In looking to see what a "serviceable" fountain pen would cost a person, I see there are now "disposable" fountain pens. I'd never heard of such a thing until now. Does anyone have any experience with them? And while I'm at it, is the question of which ink color to use a matter of personal preference, or is there an "unwritten" rule that dictates one over the other? I know from my "pre-retirement" professional world, it was "understood" everything was to be in black ink.
A "how to" I found. https://www.autumnsummerco.com/blogs/autumn-summer-blog/49288705-how-to-write-with-a-fountain-pen
An online tool on the Goulet Pen Co which allows you to choose certain nibs and see an example of how they might look. https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook
My fountain pen knowledge is lacking, but I have used the disposable kind with good success. The ones I used were titled Varsity, but I can’t recall the parent company. Edit: The Varsity disposable fountain pens are made by Pilot. I'm sure there are others out there as well.
What are recommendations for fountain pen ink, specifically for old-style fountain pens that are dipped in ink. I have several of those varieties. I even have an 1860s glass inkwell. The last ink I bought at Hobby Lobby was some calligraphy ink. It seemed to work okay. I'm such a neophyte in all of this, but very interested.
Oh, you mean to practice it? My messages may be fine, but.......not the handwriting. I suppose I could TRY it, but....ahhhh, it'd be a big challenge.
Calligraphy ink is specifically for dip pens. DO NOT use calligraphy ink in fountain pens. Calligraphy inks contain shellac or other binders which will permanently clog your fountain pen. This applies even if the calligraphy ink says safe for fountain pens. Likewise with India ink, carbon black (ink that contains carbon particles), and laundry ink. edit: also avoid iron gall ink (which is tough to find in the wild, but can be made from recipes you might find on the internet or at an historical society). Iron gall will corrode your fountain pen to no end. Use it only with dip pens and at that ones you don't care about.
i got a calligraphy set many years ago and parchment paper pad for my daughter.i loved calligraphy during my school years before cars,girls and beers took over..well ,my daughter never used them and gave them back to me unused many years later..may need new ink cartridges..but they are still readily available..i think..we will see..
With a dip pen you can use any kind of ink or even paint, for that matter. With fountain pens, you have to be more careful. See my post above. Noodler's has a good rep for modern ink as do any of the classic brands that have survived (Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, etc.). Personally, I prefer to use vintage ink when I can get it. If you go this route, just note that it won't be waterproof and even in the day, the color was less saturated than what you might be wanting. Also, a lot of vintage inks, especially the blue-blacks will fade or change color over time. (Blue-blacks tend to become black or deep gray.)
There were good reviews for Lamy pens and I found a good deal ($17) for one of their aluminum models. One these pens the nib can be changed out and a converter is available if you want to use bottled ink. Amazon carries them. @Steveclarkus has been using FP forever and has several high end. He also got one recently from oversees that he is raving about. Perhaps he'll join this conversation.
Good to know - thanks! I mainly have dip pens. I have one cartridge fountain pen that I haven't used.
I have used fountain pens since 2005, seldom using any other type. In fact, I first heard about traditional wetshaving on a fountain pen forum. I have heard mixed reviews, with some people liking them and others not so much. You could always buy some and see what you think. If you are just starting out with fountain pens, there are Chinese models that are quite serviceable and value priced. The Wing Sung 601 and 601A are updated copies of the Parker 51, one of the most famous pens of all time (and one of the best). You can get them on Amazon for $20. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PVDW57W/?tag=thshde-20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CT11T15/?tag=thshde-20 The two pens are the same except for the nib. You won't get a Rolls Royce for $20, but the 601A I have works very well. For informal correspondence, you can use whatever ink you like, hopefully one that is easy to read. For example, an eye-sizzling bright orange ink might not cut it and red writing is considered unlucky in some cultures. For very proper, formal writing, I believe black ink is customary for men and blue ink for women. Crane's Blue Book of Stationery describes the formal correspondence rules for the U.S. If I am pretty sure Debrett's is the guide for correspondence used in the U.K. If anyone really wants to get into fountain pens, I suggest FPGeeks: https://fpgeeks.com/forum/. It is the fountain pen forum equivalent to The Shave Den, with lots of information, a laid back vibe and very friendly folks. There are also many good fountain pen blogs and YouTube videos. There is also a book, The Love Of The Ink, that is helpful for beginners. Think of it as the fountain pen equivalent to Leisureguy's Guide To Gourmet Shaving.
My best writing FP is "transitional J" type I just restored with a 9668 nib. I am sure this will change with more experience.
Thank you for the recommendation of a FP forum. In the past I owned three Mont Blanc pens, one a Meisterstruk (sp?) which was beautiful to look at, but a bit clumsy to use. I prefer the more slender Lamy for precision writing.
One thing to think about if you're intending on getting a lot of use out of your FPs... modern vs. vintage. Vintage can (usually) be had at a much more reasonable price especially through antique type stores (tho you may need to do a little restoration work). But, price aside, vintage pens tend to be lighter and smaller as they were designed to be used daily. Modern pens tend to be heavier and bigger... meant more as show pieces and for occasional note-taking. Of course, there are now a few modern pens that are plastic and smaller, even disposable. But, before laying out cash, consider the weight (and balance) of the pen and how much you will be using it. It may be big and pretty, but if it's uncomfortable to use, then what's the point? (pun intended)
In the ink dept. also to avoid: drawing ink (only good for dip pens) and vintage Parker Superchrome (which is designed for fountain pens, but was a problem (clogging) even when it was new. As a result, it's fairly easy to run across on ebay and the like.)
Almost forgot to add, if you ever get the chance to go to a pen show, go. A schedule of pen shows is kept at The Well Appointed Desk blog. Here is a video of a recent show, in case you are interested: There are more videos at his YouTube channel.
