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Hi all, I have a pelikan 120 which was sold as a medium italic. I love it so much and want to buy a pen with a similar nib. I have a different italic nib which has tipping on and doesn't have as crisp lines. Does anyone know what type of nib this might be? I've seen discussions talking about crisp, sharp, cursive and daily italics and I don't know where this nib falls! Any suggestions/ help or similar pen recommendations will be very much appreciated!!
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Good day, I’m a new member from Chicago and I have a fledgling collection. The only Pilot I have is a basic metropolitan, yet now, I’m quite interested in a higher-end model like the Custom 845. I’d like to ask you owners about your thoughts about the pen in terms of nib feel, proportion, materials, and value proposition. I love it stylistically. Also, are these Japanese nibs one size smaller than the Western counterparts as I’ve heard? I found it odd that there are some fellows in Japan that have it at a steep discount, around $500, compared to the normal $900 retail here. Are those legitimate? Thanks for your input and time. Respectfully, Brian
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Dear Forum, I hope this finds you well. I have bought a Montblanc 320P With a original Steel-Goldplated nib , wich I want to replace….but there is a problem… I can’t finde replacement nibs ? Or almost none ? So this makes me question, where can I buy replacement nibs ? (I live in Germany, so most us sellers don’t sell to me ) I have wondered , if I could use nibs from other pens , like the Montblanc Carrera or from another brand …but here I need your help. i know somebody here for sure knows something about this problem or can help me… ( I sorry , but sadly I am not a native speaker, if there are any questions, pls ask and I am going to answer them , I really need help )
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Victorian Waterman pen owned by playwright George Grossmith (A pen mystery...)
United_Common_1858 posted a topic in Waterman
Exec Summary for those just joining I bought a pen from Peter Twydle, a 9ct gold Waterman with a 14ct medium nib with an autograph from George Grossmith (actor / playwright). Which I am over the moon with. This thread is not accuse Peter. I think he did the best job possible and charged fairly. I love the pen. This is now just historical curiosity. I shared the pen here and on a sub-reddit which led to questioning of the date provenance Grossmith died 1912 Waterman screw tops were not yet invented Waterman numbering system (54) was introduced in 1917 The pen has two different gold hallmarks dating the barrel to 1923 and the cap to 1924 (London) Grossmith had a son (Grossmith Jnr) who was also an actor / playwright and died in 1935 Higher resolution photos in the thread below The mystery continues... My original post in quotes below. -
Hi All - Eversharp Skyline Standard and Demi - question and observation: Observation (anecdotal?) - Upon re-saccing the pen and install a new teflon breather tube. The tube I cut to almost the fell length of the sac. When it was that long, it would not fill more than a few milliliters. No matter how many lever pulls and waiting between each - But, when I re-cut the tube to half the length of the sac, or just a tad shorter - Up to seven good pulls and wait a few between each one up to five secs, the pen will fill to about .50-.75ML - I measured this in a sample vile Question - the demi that I picked up for my daughter has a super flexi nib and she has a heavier hand - and it is not conducive to her writing style - I would be looking for a medium/firm nib for it. I have found a seller that has some nibs, but different sized in MM - to that end what size nib in MM would a demi use? Thanks for any help - !
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I bought my nephew, who lives in Ireland, a Chinese fountain pen that takes 3.4 refills, not knowing he was a lefty! I've only been to Ireland twice since he was born, so I'm not THAT bad of an aunt! Anyway, he's using it anyway, but I can only imagine what it looks like. I want to buy him some quick drying ink on Amazon UK. Quink is prohibitively expensive from the site, however, European brands, IMO, are relatively cheap. I prefer cartridges, but beggars can't be choosers and he has a converter that his parents can fill for him. Any help is appreciated.
