Help for picking fountain pens

[FedoraGent]

Aw, you don't want to want to go really "historical" and use a nice brown sepia-toned ink?

Cute. Well actually I didn't know they had it. See how much I learn?

J.

 

[magneto]

Cute. Well actually I didn't know they had it. See how much I learn?

J.

Ha ha! Besides, the aesthetic consideration is most important: you must agree that glass bottles of ink look *much* cooler on your desk than blister packs of plastic cartridges!
..(I get a nice sepia from Pelikan Brown mixed with a little Sheaffer gray)

 

[scotrace]

The thing that I am fearful of, and it maybe a misplaced fear, is of an old pen leaking or some other ink-related mess. I am fastidious, as many of your know, and that would drive me to distraction. This is what is keeping me away from vintage pens. Am I wrong?

I've been thinking about this since you posted it.
A few weeks ago I suddenly noticed that my shirt front had a rather significant ink schlump at the bottom of the pocket. The thing is, I had not been carrying a fountain pen. I think I may have left a gel pen on the edge of a cabinet and gotten against it at my office.
Then last week, as I explained then, a ball point pen gave up the ghost and wreaked havoc on me, bed linens, clothes, etc.
My own experience is that a properly functioning fountain pen does not leak ink from its barrel. But of course, as soon as I say this, you'll try one and end up with blue-black ink from neck to knees. I think you have to be careful when flying that they are full before doing so or they can leak from the expanding air space inside.

 

[FedoraGent]

A terrible thing has happened...

I've become thoroughly interested in fountain pens...and now I want to get one or two more. This is exactly how my hat collecting started...oh dear.

J

 

[Mike in Seattle]

I've become thoroughly interested in fountain pens...and now I want to get one or two more. This is exactly how my hat collecting started...oh dear.

J

When you go to Stoneridge, keep looking straight up the mall when you get to Grand Court. Do NOT make that fateful turn toward Macy's. Keep moving. If you don't, I'll have to send someone with a megaphone to keep repeating "STEP AWAY FROM THE MONTBLANC STORE...STEP AWAY FROM THE MONTBLANC STORE."

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Hey! That's my secret...

You can also just buy bottled ink in the colors of your wildest fancy and refill the existing disposable cartridge using a syringe (or needle from one of those inkjet printer refill kits). ...But yes, cartridges are not expensive (but not as cheap as bottled ink) and come in packs from your fine stationer's shop... but then you are limited to the colors available.

That's exactly what I do Magneto! I'll bet I've used the same cartridge for ten years! As a matter of fact, it's just about time for me to buy a new bottle of ink to fill my decade old cartridge! It's a great concept.

-dixon cannon

 

[magneto]

That's exactly what I do Magneto! I'll bet I've used the same cartridge for ten years! As a matter of fact, it's just about time for me to buy a new bottle of ink to fill my decade old cartridge! It's a great concept.

-dixon cannon

Hee hee...great minds think alike...and it certainly makes it easy to try out new inks! (says the person with more bottles of ink than pens). :eusa_doh:

 

[FedoraGent]

Lamy Fountain Pen

Went to "Write By Style" today in SF Centre and picked up a new fine Fountain Pen. And in just wanting to try it... I picked up some sepia. And yes, it's pretty cool.

Jon

 

[magneto]

Went to "Write By Style" today in SF Centre and picked up a new fine Fountain Pen. And in just wanting to try it... I picked up some sepia. And yes, it's pretty cool.

Jon

:eusa_clap Lamys are nice! What model did you get?

 

[FedoraGent]

:eusa_clap Lamys are nice! What model did you get?

I got the Lamy AL-star. These pens aren't the most attractive pens in the world but I must say they are amazingly functional. I suppose that is true to true German form. The blue that came with it is kinda light. But it writes well. I think from now on I'm going to go with a Medium nib. I'm still hooked to the Waterman though.

Jon

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

All this talk of pens has made me,..

