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I'm trying to find out more about the difference between a Pelikan EF and F. The pen in question is the M800. The threads I found were all 10 years old or older. Most cited inconsistencies in the nibs. There were mentions of there being no discernible difference between the EF and F and sometimes even the EF writing thicker than the F. Some have stated that the EF nibs are scratchy. Others have cited misaligned tines out-of-the-box. There were suggestions to find and use reputable nib tuners throughout. This thread is intended to document whether that sentiment of inconsistency still holds true or whether it has since been corrected. Was it just a bad time for Pelikan nibs? Have they since tightened up their manufacturing process and quality control, some ten years later? Are both nibs now distinguishable, smooth, and aligned?

I’ve been wanting to buy a Leman Bicolor Fountain Pen for about 4-5 years and have procrastinated for too long. What accelerated my purchase this month was due to my personal circumstances. I recently started Journalling everyday because I am going through a really down period in my life where I am demotivated and kind of lost with no direction. I’ve read that writing about positive aspects of your day, what you plan to do in future, and generally writing down your feelings can help to make you feel better. After doing so for a few weeks, I certainly found that this was helping me. So when I recently saw a promotion in the UK on Andy’s Pens website and decided to purchase because it was an amazing deal. It worked out £322.15 GBP ($385.21 USD as at 21 Jul 2022). In addition to a review, I wanted to show you all the unboxing experience if you purchase from Andy’s Pens. This was my first purchase from his store. Most of my previous Fountain Pen purchases have been from Cult Pens, The Hamilton Pen Company, and a local jewellery shop in Bristol. I wanted to show you how the (F) nib writes on Clairefontaine paper. I use the A5 Age Bag Notebooks with Pelikan 4001 Blue/Black ink. I wrote out a few quotes from my Quotes document that I keep online whenever I read something that resonates with me. Note: I asked for the nib to be changed after I found out how wide the CdA (M) nib is. I have been using much cheaper Sheaffer 100 Fountain Pens for a few years with an (M) nib. They write very thin and I’ve been very happy with them. Therefore, the unboxing pictures below are with the (M) nib as it was shipped to me, but one of the pictures is with the (F) nib after it was changed and I started writing with it. [Build Quality: 10/10] This pen makes me feel like royalty when I use it. The pen is solid, has excellent weight and weight distribution. It is just the right amount of heavy in all the right places, that’s the best way for me to describe it. I have gotten so used to using my small and light £30 Sheaffer 100 that this pen was a shock to the system when I used it. Many years had gone by when I last tried it in a pen shop about 5 years ago and I couldn’t remember exactly how it felt. It is quite simply in another league. The manufacturing and attention to detail is fantastic. The build quality justifies the price whether you buy it at the regular or discounted price. [Design: 10/10] The design of the metal cap and the polished body is superb. It is almost perfection in my personal opinion. It has a screw on cap which comes off very quickly when you give it a turn. The converter itself screws into the nib as well (i.e t’s not one where you just pull it out from the nib unit). I was disappointed that this is not made clear in any instructions because I did initially try to pull it out. When it didn’t budge, I thought I’d try screwing it out, which worked obviously! But by not making this clear, CdA could end up helping customers to damage these pens if like me they have only had cheap pens with converters up until now. [Nib: 10/10] The nib writes like it has been dipped in butter. It feels fantastic when using it with my Clairefontaine notebook. It really does make me feel like I’m a very important person who is signing some kind of international trade deal when I write with this nib. I absolutely love it. The engraving of the straight lines on the nib match the straight lines on the cap, which is a nice touch. Although when looking at the engraving in isolation from the cap, I suppose it’s a little boring than fancier patterns on other nibs. However, I understand why this has been done to match the cap. [Filling and Ink] I inked the pen by dipping the nib into the ink bottle. I normally remove the converter and fill that up by itself for my other pens. But as it can take time for the ink to flow through, I did it properly in the first instance. I struggled to fill up the converter entirely even after two attempts, even though I had submerged the nib enough from what I could see. Maybe I wasn’t quite doing it right, but I will probably go back to filling the converter directly in future as this is also less messy. [Writing Sample] INK: Pelikan 4001 Blue/Black (bought from Cult Pens) PAPER: Clairefontaine Age Bag Notebook [Summary] I absolutely love this pen and would highly recommend it to anyone. The way it makes you feel when writing is worth the price alone. It makes you feel special, and for my particular circumstances where I am feeling down at the moment, it really does uplift me when I am using a high quality product to write about my feelings and my plans for a better future.

