Fountain pen users, rejoice!

[Ollé]

@Scepticalscribe I picked up a Leuchtturm1917 notebook the other day and I must say, I am sold on it. The paper is so much nicer than the Rhodia webnotebooks I have been using.

Thank you for indirectly pointing me in this direction.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

@Scepticalscribe I picked up a Leuchtturm1917 notebook the other day and I must say, I am sold on it. The paper is so much nicer than the Rhodia webnotebooks I have been using.

Thank you for indirectly pointing me in this direction.

My pleasure.

And I am delighted that you like it and that you have arrived at the same conclusions that I did; and I agree that it is a lot better than Rhodia (which I have also used, and found good, but not as compellingly outstanding as the Leuchtturm1917 which I have found to be excellent).

 

[SandboxGeneral]

@willentrekin Thanks for the tip, I’d forgotten all about MB’s Shakespeare ink, I’ll definitely have to have a look at it.

@SandboxGeneral Both those ink look devine. Although the red is a bit browner than I’d thought.

And dammit, I just found out about my local pen shop’s lay-by policy too. Now, I’m off to juggle my finances and prepare some cost-benefit reports for my wife so I may purchase my next pen(s)

It may not be as brown as the photo looks. The lighting in my apartment isn't the best. Maybe I'll try a photo in natural light later.

Here is the same ink and page as last week only in natural sunlight this time.

 

[D3ggy]

Here is my favourite colour with my Apple inspired Marc Newson designed Mont Blanc

But this Parker Duofold Maxima in the recently acquired pen tray is the pen which started my obsession. My Grandad gave me this pen when I was 14 (41 years ago)

I used to have an extensive Parker collection but it was sold to fund life some time ago.

 

[I7guy]

Interesting thread. I have a montblanc meisterstuck 149 that was given to me by my father in the 1980s. I’ll have to post some pictures.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Interesting thread. I have a montblanc meisterstuck 149 that was given to me by my father in the 1980s. I’ll have to post some pictures.

A fabulous pen, but you will need fairly large hands to be comfortable holding it and using it. However, I hope you enjoy it and manage to enjoy the use of it.

My own Mont Blanc Meisterstuck is the now discontinued (alas) 144, which is exceptionally comfortable to use and write with (I have small hands).

I have a 145, but find it marginally too large to be entirely comfortable, especially if writing for a considerable length of time.

 

[D3ggy]

And today I picked up a letter rack modelled in ceramics as a big Parker Quink bottle.

So happy with the find in an antique centre.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

And today I picked up a letter rack modelled in ceramics as a big Parker Quink bottle.

So happy with the find in an antique centre.

Oh, yes, that is really cool.

(I remember using those actual bottles when they contained ink...)

 

[D3ggy]

Oh, yes, that is really cool.

(I remember using those actual bottles when they continued ink...)

I couldn’t resist it. Wife thinks it’s cool too.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I couldn’t resist it. Wife thinks it’s cool too.

It is absolutely gorgeous - do enjoy using it.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Went into The Pen Shop in The Trafford Centre today and bought a double pack, containing 16 Mont Blanc Mystery Black cartridges for £8. Think that was priced incorrectly. Their tills were down and the girl on the till wasn’t sure of the price. For £8 I’m not complaining.

 

[AVBeatMan]

Tim Ferris;


New favorite shop in NYC —
Fountain Pen Hospital. “Fountain Pen Hospital was founded in 1946 by Phil Wiederlight and Al Wiederlight (the father and grandfather, respectively, of today's proprietors – Terry and Steve Wiederlight). Terry and Steve have a combined 60 years experience in all phases of vintage and modern writing instruments.” Special thanks to Neil Gaiman for recommending it during our interview together, in which he described how and why he does so much writing by hand.

 

[willentrekin]

Tim Ferris;


New favorite shop in NYC —
Fountain Pen Hospital. “Fountain Pen Hospital was founded in 1946 by Phil Wiederlight and Al Wiederlight (the father and grandfather, respectively, of today's proprietors – Terry and Steve Wiederlight). Terry and Steve have a combined 60 years experience in all phases of vintage and modern writing instruments.” Special thanks to Neil Gaiman for recommending it during our interview together, in which he described how and why he does so much writing by hand.

I had the chance to visit there two years ago, and it was probably the best pen shopping experience I've ever had. Online stores likely sometimes have better selections, but the gentleman who helped my wife and I was eager to show us anything we asked and dip them for us so we could try them.

I ended up leaving with my very first Visconti Rembrandt (blue with a fine nib) and a Pilot Custom 912 with a semi-flex FA nib. It's fine but has cutouts on the sides of the nib to allow for some serious line variation. It's probably no coincidence those two brands have since become my favorite.