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I can't deal with dry nibs in PenBBS 456
PaJaC posted a topic in China, Korea and Others (Far East, Asia)
Hello, PenBBS has been in my drawer for several years. This pen has been useless since I got it because the original nib didn't feel comfortable to me and all the others felt rough to me. I had a problem with the Bock nib, Kaweco, JoWo and none of them were up to the task. I even started buying nib products on AliExpress, but none of them satisfied me. All nibs scrape when stroked upwards and forwards, making them extremely interruptive and irritating. I started to wonder if the reason might lie elsewhere, for example in the feeder and their construction? How to deal with this? edit: The JoWo nib works well with the Asvine V126, is it the feeder that is to blame? -
Are there any pen stores near Buffalo NY? I am really hoping to try a few pens but the only place I could find was an art supply store that carried overpriced Safari's and the uncomfortable Retro 51 fountain pens. They also had some pens in the $1000+ range but I really don't have that kind of cash to burn. I'm willing to travel across the border into Canada if that helps. Maybe anything around two hours out one way?
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Dear MB network I am a new member on the FPN and am about to make one of those posts/requests that no seasoned collector or expert wants to read let alone entertain but I have very few options from my current country of residence. I have been collecting MB pens for a few years now and although I am completely in love with them I am at a point in life where I need to let go of the majority of my collection. I know very little of how to value these wonderful items and I always bought what I loved rather than what was hype or hip at the time. The issue I am having is finding reliable sources for pricing information so I do not get shafted by valuations here and there. In my other collecting fields such as Comics or Nihonto there are documented, certified, price guides and tutorials that help but when trying to gauge the market on pens...minefield. I know that as with everything condition is paramount and if pens are still sealed even better, but how to realistically gauge the valuation, no clue. So, I am sorry to ask for the obvious, but can anyone help guide me here? I am attaching the pictures as they are. The pens in these pictures have never been used and all have their box and papers with them. The ones I have used I am keeping with me here goes:
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Dear community, I need your advice. I almost bought the Pilot VP Raden but then I saw the Aurora Optima 2024 and now I can’t stop thinking about this most beautiful pen in the world. The only thing that stops me is information from everywhere that Auroras break easily without a serious reason. I know that I can buy Raden and most likely, if I take care of it, the pen will last me a lifetime. But what about Aurora? What is the probability that the Optima will fall apart? Which pen would you choose? This is a lot of money per pen for me and I can't buy both.
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Recommendation for resistence
Afonso Metello de Napoles posted a topic in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop
From a new buyer, Can you help me find a pen? So Christmas is coming. Kinda. And then my birthday. Some months later. And I am looking for something resistant to be carried around and (unfortunately) occasionally sometimes fall from the desk, light (I really like a light pen), with a small point (I like the size M I have been using) (are measures uniform around companies?) and the two most important aspects: cheap and rechargeable, instead of cartridges. To compare with what I have been using for the last 3 years: Mostly use the cheapest plastic Parker fountain pen available(Jotter fountain pen), slightly cracked on the side, https://www.parkerpen.com/collections/essential/jotter/jotter-fountain-pen/SAP_2030947.html, https://www.worten.pt/produtos/caneta-de-aparo-parker-jotter-originals-tinta-preta-azul-mrkean-3026980964306?gclid=CjwKCAjwgsqoBhBNEiwAwe5w0ynTjEQUsu4jkmZa4LxeM1uPHLGBfatO--PJsEYRWwFX7oCW14zMRxoCbMYQAvD_BwE. No complains, I like how light and small it is and the size of the point (size M). Although I'd rather if it was slightly longer, my fingers are big. Occasionally, I use a (I think it is) knockoff pen that someone gave me. Bigger point, always discompensating on the nib and not being usable with temperature and pressure differences (even slight ones). Thanks in advance for all the help! -
I recently bought a TWSBI mini Diamond. I also got a bottle of Monboddo's Hat. Right off the bat I noticed that after I filled it with the ink straight from the bottle using the piston, the pen didn't write immediately. Ok, then it started writing after doing some strokes. I noticed however that sometimes it hard started. Then I noticed that when I drew quicker longer lines it just didn't write at all. Then I noticed that it seemed to prefer reverse writing. I thought the tines were too much apart so I squeezed them together but there is still the same problem. I also flushed the feed and nib section with soapy water, nothing. I drew ink and flushed it multiple times, then drew water and flushed it multiple times. I don't know what is wrong, and I am asking for your help, being more experienced. I am disappointed, because I initially tried to avoid TWSBIs because of some bad things I have heard about them, and some other people convinced me that TWSBIs have improved and never had issues. This is my most expensive pen as of now, I got it as a little gift for myself after my Master's Thesis defense, and now I am thinking I wasted my money. Can you tell me how to fix this issue, why can't it keep up with quicker, longer lines, and why does it randomly stop writing? Thank you.
