Fountain pens

[rogerzilla]

But that's the wrong Chalfont, Gromit!

[Woofage]

Had a WHSmith voucher from work so used it to buy a Lamy Al-star.  Bizarre modern styling but writes superbly straight out of the packet and shows how bad the Sheaffer Agio nib is (or how bad the one I have is).  So you were right, Woofage.  I wish we'd had pens like this when I was at school - fountain pens were compulsory from 11-16 - instead of leaky Osmiroids.

Send me your Sheaffer and I'll sort it out for you. I see in the other thread you have a rather unusual grip. I can make sure it is optimised for this freakish unorthodox orientation .

[dasmoth]

Not a big writer at all, but I now find myself with an irrational desire for a TWSBI Diamond...

+1

As I've commented here before, my saving throw vs. SHINY¹ is weak, so I've had one of these for a couple of days now (along with a nice bottle of Diamine Damson) and am pretty impressed.  When I was young, I always got pushed in the direction of fairly broad-nibbed pens in the (vain) hope they'd make my tiny handwriting a bit more legible, so being able to specify an EF nib was a pleasant revelation.

The alarming thing is that it's made me notice my habit of missing letters in the middle of words (!) and going back to insert them.  Sign of a keyboard-addled brain?

¹ TM and (c) Charlie Stross.

[Tewdric]

I must be getting old - I've just ordered a bottle of Noodler's forest green.  In fairness it's for my work pen (I am also a TWSBI user for my everyday pen) as a bit of irony and to make it difficult to forge my signature on anything important!

[Andrij]

On my last visit home I dug up two 'fountain' pens: one was from a calligraphy set, the other a regular writing pen - both take cartridges.  Both pens are on the inexpensive cheap end of the scale.

Unfortunately, these haven't been touched in over a decade and I can see that both nibs are blocked up with congealed ink.  What is the best way to clean these nibs?
 

[Woofage]

Unfortunately, these haven't been touched in over a decade and I can see that both nibs are blocked up with congealed ink.  What is the best way to clean these nibs?

Leave the front sections in plain water for a week. I do not exaggerate. I'm fixing up a Parker for a neighbour and the front section has probably been soaking for longer than that and it's still not clean. After a week, force clean water through it until the water runs clear (drip water from the tap and blow it through, or use the filler if you have one). If it doesn't run clear after a few goes then soak some more.

An ultrasonic cleaner will speed things along. I, of course, have an industrial strength one. You could always send me your pens and I'll sort them out for you.

[Andrij]

Unfortunately, these haven't been touched in over a decade and I can see that both nibs are blocked up with congealed ink.  What is the best way to clean these nibs?

Leave the front sections in plain water for a week. I do not exaggerate. I'm fixing up a Parker for a neighbour and the front section has probably been soaking for longer than that and it's still not clean. After a week, force clean water through it until the water runs clear (drip water from the tap and blow it through, or use the filler if you have one). If it doesn't run clear after a few goes then soak some more.

An ultrasonic cleaner will speed things along. I, of course, have an industrial strength one. You could always send me your pens and I'll sort them out for you.

Thanks.  Bits are now soaking off in a corner.  I'll take a look at them again in a week.
 

[BrianI]

Thanks.  Bits are now soaking off in a corner.  I'll take a look at them again in a week.
 

Fairy Power Spray?  I've used that for removing paint from plastic airfix kits. Paint removed after a 30 minute soak then a scrub with a toothbrush, plastic still intact.

[hellymedic]

Believe it or not, we never made the connection between Osmiroids and chalfonts.

I grew up and went to school in Chalfont St. Peter and had an Osmiroid fountain pen, so believe it or not, the connection was really quite obvious.

I Samuel 6:17...

[rogerzilla]

The Sheaffer pen I had lying around for 20 years worked with a quick flush and a new cartridge.  They don't make 'em like they used to.

(actually, Sheaffer ink is a bit watery and probably doesn't clog as badly as some)

[fd3]

Time for thread resurrection - I'm thinking about moving back to a fountain pen (or rollerball refillable) when the last of my current crop dies.  Might I ask what I can get that is cheap and not shit?  As in ideally closer to the £20 than £60 mark?

[Clare]

Lamy Safari, cheap, reliable, lovely to write with and available in a wide range of colours. Lamy also produce a good range of ink colours so you should be able to get a matching set.

I can recommend these guys, they have supplied me with a number of writing implements and accessories over the years.

[Efrogwr]

Lamy Safari, cheap, reliable, lovely to write with and available in a wide range of colours. Lamy also produce a good range of ink colours so you should be able to get a matching set.

I can recommend these guys, they have supplied me with a number of writing implements and accessories over the years.

+1 to both suggestions.

[fd3]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I was a bit wary of Lamy due to their proprietary cartridges.  I would ideally like to use a pen you can refill from a bottle of ink as opposed to cartridges (to reduce on plastic waste) - can you do that with a Lamy?
£30-40 will get you a Waterman Hemisphere, would that be a step up or would I be paying 90% of the price increase on brand name.
(Kicking myself, I should have a Parker Pen I got for my first communion kicking about ... somewhere).

