So I've been evolving with my pen usage lately due to all the notes I take now for school and the even more I'll be taking once I get to grad school. I used to write in pens and than switched to automatic pencils with .5mm lead only because the thicker lead just wasnt working with my small hand writing and tons of notes and drawing I do. I decided recently to give fountain pens a go and picked up some pilot varsity disposable fountain pens and a Pelikan Pelikano (yesss, i know, cheap). I think this all came from having to use coligraphy pens and fine nibs in my collections lab at school to label bones because the "new style" pens we were using kept failing. I thought it might be nice to go old school, just like with my shaving. As usual I made a minimum investment and bought some cheap stuff but it seems to be working okay. I like the Pilot fountain pens which write smooth and dry very quickly and dont smudge. As for the Pelikan pen, the ink it came with just isn't very good. It smudges and doesnt dry fast enough to take lots of notes. I ordered some levenger refills that were on sale for 2.50 and free shipping to see if it helps or whether I just got a really bad pen. So what do you all think of the fountain pens guys?
Fountain Pens are really nice but like everything they can get quite expensive. I have a Mont Blanc Meisterstück 149 Fountain Pen which is a pretty expensive one but I like it. Too expensive to use outside the home/office though sadly. I heard of one Mont Blanc in Vegas that was 500k.
Oh wow. I like the pilot disposable ones because at 2$a pen and a variety of colors (even though I only like black), theyre fine writers and I dont worry about losing them. The Pelkican I bought was 20$ but I dont like the Pelikan ink at all. One day I'll spend some extra money and get a pen which I can use bottled ink with and get some very nice ink.
Check out some of the fountain pens on this site: http://isellpens.com/index.htm Duke pens are cheap Chinese pens but write very well. You may want to consider Lamy pens also. They are reasonably priced and write very well.
Ever since my dad bought me a sheaffer fp when I was 12, they're basically all I use. That pen is still going strong over 25 years later - beautiful nib, btw. I've bought a few more over that time, and one thing I've noticed is that real cheap ones don't really last, but moderately priced ones do - my Sheaffers, Parkers and Watermans are all in good shape. I guess that's to be expected. I too bought a Mont Blanc a little while ago to see what they were like (middle of the road model), and while it's a nice pen, I must say I'm not sure the price is justified on purely pragmatic grounds. Of course Mont Blanc is a prestige brand, so they can charge what they want and there'll be people who pay it, but just between you and me that original Sheaffer is still my go-to pen as I feel it writes better. I've got ones with a bladder that you squeeze to suck up the ink - good except when the bladder degrades and you end up with ink all over you. I've also got ones with a screw-type plunger - I like that sort a lot. Not a lot of mess. I've also got ones where you need to buy cartridges of ink - least messy of the lot, but on a price per cubic mm of ink basis, the most expensive of the lot. Some pens allow you to buy conversion kits for the ink bladder. One word of caution - I bought a bottle of Mont Blanc ink and thought I could use it in my other pens. Turns out it's too thin. Make sure you match the ink viscosity to the feed mechanism of your pen. James.
Check out this forum for a lot more information. http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?&&&CODE=autologin&fromreg=1
Just to echo what Jimbo said, my MB strictly says to use MB Ink because of mechanics.. but on a whim once I tried another ink and it nearly clogged the pen. So yeah.. follow those instructions!
Hm. I was looking through the isellpens.com and they have some great prices on pens, but I have no experience with them or pens at all. I mean whats the difference between one of those nice looking 30$ Duke pens and some of the other 500$ ones? I mean if theyve bot got gold tips and pump fillers, does it just come down to longevity and how well it writes? Oh my. How bout some 30$ and under tips? I'm hopeless at this till I have all my reading done for my last final on monday.
JayKay take a look at Hero pens too. The Chinese have done a good job of copying Parker pens. I have read and heard good reviews of this pen. I own a Duke pen and like the way it writes. It is about the size of a Montblanc 164 and it actually writes better than this pen at 1/4 the price.
I really like the look of both these pens. I think I'll sit on it for the night and than order one tomarrow if I get my summer internship. I've got to call the doctor tomarrow morning and find out. I hopeeee so.
I love fountain pens!!! JayKay, you might like to peruse http://www.goldquills.com/ I personally use the red swirl version of this pen and it's fantastic If you want decent fountain pens at cheap prices, Duke and Naki are fine choices but this site sells the more "traditional" brand names as well. Noodlers Ink is a fine choice of inks. It should work in just about any brand of pen. Watch out though, once you start on this road, FPAD isn't too far behind
I've noticed. I've already aquired 1 regular pen and 5 of those disposable ones, to see how long it takes me to loose a pen. I think it was noodlers I saw that made a quick drying ink which is what I'm going to need. Preferably black as black gets. I'll need to get a half decent notebook for next semester if I'm going to write with a fountain pen the whole time. I'm still transitioning over and getting used to it.
Go for one of Noodler's "Bullet proof" inks. If it's black, they make a Noodler's Black Waterproof Ink. There is a lot of choices here. Scroll down for the black waterproof (about half way down the page). I use one of their inks. I don't know how fast drying it is but for school notes, it's a good choice in case anything spills on the notebook or you get caught in the rain.
I'm one of the few students thats actually prepared and checks the weather before class I sacrafice clothing and getting soaked to not get a notebook wet. I'm not so worried about the inks fading or anything, just drying times. I just need a quick drying ink that wont smear like the Pelikan ink that came in my pen I got today. The Pilot disposables have quick drying ink but they arent the darkest black ever. I know one of the other sites I was looking at earlier had specific quick drying inks. I'll have to go back and look.
Found it. http://www.privatereserveink.com/ Theyve got it 3 colors about half way down the page. I'm off to look for reviews of it now.