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Sheaffer Lifetime Nib/Feed (Vac) - Will NOT go in (re-insert)...
Emc^2 posted a topic in Of Nibs & Tines
Hi all, I am finishing my repair of a Balance Vac, and I am trying to set the nib and feed, and they will not seat in the section far enough in! I have never had this problem before. I have attempted to reseat it about 5 times. Every time I find myself exerting more force than I believe is a proper amount and so I back off, say a few chosen words, scratch my head, knock it back out, and figure out what the hell is wrong. I have looked inside the section, I do not see any old nib edge marks to see where it was seated before (this is my fault for not doing this when I took it apart). I have rotated where I attempt to place the nib and feed when inserting it...the only other thing I can THINK of is to set the section in the freezer or fridge (for a brief few minutes) to get it to shrink and therefore expand the size of the section hole, but that is just pure speculation as I try to figure out how to get this darn thing back in. It is the nib and feed that came/original with the pen, so it's not that I am trying to replace these parts. I am out of ideas. Any suggestions? -
Parker Vac - Shadow Wave - Circa Q1 1939 - Speedline - Can I soak it!?
Emc^2 posted a topic in Parker
Hey all, I have been doing research as I recently acquired a Parker Shadow Wave (Speedline) in Golden Brown. I need to get the pen open, and in the past, I normally just soak the entire pen in distilled water for a couple days to a week or until I can get it open, but I received some advice from an individual not to the do that with this pen, but offered no explanation (other than "you just don't want to do that), so now I am not sure if I want too. I haven't had issues with soaking pens before (hard rubber oldies excluded of course--do NOT even bring water near them lol)... The Speedline button works just fine, it moves up and down. I plan to use my vac block to take that rear vac plunger out, but it's the section threads that need the soaking. I know they were most likely sealed, so before I use heat, I always like to soak the pen just to loosen things up as much as I can. This also helps with removing the nib and feed once I get the section removed--all details I am sure you all already know. So, the million dollar question is, can I soak this pen in water? Everyone has their do's and don'ts, and I was trying to search the forum for specifics, but I could not find anything that directly related to my question, so here I am asking. I appreciate it! -
Hi I got my Lamy 81 pen some time ago and I was messing with it and it found that it was a piston filler, now I want to refill it and clean it but it won’t open. I couldn’t exactly remember how I opened it but I did remember it was at the end that I opened it, I used my teeth to try twisting it open because my hands wouldn’t work and I heard something crack, I’m worried and I don’t know what to don’t can someone please help me?
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Help Identifying New Laban
NobodysPerfect posted a topic in China, Korea and Others (Far East, Asia)
Hello everyone, I went to the DC Pen show last weekend, and fell in love with a pen that I didn't know anything about. I've attached a few pictures to show the pen opened and closed with a full sized pen case and lined notebook paper for scale. (Sorry for the bad quality pics -- I had trouble getting them small enough to post!) This little acrylic Laban pocket pen caught my eye immediately, and even after walking through the whole show, I just kept going back to it. I have a weakness for pocket pens, and this one isn't too thin and feels very comfortable in my hand. It twists to post, so makes a sturdy full sized pen to write with. And it writes beautifully! It has a German fine steel nib that is smooth and consistent without being a gusher, so perfect for work, when I sometimes have to use less than ideal paper. I was a bit worried about the metal grip section, but because of the angle, my fingers don't slip on it. Also, despite the small size, it fits a normal sized converter. I have a few friends who enjoy their Laban pens, so even though I hadn't researched the company or pens much, I took the plunge and bought it. But I can't figure out the model name of the pen, since there's not a lot online about Laban. It's not a Expression, which is the only Laban pocket pen I see reviews for. Does anyone know the model name for this beautiful little pocket pen? I'd really love to be able to name my new favorite every day carry pen! Thanks!
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Hi, I am relitivley new to fountain pens, owning only 3 at this point. Yesterday I purchased my first expensice vountain pen, the visconti homosapiens steel midi, and am having some issues with the ink flow. What happens is, I fill it and it writes beautifully, then it will suddenly stop. At this point, there seemes to be no ink left in the feed, yet there is definetly ink left in the piston filler as I turned the piston and watched the ink drop out. If I give the pen a bit of a flick, It will write again as I have flicked ink into the feed, but this only lasts about a paragraph. The same goes for thurning the piston, which saturates the feed enough to write maybe half a page. I did some reading on the site and fushed the pen with soapy water, then with non soapy water a number of times to remove the soap. I then flushed it with ink before inking it up again. This did not solve the problem. I also removed the nib and feed to see if there was a blockage, but the feed looked fine, albiet dry, and the hole that joins it to the resovoir of ink had no observable blockage, though it was very difficult so see far down it. Just out of curiosity, I turned the piston and watched as the vacated cylinder where the feed normally sits, filled up with ink. I really dont know what to do now, and thougth to post here where it seems there are many knowledgable, long time pen owners who may be able to help me. Any help that is offered will be much appreciated.
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Hi All! I am a student who wrote with the same FP for many years. However, I wanted something new, so I decided to trade pens so that I could afford it and switch pens more often. I recently bought two Montblancs 144s. The price was good, but I have a few questions regarding the age, nib size and serial number. 1. How can I determen how old my pen is, even if there is no serial number. 2. I want to clean the pen a bit better, but I am not sure how to remove the nib. There is also not a good Youtube video that shows me that. Any ideas? 3. My pen has no serial number. I don't directly suspect the pen to be fake, but I am also not sure what the reason could be and if it's normal. Attached some pics for reference and age determination. Thank you all very much for your help in advance!
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Hi lovely people, Yesterday I have purchased a fountain pen, about which the seller didn't know to tell me much about. The only thing he knew was that supposedly was owned by his dad. I have asked him if he knows what was the production year, he said that he doesn't know, but that he things it's a "newer date". All over this pen is written ' Pelikan 120 '. I am not sure if it's actually Pelikan 120 or Pelikan M120 ( production year 2016 ), because it looks in a pretty good condition for a pen that would be produced back in 1955-1965 or so. There is no number at the bottom part of the barrel ( which some of them had ). It's 125mm long ( like Pelikan 120 should be, unlike Pelikan m120 which is 130 mm long in total ). This probably is not Pelikan 120 M&K ( 1973-1977 ) because it's shorter in total lenght, plus M&K have some different features. So if anyone have a clue if this could be the genuine Pelikan 120, or what should I look for - give me some suggestions please. ( I still haven't even tried if it's "working" or not ... ) Thank you in advance ! Best regards - Tinpanalleybluesman.
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Hello! I l've already posted this on the Far East section but I figured this is a better place to post this. I need help identifying these Pilot pens as I've searched everywhere with no luck. Also, sorry that the pictires are too lowres and have a watermark, couldn't do anything about that
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What Are The Best Ballpoint Pens? Share Your Thoughts!
theodore94 posted a topic in It Writes, But It Is Not A Fountain Pen ....
