I want a fountain pen SO BAD, I bought one from office depot, DONT LIKE IT! HELP!

[fastfed]

So for longest time I wanted a fountain pen, I have used a couple from people I know and being in the law industry and seeing clients all the time, I would love to have a fountain pen..

 

But..

 

as I said in the topic, I bought a Foray Focus pen from office depot for 40 bucks.. I am probably going to return it, because I REALLY WANT A PEN THAT I HAVE TO DIP INTO INK.. I don't want to have to use a cartridge, I don't know what it is about dipping the tip in, and filling it up without a cartridge, but I really think its neat, plus I have seen pens that go this route and they write so nice!

 

I am not looking to spend much money at this time, I search ebay and stuff, but I really don't know what to look for..

 

Office depot also has more expensive one's in the case they have there, but I am pretty sure they're all cartridge pens too..

 

 

Any advice??

 

THANKS!!

[OldGriz]

So for longest time I wanted a fountain pen, I have used a couple from people I know and being in the law industry and seeing clients all the time, I would love to have a fountain pen..

 

But..

 

as I said in the topic, I bought a Foray Focus pen from office depot for 40 bucks.. I am probably going to return it, because I REALLY WANT A PEN THAT I HAVE TO DIP INTO INK.. I don't want to have to use a cartridge, I don't know what it is about dipping the tip in, and filling it up without a cartridge, but I really think its neat, plus I have seen pens that go this route and they write so nice!

 

I am not looking to spend much money at this time, I search ebay and stuff, but I really don't know what to look for..

 

Office depot also has more expensive one's in the case they have there, but I am pretty sure they're all cartridge pens too..

 

 

Any advice??

 

THANKS!!

 

Virtually every pen that uses a cartridge can use a converter so that you can fill directly from a bottle of ink and have a broader range of inks and colors to use....

I would say that the pens being sold at OD use international converters that available all over the place..

HOWEVER, if you are talking about a dip pen and not a fountain pen, that is a different story all together.

[langere]

Welcome to FPN! Yes, there is a lot of help available for you here.

 

The best thing for you might be to buy via internet. There are multiple threads here that will give you advice on good places and what kind of prices to expect. How much are you willing to spend? What do you want the pen for? These are questions that would help us to orient you.

 

Also, you might be in a city that has a good brick & mortar store - let us know where you live and somebody will know where (or whether) there is a good place to buy fountain pens.

 

Again, welcome!

 

Erick

[KCat]

yup, they're all cartridge pen. But most will take a converter which will allow you to dip to fill. You just need to determine if that's sufficient compromise between a cartridge pen and an integrated filler like a piston or aerometric filler.

 

On the low end, Wality makes a piston-fill pen. Several Chinese manufacturers make squeeze fillers (isellpens.com is a good place to investigate these.)

 

Slightly higher up the Pelikan M150 or M200 are good choices for a first piston-filler. They're smaller pens (compared to the Wality) but very well made. They 200 will cost you more than the $40 pen but if you can find a 150 they're about the same price when new.

 

I'm guessing you bought the Foray fountain Pen. I don't think it's worth $40 - not to say it's a bad pen but other pens of similar quality can be found for less. Other pens for much better quality can be found for about the same price.

 

I'm sure you'll get more excellent advice. I just happen to be a Pelikan addict so that's where my mind goes off the bat. There will be suggestions for good vintage pens that will give you a wonderful dip-to-fill experience for a good price. That's just not my area of expertise.

[Jeff Muscato]

Office Depot's liberal return policy notwithstanding, a used fountain pen (assuming you used it) isn't exactly in "like-new" condition.

 

If there aren't any better pen stores near you, I'm sure people here could recommend a pen to start with. A Pelikan M200 from John Mottishaw or Richard Binder is a good choice for under $100.

Edited April 3, 2008 by Jeff Muscato

[fastfed]

Welcome to FPN! Yes, there is a lot of help available for you here.

 

The best thing for you might be to buy via internet. There are multiple threads here that will give you advice on good places and what kind of prices to expect. How much are you willing to spend? What do you want the pen for? These are questions that would help us to orient you.

 

Also, you might be in a city that has a good brick & mortar store - let us know where you live and somebody will know where (or whether) there is a good place to buy fountain pens.

 

Again, welcome!

 

Erick

 

 

Thank you for the replies so far..

 

After thinking about it, I am ready to make the plunge..

 

I am willing to spend 100.00 plus a bottle of ink..

 

I want a pen that I do NOT have to use a cartridge with, I would like to have to dip the tip in, every couple pages?? Or whatever it is.. Use the pump to suck the ink into, or just dip? ( those I am confused a little with and I am searching to research a little more )

 

That being said, what do you think is a great pen with my options I am looking for, for about 100.00 or so??

 

THANKS A MILLION!

[Jeff Muscato]

Thank you for the replies so far..

After thinking about it, I am ready to make the plunge..

I am willing to spend 100.00 plus a bottle of ink..

I want a pen that I do NOT have to use a cartridge with, I would like to have to dip the tip in, every couple pages?? Or whatever it is.. Use the pump to suck the ink into, or just dip? ( those I am confused a little with and I am searching to research a little more )

That being said, what do you think is a great pen with my options I am looking for, for about 100.00 or so??

THANKS A MILLION!

You're describing two kinds of pens:

 

- A fountain pen has a reservoir in its barrel. You turn a knob to actuate the piston inside, which sucks up about 2 ml of ink like a syringe.

 

- There are also dip pens, which are really just nibs you plug into a holder. These don't hold much ink at all and have no mechanical filling system; you just dip the pen in ink every sentence or so.

 

I recommend an M200 (which uses a piston filler). You can choose a nib size on Richard Binder's site and then include an M200 barrel for another $50. If you don't know which nib size you like, you might start with a steel one, which is cheaper. Make sure you add both components to the cart.

 

Pelikan M200 nibs and barrels at Richard's site

 

I also recommend Noodler's for ink; several of their inks are indelible, which might be useful for your work. I like their Old Manhattan Black, which is available only from Fountain Pen Hospital.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Jeff Muscato

[myles]

If you want a pen where you have an inkwell/inkpot beside you and dip the nib in every few words, or every sentence or two, that's a dip pen, not a fountain pen.

 

If you want a pen where you fill from a bottle of ink once a day or once a week, or about every 10 to 50 pages, that's a fountain pen.

 

Most cartridge-fill fountain pens can be converted to bottle-filled using a little thingy called a "converter", usually costing somewhere between $3 and $10. Any bricks-and-mortar pen store will know what you mean is you say a converter.

You can see some pictured here: https://www.penandink.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=42_369

 

I've found it's best to ask for a converter of the same brand as your pen - Parker pen? ask for a Parker converter. Lamy pen? ask for a Lamy converter.

Sometimes the fit or width varies between brands.

 

A converter usually pushes in like and even looks a little like a cartridge but has a mechanism to draw up ink through the nib from a bottle. The most common mechanism is probably a twist rod at the end that turns an internal thread that moves a piston up and down inside the converter, and is thus known as a piston converter.

 

If you want a pen that uses the entire barrel as a converter and you twist the end of the pen itself, those are known as piston-fill fountain pens, with no mention of the word converter. They are usually well-regarded by fountain pen users as they hold more ink and are usually well-made. They can sometimes cost a little more.

 

Many Pelikan fountain pens are piston-fillers, and also the Lamy 2000.

 

There are many other filling systems, some based around a rubber sac that acts like the bulb of an eyedropper with various mechanisms for compressing it (levers, crescents, etc).

 

Richard Binder has an excellent page about filling systems here: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_info/fillers.htm

 

Regards, Myles.

[ethernautrix]

If you're willing to spend $100, go with the Pelikan M215. You can look at them at isellpens.com (no affiliation, etc.), which (I believe) has the lowest price.

 

I have one (bought elsewhere), and I love it!

 

Good luck and enjoy!

 

 

 

Edited: The Pelikan M215 is a piston-fill.

Edited April 3, 2008 by ethernautrix

[Have Fun]

Why not get one from Lexaf on this forum they are NOS Reform 1754 & won't break the bank at 10$

 

Take your pen back for a refund if possible & Look in the For sale section or do a search for Lexaf

 

Although they are old they sound like they are a lot of pen for your money & sort of a clone of the earlier Pelikans

 

If you want new there are a tremendous amount out there so no need to rush into anything & you can get cheap starters either from Lamy Safari etc or the Pelikano

 

 

 

[Shangas]

Hi FastFed,

 

And welcome to the FPN.

 

I got a bit confused, reading your post. If you mean you want a pen which must be dipped into an inkwell every few lines while writing, that's a dip-pen. You can easily buy a pen-holder and a box of nibs from any old art-supply shop. Just ask for the calligraphy section, and buy some bottles of ink and a nice antique ink-stand and you can set it up nice and classic on your desk.

 

If, on the other hand, you're talking about a fountain pen which doesn't use cartridges, like Griz said, most modern fountain pens (I say MOST, not all) take a converter (either squeeze or piston), that will allow you to fill your pen from a bottle, without having to contend with fiddly, annoying plastic ink-cartridges. Such pens do not have to cost an arm and a leg, and with some searching, you can find one which works great and for not much money.

 

If you want neither a dip-pen (which I personally think are bundles of fun to screw around with) or a converter-fill pen, you could easily save up the money, and buy a nice, vintage sac-filler pen. They don't have to cost too much and they come in all shapes, sizes and interesting and fun designs.

Edited April 3, 2008 by Shangas

[myles]

If you want a piston-fill fountain pen (twist the end of the pen itself to fill through the nib), you probably can't go wrong with a Pelikan, or a Lamy 2000 if you can find one on sale in your price range (hint: http://www.isellpens.com/lamy.html or http://www.oscarbraunpens.com/ ).

 

If you're happy to unscrew the barrel and twist the rod at the end of an internal converter, try either a Lamy (Safari or maybe a Studio), a Taccia, or maybe a Waterman Phileas, all of which usually have great smooth nibs out of the box.

Some pens usually come with a converter (Taccia), with others it's an extra purchase.

 

I like a medium nib, which usually writes very smoothly, but there are also many people who prefer a fine or extra-fine nib, and even some who prefer the bold wide line of a broad nib.

 

If you are used to ball-points, you are going to have to learn to write a lot lighter with a fountain pen or you will find you are digging the nib into the paper fibres and the nib will feel very scratchy, especially with a fine nib.

It's more like painting a soap bubble with a feather than dragging a stick covered in oil across a wall.

As a result you can also hold the pen more gently, resulting in less hand and finger cramp and ache.

 

You can also get an italic nib, like a small chisel, but they are not always as smooth to write with as a plain round nib.

 

You may find the inks a little slower to dry and a little more prone to feather and bleed-through on more porous papers.

 

Beware also that the nib dries out more quickly, so recap the pen when you are not writing with it.

Oh, and be careful when you get your new pen - many fountain pens (FPs) have screw-on caps, not slide or click-on.

 

Regards, Myles.

 

[gregoron]

If you want a piston-fill fountain pen (twist the end of the pen itself to fill through the nib), you probably can't go wrong with a Pelikan, or a Lamy 2000 if you can find one on sale in your price range (hint: http://www.isellpens.com/lamy.html or http://www.oscarbraunpens.com/ ).

 

If you're happy to unscrew the barrel and twist the rod at the end of an internal converter, try either a Lamy (Safari or maybe a Studio), a Taccia, or maybe a Waterman Phileas, all of which usually have great smooth nibs out of the box.

Some pens usually come with a converter (Taccia), with others it's an extra purchase.

 

I like a medium nib, which usually writes very smoothly, but there are also many people who prefer a fine or extra-fine nib, and even some who prefer the bold wide line of a broad nib.

