Your Pen/ink Combinations For The Perfect Writing Experience

[truthpil]

Hello again to all my FPN friends,

 

We all have those combinations of pen and ink that bring us pure bliss and lift us out of the mundane world to new heights of inky euphoria.

What I would love to read about is your favorite combinations, exactly why they are your favorite, and your description of the experience. It's important to explain your reasoning because everyone likes a different kind of writing experience (e.g., buttery smooth vs. slight feedback, etc.). Knowing your preferences would help other readers in discerning whether or not your favorite combinations would also be suitable for them as well. Personally, I'm looking forward to reading your responses because I selfishly want to have as many Zen pen experiences as possible.

 

Before some smart aleck posts something like, "I only use inks that write perfectly in all my pens" or "all my pens write perfectly with all my inks," anyone who has been in this hobby long enough knows that different combinations of ink, pen, and paper create different writing experiences (or, in some cases, disasters). I'm curious to know which combinations give you the most enjoyable writing experiences.

 

In order to narrow down the variables, let's focus on your favorite pen and ink combinations for writing on standard copy paper (70gsm or similar). Since that type of paper is available in pretty much every part of the world and is what most of us are stuck using whenever out of the house, it will allow for the most people to try the combination.

 

Although it's fine to include the visual effects that make the writing experience lovely (color of the ink, sheen, etc.), what I'd really like to read about is the feeling when you write. After having many amazing colors that make my pens feel like writing with sandpaper or molasses, I'd like to focus on ink/pen combinations that just feel downright amazing when you right.

 

Let me start us off with two amazing experiences I had this week:

 

 

Combo 1 -

Materials: Penbbs 308 with JoWo #6 1.1 Oblique Cursive Italic (ground my fpnibs.com) + Sailor Jentle Miruai

Experience: I prefer ultra buttery smooth feel for quick daily writing and this combination is downright amazing. The pen is light and well balanced with some nice girth to the section, making it extremely comfortable for even my somewhat small hands. The nib isn't as forgiving as a stub, so I have to pay attention to keeping consistent pen angle and avoiding over rotation. However, when I do keep everything in alignment, this nib and ink combination feels like writing on a silken cloud. You know there is something underneath but it doesn't feel like paper....just pure smooth goodness.

 

Combo 2 -

Materials: Delike New Moon 2 F nib + Noodler's Ink Prime of the Commons (4:1 dilution with water)

Experience: This combination surprised me. PotC has been too wet or too dry in many of my pens, but for some reason just flows perfectly in this pen. It's just dry enough to allow some slight shading and bring out the green component in the ink with no feathering or bleedthrough (the dilution fixes that). This writing experience is a little different from Combo 1. You feel a little bit more of the paper underneath, but it's still buttery smooth and has some added bounce (not softness or flex) when writing that is delightful. This is one of those combinations where I can write on the paper without actually having to make full nib-paper contact.

 

Can't wait to read some of your blissful experiences!

 

[senzen]

The standard copy paper reduces this to:

 

Metropolitan medium nib + Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu Gaki.

Platinum Cool + Sailor Souten.

[truthpil]

The standard copy paper reduces this to:

 

Metropolitan medium nib + Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu Gaki.

Platinum Cool + Sailor Souten.

Thanks for sharing! Copy paper does narrow it down a lot, doesn't it?

Japanese inks seem to rule the day for smoothness on any paper.

[TheDutchGuy]

...we all have those combinations of pen and ink that bring us pure bliss and lift us out of the mundane world to new heights of inky euphoria ...

 

...anyone who has been in this hobby long enough knows that different combinations of ink, pen, and paper create different writing experiences (or, in some cases, disasters).

I can totally relate to this! Though I've used fountain pens pretty much all my life, I never discovered the magic in them until 2 years ago. So now I've got another hobby... and I'm loving it. Over the last few months I've tried many different pens and inks. The main lesson I've learned is: it's the combination of pen, ink and paper. Case in point: this week I acquired a pen that received consistently great reviews everywhere. I tried in the store with a certain ink that the store uses to demo pens to prospective buyers. It was really great. I came home and put my usual ink in it, ink that works very well with my all-day everyday pen. Guess what? Pretty much unusable: dry, stiff, no lubrication. Yikes. Then I changed to a higher-quality inks and the results improved in proportion to the quality of the ink. Now I found an ink that works fantastic with that particular pen. It just makes me want to write and write and write some more.

