Pipes and fountain pens
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What? You mean I've written all those words extolling the virtues of the best writing instruments that could ever possibly be conceived of for nothing?
Drat, it's been a long time since I've enjoyed typing out a rant that much.
Can someone else please say something disparaging about Fountain Pens? (And don't let on that you're being sarcastic this time.)
It's funny, as I was writing some of my replies in this thread the thought crossed my mind that "surely a Pencil is the most reliable writing mechanism ever invented," and then, sure enough, yesterday I had a pencil failure. The pencil lead lost its grip and started pushing out the back while I was marking some boards for cutting. Not that it was an amazing pencil, and it still finished the job, but it just goes to show that nothing's perfect.
A few years ago I did use my Pelikan M150 for marking a bunch of 2x4's, regular wood takes ink just as well as paper, and the same principles that make a Fountain Pen good on paper can even be appreciated when you're cutting lumber.
A few years ago I did use my Pelikan M150 for marking a bunch of 2x4's, regular wood takes ink just as well as paper, and the same principles that make a Fountain Pen good on paper can even be appreciated when you're cutting lumber.
I'm sorry. For a moment there, I thought you said you were marking 2X4's with a $150 fountain pen.
It was less than $80 back in 2009 and should be closer to $100 right now (I found one shop selling for 54 GBP and one out of stock listing at $75 but it's hard to say how old that is).
The M150 was my daily driver for a few years, and even now it's probably the best pen I have as far as something that comfortably fits in a shirt pocket while being a top quality piston filler. Funny thing about products like this is that prices inflate at staggering rate.
And yes, wood, leather, cloth, specifically any material that has cellulose fibers, which Noodler's black is formulated to chemically bond with, thus the permanence.
Just yesterday I was labeling some cloth bags with a TWSBI because, again, it writes the same on almost any absorbent surface, a sharpie smells horrible and can't get you a clean line (actually they were cloth bags to hold my new set of Falcon stems). Fountain pens just don't write on plastic (The Pilot Multi Ball works amazingly well for that, the ink seems to dry into a hard resin: http://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Multi-Ball-Rollerball-Pen-Fine-Black/pd/2760).
Every kind of writing implement has it's place, but if a given surface can work with a Fountain Pen then that's probably the best tool for the job.
The M150 was my daily driver for a few years, and even now it's probably the best pen I have as far as something that comfortably fits in a shirt pocket while being a top quality piston filler. Funny thing about products like this is that prices inflate at staggering rate.
And yes, wood, leather, cloth, specifically any material that has cellulose fibers, which Noodler's black is formulated to chemically bond with, thus the permanence.
Just yesterday I was labeling some cloth bags with a TWSBI because, again, it writes the same on almost any absorbent surface, a sharpie smells horrible and can't get you a clean line (actually they were cloth bags to hold my new set of Falcon stems). Fountain pens just don't write on plastic (The Pilot Multi Ball works amazingly well for that, the ink seems to dry into a hard resin: http://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Multi-Ball-Rollerball-Pen-Fine-Black/pd/2760).
Every kind of writing implement has it's place, but if a given surface can work with a Fountain Pen then that's probably the best tool for the job.
Yeah, I just worry about jacking up the nib somehow. Even on questionable paper, fibers can gunk them up. Wood could bend the tines out of alignment...
I don't baby my pens, necessarily, but writing on wood with them. Eeeeek.
I don't baby my pens, necessarily, but writing on wood with them. Eeeeek.
Pipesmokingtom said
The company has largely resolved their pen issues, and what collection would be complete without the Ahab, the Nemosine, yes, even the Konrads. And where else can you purchase a pen of this caliber at such a low price, weird smell when you open the package notwithstanding. And being able to get it as a demonstrator no less!
The company has largely resolved their pen issues, and what collection would be complete without the Ahab, the Nemosine, yes, even the Konrads. And where else can you purchase a pen of this caliber at such a low price, weird smell when you open the package notwithstanding. And being able to get it as a demonstrator no less!
Me either. Since they abandoned the 6502, I have zero interest in Apple's hipster metrosexual products.
Right, my nibs get full of paper fiber all the time, you just pull it out and wipe the nib off on your pants (I'm only half joking about wiping the nib on my pants), same thing with dirt and sawdust.
It goes right back to half the reason I love these things so much, if something is wrong, you can fix it. I could shovel dirt with my nib and it wouldn't take more than ten minutes to wash the nib and feed.
If you drop your pen, that's different. A smashed nib can be irreparable, if that's a gold nib then that's a real tragedy, but I wouldn't use a gold nib in a workshop (...ok maybe I would, but not regularly), in a worst case scenario most brands have replacement steel nibs for $25, and if you're using a #6 nib then you can get a replacement for $2 (or $10 for something a fancier).
Modularity, serviceablility, a good Fountain Pen is a tool made to last a lifetime, even some of the $10 ones (actually some of the cheaper pens might be considered more serviceable given that a cartridge converter lets you remove the entire ink reservoir).
The smaller one is a Lamy Logo. The larger one is a Schrade Tactical; all aluminum, ridiculously overbuilt, got a glass breaker on the end and can be used as a kubotan. Probably illegal in the UK and a great way to start conversations with airport security personnel.
Both have medium nibs. Have some converters and ink on the way...
Both have medium nibs. Have some converters and ink on the way...
Great topic. I use fountain pens and as an added bonus I'm left handed. They write fantastic and contrary to myth they do take a licking and keep on ticking. I'll try to post some photos of my meager but heavily used pens.
Small world... lately I've found myself REALLY wanting a Delta Dolcevita Oversized fountain pen. I LOVE my MB149 and prefer larger pens. Judd's had a few of these pens for auction this weekend, one in the Oro orange and two in the black/orange combo. These are desirable pens and are relatively expensive. The first auction I lost and so I bid on the remaining two. Shockingly I won them both for a shockingly good price. Can't wait to have them in hand. The are really beautiful pieces of Italian artwork. here are the two I won...
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