Fountain Pen recommendation

[serif365]

...or just batty... :cheers:

Until I spend a good three years improving my handwriting, I'm sticking with old typewriters for my throwback methods unto the written word.

Speaking of which, do any of you write script or have any intent to learn? I know a few fountainophiles who either have or plan on this.

Kyle, I'm not sure what you mean by script. If you mean formal handwriting/long hand, I spent the last five years re-learning how to write in this fashion (I had printed most of my life since about the 8th grade). I also filled 12+ journals recording every thing from everyday diatribe to some pretty heavy stuff that I wanted to preserve. I'm fascinated with all things dealing with the written word from the early history of calligraphy to modern calligraphic works and formal handwriting. I hope some day after I retire to travel to Dublin to see the Book of Kells, one of the best and oldest illuminated texts of the four gospels.

By the way, I still have my old Royal Globetrotter and it types a nice letter.

I'm fairly satisfied with my writing style but youngsters have difficulty reading what I write. They say, "Mr. Sanders, you have really nice handwriting. What does it say?"

Twain said there are three secrets to being a good writer... WRITE, WRITE, and WRITE. The same logic holds true for improving your handwriting. Three years doesn't seem overly long to me. When you get to the point of being able to turn out several written pages without your hand drawing up into a spastic knot, you'll know your practice is paying off. Good luck!

 

[Ocelot55]

Opinions on the Montaverde Invincia?

I'm digging this one, plus it can be fitted with a stub nib for italics.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

"Script" has come to mean many things, but I stick with the definition of it being any formal handwriting, cursive being the most prominent (and one likely learned, to lesser or greater degree, in school for some).

I have never been able to write by hand fast (and legibly) enough to keep up with my thought process. The QWERTY system works well. Too bad I'd likely be able to go even faster if I would learn Dvorak or Colemark layouts. :lol:

Too late for that now.

Fountain pens win on a consistency level...and well, yeah, they look super-cool.

PB, what's that case you're using for your pens, the zip-up one that looks like its for pistol magazines? I may have to pick one up as a gift for a fountain pen obsessed friend.

Or anyone else that has cool pen case ideas...that don't cost a billion clams.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Parker makes a solid pen well within your rice range.

Parker Sonnet Red Lacquer GT Fountain Pen.. $99

The Sonnet is a sweet pen, for sure, with a nice, somewhat flexible nib. But, it's got that inner cap issue. Since I don't tend to use the same pen every day, it's important to me that it not dry out between uses. My Sonnet does not fall into that category.

(Yes. I'm slightly insane. When I had a real job, and disposable income, I bought a mess-o-pens, some new, some vintage, and enjoy them all. Pens are as bad as pipes, only people don't screw up their faces and do that obnoxious false-coughing dance of the hands when you use them.)

When you start getting into vintage stuff, you're really in trouble. You could have a whole collection, for instance, of the variants on the Eversharp Skyline, or the Shaeffer Tuckaway,.

And, then there's ink. Just like tobacco. I have my faves, but every time a new colour appears that I like, I have to have it. I hear Diamine is coming out with a set of 12 based on Composers. Saving my pocket change…

I wish you luck.

Well don't I feel stupid.. never knew about a inner cap issue but then I ain't the brightest bulb in the closet. evidently, since I also like Peterson pipes.

I lean towards Parker because I was lucky enough to get some nicer older stuff from my grandparents (vacumatic and duofolds) and a cherry 51 from my mother) I nice have a nice stash of Parker Sapphire Ink. Everyone's mileage will very.

If you want to step up take a look at the Bexley pens. I just picked up the Rasp owners club pen and I'll put it up against any pen out there. Made right here in cowtown Columbus Ohio

 

[puros_bran]

It's just a standard pen case...

 

[glpease]

Parker makes a solid pen well within your rice range.

Parker Sonnet Red Lacquer GT Fountain Pen.. $99

The Sonnet is a sweet pen, for sure, with a nice, somewhat flexible nib. But, it's got that inner cap issue. Since I don't tend to use the same pen every day, it's important to me that it not dry out between uses. My Sonnet does not fall into that category.

(Yes. I'm slightly insane. When I had a real job, and disposable income, I bought a mess-o-pens, some new, some vintage, and enjoy them all. Pens are as bad as pipes, only people don't screw up their faces and do that obnoxious false-coughing dance of the hands when you use them.)

When you start getting into vintage stuff, you're really in trouble. You could have a whole collection, for instance, of the variants on the Eversharp Skyline, or the Shaeffer Tuckaway,.

And, then there's ink. Just like tobacco. I have my faves, but every time a new colour appears that I like, I have to have it. I hear Diamine is coming out with a set of 12 based on Composers. Saving my pocket change…

I wish you luck.

Well don't I feel stupid.. never knew about a inner cap issue but then I ain't the brightest bulb in the closet. evidently, since I also like Peterson pipes.

I lean towards Parker because I was lucky enough to get some nicer older stuff from my grandparents (vacumatic and duofolds) and a cherry 51 from my mother) I nice have a nice stash of Parker Sapphire Ink. Everyone's mileage will very.

If you want to step up take a look at the Bexley pens. I just picked up the Rasp owners club pen and I'll put it up against any pen out there. Made right here in cowtown Columbus Ohio

Those old Parkers sound great. I've definitely got a soft spot for the vintage stuff. (And, Petersons, too.) They were really built for the long haul, and even when they go wrong, they're still easily restored to perfect writing condition.

