Fountain pen users, rejoice!

[willentrekin]

Those are great additions!

My experience with the brands you mentioned is limited, but I did have a Platinum in a fine. They have really interesting nibs -- I read someone liken it to the feel of writing with a pencil, and I think that's not far off. Ultimately, I discovered I prefer the experience from Pilot or Sailor, but I gave my sister a Platinum she loves.

It's fun to watch someone else tumble down the rabbit hole!

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I was doing some journaling today using my Cross medium nib pen when it ran out of ink, the permanent black Montblanc. So to keep my thoughts flowing, and the ink flowing, I grabbed my Italix Churchman's Prescriptor I mentioned in the other post that was sitting next to me. I finished my thoughts and a few others for the moment with it.

I do like this pen but for a few minor annoyances. One, I really like pens that I can post the cap on. I can post it on this one, but it twists around in place which I don't care for. It sits deep enough to where it won't fall off, but it doesn't stay on tightly. Two, the divider between the barrel and the lower part that the nib attaches too is a protruded ridge with sharp angles on it. After a short while, I can feel it digging into my finger which makes it uncomfortable for long term usage.

Aside from those two things, I do like the italic style and flare of the nib as I write. It pours on the ink too, which forces me to write larger and makes the flares stand out more. That is something I don't mind and seem to adapt easily from using a fine to a medium to this italic nib.

It's fun to use these different pens and see how they write compared to one another while also getting the enjoyment of the ink flowing gracefully across the pages.

 

[willentrekin]

While we're talking about new additions to collections, I recently picked up a Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age midi with a fine point.

I'm a big fan of Visconti and have several models of their pens with various nib sizes. I've read reports of quality control issues -- nibs misaligned or worse -- but I've only ever had positive experiences with them. I bought my first one when I visited Fountain Pen Hospital, a small shop several blocks from Freedom Tower in downtown Manhattan. Since that first, a blue Rembrandt with a fine nib, I've gotten several others.

The Homo Sapiens line is made of lava, or "freaking lava" as I've heard it referred to nearly every time it comes up online. So when an online retailer (shout out to Truphae) had a midi come in, I picked it up. I wasn't a fan of the bronze furnishings on the mainline, and there's a Dark Age line with "stealth" finish, but I've never had luck with those "stealth" pens.

Anyway. The photo is the pen. It's instantly become one of my faves, alongside my Pilot 823 and Montblanc Poe.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

While we're talking about new additions to collections, I recently picked up a Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age midi with a fine point.

I'm a big fan of Visconti and have several models of their pens with various nib sizes. I've read reports of quality control issues -- nibs misaligned or worse -- but I've only ever had positive experiences with them. I bought my first one when I visited Fountain Pen Hospital, a small shop several blocks from Freedom Tower in downtown Manhattan. Since that first, a blue Rembrandt with a fine nib, I've gotten several others.

The Homo Sapiens line is made of lava, or "freaking lava" as I've heard it referred to nearly every time it comes up online. So when an online retailer (shout out to Truphae) had a midi come in, I picked it up. I wasn't a fan of the bronze furnishings on the mainline, and there's a Dark Age line with "stealth" finish, but I've never had luck with those "stealth" pens.

Anyway. The photo is the pen. It's instantly become one of my faves, alongside my Pilot 823 and Montblanc Poe.

View attachment 824463

Funny you wrote about the Visconti Homo Sapiens Steel Age midi because last evening I was browsing around and read a review of one. It looks like a really nice pen, the blogger really likes Italian pens, too.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I am falling down the rabbit hole of pens.

I have 1 pen from MassDrop already and ordered another with a matching rollerball pen. Then I ordered another one from Amazon today. These are all in addition to the two Cross pens I already have.

Platinum"#3776 CENTURY/Bourgogne" with a fine nib. This one I bought as it came highly recommended from UK Fountain Pens blog and I ordered the fine nib because I think I like that style nib the best.
View attachment 824141

Kaweco Dia2 fountain pen with an extra fine nib and a matching rollerball. This one I ordered with the extra fine nib just to see what that will be like and I thought, what the hell, add in the matching rollerball too since I've never used one of those before.
View attachment 824144

Italix Churchman's Prescriptor fountain pen with an italic fine nib. This one I already have and I like the large size of the barrel and the screw on cap. I bought this one with the italic nib just to see what that was like. It's nice if you like to write in a large, nearly flamboyant style. Even though it is a fine nib, with the italic feature, it writes more like a broad nib or a high flow medium nib. It writes nicely, but my handwriting is meant more for a fine nib, though I don't mind the medium regular nibs.
View attachment 824142

I also ordered this case to start housing my small, but growing collection. It even matches my wristwatch case so that will be nice.
View attachment 824148

Happy shopping and let us know how you find writing with the respective pens when they do arrive.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Well, the Platinum"#3776 CENTURY/Bourgogne" arrived today and so far I am not impressed at all.

