I got this pen today

[Misfit]

Thank you @Cjtamu 

I almost wasn’t going to get the grape version.  But, well I like the Mini version of the TWSBI Diamond series. 

[Surlyprof]

12 hours ago, Misfit said:

I got a TWSBI Diamond Mini AL Grape with 1.1mm stub nib today. I filled it with Wearingeul’s F. ScottFitzgerald The Great Gatsby ink, which was a gift from a friend. 
 

 

I have the same pen in an EF.  It’s a great EDC pen.  The purple aluminum is beautiful.  I was particularly surprised how smoothly the EF writes.  What do you think of the 1.1 Stub?

[Misfit]

@Surlyprof I really like the 1.1mm stub nibs from TWSBI. I get that nib on all their pens. Later, when I’m home, I’ll edit this post with a writing sample. 
 

[USG]

21 hours ago, Misfit said:

I got a TWSBI Diamond Mini AL Grape with 1.1mm stub nib today. I filled it with Wearingeul’s F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby ink, which was a gift from a friend. 
 

Tyrian purple pen… 😀👍

 

[Surlyprof]

7 hours ago, Misfit said:

@Surlyprof I really like the 1.1mm stub nibs from TWSBI. I get that nib on all their pens. Later, when I’m home, I’ll edit this post with a writing sample. 
 

I need to order that stub-nibbed Sunset Yellow 580 I’ve been eyeing right away!

[Misfit]

@Surlyprof I hope you got it ordered. Did you already know the stub nibs on the 580 can be a bit wider vs the Mini (and Eco) even though they are 1.1mm? Or maybe the ones on the Mini and Eco are a bit less wide vs the 580.

 

The Mini and Eco use the same nib. 

[Surlyprof]

2 hours ago, Misfit said:

@Surlyprof I hope you got it ordered. Did you already know the stub nibs on the 580 can be a bit wider vs the Mini (and Eco) even though they are 1.1mm? Or maybe the ones on the Mini and Eco are a bit less wide vs the 580.

 

The Mini and Eco use the same nib. 

Sanity has returned, momentarily.  The SF Pen Show is next weekend so I think I should wait until I can try them out in person.  Thanks for the info!

 

Your pen looks great with The Great Gatsby ink.  I may have to empty mine and refill it from my bottle of Noodler's North African Violet.

[inkstainedruth]

Ironically, I just inked up the rainbow metal Vac 700 R with North African Violet  just a couple of weeks ago, but now appear to have misplaced/lost the pen.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkstainedruth]

Today's new toy was a black Parker 61.  Did I need another 61?  No.  Did I need another black 61?  No.  But this one doesn't appear to have any cracks (at least so far -- fingers crossed) and does have the capillary filler.  Although the arrow on the hood appears to be missing, it won't be the first 61 I have with that issue....

And for two bucks?  Hey, why not? 

So later today I will start the process of flushing it out from behind with a bulb syringe.  The first 61 I ran for something like 3 months, just flushing it until the ink started flowing when it stopped writing.  And finally did a thorough flush when it got to the point that the ink was so diluted it was pretty much illegible on the page....

If only Parker had made them out of the same material as 51s....  And not a cheaper grade of plastic (I think it's the same stuff as Parker 21s).  I'm always kinda amused that their answer to the encroachment of BPs on the market was the capillary fill 61 -- the easiest fill system on the planet.  Whereas Sheaffer's answer was the Snorkel -- with the most convoluted fill system on the planet....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Misfit]

The Hightide Attaché pen in blue marble arrived today. In the photo is an A6 size Life Pistachio notebook, that was part of the order, for size reference. When posted, the pen is a bit smaller than a Pelikan 2xxx.  When capped, it’s the same size as a Kaweco Sport pen. The Hightide Attaché, at the website I saw it, only came with a F nib. 
 

 

[Doug C]

18 minutes ago, Misfit said:

The Hightide Attaché pen in blue marble arrived today. In the photo is an A6 size Life Pistachio notebook, that was part of the order, for size reference. When posted, the pen is a bit smaller than a Pelikan 2xxx.  When capped, it’s the same size as a Kaweco Sport pen. The Hightide Attaché, at the website I saw it, only came with a F nib. 
 

 

I have a friend that got one of these. Great little pen.

[Misfit]

11 minutes ago, Doug C said:

I have a friend that got one of these. Great little pen.