I wish my Sonnet was more in-line with my habits. If it was the only pen I used, it would probably work fine, but pens are sort of like pipes for me, and I choose what I'm writing with based on a lot of silly factors like mood and the colour of ink in it. I return to my plea of insanity... But, when it dries out, it's the whole soaking/cleaning ritual, and it just turned into more trouble than I could live with, so it's in the box. That said, knowing Parker, they may have corrected the problem in later production, so my information (and experience) may be out of date. I've had the pen for a long time.

I've never owned a Bexley, but I've drooled over more than a couple, and dip tested some. Gorgeous pens in every way. Great materials, great craftsmanship, great nibs. Even though I don't own one, I'd say you're on safe ground stacking it up against whatever can be thrown at it. It's really nice to know that they're still doing it right. The last US made fountain pens.

Nibs.com collaborated with Bexley, in fact, on some limited edition pens. It's hard to resist. Too bad John's not a pipe smoker. I could trade him some tobacco. I know a guy...

 

[glpease]

Just found this: http://www.goldspot.com/Bexley_pens/Corona.html

For a quality, piston fill pen, it looks like a steal. The Corona is highly regarded. I'm feeling a tug at my wallet, dammit.

 

[Bullwinkle]

I have that Corona in the Summer Storm with a board nib. At that price it owuld be a great addition. The OP should look hard at your link.

 

[serif365]

Greg, do you collect Noodler's ink? I have quite a collection with over 60 of their colors and types. My first "modern day" fountain pen was a Waterman amber-shimmer Carene with a medium nib. I filled it with my first non-5 and dime ink, Private Reserve Copper Burst, and wrote with this combination for several years. My current ink rotation is Noodler's Heart of Darkness, Kiowa Pecan, Dragon's Napalm, Cactus Fruit, and the PRCB favoritre. The topical style of FP in my collection are the Sheaffer Targa series and these date back to the first model my wife gave me for an anniversary present in the mid-70s. The mainstays of my collection are the Carenes, Parker Sonnets, Visconti's, Sheaffer's (Targas, Snorkels, PFM,s), Pilot/Namiki's, Cross (Townsends, Verves) and several others. I also have a good selection of glass pens.

I have a work acquaintance that is also a pen/ink collector but he doesn't write (still haven't figured that one out...kind of like a gun collector that doesn't shoot or even more appropriate here a pipe collector who doesn't smoke )

I encourage my grand-daughters to write and started them out with the Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens, nice leather-bound Scrittura journals and a few Waterman Phileas steel-nibbed fountain pens (good writers for the price). They treat this as quite a novelty juxtaposed to their "texting generation" culture.

I shouldn't have gone off on this tangent but I have so few folks with which to discuss "all things written". :study:

 

[glpease]

Greg, do you collect Noodler's ink? I have quite a collection with over 60 of their colors and types. My first "modern day" fountain pen was a Waterman amber-shimmer Carene with a medium nib. I filled it with my first non-5 and dime ink, Private Reserve Copper Burst, and wrote with this combination for several years. My current ink rotation is Noodler's Heart of Darkness, Kiowa Pecan, Dragon's Napalm, Cactus Fruit, and the PRCB favoritre. The topical style of FP in my collection are the Sheaffer Targa series and these date back to the first model my wife gave me for an anniversary present in the mid-70s. The mainstays of my collection are the Carenes, Parker Sonnets, Visconti's, Sheaffer's (Targas, Snorkels, PFM,s), Pilot/Namiki's, Cross (Townsends, Verves) and several others. I also have a good selection of glass pens.

I have a work acquaintance that is also a pen/ink collector but he doesn't write (still haven't figured that one out...kind of like a gun collector that doesn't shoot or even more appropriate here a pipe collector who doesn't smoke )

I encourage my grand-daughters to write and started them out with the Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens, nice leather-bound Scrittura journals and a few Waterman Phileas steel-nibbed fountain pens (good writers for the price). They treat this as quite a novelty juxtaposed to their "texting generation" culture.

I shouldn't have gone off on this tangent but I have so few folks with which to discuss "all things written". :study:

I have quite a few Noodlers inks, my faves being Habanero, Sequoia, Legal Lapis, and La Reine Mauve. I also really like the Heart of Darkness. In fact, Nathan's "blacks" are often really interesting. I've also got a wide selection of Diamine, and Herbin inks, and a small selection of interesting Omas, Mont Blanc, Quink and Sheaffer inks. I tend to use mostly colours in the purple or brown range, but really like Diamine's Monaco, as close to a blood red as I've seen. Perfect for contracts...

Recently, one of my pens has been filled with Ancient Copper from Diamine, and I'm really enjoying it. The Habanero has been a mainstay since I was first seduced to try it simply based on the name, being a dedicated chile head. It exhibits really interesting oxidation effects, going onto the page quite orange, but developing a brownish hue after it dries. Very distinctive.

It's a wonderful obsession, I think. I keep a few different notebooks and journals going, and it's fun to suss out which pens and inks operate best with which papers. Moleskines, which I really like aesthetically and historically, have thin paper that's not friendly to many inks. I have a very old Pelikan 140 with a fine point that, when filled with either Habanero or Sequoia, is the perfect companion for this paper.

Yes. Obsession. It's a perfect adjunct hobby to pipes and tobacco, and the parallels are quite broad. The "disorder" just seems to be part of my overall disposition.

 

[Ocelot55]

You guys have really got me wanting another fountain pen and some nice ink.

Hmmm...birthday is coming up soon. Should I treat myself to some cool writing stuff, or a new pipe. These decisions are the worst.


(first world problems! )