New To Fpn

[rmed057]

Hello Everyone!

 

I am getting my first fountain pen today along with a set of ink and pads. Any ideas with ways to practice? And tips for usage (cleaning, good nibs, etc?)

 

Thanks!

Rachel

[pompa]

Hi Rachel, welcome to the madness

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

[ac12]

Hello Everyone!

 

I am getting my first fountain pen today along with a set of ink and pads. Any ideas with ways to practice? And tips for usage (cleaning, good nibs, etc?)

 

Thanks!

Rachel

 

I guess it also depends on what you want to do.

I wanted to improve my handwriting, so I started writing a journal. Basically a spiral bound notebook with whatever I felt like writing. I would write for at least an hour a day. I concentrated on writing legibly, vs what I used to do. If I did not like what I wrote, I would cross it out, then try again, until it looked OK.

Then I started working on technique. I used to be a finger writer, moving the pen only with my fingers. I decided to arm write, like in some of the manuals. Well that took a LONG time, as my arms could not do fine movement. 3 months later I could write using my arm. This allowed me to write MUCH larger than I could when I finger wrote.

 

What pen did you get? Tips on nibs depends on the pen you have. Some pens (Lamy Safari) take interchangeable nibs.

[Pen Nut]

Hello and welcome to you

[RMN]

Hello Rachel and

 

 

Good for you :thumbup: getting a new fountain pen today

 

Enjoy your pen, and our forum

 

 

D.ick

[i4sgeorgiev]

Hello and welcome, Rachel!

 

What pen have you got ?

[Sasha Royale]

Welcome, Rachel !

 

Dried ink is the enemy. I get lots of practice at writing slowly with deliberation. I hand-write memos,

letters, personal notes, and grocery lists. Rather than simply "bananas", I write, "Buy two green bananas

and two yellow bananas."

 

I like to play music, while writing letters to friends.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Hold the fountain pen like a fountain pen, behind the big knuckle...if right handed (no advice if left handed)...It can rest at 45 degrees right after the big knuckle, at 40 degrees at the start of the web of the thumb, or resting in the pit of the thumb at 35 degrees....depending on where the pen wants to rest .... depending on how long & or heavy the pens is and or if you post.

 

Let the pen 'rest' in your hand....like holding a featherless baby bird. The nib skates on a little puddle of ink...so you need no pressure to make the pen write.

Do not make baby bird paste!

 

Go to Richard Binder's com....it is the basics of fountain pens; nibs, filling systems; good advice about ink......93% of what I know came from there....it use to be 96% but after five years one does learn something....at first something new every day.....finally something new every week....if you get into paper, ink...or writing....it can revert back to every day.

[Mari1013]

Welcome to the fold, Rachel. Get ready for some real but very quiet fun. Here are my suggestions:

 

The best thing you can do is use your pen as often as possible. Fill it with one ink, use that up, then try another, cleaning the pen thoroughly between fills. (Luckily, it's easy nowadays to get ink samples; I'd never heard about them until the Internet age.) Notice how it works on different papers with different inks. Keep notes on your observations (I've regretted not doing that more carefully early on); but do it for fun, not as a chore. Sooner or later, you'll feel that itch that only a new pen (or a new old one) can scratch. You'll be ready, notes in hand, to make a decision on which ones to consider.

 

I also suggest, if at all possible where you are, that you visit brick-&-mortar stores as often as possible. The Internet is wonderfully convenient and welcoming -- without it we wouldn't be communicating now and we wouldn't have all this information so conveniently available -- but nothing beats picking up a pen and feeling how it dances (or not) on the paper. I'm lucky that I had a good local pen shop where I was able to handle pens and talk to knowledgeable people about them, even though my purchases were few and far between.

 

Let friends and acquaintances know you like pens and want to collect them. I had a few friends and colleagues who gave me pens they had rolling around the house from their elders' days that they weren't interested in; a couple were usable, the rest I kept for spare parts or to fix when I get around to learning how. And last but by no means least, don't hesitate to ask questions and talk to people about pens. I've never met a kinder, more generous group of folk than the members of the pen community. You'll learn a lot and enjoy the learning.

[Federalist Pens]

Welcome!!

[rmed057]

Hi All!! Thanks for the feedback! I have to say - I am surprised!! I figured I'd walk away from the computer never to hear from anyone. All of the comments and suggestions are super helpful! I bought a Lamy Safari with a converter as my first pen. I figured I'd give it a try. I think already from the feel of it that I will need a bigger nib (I started with EF). I have noticed the differences between the different papers too (Will keep track of it, Mari! thanks!). I am a graduate student so most of my days are taking the paper to one meeting or writing on a notebook in the lab, class - etc. I have a secret though: I am a lefty (I know I know.. I was born this great. haha) and I have read mixed reviews about the left handed nibs so I am going to just wing it (just like with can openers and scissors) as a righty until I see a reason to switch. Writing song lyrics or poems might be nice as a good start to work on penmanship and just getting used to the pen (beats doing real work!)

 

Please tell me there are pen conventions?

Looking forward to talking to you all more - nice to have a hobby finally!

 

Rachel

[estie1948]

Hello and welcome, Rachel. I am glad you have joined us. Please don't be shy about asking questions or stating your opinions. I hope you enjoy the time you spend with us.

 

-David.

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Hi! Welcome to FPN.
I'm really glad you've joined us.

Have a good day,
VirtuThe3rd

[Wahl]

[theverdictis]

Hi and welcome to FPN!

 

Enjoy