 

I made similar journeys of discovery, disappointment and enlightenment with my other pens.

 

TruthPil asks about the experience of writing. Personally, I look for an almost telepathic connection to the pen, as if it understands what I want to do and accommodates me. Phrased negatively, I dislike having to persuade a pen to do what I want it to do. I prefer a nib that feels very wet, with lots of lubrication, but is actually drier than the feel suggests (to prevent showthrough and to allow use on lots of different kinds of paper). Despite the wetness I still want to feel some texture of nib and paper, not scratchiness, but not aqua planing either.

 

The reason that I require wetnes lies in the way I write. I have poor handwriting and poor technique, with lots of sudden speed changes. A nib needs rich flow to keep up with that.

 

Given that I am limited to office paper for this thread, as instructed, there are two really great combinations that I've found.

 

1) My much-loved and well-worn Kaweco AL Sport with a F steel nib and cheap Schneider Blue ink. These nibs are juicy and with this particular ink, they write and feel more like M than F. Whatever I want to do, be it on smooth or rough paper, cheap or luxury paper or even a PostIt, this combination is not only functional but super enjoyable. On top of that, the pen never, ever leaks, nor do the tines get blue. In two years of continuous daily writing with this pen, there has never been so much as a smudge of ink on my fingers or anywhere else.

 

2) A Cross Townsend Medalist with M nib and Cross Blue or Blue Black ink. For home or office use (i.e. not for travel) this is a great combination, offering a more high-end look and feel on lots of different paper. Obviously this pen/ink combination offers more feedback than the Kaweco, it's a more refined experience where you can really feel the texture of the paper and the way the nib responds to you.

 

(I don't use my other pen/ink combinations on office paper, so won't mention them here).

[truthpil]

TruthPil asks about the experience of writing. Personally, I look for an almost telepathic connection to the pen, as if it understands what I want to do and accommodates me. Phrased negatively, I dislike having to persuade a pen to do what I want it to do. I prefer a nib that feels very wet, with lots of lubrication, but is actually drier than the feel suggests (to prevent showthrough and to allow use on lots of different kinds of paper). Despite the wetness I still want to feel some texture of nib and paper, not scratchiness, but not aqua planing either.

 

The reason that I require wetnes lies in the way I write. I have poor handwriting and poor technique, with lots of sudden speed changes. A nib needs rich flow to keep up with that.

 

Beautiful post! That is a great description of the "perfect" writing experience....when the pen seems to read your mind and freely go where you want it to with no resistance of any kind. For daily writing I totally concur that this feeling is perfect.

 

Given that I am limited to office paper for this thread, as instructed, there are two really great combinations that I've found.

 

1) My much-loved and well-worn Kaweco AL Sport with a F steel nib and cheap Schneider Blue ink. These nibs are juicy and with this particular ink, they write and feel more like M than F. Whatever I want to do, be it on smooth or rough paper, cheap or luxury paper or even a PostIt, this combination is not only functional but super enjoyable. On top of that, the pen never, ever leaks, nor do the tines get blue. In two years of continuous daily writing with this pen, there has never been so much as a smudge of ink on my fingers or anywhere else.

 

2) A Cross Townsend Medalist with M nib and Cross Blue or Blue Black ink. For home or office use (i.e. not for travel) this is a great combination, offering a more high-end look and feel on lots of different paper. Obviously this pen/ink combination offers more feedback than the Kaweco, it's a more refined experience where you can really feel the texture of the paper and the way the nib responds to you.

 

(I don't use my other pen/ink combinations on office paper, so won't mention them here).

 

Feel free to include other combinations using different papers. I just wanted to get as many examples for copy paper as possible since that's most prevalent. If you have some truly amazing writing experiences with other papers, you can just include the paper in the description.

 

Thanks for mentioning Schneider ink! They are really underrated and deserve more attention. I have been using their blue-black cartridges for a few months and the ink just writes wonderfully, not to mention being dirt cheap in China. The flow is perfect and it really does give a lubricating feel on cheap paper. Black, Blue, and Blue-Black recently started being offered in bottles which is nice.

[TheDutchGuy]

Feel free to include other combinations using different papers. I just wanted to get as many examples for copy paper as possible since that's most prevalent. If you have some truly amazing writing experiences with other papers, you can just include the paper in the description.

On paper that's at least 80g/m^2, my new Diplomat Aero with M nib pairs up incredibly well with J. Herbin inks. I've tried the Bleu Noir and the Bleu Pervenche (which is very similiar to Diamine Aqua Lagoon, but with much better flow). I've tried a lot of different inks in this pen. The most beautiful one (but not the most pleasant one in terms of flow, smoothness and lubrication) was the Graf von Faber-Castell Cobalt Blue, which I personally think is the most amazing deep blue ink around. But it's not an ink for page after page of writing because the ink requires a bit downward pressure, which leads to a sense of fatigue. The J. Herbin inks just love this Diplomat Aero with M steel nib. The weight of the pen (even uncapped) is all that is needed and writing becomes both effortless but not lifeless, it's not aqua planing.

 

Again, on paper that's at least 80g/m^2, the best writing experience that I currently have is with a '90s Sheaffer Targa with 14k M nib. Whenever I pick up this pen, I have to tell myself: gentle now, the weight of the pen more than suffices, just move it around to write, don't push it. In terms of tactile respons and awesome smoothness, this pen always amazes me. It's inked with Graf von Faber Castell Garnet Red, which is a deep, dark, ruby-meets-wine red. I love it, some people hate it.

Edited February 16, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[truthpil]

On paper that's at least 80g/m^2, my new Diplomat Aero with M nib pairs up incredibly well with J. Herbin inks. I've tried the Bleu Noir and the Bleu Pervenche (which is very similiar to Diamine Aqua Lagoon, but with much better flow). I've tried a lot of different inks in this pen. The most beautiful one (but not the most pleasant one in terms of flow, smoothness and lubrication) was the Graf von Faber-Castell Cobalt Blue, which I personally think is the most amazing deep blue ink around. But it's not an ink for page after page of writing because the ink requires a bit downward pressure, which leads to a sense of fatigue. The J. Herbin inks just love this Diplomat Aero with M steel nib. The weight of the pen (even uncapped) is all that is needed and writing becomes both effortless but not lifeless, it's not aqua planing.

 

That's good to know about the Diplomat with Herbin ink. Herbin inks have been hit or miss for me, some of them just won't flow evenly on average paper or the poor stuff at the office.

 

It sounds like the Faber-Castell inks work best with good paper and good pens.

[catapult1]

I wish I could use plain 20-lb copy-printer paper with fountain pens, but it has never really worked very well for me, no matter what kind of pen and ink I use (not even the Noodler's X-feather ink, which was designed for this purpose). When using sheets of copier-printer paper, I have to use heavier paper, at least 24-lb paper, to prevent feathering and bleed-through, or else use Platinum extrafine (0.2mm) pen nibs to dispense very thin ink lines. Using the needle-fine nibs limits the kinds of inks that can be used, because the veryfine nibs dry out and clog more than fine or medium nibs.

 

As for a zen-like pen-and-ink combination, I need to use the special fountain pen paper also, such as Clairfontaine, or Tomoe River. I've had some success using Kokuyo Campus notebooks too. The cost of paper can be prohibitive, maybe even more than the cost of the pen and ink. Sometimes I just use cheap composition notebooks (of the Mead 7x10 type, with thin cheap paper, about US$1 per notebook) and accept that the quality of the writing won't be perfect. That's a satisfying experience too, but because it costs much less, and not because the pen, ink, or paper are really great. Sometimes it is satisfying to just be able to write without it costing very much.

 

A good pen-and-ink experience is when the pen writes easily, without skipping, without bleeding or feathering, or having any other problems, no leaks, and no special maintenance or adjustments needed. I just want to be able to write stuff down and know that I will be able to read it again 20 or 40 years from now, and not have to have a headache today just trying to get the pen to work.