[Clare]

You can get adapters for the Lamys so they can be refilled from a bottle rather than using cartridges.

[Efrogwr]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I was a bit wary of Lamy due to their proprietary cartridges.  I would ideally like to use a pen you can refill from a bottle of ink as opposed to cartridges (to reduce on plastic waste) - can you do that with a Lamy?
£30-40 will get you a Waterman Hemisphere, would that be a step up or would I be paying 90% of the price increase on brand name.
(Kicking myself, I should have a Parker Pen I got for my first communion kicking about ... somewhere).

The dealer that Clare mentioned sells refill kits (syringes and squeeze bottles). This makes it possible to use bottled ink, thereby gaining three advantages; you are not locked in to proprietary fittings, you save a lot of money and you have a much wider choice of colours.

[chrisbainbridge]

I was going to say the cheap Parker fountain pen https://www.theonlinepencompany.com/parker/vector?0=39&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8amWBhCYARIsADqZJoUCOhF54fosWnU0FD5a6BT4RpRpwyPVBgif9x61g_XIkDoKzBo3G6AaAuyxEALw_wcB, sold mainly to school kids.  I used one for many years until my wife bought me a nicer one.  One of my colleagues uses one still in clinic for notes.  I think they come with the adapter but can be bought separately.  Only 6.99 at Amazon!

[fd3]

Okay, nice!

Follow up question on ink.  I would like to try something that is neither blue or black.  I was thinking along the lines of a dark charcoal; dark sepia brown; dark moss type colour.  Something that is nearing the darkness of black but not as harsh.

Also, rollerballs, can you refill them with ink bottle/refill kits?  As a teacher I was thinking I need a second pen for marking - with a different colour.  Currently I use felt tips but this has a massive plastic cost.

[Efrogwr]

Okay, nice!

Follow up question on ink.  I would like to try something that is neither blue or black.  I was thinking along the lines of a dark charcoal; dark sepia brown; dark moss type colour.  Something that is nearing the darkness of black but not as harsh.

Also, rollerballs, can you refill them with ink bottle/refill kits?  As a teacher I was thinking I need a second pen for marking - with a different colour.  Currently I use felt tips but this has a massive plastic cost.

Cult Pens has a range of "Deep Dark..." colours; I like, and use, brown, green, red and Little Matty (grey).

[andrewc]

Inks...     https://www.diamineinks.co.uk     I like Sapphire Blue & Monaco Red.


Pens.  The Lamy Safari is a good pen.  If you wanted to spend more look at the TWSBI Diamond 580.  A lovely writer.

[MikeFromLFE]

Another vote for Diamine inks.
They are available in 30ml bottles in a wide range of interesting colours. (and made in the UK)
I've been very happy buying it from Cult Pens.

I've recently been experimenting with fountain pens for sketching. I'm also a cheap skate - so the pens I've been using (and very happy with) are the Monami Olika plastic pens. If you want to use a converter for your own ink then Cult Pens will point you in the right direction of one's that fit these.

The other cheap acceptable pen is the Indian Hero 329 - cheapest from eBay. Writes very well if you can get over the crappy filling system.

[Efrogwr]

Another vote for Diamine inks.
They are available in 30ml bottles in a wide range of interesting colours. (and made in the UK)
I've been very happy buying it from Cult Pens.

I've recently been experimenting with fountain pens for sketching. I'm also a cheap skate - so the pens I've been using (and very happy with) are the Monami Olika plastic pens. If you want to use a converter for your own ink then Cult Pens will point you in the right direction of one's that fit these.

The other cheap acceptable pen is the Indian Hero 329 - cheapest from eBay. Writes very well if you can get over the crappy filling system.

The Platinum Preppy is incredibly cheap and a remarkably good pen for drawing. Platinum cartridges are so ludicrously over built that they last for ages and can be refilled many many times.

[Clare]

TWSBI question

A few years back I found myself in a pen shop in Hay-on-Wye, they had a display of TWSBI pens and so, well you know, N+1 and all that...

..anyway there is a weird thing with this pen, it will write fine for a while then the flow just dries up. I've finally got around to looking into this problem and have discovered a number of recommendations for drilling off the little bit of plastic that would be used to open the cartridge if this pen took cartridges. Has anybody done this and will it work?

[perpetual dan]

I’ve got a Lamy nexx, which I enjoy using. It came with a reservoir which draws ink up from a bottle, not just cartridges. I vary between Macassar and Bilberry Diamine inks.

I used to have a TWSBI, but the pump mechanism broke.
I also have another, fancier, pen with a swirly body. But it’s never been quite as nice to write with, and the lid doesn’t click on securely enough to put in a bag or jacket.

[fd3]

Someone should have sent me a friends recommendation email for cult pens for 10% off each...