Cool! Glad to know that. I should note the section is a step down from the barrel, which I did not note in my original post. 
 

I put a cartridge of J Herbin Bleu Pervenche in it, and it wrote soon afterwards. 

[Penguincollector]

That’s a super cute pen, @Misfit! Are you going to change the nib out, or leave as is? 

[Misfit]

@Penguincollector good question. I don’t have anymore stub nibs to swap. I was thinking about doing what I think you did, and watch videos to learn to make/grind stub nibs. I’ve kept the nibs I took off pens to switch them to stub nibs. 

[Penguincollector]

2 hours ago, Misfit said:

@Penguincollector good question. I don’t have anymore stub nibs to swap. I was thinking about doing what I think you did, and watch videos to learn to make/grind stub nibs. I’ve kept the nibs I took off pens to switch them to stub nibs. 

  What I did isn’t hard, but it does remove all the tipping and makes it a very sharp italic. I’ve only done it to extremely cheap pens. I can message you about it tomorrow if you’re interested.

[Misfit]

@Penguincollector I’d appreciate that, yes please. 

[Runnin_Ute]

Arrived earlier this week. Pelikan MK10. From sometime between 1967 and about 1973 approximately. There was a change around 1970-1971 and from the photos I have seen I'm just not sure, although I kind of think it is the earlier version. The piston was a bit stiff, so first fill was with Noodler's Blue Eel which is supposed to help. We will see. Writes very nicely. 

[Misfit]

Very cool pen @Runnin_Ute

[Paul-in-SF]

This really was an impulse buy, from eBay, and breaking several of my rules, especially for buying large-ticket items. It's a Montblanc LeGrand 146 Solitaire Sterling Silver Pinstripe (I wish I knew the exact terms and the order of those terms in the official Montblanc name of this model -- apparently they don't make them any more, so I can't look it up on their website). 

 

I have been wanting one of these, ever since it came to my attention that King Charles III has one that he has used for writing stuff (and that this is not the pen that he cursed at, that was not his pen), and I took a close look at some photos, and fell in love with it. It's not that he owns one, but that him owning one caused me to take a closer look at it. These pens are the perfect size for me, and the pinstripe silver with gold-plated trim just looks grand. And this one has a Fine nib, which is my preference -- so many that one finds pre-owned have a safe Medium nib, and that's pretty broad for the way I write. 

 

This pen was being offered at $300 less than the next-cheapest one at the time, so I put it on my watch list. I could understand the lower price at least partly from the lack of boxes and papers, and the initials engraved on the cartouche, neither of which bothers me. Not long afterwards, I got an offer of a 6% discount from the seller. This made me all atremble, but I thought they seemed rather eager, so I tested their willingness to cut further with a counter-offer, total of 10% off. In less than 30 minutes they accepted. Gulp, I thought, what have I done? I was committed, so I followed through. 

 

The pen arrived today. I love it, including the rather well-used appearance. It looks comfortable, and feels good in my hand. I haven't inked it yet. Aside from the usual surface scratches and the initials, there is one tiny ding in the barrel, visible to the naked eye if the light strikes it in the right way, and the piston knob is a little loose (i.e. it turns too easily up to the point when the piston is engaged, and then it's fine).

 

I'm trying to find a way to date the pen, just for fun, in the "how to date Legrand 146's" thread which is pinned in the Montblanc forum. If anyone has any information about that, or knows of a source for such information, I'd be happy to read it. Here is a quick snapshot. 

 

[Misfit]

1 hour ago, Paul-in-SF said:

and breaking several of my rules

Oh how I get this. I don’t have a lot of pen buying rules. But I struggle with one. 
 

I suspect we all have the must be able to afford it rule. The only other rule I have is the pen must have a stub or italic nib. I’m able to fudge on this rule if the pen can use a stub or italic nib I have on a pen in my collection. I have not been able to keep to this rule. My most recently arrived pen broke the rule. 
 

I got sucked in by the name Attaché. The pen only came with a fine nib. 
 

I’m going to try to learn customizing nibs as @Penguincollector has inspired me to try. I’ve kept the nibs I replaced with my beloved 1.1mm stub and italic nibs. She let me know about the sanding pads she buys. I have them on order. 
 

Whenever I break the rule, and write with those normal nibs, I’m always so much happier when I write next with the stub or italic nibs. I need to learn to live with my rule, and obey it.