Advice For New Fountain Pen Buyers
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- I thought I'd discuss some advice for new fountain pen buyers
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Never apologize for what you like and want, is OK to be different :).
Start small and go from there...
About 40 years ago when the wine craze was just beginning here in the U.S. I was fortunate enough to encounter a merchant who gave me advice I have always considered one of the best bits of advice I've ever gotten. He asked if I knew what made for a good bottle of wine. I ventured a guess or 2 based on the bit of study I'd done. He listened patiently and told me each guess was good but wrong. Then he explained that a bottle is good if I like the way it tastes. Further, he advised I should count my blessings if a $2.00 ($20.00 today adjusted for inflation) bottle tasted as good to me as a $20.00 ($200.00 adjusted for inflation) bottle. In that way I could afford to enjoy much more wine. Having been a fountain pen hobbyist for several years now and possessing around 35 pens, I think the same principle applies here. As with wine, it is also the case with FPs nowadays that the amount of competition in the market has been a boon to purchasers. There must be at least several pens on the market that will be "right" for anyone. And it is lots of fun looking for them and finding great values. At least it is for me. I enjoy variety, too, so it is great to be able to afford a nice number of pens that don't break the bank. While I have a few pens that cost more than $150.00, most are well under $100.00. Of course, as you note, the best way to put these principles into practice is to go to places where one can try different pens and figure out what makes for a "good pen." Once one does that, there is less risk in purchasing on-line.
One other piece of advice I would convey to first time purchasers is that the nib is the part of the pen that will most affect the writing experience. Accordingly, I would try to steer a first time purchaser to a pen that allows changing nibs easily--the Safari or an Eco, for example. By experimenting with several types, one can more likely choose the right nib when ready to purchase more expensive pens.
A person used to using a BiC, which is 19¢, or free at work, might not think $25 is affordable for one pen. That's half of why I advise new users to buy a $3 Pilot Varsity. If you can't afford it, go back to your BiC, come back later when you can afford it.
The other reason I advise a Varsity, is that there is no issue of filling systems. Every filling system is a fussy bother and less affordable. And they all result in a pen ready to write, which the Varsity already is. So, try out a disposable fountain pen like a Varsity to see if you like writing with liquid ink through a nib. No reason to deal with ANY filling system if you don't like the writing experience.
For those who prefer avoiding disposable products, get yourself a pen for
Also, you can convert a Varsity to an eyedropper pen (plenty of instructions online, I think Jetpens did a video on it too). Doing that will make you a more knowledgable fountain pen user (and give you street cred!).
My advice would be two main things. Keep it simple and complete. Simple function fountain pens and whatever you suggest make sure it is a complete package. Example don't have a new user have to chase down converters / ink just to try it so Pilot Varsity type pens would be my first casual interest person to try first. Simple and complete.
Very solid advise and pen
One really true pointer from Stephen is that choose nib size based on your handwriting size.
A piece of advice I want to give: do not worry about buying to much pens. If you are new, you are developing your taste for which brands, materials and line widths you like. It is OK to have many pens in the beginning, and after a year or two to keep only the pens you really like and use regularly.
Be sensible about buying though, especially in the beginning you will be attracted to new, shiny models and colours. Try to work through with yourself why you really want a pen, if you are going to use it, etc. That aside, having multiple pens is not bad, as long as they all get some use (you can rotate your selection of inked up pens every once a while).
Don't be afraid to ask questions! No question is silly or stupid. And in a lot of area's regarding fountain pens (maintenance, cleaning,..) being safe is better than sorry, so ask away!
My advice would be this:
1. Start slow, and actually use the pens you have. I didn't do this, and I wish I had done that before accumulating too many.
2. It's more fun to mess with ink than it is to mess with pens in my opinion. The same is true for paper. A pen that doesn't work well on your everyday paper will probably work really well on Rhodia, Clairefontaine, or Tomoe River.
3. I'm a big fan of pens on which you can exchange the nib. You can get a feel for different nib sizes on a single pen without breaking the bank.
4. Fountain pens may not be for you (rare), so don't splurge on the fancy stuff, until you know how pens work. It may be hard to understand what makes a ≥US$100 pen worth it without experience.
I count myself among the few lucky ones. In 30 years writing professionally, I’ve found that my needs for a fountain pen have been met with “entry level” pens, and my preference and needs at the top end has been fully satisfied by a $50 Pilot Prera. (I don’t write performatively- it’s the words that ultimately count, not the style in my journey.) The advantage here is that my savings on my nonexistent pen budget has gone toward quality paper and an exploration of inks.
You could be my twin with those remarks.👍
@@rztour - it’s comforting to hear I’m not a complete freak… or at least not alone in that state. Thanks for sharing!
I got into fountain pens about 6 years ago, I've bought many pens but none that were more than $150, so I'm definitely on the poorer side of the fountain pen world. 😂 my advice though to any newbie is that sometimes you might get a nib that needs some adjustment. My brother just recently bought a new pen, it was roughly $200 so more expensive than my pens, but his nice pen's nib was over polished from the factory and needed to be ran over some micro mesh to get it to write without skipping almost every other letter.
Either way, welcome new fountain pen people!
Fountain pens can be awesome and you definitely don't need to break the bank to have a very enjoyable pen!
sometimes the factory coats the nibs in a light coating of oil thats why most of the fountain pens tell you to wash out the pen before using it for the first time :)
All sound advice. My top tip would be to watch a few YT videos, such as this one, or like Goulet's latest on best pens under 25USD. Get a decent pen, get some decent paper (eg Red & Black), and a fairly normal inexpensive ink, such as a Diamine Blue. Yes, absolutely join up to groups like FPN or FPUK, and never feel afraid to ask advice. Though we all pretend to be snobs, most of us have a cheap Chinese workhorse pen, and even a ballpoint in the drawer. Try it. Get to know your pen, make a note of what you like and don't like, and plan for your next pen. There will always be a next pen 😆
And yes, read books. There are some available for silly prices on eBay, but I've bagged some serious bargains! Author names to look for are Twydle, as mentioned, Lambrou, Steinberg, Binder and Geyer.
I'd say people need to take it slow. It takes experience to tell whether a fountain pen really works for you or not. Does the feed hold up for the type of writing that you do (many don't!)? Doe the material/geometry of the nib reduce stress for the type of writing style you have? People have written novels and theses with humble Preppies and Safaris, because they ended up being ideal for the type of things they do. And that's fine.
Also - I think many fountain pens hit a plateau in price-to-quality affinity around $100~$150 USD mark. That is, $100 fountain pen is likely to be better built than a $5 fountain pen. $500 fountain pen might not be better manufactured than a $100 fountain pen, and you're paying the difference for marketing, rarer material and artistic quality of the model. Which is also fine, but not what you might be looking for.
My advice is don't give up. I struggled with FPs for years. I finally realised the problem was the grip. I write by hand a lot and hold my pen near the page. I bought different types of cheap pens online (because I live on an island in the North Sea) and found that the Parker 51 style nib suits me perfectly.
1) Many of the fountain pens you come across in stationery shops have a medium nib and the resulting line might be too wide for you (I know it was for me). But fountain pen nibs come in different line widths, so try getting hold of one with a fine nib (or by something like a Lamy Safari and a replacement nib, if you can't get hold of one directly). 2) Some fountain pen ink feathers on more absorbent writing paper - don't give up straight away if you have this problem, there is loads of help to be had online. 3) When you write with a fountain pen and your letters end up darker at the bottoms, that's called "shading" and that's actually both normal and a desired-by-many feature of certain inks. Your pen is not broken. :)
The medium nib is the best introduction to the casual ballpoint pen crowd. A Safari Medium doesn't produce an end result much different from e.g. a BIC crystal or a classic Parker. I get that some more serious writers go deeper into the rabbit hole (heck even the non-fountain pens have a quite significant rabbit hole, even if you just want to focus on PargerG2 refill ones or just come across the Japanese endless options). But for the totally amateur crowd of "wow, I 'll get to write with a fountain pen now!!!111one", the Lamys and the Metropolitans of this world are a very decent bang-for-the-buck introduction. If the person who gets into the hobby wants to go just a tad serious, they will look up what they are seeking or ask around in a more specialized shop / bookstore / stationery shop and they will get to the fines and the softs and the stubs and their wallets will cry in desperation. And if they get *really* serious they will teach their children to love fountain pens so their children will never have money for drugs :)
@@PhilipAlexanderHassialis If medium nibs work for you, then great! For me, who doesn’t have terribly small handwriting, fountain pens were something that I wanted to like and use, but couldn’t use for everyday writing because the line was just too wide. It wasn’t until I realised that fountain pens came in different nib widths and I got myself a Fine nib that I actually started getting into fountain pens (having had a few for over a decade at that point). The internet turned out to be full of information that I’d never just thought to look for before that.
@@sararassner Sure, everyone has their preference. It's just that the "medium" is aiming squarely at the center of the bell curve of potential users, a "works for most people" thing - and this is something you have to consider when you are trying to get someone into the fold.
There is so much information to be absorbed: take your time, do not feel overwhelmed, and enjoy the ride.
I lived in Germany (I'm a USA National) for a period of time in the 1990's; Every business person there carried an expensive Montblanc or Pelican (although most of them used much less expensive pens as their every day writer). I adopted this behavior (I was the European business development manager for a scientific instrument company, so I needed to "fit in" with my customers); I purchased a Montblanc 149 (which I rarely used, but was great "eye candy" when placed on a conference table on top of a writing pad) and a Lamy Safari (which is still in my rotation 30 years later, and has never skipped a beat)... YMMV
Love the fact that you “rarely used” your 149. That’s a testament to what I feel the focus should be on: your writing experience. “Eye candy” I get. But enjoy your use of the instrument first and foremost.
What's really hard is when someone on a forum who knows less than nothing comes in asking for advice which they then summarily reject no matter how clear and informed.
My personal hobby horse is to crusade against ever recommending Safari (or AL) to a beginner. The grip, the ridiculously inconsistent nibs, the difficulty in cleaning all make it arguably the worst first pen. They are, however, testament to the powers of hype and market penetration.
