New Drawing Fountainpen For Indian Ink

[Honeybadgers]

I mean something like the desiderata or flexible nib factory - a dip nib, feed, and overfeed assembly that screws into the body. I grew up drawing with dip nibs, I really think they're the best for sketching.

 

Either way I'd buy one even if that wasn't planned. just a suggestion.

Edited March 19, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[Inigo71]

I mean something like the desiderata or flexible nib factory - a dip nib, feed, and overfeed assembly that screws into the body. I grew up drawing with dip nibs, I really think they're the best for sketching.

 

Either way I'd buy one even if that wasn't planned. just a suggestion.

 

Very interesting, they look very nice and I know it will be very nice for calligraphy and sketching. After the launch I will contact them so we can make a flexible nib for our pen it can be a very interesting joint venture.

Great idea

[SoulSamurai]

I don't know; dip nibs are not stainless steel. If you're using a dip nib and keeping it extra-moist all the time with your humidity cap, won't it rust even more quickly than on a Desiderata or any of the other "dip nib in a fountain pen" solutions?

[Inigo71]

I don't know; dip nibs are not stainless steel. If you're using a dip nib and keeping it extra-moist all the time with your humidity cap, won't it rust even more quickly than on a Desiderata or any of the other "dip nib in a fountain pen" solutions?

One possibility is to use chromed nibs or other kind of surface treatment to make them rust free.

[Honeybadgers]

 

Very interesting, they look very nice and I know it will be very nice for calligraphy and sketching. After the launch I will contact them so we can make a flexible nib for our pen it can be a very interesting joint venture.

Great idea

 

FNF seems to actually be pretty down to do collaborative designs. I'd happily pay for that addition.

 

Also chromed nibs are still going to rust quickly. But we have lots of experience putting zebra G nibs in fountain pens, the rust forms along the nib slit itself where there is no chrome, but they still last 1-3 months.

 

The rust should actually be slower in a sealed cap because the oxygen exchange rate will be roughly less than, say, a noodlers pen with its porous resin.

Edited March 21, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[Inigo71]

In a few days I will post some pictures with different colors and nibs to know which color is your favorite for the first batch and if you prefer the modern looking nib or the classical one.

[Maurizio]

I’ve follwed this post from the OP. The pen is interesting. I would buy one for the stated price. Like Honeybadgers, I too would be especially interested in a nib unit which could accommodate replacement dip nibs such as the Zebra G.

[jcm499]

The pen is very cool and I would definitely be interested in buying one.

 

I would however suggest, as gently as I can, that you consider the ramifications of using that Indian head logo in the United States. Native Americans aren’t an abstraction or a historical footnote here, they’re a living community with a long and fraught history of representation tied into terrible oppression, so they are understandably attuned to depictions of themselves by others. That applies particularly here, where they are being used generically to represent a totally different culture, related only by a nonsensical name they were ignorantly given by colonizers who proceeded to commit genocide against them. I’m certainly not suggesting you have any malicious intent, only that you could be wading, perhaps unawares, into a currently hot controversy over the depiction of Native Americans in logos and as mascots.

 

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_mascot_controversy

[Inigo71]

The pen is very cool and I would definitely be interested in buying one.

 

I would however suggest, as gently as I can, that you consider the ramifications of using that Indian head logo in the United States. Native Americans aren’t an abstraction or a historical footnote here, they’re a living community with a long and fraught history of representation tied into terrible oppression, so they are understandably attuned to depictions of themselves by others. That applies particularly here, where they are being used generically to represent a totally different culture, related only by a nonsensical name they were ignorantly given by colonizers who proceeded to commit genocide against them. I’m certainly not suggesting you have any malicious intent, only that you could be wading, perhaps unawares, into a currently hot controversy over the depiction of Native Americans in logos and as mascots.

 

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_mascot_controversy

 

Thank you JCM for your info.

Never heard of that controversy here in Europe. Anyway it is not part of our logo, just used for the profile here, I will remove it.

Sorry if anyone was ofended, not my intention just liked the icon.

[Honeybadgers]

That's a really good point. Nobody here is likely offended, but that's not a kosher logo in the USA. For background, look up the washington redskins controversy.

 

I'd change it.

