What pen(s) are you using today?

[flodoc]

Duke 2000 in black lacquer and abalone inlays w/14K fine nib and Noodler's Black ink. This is a pen I had forgotten I had until I found it while searching for the Signum. It is a substantial metal pen that's heavier than it looks. That's not an issue for me except the section tapers sharply to a gripping area that is too small for the heft of the pen and for my hand.

[mizgeorge]

 

I'm trying out a Good Blue R615 with a Calligraphy nib. First impressions of both pen and nib are not great, sadly. I really wanted to enjoy these as I love to be able to support small, local producers, but the pen is far, far too heavy for me, and even the untipped calligraphy nib is a lot less flexible than I was hoping for. 

[mizgeorge]

1 hour ago, PAKMAN said:

New to me Pelikan 400 vintage from the 50's. Traded a brown for it at the Arkansas Pen show! Wish I knew what ink was in it, it's a lovely green.

Love this

[A Smug Dill]

1 hour ago, mizgeorge said:

I'm trying out a Good Blue R615 with a Calligraphy nib. First impressions of both pen and nib are not great, sadly.

 

Sorry to hear that. I saw those in the Penorama newsletter from ten days ago, but wasn't convinced by the product photos that they would be worth the current asking price; and I thought the step-down at the top of the gripping section would be irritating. Brave of you to take the plunge, and thanks for sharing your impressions of the pen and nib!

[Gloucesterman]

17 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Sorry to hear that. I saw those in the Penorama newsletter from ten days ago, but wasn't convinced by the product photos that they would be worth the current asking price; and I thought the step-down at the top of the gripping section would be irritating. Brave of you to take the plunge, and thanks for sharing your impressions of the pen and nib!

Saw some reviews of this pen and they seemed to be quite positive about the pen, nib and feed. Would you be kind enough to be more specific in your evaluative comments. The comment made seemed very general and, given the negative implication, rather cryptic, from my perspective.

 

I do agree with "ASD" that the asking price seems somewhat high and yet the reviewers seemed to agree that the performance of the nib/feed combination showed good results.

Thank you

[Sinistral1]

2 hours ago, mizgeorge said:

@mizgeorge What ink are you using here?

 

[A Smug Dill]

22 minutes ago, Gloucesterman said:

Saw some reviews of this pen and they seemed to be quite positive about the pen, nib and feed. Would you be kind enough to be more specific in your evaluative comments.

 

It's exactly what I said. I looked at the product images and the asking prices, and I don't think they're worth my spend, considering what else I can buy with that money in today's market. The shape of the Good Blue steel calligraphy nibs does not look like they would function better than other nibs with cut-outs on both edges, and if neither Scribo's 14K gold flexible nib nor the Pilot 14K gold #10 FA nib impressed me with their actual performance, then in my estimation the Good Blue nibs won't either. What's cryptic about that?

 

[mizgeorge]

I give in! I'll go and write a quick review

[AmandaW]

Today's journal pen is a fine Platinum #3776 filled with Diamine Nutcracker.

 

[mallymal1]

TWSBI Eco, B nib, inked with Troublemaker Simoun.

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

12 hours ago, DvdRiet said:

these MadC Esteems are such smooth and easy-going writers and so fun with all the colors

Couldn't agree more, @DvdRiet! 

[Lexus77]

At the moment, there are three pens out on my desk:
My black parker 51 (60s model) inked with Diamine Sargasso sea. I usually have one of my 51s inked, since I love these pens so much and I'm lucky enough to have 4 of them, plus a grey vacufiller that still needs a repair on the ink sac.

Then there is my Conklin Duragraph Forest green, inked with Diamine Sherwood. A lovely combo.

The third inked at the moment is a Waterman, of which I haven't been able to track down the model name. I call it my "torsade", because it has twisting facets all around the barrel. A beautiful pen that writes well, although it is a bit too smal for my big hands. It is inked with Diamine Denim.

 

[mizgeorge]

13 hours ago, mizgeorge said:

I give in! I'll go and write a quick review

As promised

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

TL;DR: I spent a good part of today cleaning up a vintage Kaweco Dia 803. The pen works now fine, but my fingers are riveted and dipped in teal ink. I'm very happy. The pen doesn't seem to object. 

 

Figure 1. The Kaweco Dia 803 pen relaxes after extensive soaking and dipping.

 

Figure 2. After some relaxation, the 14K M nib shows there's something to talk about. 

 

More pictures appear in OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of European Fountain Pens. There's a pic of the nib and the Kaweco seal on the cap finial and another of the green ink window, body until the 803 engraving, and clip profile. 

[OldTravelingShoe]

17 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

wasn't convinced by the product photos that they would be worth the current asking price; and I thought the step-down at the top of the gripping section would be irritating. Brave of you to take the plunge, and thanks for sharing your impressions of the pen and nib!

I second @A Smug Dill. 

[Carrau]

A vintage Pelikan 400 Brown Tortoise with an OBB nib inked with Birmingham’s Sea Holly.

[PAKMAN]

Still using the vintage green stripe 400 Pelikan but did a good clean out and greased the piston. Now filled with MontBlanc seasons greetings White Forest Pine Scented green ink.

[amberleadavis]

4 hours ago, Carrau said:

A vintage Pelikan 400 Brown Tortoise with an OBB nib inked with Birmingham’s Sea Holly.

 

 

OOOO I'd love to see a picture or ten.

[AmandaW]

Today's journal pen is a TWSBI Eco Turquoise EF filled with Sailor Yama-dori.

 

[Gloucesterman]

Just saw this on the Bay and said, "what the heck" and I won it. It's a medium and I usually prefer fine or extra fine.

 

If I don't like it it will be on my table at the Commonwealth Pen Show in Boston/Somerville in September.