What pen(s) are you using today?

[sansenri]

On 1/15/2022 at 9:17 PM, ethernautrix said:

 

Nice to meet you, too, OldTravelingShoe (wonderful nickname). Thanks for your kind words ("inspired" - !), which reminded me that you'd asked a question about my cartridge-resealing technique.

 

I have used a hot-glue gun to seal cartridges that I filled with my favorite bottled inks -- for travelling purposes. (I rarely run pens dry as I tend to top them off or clean them out about once a week.)

 

I became too lazy to take out the glue gun, so for the past however many months, I've just use a bit of foil (from my daily vitamin blister pack) and taped that over the cartridge's mouth.

 

I just make sure that I store the cartridge upright. Since I've been dallying with the same few inks, I have actually used most of the the inks I've salvaged this way -- used them up (syringed into different pens). 

 

So I'm not sure how long this method will be effective. I still have hot-glue-sealed cartridges from about eight years ago. They seem all right. There might be some evaporation, but it isn't noticeable (or I'm just not noticing it).

 

I would recommend the tape solution for short-term "storage" and a hot-glue gun for "between now and infinity."

 

If  I may add my suggestion for short term sealing, have you ever had a go with "parafilm"?

Parafilm is a self adhesive tape used in chemistry labs and used specifically to seal test tubes and other containers containing chemicals.

It sticks to itself, feels slightly like wax, and is really easy to use and seals very well. It's available on the bay.

 

[sansenri]

On 1/16/2022 at 1:58 AM, flodoc said:

Visconti Voyager in black with white swirls and 18k medium nib. It is marked Visconti Firenze on the cap band.

 

showing us some of your beauties here! I'm lucky to say I own this grey Voyager too

[sansenri]

18 hours ago, flodoc said:

Visconti Luigi Millenium Limited Edition Amber with 14k medium nib and Swisher Cocoa ink. My pen is marked 45/100. I have only seen one other of this edition in the last 35 years of collecting. The translucent  acrylic is especially beautiful!

 

Beautiful! had not seen this one before, a wonderful material.

[sansenri]

I've made too many comments so far...

 

OK, this is the one I filled up today with Diamine Asa.

It's a Bexley pen, it has no name as it is a prototype, although it does look like the Bexley Classique model.

Being a prototype only one pen exactly like this exists. It's made from the same exact material that was used by Parker for its Centennial/international blue marble (Howard Levy mentioned he tested this material but then decided not to launch it).

It came with a steel nib, but I managed to trace a Bexley 18k F for it.

It's a simple converter pen with pretty finish, that writes really well and is extremely comfortable in the hand.

 

 

It's actually fun to see it next to the Centennial

[flodoc]

2 hours ago, sansenri said:

I've made too many comments so far...

 

OK, this is the one I filled up today with Diamine Asa.

It's a Bexley pen, it has no name as it is a prototype, although it does look like the Bexley Classique model.

Being a prototype only one pen exactly like this exists. It's made from the same exact material that was used by Parker for its Centennial/international blue marble (Howard Levy mentioned he tested this material but then decided not to launch it).

It came with a steel nib, but I managed to trace a Bexley 18k F for it.

It's a simple converter pen with pretty finish, that writes really well and is extremely comfortable in the hand.

 

 

It's actually fun to see it next to the Centennial

I love this material and color. I have a first year Centennial (Q3 1988) in this material.

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, mtcn77 said:

That is a beauty.

 

Thanks.

 

3 hours ago, mtcn77 said:

If you are in need of drier inks,

 

I'm sure I can find something out of ~375 inks, if it came to that.

 

The reason why I know that nib could write finer is because I had to flush and clean the nib thoroughly before I switching from Waterman Mysterious Blue to Noodler's Aircorp Blue Black for the comparative testing, and of course there was still some water/moisture inside the nib unit left, in spite of my best efforts to remove/dry it (short of leaving it standing on the point of the nib atop a paper towel for hours). The first ink to visible come through the nib is therefore diluted, and the faint lines produced by the nib with such were significantly narrower. So, to make either of the aforementioned inks drier, all it would take is add water to the converter — but it isn't something I really want to do.

 

[ParramattaPaul]

Conway Stewart Churchill got the call today.  Served me well and needs to be refilled soon.

[dms525]

My Visconti-Novelli 70th Anniversary inked with Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue. The 1.3 stub nib is very juicy and needs a dry ink for best performance.