So I just have a little question.. Why don’t people just change the size of their handwriting to accommodate the nib size? I hear so many people say some things like, ”I would love this pen, but it has a medium nib and it makes my handwriting look blobby.” Or, “I just dislike extra-fine nibs so much, they put down too fine a line for my handwriting.” And when I hear this I just wonder, “Well why don’t you write a little bit bigger or smaller?” I am not talking about people complaining about extra-fine nibs being too toothy or broad nibs being too smooth, but the specific things about people’s upset on how it makes their handwriting look blobby or shaky or whatever else. It just seems like people have their handwriting size set in stone, when I know my handwriting personally gets larger or smaller depending on whether I am using a broad or fine nib. Thank you all for your responses, William

I recently ordered a Jinhao 100 Centennial from China, which should be arriving imminently. I realised - too late! - that the EF nib I have specified is not an original Jinhao nib. So, assuming I am not happy with it: - anyone know what make/style of nib I am likely to get? - can it easily be replaced with a “better” EF nib? - if, so what would you recommend? I recall reading that there was a switch from #5 to #6 nibs recently for this design, but I don’t normally mess with my pens these days, so any detailed advice would be welcome. A fine line is always my clear preference.

It helps to explore this yourself, revisiting once in a while if need be, and keep in mind where each of those personal info fields are entered. Don't leave it until the urge to change something specific to come upon you, and only then bother to ask the question! Invest the time surveying upfront, instead of waste it later waiting for an answer from nobody in particular. Most of the fields shown above are self-evident as to what they are. I think the only ones that could do with explanation are: Security and Privacy: There is only one setting under there, and that is a toggle for whether your online status (including ‘last active’ date or time) is visible to others Content View Behavior: That has nothing to do with what others can see about you, but only where you would like to start reading when accessing content Enable status updates: This toggle enables/disables the public feed on your profile page; if you disable it, then nobody (including you) can post publicly visible ‘status updates’ or any other message against your profile, but if you enable it, then anyone — friend, foe, or complete stranger — can post something there whenever, without waiting for you to initiate and then only reply to what you wrote Notification Settings have nothing to do with what others can see about you, and so is out of scope for this article, and I'm not going to delve into those right now. (You can look here, here, and here to wrap your head around how notifications work with respect to followed content.) N.B. There is a possibility that some of the above settings and data fields may not be available to Bronze members and/or Silver members, but I have no way of testing that or scoping it out. — • — Another way of getting to the Edit Profile dialog, and the way to change your profile photo (or ‘avatar’), is here: — • — Freeform, custom member titles that one enters for oneself are long gone, and have not been a thing since FPN came back from a long hiatus and platform upgrade late in 2020.

Just joined this group, first of all thanks for the add.. I have a Broadwell Nouveau Sceptre fountain pen and it currently has a medium point and would like to make it into a fine point. Where can I find the replacement nibs in fine? I have asked in FB and sent emails to suppliers and only one has responded. Thanks

If you're into fountain pens, chances are you know who Kanwrite is. They're the largest nib manufacturer in India and their models like the desire and heritage have garnered critical acclaim all over the world. They also (allegedly) make some of Noodler's pens as well. But that's not all the models they make. They make some pretty good inexpensive pens as well... some of which are a good choice for students and beginners who would like to start their fountain pen journey. Today I'm going to look at Kanwrite's cheapest offering, the Apex. A simple eyedropper pen that can be found at about ₹60 - 100/- INR(less than $1-2 USD) in India. And for the TL;DR of it, it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. So, let's crack on... Design and Build This is the cheapest pen that Kanwrite offers, and you can tell... not necessarily on the build quality, but you can tell why they chose to go with an eyedropper for this, you're basically paying for the nib, feed and a plastic housing. But beauty lies in simplicity... right? For the minimal amount of materials used the pen looks and feels solid. Even though it's at the bottom of the barrel compared to other Kanwrites, ink it up and it has the same amount of character and appeal as other fountain pens. They have various tints for the plastic, but I went for the demonstrator look because, well... I'm a sucker for those. The pen is made of the same plastic that is called a "celluloid derivative" by Mr.Nathan Tardif himself, and yes... it has the smell, but not that much compared to other pens that I have that's made of the same material(lookin' at you... Kanwrite PC converter). and yes... it can handle drops like a ballpoint... I accidentally dropped it back side down about 3ft from the ground, and aside from a temporary ink fountain that covered my floor with purple ink, the pen wrote as soon as I picked it up and put It on paper(probably because the fall helped prime the feed even more). The cap is a simple screw in cap that takes around 2 turns to open/close. and the clip is sufficiently tight yet easy to clip into even thick fabrics. it also has Kanwrite stamped on it, alongside the heat embossed Kanwrite logo in the barrel. Overall for a ₹60/- pen, it looks distinctive, and that's good in my books. The only issue is that the pen has minor flashing marks on the inside of the section, probably due to not properly trimming the injection molded parts, but other than that, a solid pen that is well built. As for size, well... it's a small pen... From left to right: Kanwrite Relik Jinhao X450 Airmail/Wality 71JB(cartridge converter system) Kanwrite Desire Kanwrite Apex Nib, Feed and Writing Experience Kanwrite is a company Known for their nibs, so it shouldn't be a surprise that this one will also be a good nib, right? Well, we'll get to that in a bit. Let's first take a look at the nib, shall we? The nib is a Kanwrite No.00 stell nib in fine. The same nib that is used in the Relik and perhaps even the same size as in the Airmail 77 and Camlin 47. It's a tiny fella, and couple that with an ebonite feed that is sufficiently finned, and you can rest assure that reliability will be a strong suit of this pen... and it is. I have never run into any dry out issues even when left uncapped for the better part of an hour. So suffice to say, it's a reliable writer. Talking about how it feels while writing, well, the pen is a small guy. But even for me, a guy with a hand the shape of a kayak(slim and long...) writing it unposted was fine, but I'd still recommend posting it as then it's in my opinion a perfect size for writing with. Talking about writing, and well... It writes just like a Kanwrite. Very smooth for the most part with a hint of a feedback. It's less than you get while writing with a pencil but you feel that you are writing. This is with TNPL 70gsm copier paper though. Move on to a better paper like a Classmate or Rhodia, and the nib just glides... honestly, as much as the Airmail 69T that I shoehorned a Kanwrite No.35 nib into(Check that one out here). And I'm baffled that you can get this writing experience out of a pen that costs around the same as a ghee roast in a restaurant. Now the pen is an eyedropper and does take around 2ml of ink. And like most eyedroppers it does burp, but when the barrel is so low that you are not refilling the pen out of pure ignorance and laziness. So, refill it when the ink gets to about 1/8th mark, which'll last you more than 2-3 ballpoints. Plus, everything is friction fit, so it is easy to clean. Before getting into the conclusion here's a writing sample of this pen. Conclusion and Final verdict Honestly, there isn't much to say about it, if you have a Kanwrite PC, Saloon, Relik or any of the lower end ones, the experience is somewhat similar. and for just 60 rupees, you can't go wrong. Like I said in the beginning it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. It is a cheap and effective gateway drug into the world of fountain pen. couple this with a ₹25/- bottle of bril blue, and you're pretty much set for at least half a year, or more. Thanks for reading my write up and I'll see you around...

As you can see, we have some colorful Jinhao Shark pens here. Amaze your friends! Terrify your enemies! One lucky FPN'er will get all of them. Four fude, one fine point. All come with converters, and they write very well for such a ferocious, yet comical-looking instrument. CONUS only, and sadly eliminating anyone who has 'won' from me before. As usual, the Eeny-Meeny Inator will be used to select the winner. Thanks for looking.

I just got a couple of Cross Bailey Light fountain pens (£10 on sale, WH Smith UK) and 3 Cross refill converters (£7 each, buy two get one free, from same place). They were advertised as "Fine Nib", but now I have them, there's no word "Fine" on the packaging, and there's an "M" on the front. I'm not familiar enough with Cross or fountain pens in general to be able to tell a Fine tip at a glance. The "M" could stand for "medium girth", according to their website. Can anyone advise? Should I send them back? Come to think of it, are Bailey Lights bad pens; should I return them while I have the chance? All I know about Cross is they made some beautiful 1980s (?) gold pens and pencils that a friend of mine has, and some equally awesome gold fountain pens. I don't know how well their more modern, Chinese-made, lower-end models compare. I can't afford one of their older/higher class pens yet, so was hoping a Bailey Light would serve me as an alternative until that day. Anyone know the thickness of line that Cross Fine nibs are supposed to draw? (I've heard Western "Fine" = 0.34mm)

