What pen(s) are you using today?

[Penguincollector]

Well, so far I can tell you that it doesn’t get very full when you dip the nib and squeeze. Most people online recommend syringe filling, and I will probably start using that next time. 

[Number99]

15 hours 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.

I'm sorry if I'm wrong.

 Does the "steel version nib" of 180 mean gold plating?

 I haven't seen 180 gold-plated steel nibs yet.

 I've seen a "steel nib version" that seems to be Octanium.

 Some 180 nibs of gold grade notation can be seen from the outside, but most cannot see the "14k" stamp without destroying the black cover.

 Whether it is a gold nib or not can be determined by whether the boundary between the nib and the point is clear because the slit is ground before the plating process.

 

This mess seems to have been around for a long time, as most 180 owners aren't sure if their pen is a gold nib.

 However, it is impossible to prove "there are no gold-plated nibs", so it has not been solved.

I don't think there is a gold-plated nib, but I can't rest assured that I have to check the nib-point boundary with a loupe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Image taken from the same direction before the pen tip was exposed.（Image quoted from the net.）

 

 

 

 

 

* Image quoted from the net.

An example where the "gold grade notation" can be confirmed from the outside. Often shown in high-end versions made in France.

 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Number99
Image attachment.

[AmandaW]

Today's journal pen is a Blue TWSBI Eco-T EF filled with 3Oysters Haneul. It was left in a pen drawer, forgotten and overlooked since March 2020 and yet it wrote immediately. That's after two of our long blistering-dry summers! I can name pens that wouldn't do that well after two days...

 

[OldTravelingShoe]

TL;DR: I was inspired by all the discussion around the TWSBI* and its stub nib, so when 24papershop mentioned the Yellow Eco is in stock, I got one, inked it with J. Herbin's Lie de Thé, and did a bit of testing. 

 

Overall, thanks everyone for pointing out how nice the TWSBI Eco is, and how well its stub nib works. I like the pen, the nib, and the ink: They give wet strokes, spectacular shading one can easily control, and line variation with a bit of hand twisting and turning. So I'm going to add this combination to my sketching kit, right next to the TWSBI Eco Green with EF steel nib turned into a Fude by Pablo of FPNibs and its Diamine Sherwood green ink. Now, back to visuals: Figures 1-4. 

 

Btw, I've not tried a stub nib made out of gold, so perhaps that's the next wonderful discovery waiting for future me. 

 

Figure 1. The pen is a great writer and sketcher, even in my hand (not depicted here, said it was busy with camera work). 

 

Figure 2. Nib before and after drinking.

 

Figure 3. Pen at rest, before and after job well done. 

 

 

Comments are most welcome. 

 

Enjoy the weekend! 

 

* Thanks, @AmandaW, and so many others who excellent and heart-warming posts on the TWSBI made me look at it in the first place. 

[jchch1950]

Twsbi Swipe with Twsbi   blue ink cartridge and  1.1 nib, Twsbi 580 ALR  with 1.9 nib and Pilot blue ink.

[OldTravelingShoe]

16 minutes ago, jchch1950 said:

Twsbi Swipe with Twsbi   blue ink cartridge and  1.1 nib, Twsbi 580 ALR  with 1.9 nib and Pilot blue ink.

Very nice, @jchch1950, thank you for sharing!

 

Would you mind sharing some pics, especially with strokes of the two nibs? I'm wondering how large does the 1.9 mm nib draw, next to the 1.1. (I can infer from their widths, but don't know if the stub format preserved the straight measures.) Thank you. 

[OldTravelingShoe]

10 hours ago, Number99 said:

I'm sorry if I'm wrong.

 Does the "steel version nib" of 180 mean gold plating?

 I haven't seen 180 gold-plated steel nibs yet.

 I've seen a "steel nib version" that seems to be Octanium.

 Some 180 nibs of gold grade notation can be seen from the outside, but most cannot see the "14k" stamp without destroying the black cover.

 Whether it is a gold nib or not can be determined by whether the boundary between the nib and the point is clear because the slit is ground before the plating process.

 

This mess seems to have been around for a long time, as most 180 owners aren't sure if their pen is a gold nib.

 However, it is impossible to prove "there are no gold-plated nibs", so it has not been solved.

I don't think there is a gold-plated nib, but I can't rest assured that I have to check the nib-point boundary with a loupe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Image taken from the same direction before the pen tip was exposed.（Image quoted from the net.）

 

 

 

 

 

* Image quoted from the net.