[clazbill]

I have a Pelican M205 that gave me all sorts of heartache when I first used it. Skips, hard starts, outright stops - all the things that are bad. I tried different inks. I tried different papers. I tried leaving it on the shelf for a few months to let my own sense of disappointment fade so I could use it in a cleaner state of mind.

 

One day I pulled it down and filled it with Noodler's El Lawrence - an ink that can be troublesome itself - and ALL the problems vanished. Performs like the reviews make you think it should.

 

... and now I want to go pull that pen and ink out again. Haven't used either one in months. Maybe I will soon pull out my perfect match: Pelican M205, medium nib and Noodlers El Lawrence ink.

[TheDutchGuy]

One day I pulled it down and filled it with Noodler's El Lawrence - an ink that can be troublesome itself - and ALL the problems vanished..

It's a bit off-topic but in general I think several factors are in play:

-the viscosity, density and composition of the ink

-the strength of the capillary force of the feed and the nib

-interaction (adhesion) between the ink (or some components of the ink) with the material of which the feed is made; ditto for interaction with the nib (mostly around the breather hole and the slit)

-whether or not stuff clogs the feed and/or the slit (such as small particles in the ink)

-atmospheric conditions such as temperature and humity

-the width of the slit (I've seen nibs with even slit width from breather hole to tip, and others with a slit that narrows to the tip)

-the size and shape of the tip (including baby's bottom and other nastiness)

-the aborbancy of the paper used - a bit of toilet paper will suck the ink out with force, while very smooth coated paper will not

 

This can lead to curious effects. The cheapest ink I use is from Schneider, I use the green and blue ones. They're good choices for school and office use. This ink costs 70 cts for 6 cartridges. When used in Kaweco Classic Sport or AL Sport pens with F steel nibs, the pens perform as if the nibs were M or B. Good, strong flow on every kind of paper. Outstanding performance. In the same pens, a quality ink such as Graf von Faber-Castell flows much less, lubricates much less and shows the nibs for what they are: Fine, definitely not M. Yet that same Schneider ink turns my juicy Diplomat Aero with M nib into an unusable, dry pen with hardly any ink flow, while the GvFC makes it wet. So these inks have totally opposite effects in different pens.

 

I stopped trying to make sense of it, which is kind of hard for me to do because I used to teach physics and chemistry. I'm interested in this stuff. But there are too many variables at play and the only thing to do is find the perfect marriage by trial and error.

Edited February 16, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[lapis]

I stopped trying to make sense of it, which is kind of hard for me to do because I used to teach physics and chemistry. I'm interested in this stuff. But there are too many variables at play and the only thing to do is find the perfect marriage by trial and error.

I'll go along with that, 100%. My chemistry life tells me exactly the same. Even if it every now and then only amounts to an A-B comparison. But for marriages, I'm not sure. Also, that type of collecting is a lot more expensive.

[Torrilin]

I always get headaches trying to translate pounds into gsm.

 

My default “good” paper in high school and college was 20lb copy paper. I don’t remember brands now and since it was over 20 years ago it’s not like it matters. But it was really obvious to me back then that paper varied and it hasn’t changed since. My testing methods haven’t changed tho. Grab an italic nib and start writing. Check the hairlines. If the hairlines are ok, the paper is good enough. (If the hairlines are not ok, grab an xf nib and stop worrying about precision)

 

Current default papers are Maruman basics blank, Mead comp books with narrow rule and the lined cardboard covers, and Canson XL mixed media. I’ve got a project going in a clairefontaine blank A5 softcover book too, tho it’s close to running out of pages. And I don’t like the paper enough to rebuy.

 

The only ink that gets default status right now is Platinum Carbon Black, which I like in every pen I’ve tried it in so far. I really like basic black ink. I get upset if I don’t have a boring pen available. So I wound up dedicating a pen to it (TWSBI eco xf). There’s probably plenty of other black inks that could suit for writing purposes, but not so many options for drawing. And this one maintains at least some hairlines on a pretty wide range of paper. The paper for my passport application defeated it, but it was quite light and absorbent. And it still came out readable and with minimal bleeding. Feathered like crazy so my xf nib read like an m.

 

I haven’t really worried about marrying any other particular ink to a pen. I like variety too, and I’m not sure I need to have any other dedicated pens. But damn it’s nice always having a reliable, boring pen.