...go out and get one.
It's a "Winfield", don't know how old it is or where it's from exactly,...[huh] but I think I can get it to work again. It had no price on it in an assortment of pens from 5 bucks on up to 75 bucks, so I got it for 5.
As of this writing, it's been soaking in pure Formula 409, which has sort of formed an ink of sorts by dissolving the old dried up stuff inside. I actually was able to write a little with it. I wonder if the front part with the nib comes off so I can have a look at what's going on in there?

 

[FedoraGent]

...go out and get one.
It's a "Winfield", don't know how old it is or where it's from exactly,...[huh] but I think I can get it to work again. It had no price on it in an assortment of pens from 5 bucks on up to 75 bucks, so I got it for 5.
As of this writing, it's been soaking in pure Formula 409, which has sort of formed an ink of sorts by dissolving the old dried up stuff inside. I actually was able to write a little with it. I wonder if the front part with the nib comes off so I can have a look at what's going on in there?

Seems like it's in good condition. So how is the bladder? Is it cracked?

Jon

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I'm guessing it's okay, but what I have to do is improvise a pair of those special pliers for yanking the front end off, so I can get a look at what's up in there.

 

[Slicksuit]

How long does a refill from bottled ink last?

I have one and I plan to get another. I have never used the plastic cartridges so I can't tell you about them. But the pen comes with a piston reservoir that makes it easy to fill from a bottle. I recommend the fine point, as the medium is quite wide compared to other makes. It's a very nice pen with a great vintage look and feel.

When using the piston mechanism to flll from a bottle, how much 'mileage' do you get from a filling? I work in the medical field, and do quite a bit of writing...will a filling last me a whole day possibly? I like the idea of using a bottled ink over cartridges.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

When using the piston mechanism to flll from a bottle, how much 'mileage' do you get from a filling? I work in the medical field, and do quite a bit of writing...will a filling last me a whole day possibly? I like the idea of using a bottled ink over cartridges.

It'll most likely last the better part of a week if not longer. I usually go a week to week and a half between refills, and I, too, do a lot of writing. But I use a couple of different pens depending on my mood or the particular job I'm working on. So in answer to your question - will one filling last a whole day? Easily. And the converters (what you called piston) I've seen all seem to hold more ink than the cartridges.

 

[FedoraGent]

It'll most likely last the better part of a week if not longer. I usually go a week to week and a half between refills, and I, too, do a lot of writing. But I use a couple of different pens depending on my mood or the particular job I'm working on. So in answer to your question - will one filling last a whole day? Easily. And the converters (what you called piston) I've seen all seem to hold more ink than the cartridges.

I'm really glad to hear this as once the cartridge in my Waterman is completely gone I'm going to use my Converter.



FG.

 

[Slicksuit]

How does using the converter work? Is the ink drawn into it, and then transferred into the pen?

 

[Mike in Seattle]

How does using the converter work? Is the ink drawn into it, and then transferred into the pen?

The converter replaces the cartridge. It pulls the ink in through the nib of the pen and then you blot the excess ink off the nib, and leaving the converter in place, replace the cover over the converter and the cap over the nib - and away you go.

The only time I use cartridges is when I travel by air. Well, I do keep a couple in my laptop bag in case I do accidentally run out of ink while I'm out and about. Although I've never experienced it myself, pressurizing and unpressurizing in the plane can squeeze ink out of the tip and leave you with a mess when you remove the cap. And if I slip up and forget to drain my pen before I get on, I take a little extra care with opening the pen. I've popped in a cartridge and used the pen in-flight with no problems.

But just think about it - compare how much ink you get in a bottle that costs $5-7 with how much you get on a packet of 6-8 cartridges for $3-5.

 

[Slicksuit]

I bought a Waterman Phileas on Ebay today. For now, I just bought one in translucent blue, fine nib, for cheap ($14). If i like how it handles, and feel the nib sufficient, I will buy a nicer one down the road. Any good places to buy ink bottles, without going online? And, does it matter if its genuine Wateman brand ink?

 

[scotrace]

Back to Ebay for ink, and the brand doesn't matter at this stage.