Hello, I'm New To Fountain Pens!

[davemart]

Hello!

 

I recently became interested in fountain pens and I'm considering purchasing one! I would most likely buy the Lamy Safari based on the high recommendation of them to new users, I also really like the design of them as well. However, I am unsure on which nib size to get with the Safari.

 

I am a left-handed (I read that the left-handed Lamy nib doesn't really make a difference, but I might as well mention it) high school student. This means I would most likely be using cheap paper, like the Norcom 1 Subject Notebook (College Ruled), and blank copy paper as well. I am not sure whether to get the Safari with the F or M nib. Will the nib size affect the amount of bleed-through/feathering in the cheap paper? Which nib size do you recommend for my type of use?

 

Also, if anyone uses rollerball pens (it's a fountain pen forum, I know haha), do you know the size of the F or M Lamy nibs compared to, say, an Energel .7mm refill? Like, what's the mm of a F or M Lamy nib?

 

Thank you!

[OCArt]

Hello Davemart!

As you know the nice thing about a Safari is that you can buy additional nibs at a relative inexpensive cost. In my opinion nib size is first based on the size of your handwriting but a fine nib will put down less ink. If the rollerball makes a .7mm line that would be more like a Broad to me. Goulet pens has a chart showing various nib widths and the lines they make.

 

Keep us posted on your choices.

[northstar]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

[svalcourt]

Welcome to FPN!

 

Personally, as much as I prefer mediums and fines, for school I'd go with an extra fine. It'll work better on more papers, conserve your ink so you don't run out during class, and ensure that your writing is legible at any size.

 

I would consider a .7mm line in the realm of broad nibs as well.

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Hi! Welcome to FPN.

I'm really glad you've joined us.

Enjoy!

Best wishes from Japan,

VirtuThe3rd

[ThomasB]

Hello and welcome from Baton Rouge, Louisiana...Enjoy your time here

[PAKMAN]

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

[Wahl]

[xty]

Welcome, and you will have fun! Let us know what you decide to get!

[Sasha Royale]

Welcome !

 

I recommend a medium nib for your Safari. Write like they taught you in school. Write as if you intend for someone else to read it, not just yourself. Changing ink or changing the nib on a Safari is a simple adjustment. More importantly, which left-hand technique do you use.

 

Sorry. I have never used a rollerball thing.

[Fuellerfederfan]

I have a Lamy Safari wth an Extra Fine Nib. I can attest to the fact that a fine Nib does in fact conserve ink. I bought 5 bottles of Blue ink in Februar and am not even half-way through the first bottle. I am in college many of my classes had me writing 2-4 pages worth of notes. As far as bleed through, what ever quality the my Uni uses seems to be appropriate so long as I write with a feather weight pressure.

 

I have Norcom and Mead composition books that I also write in and have only experienced one time bleed through. This was my fault. I was refilling my pen and unfortunately my pen brought back some extra ink drops which happened to fall onto my book. I couldn't access my blot paper in time... but the splat does kind of look like a dark blue sun, so I doodled a little picture and called it a day.

I do notice bleed through when the pen writes too wet. I had a darkblue Knox [forgot model name] pen whose feeder wasn't correctly adjusted and leaked like a faucet.

I am left-handed as well. To be honest, I didn't know Lamy made a "left handed" pen. Truth be told, I don't think they matter all that much unless you were wanting an oblique nib, then this would be something to truly consider.

In terms of Nib size it does depend on your handwriting style and size. I mean the kerning and size of my handwriting wouldn't allow for a Medium Nib, but a fine Nib allows for richtig lesbare Handwriting (again this is per my case. I write small) Others prefer u.a medium, oblique, stub (only recently finding out about this one. Must say it looks really sharp.) I think if I measured correctly the Fine Nibs produce a 0,5 mm line.

#*Edited 27. Dez. 2015*# I just re-examined my Lamy pen. It has an EF-nib. In my defense there was a little bit of excess Ink on the nib. My Waldmann along with the rest of my collection are Fine-Nibs. Sorry for the confusion.

VG

Füllfederfan

Edited December 28, 2015 by Fuellfederfan