Fountain Pens.

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,580
40,853
Iowa
Try this


They have a nib nook that is very helpful.
But they can't remember the words to the National Anthem!

E2C35602-8EE4-48C4-BC4C-F7044CD75D78.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: crashthegrey

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,604
34
Burlington WI
I think I have about 30 Noodler's Ink bottles open. Lol. Heart of Darkness is also my favorite Noodler's black.
I have the regular noodlers waterproof black, but it always comes out faint almost grey. Is heart of darkness darker ? I end up using my Parker Quink black, due to the darkness of it. But on some paper it smears quickly.
 

kcghost

Lifer
May 6, 2011
13,140
21,409
77
Olathe, Kansas
andre_T
I believe I have a tin of tobacco named after him. Master Penman. Being from KC makes sense as it is a McClelland blend.
Yes, indeed it was. We were discussing with Mike McNiel what he was going to make for our upcoming show that year when someone (Mary McNiel??) suggested we make one honoring Mike Sull. And away we went.
 

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
I've long wanted to get into this sort of cartography.
Went digging around in some photos and located a pic of a Tolkien map I did several years ago. I gave it to my bro-in-law as a Christmas gift back then; he was the one who introduced me to the world of Tolkien about twenty years ago. It proved to be one of a handful of reality-altering experiences of my life. It truly did change the course of my life. My wife tea-stained this paper to make it look old and I did the art on top of it. Turned out pretty well.
Hobbit-Map.png
 

captpat

Lifer
Dec 16, 2014
2,265
12,139
North Carolina
I have a modest collection of fountain pens, most of which were used on a daily business at some point. I started to migrate away from FP in general when it seemed every new pen needed its nib "tuned" to be a daily writer. Naturally, nib meisters were backed up for months and there's no guarantee that it would write any better after coming back. I keep a few of my reliable ones (and least expensive BTW) inked and they get used. The rest are packed away. I prefer inks from the PILOT Iroshizuku line, though HOD is my favorite black ink.
 

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
All right, I got the Lamy and the set of dip pens in the post. The Lamy has the little "ball" on the end of the nib which will make it completely unusable to me. I was reminded of why I gave up on fountain pens last time: it seemed like every one of them I bought had this little ball on it. What is the point of this feature?

Also, I ordered a "wide" nib and this thing is very pointed. A big disappointment.

The dip pens, on the other hand, look promising just based on the way the nibs look. I've got a bottle of ink around here somewhere and I'll give these a try later today. The Lamy is being returned.
IMG_8640.jpgIMG_8641.jpgIMG_8642.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: renfield

TheWhale13

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 12, 2021
803
3,417
Sweden
That "ball" is just the tipping, a hard piece of metal which is welded on to the steel, and ground and polished. Which is why fountain pens are much more durable than steel dip pens. Basically every fountain pen has tipping, but if you want something like those dip pens you can buy an italic or stub nib, where the "ball" has been ground flat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sam Gamgee

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
That "ball" is just the tipping, which is why fountain pens are much more durable than steel dip pens. Basically every fountain pen has tipping, but if you want something like those dip pens you can buy an italic or stub nib, where the "ball" has been ground flat.
Very helpful info - thank you. That little ball ruins the lines when I'm trying to write, makes them round and blunted like a ball-point pen. I'll break one of Ben Franklin's rules here ("Let thy discontents be secrets") and say that I genuinely loathe ball-point pens.
 
  • Love
Reactions: SBC

TheWhale13

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 12, 2021
803
3,417
Sweden
Very helpful info - thank you. That little ball ruins the lines when I'm trying to write, makes them round and blunted like a ball-point pen. I'll break one of Ben Franklin's rules here ("Let thy discontents be secrets") and say that I genuinely loathe ball-point pens.
Ordinary fountain pen nibs are ground to be round and look a bit like a ballpoint. If you want line variation you are going to have to look into stubs, italic, flex or the countless of other different nibs. The variation of pens and nibs make fountain pens a very fun hobby!
 
  • Like
Reactions: SBC

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
Ordinary fountain pen nibs are ground to be round and look a bit like a ballpoint. If you want line variation you are going to have to look into stubs, italic, flex or the countless of other different nibs. The variation of pens and nibs make fountain pens a very fun hobby!
I recently spent hours online reading about pens from various makers, etc. It was another reminder of why I gave up on this last time. So much info and so many options, only to end up getting a pen I don't enjoy. I think the only way I'll ever end up finding a fountain pen I like with the right nib, is to find a store where I can see them in person. I live near Dallas and there is probably a pen store somewhere in such a big city. In the meantime, I'm going to have a go with these dip pens.
 

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
Found some ink in our stash of office supplies. Not sure if this is the correct stuff to use or not. Here are the first few lines I've ever done with the new dip pens. Great fun! but will take some getting used to in order to get the lines I want. What say you? IMG_8643.jpgIMG_8644.jpg
 
  • Love
Reactions: SBC and briarfoxx

SBC

Lifer
Oct 6, 2021
1,519
7,241
NE Wisconsin
Caleb,

Most pen guys are collectors, not calligraphers, so they banter about the comparative merits of this or that pen with very little concern for the Business End - the nib.