Their website doesn't seem to be as advanced, in terms of design and infrastructure, as others online, but you can find some great deals. They also have a catalogue it's well worth subscribing to. I think it comes at least quarterly.

 

[cambookpro]

Here is my favourite colour with my Apple inspired Marc Newson designed Mont Blanc

But this Parker Duofold Maxima in the recently acquired pen tray is the pen which started my obsession. My Grandad gave me this pen when I was 14 (41 years ago)

I used to have an extensive Parker collection but it was sold to fund life some time ago.

Can you use converters in the Mont Blanc M, or are you refilling the cartridges? I have to admit I love the design. A little pricey for me at the moment, but hopefully can pick one up in the future. The red version is wonderful!

 

[D3ggy]

Can you use converters in the Mont Blanc M, or are you refilling the cartridges? I have to admit I love the design. A little pricey for me at the moment, but hopefully can pick one up in the future. The red version is wonderful!

I just buy cartridges.

 

[cambookpro]

I just buy cartridges.

Ah, forgot the MB ones were small international size. Makes sense. Enjoy it, the pen and ink pairing is wonderful!

 

[D3ggy]

Ah, forgot the MB ones were small international size. Makes sense. Enjoy it, the pen and ink pairing is wonderful!

I use Waterman cartridges as the ink seems to flow better

 

[AVBeatMan]

So disappointed with Moleskine this year. Their quality has deteriorated. Just look how the ink from my Mont Blanc bleeds through the paper.

Can anyone recommend a page a day diary?

 

[SandboxGeneral]

Leuchtturm1917 makes wonderful notebooks

 

[D3ggy]

So disappointed with Moleskine this year. Their quality has deteriorated. Just look how the ink from my Mont Blanc bleeds through the paper.

Can anyone recommend a page a day diary?

I too am disappointed with moleskine the papers quality has reduced so there is mire ink bleed now.

 

[Ruggy]

I didn't mean to strike a chord with the phrasing of my question. I've simply never seen or heard of anyone actually using fountain pens. I've never used one myself and I've never known a single person that has used one. So when I see a thread dedicated to fountain pen enthusiasts, I get curious.

Thanks for the insight!

There's a different friction between the nib and the paper that is somehow pleasing. If you think of the difference in feel between say, a felt pen and a ball point, it's something different again and really pleasing and satisfying.
And the nib isn't round or symmetrical and opens slightly when you push harder so you get a variation of thickness on the strokes which looks pleasing. It adds character.
And the ink dries differently on the page. Unevenly which also adds character.
And I've never been a smoker but I totally get the beauty of all the equipment-a gold Dunhill lighter or a straight grain briar.
It's a bit like that.
Owning a Sheaffer lifetime or a Parker Flighter or Duofold or an old Waterman.
They are beautiful 'stuff' and we all like beautiful stuff.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

So disappointed with Moleskine this year. Their quality has deteriorated. Just look how the ink from my Mont Blanc bleeds through the paper.

Can anyone recommend a page a day diary?

Leuchtturm1917 makes wonderful notebooks

Agree that the quality of Moleskine notebooks have really deteriorated a lot in recent years.

Anyway, I second @SandboxGeneral's recommendation of Leuchtturm1917 notebooks; they are the notebooks I use myself and have been using for years as I find them excellent.

Some of the Colonel Littleton notebooks also have extremely good quality paper.

 

[OllyW]

When I moved into my girlfriends house last year she took notice of my modest Parker pen collection and said she had a nice fountain pen packed away somewhere which I could have if we could find it.
It eventually turned up in one of the sheds and it wasn’t what I was expecting.

It’s a solid sterling silver Yard-O-Led fountain pen made in Birmingham (UK) and she won it in a competition in the local newspaper around 15-20 years ago. It’s never been used but the silver had tarnished after all those years. It has cleaned up nicely though and I now need to get a bottle of ink to try it out.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

When I moved into my girlfriends house last year she took notice of my modest Parker pen collection and said she had a nice fountain pen packed away somewhere which I could have if we could find it.
It eventually turned up in one of the sheds and it wasn’t what I was expecting.

View attachment 845822 View attachment 845823

It’s a solid Sterling Silver Yard-O-Led fountain pen made in Birmingham (UK) and she won it in a competition in the local newspaper around 15-20 years ago. It’s never been used but the silver had tarnished after all those years. It has cleaned up nicely though and I now need to get a bottle of ink to try it out.

That looks absolutely beautiful; well wear and I hope you enjoy using it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

While doing a spot of cleaning over the week-end, I came across a small paper bag; it contained a repaired Mont Blanc nib (repaired by Mont Blanc, some of my pens had been sent away to be serviced or repaired) and a little box of cartridge ink; normally, I use "Mystery Black", or their blue, or navy, but this one - a gift - is labelled "Ultra Black".