M and F nib are good shading nibs. M is disrespected because folks go to skinny nibs or wide ones and turn their noses up. I find an M to be a smooth writing nib, very good for shading.

A certain ink broke me of the prejudice against M nibs I picked up on this com.

 

Regular Flex, if mashed 3 X a light down stroke. Once most companies outside of Parker made them. Shaffer made them and nails. It is a good springy ride, not too wet. I find them to be good with two toned shading ink. They are dryer than semi-flex. Pelikan 200 is a modern springy regular flex nib....as narrow still as semi-vintage...before '97.

 

Shading ink sits on top of the paper for a second or two longer, so part of the letter dries first. One needs 90g (24 pound) laser paper to shade. 80g copy paper don't shade. Rhoda 80g (@ 20 pounds) does in it's well coated. More about coating ....later, when you have time to worry about it.

Later you can get into heavier paper....100g/28 pounds 110g/29 and 120g32 pounds which you and others think as heavy paper....it ain't. ....after a while you can worry about that. Just get some good 90g laser paper to start with...cost twice as much as cheap 80g copy paper....how long does it take to write 500 sheets of paper?

25% cotton if buying cotton paper is best....50%&100% may be nice to write on but have a tendency to feather or leave a woolly line. Avoid for a year.

Sheen and glitter inks are for later...for sheen you do need good paper. By the time you are ready for it, you will know about it. Sheen's rather new...it wasn't here three years ago. Glitter also.

 

I recommend buying some good to better paper every third bottle of ink. That way you are not behind the power curve....like I was. I have some 30-40 different papers and am still noobie, so don't worry about ignorance....we all have it in various degrees.

A box of Sourthworth paper won't break the bank.....there are of course papers you want to have on your 300 foot yacht.

Never ever use Ink Jet paper with a fountain pen...it is designed to absorb ink fast so causes feathering......a blurry line. A Woolly line is with little jagids on it.

Eventually you will learn to match ink and paper. A dryer ink like Pelikan 4001 inks will make a narrower line. Wet Noodlers a wider one.

You need both shading ink and vivid supersaturated inks.

 

Don't worry about semi/maxi-semi--flex until you have had your four basic nibs for a few months......and there are now cheap superflex pens finally....and don't worry about them either ..... in that takes work at practicing how to Draw the Letters.....it is harder than YouTube shows you.

Next year Summer is near enough.

 

Every company has it's very own standards, of what a F or a B is.....Back in the day of One Man, One Pen....Folks use to buy a new pen every 7-10 years of using it 8 hours a day.

Now it's One Man....8-16-32-64 pens....flavor of the week.

 

.Parker users were use to and wanted a wider nib.....and Parker wanted to satisfy those who thought Sheaffer's nib was a bit narrow. Parker did not make a nib as narrow as Sheaffer....in someone could make a horrible mistake....and by a Sheaffer.

Even the new 0.8, 10.0 or 1.2 nibs will have tolerance.........that being, the nib is 1.1 to 1.3 as normal. There is no exact....three pens could come off the belt right after another...Fat M, middle of tolerance M and Skinny M.........then the next company's standards are over lapping the Skinny or the Fat end, one of the two.

Just like a Skinny M can exactly = a Fat F and both are still inside of tolerance. If it's 100th of an inch insede tolerance you won't notice.

Someones skinny nib will be a bit fatter than someone else even in Japan. Pilot is supposed to be The Skinny nib...but I have Sailor users tell me that ain't so.

Don't sweat the small stuff................ If you buy only one brand....your nibs will be with in a single tolerance. ...and can be fatter or skinnier than you wish.

 

Learn to accept, 1/2 sizes....if you buy a different company's pen it will be different even if it's got the same letter or number on it. Very Skinny, Skinny, Middling, Wide....Very Wide....and halves in between. Getting OCD on that will ruin your week. The main think is does it write well.

 

The main rule of fountain pens is to take your time...as mentioned. If buying used....which is lots cheaper in middle class and higher....Never Ever "Buy Now Idiot!" the same pen will be there next week or the week after....and with in budget.

Remember you have to buy fine inks and papers to make the inks dance.

Do not get in a bidding war on Ebay..you can only nickle and dime your self into the poor house. Make a single bid....and forget it.

You get a better pen for a fair price right here on the sales section. The man's good name on the com is at stake. So the pen will work well.....not so when hunting in the wild.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[calvin_0]

a good advice to give to newbie is... start cheap.... dont just get your self a 20 bucks pen and 20 bucks bottle of ink... get a platinum preppy.. or a jinhou 992 with some jinhou ink cartridge..

 

once you get used to that... and you are sure that you like fountain pen, then start looking into proper pen and bottle ink... but still dont get a 100 bucks pen... there is alot of great pen that only cost 20 bucks and below...

Edited November 7, 2017 by calvin_0

[senzen]

Regarding the issue of abbreviations, I wonder whether it wouldn’t be useful to have a help file of abbreviations, slang, jargon, and technical terms related to fountain pens?

 

Very!

[Bo Bo Olson]

a good advice to give to newbie is... start cheap.... dont just get your self a 20 bucks pen and 20 bucks bottle of ink... get a platinum preppy.. or a jinhou 992 with some jinhou ink cartridge..

 

once you get used to that... and you are sure that you like fountain pen, then start looking into proper pen and bottle ink... but still dont get a 100 bucks pen... there is alot of great pen that only cost 20 bucks and below...

 

 

Great advice..............I spent many months buying pretty old used pens for less than $20-25....of course I did that wrong in I was in the Pen of the Week in the Mail Club.

[sandy101]

a good advice to give to newbie is... start cheap.... dont just get your self a 20 bucks pen and 20 bucks bottle of ink... get a platinum preppy.. or a jinhou 992 with some jinhou ink cartridge..​

 

​I would offer the opposite advice. Cheap pens just end up filling the drawer and then you go out and buy the more expensive pen you always wanted anyway.

 

My advice is to ignore the price (if you can) and buy the pen you want. There are many beautiful fountain pens out there, and if you find one that inspires you, then go for that one. In this day and age of digital distraction - a pen that gives you pleasure as you write should be a priority. I can't tell you which one will inspire you - beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Go for the pen that inspires you most within your budget and that may be the cheapest, or the most expensive - or somewhere inbetween.

 

There are no "stages" of fountain pen use - a Preppy will write - just as a MB will. The question is which pen inspires you to write more, that fits within your budget. Buying the pens you actually want means you spend less money, because you don't buy a plethora that you end up not using anyway. In addition - unused pens do dry up and need maintenance. Having a few inked pens on the go means you spend less time and effort cleaning out the pen you inked last summer and forgot about

 

Once you have bought your inspirational fountain pen - use it - write letters, postcards, poems, novels and take it to work. Letters and postcards give a lot of pleasure. For some of my friends, I suspect that I may be the only one who sends them stuff in the mail that isn't advertising or bills. I started a "slow" communication revolution with my friends - and it works well.

 

Get a pen case to carry it around as pens have a habit of unscrewing themselves at the most inopportune times, and covering your hand in ink - and coins and keys will damage the lacquer and ruin the finish

 

It can take two weeks of use for a new pen to become lubricated enough and for your hand to get accustomed to it. Your hand will adapt to a heavy pen, or a light one - bear this in mind if you've bought one off the internet, and your first impressions are not so great - give it two weeks and use the resources on grip on this website.

[senzen]

Start cheap or start with a good pen... There are many roads, depending on whether one comes with zero fountain pen experience, some, or bad ones like I did; but it helps if you can see the reward: pens that make handwriting effortless, make you want to write more, make you gasp at the colours... Some of my cheaper pens are a pleasure to use with specific inks: Muji with Lie de Thé, Lamy Vista with Stipula Verde Muschiato, but yeah, when I finally managed to get a Sailor Pro Gear to show Tsuyu Kusa in all its splendour, I had to think: so this is what it's all about!

 

For me there is a parallel with photography, after all is said and done I never expected that to be a sort of therapy, in which my brain can concentrate on one thing; likewise to get legible writing I need to be in a specific state of mind.