An example where the "gold grade notation" can be confirmed from the outside. Often shown in high-end versions made in France.

 

Thanks for sharing, @Number99! 

[mallymal1]

33 minutes ago, OldTravelingShoe said:

TL;DR: I was inspired by all the discussion around the TWSBI* and its stub nib, so when 24papershop mentioned the Yellow Eco is in stock, I got one, inked it with J. Herbin's Lie de Thé, and did a bit of testing. 

 

Overall, thanks everyone for pointing out how nice the TWSBI Eco is, and how well its stub nib works. I like the pen, the nib, and the ink: They give wet strokes, spectacular shading one can easily control, and line variation with a bit of hand twisting and turning. So I'm going to add this combination to my sketching kit, right next to the TWSBI Eco Green with EF steel nib turned into a Fude by Pablo of FPNibs and its Diamine Sherwood green ink. Now, back to visuals: Figures 1-4. 

 

Btw, I've not tried a stub nib made out of gold, so perhaps that's the next wonderful discovery waiting for future me. 

 

Figure 1. The pen is a great writer and sketcher, even in my hand (not depicted here, said it was busy with camera work). 

 

Figure 2. Nib before and after drinking.

 

Figure 3. Pen at rest, before and after job well done. 

 

 

Comments are most welcome. 

 

Enjoy the weekend! 

 

* Thanks, @AmandaW, and so many others who excellent and heart-warming posts on the TWSBI made me look at it in the first place. 

 

Excellent post. Great photos. 👍

[mallymal1]

Opus 88 Korolo, with a B nib. Inked with Platinum Classic Citrus Black.

 

[inkstainedruth]

So far today, it's been the Cross Solo, F nib, bought from a friend's estate a few years ago, freshly inked up with Birmingham Pens Herr's Island Ultramarine.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ParramattaPaul]

CS Duro

[Chi]

10 hours ago, mallymal1 said:

Opus 88 Korolo, with a B nib. Inked with Platinum Classic Citrus Black.

 

that's a great combo!

[Chi]

 

Finally have time to ink it. Testing out one of TACCIA ink samples.

[mallymal1]

Conway Stewart with a Henry Simpole overlay. M nib, inked with Cult Pens Deep Dark Green. Wonderful.

 

[inkstainedruth]

That'a s pretty pen you have there, mallymal1!  I'm a complete sucker for that style of overlay.

For me, so far it's been the Dusty Rose Laidtone Duofold vac filler, F(?) nib, still with vintage Quink Microfilm Black.  But I've also got two other pens in the queue (depending on what my life is like today): the translucent red barrel Sheaffer school pen, F nib, with Monteverde Ocean Noir, and the Azure al-Star, retrofitted with the hanzi nib, and diluted Akkerman Delfts Blauw.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[dms525]

I have found that my Newton Quapaw with an Osmiroid Fine Italic nib is my bestest pen for writing checks, given the fountain pen-hostile paper used for my checks.  I have several Newton pens for which I had Shawn make sections that take vintage Esterbrook and Osmiroid nibs.

 

 

 

David

[InesF]

On 7/3/2022 at 6:28 PM, mallymal1 said:

Opus 88 Korolo, with a B nib. Inked with Platinum Classic Citrus Black.

Despite the nice pen, it's the ink that caught my eye - looks special and unique! Fascinating 🖖

[InesF]

14 hours ago, dms525 said:

I have found that my Newton Quapaw with an Osmiroid Fine Italic nib is my bestest pen for writing checks

Interesting nib shape & looks like no tipping.

Is this stiff or soft?

[dms525]

9 hours ago, InesF said:

Interesting nib shape & looks like no tipping.

Is this stiff or soft?

 

Osmiroid nibs are gold plated steel. They are not tipped. The Osmiroid italic nibs are nails. Osmiroid made a very wide variety of nibs including some semi-flex nibs made for English Roundhand and italic nibs designed for left handed calligraphers.  The italic nibs included an array of widths from Extra-Fine (0.5mm) to B10 (5.0mm), but those wider than B4(2.5mm) are really rare.

 

Most folks of my generation who learned italic handwriting when teenagers or college students learned using Osmiroid or Platignum pens.  

 

David

[inkstainedruth]

9 hours ago, InesF said:

Despite the nice pen, it's the ink that caught my eye - looks special and unique! Fascinating 🖖

The Platinum Classic inks are interesting, being that they are IG inks but in somewhat unusual colors.  I don't have this one, but I like Lavender Black and Forest Black.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth