Italix

[pjford]

A review on our new Italix Freshman's Notator from Ruth Hanson

[pjford]

Mid November 2017 we add two new colours to the Italix Parson's Essential line. Canary Yellow and Purple. We already offer black, amber, blue, green, burgundy.

[milkb0at]

Oh interesting. Do you have any preview pictures? I'd especially like to see the yellow one.

[pjford]

Oh interesting. Do you have any preview pictures? I'd especially like to see the yellow one.

No, not yet, when we have factory samples will post some images.

[david6]

Purchased an Italix Parson’s Essential with Broad Italic Nib from Mr Pen and I’m delighted with the look and feel of the pen - it’s very well made! Need to get used to the broad italic nib and looking forward to using it. It’s exceptionally smooth. Delightful buying experience from Mr Pen - quick, efficient and friendly. What more can you ask for!

[pjford]

http://www.mrpen.co.uk/contents/media/parsons%20purple.jpg

Clerical Purple and Canary, coming soon.

[milkb0at]

Wow, that yellow is quite something. Thanks for posting the photo.

[IanRM]

I recently purchased a Parsons Essential with a medium italic nib. It’s a nice pen but is keeps running out of steam. It will write nicely for a few lines then will start running dry, it doesn’t actually give up but I have to give it a rest for a few seconds and then it will recover, quite often I have to give the converter a turn to prime the feed. I have taken it apart and cleaned as best I can including flossing the nib but it is no different. I have tried with a cartridge and the converter with Diamine, Lamy and Herbin ink.

 

In desperation I ordered a broad italic nib plus new feed but the problem still remains. The reviews I have seen for this pen give the impression it is a nice wet writer but I am not finding this the case.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[pjford]

10

 

I recently purchased a Parsons Essential with a medium italic nib. It’s a nice pen but is keeps running out of steam. It will write nicely for a few lines then will start running dry, it doesn’t actually give up but I have to give it a rest for a few seconds and then it will recover, quite often I have to give the converter a turn to prime the feed. I have taken it apart and cleaned as best I can including flossing the nib but it is no different. I have tried with a cartridge and the converter with Diamine, Lamy and Herbin ink.

In desperation I ordered a broad italic nib plus new feed but the problem still remains. The reviews I have seen for this pen give the impression it is a nice wet writer but I am not finding this the case.
Any ideas? Thanks.

The wetness depends on the ink selected, it does vary.

[pjford]

A little early pre-Christmas promotion, online orders only, ends 3.11.17. Readers of this forum only, just enter WVEQR at the checkout and get 10% discount. MrPen

[brownargus]

I recently purchased a Parsons Essential with a medium italic nib. It’s a nice pen but is keeps running out of steam. It will write nicely for a few lines then will start running dry, it doesn’t actually give up but I have to give it a rest for a few seconds and then it will recover, quite often I have to give the converter a turn to prime the feed. I have taken it apart and cleaned as best I can including flossing the nib but it is no different. I have tried with a cartridge and the converter with Diamine, Lamy and Herbin ink.

In desperation I ordered a broad italic nib plus new feed but the problem still remains. The reviews I have seen for this pen give the impression it is a nice wet writer but I am not finding this the case.

Any ideas? Thanks.

I had this problem with a Fine nib which was exchanged for a M nib. This made no difference until I changed the ink from Diamine Imperial Blue to, well, almost anything else, including Diamine Sapphire Blue. So the ink was the problem. It is a super pen!

[pjford]

I have to say that inks are the biggest problem we face every day. Inks vary so much in their characteristics, some run like a tap, others dry and hesitant. The other factor is the frequent change of ink colours, this produces a cocktail of sediments that block the feed. On pens like the Parson's Essential where a narrow JoWo feed is used, it does not take much to restrict the flow, with the larger feed used on the 'Captain's Commission' or 'Churchman's Prescriptor' their are fewer flow issues. It would be welcome if ink manufacturers could make as much effort formulating inks for a consistent flow as they do when creating colour options.

[MamamiauBarb]

I just received my second Italix pen. Last year I bought a Parson's Essential, beautiful green wit a Broad cursive stub. I absolutely love it. So when the Freshman's Notator showed up on Massdrop with what seemed to be a reasonable price point, I went for it, and requested the Medium cursive stub. I chose the yolk yellow, and it is lovely.

 

I'm getting used to the smaller size of the pen and learning the ways of the nib, but:

 

I am completely defeated when it comes to posting the cap. The cap fits fine with a nice, solid click when I am capping the pen to put it away, but no amount of force or wiggling will get the cap to post. It simply slides off. I've had to resort to using a bit of thin vinyl between the cap and the barrel to keep it from flying off as soon as I pick up the pen to write. Very inelegant - looks like a drooping petticoat.

 

I don't want to damage the pen, and in every video I've watched, posting this cap is very easy, exactly as advertised. What could be wrong with mine? And what can I do about it?

[pjford]

I just received my second Italix pen. Last year I bought a Parson's Essential, beautiful green wit a Broad cursive stub. I absolutely love it. So when the Freshman's Notator showed up on Massdrop with what seemed to be a reasonable price point, I went for it, and requested the Medium cursive stub. I chose the yolk yellow, and it is lovely.

 

I'm getting used to the smaller size of the pen and learning the ways of the nib, but:

 

I am completely defeated when it comes to posting the cap. The cap fits fine with a nice, solid click when I am capping the pen to put it away, but no amount of force or wiggling will get the cap to post. It simply slides off. I've had to resort to using a bit of thin vinyl between the cap and the barrel to keep it from flying off as soon as I pick up the pen to write. Very inelegant - looks like a drooping petticoat.

 

I don't want to damage the pen, and in every video I've watched, posting this cap is very easy, exactly as advertised. What could be wrong with mine? And what can I do about it?

Just push hard, it should just click on the other end.

[MamamiauBarb]

Just push hard, it should just click on the other end.

 

Should it require significantly more force than capping? I have even tried standing it on end and pressing down with both hands, even using a vinyl gripper.

 

[pjford]

 

Should it require significantly more force than capping? I have even tried standing it on end and pressing down with both hands, even using a vinyl gripper.

 

You do have to push fairly hard, but if it will not click in place, please return it to us and we will replace it. I want this one back as I need to see this issue.

[MamamiauBarb]

You do have to push fairly hard, but if it will not click in place, please return it to us and we will replace it. I want this one back as I need to see this issue.

Thank you! I will let you know when it's on its way. I need to flush it and let it dry thoroughly before I pack it up.

[pjford]

The all new Italix 'Deacon's Doodle' all stainless steel fountain pen will be with us before the end of December. At only £12.49 plus VAT it is a bargain and a half. Will last several lifetimes. Matching ballpoint just £10.79. Images coming.

[bobje]

Mr. Ford, it is a wonderful opportunity on FPN to have discussions with the people behind innovative pen companies, like yours. Thank you for being here. A quick question regarding the channel on the Jowo feed. Is it possible to obtain feeds with a more generous channel? My guess is that requesting a change like this would require a substantial increase in the volume of the order. Perhaps a change in tooling would be required.

[pjford]

Mr. Ford, it is a wonderful opportunity on FPN to have discussions with the people behind innovative pen companies, like yours. Thank you for being here. A quick question regarding the channel on the Jowo feed. Is it possible to obtain feeds with a more generous channel? My guess is that requesting a change like this would require a substantial increase in the volume of the order. Perhaps a change in tooling would be required.

In a sense you have answered your own question in that it is a Jowo feed. There are few options for making flow adjustments. The 'Deacon's Doodle' has a much more liberal flow. On the Parson's Essential and Viper's Strike, it is important to fill the pen, when bottle filling, slowly with the nib fully immersed in the ink. If filled incorrectly a bubble forms in the converter which makes the flow hesitant.