 

A lot of interesting tips to digest from Bo Bo Olson, as usual!

[calvin_0]

​I would offer the opposite advice. Cheap pens just end up filling the drawer

 

you dont tell people who start learning how to play tennis to buy a 500 bucks racket.. you start with the cheapest one.. plus with cheap pens, you can experiment (pull the nib out, take the pen apart) since you wont care as much if you broken one..

 

plus "filling the drawer" is just another way of saying "starting your collection" =D

Edited November 11, 2017 by calvin_0

[AmandaW]

The middle ground is to start with something like a Lamy Safari. I did and then added a couple more, then a bunch of cheaper ones that I was happy to break (you wanna see my first attempt at a nib grind ).

 

After all that and a few years, I had a bit better idea of what I liked before ordering my first fancy pen. (A Platinum #3776 SF. Still love it.)

[sandy101]

 

you dont tell people who start learning how to play tennis to buy a 500 bucks racket.. you start with the cheapest one.. plus with cheap pens, you can experiment (pull the nib out, take the pen apart) since you wont care as much if you broken one..

 

plus "filling the drawer" is just another way of saying "starting your collection" =D

 

I don't care what tennis players do. Unlike tennis, most people write and need to have at least one pen in their lives to write with.

 

The supposed orthodoxy of buying a cheap pen, and then working your way up to the expensive ones is in my opinion not great advice.

 

You end up with this cycle where you buy a £3 pen, then you buy a £10 and continue until you have a load of pens at different prices - most of which don't get used, and within a year or two wish you hadn't bought. This "ladder to success of fountain pen ownership" should, in my opinion, be avoided.

 

You'd be much better off starting with a nice pen, some nice paper and some nice ink and writing with your new pen for a month or three and then deciding if you need another pen.

 

My advice is to buy the pen within your budget that inspires you most and use it. A £3 pen will write, and a £1,000 pen will write - buying a pen, any pen that costs more than £1 is about finding a pen that inspires you to write and makes it an enjoyable experience for you.

 

Writing is something you will do every day, or every week - so investing money in a pen that will make it more pleasurable experience is not a waste.

[Bo Bo Olson]

In I don't care much for nails...which is a good pen for beginners to start with because it's hard to bend the nib.....I think an EF and B should be bought in nail pens. Chinese do as well as anything else for that. They are heavier. EF for notes or editing and B for the fun of it and teaching one to write larger.

 

Then two regular flex nibs in F and the disliked M....which is a very good width. Disliked in many pens still come in that. Most folks go skinny at a start, some go wide....and everyone looks down their nose at M........a good shading size.

 

By the time one is ready for regular flex, one has an idea which middle class Sheaffer or which Esterbrook nib is regular flex. The regular flex Pelikan 200 can be had used too, and is a good semi-vintage and vintage width.

 

Eventually the cheap Chinese B pen will have to given away, in one needs a P-51 which is mostly nail. But at the cost of that P-51 a 'noobie' can wait a year or so.

 

For every nice 2-3 inks, one should buy some good to better paper. In it's the paper that the ink dances on. It's the paper that allows the nib to show off.

 

After 4-5 pens of a mix of nail and regular flex it is time to look for semi-flex.

 

The Geha 790 is the Best Buy......with luck on German Ebay, (the seller needs to take paypal and mail out of Germany....many don't and don't take paypal ) Geha 790 if you hunt and don't throw your money away with "Buy Now Idiot". can be had if very lucky for E19, but seems to be running in the 50-60 Euro range on the whole. A Pelikan 140....90-100, the '50-400/400nn 90-120. Those have good semi-flex nibs.

Three rings on the Geha 790. There is a two ring pen that should have been aimed at the Pelikan 140....but I don't have one of those. The school pen is regular flex, has a serial number and no rings and can be had for E12-19 on German Ebay.....of course you could buy one on US Ebay for Only, $89.00.

Do Not buy a Geha cartridge pen, in you can not get a cartridge for them.

Torpedo shape was in then....Swan, MB 146/9 the Pelikan 140/400nn. Geha 790/760.

Edited November 11, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson