What NO ONE told me about FOUNTAIN PENS--a Beginner's Guide.
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- Опубліковано 9 тра 2024
- Wow. I had no idea.
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Timestamps:
0:00 - No one told me this!
1:43 - Point 1
2:26 - Point 2
2:50 - Point 3
3:22 - Point 4
3:41 - Point 5
4:00 - Point 6
4:25 - Point 7
4:50 - Point 8
5:29 - Point 9
5:54 - Point 10
6:14 - Terms
8:25 - Point 11
8:45 - Point 12
9:03 - Point 13
9:17 - Point 14
10:07 - Point 15
10:33 - Point 16
10:54 - Point 17
#BMR
#stuffmadewell
#fountainpens
If you like this video, check out Part 2 with my favorite pens! FAVORITE PENS: ua-cam.com/video/8sk7g261S0Y/v-deo.html
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I had to hire Ned Nibbly best nib meister in all of Scotland to fix my ceremonial Mont Blanc made from poached white rhino horn. The nib was hand crafted from pure platinum and inlaid with blood diamonds from South Africa Ned fine tuned my nib so the blood from clubbed baby seals flows with the fluidity of my elitist hand! My next pen will.feature a body made from the bone of a white tiger and the nib will be encrusted with emeralds and fashioned from gold pulled from the teeth of holocaust victims.
@@kickassclone75 Ned Nibbly is the best.
@@kickassclone75 are you ok dude?
One side-effect, an interest in fountain pen often encourages paying attention to your handwriting and then practicing to improve your handwriting.
Yes, fountain pens encourage you to write better. I was a Cross Dealer and I have one of their top of the line pens that I use for certain things. Every day quick notes, I use a ball point.
I completely agree, B. Case. I suspect what you have noted is the reason why, when we in public schools (back in the mid-1960’s) were first learning to write cursive and use an ink pen, we were required to have and use a fountain pen for everything except math. To this day, I love using a fountain pen…and I have often been tapped to tutor elementary students who have illegible handwriting. We begin with a fountain pen, something that most of them have never seen. Their reward for improving their handwriting is to learn a simple calligraphy font. Since we work at a table in the school library, other students are drawn to our activities and often seek to learn beautiful handwriting.
@@lgh98t1 The majority of students I have seen from US and UK don't even know how to properly hold the pen. They apply 4-finger instead of 3-finger grip which makes cursive impossible and they all have similar potato-style handwrite. I heard this year in Germany some teachers request parents to buy only pencils and pens with triangular grip.
Yep. My normal handwriting is a complete mess but if I slow down and take time to write, it drastically improves. I'm at a bit of a disadvantage though, I'm left handed and have issues with fine motor controls (dyspraxic)
It makes me smile when I write neatly enough that others can read my handwriting
Fountian pens are a major part to keep cursive handwriting alive. You are the artist of your signature.
Fountain pens serve to protect and preserve the analog soul. They are better for the environment because they last for years and empty ink bottles can be recycled. They are a wonderful way to express one's thoughts and observations , and they help one to take care with whatever one wants to write. Inky fingers are a badge of honor and not a nuisance. Finally, many people in the fountain pen community are kind and caring individuals.
I completely disagree with the environmentally friendly claim, first, there's no solid proof that fountain pen users produce less waste, second, if you check forums, online reviews and talk directly to people, it seems that most use cartridges instead of bottled ink, but again, there's no numbers that prove it. Then consider the fact that to clean fountain pens you require water, there's people who still advice to "let tap water flow through the pen until the water comes clean" 😖 Of course they're not necessarily bad people but doing that you're wasting a lot of water because most of it doesn't go through the pen because you overflow it, but even if you use other methods, you still waste water. Then a lot of people that use bottled ink like to swatch it, most of them use cotton swabs which are difficult to recycle (yes, it seems cotton is not as recyclable as we may think). And I can think of a lot other facts that could easily dismantle the environmentally friendly claim, so, long ago I decided to not use that claim to convince people of using fountain pens.
I possess a lot of protocols that belong to my clients, which is very private information, I would rather not have it in digital form, so I write it down on paper with my fountain pen(s).
What does 'the analog soul' mean?
@@manuelsalazar3938 that's one critically thought reply... Well said
@@manuelsalazar3938 That's an interesting point. Cartridges produce a lot of plastic waste indeed, and pens require water to clean. And there are some behaviors that are wasteful. But still, I would say they have the potential to be more enviromental friendly if used for that purpose. For example if you buy just one fountain pen and use only bottled ink. You require water to clean it, but you can fill a glass and use the converter for cleaning... I feel it is like the claim they can be cheaper, yes, they can if you buy a cheap preppy, a big cheap bottle of ink and use it instead of a ballpoint each month. For both claims to be effective, you need to do very specific things that are just not usually done.
If I think about me, I have done none of those thing (Expensive and probably polluted some with packaging and shipments). But I still like the fact that fountain pens are (usually) not a disposable thing, and encourage you to take care of them.
I love fountain pens; my friends just shake their heads when I get excited talking about them. Fountain pens also lead to other rabbit holes, especially the rabbit hole of "good" paper and journals!
oh yes. I am currently neck deep in that rabbit hole right now! 😅 (Video on that coming soon.)
I get that response from people too. I am at 20 plus pens, now I refurbish vintage ones as a hobby for my collection. It becomes an addiction.
…And vice versa. My rabbit hole started from the paper side of things 🙂 Happy writing!
Yeah. Good paper...
I had always been of the mindset that cheap paper was the best paper, because cheap pens... Then I saw a turner advertising custom pens in a veterans group I'm in. I commissioned one to be my special pen just because I could. The first bottle of in was from a high street stationer, and I filled my pen with it exactly once. After that fill, I discovered the wonderful world of colour available for filling fountain pens. Once I went down that rabbit hole, I began thinking about the paper I was writing on and that was yet another rabbit hole.
I prefer to spend my money on my family, rather than any hobby, so my inks and paper have only been acquired slowly. Still, it's fun to look at inks, paper and pens, and to add to a wishlist which changes over the course of saving spare money up.
The fountain pen is a flashlight to illuminate the deepest rabbit hole of all...
The one inside each of us.
I am 72 years old and attended a small country school in Australia. I can remember sitting at my cast iron and timber school desk with an ink well. We used a dip in nib pen with a timber shaft.
In high school I started using fountain pens and loved the feel and way they moved over the paper. If course in the 1960's the ball point pent took over. I am currently sharing my life with a new partner who is French and we spend time in both Australia and France.
Martine was cleaning out one of her drawers and placed an unused Mont Blanc fountain pen in front of me. It felt so nice in the hand. I loaded it with Mont Blanc Royal Blue ink and away I went.
I have for some time wanted to write about my life and this beautiful writing instrument will be with me. Cheers.
I was surprised how good they were for the arthritis in my hands. You don't need pressure to write, the weight of the pen is enough, so my hands hurt less when writing with a FP
Good to know! Thanks! I don’t have arthritis but I have a similar condition that impacts fingers, joints in my hands, wrist and elbow…. So this is really handy to know truly.
Another thought: bottled ink lasts a really long time (especially if you use multiple pens with other inks or rotate inks in one pen) so don’t be scared by the price of some larger bottles. You will get your money’s worth
I just bought a bottle of Montblanc ink. 90 years old!
Writes like new. Incredible.
So, I'm gunna be honest, the *only* reason why I got into fountain pens is because I go through a lot a pens at work. Government documents require a lot of writing. I originally bought one because I enjoyed a "wetter" form of writing, as I used an ink pen for my documents. Bought a Lamy Safari pen with cartridges to help offset how much I write.
I didn't know I'd fall in love with these as much as I have. I feel naked without my pen. I *hate* writing with any other kind of pen, *especially* ball point pens.
I didn't know I'd turn out like this, but I've fallen in love with fountain pens and writing again. It's a gift, and I write letters to continue my excuse to write xD
Wait until you find a nice ballpoint pen with a smooth ball with wetter ink than the Bic brand. I love fountain pens as well, but once I found a good ballpoint it was hard not to bring both as an everyday carry.
@@brad4058 Rollerball is much better than a ballpoint, but thats just my preference :)
for left handed people that wetter ink can be a big problem because you move your hand over whatever you have just written.
@lubenicmackavic2780 Good thing I'm not left-handed then.
If you want to mix inks, you can do it in a separate container first and see how they react to each other. When an ink reacts badly you'll tend to see little solid pieces appearing in the ink, it can happen pretty quickly. The main danger in this is getting your pen clogged up. You can also pick and choose what pen you test out these ink mixed with first.
great tip! Thank you!
Excellent tip! I too don’t think there’s anything wrong with mixing colors; life is about experimenting, after all. Mixed Encre Classique Fuchsia with a little Rohrer & Klingner Cassia (a vibrant, wet deep purple) for a beautiful purple shade that’s one of my favorites. But I mixed it directly in the barrel of an eyedroppered pen lol. Luckily, no issues and it’s a Pilot Petit1, anyway, so even though I love this little baby (after some nib adjustments to reduce scratchiness), it wouldn’t have been a great loss if there was a bad reaction.
Will definitely mix in a container first henceforth. Thanks!
@@BeastMadeReviews Mixing inks from the same range - like the Pelikan 4001 range - usually is OK.
Good use for empty sample vials!
On the topic of mixing fountain pen inks, not all fountain pen inks can be mixed; some inks-such as the Pilot Parallel fountain pen ink in cartridges-are mixable. When attached inside Pilot Parallel fountain pens, their flat parallel metal plate nibs can be touched against each other and create beautiful color gradations when writing on paper. Pilot Iroshizuku inks can be mixed also, but make sure to do it on a separate bottle or dish. If the color combination is excellent, it can be used; but if the mixture clumps or develops solid sediments, do not use it because it might clog or ruin the fountain pen feed and nib.☺️
I worked in tech before retiring. I used to do all of my design work using a fountain pen and sheets of plain paper. It was odd, but a fountain pen FORCES you to THINK before putting pen to page. I sincerely believe that this disciplined approach makes a tremendous difference in the quality of your output... whether it's the content of the writing, the appearance of the writing, or the beauty of a well thought-out design for a program, database, etc. Great job covering many of the highlights.
BTW, the Neil Gaiman interview you cited is probably responsible for a nice pop in fountain pen sales. I wouldn't be at all surprised. :-)
That's a great story! Thank you for sharing your experience! Yeah, Niel Gaiman and Neal Stephenson are completely responsible for my interest in fountain pens. I think you're right: I bet Gaiman has made a LOT of new converts.
Thanks for the video!
Last year, I rediscovered fountain pens, because my home town (Hamburg, Germany) offered a limited edition fountain pen, where the body is made of bog oak that was excavated during an archeological dig … the oak is dated from 1021, so I now have a fountain pen made out of 1000 year old oak, with a gold nib from Bock. Definitely not on the low end of the price scale, but a fine piece of craftsmenship. More of an heirloom than a writing utensil.
Let me see: They didn't tell you, don't drop them. Don't shake them. Don't leave it in the heat... and don't let anyone use your pen. It will never be the same.... You are the only one that can use it. Someone else will stretch it and will never be the same for you.... unless you buy a new tip.
I'm a '70s kid, and in school, (6- 12 year olds) we learned to write and were required( obligated ) to write with a fountain pen. We learned to use felt paper to make the ink dry faster on our paper's and minimaze smudges. After elementary school came to secondary school ( 12-18 year olds) and there we learned to take notes quickly, it didn't do my handwriting any good, so the fountain pen was replaced bij Bic. Since 2021 I've rediscovered the fountain pen, and my handwriting has improved. It's a pity that children are no longer obliged to write with a fountain pen.
You can always rinse out and and fill to reuse cartridges. Some pens won’t fit a converter but you can still use bottled ink if you just rinse and refill
That's what I do. Good to know I'm not the only one.
Yeah! Using syringe to refill…
File those points off, eventually they get you! (a refiller :) @@mengiequirante2460
Pretty good overview. I'd add to your terms, "piston fill(er)" -- as a fill mechanism. It has the advantage of pretty good capacity and is fully "self-contained" (don't need cartridges or converters).
A second term is "burping", particularly with eye droppered pens. Due to simple physics (warming of the air inside the pen from your hand), an unexpected blob of ink may drop off the nib's end. This is more common with eye droppered pens in my expereince
Thanks for the video. One thing I noticed after watching several fountain pen videos is that most people tend to use cursive handwriting. It seems that cursive handwriting looks nicer with fountain pens. After elementary school I forgot how to write most letters except for the ones in my signature. Now I am in the process of relearning cursive handwriting.
that's true! I personally hate cursive. 😂
haha yep. I remember when I got my first fountain pen, and I started writing with it in my usual print (/block) script… right away, I was like “nope this just will not do.” Immediately proceeded to relearn my 2nd Grade cursive :)
Within a week or so I was fluently writing in cursive again. And over the years my writing has greatly improved, while also gradually evolving (ie. “how about if I write my ‘F’ like _this_ … oh that’s nice; that’s my ‘F’ now!”). So I now have a very pleasant feeling - and looking - script, and it’s also a style that’s very unique to me.
Actually, most fountain pen reviewers have subjectively bad penmanship and many use print instead of cursive. So it’s not necessary to relearn; just write in the manner most familiar to you.
@@oscarmedina1597 I agree about many excellent pen reviewers having lousy hand writing. There are exceptions, though, who I appreciate. Inquisitive Quill in Hong Kong has a fantastic Instagram presence with high end beautiful pens AND nice writing samples.
@@oscarmedina1597 it’s not necessary, yeah, but fountain pens sure do pull you towards cursive. One just tends to feel, esp when one plays with lots of colorful inks, that only cursive will complete one’s joyful writing experience 😄 Architect in my first life, so I’ve been writing in all caps since the mid 90s and once I got back into fountain pens, my family was shocked-SHOCKED, I say-to see me doing loops and slants lol. Sis mentioned it just yesterday lol
One of the best benefits of using a fountain pen is that you don't experience hand-fatigue (or it takes longer before you do). They're fantastic for anyone who cannot or should not grip a pen tightly (e.g. if you have carpal tunnel problems). The ink flows without pressure applied to the page (indeed, pressure is bad for a fountain pen), so you can relax your hand, let the pen rest farther back between the thumb and hand, and write for long periods without pain. Great video!
I wholeheartedly agree. The best part of using a fountain pen is that they allow you to put ink to paper with much less effort and, thus, much less hand fatigue.
That's not necessarily true as it highly depends on your hands, for example, bigger people with bigger hands may suffer fatigue for using lighter, thinner and smaller pens (all my case) but be comfortable using big and hefty pens while people with smaller hands will suffer using bigger or heavier pens. Also the way you hold your pen, by your comment I assume you have a "correct" way of holding it and therefore you're comfortable, but there's a lot of people with bad habits of holding the pen that even with fountain pens won't be comfortable until they relearn how to hold it (if ever they do).
@@manuelsalazar3938 I see no conflict between my comment and yours. I was not trying to suggest anything about the weight or girth of pen, nor about finger position, only about how tightly one squeezes the pen - a ballpoint requires one to hold the pen quite tightly in order to apply downward pressure which is required to make the ball roll. This can cause muscle fatigue and tendon issues. A fountain pen doesn't require as tight a hold. If one wishes to hold the pen tightly, one may, but it isn't required. That's all I intended to say.
I first got into fountain pens while in law school, before laptops were ubiquitous, and you had to take notes by hand. Getting a lot of words down in a short amount of time was important. Especially during exams. I found that my fountain pens allow me to write smoother and faster than a ballpoint, or even a gel pen. From that point on, I was hooked.
I first got into fountain pens while in law school, before laptops were ubiquitous, and you had to take notes by hand. Getting a lot of words down in a short amount of time was important. Especially during exams. I found that my fountain pens allow me to write smoother and faster than a ballpoint, or even a gel pen. From that point on, I was hooked. When it came time for me to take the bar exam, three full days of writing, I thought of my fountain pens as Lifesavers. Passed the bar, and the rest is history.
Great video; a very thorough introduction. One thing I’ve learned that wasn’t mentioned, is the concept of a “grail pen”…
The grail pen (holy grail pen) is the pen that’s different for every person, that’s the most beautiful pen you’ve ever seen, and that has the _perfect_ combination of features/ details (ie. nib size, weight, color, etc etc) for your personal preference, and that you WANT with every ounce of your being.
It may be attainable, cost-wise, or just out of your grasp, or well out of your league. It may be a substantial investment, but many pens are made to last a lifetime (and even be passed down to future generations as an heirloom), so it’s often sneakily easy to personally justify the purchase.
One thing I wish I knew at the beginning (and that I don’t think I’ve ever heard *anyone* say) is: when you do finally get that pen, it may be great, and wonderful, and beautiful to hold & look at & write with, and all you ever dreamed of (just like you imagined it would!)… But… there’s a good chance that, once you attain it, suddenly you’ll discover a NEW grail pen - and yes you love this one blah blah blah, but _THAT ONE…_ you know at once that if you can just get this other grail pen, writing with it will feel just like making love to an angel!
In short: your grail pen may indeed be great to obtain, but even so it still might not scratch that itch. [sigh]. Such is the nature of desire. Be forewarned!
haha yes! I have heard people talk about "grail pens" often, but I guess I didn't add it this video because the concept of a "holy grail" exists in every hobby or collection, so I figured it was already understood. But you are so right--you never REALLY hold your holy grail. It's always the NEXT thing. 😛
And there is the other side of this Grail pen: Your trusty Ol' Dippy, Trus' Inky or Lil' Penny. You modify and care for that pen over all these years. It is carried on all your adventures and it is enabling you to write all your great works with that special soul to it all. It has a life of its own. You love that pen, even if it is stubby, scratched, stained, even a lil' broken. But by the gods of creation - it is your pen. Your own. Your precious.
Thanks for the insight
fountain pens are addictive
Oh my God.. The description touched my soul ❤️
Something I'd never thought of for eyedroppered or adapter-filled fountain pens is that you DON'T need to fill it all the way. This allows you to change ink more frequently and therefore have more "fun"..
I carried two pens in my flight suit, a ballpoint pen and a Lamy Safari. The ballpoint was for cockpit use and the Lamy was for use in the squadron spaces. For those of you curious about a fountain pen leaking while flying, it can happen but usually into the cap. A fighter is not pressurized like a commercial aircraft however, the altitude changes are much quicker. Part of my morning ritual before going flying was to ensure that my pen was full of ink. A full ink cartridge leaves no room for air expansion to cause leaking. Today, as a commercial airline pilot, I still carry the same charcoal black, Lamy Safari which I purchased in 1989. At the time of purchase, I never realized that a pen could be part of who I am but it has become an extension of my personality. I do own many more pens but my Safari has traveled the world with me and I rarely leave home without it. Enjoy the rabbit hole!
very cool! Thank you for your comment! The Safari is such an excellent pen, and an incredible value. I have a review of that one, and I have another comparison video for Lamy pens coming up. What fighter did you fly? (Thank you for your service!)
@@BeastMadeReviews F-18C’s
I LOVE fountain pens. They are classy, vintage, elegant, respectful, and a treasure to hold on and pass on.
Always loved them. I discovered them by accident on a school supply run for new stationery before starting high school. I saw a cheap fountain pen with a clear body and several ink cartridges and from that day I fell in love with them. It was different, new. Nobody else in school used them apart from me.
I love how they feel as you write on paper, much better in texture than the standard roller ball. These pens made me want to take care, slow down and enjoy writing.
Even today 20 years later, my daily writing pens are always fountain. I can never go back to the standard rollerball. Unfortunately I cannot afford the pricier brands so at most I stay within a €5-25 budget
Wow man!!! you explained in 12 mins what I have learned in more than one year. This is one of the best video I've seen. Congrats.
My first fountain pen was made of hard red acrylic. Brand unknown. I loved it for it's bright color and the self-respect I felt when writing. I used it in high school to create avant-guard doodles for myself and friends.
👍🏾
I only disagreed with one statement- that converters hold more ink than the cartridges. That will depend on the pen. Some pens that have proprietary cartridges actually hold more ink, like Pilot (unless the pen can take a CON-70) or Platinum.
In addition, should be considered Lamy's Safari line due to its popularity. Their cartridge also holds more ink than a converter and it's not international
I’m putting this here for those who are not interested in digging through responses to comments. My favorite thing about using fountain pens is that the writing experience is completely different. They write so smoothly and with little effort as opposed to ballpoints and rollerballs that you have to press down to get the ink to flow. Modern fountain pens still allow you the convenience of portability and reliability with the pleasure of smooth, effortless writing.
