What pen(s) are you using today?

[VersoFolio]

3 hours ago, Misfit said:

I have a bottle of this ink. I like it, but then it was my Dad’s birthstone.  If you’d like, I can post a photo of the ink.

Hi everyone.

 

Thanks @Misfit My birthstone as well. Thank you for your thoughtful offer. At the moment I'm looking at Edelstein Garnet or Sailor Okuyama (copper pheasant).

Probably end up with both actually. I enjoy researching all things related to ink, paper and writing so it's all part of the fun.

 

Cheers @mallymal1 The entire 'flock' has reached a grand total of six! All shapes and sizes. Every one a gem! But today I feel as though I've just found 'the perfect pen'. I can imagine more pens but I honestly can't imagine a better pen for me!

 

P.I.Tom

[PAKMAN]

Arial Kullock blue sharkskin 51

[Helen350]

21 hours ago, essayfaire said:

Which color Herbin?

 

Emerald of Chivor!

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

On 6/26/2022 at 7:23 PM, Vintage_BE said:

… and a humble Pelikano. Great writer. 

@Vintage_BE, wonderful skill and an understated but good pen. An example of what a good writer is, and I'm referring especially to the person using the pen. Thanks for sharing!

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:23 AM, AmandaW said:

I wrote today's journal entry with a coral Pilot pocket pen filled with Van Dieman's Tassie Salmon.

 

Very nice pen, @AmandaW. Thanks for sharing! 

 

Just curious: Does the mini-hood make the nib feel stiffer than the typical fingernail nibs with support underneath? Because I don't recall trying out this model, or at least not recently. 

[AmandaW]

8 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

Does the mini-hood make the nib feel stiffer

 

It's definitely a firm nib. I don't know if it's more so than any other. I like my writing pens to be nails though (and reserve soft nibs for drawing where i want the variation). And a nail with a little feedback is perfection!

[OldTravelingShoe]

39 minutes ago, AmandaW said:

nail with a little feedback is perfection

Hehe, agreed. But I also think it's a Pareto frontier - for me, there can be perfection in many kinds of nibs (and pens, and papers, and inks) 😄

[OldTravelingShoe]

TL;DR: Anticipating a future attempt at the Parker 180, to which I've been inspired by fellow FPNers (thank you!), I've started with trying out simpler pens with 180-style nibs. Today, I've tried and, as the figures indicate also quickly photographed:

1. A Parker Classic with a steel (?) F nib. 
2. A Chinese Hero (light-blue) metallic fountain pen that pays hommage to Parker 180.
3. A Chinese (black) metallic pen with plastic grip that also riffs on the Parker 180 tune. 

Overall, I liked the Parker Classic and could see me using it, but the pen format is too slim for me to like and the nib is not pleasant enough for me. The Chinese pens were both a disappointment, which should say a lot about what I expected them to be (hint: they're no Kaco, Majohn/Moonman, or Jinhao, even if they're similarly priced with the former and the latter). 

 

Figure 1. The triplet, from top to bottom the Chinese Hero pen, the Chinese black pen, and the Parker Classic. (top) Writing sample and pens closed, (middle) Pens and filling systems open, (bottom) Pens uncapped. 

 

Figure 2. Nib triplet, same order as in Figure 1: from top to bottom the Chinese Hero pen, the Chinese black pen with colorful background to compensate, and the Parker Classic. 

 

I learned some things in this exercise. Among others, I'll have to see if I want to buy Parker 180 anytime soon. Also, that trying out a trio of pens is a sure path to inky fingers, no matter how careful you think you are. 

 

[DvdRiet]

Taking the Namiki Nippon Art Mount Fuji and the Wave out for a weekend cruise around the journal pages 

[OldTravelingShoe]

5 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

Taking the Namiki Nippon Art Mount Fuji and the Wave out for a weekend cruise around the journal pages 

A self-portrait in ink would make this wonderful pen an artist 🖌️ 

[DvdRiet]

14 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

A self-portrait in ink would make this wonderful pen an artist 🖌️ 

 

If only I could draw at all... my pens are strictly for writing, and maaaaybe the odd doodle in the margin LOL

[Misfit]

19 hours ago, Pale.Ink.Tom said:

Hi everyone.