Hi Everyone, I'm new to FPN and pen collecting in general. I am particularly interested in ballpoint pens... I'm a full-time student and I do most of my work in ballpoint. I have a few pens that I've bought used, and I want to know what you think are the best ballpoints you have purchased/used. These can be at any price point and a pen can be your favorite for any reason. My favorite pen (by far) is my Classique Montblanc Meiserstuck, followed by a few designer pens (Tiffany and Givenchy). I have a Waterman Maestro and a Waterman Phileas that I really like. And on the lower end of the price scale I still think Cross makes handsome, dependable, and inexpensive ballpoints. What are your favorites? Any ideas for my next pen? -
Does anyone know about this brand? I recently purchased a nice gold capped black fountain pen. It is an aromatic filler with a Parker like system. I’ve never heard of the brand, nor has the person that sold it to me.
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Help with choosing a good black ink for a book project - thank you!
OldTravelingShoe posted a topic in Inky Thoughts
Dear all, I'm asking here for your help: If you had to pick a good black ink for a pen that you care about, to be used together for the next six months in a large project with tens to hundreds of written pages, what would this ink be? I've issued this request for help also on the thread that inspired me to ask it, where I shared pics and info about the pen I will be using throughout this project: I've just signed my first professional book deal. (On computer systems.) There's a lot left to do and we'll see how it goes but I plan to do at least the planning and content-design in pen on paper. I already bought the pen for it, a Pilot Custom Urushi in vermillion red with 18k two-tone M nib (FKV-88SR-R-M), and I like very much my first experience with it, which happened today. The remaining details regarding the ink-search are as follows: I'm trying to decide on an ink for this Pilot Custom Urushi, M nib. I will have to draw many details and also cross-hatch large structures, and also write both small and large-sized text. I prefer wetter nibs and inks, but here I'm going to also use paper like Moleskine's Workbook (pulpy, very porous) and Leuchtturm 140 gsm (semi-rough and coated), and I'd prefer not to have much feathering. Water-resistant inks are a plus. Some shading would not be bad, but even the lightest shade must be easily legible. I'm thinking at the moment, in this order: Noodler's Dark Matter - seems good, but not water-resistant. Noodler's X-Feather - but it's quite pigmented and I'm afraid it's going to clog the feed and I won't know how to clean it. Noodler's Heart of Darkness - never used it before, but the reviews are raving. May have issues with the Moleskine. Sailor Kiwa-Guro - never used it, but seems to me a (micro-)pigmented ink that you can flush away easily. Sailor Do-you - this one I'm convinced will do a good job and keep flowing (and lubricating). Pilot Take-Sumi - love this ink, but its water resistance seems just too low to consider. What if I spill even a drop of coffee? Pelikan 4001 Black - never used it, but heard good things about it and it's cousins Brilliant Brown, Royal Blue, etc. are wonderful. Same concerns about water resistance as for the Take-Sumi. Platinum Carbon ink - fantastic ink, but how do I clean it after six months?! Are there strong enough but safe cleaning fluids, e.g., the Rohrer and Klingner Reiniger? I'll stop here; eight is a round number in my world. I would appreciate your replies, especially today, when I'll take my decision and hope not to revisit. Do you have other suggestions? They're most welcome. Thanks, everyone. -
Hiya I'm hoping someone can advise me? Joined the forum yesterday as I need some help please. Was trying to refill a vintage cross ballpoint (classic century I believe) and somehow managed to remove the refill holder, instead of just the refill?? And of course it won't go back in now... I've tried heating the barrel but that didn't work. Have I ruined it?
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Hey all. I've recently been in contact with a pen maker in India. Communication has been great and I've selected several pens that I would like to purchase. However payment has been a problem. Apparently PayPal isn't an option, the maker doesn't want to give me the required information for a wire transfer, I've tried Paytm, but doesn't work from America, Google pay sends me to Western Union because it's international. Ergh!!! There has got to be some way to pay him. How do my fellow Americans pay pen makers in India?
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