question of the week ? what new fountain pen ideas would you like to see made and if you could combine 2 fountain pens into one for your liking what would they be ?
Thank you for another great video. Since you’ve joined the pen community, what are your favorite innovations and why? Is there an innovation you’d like to see in the future? I like the Diplomat Nexus as an innovation-the cap locking mechanism, dropper with a ton of ink, and ease of cleaning. I’m also intrigued about major manufacturers starting to carry specialty nibs e.g. Esterbrook, Leonardo, and Nahvalur.
Great video! I love this time of year and that Sailor Pro Gear looks amazing! Recently, I started a Commonplace Book to jot down ideas, thoughts, sketches, etc... My question - Has Goldspot released any notebooks and/or fountain pens recently (or planning to release this year) that would be great for keeping a Commonplace Book? Looking forward to the next video!🖋💛
I have been following you guys for a while now and need to ask How to take care of your fountain pens and how regularly do they need to be cleaned and how to clean them ? I am new to fountain pens😂
I've been having a lot of trouble with Robert Oster shimmer inks clogging feeds (even my TWSBI Eco 1.1 nib). What pens work best with shimmer inks? It appears to not only be nib size that matters.
question of the week : i grip my pens really hard and i am heavy handed when writing / sketching do you have any recommendation on fountain pens that i can be comfortable with i am afraid of bending the nib and also the type of paper best with my style ?
Fun video seeing all the spring products just around the corner! Tom my question for you is this. I’m still pretty new to the hobby starting a few years ago. I’ve tried lots of different inks and a fair variety of pen brands, nibs, and materials. I’ve hit a bit of a lull where I just feel like I haven’t seen much new lately that is exciting to me. I’m trying to find a way to keep the excitement up and wondering if you have any tips on how to keep the hobby fresh and exciting.
Great video as always. Benu has been doing phenomenally awesome after their relocation. I would like to ask - What are the ten commandments for the average fountain pen user, in your opinion? (Doesn't have to be 10)
Great video, love those nahvalur original pens, great for testing new inks. On the topic of inks. A while back I bought the platinum 3776 10th anniversary. It came with a bottle of sheening ink and it had a lot of flow problems, a lot of preblems when starting to write. What are your tips on writing whit inks that sheen or shimmer to improve inkflow? My solution: I just started using a different non-sheen colour. Writes great now.
The Red Abalone is very beautiful. Lately I've been into shimmer inks. Can the Abalone's nib take a high shimmer ink? I look forward to your videos every week.
My mother was looking to try out some starter fountain pens, but she doesn't want to get ink all over her hands. Could you recommend some fountain pens that are fairly clean and easy to maintain in this regard?
My question is is there still a place for steel dip nibs? I learner to write with them and they have a place in my heart. I have still a drawer ful of them. Do you think that in this age of Glass pens there will be a come-back?
I’m liking the look of the new collaboration! Which leads me to my question: What are the steps of an acrylic resin pen being made? How are the blanks made and how are those distributed to different pen makers? What other methods are used? I would be grateful to gain a better understanding of the steps involved. Thanks!
love these videos, Tom. My question is this: as a vintage collector, what modern pen would be best for me to buy as someone who’s used to using pens that are 60+ years old?
Great video Tom! My question for the week is, if you tragically lost all of your pens and inks (in a nightmare of course) and only had one ink and fountain pen combination remaining, what would you want them to be?
That first ink is nice! The blue with the gold shimmer. Great reccomendations on clearing out your inventory to a more manageable size, too. Is there a particular nib width or grind you reccomend that will generally work with all shimmer inks? I tend to lean toward finer nibs, but I did just get a medium Opus 88 and it is great so far.
Nice video. Is there a comprehensive video of what fountain pens will take which nibs to be easily swapped? I love switching fountain pens with different nibs to fit my mood of writing. Thank you. 😊
That would be quite an extensive video, since there are quite a few brands that use the same, compatible nib. I did narrow it down to my five favorite pens that use a Jowo #6 size nib in this video here - ua-cam.com/video/5QfI8_7QNI8/v-deo.html
I have been on an ink buying spree this past month but I realized that I don't tend to write a lot outside of notes and lists of things I need to do. Do you have any recommendations for other activities one could do to make use of all the inks in their collection?
The knee-jerk reaction would be to recommend journaling, which I do, enjoy, and greatly benefit from. Yet when I feel like writing but not journaling, I will copy favorite song lyrics or poems. This is an easy way to spend half and hour writing for the pure pleasure of putting pen to paper w/o having to think. I've also dabbled with copying pages of a Sherlock Holmes story, but frankly found this somewhat less casual and more tedious. Any of these are fun ways to experiment with different pens, nibs, inks, notebooks, and paper. Perhaps my favorite is letter writing with pen pals. My experience is, after engaging with many letter writers over the years, the chaff are sifted out and the gems remain, your true pen pals. 🖋📬
Excellent video. Here is my question, if you were to take two features of two of your favorite pens (different makers) and combined these features to make a new pen, which two pens would you choose and which feature would make you choose each pen to make the new pen?
Great video-I was just wondering about where to sell. Not looking to sell a lot, but definitely want to start making room for new ones!! What's the best way to clean piston fillers? I am finding taking the nib and feed out, and cleaning the inside the easier, but I don't usually see that an option. I usually see filling with water and cycling it through multiple times. Am I introducing more risk to damage by removing the nib and feed?
I love the Sakura opus 88 mini! I have been enjoying mine with DeAtramentis Fucshia! That Benu Sakura is gorgeous! Can you change nibs on the Benu to put in a stub nibs?
Benu Euphoria and Talisman pens use a Schmidt #6 size nib. It's just different enough from a Jowo #6 that they're not cross-compatible (in my experience, anyway). I don't know of a way you can get the Schmidt in a stub, unfortunately.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. My question: what is the best place to learn and do nib tuning for those of us with limited to no prior experience?
Glad to know that the Benu Sakura is here for a bit! Question for you: when cleaning out pens that don’t disassemble or are not cartridge converters, is there any risk to the pen if you can’t get all the water out of the barrel? And if there is, do you have any tips to remove water from such pens (usually affect my pens with vac filler or piston filling systems)
Having a few water droplets inside the barrel isn't going to hurt. The saturated ink that will fill the pen negates any residual moisture in the pen. Generally, I let my pens air dry set on a paper towel to help wick out any extra moisture.
Great vid content, thanks for sharing info on where to sell pens!✅ My question: Vacuum fillers vs Convertor vs Piston fillers - of the 3, is one preferable over another? Not just personal preference wise, but specific reasons I should consider purchasing one style over another.🖋💟☮
I’ve started looking into getting new nibs for my existing pens. There are a lot of different non-standard pen nibs-fude, architect, music, imperial, italic, italic cursive!, etc-could you go over those and modern pens which have some of these “speciality” nibs?
Those spring pens absolutely beautiful. I’m fairly new to fountain pens last year I purchased Twisbi Eco and a Lamy because I love sketching and journaling . What’s inks do you recommend for sketching? (Fast drying)Currently I own 2 inks Perle Noire Herbin , Dr. Ph Martin’s Ocean both in black.
Awesome! Glad you're enjoying your journey into fountain pens so far. You can find our recommendations for drawing pens and inks here - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/fountain-pen-drawing
Hi, thanks for another cool video. Benu Viper is something incredible. 🥰 As for the question, how do you think the history and progress of our favorite hobby would have changed if such companies as Montblanc, Waterman and Parker did not exist? If Waterman hadn't invented the first fountain pen? 🦀❤️
Here's an article we wrote that shares how to determine the price of your pens - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/what-is-my-pen-worth-part-3-determining-value
Great video, how can someone tell if the ink they are using would be considered dry or wet? If you don’t have a lot of other inks to compare it to, are there some obvious metrics you can look at?
Understanding the need to sell some pens, what would be things to look for as a buyer of used pens? What recourse would you have if the nib was damaged or not some other damage not disclosed? What should a buyer of used pens look for? Thanks in advance
Recently found this and it's really informative. Question: What nibs is closest to a rollerball pen? I write a lot and want to transition to a fountain pen or daily journalling.
Just started collecting. Is getting into vintage pens hard or even advisable ? What challenges will I face? What should I look at when buying a preowned or vintage pen?
It's not as difficult as you might think. Our friend (and fellow pen UA-camr) Mike Matteson shared his experience in vintage pen collecting in this article - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/vintage-fountain-pens
Retro 1951 has a catalog on their website that allows you to search all their previous releases. Other brands don't have as comprehensive of a database for all their special releases and limited editions.
Try out the new Sailor Compass Hocoro dip pen with a fude nib. It's a dip pen, but it has a fude nib and will be the most inexpensive way to see if you like how it works - goldspot.com/products/sailor-compass-hocoro-dip-pen-in-gray-with-light-blue
As someone who is taking a dive into vintage pens, I've struggled to find a definitive reason as to why vintage pens need to be used with certain inks. Could you help me out here?
What is the difference in quality as pens go up in price? Is it matterials or the craftsmanship of it, or is there another factor that increases the cost?
I'm new to the pen collecting world, however, my daughter has really been taking an interest in it as well. What would be your recommendation for a new young collector her age to start with? (Age 10)
I'm a PhD student, and I take fast notes all the time. I noticed I'm not using my fountain pens because of the time it takes me to open them! Besides Lamy, which pens do you recommend for people like me who need to write spontaneously?
🌸 I love all the Sakura themed pens, but my favorite is the Laban or could be the Benu, who could choose?! ❓ My question for Tom have you ever been to Japan to see the Sakura or maybe the Tokyo pen show?❓
My question would be, do you think that pen makers are relying on existing or previous models and dressing them up instead of designing something special without being a special or a limited edition? There are hundreds of Retro 51 Tornadoes, Sensa, Kaweco Sport, Sailor 1911, Pelikan Souvëran, and the list goes on. You had a video of your special pen you would like. What would take these manufacturers to take a chance?
I write my research notes with one of my fountain pens, but I spilled green tea on a page and the research was smeared beyond recovery. It cost me hours. Are permanent inks safe for my expensive pens? What inks would you recommend?
New pen enthusiast here. I recently did that. I started with a pilot metropolitan that I got from a local store by some miracle. I knew I liked it but I didn't absolutely love it. I ordered a few pens of various sizes that have the option of swapping nibs. I personally would find out if you have a store near you or do your research before you buy. In my case, the former wasn't an option due to my location so I went with online. I knew I liked the size and weight of it, so I ordered based on those factors. I did try getting a variety of materials, and nib sizes. My biggest factor when I was purchasing was price and the ability to swap out the nib if I didn't like it.
There have been many developments in fountain pen technology, but not all of them continue to be used. Even a pen like the various "snorkel" filling pens disappeared after, in one instance, seven years, despite its reported good performance. Ebonite feeds seem to have been replaced by hard plastic, even in high-priced and hand-finished pens. Why does this happen? Also, what keeps pen makers from adopting a true "universal c/c" size instead of the excessive number of widths, lengths, capacities, and other features (or are they "bugs"?) that make it close to impossible to switch them in pens?
How do you decide which pen and ink makers you carry? Do they come to you? Do they have to be of a certain size, dollar or inventory? Have you rejected many companies seeking Goldspot to carry them?
The red Abalone looks very good. Yet another uniquely attractive collaboration!
question of the week ? what new fountain pen ideas would you like to see made and if you could combine 2 fountain pens into one for your liking what would they be ?
Thank you for another great video. Since you’ve joined the pen community, what are your favorite innovations and why? Is there an innovation you’d like to see in the future?
I like the Diplomat Nexus as an innovation-the cap locking mechanism, dropper with a ton of ink, and ease of cleaning.
I’m also intrigued about major manufacturers starting to carry specialty nibs e.g. Esterbrook, Leonardo, and Nahvalur.
Love that wizard pen. What future collaborations are pending for Goldspot?
Great video! I love this time of year and that Sailor Pro Gear looks amazing! Recently, I started a Commonplace Book to jot down ideas, thoughts, sketches, etc... My question - Has Goldspot released any notebooks and/or fountain pens recently (or planning to release this year) that would be great for keeping a Commonplace Book? Looking forward to the next video!🖋💛
I have been following you guys for a while now and need to ask How to take care of your fountain pens and how regularly do they need to be cleaned and how to clean them ?
I am new to fountain pens😂
We created a comprehensive video guide on pen cleaning you can watch here - ua-cam.com/video/4DhV8mp12OY/v-deo.html
I've been having a lot of trouble with Robert Oster shimmer inks clogging feeds (even my TWSBI Eco 1.1 nib). What pens work best with shimmer inks? It appears to not only be nib size that matters.
question of the week : i grip my pens really hard and i am heavy handed when writing / sketching do you have any recommendation on fountain pens that i can be comfortable with i am afraid of bending the nib and also the type of paper best with my style ?
Fun video seeing all the spring products just around the corner! Tom my question for you is this. I’m still pretty new to the hobby starting a few years ago. I’ve tried lots of different inks and a fair variety of pen brands, nibs, and materials. I’ve hit a bit of a lull where I just feel like I haven’t seen much new lately that is exciting to me. I’m trying to find a way to keep the excitement up and wondering if you have any tips on how to keep the hobby fresh and exciting.
This question is goldspot pens catnip. You have beaten me, and it is hardly even Wednesday.
Great video as always. Benu has been doing phenomenally awesome after their relocation. I would like to ask - What are the ten commandments for the average fountain pen user, in your opinion? (Doesn't have to be 10)
Why inks would you ink up either the Horsehead Nebula pen or the Red Abalone pen (both of which are gorgeous)? Great video, Tom!!
Great video, love those nahvalur original pens, great for testing new inks. On the topic of inks. A while back I bought the platinum 3776 10th anniversary. It came with a bottle of sheening ink and it had a lot of flow problems, a lot of preblems when starting to write. What are your tips on writing whit inks that sheen or shimmer to improve inkflow?
My solution: I just started using a different non-sheen colour. Writes great now.
The Red Abalone is very beautiful. Lately I've been into shimmer inks. Can the Abalone's nib take a high shimmer ink? I look forward to your videos every week.
It sure can!
My mother was looking to try out some starter fountain pens, but she doesn't want to get ink all over her hands. Could you recommend some fountain pens that are fairly clean and easy to maintain in this regard?
Your collabs are always very cool! My question would be, what are the best waterproof inks for every color?
My question is is there still a place for steel dip nibs? I learner to write with them and they have a place in my heart. I have still a drawer ful of them. Do you think that in this age of Glass pens there will be a come-back?
I’m liking the look of the new collaboration!
Which leads me to my question: What are the steps of an acrylic resin pen being made? How are the blanks made and how are those distributed to different pen makers? What other methods are used? I would be grateful to gain a better understanding of the steps involved. Thanks!
love these videos, Tom. My question is this: as a vintage collector, what modern pen would be best for me to buy as someone who’s used to using pens that are 60+ years old?
Great video Tom! My question for the week is, if you tragically lost all of your pens and inks (in a nightmare of course) and only had one ink and fountain pen combination remaining, what would you want them to be?
That first ink is nice! The blue with the gold shimmer. Great reccomendations on clearing out your inventory to a more manageable size, too. Is there a particular nib width or grind you reccomend that will generally work with all shimmer inks? I tend to lean toward finer nibs, but I did just get a medium Opus 88 and it is great so far.
I usually put shimmer inks into broad or stub nibs.
Nice video. Is there a comprehensive video of what fountain pens will take which nibs to be easily swapped? I love switching fountain pens with different nibs to fit my mood of writing. Thank you. 😊
That would be quite an extensive video, since there are quite a few brands that use the same, compatible nib. I did narrow it down to my five favorite pens that use a Jowo #6 size nib in this video here - ua-cam.com/video/5QfI8_7QNI8/v-deo.html
@@GoldspotPens Thank you. 😊
I have been on an ink buying spree this past month but I realized that I don't tend to write a lot outside of notes and lists of things I need to do. Do you have any recommendations for other activities one could do to make use of all the inks in their collection?
The knee-jerk reaction would be to recommend journaling, which I do, enjoy, and greatly benefit from. Yet when I feel like writing but not journaling, I will copy favorite song lyrics or poems. This is an easy way to spend half and hour writing for the pure pleasure of putting pen to paper w/o having to think. I've also dabbled with copying pages of a Sherlock Holmes story, but frankly found this somewhat less casual and more tedious. Any of these are fun ways to experiment with different pens, nibs, inks, notebooks, and paper.
Perhaps my favorite is letter writing with pen pals. My experience is, after engaging with many letter writers over the years, the chaff are sifted out and the gems remain, your true pen pals. 🖋📬
Are there special care considerations for modern ebonite pens?
Excellent video. Here is my question, if you were to take two features of two of your favorite pens (different makers) and combined these features to make a new pen, which two pens would you choose and which feature would make you choose each pen to make the new pen?
I did make a fictional "Franken-pen" in this episode of the Write Stuff here - ua-cam.com/video/Eo6FkAzEXNA/v-deo.html
Great video-I was just wondering about where to sell. Not looking to sell a lot, but definitely want to start making room for new ones!! What's the best way to clean piston fillers? I am finding taking the nib and feed out, and cleaning the inside the easier, but I don't usually see that an option. I usually see filling with water and cycling it through multiple times. Am I introducing more risk to damage by removing the nib and feed?
I love the Sakura opus 88 mini! I have been enjoying mine with DeAtramentis Fucshia! That Benu Sakura is gorgeous! Can you change nibs on the Benu to put in a stub nibs?
Benu Euphoria and Talisman pens use a Schmidt #6 size nib. It's just different enough from a Jowo #6 that they're not cross-compatible (in my experience, anyway). I don't know of a way you can get the Schmidt in a stub, unfortunately.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. My question: what is the best place to learn and do nib tuning for those of us with limited to no prior experience?
Glad to know that the Benu Sakura is here for a bit! Question for you: when cleaning out pens that don’t disassemble or are not cartridge converters, is there any risk to the pen if you can’t get all the water out of the barrel? And if there is, do you have any tips to remove water from such pens (usually affect my pens with vac filler or piston filling systems)
Having a few water droplets inside the barrel isn't going to hurt. The saturated ink that will fill the pen negates any residual moisture in the pen. Generally, I let my pens air dry set on a paper towel to help wick out any extra moisture.
Great vid content, thanks for sharing info on where to sell pens!✅ My question: Vacuum fillers vs Convertor vs Piston fillers - of the 3, is one preferable over another? Not just personal preference wise, but specific reasons I should consider purchasing one style over another.🖋💟☮
I’ve started looking into getting new nibs for my existing pens. There are a lot of different non-standard pen nibs-fude, architect, music, imperial, italic, italic cursive!, etc-could you go over those and modern pens which have some of these “speciality” nibs?
Those spring pens absolutely beautiful. I’m fairly new to fountain pens last year I purchased Twisbi Eco and a Lamy because I love sketching and journaling . What’s inks do you recommend for sketching? (Fast drying)Currently I own 2 inks Perle Noire Herbin , Dr. Ph Martin’s Ocean both in black.
Awesome! Glad you're enjoying your journey into fountain pens so far. You can find our recommendations for drawing pens and inks here - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/fountain-pen-drawing
Hi, thanks for another cool video. Benu Viper is something incredible.
🥰
As for the question, how do you think the history and progress of our favorite hobby would have changed if such companies as Montblanc, Waterman and Parker did not exist? If Waterman hadn't invented the first fountain pen?
🦀❤️
What is the best ink for a dry-writing nib?
if you have some old fountain pens from your grandparents or even older how do you determine the price for them ?
Here's an article we wrote that shares how to determine the price of your pens - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/what-is-my-pen-worth-part-3-determining-value
question :if you were to design a fountain pen of your choice or combine 2 pens what would that look like ?
Great video, how can someone tell if the ink they are using would be considered dry or wet? If you don’t have a lot of other inks to compare it to, are there some obvious metrics you can look at?
Do you have any tips for someone who is interested in trying out mixing ink colors for the first time?
Understanding the need to sell some pens, what would be things to look for as a buyer of used pens? What recourse would you have if the nib was damaged or not some other damage not disclosed? What should a buyer of used pens look for?
Thanks in advance
Do you always need to clean a new pen first before you use it for the first time?
Recently found this and it's really informative. Question: What nibs is closest to a rollerball pen? I write a lot and want to transition to a fountain pen or daily journalling.
I've used a lot of rollerballs before I got into fountain pens. They tend to be Extra-fine to Fine in equivalent size,
I agree, probably an EF or F nib would be a good transition point size.
Nice video :) question: what ink I the most popular in your shop?
A perennial best seller is J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor - goldspot.com/products/j-herbin-emerald-of-chivor-anniversary-ink-50-ml-bottle
How many pens do you personaly keep inked? Does it fluctuate or do you stop at 2, 4, 6? So many pretty pen, that nautilus is beatiful!
Right now, I have 5 and it doesn't usually get much higher than that. Most of the time, I'd say it fluctuates between 3-5.
Just started collecting. Is getting into vintage pens hard or even advisable ? What challenges will I face? What should I look at when buying a preowned or vintage pen?
It's not as difficult as you might think. Our friend (and fellow pen UA-camr) Mike Matteson shared his experience in vintage pen collecting in this article - goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/vintage-fountain-pens
@@GoldspotPensthanks for the reply! Here’s crossing my fingers you’ll pick me for that gorgeous pen!
I’m a space fiend.
Do you recommend doing a full flush, clean and rinse when refilling a pen with the same ink (non-shimmer) or just do a simple flush?
If it's the same ink, a simple flush is adequate before you refill.
Tom I just bought a Sailor 1911 S Clear Demonstrator Fountain Pen 14k 585 Music Gold Nib. What ink would be best to use in it?
Could you recommend a pen case that protects yet allows quick access to your pens.
I give you 7 cases in this video here - ua-cam.com/video/OzSvd0sWYKU/v-deo.html
Thank you
What’s a good source to find previously released models of a Sailor pen or other brands?
Retro 1951 has a catalog on their website that allows you to search all their previous releases. Other brands don't have as comprehensive of a database for all their special releases and limited editions.
When cleaning a cartridge converter pen with a removable nib unit is it necessary to remove the nib unit every cleaning?
No, I would only remove the nib if you need to do thorough cleaning due to using a particularly saturated or shimmer ink.
Great collaboration. What are great pens for people who want to only own a single pen? Basically candidates for a 1 pen collection.
What is a good choice of pen to try out a fude nib without having much regret if I don't like the nib?
Try out the new Sailor Compass Hocoro dip pen with a fude nib. It's a dip pen, but it has a fude nib and will be the most inexpensive way to see if you like how it works - goldspot.com/products/sailor-compass-hocoro-dip-pen-in-gray-with-light-blue
Does the number on a plastic feed mean anything? I've noticed it on several Monteverde and Jinhao pens.
I have a piston fill pen, and I can't get rid of the water drop left inside after cleaning it. Any suggestions?
QUESTION: When I write with shimmer inks, I get a lot more feedback from the nib. Is that a normal thing I should expect?
What are the "right" size for a collection? Is there an optimal number of pens?
As a left handed writer, are there nibs that are more likely to bend or break?
As someone who is taking a dive into vintage pens, I've struggled to find a definitive reason as to why vintage pens need to be used with certain inks. Could you help me out here?
Is there a good place to score out of print limited edition pens without searching for years?
What is the difference in quality as pens go up in price? Is it matterials or the craftsmanship of it, or is there another factor that increases the cost?
what are great pens that are commonly underrated?
What are the best Vac fillers in under $100 category
I'm new to the pen collecting world, however, my daughter has really been taking an interest in it as well. What would be your recommendation for a new young collector her age to start with? (Age 10)
I'm a PhD student, and I take fast notes all the time. I noticed I'm not using my fountain pens because of the time it takes me to open them! Besides Lamy, which pens do you recommend for people like me who need to write spontaneously?
A clickable fountain pen? Like the Platinum Curidas. Or Pilot VP/Decimo. Or Majohn A1/A2.
Will Goldspot do a collaboration with Nahvalur. I am interested in trying a pen that uses the vacuum mechanism.
Yes, there will be a Goldspot collab vac Nahvalur coming in the next 4-5 months.
How do you feel about Mitsubishi purchasing Lamy and is the Lamy Lilac Ink “scandal” helping or hurting the transaction 💜🖋️
Which
Here’s my question:
Brass pens, polish them, or patina? What is the general consensus?
How about polish and patina? Check it out here - ua-cam.com/video/lBJtT7RXsJo/v-deo.html
🌸 I love all the Sakura themed pens, but my favorite is the Laban or could be the Benu, who could choose?! ❓ My question for Tom have you ever been to Japan to see the Sakura or maybe the Tokyo pen show?❓
I SO WISH!!! It's on my bucket list!
What are your top 5 favorite starter pens for people just getting into the hobby?
What is the best ever blue ink...? 💙
Bay State Blue 💙
My question would be, do you think that pen makers are relying on existing or previous models and dressing them up instead of designing something special without being a special or a limited edition? There are hundreds of Retro 51 Tornadoes, Sensa, Kaweco Sport, Sailor 1911, Pelikan Souvëran, and the list goes on.
You had a video of your special pen you would like. What would take these manufacturers to take a chance?
What is your all time favorite fountain pen?
I write my research notes with one of my fountain pens, but I spilled green tea on a page and the research was smeared beyond recovery. It cost me hours. Are permanent inks safe for my expensive pens? What inks would you recommend?
Should a new pen enthusiast buy several different pens with different nib sizes or one pen with several replacement nibs?
New pen enthusiast here. I recently did that. I started with a pilot metropolitan that I got from a local store by some miracle. I knew I liked it but I didn't absolutely love it. I ordered a few pens of various sizes that have the option of swapping nibs. I personally would find out if you have a store near you or do your research before you buy. In my case, the former wasn't an option due to my location so I went with online. I knew I liked the size and weight of it, so I ordered based on those factors. I did try getting a variety of materials, and nib sizes. My biggest factor when I was purchasing was price and the ability to swap out the nib if I didn't like it.
I guess my question would be. What are your suggestions for determining then hunting down your grail pen?
There have been many developments in fountain pen technology, but not all of them continue to be used. Even a pen like the various "snorkel" filling pens disappeared after, in one instance, seven years, despite its reported good performance. Ebonite feeds seem to have been replaced by hard plastic, even in high-priced and hand-finished pens. Why does this happen? Also, what keeps pen makers from adopting a true "universal c/c" size instead of the excessive number of widths, lengths, capacities, and other features (or are they "bugs"?) that make it close to impossible to switch them in pens?
How do you decide which pen and ink makers you carry? Do they come to you? Do they have to be of a certain size, dollar or inventory? Have you rejected many companies seeking Goldspot to carry them?
Is there a max number you put to have in your collection of fountain pens or inks?
What brand of pen or pen with a brand do you think is the most underrated and that people should try?
At what age would you teach a child to use a fountain pen?
Who deserves the title of collector; the one who buys new or the one who restores old?
May be both...