Inks With The Traveling Pen

[Luma]

The 'Magic Pen' is on the way to AAAndrew! Thanks Tmenyc and Amber. It was a fun experience.

[amberleadavis]

Thanks for sharing!

[clazbill]

I've been reading (lurking in?) this thread since the start. Amazing things being done with that pen.

 

Makes me want to try and make a folded nib, just because.

[AAAndrew]

Looking forward to trying this bad boy. it's still intriguing me that this was meant as a writing implement. It just doesn't look like it was designed with that in mind. All other two-plate pens I've seen have the plates very close together. I'm curious as to more information about this kind of implement. Tim, you say a friend of yours said their parents wrote with this kind of implement in China? Any other examples found in the wild by anyone?

 

I'm curious to see how well it can write Chinese. (of course depending on how well I can write Chinese. I'm quite rusty)

[Luma]

I think it would make more sense it we could see a sample of Chinese calligraphy, letters, characters with this pen. Was hoping it would eventually get to someone who could do so... no pressure AAAndrew

[amberleadavis]

I've been reading (lurking in?) this thread since the start. Amazing things being done with that pen.

 

Makes me want to try and make a folded nib, just because.

 

 

When you are ready, put your name on the list and try this pen.

[tmenyc]

. Tim, you say a friend of yours said their parents wrote with this kind of implement in China? Any other examples found in the wild by anyone?

 

 

AAA,

When a colleague brought it into the office, thinking it was meant to be a pen of some kind, a colleague said that she recognized it as Chinese, said that her family used to have them. That's all I have.

 

Tim

[AAAndrew]

An update. I received the pen in the mail yesterday and last night I was able to play around a bit. I'll scan the results in this evening.

 

First impressions is that this was never meant to be a pen for Chinese. I suspected it as much. You can write Chinese with it as it makes a line, but the characters are big, ugly (and not just from my poor Chinese penmanship) and not at all according to the aesthetics of how characters should look. It is especially bad for the more complex characters you often find in Chinese. I started to write out a favorite poem but it was so horrible I couldn't continue.

 

The handle is most definitely NOT Chinese, but strikes me as French? British?

 

I have a neighbor who is from Shanghai, and I think her parents are still visiting. I'll see if I can drop by this evening and see if they've ever seen anything like it.

 

It can definitely write standard italic and other broad-edged calligraphy. Not terribly elegantly, which may be a factor of the two tines not meeting perfectly. It's almost the exact same size as my 3.8 mm Parallels pen nib. I've tried a sample of me trying to write Chinese with that as well.

 

I'm almost convinced it is a writing implement, but if it was intended to be so, then it was for a very specific purpose as it's too big and wide for normal writing.

 

One thing that's been bugging me today as I've thought about it is if it would work to draw lines along a straightedge. I'll try that tonight.

 

Overall, it's been interesting. I'll try it out more this weekend then I can send it on if someone lets me know where it goes next.

 

Andrew

[amberleadavis]

And don't forget to post it on the Don't Tell...Show Thread.

[tmenyc]

The mystery deepens...looking forward to this new episode!

 

Tim

[AAAndrew]

Here are the preliminary attempts at writing with the Traveling Mystery Pen.

 

I'm trying to write a line or two from one of my favorite Chinese poems but the ability to write detailed characters is pretty limited. The best comparison I could make was with my Pilot Parallel 3.8 mm pen.

 

it's clear that the pen just pumps out the ink. This is Monte Verde Burgundy diluted by half with water. I use it all the time for pointed pen and broad pen calligraphy so I thought I'd try it.

 

 

 

I also tried writing with a Chinese ink used for traditional brush painting and calligraphy. As you can see, it wasn't any better (or really any worse) than writing with the Pilot pen. I also tried to write Chinese using a normal flexible dip nib, but since it was my first attempt it wasn't terribly successful, but still better than the other broad nibs.

 

Then I tried some standard italic writing. It was particularly difficult to handle. Perhaps with some more practice I may be able make it look better, but the fine lines were not terribly fine, and the flow was difficult to control.

 

 

The last bit was just trying to write with more flow and fluidity. Again, it was difficult to control and awkward.

 

 

 

Overall, it's a large nib, and difficult to control. I'm going to play around a bit more to see what I might be able to do with it. I just can't imagine what it could have been used for normally. Perhaps was for making signs? But then why add the very fancy, decorative handle that looks like a fine tool or even cutlery? it's very odd.

 

I'll also post this on the Don't Tell...Show thread, and add more as I figure something out.

[Cryptos]

As yet, in this thread, nobody has considered the possibility that it was not designed for use with ink. It may well have been made for use with thicker paints. Just a thought.

[amberleadavis]

I thought about it, but the original gifter said it was for ink. Are you ready to give it a try? I don't know if any of us have even tried it with dip ink which is much thicker.

[Cryptos]

No, I am too far away to be included in this adventure, alas.

[amberleadavis]

No, I am too far away to be included in this adventure, alas.

 

I totally understand.

[fountainpagan]

Anyone thought about enquiring about it at the The Pen Museum, in Birmingham?

 

Not that I don't enjoy this traveling with the mistery pen thread...

[tmenyc]

As the orig perp in this, I'd say it's entirely possible that it was not made for fountain pen ink , or even for ink....thinking outside the bottle, so to speak, may lead to truth!

 

Tim

[clazbill]

 

 

When you are ready, put your name on the list and try this pen.

 

 

I'd be happy to put my name out there to try this pen out. I've been doodling with some brush pens and I thought of this pen; something to draw broad strokes or write a poster perhaps.

[AAAndrew]

I'll PM get your address.

 

I've tried it with a ruler to see if it can make lines, and it doesn't work. Long shot anyway. I'm trying to get together with my neighbor from China to see if she or her parents have ever seen one, but they've been out of town. If they don't come back by the end of the week, I'll send it on to you.

 

Andrew

[Luma]

If you use it with a ruler, you may need:

 

 

The lip edge keeps the ink from coming into contact and spreading along the edge of the ruler. You can also tape a few pennies to the bottom so that the ruler is slightly lifted off the page which will ironically, save you a few pennies