[IndigoBOB]

2. BLISS! Ivory x750 Jinhao--Jowo Fine--Bungubox Silent Night: The stars aligned to wake to the dream of this Silent Night. I have many Jowo nibs, many Fines, but 2 Fines I received from FPnibs.com, the same week I received Silent Night, were just right. And with this ink there's a velvet glide with just the right amount of that very pleasant feedback from the Fineness of the nib that gives an organic connection to the paper, etching with just the right finesse that the weight of the Jinhao x750 provides adding to the ergonomics of the pen to comfortably rest itself in your hand with the curved section rising to the shelf that seats to the fingers to the gravity needing no added pressure, no separation of the tines, no additional concern, but to put pen to paper for an experience that OCD of yours, that craziness to purchase any and all, that venture down this rabbit hole was seeking all along. The hue is dark enough to write by candle light and can be carried over to the day in a hue of a moonlit night accompanying your words with poise and grace, definitiveness and shamelessness, and evocative lure that beams out a depth words wish to follow.... for some at least lol.

 

Aaaah yes that moment of bliss is so definite, so immediate, so reassuring, so... much . After trying just about every pen under $200, this bargain combo with this juxtaposing ink yields this moment.

 

But I will say I cheated because that was all on Tomoe River Paper . This ink does not work well on cheap paper .

[truthpil]

I have a Pelican M205 that gave me all sorts of heartache when I first used it. Skips, hard starts, outright stops - all the things that are bad. I tried different inks. I tried different papers. I tried leaving it on the shelf for a few months to let my own sense of disappointment fade so I could use it in a cleaner state of mind.

 

One day I pulled it down and filled it with Noodler's El Lawrence - an ink that can be troublesome itself - and ALL the problems vanished. Performs like the reviews make you think it should.

 

... and now I want to go pull that pen and ink out again. Haven't used either one in months. Maybe I will soon pull out my perfect match: Pelican M205, medium nib and Noodlers El Lawrence ink.

 

Thanks for your post. I wonder if this perfect combination is a case of baby's bottom being cured by an ink that can maintain the capillary action due to some odd qualities that can bother regular pens. I've also found that sometimes impossible pens with impossible inks can result in great writers.

[truthpil]

I stopped trying to make sense of it, which is kind of hard for me to do because I used to teach physics and chemistry. I'm interested in this stuff. But there are too many variables at play and the only thing to do is find the perfect marriage by trial and error.

 

 

I'll go along with that, 100%. My chemistry life tells me exactly the same. Even if it every now and then only amounts to an A-B comparison. But for marriages, I'm not sure. Also, that type of collecting is a lot more expensive.

 

Good points indeed. There really are too many variables to guarantee a combination that is perfect for everyone in every situation. When you get into things like indoor and outdoor climate, even the temperature at the place of writing, etc. it really becomes impossible.

 

Nevertheless, I think this thread can be helpful for those of us who have already collected too many pens and inks and aren't experiencing as many blissful moments as we had hoped. Sharing experiences can bring to light some combinations of pens and inks we already have but hadn't tried together. It could also result in saving a pen or ink from the dreaded back of the drawer because it found its soul mate.

 

This is a great discussion, folks! Keep it coming!

Edited February 17, 2018 by TruthPil

[truthpil]

The only ink that gets default status right now is Platinum Carbon Black, which I like in every pen I’ve tried it in so far. I really like basic black ink. I get upset if I don’t have a boring pen available. So I wound up dedicating a pen to it (TWSBI eco xf). There’s probably plenty of other black inks that could suit for writing purposes, but not so many options for drawing. And this one maintains at least some hairlines on a pretty wide range of paper. The paper for my passport application defeated it, but it was quite light and absorbent. And it still came out readable and with minimal bleeding. Feathered like crazy so my xf nib read like an m.

 

I haven’t really worried about marrying any other particular ink to a pen. I like variety too, and I’m not sure I need to have any other dedicated pens. But damn it’s nice always having a reliable, boring pen.