It came with its own cartridge, a propriety one. Ok fine, whatever. But to get the ink flowing was quite the chore. I played with it for 30 minutes trying to get it to flow to no avail. I followed the simple instructions for inserting the cartridge in a certain way because of the ball inside it. I guess that is part of their "slip and seal" design to keep ink from drying out over a long period of non-use. Well, I couldn't get the ink flowing until finally I took it out (again) and started tapping it repeatedly on a notebook with the open end down - with some force. After several hits, a bunch of ink plopped out on it and a spot on my table. Cleaning up the table was fine and no damage or stains occurred. I put the cartridge back in the pen and try writing again. Finally, ink is flowing.

Now on to the writing of it. The nib is a 'fine' nib and 14k gold. As I start to write in my journal I immediately notice that the pen is scratching its way across the page. The ink is very dry and conservative as it flows out and regardless of how lightly or hard I press down, the pen continues to scratch it's way along. I have a much less expensive Cross pen with a 'fine' nib and made of stainless steel that writes much smoother and doesn't scratch its way down the page and the ink flows much better.

The look and feel of this pen are nice. I can actually post the cap and it stays in place and not twist or fall off as I write. The weight of the pen is very light, but I do prefer a heavier pen. The look of the resin is also very nice and the gold isn't too crazy or overbearing and seems just right. I don't like a lot of gold as they look gaudy if there is too much of it.

Overall, I'm not too happy with it. The difficulty in getting the ink to flow was a big drawback and the fact that it scratches its way along does not make for a pleasurable experience in writing.

I'll give it the benefit of the doubt because I still have on order the propriety converter which is coming in direct from Japan. It will be a while before I get it. But I'll give it more of a go then with the converter, and different ink. Maybe, just maybe the flow of the pen will increase then and it won't scratch along.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Pelikan

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Just discovered that there is a Michigan Pen Show held in Novi which isn't too terribly far from me either. It appears that they are held in October and this year they are expanding in space and adding a third day to it. I marked my calendar for late September to check on their website for the actual dates to be announced. I'll be sure to head there and check it all out.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I just received, from Goulet Pens, the Monteverde Regatta Sport Fountain Pen - Red. I bought it with a medium nib too. This pen weighs 50 grams, which is to my liking and has a good length too. The cap is not only postable, but magnetic, too! That is really cool. The magnet holds the cap over the nib and on the top of the barrel. I like a pen that I can post the cap on and this one is essentially perfect.

It instantly became my favorite pen as soon as I held it and started testing it out. The pen and nib write very smoothly, has a good balance for me and it looks great, even better in person than the photos.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I just received, from Goulet Pens, the Monteverde Regatta Sport Fountain Pen - Red. I bought it with a medium nib too. This pen weighs 50 grams, which is to my liking and has a good length too. The cap is not only postable, but magnetic, too! That is really cool. The magnet holds the cap over the nib and on the top of the barrel. I like a pen that I can post the cap on and this one is essentially perfect.

It instantly became my favorite pen as soon as I held it and started testing it out. The pen and nib write very smoothly, has a good balance for me and it looks great, even better in person than the photos.
View attachment 826189

Well wear, and may I wish you many happy hours of enjoyable penmanship.

 

[cambookpro]

Just a quick note to say that I'd urge everyone to try and find a bottle of Organic Studios Nitrogen ink - the sheen is incredible. It writes as a dark royal blue, but under light looks iridescent with purple and red flashes. Beautiful!

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Just a quick note to say that I'd urge everyone to try and find a bottle of Organic Studios Nitrogen ink - the sheen is incredible. It writes as a dark royal blue, but under light looks iridescent with purple and red flashes. Beautiful!

I'm expecting a credit at Goulet Pens this week, so I added this to my wishlist there and may pick it up when the credit is applied.

It looks pretty neat from the photos.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

I have two Japanese brands: Platinum and Sailor. Whilst I enjoyed writing with Platinum, I can not say the same about Sailor. Most probably as it is equipped with a fine nib that tends to "scratch" the paper. Another problem was the ink leak that I never experenced with my Montblanc pens.
With time the 24K (1-2 years) Platinum nib will show signs of wear which is very unusual as well.
So, not bad brands, but at the end of the day not my final choice.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I have two Japanese brands: Platinum and Sailor. Whilst I enjoyed writing with Platinum, I can not say the same about Sailor. Most probably as it is equipped with a fine nib that tends to "scratch" the paper. Another problem was the ink leak that I never experenced with my Montblanc pens.
With time the 24K (1-2 years) Platinum nib will show signs of wear which is very unusual as well.
So, not bad brands, but at the end of the day not my final choice.