 

 

David

[mtcn77]

51 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

The reason why I know that nib could write finer is because I had to flush and clean the nib thoroughly before I switching from Waterman Mysterious Blue to Noodler's Aircorp Blue Black for the comparative testing,

Well, I was going across your previous result with Waterman Mysterious Blue and what came to my mind is the reason it is not fine could be because water and Waterman's Mysterious Blue might have identical surface tensions. That is what I meant, "There are drier inks to consider," Waterman notwithstanding, I was speaking of low surface tension inks like Parker in particular.

Noodler makes inks with interesting compositions that regulate flow, we might be diluting them when mixing with water, leading to wetness instead of dryness.

[inkstainedruth]

Just now, dms525 said:

My Visconti-Novelli 70th Anniversary inked with Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue. The 1.3 stub nib is very juicy and needs a dry ink for best performance.

 

 

David

That's a pretty pen!

I keep looking at Viscontis, but the weight of them to use -- and the prices -- keep holding me back.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[flodoc]

Inked two more Visconti Voyagers today. This one in burgundy swirl with 14k medium nib and a solid black one with 18k fine nib.

[dms525]

1 hour ago, inkstainedruth said:

That's a pretty pen!

I keep looking at Viscontis, but the weight of them to use -- and the prices -- keep holding me back.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

To me, balance matters more than weight. Visconti's are not awfully heavy, and they are generally very well balanced. The price, well ... the ones that I find tempting are definitely pricey. And I'm not even talking about the blingy ones that are more jewelry or sculpture than writing instruments. 

 

And, as writing instruments, In my opinion, there are many better writers that are much more affordable. What gets me is some of the Visconti designs and materials.

David

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, but I tried someone's Van Gogh at a pen club meeting a few years ago and it was too heavy for me.  Now since then, I've gotten a few TWSBIs (580-AL and 580-ALR, and, just recently, a Vac 700).  And have gotten used to the added weight.  So, if I could afford a Van Gogh, and found a color that I liked, there might be one in my future.  Just not the *immediate* future.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[InesF]

16 hours ago, flodoc said:

The series included six versions celebrating natural beauty: Niagara Falls and Sahara (2007); Polar Lights and Mount Everest (2008); Indian Summer (2009) and Eternal Ice (2011).

Thank you @flodoc.

I learned something new today - and I'm excited!

(and I found the Pelikan perch ...) 😄

[DvdRiet]

11 hours ago, sansenri said:

 

Pretty!! your pen collection is developing nicely! I'm reading your review now!

 

Thanks! I do like the look of that pen. And as far as my growing collection, I think that I've also now come to the point where I know the direction that I want to go with which pens I buy. That doesn't keep me from (impulsively) buying pens that strike my fancy, just that I feel I have a little better definition of what my 'fancy' is! I have now passed the experimenting phase at least... for the most part. 😅

[DvdRiet]

Today is tsukushi day.

 

It started out with this unassuming yet handsome and slim two-tone Diplomat Traveller from the 90s, but as is somehow usual for my ink rotations, it was already nearly out of ink. 

 

 

So, now it is the turn of the pen this bottle of ink came with: this also handsome workhorse of a pen, the Pilot Custom 823 that matches this ink so well. I think it will be some time before it runs out of ink, though.  

 

[inkstainedruth]

Today it's been the TWSBI 700 Vac Iris, F nib, with Diamine Grey; and the Noodler's Konrad Poseidon Pearl, flex nib, with Noodler's Ellis Island Blue Black.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AmandaW]

Today a pair of Pilot E95s - one fine, the other extra fine - and having fun comparing them. The burgundy came from an Australian retailer, while the black one, ordered on AliExpress, arrived from China yesterday. I find it interesting to see the different logo on the cap - I'm thinking the 'E' is the American version, while the "Elite" is branded for everywhere else?

 

I have the black inked with Iroshizuku Shin-kai and the burgundy with Tsukushi.

 

 

[A Smug Dill]

2 minutes ago, AmandaW said:

I'm thinking the 'E' is the American version, while the "Elite" is branded for everywhere else?

 

The one branded Elite is certainly what is sold in the Japanese domestic market. I'm not sure whether the one branded E is for the regional markets in North America only, or for everywhere other than Japan.

 

[ParramattaPaul]

It was a Gravitas Entry all day.