This Sailor pocket fountain pen was manufactured in February 1965 (date code H. making it one of the first Sailor pocket pens to be produced. Although, once very common in Japan, they rarely come up for sale now. This is most likely due to the age and owners like to hang on to them. They are unusual which attracted me and they’re surprisingly good for writing. Pocket pens are still popular and make a revival every 15 years. Pocket pens are a rather unusual design (long cap, short barrel) and started by Platinum in the ‘60’s and due to the high demand both Pilot and Sailor soon entered the market with similar designs. As the name says, these pens are made specifically for shirt pockets. 1. Appearance & Design (8/10) This is one of Sailor’s earliest designs: jade coloured section and finial; gold clip; 14k gold nib; and decorative gold trim ring. The price, Y2,000 in 1965, wasn’t cheap which would account for the decorative trim ring which was reserved for more luxurious models. I was not particularly attracted to pocket pens at first but if you haven’t experienced them before, then you’re in for a surprise; very short when capped, yet full size posted; light; and excellent as an every-day-carry. It is sturdily built, uses a full-size Sailor cartridge with a strong clip that holds firmly. The cap has an inner liner to prevent drying and a steel clutch ring providing that snug fit capped or posted. Typical of Sailor, the quality and construction is very good. They came in many colours and I particularly like this Jade version. Personally, I find it difficult to use un-posted but luckily when posted it’s the length of the majority of fountain pens. I enjoy the convenience of a strong clip and that it easily fits in my shirt pocket or suite jacket. Overall, it's a simple design that works for me. 2. Construction & Quality (9/10) Having been protected in the box, the pen has aged well and almost as good as new. I’ve known Japanese quality control is very good, but this is commendable. I can understand why they were in high demand at the time. The pen is light, and excellent balance when posted. It's surprisingly sturdy with the brushed chrome look that will help it age gracefully. As it’s made to post, the cap fits snugly on both the section and the barrel, which is much better than some Pilots where the cap clutch grabs too soon. It has lasted 50 years and looks as good as new. Having used good quality materials, it should easily last another 50 years. 3. Weight & Dimensions (8/10) – Capped: 114mm; Uncapped: 100mm; Posted: 142mm; Diameter: 10mm; Weight: 10g. The pen is lighter than those I normally use. The cap is half the weight of the pen; it posts securely, well balanced and comfortable in the hand. It’s a pleasure to use. 4. Nib & Performance (7/10) – It has a 14k gold nib with no size indication on the nib but the price label has 細 which I’m told means fine. The nib is definitely springy almost semi-flex and writes quite smoothly, definitely not toothy or scratchy. Since it is such good condition I was reluctant to fill the pen and only dip tested for the writing sample with Sailor Souboku. It’s been subsequently cleaned and dried for storage. It had no difficulties laying a consistent fine line, an advantage of a nib matched to a good feed. The nib and section can be easily removed but not necessary since it’s NOS. The feed holds a surprising amount of ink. Given the age, if you prefer a wider nib then you may have difficulty but they are around. 5. Filling System & Maintenance (7/10) – The barrel takes a full sized proprietary cartridge. The earlier models came with a cartridge converter but I have never seen any. Luckily there are two cartridges provided which can be refilled. The nib and feed can be extracted by unscrewing the nipple, and pushing them up the section. 6. Cost & Value (8/10) –It’s a NOS vintage pen in very good condition with box and papers so would generally attract the attention of collectors, which artificially inflates the price. I have seen a few pocket pens even by Sailor but this is the first of the 1960’s luxurious pens that I’ve seen. A pen by itself, in average condition, sells for US$35-US$50. This pen including the box, instructions, and original cartridges may sell for US$50-US$70. Would I buy one for US$60? If I was looking for a pocket pen then why not pick the best. I was quite surprised how quickly I got used to the pen even if it does have a fine nib then of course it would be attractive and definitely a talking point, so for that price I would buy one. 7. Conclusion (Final score, 47/60) – Overall, there are a number of features that make this pen special: compact design; attractive appearance; springy semi-flex nib; and a good solid gold clip. The only negative is the lack of cartridge convertors so it will always be a cartridge-only pen. Initially, I wasn’t attracted to pocket pens but now I’ve tried one they will definitely be on my wish list. I like it, it’s different and looks quite attractive when capped and I love the jade colour when it’s posted. It makes a nice daily writer, built well and will survive the occasional knock without showing it. It’s such a good writer it would be a shame if this one goes to a collector but it’s understandable. With care this one will easily last another fifty years. It’s definitely a go-to pen for those that love fine nibs. Other pictures: https://imgur.com/a/qUgCtoh

To the point: any advice before I start using a Parker 75 bought used? One with the thinner section, fine size nib. Longer story: I'd given up on the 75 given that I have no way of trying them in person, and they are apparently thinner than Sonnets, of which I have two. But... I came across one for a low price, which seemed in good nick, and in the design that intrigued me the most, milleraies (yes, ciselé looks awesome too). So... Instead of wisely saving for the one pen missing in my collection, a Waterman Carène, there I go blowing the budget... Which was already seriously dented by a Pelikan m205 and a couple of Lamy Studios... Soooo... This might take a while to get to me, but since it's a used pen, what would you recommend? 1. Dunk the section overnight, nib and all in water before anything else, to loosen any dried ink? 2. Try to remove the nib and feed first, by pulling it out, and cleaning them separately? It pulls out straight? This is what I would do with most of my pens, but I don't want to break anything. I did break a feed inside a Sonnet section, probably my fountain pen low point. 3. I understand the nib and feed are not easy to disassemble so better leave them well alone? 4. Very specific info: are these pens rather dry or rather wet? I am very particular about how inks come out, so for instance Ama Iro and Ajisai looked terrible (to me) on most (wet) pens, look consistently great with EF Studios, while Tsuyu Kusa really came into its own with a wet Professional Gear. I will definitely stay away from difficult inks which leave crud or sediments, like Rouge Hematite or Équinoxe 6; if you're happy or unhappy with the ink in your 75, please tell me about it. 5. I think this is silver coated? How does one clean that, if needed? 6. Will a modern Pelikan Parker converter work fine with these? Any other tips? Hopefully it won't be too thin for my L glove sized hands, otherwise... I suppose I'd have to give it away, and I'll probably never hear the end of it. Thanks in advance!