 

If you are used to ball-points, you are going to have to learn to write a lot lighter with a fountain pen or you will find you are digging the nib into the paper fibres and the nib will feel very scratchy, especially with a fine nib.

It's more like painting a soap bubble with a feather than dragging a stick covered in oil across a wall.

As a result you can also hold the pen more gently, resulting in less hand and finger cramp and ache.

 

You can also get an italic nib, like a small chisel, but they are not always as smooth to write with as a plain round nib.

 

You may find the inks a little slower to dry and a little more prone to feather and bleed-through on more porous papers.

 

Beware also that the nib dries out more quickly, so recap the pen when you are not writing with it.

Oh, and be careful when you get your new pen - many fountain pens (FPs) have screw-on caps, not slide or click-on.

 

Regards, Myles.

 

Good advice for new fp users above!

[Shangas]

Myles gives excellent advice

 

An additional precaution - when leaving your pen unattended on a flat surface for any length of time, it's advisable to CAP IT first. Fountain pens are round and round things roll. A relaxed hand and a LIGHT touch are ESSENTIAL when using a fountain pen. Treat a fountain pen like a ballpoint pen and that nib will be broken in no-time at all.

[skybird]

I would be picking up a cheapo Parker 51 on ebay (not the button fill to start with) with a medium nib as suggested earlier.

These things are durable and go on forever.

Once you start - hang on for the addiction ;-)

[Shangas]

I think you mean vac-filler, Sky. I'm not aware of any Parker '51's with button-fillers.

[Clydesdave]

I was a touch confused m'self as to what kind of pen ya're a wantin'. Now if'n you be lookin' fer an ol' "Dip Pen" an' ya has ta dip it ever couple words or so, thar's one thing. An if'n ya be lookin' fer a fountain pen, thar be a'nuther. Either way, you be lettin' us know, an' I'll be seein' if I kin hep ya out.

 

Now afor ya go ta blastin' me 'cuz I be a'writin' this way; I aint a makin' no fun of ya or nuthin' like that. No sir. I jes be in this here mood and that's t'all thar is to that. I kin write jes fine, I jes don' wanna jes right now.

 

Gall durn it, I ben in 'nuff truble here ta lately!

[Shangas]

A couple of WORDS? Now see here, David, that's a bit of an exaggeration!! A good dip should last a line or two at least.

[Pinmin]

So for longest time I wanted a fountain pen, I have used a couple from people I know and being in the law industry and seeing clients all the time, I would love to have a fountain pen..

 

But..

 

as I said in the topic, I bought a Foray Focus pen from office depot for 40 bucks.. I am probably going to return it, because I REALLY WANT A PEN THAT I HAVE TO DIP INTO INK.. I don't want to have to use a cartridge, I don't know what it is about dipping the tip in, and filling it up without a cartridge, but I really think its neat, plus I have seen pens that go this route and they write so nice!

 

I am not looking to spend much money at this time, I search ebay and stuff, but I really don't know what to look for..

 

Office depot also has more expensive one's in the case they have there, but I am pretty sure they're all cartridge pens too..

 

 

Any advice??

 

THANKS!!

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com/ been dealing w/ them 20 years..ask for Ed..you will be pleased w/ service, product, price

 

[fastfed]

WOW!! I cannot believe the responses I got and SO QUICK!!

 

I am sorry to confuse some of you.. Yes I want a fountain pen, but one where I could add ink myself, from a jar.

 

I am looking to spend 100 bucks and feel a medium nib is going to be good for me.

 

So that being said, I CAN AND WILL return this foray pen, i have 14 days no questions asked, office depot said..

 

 

So many choices.. but I want to stick with what you guys feel would be a good writing pen..

 

Also, a side note. I noticed with my cheap Foray pen I can dip the tip into ink and for a sentence or 2, I get a much more crisp writing.. Which I loved.. I could still do that with the pens you are all telling me, correct?

 

 

 

 

Not to get off subject and maybe just a quick yes or no, but what about MONTBLANC fountain pens??

 

I'm not interested in them at all, bu are they really GREAT fountain pens or are they just a name?