What Pen Are You Using Today in 2021/22?

[MuddyWaters]

On 2/26/2021 at 5:10 AM, A Smug Dill said:

I bought myself a used Pilot Custom 742 on a whim, to give the FA nib another go, and confirm whether it was mainly my lack of skill and understanding or mainly the nib's poor performance characteristics that caused our ruinous conflict two years ago.

 

Now that I have a better appreciation of how the FA nib should be used — specifically, Pilot clearly stated is meant to only be used with light writing pressure and no more than that, even if the degree of elastic deformation in response to such is underwhelming, never mind in what language and hand the user is trying to write — I really wanted to see if it writes finely enough with no pressure (my first FA nib did), yields readily enough to when pressed lightly, and snaps back quickly enough when the light pressure on it is reduced; and whether it has anything to offer over and above, say, a more mundane Pilot Custom soft nib or a Justus 95 nib at the softest setting.

 

 

Well, I don't hate the FA nib now that I understand its handicap, and when I have low expectations it is pleasant enough to use, I suppose — and the Custom 742 pen body is actually quite nice, as opposed to the disagreeable Custom 74 pen body — but it doesn't really do much for me or my handwriting.

 

 

Is it just me or there isnt much line variation there? Looks a bit blobby. Also you didn't do it too many favours with that ink, compared to your other writing samples.

[Runnin_Ute]

Today has been mostly the Pelikan M100 and Newton Townsend. 

[A Smug Dill]

2 hours ago, MuddyWaters said:

Is it just me or there isnt much line variation there? Looks a bit blobby.

 

There isn't, and it is. That's exactly why I'm frustrated with the Pilot FA nib.

 

 

It is designed to be written with nothing but light pressure, and opens up to a broad line width too readily even with almost no pressure. My usual technique for moderating the pressure to get the line variation I want from a nib doesn't work with this pen very well at all. Sometimes it makes me instinctively respond by relieving the pressure too quickly, and end up with the opposite effect of what I want from it (or my handwriting in general).

 

See the third Chinese ideogram (from the left) on the bottom line:

Source: 筆順字典 (Dictionary of Stroke Order)

 

For the longest (third) pen stroke, I need the line width to increase very gradually down the curve (or bowl) until it reaches a broad maximum at the turning point, then spring back rapidly to a fine point as I move the nib upward, finishing the shape with a sort of triangle with the sharpest corner pointing up at 11 o'clock. With the FA nib, as soon as I start the downward movement, the line opens up and forms a blob or match-head, ruining the stroke. Moreover, if I were to keep the line width broad and make it even broader as it reaches the bottom, there is no way the tines will bounce back quickly and sharply enough to form that tiny triangle of an uptick.

 

2 hours ago, MuddyWaters said:

Also you didn't do it too many favours with that ink, compared to your other writing samples.

 

I chose that ink for two reasons: I wanted to use a light-coloured ink to see the shading (which tells me about the ink flow over the course of a pen stroke), and that turquoise ink was extracted from cartridges and transferred into an empty bottle, so I won't risk contaminating and/or ruining a full retail bottle of ink by submerging the nib and then pressing the filler-button on the CON-70 converter repeatedly. That's one thing I really hate about the CON-70: pressing the button just once won't even half fill the capacity of the converter, but each subsequent press risks pushing something higher up from the converter or feed into the ink bottle. Usually I'd just syringe-fill a CON-70, but in this case I bought a used pen with a non-factory replacement feed, so I wanted to check whether the normally prescribed filling procedure (still) works properly with it.

[BinaEliora]

Vintage day. 
Waterman 94, gray marbled with red specks, fine semi flex 14K nib. Diamine Oxford Blue 

Esterbrook SJ Copper, Nib 9788, Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue

[HogwldFLTR]

New Bexley Poseidon with MB Swift ink today.

 

-Lee

[HogwldFLTR]

On 2/28/2021 at 5:45 AM, HogwldFLTR said:

Too me the Shaeffer appears to have the nib bent backwards.. I've got a 70s parker which I really like. I wonder it the reintroduction will affect the value of the older ones? Congratulations on the new old pens!!

I'll look at my Shaeffers; I don't remember this but if it writes OK then no issue anyway. 

 

-Lee

[TheDiplomat]

Today I’m giving the necessary attention to my Kaweco Sport Classic in broad to prevent it from drying out. However, it never does!

A glass of something nice with Rhodia paper make it a nice evening  

[Zhooom]

On 2/26/2021 at 4:10 AM, A Smug Dill said:

 

Well, I don't hate the FA nib now that I understand its handicap, and when I have low expectations it is pleasant enough to use, I suppose — and the Custom 742 pen body is actually quite nice, as opposed to the disagreeable Custom 74 pen body — but it doesn't really do much for me or my handwriting.

 

Pilot says that because they (for whatever reason) don't want to make a new feed for the US market.  The feed is woefully inadequate; replace it with an ebonite nib from the Flexible Nib Factory and it opens up entirely new worlds for this pen.  I have a 3 slit ebonite feed in my Custom 912 FA, and a 2 slit ebonite replacement feed in my Custom 743 FA.  It doesn't turn them into vintage flex pens, but it's as close as you will get in a modern pen.  Both have respectable line variation, although the #15 nib in the 743 feels slightly stiffer than the 912 (I think the 742 uses the same #10 nib as the 912?).  If you are interested I'll post a writing sample, although my handwriting is horrible.