I have diamine earl grey inked up in a jinhao 51a with the unhooded nib as well as a moonman m2 knockoff "hyl" pen, both fine nibs. After some worn on the 51a nib it writes somewhat wetter than it did initially, but I still find the ink to be too light almost to the point of skipping. On hp 24 lb laser paper it is fine, but on rhodia 80gsm dotpad paper the line is dry and looks scratchy and too light. I tried changing converters and cleaning the jinhao but after the hyl had similar problems I think I've found the particular combination of nib size, paper, and possibly pen that doesn't show up well with this ink. Is this just something I have to accept, although I don't really want to because I really like this ink and those pens. Maybe something is to be learned here about light inks, less absorbent paper, and fine nibs.

Pelikan P476 cartridge fountain pen was manufactured from 1973-77. Although, very common in Germany 40 years ago, despite not being rare, do not come up for sale very often. 1. Appearance & Design (8/10) This is a rather conservative design using chrome and plastic. Not what I normally associate with the majority of Pelikans traded today. I suspect it was the company's attempt to manage the transition from fountain pens to the convenience of ballpoints. Despite using cheaper materials, the quality and construction is very good. I particularly like the use of stainless steel for the nib enabling it to survive the decades with no damage and as good as new. The choice of a matte black cap works well with the shiny chrome barrel. Uncapped, the finish and feel of the glossy black section (grip) is different which makes me wonder whether they've used a different plastic to other pens at the time. The choice of a blue ink-view window compliments the uncapped pen but I question it's functionality. After all, it uses cartridges with room for an extra one in the barrel. Overall, it's a simple design that works for me and compared to its competition at the time, I would have been tempted. 2. Construction & Quality (9/10) As mentioned above, the construction and quality is good despite using plastics and chrome. The pen is light, so I prefer writing with it capped. Interestingly, it feels solid and fits well in my hand. I'm surprised they used a plastic thread (section) meeting the metal thread on the barrel. It might be fine but I would be careful when screwing on the barrel. With constant use, I suspect the chrome barrel may mark over time but would withstand a lot of punishment. It's surprisingly sturdy and I wouldn’t worry about it being dropped. 3. Weight & Dimensions (8/10) – Capped: 132mm; Uncapped: 124mm; Posted: 147mm; Diameter: 11mm; Weight: 18g. The pen is lighter than those I normally use. The cap is half the weight of the pen; it posts securely, feels balanced and comfortable in the hand. I could get used to it. 4. Nib & Performance (8/10) – It has a stainless steel F nib which on paper looks like an EF. Being steel it has no flex and is not toothy or scratchy, writing quite smoothly. I didn’t need yet another pen inked, so for this review it was dip tested with this year's Pelikan Edelstein Olivine. It had no difficulties laying a consistent fine line on: plain printer paper; gloss calligraphy paper; and Manga paper (an advantage of an F nib). Unlike the more popular Pelikan nibs, these don't use a nib unit. The nib and section can be removed but only with the correct tools so it’s not a good idea to take it apart. The feed holds a surprising amount of ink. Given the age, and rarity, it will be difficult to find another nib. In the 70’s, the nib range was: Fine (F); Medium (M); Broad ( ; Left Oblique-Medium (OM); Left Oblique Broad (OB); and Left Oblique double Broad (OBB). I have only seen them in Fine or Medium. If you enjoy fine nibs then this is one to try. 5. Filling System & Maintenance (8/10) – The barrel has room for two small proprietary 4001 cartridges. Most of the small international cartridges fall out. Naturally, the pen can use a proprietary cartridge converter, which again is not compatible with most international standard converters. However, the small plastic “Parker” converter does fit snugly. Cartridges are clean and easy to use to use. 6. Cost & Value (8/10) – The pen was a gift. It’s a NOS vintage pen and not very common so would generally attract the attention of collectors, which artificially inflates the price. I have seen one set (pen and ballpoint) with the original box selling for US$210. A pen by itself, in average condition, sells for US$35-US$50. This pen including the box, instructions, and original cartridges could sell for US$50-US$70. It’s hard to justify the price Pelikan collectors are prepared to pay; it’s entirely dependent on demand. However, from a practical point of view, on average, as an everyday writer, I suspect the pen would be worth US$40. The build quality is comparable to the cheaper range of Pelikan pens. Would I buy one for US$40? It would be a difficult decision when comparing with brand new pens, but it is vintage Pelikan. If you like EF or F pens then of course it would be attractive and definitely a talking point, so for that price I would buy on. 7. Conclusion (Final score, 49/60) – Overall, I like it, it’s a nice unpretentious pen. I have only ever seen Pelikan Souverans so this was a nice surprise. Initially, I was sceptical, but it lived up to the build quality of a Pelikan pen. It makes a nice daily writer and although I generally shy away from a Fine nib, I could get used to this one. I have a lot of pens but don’t consider myself to be a collector. I firmly believe fountain pens are built to be used and this one will last for decades. However, since Fine nibs are not my favourite, I will most likely sell it, so will keep it in pristine condition until I decide what to do with it. Don’t faint, I’ll even keep the box and instructions, just in case. It’s definitely a go-to pen for those that love Fine nibs.