Somebody who isn't just looking for excuses to use a cool pen, but who is on a mission to produce a certain kind of script, such as yourself, doesn't give a flying leap what pen he's holding so long as the ink is laying down in the way he wishes.

Forget about pens and worry about nibs.

Certain nibs and pens are interchangeable -- decide first on your nib, and then let that filter which pens you can stick it in.

The paper doesn't know whether the nib is attached to a $10 pen or a $1000 pen.

You really need to try a 1.5 mm "Stub."

The most versatile 1.5 stub is probably the JoWo #6. It is then branded for various pen retailers like a "house coffee" or "house pipe" -- it isn't actually made by them but it's branded for them.

JoWo #6 nibs come in Fine, Medium, 1.1 stub, 1.5 stub, etc. They are all interchangeable with many Montegrappa, Conklin, TWSBI, Edison, Opus 88, Kaweco, etc. pens.

Here is one example of the nib I'm talking about:
This is just the JoWo #6 1.5 stub, in this case branded for Anderson. It's $15.

You could buy one affordable pen, and buy JoWo #6 nibs in four different widths, and functionally have four different pens. (Changing nibs takes mere seconds...although cleaning the ink off your fingers and desk takes much longer!)

Feel free to explore any of the pen brands I listed above -- this nib will work on them -- but I'll recommend the most bang-for-buck pen that you can stick the JoWo nib on:
I have more expensive pens, but guess what -- I have 3 of these, all with different sized JoWo #6 nibs, and they look and feel as nice as any pen I own.
 
Last edited:

Sam Gamgee

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 24, 2022
648
1,678
49
DFW, Texas
W
Caleb,

Most pen guys are collectors, not calligraphers, so they banter about the comparative merits of this or that pen with very little concern for the Business End - the nib.

Somebody who isn't just looking for excuses to use a cool pen, but who is on a mission to produce a certain kind of script, such as yourself, doesn't give a flying leap what pen he's holding so long as the ink is laying down in the way he wishes.

Forget about pens and worry about nibs.

Certain nibs and pens are interchangeable -- decide first on your nib, and then let that filter which pens you can stick it in.

The paper doesn't know whether the nib is attached to a $10 pen or a $1000 pen.

You really need to try a 1.5 mm "Stub."

The most versatile 1.5 stub is probably the JoWo #6. It is then branded for various pen retailers like a "house coffee" or "house pipe" -- it isn't actually made by them but it's branded for them.

JoWo #6 nibs come in Fine, Medium, 1.1 stub, 1.5 stub, etc. They are all interchangeable with many Montegrappa, Conklin, TWSBI, Edison, Opus 88, Kaweco, etc. pens.

Here is one example of the nib I'm talking about:
This is just the JoWo #6 1.5 stub, in this case branded for Anderson. It's $15.

You could buy one affordable pen, and buy JoWo #6 nibs in four different widths, and functionally have four different pens. (Changing nibs takes mere seconds...although cleaning the ink off your fingers and desk takes much longer!)

Feel free to explore any of the pen brands I listed above -- this nib will work on them -- but I'll recommend the most bang-for-buck pen that you can stick the JoWo nib on:
I have more expensive pens, but guess what -- I have 3 of these, all with different sized JoWo #6 nibs, and they look and feel as nice as any pen I own.
Wow, very, very helpful stuff here! I'm not a novice when it comes to calligraphy, but I'm a complete novice when it comes to the tools. I've been using whatever pens I happen to have since I was a kid, but when I found Sharpie pens about 15 years ago I fell in with them pretty hard and haven't looked up much since. I'll probably end up buying that pen you linked to and some of those nibs (many thanks!). First I'm going to try and get the hang of these dip pens. I've been having a blast for the last hour or so. I ink'd out my theme for the new year and made a bookmark so I can see it on a daily basis (a most helpful practice and reminder in my experience). You seem to know a lot about this. Would you be willing to share some pics of your own penmanship?
IMG_8645.jpg
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: briarfoxx and SBC

SBC

Lifer
Oct 6, 2021
1,519
7,241
NE Wisconsin
Would you be willing to share some pics of your own penmanship?
There is no false modesty is my saying that my penmanship is abysmal and that I have never cultivated the sort of skill that you display!

Last year, my wife got me a couple of nifty books on comparative historical uncial scripts and such, and I was all kinds of excited to begin to learn these things just recently, when a backed-up sewage pipe led to our basement flooding and these books being destroyed. (A few tobacco jars were also awash! Thankfully they were sealed and decontaminated. The books were not so redeemable.)

Sure, I'd be willing to embarrass myself, but my pens and such are all at home, and for the next few weeks we are living a couple of hours away at my parents' place near the NICU.

Maybe when I get back to all that, I'll post some pics for your critique, Sam the Pen Man! :)