AND the line "weight" is so delicately intrinsic to them. Not only do you have to mash a ball-point down to get ink at all, there's NO variation. You have to "scritch-scratch" back and forth to widen a line, and then... damned if it doesn't LOOK like someone "scritch-scratched" out a line instead of a nice, fluid, perfect line as intended in a single BEAUTIFUL and fluid stroke...
You can still ONLY get my stupid Cardura "Parker Type" when you BUST IT out of my stone dead fingers! It's big, clunky, too heavy, ugly as sh*t, and could probably withstand bludgeoning someone to death in the fresh glow of a nuclear explosion... BUT it's been my trusty road-buddy keep tabs of gas, food, budget and miles for more than 2 decades. I'll just continue to suffer through "in the field" where no self respecting "writing instrument" really belongs on the back of a motorcycle anyways. haha ;o)
How do I get a portable and reliable pen? What would you recommend?
@@benldr This is going to sound a little bit weird... BUT my first advice would be "Buy CHEAP"... 999 out of 1000 of the cheapest brands out there will work reliably and give good results "right out of the box" and that number just goes down as you find more and more expensive pens...
SO a Jinhao model 35 or 85 that you can get for less than $5 (USD) anywhere will feel cheap and lightweight, but deliver all the reliability and eloquence you'll probably need in "no more than a decent pen"...
Next, I'm going to ask you two things. What (exactly) do you need in "portable" from a pen?
AND
How much do you prefer a pen to "express" yourself?
Think about those two points, while I elaborate. If you just want something you can keep in a pocket, any fountain pen works. The caps are made with clips to keep the tips upward, so ink doesn't dribble out. With a "capillary action" based instrument, that IS of concern. So it's just a little important that the nibs point upward while they're not in use most of the time...
IF in addition, you're looking for lower maintenance or to escape "faff", then you'll want to look to "Eyedropper" types or "Eyedropper friendly" pens. There are many, such as my Moonman M2 which is technically by the Majohn company. It even came with an eyedropper in the kit. You fill these pens, by literally using an eyedropper or syringe to pour ink directly into the handle/barrel and then screw the tip section on. It's highly advised that you get some silicone grease and apply it, but that's a process done with a small paint brush so a very little silicone grease will last you years in regular use. Just know that for "HUGE" reservoirs of ink and relatively low maintenance because you're not running out of ink often (cleaning and refilling), then the operative term is "Eyedropper". The disadvantage is that they can develop leaks or that the slightest break will drizzle ink EVERYWHERE... BUT it comes with the nature of an enormous amount of the stuff.
Most pens have "Converters" as reservoirs and while they can differ in methods of refilling and how cleaning happens, they're generally relatively similar in ink quantities, and remain popular. Even with regular use, refills aren't much more frequent (unless you're an active artist) than a time or two a month. A frequent filler might be as obnoxious as 2 or 3 times monthly, but it's almost unheard of to refill more often than that.
AND expressing yourself... Do you fancy a pen with a "sleek professional look"? OR do you like bright colors and wild contrasts? Do you just want the g** d*** thing to write, and don't give a sh*t what it looks like?
Looks and specialty materials tends to be where expensive pens get their high prices. Some companies have just been around forever and always deliver a rock solid and reliable product or by GOD they'll make it right if you care to contact them, so Companies like Pilot have big names and slightly more pricey pens but almost all the "great" companies have something at least REASONABLE... Once you bump into that $100 bracket for a PEN(???) you tend to find just a bit more disappointment unless you LIKE to tinker and tune your stuff even brand new... SO that's worth being a bit wary... It's not all bad, though... AND there are good folks out there with whom you can negotiate or seek help... "The Goulet Pen Company" (channel on YT) is also a good resource to shop. They have a website and carry pens and ink that they take PRIDE in selling to the public...
BUT most of the time, up to around the $30 to $50 (USD) range, you can find a majority of solid products without too much trouble. Rather than just give you a list of "good portable pens" because most of them are portable enough, I'll suggest you look into channels like this one and Doodlebud and the Goulet boys for reviews and snark about the pen market... AND at least for the beginning, buy something cheap enough that you can afford to hurl it into the trash or out in the yard... Chances are in the low brackets, you're going to find a fine pen and enjoy the whole experience. Don't be afraid to pick up something just because it's cute or cool looking... The idea that you can buy a pen that SPEAKS for you as much as you do is also part of this whole journey... I rather enjoy people being fascinated when I whip out the Moonman pen and the ink in the clear-blue barrel is sloshing about as I jot down something or the swirls it makes in the pen while I flourish my name across some form or another... It CAN be a lot of fun. ;o)
@@gnarthdarkanen7464 I don't do much writing at work but that's what I want it for. I was thinking that I may even try disposable ones. I'll be writing on copy paper so a disposable with a fine tip will probably be the best bet from what I've gathered. If I like the disposables I may buy a $20 cartridge.
@@benldr That's as good an idea as any. I do sketch with fountain pens, so I love my Moonman Eyedropper for being able to "top up" before heading out to the field... and whether I'm on the road for a week, a month, or longer, I've got ink enough to find a supply or make it back home before I run out...
AND personally, everything (so far) with an extra fine or fine nib has remained mostly legible on "cheap" paper... That also has some to do with the ink you use. I'd caution about Diamine, since so many folks recommend it for "obstinate" pens and "to fix hard-starters"... BUT Shaeffer is still in production with Scrip, and they've been putting out quality, reliable ink for more than a century by now. I still even have a couple jars of the stuff with a little "reservoir" near the top... SO you tip the jar to fill that reservoir and there's enough ink to dip and fill right there just under the lip... It's still good in Royal Blue and Blue Black...
SO for pens you just don't use too often (and there's nothing wrong with doodling occasionally or doing exercises for better penmanship to keep the ink flowing or the pen "lively") there are quality pens well within the "$20 and under" range. I even have a kinda weird "Hero Model 926" that has a free-sliding weight... As far as I can tell, it's for shaking the pen to cause a tapping vibration to coax the last bits of ink down the feed... Because I ran that thing DRY-DRY before it would actually "quit" laying lines after a shake or two... AND with a sleek look and hooded nib, it's a nice pen with a "professional look" to it... just a tad heavy and right in that $20 budget.. AND ALL of my pens (Jinhao cheap-o's, Moonman M2, Hero 926, and a couple Lamy knock-offs) have done FINE even with me leaving them inked and closed on the table for several days at a time... In a cup, points up-- to be clear...
The point is, at least with most of the cheaper end pens, you can relax. Performance will generally be fine and you can experiment with the finest tune of what you want or just get the "pretty" ones as you let yourself justify the next buy... haha You're also likely to find folks for whom a nice fountain pen can be a great gift, followed by holiday "nick-nack buys" of various kinds of ink... (makes shopping SO much easier with some friends and coworkers)
Keep in mind, even the cheap-o's will last you years with just reasonable care. ;o)
I LOVE fountain pens! In primary school back in South Africa in the early sixties, we first had to use steel-nibbed dip pens inked by the ink in the little porcelain inkwell sunk into our desks. They were a nightmare for a twelve-year-old! And then we had little mapping pens we needed for drawing maps for our History and Geography classes. My first "serious" fountain pen was a Conway Stewart and I loved it. I've been trying to get hold of one again, but they are way too expensive for a pensioner to afford. Nowadays I collect fountain pens, but they are all less expensive yet still great writers. I have found that Jinhao pens are amazingly good, better than many an expensive pen! The Jinhao X159 (V2 with the O-ring) is one of the best pens I have ever written with, and that includes a Parker 51 from the late 60s!
Jinhao is my pen of choice now, I find that most - there is always an exception - don't leak as much onto my fingers as other brands do which always helps. I have one per colour of ink now (black, blue, red, green, mauve) and love writing with them, have done since I was at primary school in NZ where we had to have fountain pens to write with in primary school. Biros weren't allowed until much later and somehow I just preferred a proper pen (dad always said you can omit the ''fountain'' part, a pen is a proper pen and a biro or ballpoint is anything else).
One thing you didn’t mention was left-handed people. Fountain pens and lefties don’t get along very well. Fountain pens like to be ‘pulled’ across the paper, and don’t work well on a ‘push’, so the pen tends to jitter or skip. Smudging is also a huge challenge, as the hand naturally has to go over what was just written.
I am left-handed and don't have a problem writing with any fountain pen unless the nib is specifically for right-handed writers. I grew up using fountain pens. I think it depends on how you hold your pen and the position of the pen above or below the writing. I hold my hand below the writing (paper and pen mirror the right-handed writer) and don't seem to have a problem with any pens having jitter or skip.
@@barbarah-p8661 good to know!
I'm right handed but when I write with my left I write backwards.
You’ve only scratched the surface . hmm…. About lefties using fountain pens. I grew up learning cursive writing with a quill and inkwell.. yep, I’m 80😅. Even when we evolved to fountain pens ( I still have a vintage Easterbrook someplace) there was almost no way to keep the writing hand away from the wet ink, and that was only part of the challenge of writing left handed. In spiral notebooks or ring binders the lefty is always struggling to write while avoiding the obstructions on the left side of the paper. But we all know lefties are smarter, so I guess it’s just part of the price we pay for the intellectual superiority. 😵💫😵💫😵💫
@@a1ar127 Dip and fountain pens are SO much harder for lefties! It must have been quite frustrating! My Grandmother was born in 1900, and was left handed. She wasn’t allowed to use her left hand at school, so in the end, she could write with both hands, and could actually write two different sentences at the some time- one with each hand. She could also write from the centre outwards with both hands, in a perfect mirror. So I’ll agree with you lefties are smart! My daughter is left handed, and all of her personal notebooks and sketchbooks are upside down- so she avoids the binding.
First time coming across your channel. Your pronunciations and speech flow is very nice , pleasing to the ear.
Thank you! 😃
I started off immediate with archival ink BUT I use my pens for drawing primarily and journaling. However, I did a lot of research before purchasing and was very pleased with my choice. I think the key is knowing specifically why you're using the ink and what kind is best for that use.
Glad to see another person enjoying the fountain pen rabbit hole. My journey started many years ago, and I haven't looked back. As mentioned, FPs require more attention, maintenance and care, but one will be rewarded with a great writing experience, especially when one narrows down their preferences in nib, filler mechanisms, etc. In the current digital age, I think it's important to keep some traditions and analog devices alive.
FPs also allow oneself to practice and improve their handwriting skills without some of the discomfort from generic ballpoints. Don't underestimate the benefits of putting your words to paper instead of a monitor or phone. It can be therapeutic in its own way.
Lastly and not trying to be a doomsayer, but think about one's communication options when faced with no internet or electricity. Some may scoff at FPs or other "old fashioned" things, but realize these things still have their uses in the current times.
I've been an avid fountain pen user for going on 6 years now and I love it. The rabbit hole is real and I'm way down in it, but the best phrase I've heard is that "fountain pens offer the most customizable writing experience". You really do find the pen(s) that you love to use.
I like fountain pens a lot but I love dip pens. And the inks, as an artist, are often super versatile as is what you can do with the dip pen. I have more inks than I'd ever write with in a fountain pen because for me, they are another form of paint. For writing tho, the feel of a good fountain pen gliding across the surface of good paper is just bar none.
I was introduced to fountain pens when I was an exchange student in Belgium in high school and have used fountain pens ever since. I note take in my professional career all the time, and I use exclusively fountain pens. Several things about fountain pens. 1) fountain pens are fatter than ball point/roller ball pens so when you write a lot, your hand doesn't cramp up because you're not holding a thin pen. 2) the pen glides over the paper so you don't need to press down on the paper to get the ink to flow, so again, it makes the pen more comfortable to write with. 3) the fountain pen is more expensive and when your pen goes missing, you go look for it and as a result you will hold on to a fountain pen for decades. 4) the ink will dry if you don't use the pen regularly. You will need to flush out your pen if the ink dries. I find a syringe for cleaning the baby's nose works well to flush the ink from the nib. 5) fountain pens are beautiful. There are so many options. In a drab world or work, a fountain pen is an opportunity to bring personality and beauty into work. They can also be conversation starters, too. I use bottled ink and I carry an ink pot for refills. I had a pen that had a small converter and one time when note taking, I ran out of ink, so, I now keep travelling ink pots which I find more convenient than bottled ink, and less messy. I generally don't have ink on my hands and refilling with ink pots is less messy, so I don't find fountain pens messy. When I am handed a ball point pen, it's yucky to me. So I put it down and go get my fountain pen. This is a very comprehensive run down on the fountain pen. In terms of price, I like a middle of the road pen. I don't like cheap pens because they look and feel cheap -- but those are good for children, starter pens. I don't like expensive pens because the cost is usually the body, not the nib or the writing experience. I find the middle of the road price point gives me a pretty pen that writes well. My current price point is $200-$300. I have had $50 pens that I liked well too, but generally, I stay away from pens that are under $100, and certainly under $50. The pens are worth the investment and when I stop using a pen, I sell them, often for what I paid, since I buy pretty pens and those sell well. I also will buy used pens and save that way. My current inventory are the Japanese Platinum Nice ($200), Sailor ProGear ($300), and Platinum Plaisir ($20), a Montblanc, (300), Italian Montegrappas Elmo and Parola ($200 range). My Japanese pens have sealed caps so the ink never dries which is a big plus. I do have much nicer penmanship than most, in large part to practicing my penmanship with my lovely fountain pens.
7:10 In my experience, the cartridge is usually a bit larger capacity than the converter because they have to fit the mechanics into the same space as a cartridge. However, your larger capacities will be where the pen itself either has its own filling mechanism, or relies on eyedropper filling, which has its own quirks.
The nuns in my grade school (mid 1950s) only permitted us kids to write with fountain pens. Mass-marketed ball points were still over the horizon. During my working life, I settled into using fiber and felt tips. Finally, on the first day of my last job prior to retiring, I opened a drawer in the desk where I was assigned, to find a battered, aluminum body Lamy (made in Germany) with a black-plated steel nib. I could tell that it wasn't a high-priced item, but after some cleaning and TLC, it became my favorite pen. Over the intervening years, I've spent good dollars on a handful of "better" fountain pens - but that old Lamy remains my most treasured. To this day, it goes where I go and eagerly writes when I touch it to paper. My sincere gratitude to whoever left it many years ago, abandoned in a desk drawer.
that's awesome! Thank you for sharing! Lamy still makes great pens. Even their budget-friendly pens are fantastic.
Very well done! You summed it up wonderfully. Two things I would like to share. Write very lightly they are not ballpoints and you can just drag the pen across the paper. This is because they are very wet. Also the paper is essential get a good paper, I like the Rhodia pads. The inky fingers are a badge of honor for most enthusiast, however I have become quite good at not getting ink on my fingers. My goto pen is my Pilot Custom 74 Century or my Platinum 3776. A really good starter pen is probably something like a Pilot Metropolitan or a Lamy Safari. Just make sure that you order an ink converter if the pen does not come with one. Because using bottled inks is an amazing new world.
Extremely important info regarding inks which every beginner should first be made aware of. Use only inks that are labeled for fountain pen use. Some inks like those called calligraphy inks, India inks, designers inks, etc. contain other ingredients like shellac that can permanently clog the feed of a fountain pen. Second, do not bear down on the nib like you do on a ballpoint or roller ball pen. This will eventually bend the nib. And never let anyone except a fountain pen veteran, use your pen because they will also bear down on that nib.
I've also heard nibs get trained to their user, so letting someone else use it long term messes up that memory. True?
@@steffymuze Depends on how "long" long term means. The iridium alloy points on modern pens are very robust and would take a considerable amount of use to impact the performance of the nib. Maybe in the days when steel nibs were in use, this idea that another hand may undue yours on that nib, might have been accurate.
@Rudy D Thank you 😊 I really appreciate the thoughtful response. I'd read this just recently too. Very interesting.
A nice benefit: improve your ability to focus simply by avoiding the constant interruptions of digital media; use it to work or simply think things through. With their ability to glide on (decent) paper fountain pens get out of the way of jotting down our thoughts, while ballpoint pens require a conscious effort to drag them across paper.
A few years ago a started making a few pens as gifts and made a fountain pen as well. I couldn't believe how different it was to write with. How smooth, how flowing and it made everything thing i wrote feel more personal. Plus the comments and conversations i get when i pull it out to start writing. I wish i would have discovered years ago!
I like how you mentioned Nib Meisters! They really can turn your fountain pen in an amazing customized experience. Since I found out that they can even soften the nib, change the line (to such as italic, stub, architect, etc.), I had almost all my pens modified by a nib meister. The best ones I know in Europe are Anabelle and also Philipp Landsiedel from Landsiedel Fine Writing. Phillip is a former Montblanc engineer and really knows his stuff. To me he is THE ultimate nib meister who also modifies my most expensive pens. A bit pricy, but worth every penny. There used to be this guy in the U.S., Richard Binder, who is also great. But I think he stopped grinding nibs.
A past acquaintance of mine always wrote with fountain pens. She tried and tried to get me to use them but I was too impatient. She wrote every day; practiced every morning for 15-20 minutes. Handwriting/penmanship was her craft, her passion, her joy.
Use Blotter Paper! I write with multiple fountain pens daily. Each a different color. I keep a sheet of blotter paper on the page I’m using. Also: clean pens regularly with distilled water. Dry/clean the caps with a cotton swab.
Check out left handers writing backwards like Da Vinci. The blotter paper soaks up a mirror copy...
Oh no! Blotting paper forcibly dries the ink so you don't get any sheen appearing. Sheen is highly valued by many FP users and comes in many colours.
@@blackletter2591 While I agree in general...I write on the go in small notebooks. Sometimes it's too cold for the ink to dry hence blotting paper.
Two comments:
I have a Parker with a rubber bladder instead of the screw type (piston) refillable cartridge. This is opposed to the old school bladder where you pull up in the pocket clip to fill a bladder.
Be careful bringing filled pens on an airplane, the drop in air pressure can cause them to leak (the air inside the cartridge will expand and can force out some ink)
I like the Frères Baruda fountain pens because of their titanium nib which has the flexibility between the golden and steel nibs...thanks for your advises!
I'm a fountain pen guy. Good video. One thing about NIBs: even though many companies don't make their own NIBs, the companies putting out good quality pens will fine tune the NIBs to their specifications. And you can tell a huge difference in a fine tuned NIB.
And excellent beginners guide, you have covered a lot in just under 12 minutes. Love your relaxed and lighthearted style.
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for the in-depth review. I totally agree with your sentiment about fountain pens being lots of fun. In fact, while I have some expensive ones in my collection, I thoroughly enjoy my less expensive ones very much.
absolutely! I have a cheap Amazon Basics fountain pen that I really enjoy as well. If I handed to someone, I doubt they would guess it's $8. 😁
About 30 yrs ago, I used copy paper to pencil trace pictures of various complexity. Then I found a beginner's calligraphy set(a stylus and various different nibs) Not knowing anything about what I was doing, I only knew about India Ink. I got several colors, and color outlined my tracings and found a great hobby.Life and work and family happened, and i forgot about my wonderful hobby that brought me such great satisfaction and relaxation.
Finding your channel today brought back all these great memories of hours tracing and coloring them after!!
Thanks so very much!! Now I'm off to find me another set of stylus and squibs!!
Well done. You covered many points. Old-school pens were dipped in inkwells. More recent old-school pens (like from the 1960's) had a lever that would draw ink from an inkwell into a small storage container in the pen.
I’ve been using fountain pens for many years. It’s my opinion when you get into pens over $100, you should only use high quality ink from known manufacturers to protect your investment.
Nice video! You somehow managed to get in most of the major points. I’ve always liked how the writing looks and the different shading (and sheening) depending on the ink. There is another fill system out there called ‘piston fill’ which I prefer. Also, you can buy glass dip pens when using shimmer inks as they can sometimes be a pain to clean afterwards. The shimmer inks are great for special occasion writing and when using the glass pens you can swap inks really easily.
Thank you for watching!
also: vacuum filling mechanisms
Eyedroppering is for pens with no metal parts in the barrel or cap. Messy is fun! Great video, I am a pen expert and you covered lots of great info..permanent inks are great for artists, like urban sketchers.. btw..
What a fascinating and interesting review. Well done Mr. Daver. Thanks for introducing me to something new and unique!
Thank you for watching!
My husband and I went down the rabbit hole while working from home these last 2.5+ years. I started with a Metropolitan from Amazon, but after watching videos from Goulet, Goldspot, Figboot and Pens and Tea, to name a few, I’ve personally purchased over 60 pens including Twsbi’s, Pilots, Sailors, Pelikans, Benus and just today-a Visconti Homo Sapiens Demo Stones Sapphire. I wouldn’t have sank thousands of dollars into the hobby without all the wonderful UA-cam videos. It’s like waiting for my favorite tv show to come on and Brian, Drew and Carrie are my real-friends. The podcast made me do it!
I enjoyed your video, a great prep class that I wish I’d seen back in 2020. As Tom from Goldspot would say … Stay Inky!
Well done. Covered all of the major points to help a newby up the learning curve.
Decided to skim this video years after regularly using a fountain pen and this is an amazing resource. You hit all the major things that are spread though multiple videos with other content creators. 👍🏼👍🏼
Thank you!
I love writing with a fountain pen. they are fun to write with, I also enjoy making my own ink, but enjoy store bought as well. It is really fun to restore and write with a vintage fountain pen.
Just something special about a pen that is 70, 80, 100 years old and writing just like it did when it was new. Another thing I have noticed, is that if you write often with a fountain pen, your handwriting seems to automatically improve.
Nib-meisters also offer custom grinds in all different shapes that get all different types of lines. They’re not just for fixing scratchy nibs!!
This is my rabbit hole. I love me a unique nib!
The old pens had 'bladders' - a soft bag with a metal spring action to suck up the ink. Before plastic cartridges and converters
You could also use the metal spring to squirt the ink at someone...
Guiltily staring at the calligraphy 'set' being too ignorant of procedure, and having spent much of my schooling festooned with ink stains and the left-handed complications, you've given me the heart to brave the scribes' passion one more time. Thanks for this great information!💐
haha! Thank you!
@@BeastMadeReviews So far, I am attempting to distinguish the I from the J, and though I spent some time with it, managing to smudge like a good boy, I found that consistency is apparently not a quality I've honed yet. More like variations on a theme - yes, we can tell that it is a 'J' in all twenty-three cases! Soldiering on, though, in the trenches...😵💫
Great video, Dave! Spot on. Wish I could have watched this before I started.
this is an excellent introductory video, very well made and into the point 👌
I. Recently rediscovered a pair of Parker fountain pens (cartridge type) which I lost years ago. With new, black ink cartridges they worked straight away. I now find that I can actually read what I wrote with them! Much more pleasant to use than ballpoints or even gel pens. Thanks for your excellent summary.
🎉I'm so glad you said FUN FUN FUN. I've just ordered my first fountain pen the other day, so excited about waiting for the mail of it coming. I guess it's a most basic of basics, I've always love parker pen's, so that's what I got myself, a parker fountain 😊 thanks for your great fun info.
I really appreciate this video...I teach in a Waldorf school and when things go sideways with children and their fountain pen, there is precious little time to figure out what the heck is wrong....and I dreaded using them with incomplete understanding. This video was particularly helpful!
Glad to help! I hope this is able to get their pens working quickly!
Fountian pens are a unique writing experience. They can also be a fashion and power statement. When you pick up the tab at a restaurant and decline to use the cheap ballpoint that the server brings is a perfect time to discreetly pull your fountain out of your pocket and sign the bill. Servers will remember you by most generous gratuity and your pen.
You nailed the fun and the issues really well for those just starting with fountain pens. Thanks for remembering the paper - too often overlooked, and a big problem in the US where so many domestic papers are unsuitable. Notable exceptions, though!
thanks for watching!
There are several professions which routinely use fountain pens. Writers, Attorneys, people who routinely keep journals. Never use india ink in your fountain pen. You can buy quick drying ink which will dry in less than 2 sec.
I learned more in your video than a hundred others I’ve watched. Thank you! New subscriber.
Thank you!
Due to the letters I received from different friends, all of whom used fountain pens and wrote using various blue inks, I went on a quest of discovery, a quest to find the perfect blue ink.
At one point in time I had over 60 different blue inks in bottles and at least another 15-20 samples. Yes I know, utter madness. But I didn't plan on having that many blue inks, and never expected to buy so many.
What did I learn? Well it took me about 3-4 years to understand there is no perfect blue, in fact a perfect blue isn't universally perfect. You can find a perfect blue, but it's like cooking, there are ingredients that create a perfect dish, change one and you've changed the dish.
Some ingredients: pen, nib size/style/flexibility, flow rate, temperature, humidity, paper, paper colour, paper weight, pigment saturation, light conditions, ink manufacturer, ink shade, line spacing, lined paper/blank paper, paper smoothness, ink shading, lined paper colour (the line colour) they all change the overall result when writing.
I no longer chase new inks, I have 14 different inks, yes more blues than anything else, but it's across the range of colour, almost black ranging to a tropical sea blue. I find I return to a nice green, it's less formal than blue, but if you want a WOW! ink for writing to friends, Noodler's Habanero is an amazing colour!
As for pens themselves, I wish I'd realized earlier that giving money to a nibmeister to make a pen perfect for you is far more cost effective than buying new pen after new pen hoping to find something that is perfect.
My 3rd ever pen cost me £10 ($13), second hand, I paid £20 to have the medium steel nib ground to a cursive italic, with the edges smoothed, it's now my most regular "go-to" pen.
I have Pelikans, MBs, and other beautiful pens, but I've used my cheap pen for years and used it for many miles of ink. I know it's feel in my hand, it's sweet spot, when the ink is getting low, when it likes an ink and paper, it's an old friend I turn to because I can trust him.
Thank you for sharing your understanding of this particular sliver of a very large and intricate pie, this is incredibly insightful, I am very very new to fountain pens although ive been intrigued by them for quite a while i was or lest i thought, was to busy to hop into the world of fountain pens and calligraphy. But any information even if it is advanced or expert level knowledge is helpful to those of us that are new to it all. as well as being just plain interesting to peek into the mind and see the level of intricacy someone who is also fascinated by knowledge and at a deep level of understanding. It seems like alot of the time this knowledge or these types of thoughts don't get to see the light to often. most people don't bother to spend the time to write out or even type out there thoughts for other people to learn from without wanting some sort of payment. I know its seems like it was such a small thing and would probably go unnoticed by most. but for people like me your insight is very valuable and thought provoking. I really appreciate your time and experience with this topic and for sharing decent genuine thoughts instead of insulting the English language. Thank You & Piece
@@b-rad7708 thank you for the reply to my comments.
I've been using fountain pens as my writing instrument of choice for about 20 years now, it really is a huge subject to learn about.
Fountain pens are the definition of old technology, so instead of looking for modern solutions, I focused on old solutions. My reasoning behind that decision: 100 years ago people used fountain pens because they were easier, less messy, etc. than dip pens, but people were also poor, so they only had 1 pen. Instead of pens as a collection, I stopped buying and tried to make the pens I had the best they could be and understand them.
Like most of us, I overindulged in the hobby, I'd bought vast quantities of ink, paper, pans and other parafanalia, to the point I wouldn't ever use what I had.
That was when I got my cheap pen ground to suit me, and how to use it. I still have far too many pens, they're beautiful objects, I've bought a few more over the years, but nothing new for 7 years. I rarely buy ink now, only if I find a colour that appeals to me, and I'm working through my paper hoard!
My best advice would be to buy perhaps 6-10 different cheap pens to find out what you like, then 1 or 2 more expensive pens, pay a good professional for his time and get them modified to suit you. Then spend lots of time using them, it will save you potentially a huge amount of money.