Hello pen people. I am posting this in dire need of advice. I might buy a Pilot Custom 823 next week or so from the Nibsmith. I am not convinced on the nib size. I am either going for a fine nib or a medium ground to a medium-fine according to Sailors mf width. Can anyone say how the fine nib compares to other fines like TWSBI or Platinum 14k fines on the Century model? If you can provide a writing sample of the Custom 823 fine or medium with other nibs like Jowo fines, mediums or Sailor mf etc, it would be of great help. Any help in decision making would be very much appreciated. I have to say that the Pilot waverley nib is almost the perfect line width for me. I have tried it on a friends pen. Also can anyone tell me about the blue ink that comes with it? And any comparison photos with well known blue inks would be much appreciated. Arigato Gozaimasu!

Good evening everyone once again. This is a light hearted review of a serious pen! Preamble (skip this bit if you find it boring): Today, I have been fortunate to manage to have the same day off work as my partner (our schedules NEVER match up). Couple of days before the bank holiday madness kicks in, so the great outdoors beckoned… So, with the great UK weather being unpredictable, a trip to the coast was off the menu, and I was in need of a pen case for a couple of pens I have, so predictably, a pen shop expedition was order of the day. As per usual, we headed out some 30+ miles to “Penbox” in Epworth, as I knew that the owner, Steve, typically keeps a nice selection in, plus, there are a number of old style quality cafe’s in the village, which really makes it a nice trip. We didn’t ring thru prior, as the shop is a treasure trove for writers, and is always fun to look thru all the displays. It has to be said, that an internet only method of shopping is quick, more eco-friendly and frees up time to other things. Call me old fashioned, but a real shop, with a real face and, goods you can pick up and browse through, is much better (don’t forget the pause for an English Breakfast in the cafe nearby). Anyway, shortly after arrival, the plans proceeded to become rapidly unglued. As one enters the shop, near the counter is a small display case, and within it is a collection of Graf Von Faber Castell “pens of the year”. I should have turned around there and then, I really really should. Fifteen seconds thru the door, and too late. “She who must be obeyed” spotted it. Graf von… 2011, in Jade. So, after browsing, drooling and general really pleasant talk about pens and everything else pen related, we pressed pause for an hour and hit the nearest cafe. Suitably refreshed, we returned and then, yes, I got a small pen case to fit two pens, we also acquired the aforementioned Graf Von Faber Castell 2011 in Jade. “She who must be obeyed” absolutely fell in love with it. First impressions. Workmanship. It is just a work of art, but without doubt, fully engineered. From the shiny finish with the Jade inlays, of which one of them itself has an engraved pattern itself, it just screamed quality. It glows………. Second impression. The cabinet was duly unlocked and the Jade beauty was handled for the first time. It felt truly gorgeous in the hand, a decent heft, weighty but felt balanced. I have never really like the look of them in photos in the past, the caps seem a bit odd and there is a step rearwards of the section/grip, which is so far back, it is just not noticeable at all. However, in the flesh? Ooooh, it’s a different beast then. AH, what the heck, we made the purchase. Third impression. As usual, home, cuppa, and a calming down after causing severe damage to the credit card. The box, sat on the table, the contents hidden, awaiting the proper opening. Unboxing. Wow. The box is HEAVY. It isn’t as big as a Conway Stewart Winston or Churchill, but is waaaay heavier. As per most pens in this price point, they are a box, within a box, within a box, which normally grates on me a bit as I usually ditch boxes and stick my pens in pen pouches. However, this was just one eye opener after another. The innermost box, is made of some dark wood with a deep green lacquer and is highly polished. It is of a size and finish that really complements the pen and for once, (if this was MY pen) I would not put this in a pen pouch unless it comes to work, but would be returned back into it’s nest at bedtime for sure. Quality lead on quality. Overall Look of the pen. Victorian. I got to say it looks Victorian. Erm, quick rethink. Deco. Victorian/Art Deco, if that could ever exist. On it’s own it looks huge, but when placed next to other pens, such as a TWSBI, it is really not that huge after all, maybe the cap is making the eye think it is bigger than it is? Either way, I would say, without resorting to a tape measure, it is Pelikan M800/M1000 size. Very pleasing to the eye. The nib. This one came in a “fine” and is in good proportion with the rest of the pen. It looks pretty. We dared to dip it tonight and have a play on Rhodia paper. Oh. I mean, oh, as in WOW. I do like fine nibs from time to time but are not my weapon of choice, but this one is stunning. Loaded with Waterman inspired blue, it laid down a lovely wet line. On first touch. No messing, no prepping, no faff, touch on and away we go. Smooth. It felt like a medium nib in smoothness. It had a firmness in use, with a hint of spring or softness, but that is just me “looking” for these qualities, which were definitely there. This is, by far, the nicest fine nib I have ever used. The cap. Big. Shiny. Heavy. Inlaid at the end, with what looks like a stone or a piece of shaped jade, very jewel like in shape/design. The clip is also well engineered, with a sprung hinge, which feels rock solid, but smooth to use. Again, it is in keeping with the overall design and adds to the overall “style”. As a note, we won’t be stuffing this little baby in the top of a shirt pocket in the near future. Others might, and the clip would do the biz, but, not for us, ta. Posting the cap. The cap posts, but as the cap is heavy, no. Don’t do it. It looks nice but it does make it too back heavy, although it does look nice. It posts with a firm push and feels very secure, but, no. It is such a balanced pen without, don’t do it. Keep the cap in your other hand and enjoy the feel of it. Filling system. This is a piston filler and is accessible via a blind cap. The action is smooth and has lots of travel. It hints at a reasonable capacity, but not tested it yet. There is also a small ink window near the section in a smoked grey. I am not sure how good this is, as it is quite dark, but then a totally clear one would detract from the overall look. Look up to a light bulb/outdoors? Yep, tried it and it looks like it works, but having only dipped the pen, can’t verify it. Sorreee. The section. I am not a fan of all metal sections. There, I said it. However, after living with a yard o led for a while now, I have got to appreciate them and make small allowances (give my hands a good wash prior to a good writing session, reduce the oils on my fingers). The section has a very pleasant profile and is in keeping with the overall size, and for most people would be a pleasant diameter to use. A resin section just would not work here, it would kill the overall look for sure. The diameter and length of the section really makes the centre of gravity work as it should. So what now? The pen has now just had a good rinse and will then be fully loaded with Waterman inspired blue for at least a couple of fills. Once done, my good lady will decide on her ink of choice going forward, which we will dip and try, then away we go, it will for sure be in her regular rotation. Pens are nice to collect, but all of our pens are purchased to be used, and not hidden away. Cost? RRP is unpleasant. I won’t divulge the actual price we paid, but it was heavily discounted against RRP, and reduced again from the published web price. Pen dealers will always have a degree of price adjustment to work with, and (I hope) that they still manage to make some profit. That is an advantage of going to a bricks and mortar premises. Web prices CAN be lower than in a shop, BUT the price on the web is usually as quoted. You can always discuss prices with a human face to face. Computers, no. If anyone is looking for a pen like this, I do recommend visiting your local pen emporium (if you are fortunate to have one close enough) and get talking to them. Pics Just a few snaps, show and tell. They just don’t do the pen justice and for sure there are much better ones out there in the wild, either way, hope it gives you an idea. And Finally The big question. If I was in the market for such a pen, would I buy one for myself. No. Loving the Deco look, really loving it, but it is just that-bit-too-bling for my own personal tastes. It has an exclusive look/feel, is a stunning piece, but it’s not me.