That scratching along the page feeling and sound is annoying to be sure. The Platinum #3776 of mine, noted a few posts up, does that. It's a fine nib too, but I have a Cross fine nib that doesn't do this, and I just received, from Mass Drop, a Kaweco-Dia2 with an extra fine nib and it writes wonderfully with no scratching.

Since I'm new to fountain pens, I have discovered that despite the nib size, the manufacturer and/or manufacturing process of their nibs makes a big difference too. Basically, I find that no two fine nib pens are the same.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

You are quite right.
I have to mention that there are very special handmade Japanese pens, like Nakaya (original name of Platinum) where the retired old craftsmen of Platinum Pen Company are working. But it is a different world in all aspects, including the price.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Wow, those are some stunning looking pens at Nakaya.

I like that accessory double pen (sword) rack. I might buy that.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Wow, those are some stunning looking pens at Nakaya.

I like that accessory double pen (sword) rack. I might buy that.

I share your sentiment.
This is my favorite stopper (for a Japanese pen):

And this is my favorite pen from Nakaya, Briar Light:

 

[SandboxGeneral]

I share your sentiment.
This is my favorite stopper (for a Japanese pen):

And this is my favorite pen from Nakaya, Briar Light:

Both are wonderfully beautiful to look at.

Which pen is the top one with your favorite stopper? What kind of nibs do each of them have?

 

[SRLMJ23]

This would be my first fountain ink pen, what do you think of this brand I found on Amazon?

https://smile.amazon.com/Antonio-Pa...7083&s=gateway&sprefix=Nakaya+,aps,156&sr=8-5

I do not want to spend a lot of money on one because I am not sure I would like writing with it, or use it that much. If I do like it, I would get a more expensive pen and start a collection. If you gentleman have any other suggestions that are not that expensive, I would appreciate it. Thank you in advance for your help.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Both are wonderfully beautiful to look at.

Which pen is the top one with your favorite stopper? What kind of nibs do each of them have?

It is a Gin Itomaki (1.600 USD).

You can order any of their pens with the nib of your liking according to this chart (at least it was so in the past):

 

[Scepticalscribe]

You are quite right.
I have to mention that there are very special handmade Japanese pens, like Nakaya (original name of Platinum) where the retired old craftsmen of Platinum Pen Company are working. But it is a different world in all aspects, including the price.

Stunning pens, thank you for sharing this link.

They are absolutely beautiful.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

This would be my first fountain ink pen, what do you think of this brand I found on Amazon?
...If you gentleman have any other suggestions that are not that expensive, I would appreciate it

Hello SRLMJ23,
The pen you have linked is mass produced in China. 'Iridium point Germany' engraving doesn't mean the pen was made in Germany. During the great falling away of fountain-pen manufactures in Europe years ago, German nib-making machinery was sold by bankrupt companies to Chinese makers, which is how such nibs first came to be manufactured in China.

You may want to try Lamy pens to get the taste. They are made in Germany and of very good quality.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

It is a Gin Itomaki (1.600 USD).

You can order any of their pens with the nib of your liking according to this chart (at least it was so in the past):

Which nibs do you have/like the best?

 

[Ulenspiegel]

Which nibs do you have/like the best?

SandboxGeneral, I very much differ from other fountain pen aficionados as I prefer Medium. It's a long story. I love how the medium nib easily crawl on the paper and the writing (especially the Montblanc Royal Blue) looks strong, confident reflecting shades of calligraphy.

 

[SandboxGeneral]

SandboxGeneral, I very much differ from other fountain pen aficionados as I prefer Medium. It's a long story. I love how the medium nib easily crawl on the paper and the writing (especially the Montblanc Royal Blue) looks strong, confident reflecting shades of calligraphy.

I feel the same way actually. For a little while I thought I liked a fine nib the best, but once I bought the Italix Churchman's Prescriptor with an italic nib I fell in love with the flow and the nuanced line variations it makes. I actually enjoy that slight bit of flare it makes as I write.

The only things I don't like about this Italix is that there is a huge step down from the barrel to the section that I could do without. As much as I love the nib, it is a hard starter and takes a couple of sentences before the flow and smoothness really kick in. But once it does it's great to write with and I don't want to stop.

I am looking around for other pens that offer an italic or oblique nib and Lamy seems to offer some so I am looking at those right now.