 

Thanks @Misfit My birthstone as well. Thank you for your thoughtful offer. At the moment I'm looking at Edelstein Garnet or Sailor Okuyama (copper pheasant).

Probably end up with both actually. I enjoy researching all things related to ink, paper and writing so it's all part of the fun.

 

Cheers

 

P.I.Tom

Here is a photo of Pelikan Edelstein Garnet on Maruman Mnemosyne paper. 

[OldTravelingShoe]

11 minutes ago, DvdRiet said:

maaaaybe the odd doodle in the margin LOL

Hehe, if, like me, you call that doodle sketching or even drawing, you get to call yourself an artist as well 😄

[PithyProlix]

4 hours ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

A Parker Classic with a steel (?) F nib. 

 

Per PenHero.com and parkerpens.net the 180 went from gold to gold plated steel in 1983 and the Classic, which was introduced in 1986, continued with gold plated steel.

 

4 hours ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

I'll have to see if I want to buy Parker 180 anytime soon.

 

I wrote elsewhere on FPN that I prefer my Classic to my (gold nib) 180.

 

While there is a modicum of convenience if you are (or were at the time the 180 was being sold) a 'one pen person', all-in-all I think the double-sided nib is gimmicky as it is very difficult to get both sides in tune simultaneously - impossible if it was manufactured even a wee bit off tolerance. I have a Platinum pocket pen with a double-sided nib and its the same story. With my Classic's nib in tune, I'd judge it as very good. To cut to the chase, it's unlikely that you will prefer the 180's nib to the Classic's.

 

I do like the aesthetics of both with no preference of one over the other, independent of finish preferences. As for the slimness, I don't use either for extended writing - I prefer a significantly girthier grip for that - but I don't mind it at all for short jaunts and all my thin pens get used fairly frequently. I don't search out the Classic as I do, say, vintage Big 3 Japanese pens, but if a nice-looking one were to pop up at a good price, I would probably get it. The 180 would have to be a better bargain than the Classic for me to shell out the dough.

 

Thanks for the comparison and opinions. I had no idea those Chinese pens existed.

[OldTravelingShoe]

8 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

 

Per PenHero.com and parkerpens.net the 180 went from gold to gold plated steel in 1983 and the Classic, which was introduced in 1986, continued with gold plated steel.

 

 

I wrote elsewhere on FPN that I prefer my Classic to my (gold nib) 180.

 

While there is a modicum of convenience if you are (or were at the time the 180 was being sold) a 'one pen person', all-in-all I think the double-sided nib is gimmicky as it is very difficult to get both sides in tune simultaneously - impossible if it was manufactured even a wee bit off tolerance. I have a Platinum pocket pen with a double-sided nib and its the same story. With my Classic's nib in tune, I'd judge it as very good. To cut to the chase, it's unlikely that you will prefer the 180's nib to the Classic's.

 

I do like the aesthetics of both with no preference of one over the other, independent of finish preferences. As for the slimness, I don't use either for extended writing - I prefer a significantly girthier grip for that - but I don't mind it at all for short jaunts and all my thin pens get used fairly frequently. I don't search out the Classic as I do, say, vintage Big 3 Japanese pens, but if a nice-looking one were to pop up at a good price, I would probably get it. The 180 would have to be a better bargain than the Classic for me to shell out the dough.

 

Thanks for the comparison and opinions. I had no idea those Chinese pens existed.

Many thanks, @PithyProlix, lots of things to learn:

1. Clear about the gold-plated nib. The feel was already steel-like, less pronounced than normal but still steel-y, so it's nice to actually know. 
2. I too have a pocket Japanese oen in this group, a Platinum 180-like pen with steel nib, and I think I like better the Parker Classic. 
3. Your advice helps clinch my decision on the Parker 180... It will wait even longer until it goes top of my acquisition list.

From my side:

1. Prices change, but...
2. The Parker Classic was under €40 with shipping and taxes on eBay. It seemed a reasonable price to me, but I don't know what would others say.
3. In the same time-frame, Parker 180s were over €125 all included, and I just don't think they're different enough to warrant 3x the cost.
4. The Platinum was about €60 with shipping and taxes.
5. The Chinese pens were about €10 each, and I think they're not worth it by far. Very poor quality even beyond the nibs, and much worse than the low- to mid-cost Kaco, Moonman/Majohn, Jinhao, Wing Sung, and Kaigelu fountain pens discussed at large on FPN, to name but a few. 