[fountainpagan]

I’ve follwed this post from the OP. The pen is interesting. I would buy one for the stated price. Like Honeybadgers, I too would be especially interested in a nib unit which could accommodate replacement dip nibs such as the Zebra G.

 

+1 eventhough I would buy it as it is, for the given price, if with an XF nib.

[Inigo71]

I want to know your opinion on the aesthetics of these two nibs.

Which one do you prefer, the arrow or the classic shape?

Do you like the whole pen to look modern or the contrast between modern and classic?

I enclose some pictures.

[Honeybadgers]

With the slightly tapered back, I think the arrow nib fits the theme better.

[Inigo71]

With the slightly tapered back, I think the arrow nib fits the theme better.

 

Good point!

[Honeybadgers]

besides, the standard JoWo that doesn't have any custom scrollwork is getting played out, let's give some love to the arrow.

Edited March 29, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[fountainpagan]

With the slightly tapered back, I think the arrow nib fits the theme better.

 

Absolutely.

[Inigo71]

This a preview of the packaging prototype.

The pen is going to include a small bottle (4ml) of indian ink specially formulated to improve the performance with our pen and an inner felt made of recycled water bottles (PET), we wanted to have a simple and modern design that shows the pen when opening and gives a soft touch avoiding the typical black foam that looks very cheap.

Hope you like it.

[SoulSamurai]

Very nice presentation: it comes across as a quality no-nonsense tool.

[eharriett]

Regarding the flow of the pen, the indian inks we recommend have good flow capabilities like Pelican or Pebeo, and the nibs are tuned for them, on the other side carbon inks work wonderful and the maintenance is not a problem, as when the pen is unused the vapor chamber keeps the ink fresh for months without problem.

Nice concept. Here’s some immediate questions which come to mind:

 

You said you are tuning these pens to India inks like Pelikan or Pebeo. I know nothing about Pebeo, but I know a good deal about Pelikan. Are you referring to their Fount India ink? If so, that is already a fountain pen ink. Or are you referring to Scribtol, which is not? Because if you are referring to Scribtol, you really have something there. On the other hand, you also mentioned Platinum Carbon Black, and inks like it, which are already fountain pen inks. Granted, not fountain pen friendly inks, but they, like the Pelikan Fount India ink, will work just fine in current fountain pens with a bit of care.

 

I bring this up because your pdf files look like your pen is being maneuvered to solve a problem by working with non-fountain pen inks, but it also looks like English isn’t a first language, which is totally fine, but I am trying to understand what you are working at doing? Is this pen supposed to work with dip pen inks? Or will it still have to work with fountain pen inks. Even though Pelikan Fount India is called “India,” it is NOT and Indian ink in the traditional sense and will still work with a pen as inexpensive as a Platinum Preppy. Some clarity on the copy may help solve this discrepancy.

[Inigo71]

Nice concept. Here’s some immediate questions which come to mind:

 

You said you are tuning these pens to India inks like Pelikan or Pebeo. I know nothing about Pebeo, but I know a good deal about Pelikan. Are you referring to their Fount India ink? If so, that is already a fountain pen ink. Or are you referring to Scribtol, which is not? Because if you are referring to Scribtol, you really have something there. On the other hand, you also mentioned Platinum Carbon Black, and inks like it, which are already fountain pen inks. Granted, not fountain pen friendly inks, but they, like the Pelikan Fount India ink, will work just fine in current fountain pens with a bit of care.

 

I bring this up because your pdf files look like your pen is being maneuvered to solve a problem by working with non-fountain pen inks, but it also looks like English isn’t a first language, which is totally fine, but I am trying to understand what you are working at doing? Is this pen supposed to work with dip pen inks? Or will it still have to work with fountain pen inks. Even though Pelikan Fount India is called “India,” it is NOT and Indian ink in the traditional sense and will still work with a pen as inexpensive as a Platinum Preppy. Some clarity on the copy may help solve this discrepancy.

 

Hi eharriett.

We are talking about proper indian Inks, I am referring to Pelikan 17, not the fountain pen version pebeo is Indian Ink and speedball superblack, dip pen inks. We are also manufacturing our own indian ink that is a bit more fluent. I mention carbon because some people are afraid to use on regular pens, but ours keeps the ink fresh even after several months without use.

Thanks for your questions