 

Speaking of which, those are my 2021 pens I'm writing with these days.  🙂  I just got the Custom 743 and like it quite a bit.  I'm not sure why they don't sell them in the US.  I'm a big fan of Pilot pens but the marketing and sales baffles me a bit.

[A Smug Dill]

54 minutes ago, Zhooom said:

The feed is woefully inadequate; replace it with an ebonite nib from the Flexible Nib Factory and it opens up entirely new worlds for this pen.

 

The Pilot Custom 742 I was using for the writing sample has a replacement ebonite feed from Flexible Nib Factory. Inadequate ink flow is not the problem I have with the FA nib and never was.

 

56 minutes ago, Zhooom said:

Pilot says that because they (for whatever reason) don't want to make a new feed for the US market.

 

Because the Custom 742 pen with FA nib, as made by Pilot, is exactly that whether you buy it in Japan or in North America. If the way it behaves and performs isn't what you — or whoever else in the US market — want, then don't buy it, no matter how so-close-yet-so-far it is to something for which you don't have access to a better alternative.

 

I only bought this second FA-nibbed pen, after I hated and wilfully destroyed my first FA nib in sheer frustration two years ago, because I wanted to confirm that it doesn't suit my needs and it's not because I lack the skill to use it to produce the sort of writing and line variation I want. That's all.

[irrigger]

Just using a Lamy 2000 fine with Diamine Kelly Green and a TWSBI Eco Broad with Monteverde Turquoise

[Zhooom]

1 minute ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

The Pilot Custom 742 I was using for the writing sample has a replacement ebonite feed from Flexible Nib Factory. Inadequate ink flow is not the problem I have with the FA nib and never was.

 

I assumed you weren't pushing the nib because of the flow problems on the stock feed and is the most common problem.  It's capable of quite a bit more line variation than what you are showing.

 

1 minute ago, A Smug Dill said:

Because the Custom 742 pen with FA nib, as made by Pilot, is exactly that whether you buy it in Japan or in North America. If the way it behaves and performs isn't what you — or whoever else in the US market — want, then don't buy it, no matter how so-close-yet-so-far it is to something for which you don't have access to a better alternative.

 

You can't buy the 743 in North America, not from an authorized reseller anyway.  Same with the 742.   They do however sell the 912 FA nib in the USA market, and it's problematic until you get a new feed.  After that it's a wonderful pen.  And there are tons of alternatives, from vintage pens to G-nib conversions of fountain pens to lower grade steel flex pens to music nibs ... etc, etc.   I own all of the above.  But hey, whatever.

 

I like them just fine.  As I stated, my favorite modern pens, but they have issues.  Fortunately they are fixable ones.

 

1 minute ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

I only bought this second FA-nibbed pen, after I hated and wilfully destroyed my first FA nib in sheer frustration two years ago, because I wanted to confirm that it doesn't suit my needs and it's not because I lack the skill to use it to produce the sort of writing and line variation I want. That's all.

 

No problem.  I'll stop trying to help you then since you seem to have all the answers.   Enjoy!

 

[sansenri]

7 hours ago, HogwldFLTR said:

New Bexley Poseidon with MB Swift ink today.

 

-Lee

 

I love your Poseidon, I own one in blue pearl/brown, but I like the colours on yours, I've seen this colour on some other pen that I am forgetting now...

[Doug C]

2 minutes ago, sansenri said:

 

I love your Poseidon, I own one in blue pearl/brown, but I like the colours on yours, I've seen this colour on some other pen that I am forgetting now...

I have the multi max (highlighter/pencil) in this resin.  I think it was originally used in the Sheaffer Balance.

[sansenri]

 

1 hour ago, Doug C said:

I have the multi max (highlighter/pencil) in this resin.  I think it was originally used in the Sheaffer Balance.

Ah, yes, I think you're right, the Sheaffer Balance! very nice one.

[sansenri]

Today I'm using this Montblanc 14 with an OB nib. Nice writer.

 

[I-am-not-really-here]

A grail pen once I allowed Montblanc into the building - Officially, the Montblanc Meisterstück 146 Solitaire Ramses II. With XF nib.  Loaded up with Van Dieman's Bass Strait Cobalt Blue. 

[inkstainedruth]

So far today it's been the Pink Parker Vector, F nib, with KWZI IG Blue #3, and the new-to-me French Blue Lamy Safari, F nib, with Lamy Crystal Benitoite.  But I've got the Pastel Green Sheaffer Snorkel Admiral, F (I think) nib at hand, with some vintage Sanford Pen-It Brown in it, to finish up doing tests and comparisons with other brown inks for myself.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[ParramattaPaul]

I've used three pens to day; a Faber Castell Grip (diamine Regency Blue), a Conway Stewart 36 (Diamine Oxford Blue), and a Worcester celluloid (Mabey Todd Kingfisher Blue).

[Teterman2005]

Black/rhodium Sailor Promenade (m-nib, my work pen, never fails!) 

Sailor Loch Ness 1911S (zoom nib, my fancy sharpie)

Black 1930’s sheaffer standard/long balance (m-nib, for signatures)

 

I probably should use permanent ink for signatures, but I can’t bring myself to load the stuff in a vintage pen...probably won’t rain in the office, right?!

 

For those not familiar, a promenade is basically a 1911S (Japanese market/eBay only) with a more rounded shape on the ends and a patterned clip, same lovely 14k nib

 

 

 

[Helen350]

Vintage Waterman Phileas -   B. Nib.  Ink:  Lamy Turmaline