 

There's something to be said for a good, reliable black ink. After a couple years of not even considering using a black ink, I got some Carbon Black for Christmas and must confess at how nice a deep, dark, doom and gloom black it is. It's a little refreshing to see some pure black on the page for a change. This ink keeps coming up in various threads and reviews as an ink that makes for a great writing experience. I also agree about the need to use it with a very fine nib. In a wet or broad pen on cheap paper it tends to get out of control.

 

2. BLISS! Ivory x750 Jinhao--Jowo Fine--Bungubox Silent Night: The stars aligned to wake to the dream of this Silent Night. I have many Jowo nibs, many Fines, but 2 Fines I received from FPnibs.com, the same week I received Silent Night, were just right. And with this ink there's a velvet glide with just the right amount of that very pleasant feedback from the Fineness of the nib that gives an organic connection to the paper, etching with just the right finesse that the weight of the Jinhao x750 provides adding to the ergonomics of the pen to comfortably rest itself in your hand with the curved section rising to the shelf that seats to the fingers to the gravity needing no added pressure, no separation of the tines, no additional concern, but to put pen to paper for an experience that OCD of yours, that craziness to purchase any and all, that venture down this rabbit hole was seeking all along. The hue is dark enough to write by candle light and can be carried over to the day in a hue of a moonlit night accompanying your words with poise and grace, definitiveness and shamelessness, and evocative lure that beams out a depth words wish to follow.... for some at least lol.

 

Aaaah yes that moment of bliss is so definite, so immediate, so reassuring, so... much . After trying just about every pen under $200, this bargain combo with this juxtaposing ink yields this moment.

 

But I will say I cheated because that was all on Tomoe River Paper . This ink does not work well on cheap paper .

 

Glad you found your perfect match! I'm noticing a trend that expensive inks need expensive paper to reach their potential.

By contrast, some super cheap inks (e.g., Schneider above) perfect exquisitely on any kind of paper, but the colors just aren't that exciting.

 

What are your favorite combinations for cheap paper? Have you reached any bliss with copy paper?

[TheDutchGuy]

One thing I forgot to mention: with a new pen, I stick with ink from the same manufacturer for a while. One might expect a manufacturer to produce inks that really match their pens, and to make their pens perform well on various kinds of paper. So with my Kaweco's, I used Kaweco ink for a few months. I didn't bond with their ink, so I moved on. But with Cross, I stayed with Cross. That Townsend just works really well with Cross ink. So why bother?

[truthpil]

One thing I forgot to mention: with a new pen, I stick with ink from the same manufacturer for a while. One might expect a manufacturer to produce inks that really match their pens, and to make their pens perform well on various kinds of paper. So with my Kaweco's, I used Kaweco ink for a few months. I didn't bond with their ink, so I moved on. But with Cross, I stayed with Cross. That Townsend just works really well with Cross ink. So why bother?

 

Is it true that Cross ink is just relabeled Pelikan ink??

[TheDutchGuy]

Is it true that Cross ink is just relabeled Pelikan ink??

I wouldn't know, to be honest. But regardless of the origins of the ink, they sell it as Cross ink and they probably wouldn't do that if the ink didn't wotk well with their own pens. I really like the performance and the colours of Cross Blue in my Townsend.

 

Regarding the phrase "perfect marriage", looking back I guess that might be the wrong thing to say. It merely means that I stumbled on an ink that bring out the best in a pen, at least to my tastes. Usually a related colour from the same brand (for example the range from green to blue/green to blue to dark blue, but not red or orange) will work equally well with that pen, so I do change colours occasionally to spice things up.

[truthpil]

I wouldn't know, to be honest. But regardless of the origins of the ink, they sell it as Cross ink and they probably wouldn't do that if the ink didn't wotk well with their own pens. I really like the performance and the colours of Cross Blue in my Townsend.

 

Yep, I just checked in the Ink Reviews section on here and under Cross inks it says they are relabeled Pelikan inks (except for the newer line of Cross inks in the square bottles). That is a VERY good thing, because that might mean that the whole Pelikan 4001 line should work wonderfully in Cross pens. Thanks to your posts, I've got a neglected but gorgeous Century II with medium nib that didn't write as smooth as I'd like but is now next in line for inking with either Pelikan 4001 or the original Cross cartridge that it came with.

Edited February 17, 2018 by TruthPil