Five Bad Things That Happen With New Pens

[majolo]

My Phileas nib feels toothy and dry. I do not know what to do? Some one suggested using a shaving blade between the tines. I am afraid.

 

I think the first thing would be to try to get a 10x loupe to examine the nib, looking for misalignment (and off-center feed) especially as shown in the first post. If it is, try carefully bringing them into better alignment just with your fingernails, testing after each attempt. Goulet pens sells little sheets of brass for working between the tines if needed (brass is softer than steel, so I would prefer them to a razor blade for sure). Other more experienced folks may chime in I hope.

 

(Edited to add: I hope you get it working better, as my Phileas' nib is very smooth and a favorite for the writing feel.)

Edited January 27, 2016 by majolo

[crescent2]

misfit,

My new Botanica came in the mail today! I filled it with a sample of Diamine Amazing Amethyst ink, and it's a very smooth writer.

I got the fine nib, and again it's not as fine as the Pilots, which is "fine" with me. LOL I like both.

 

I like the green day lily pattern, too. If you decide to buy it, I hope you're as pleased with it as I am with mine.

[Misfit]

Thank you Crescent2. Before I saw your post, I had convinced myself not to buy any pens for awhile. Well, until the purple Lamy Safari comes out. I'm not sure if I'll get the Cross Botanica or not. The local pen store probably has them, but they won't have the price you found. I bet they are truly prettier and blingier in person. It got harder, though, when I saw the orchid version you got, plus primrose and day lily. Did you add a converter to the cart when you bought yours?

 

As far as pens and bad things, I do have a Lamy nib that skips some. It's a 1.5mm italic. Another kind of bad thing is when you see a pen online, the photos make it look so lovely. Then when it arrives, it doesn't seem to match that. I got one pen, in a purple color, but inside it looks dark, almost black. It needs very good, bright light to show off the color, plus the reds and blues that are in it.

[crescent2]

Misfit, yes I did add the converter. Even with it, my total was just under $75 for both. I like using bottled inks and the Goulet samples. I haven't used any of the cartridges that came with all my pens yet, except with the Plumix. And I've bought an extra Pilot converter for one of those.

 

I do think my Botanica looks better in hand than in photos. It's hard to capture the silver cuts in particular. I've not seen any of the other patterns except in photos.

 

My Lamy Safari is my least favorite pen. Even though it has a broad nib, every ink I've tried looks washed out and blah in it, even vibrant inks like Amazing Amethyst. It doesn't skip and isn't scratchy, but it doesn't glide on the paper, either. Is that what's meant by "dry"? I just don't like it. I'm in the minority, though, because it gets some great reviews.

 

So far, I've not been disappointed in the appearance of any of my pens. Some write better than others, though!

[Papamud]

Speaking as a complete newbie to this... I am looking forward to owning my first pen, and this really gave me the kinds of things I'm going to have to look out for.

Thanks.
P

[Pen Engineer]

Not because it is my website... however,

if you endeavour such work, I recommend you come and visit it.

There is a complete chapter on nibs and starting problems and how I researched on them.

Once you know, you don't have to take the risk of trying and perhaps, make things worse.

 

PS: Of course, there is nothing wrong with trying. How else can we find out?

[mhpr262]

My Lamy Safari is my least favorite pen. Even though it has a broad nib, every ink I've tried looks washed out and blah in it, even vibrant inks like Amazing Amethyst. It doesn't skip and isn't scratchy, but it doesn't glide on the paper, either. Is that what's meant by "dry"?

It may indeed be a bit dry. Personally, I don't mind pens that write on the drier side as long as the they don't skip (especially when writing fast, like when doing "tick" marks or crossing stuff out - I'm a teacher) and are reasonably smooth. If you have that issue with every ink you have tried, I'd go for increasing the ink flow. I have found that widening the ink gap between the tines almost imperceptibly makes a considerable difference.

 

EDIT: I have just tried it again with a 1,99€ pen from China that I got from ebay, and the difference is huge. It could barely lay down a feeble line without skipping before, now I have rich and ample ink flow.

Edited June 24, 2016 by mhpr262

[Pen Engineer]

It may indeed be a bit dry. Personally, I don't mind pens that write on the drier side as long as the they don't skip (especially when writing fast, like when doing "tick" marks or crossing stuff out - I'm a teacher) and are reasonably smooth. If you have that issue with every ink you have tried, I'd go for increasing the ink flow. I have found that widening the ink gap between the tines almost imperceptibly makes a considerable difference.

 

EDIT: I have just tried it again with a 1,99€ pen from China that I got from ebay, and the difference is huge. It could barely lay down a feeble line without skipping before, now I have rich and ample ink flow.

Oh sure, isn't it good that we all have different preferences and tastes?

 

Vive la petite difference!

[JDHudson]

Thank you so much for this!!! It helped me tremendously!

[thx1138]

One really bad thing that can happen to a new fountain pen is that the wife finds it and recognizes it as a new pen.

Much suffering ensues.

[ManofKent]

One really bad thing that can happen to a new fountain pen is that the wife finds it and recognizes it as a new pen.

Much suffering ensues.

Order a black/gold Pilot Custom 74, a Platinum 3776 and a Sailor 1911 all at the same time - unless your spouse is particularly into Fountain pens they'll all look pretty much the same, so you'll only get in trouble once for three pens

[thx1138]

Order a black/gold Pilot Custom 74, a Platinum 3776 and a Sailor 1911 all at the same time - unless your spouse is particularly into Fountain pens they'll all look pretty much the same, so you'll only get in trouble once for three pens

I like your thinking.

[ManofKent]

The feeling you get when a new pen arrives on a Saturday and you unbox to find it doesn't come with a converter...

 

Do I go with the cartridge whilst I wait until Tuesday for a converter to come through the post or do I wait?

[Inkvisible]

The feeling you get when a new pen arrives on a Saturday and you unbox to find it doesn't come with a converter...

 

Do I go with the cartridge whilst I wait until Tuesday for a converter to come through the post or do I wait?

Use the cartridge! Earth could be hit by a giant asteroid before Tuesday.

Inkvisibly yours,

Margaret

[Pen Engineer]

Use the cartridge! Earth could be hit by a giant asteroid before Tuesday.

Inkvisibly yours,

Margaret

gee, thanks for the reminder, forgot about that.

[Tintentod]

Thanks for the info.

[Pen Engineer]

Use the cartridge! Earth could be hit by a giant asteroid before Tuesday.

Inkvisibly yours,

Margaret

That was three months ago. So glad it hasn't hit, yet. Still have to paint my living room!

[thx1138]

That was three months ago. So glad it hasn't hit, yet. Still have to paint my living room!

Wife still hasn't found out about the latest pens so cause for celebration all round.

[Pen Engineer]

Wife still hasn't found out about the latest pens so cause for celebration all round.

gee, time flies. Any ideas how I could muster up sufficient motivation to start painting my living room?

[dukkimoon]

Awesome post! Thanks~!