Greetings fellow stationary nerds. I come to you from the far north, the land of Lego, pastries and wind power, with this, my first pen review. The subject in question, the Jinhao Y3. This is an interesting one, because I literally couldn't find anything resembling a review of this pen prior to my purchase, so it was a bit of a jump into nothingness, but it looked good and it was only about 8 bucks on Aliexpress. The pen came in the most luxurious and decadent cheap, gray, foam padded cardboard box, as with most pens of AX. Oh well, waddya expect. Appearance/Design: The pen is really a looker. Flat, and cylindrical in design with only few tasteful appointments. The cap features a black gloss laquer/paint and is made of brass as well a the body of the barrel. The outside of the barrel is covered in a machined piece of rosewood which really astonished me, because CITES has just this January banned the international trade and sale of all types of rosewood, since it is an endangered species (much to the dismay of musicians as myself, who enjoy rosewood used in musical instruments). It made it through customs, but I dont think I'll try my luck again. The clip is medium stiff, and very useable. The chrome appointments are very nicely done, and the branding is stamped very deeply into the metal, and looks great. The section is a matte metal finish and has the Jinhao chariot logo stamped into it. Again, very nice and tastefully done. Overall, I feel that the pen has a cool asian vibe to it. I like it. Oh, and it comes with a nice standard Jinhao converter. Length: Capped: 13,9 cm Uncapped: 12,4 cm (against a TWSBI ECO for scale) The weight (Take a load off Fanny) is a healthy 19g uncapped and a rather heavy 32g capped. This means that a lot of the weight is in the cap, and by far most of it is in the very heavy end cap beyond the clip, making it very unbalanced when using it posted. And very unsatisfyingly when posted it doesn't post all the way down to the chrome ring at the end, making it look pretty goofy (as seen above). Construction/Quality: All in all, I'm very impressed. No gaps to be found. The rosewood is beautiful. The clip is sturdy but not too hard. The gloss finish has no imperfections, and the cap sits securely when on, but is not a two man job to take off (like my X450). I have no complaints. Nib/Performance: The nib in this pen seems to be a #5, and it does indeed say "5" on the back of the feed, but I have no replacement nibs to try, so this is a guestimation. It is a nice glossy steel, and features the jinhao logo, but it also features a stamped "F", indicating, that this indeed is a fine nib. First time I've seen this on a Jinhao nib. It arrived reasonably smooth with a bit of feedback. A bit too much feedback to my tastes, so I smoothed it a bit, and now it has the perfect feel for me, which is just enough feedback, so I feel the connection with the page and it isn't slipping and sliding (yes, to me a nib can be too smooth). Not much in the way of line variation and flex, but just a tiny bit. Here the writing is compared to my much broader and wetter X450: Cost and Value: It's amazing what you can get for $8 with free world wide shipping. As with my other (but cheaper) Jinhaos, this pen is sure a kick above it's price range, and i don't regret the purchase one bit. Conclusion: It's just great. It's stylish, writes well, looks great, is relatively cheap, is stunning in appearance, is a bit of a naughty one because of the forbidden wood (no boner jokes please) and did I mention how good i think it looks? Has become one of my new daily note takers. - Haun