[OldTravelingShoe]

TL;DR: A 1970s (?) Montblanc 224/1246 (?) with an 18k nib with O3B (?) tip, inked with J. Herbin's Lie de Thé brown ink. 

 

To find out: Figure 1 I believe shows the pen is a hybrid, in that the cap has 1246 engraved and is properly pinestriped, but the body is matte black and Collectible Stars indicates it should also be brass-made and gold plated. The piston filling mechanism, ink view color, and body material all match model 224 and not model 227. So, 224 with a 1246 cap.

 

I am also wondering if the O3B description makes sense, because I did not know such nibs existed in 1970s models. It is a large nib, see Figure 2, larger it seems than other large nibs I have labeled as OBB, but I'm not sure overall and don't really know how to find out. Perhaps Figures 3-4 can help clarify this. 

 

 

Figure 1. The writing is pleasant with this pen, but sketching feels even better. This nib is made for walking... over paper. 

 

Figure 2. Nib mugshot. 

 

Figure 3. More nib. A lot of it, actually. 

 

Figure 4. You've been drinking, haven't you? I'm not judging, but some would take advantage and use you. 

 

For more pics, check OldTravelingShoe's Random Pics of European Fountain Pens. 

 

Enjoy the pics and the weekend. 

[PithyProlix]

31 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

TL;DR: A 1970s (?) Montblanc 224/1246 (?) with an 18k nib with O3B (?) tip, inked with J. Herbin's Lie de Thé brown ink. 

 

Wow, that seems like a great nib.

 

Does the ink window appear to be colored amber or blue?

 

I have a 221 with the same section design. It has a small, hairline crack starting at the bottom of the 'V' shape by the nib and I've heard they are prone to crack there. Not a big problem as of yet - just a little ink on the fingers once in a while. Anyhow, probably best not to try to flex or otherwise use much pressure when writing with it.

[OldTravelingShoe]

45 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

Does the ink window appear to be colored amber or blue?

To me it looks very much gray, so let's go with blue. Surely not the yellow that goes on model 14, or the orange on the 1246.

[Penguincollector]

Last night I inked a never used black and navy stiriped Baoer 388 F nib with a cartridge of Lie de Thé. First time using this ink- who knew tea dregs could look this good! I also filled one of my birthday gifts, the baby blue Sheaffer TRZ, with Ama-Iro. Not quite matchy, have to find a good baby blue ink, but very complimentary. It’s the first time I used a Kaweco mini squeeze converter, so I’m not sure if I filled it well, but I just have to get used to it.

[N1003U]

On 7/2/2022 at 11:52 AM, Penguincollector said:

Last night I inked a never used black and navy stiriped Baoer 388 F nib with a cartridge of Lie de Thé. First time using this ink- who knew tea dregs could look this good! I also filled one of my birthday gifts, the baby blue Sheaffer TRZ, with Ama-Iro. Not quite matchy, have to find a good baby blue ink, but very complimentary. It’s the first time I used a Kaweco mini squeeze converter, so I’m not sure if I filled it well, but I just have to get used to it.

 

A number of my trusted FPN sources seem to swarm over Lie de Thé. As I am a brown ink person anyway, I really should try it.

 

Please do share your experience with the Kaweco mini squeeze converter. I have NOT heard good things about it, but remains a compelling solution for bottled ink (as in one of the few alternatives) compared to refilling short cartridges in pens that are only big enough for a short cartridge.

 

Today I am still writing out my initial fill of a new Pelikan M605 Tortoise Black, filled with Fritz Schimpf Zwischenlicht (a nice-shading dark blue-grey), which I described initially in a thread dedicated to that particular pen model, until that thread ran off the rails. The more I look at it, the more it strikes me as a retro-look that at least tries not to scream 'Pelikan'.

 

Also active on my writing dest today are an Blue Lamy Safari with a very fine F nib and a factory blue cartridge, and a Schon DSGN Pocket six in copper, filled with Diamine Ancient Copper, with a 1.1mm stub gifted to me by a very generous FPNer.