Fountain Pens.

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Andre_T

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 17, 2018
643
2,159
47
Long Island, New York
Only caution is which ink you use. If you put Baystate Blue in there, just know the little ink view window will always be blue thereafter. Then again, if you use Baystate blue, you have to assume it will stain anything that gets near it. That is the equivalent to the forever ghosting your favorite pipe.
With all due respect BSB is not going to ghost your pen if you clean it properly.1 in 10 bleach solution cleans it perfectly.
 

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
You are definitely looking for a wide italic nib. I use blunted wide stub nibs myself a lot. So look for italic over stub. I definitely talk pens on my podcast, you might like it. But we can chat anytime. I am a huge fan of Noodler's Inks, and use Opus 88 pens a lot. But I have many other suggestions. Here I sit at this very moment. View attachment 190642
Do you have any recommendations for a brand of pen that's already set up like this? A link or two, possibly? This is a pretty deep pool to navigate for the novice. It reminds me of when I started playing guitar 30 years ago and tried to figure out all the brands of guitars, and then came trying to figure out strings, picks, etc... A world inside a world.
 
  • Like
Reactions: crashthegrey

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
You are definitely looking for a wide italic nib. I use blunted wide stub nibs myself a lot. So look for italic over stub. I definitely talk pens on my podcast, you might like it. But we can chat anytime. I am a huge fan of Noodler's Inks, and use Opus 88 pens a lot. But I have many other suggestions. Here I sit at this very moment. View attachment 190642
PS - I'm reading about Opus 88 pens on Pen Boutique's site. They have a "stub 1.5" but nothing called "wide." Is this the same thing?
 
  • Like
Reactions: crashthegrey

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,810
3,566
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
PS - I'm reading about Opus 88 pens on Pen Boutique's site. They have a "stub 1.5" but nothing called "wide." Is this the same thing?
Anything over 1mm is typically wide. It won't say it. Sadly Italic nibs are pretty rare, but the grind is awfully similar. The best italics are usually ground by a nib meister. I would recommend trying a 1.1 to 1.5 stub first, and see if it is what you are looking for in terms of writing. Easiest and affordable is a TWSBI GO, but I prefer an Opus 88 Mini, but you have to fill them with an eye dropper. Better for calligraphy because you won't fill it often, lots of ink. The small size of the mini is comfortable for long sessions and thick at the grip for control. But as an artist of your sort, you may want a more calligraphy style pen like the Lamy Joy, which has a body with which you are familiar plus an italic nib that you can change out. It takes cartridges or a converter. Lamy Joy
 

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
Anything over 1mm is typically wide. It won't say it. Sadly Italic nibs are pretty rare, but the grind is awfully similar. The best italics are usually ground by a nib meister. I would recommend trying a 1.1 to 1.5 stub first, and see if it is what you are looking for in terms of writing. Easiest and affordable is a TWSBI GO, but I prefer an Opus 88 Mini, but you have to fill them with an eye dropper. Better for calligraphy because you won't fill it often, lots of ink. The small size of the mini is comfortable for long sessions and thick at the grip for control. But as an artist of your sort, you may want a more calligraphy style pen like the Lamy Joy, which has a body with which you are familiar plus an italic nib that you can change out. It takes cartridges or a converter. Lamy Joy
Thank you. I actually had a Lamy Joy but hated the nib and got rid of it. I didn't know enough about it all to order the right nib, but I see now that they make a "broad nib" that might be what you are talking about. Do you think this would work for my purposes?
 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,810
3,566
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
Thank you. I actually had a Lamy Joy but hated the nib and got rid of it. I didn't know enough about it all to order the right nib, but I see now that they make a "broad nib" that might be what you are talking about. Do you think this would work for my purposes?
Give it a shot. I have that exact pen in an extra fine and love it. But I have a different Safari in stub and enjoy it, too. Definitely worth a $22 investment. I might recommend Goldspot or Goulet. Some Amazon Lamy pens are knockoffs and will also disappoint you. I do like Opus stub better but we are all different and this may wind up perfect for your writing style. I print with stubs so I use them very differently from most people and have odd preferences to some.
 

SBC

Lifer
Oct 6, 2021
1,519
7,242
NE Wisconsin
I like the JoWo #6 1.5 stub for my (far poorer) attempts at this sort of writing (not true calligraphy) -- in my case I use the Goulet branded one, and one of the best things about it is that you can stick it on a variety of bang-for-buck pens.

(I also have an italic nib on a discontinued old Shaeffer pen which I inherited, and it does make sharper corners, but you have to lift the pen between strokes to keep from tearing paper.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: kcghost

ChonkyTonks

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 14, 2022
786
5,812
Philly
With all due respect BSB is not going to ghost your pen if you clean it properly.1 in 10 bleach solution cleans it perfectly.
I wish I knew you back when I was more into fountain pens. It is great to know that now. Unfortunately, I think my Lamy 2000 will forever have that blue tint to the window. I appreciate the knowledge on this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andre_T and kcghost

SBC

Lifer
Oct 6, 2021
1,519
7,242
NE Wisconsin
This is slightly off-topic, but being a pipe forum, some guys here may appreciate that you can still get real ebonite feeds affordably in Fountain Pen Revolution pens.

Is the ebonite feed really better? I don't know. But it's nostalgic. And it's a connection between pens and pipes.

FPR has been working the kinks out, so to speak, and some of their pens have been finicky, but I have been extremely happy with my Himalaya V2 (which can be had with an ebonite barrel, as well).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Honkytonk Man

kcghost

Lifer
May 6, 2011
13,152
21,414
77
Olathe, Kansas
I know a guy who is a master penman (he hates being called a calligrapher) whose work is a joy to behold. He uses a dip pen for his own work. He makes and sells his own pens and inks. You can find his wiki page by looking up Mike Sull Penman. You will find a wiki page on him as well several pages that are dedicated to his work. He used to attend the KC Clubs meetings, but I haven't seen him in a while.
 

Andre_T

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 17, 2018
643
2,159
47
Long Island, New York
I know a guy who is a master penman (he hates being called a calligrapher) whose work is a joy to behold. He uses a dip pen for his own work. He makes and sells his own pens and inks. You can find his wiki page by looking up Mike Sull Penman. You will find a wiki page on him as well several pages that are dedicated to his work. He used to attend the KC Clubs meetings, but I haven't seen him in a while.
I believe I have a tin of tobacco named after him. Master Penman. Being from KC makes sense as it is a McClelland blend.