Hey all, Any recommendations on a good small/slim Montblanc fine nib pen? Been looking at the 146 and was wondering if there are any 'experts' with using this as an every day writer. I prefer slim/small pens with a fine nib to write for extended periods and really like the Montblanc brand. Kind Regards Ben

This was the kind of pen that they ignored, having been placed at the far end of the display shelf at Cosmos Bazaar in Binondo, Manila. The Pilot 55C2 is a rare fountain pen from the 1980s. But they didn't know that, and neither did I. But there it joined the rest of my fp acquisition because the nib said, "Baby, come to meee..." Later, a quick browse through Google revealed a brief description of this pen. Unlike most Pilots that run on their patent cartridge or converter, the Pilot 55C2 accepts international standard cartridges. This is a wonderful thing! Postable and with a snap-cap, this light pen does not disappoint. It is about the same length as the Pilot 78G, only slimmer. The ink flow is steady, the pen feels balanced. Just smooth. Why did Pilot discontinue this good pen? We may never know.

So I ordered Parker Vector, not because I was expecting it to be any good, on the contrary, I hoped it to be at least meh so I can work on my nib adjusting skills. So it was and so I did. After going through few different micro mesh nail files it became a fairly sexy writing thing - very defined lines, definitely thinner than medium, not too wet but far from dry (Souten shades nicely), and most of all it's really quite smooth with less feedback. In the end it's too small and thin to be comfortable for me so I'll be giving it away Apologies for super bad quality photo

So the pen that I am considering buying comes with a #6 Bock nib, and so far I haven't had the best experience with their #5 nibs as the "extra-fine" was thicker than my #6 Jowo fine. I'm not sure if this is just due to the different nib sizes as I haven't been into fountain pens that long. Is this just something that occurs with smaller nib sizes or does Bock actually make their nibs with a thicker line?

Hi all, I absolutely love the feel of writing with Pilot V5 HiTechpoint. But I can't use any ink I want in it. It comes filled with a large quantity and once ink is over, it is supposed to be disposed off. To be sure, it can be opened with a plier and refilled, but that also works only a couple of times before some damage or the other happens. So I have this question for experienced fountain pen users here who might have used this pen too - which fountain pen comes closest to Pilot V5 HiTechpoint in terms of writing experience including nib thickness (I think 0.5 mm)?? If it is within my budget, I will acquire one. Also, I will have this knowledge with me when I buy pens in future. Thanks in advance. Sanjay

This may sound like a dumb question because what nibs to use for different purposes is very much a personal preference kind of thing; nonetheless, I'm going to ask it anyways. At this point in the Hobby, I have tried all sorts of Nibs and have really started to hone in on what I like. What gets it going for me are stub nibs I find them incredibly fun to write with and also like the aesthetic they bring to my writing. In all my research and experiments I see that people often recommend using Fine nibs for school, work, notes etc... I only really tend to write with Stub nibs or Medium nibs since those are my preferences, but am I wondering if it's really worth getting one or two fine nibs for said purpose? I've tried a few fine nibs and I tend not to like them more than Stubs, but at the same time have never written much beyond a couple of sentences. I'm curious if there are other people out there that are in the same boat as me and picked up some fine nibs for the sole purpose of work, school, and notes even though they have other nib preferences?

Hello, Hoping there's someone who can advise! A vicar is looking for a fountain pen with a fine nib, that will be completely safe to use with his carbon document ink. Any ideas or suggestions would be really appreciated! Thank you in advance.