I agree with you about the sharing of information on the internet, it can be frustrating when, knowledge gained from experience is sold rather than shared.
As for a brief insight versus detail, the act of using a fountain pen requires so much planning, time, patience and attention to detail compared to a computer keyboard, I think if anyone doesn't share details, they don't appreciate why fountain pens are such a valuable writing tool.
I hope you enjoy using your pens for many years. I would advise you not to get obsessed with them, but it would be poor advice, obsession drives our passion, and passion drives our persuit of excellence.
Good luck and stay safe.
I love the feel of the fountain pen. I'm new to them, but had been introduced back in 5 grade. I didn't buy one again till 40s. Now I'm looking for the right paper for my Lamy and Faber Castel.
Great video thanks! I have used fountain pens on and off for many years and have noticed so many of these effects without knowing why they happen. So helpful.
You're very welcome!
I am a fountain pen enthusiast and, though I do not consider myself a "collector", I now have over 50 of them in my "collection". Very good, fast-paced review. This is my first "visit" but not my last. My primary interest lies in calligraphy. In my opinion, "pointed pens" are typically the most versatile and, as one's skill improves, produce the most satisfying results but are definitely "labour intensive".
My mom's Sheaffer calligraphy set fascinated me when I was a kid. I never got up the courage to try it myself, but I loved the variety of nibs and ink cartridges it came with.
Great job, David! I've just entered the rabbit hole and your review is so comforting; you sketched it all out for me. There is so much to consider! I'm hoping to use the pens and inks for art projects. I've seen good inks spread wonderful variations on slick papers and that aspect has hooked me. Sometimes I feel like my investment in good pens doesn't apply, but I also like the pen part. And your introduction is encouraging. Thank you! Dan
I’m sure someone else has mentioned this, but one ink system you overlooked is the permanent piston style like in the larger Montblanc Meisterstuck 149. Also a fun pen to look for is the Pilot or Namiki retractable point pen. This is similar to a click action ball point pen. A good different pen for your collection. Great informative video.
I enjoyed your video. I also learned something new from one of your resource links to the right I don’t remember you mentioning. The size of nibs is different from the width/type of tip. This is referring to the nib overall length. A #6 is the longest but the most common is #5. This impacts those who hold the pen higher vs lower in their grip. They said it much butter than I have. I highly encourage you all to check the resources out. Very enlightening for me. Thanks!
Amazing video! Thanks for sharing!
Cheers from Brazil!
I write daily in journal with a fountain pen. My love for these archaic writing instruments dates back to the late 1970's when I found an old Parker that belonged to my mother. I had no idea of how to take care of it and it finally died on me. However, I have learned many things since then and now use proper ink and paper. I also write letters to my friends and family using both good stationery and proper ink. By the way, a very good introduction to the dark art of handwriting with a fountain pen.
So nice you've discovered fountain pen world. I'm 52, I love writing with fountain pen but it's something rather natural for me because when I went to school, it was OBLIGATORY to write with such device from the 1st to the 3rd grade. As it gets to wetting/drying time of ink on the paper problem, we used special tissue sheets in our notebooks. Keep enjoying writing with this fantastic tool!
Excellent introductory survey! I wish someone had told me these things when I got started many years ago...
Very informative; I'm glad I watched before getting my pen ready to go. Thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Exceptional presentation. Really enjoyed your discussion. You are right, a lot to this topic. You encapsulated the many key points very well.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice job!!! Ive seen most of the FP reviewers and sellers videos, and few have as comprehensive a review of everything you need to know to get started in FPs in one video. You got most of it. Fountain pens are such an intimate experience as you get to make every step of the process from pen, to paper, to ink your own. If you are new to FPs, enjoy!!!
I appreciate that!
After messing around with fountain pens, now I have polar opposite preferences with my nibs. Either I am using EF nib with feedback or something close to BB nib with juicy ink flow.
First inks can be quite a game changer. If you have a quite reliable ink which is not harmful for the nib/feed then bingo. My suggestion will be go for Sailor Kiwa Guro, Sei Boku or Pelikan 4001 Blue Black, R&K Salix etc. These inks are really well performing even on regular copy papers, don’t feather or bleed.
An excellent and useful video. Full stop. You were able to synthesize every important aspect of a fountain pen and its use. Not only for beginner's, let me say. So, whenever someone asks me about these instruments I will recommend your video! Congrats!
Thank you!
I recently got into fountain pens and I find I like the puzzle of it. You laid out the variety of pieces quite well. A few I di not yet realize.
Nice video! Love Noodler's Bulletproof Black, even with all the super cool and interesting colors around a trusty black ink that will work on any paper is always valuable.
yeah it's still one of my favorite black inks!
Great job in encompassing all the fpen life.
I had a decent fountain pen that I stopped using a long time ago. About a year ago I decided to use it again, but my brother saw it and tried it, and he loved it so much, I gave it to him. I think me deciding to use it was actually because it was looking for a new person to love it ❤
Thank you - love fountain pens but know so little about them - this helps 🙏
Very solid intro video, definitely would have liked to know all of this when I started digging into the rabbit hole some 3+ years ago. I'm in so deep now XD
Good video. One note I have is that stub, italic, etc. aren't tip sizes, they're tip shapes which can come on factory nibs or can be ground by a nibmeister.
Great video 😄 really wish I could have seen it last year when I started getting into this hobby
Thanks for watching!
Wow, that was a lot of info in a relatively short period of time. Great coverage in each area. The rabbit hole is what I worn people about all the time.
This was cool to learn, I inherited a mont blanc vintage woolf and i have no idea about this stuff. I found some cheap ink and started using it. Fell in love and i want to learn on the tuning and cleaning. It feels rougher than it probably should
Glad it was helpful! Congrats on the pen! I bet it's a beauty! For a Montblanc I would definitely recommend looking up a nibmeister to help with tuning it up. That's a pricey pen that you would hate to mess up.
I have a Montblanc, too. Don't use "cheap" ink, it'll clog the pen. I've used Parker and Waterman ink brands and they seem to work nicely. You'll probably be paying around $15 or more for a bottle. Worth it.
Thank you for such in-depth information. I've had fountain pens for years but never used them.
My daughter wanted Montblanc fountain pen. Very pricey so I bought a used one. I cleaned it, polished it, cleaned the nib and tried writing with it. That was the start of a love affair which involves buying scratched, damaged pens and restoring them. I wanted to sell them and make some profit but I just cannot part with this 'family' with all their different characters. I am now a "Monte Rosa" junky.
Love the Monterosa and 3-42G, student pens back in their days, cheaper than Montblanc's flagships, but 95% of the same quality. Hard to beat.
Great point about fine tuning. No matter what the price point, you can get nibs that are fantastic, or not great. But if you know what you’re doing, almost any nib can be amazing.
Bravo !!!! Excellently done !!!! Best introduction I've seen till date !!!!! 👍👍
Thanks! 😃
A great beginner's guide yo pens. Very comprehensive. Bravo 👏🏼
Thanks for watching!