As always, thank you for a corrective to the feverish push for acquisition that seems to infect many in the pen community.
My suggestion to a friend was to not go for the cheapest (because to me they really do feel cheap, like Pilot Varsity).
In October last year I got my first fountain pen and ink, the Pilot Kakuno and Pelikan 4001 Turquoise. Now six months, and several purchases (some good, some bad) later, I got my first gold nib pen, a Pilot Custom 74 with a soft medium nib. It's been a good time!
I ALWAYS wanted to get a fountain pen to see if I’d like it. So I bought a set of Pilot Varsity disposables (I think they come with a medium nib). They were fun to use and THAT was how it started for me-a set of 3, black, blue and purple for around $8.
Respectfully, one can always browse the internet and get a feel for what’s out there in the calm of their home, accepting or not accepting what they read; but I would probably stay away from pen shows. What’s most important with a person’s first experience is seeing whether or not they even LIKE using a fountain pen.
My first experience with anyone knowledgeable was in the Fountain Pen Hospital in NYC. And conveying my naïveté, they were kind enough to sell me a Lamy Safari, and a Conklin Duragraph with some cartridges. I left the store having spent around $100 feeling like a big shot. Interesting to think but maybe box stores (of all places) have a vested interest in NOT being pushy and overselling.
Great advise from your video and the comments. My two cents is to add to Stephen’s point to consider the intended purpose: factor in the paper you are using when choosing the best nib size for you. Finer nibs are more forgiving of regular office paper and keep your writing legible.
This video is full of sound advice.
My best advice is: Unless you want them for display only (which some people do), a fountain pen is just a pen. They feel special to write with, compared to a ballpoint, but they are objects that make lines on paper. There is no magic; One doesn't need to write in cursive or have this or that expensive paper. They will not automatically make you have better handwriting.
But if you like to make lines on paper, and are even the slightest curious, then, like stated in the video, trying a fountain pen is a good idea. The magic to be had is to find the little things that just feel right. Getting to fill a pen instead of throwing away that Bic and getting new ones. Getting to use ink colours not easily found in other pens. Finding that nib with just the perfect amount of feedback for ones handwriting and paper. The list goes on, but is very subjective.
Nice video Stephen!
I would personally advise going simple and reliable first, just to be able to easily experience what it is like to write with a fountain pen. Different nib sizes can be tried etc. Pens that use cartridges and converters are great since one can start using cartridges and if enthused, then move on to trying bottled ink. I would suggest entry level type pens, i.e., below $30 until certain that one is serious. My second advice is that if functionality and just the basic writing experience is all that is important, then the law of diminishing returns can be particularly brutal with fountain pens in that you can have a fundamentally very good writing experience using entry level pens. It's literally not much different than watches. Very affordable watches will tell the time just like a very expensive watch, if that's all that you're interested in. However, if you wish to explore a more nuanced experience and luxury, then by all means enjoy. I strongly agree with not succumbing to peer pressure (speaking from experience) and instead, trusting your own experience, your own preferences and your own value judgements since they are all subjective. At the same time, reading widely and watching videos will get you informed about what is available. When starting out, you may have starting ideas about what you want. However, you will not know what you really want unless you are well acquainted with what's available.
My advice includes three main points:
1. Decide what makes you interested in fountain pens and explore that. For example, I liked that I had more choices of the size (width/girth) of my own and decided to see what I preferred to hold. I now know that if the pen's grip section is below 9mm, I will probably find it uncomfortable. Along my journey of exploring this, I explored nib sizes as well.
2. Budget. It's easy to get carried away with what pen you want next or what grail pens you want. Budgeting will prevent you from getting yourself in a financial hole.
3. Find a community or resources that can provide you with reliable information. As Stephen mentioned, Goulet Pens has a great CZcams presence and covers a lot of different aspects of this hobby. They touch on ink and paper and how these impact pens as well as filling systems, cleaning, and other tips. There are online communities that are great as well as local communities. Explore these as well for the potential to get advice, try pens before you buy, and share experiences.
Don't go on buying sprees. Use what you have and think about what you're still curious about, then try or buy that and repeat the process if necessary. It's like eating; if you eat slowly, you might find you're satisfied with less than you thought when you were just blindly stuffing things into your face. And you might even start to notice things about your meal you would've missed out on.
My fountain pens are only used for art which is a bit different from everyday writing so my thoughts are… If you want to create “pen and wash” (fountain pen with watercolour over the top) then you need to use fountain pen safe waterproof ink (De Atramentis document inks, Platinum carbon black, Rohrer & Klingner SketchInk etc). A broad nib that writes well upside down is usually great for drawing…you get 2 line weights for the price of one pen - fine line (upside down) and thick line (normal side) - different line weights add interest to the drawing. Type of paper - smooth vs rough give different effects. A basic fountain pen (TWSBI Eco or Lamy Safari are both great starter pens) or old school dip pen…really depends what effect you want to achieve
If you can test out a pen before you buy it, that would be ideal. Start with something inexpensive so you won't feel too bad if you decide you don't like fountain pens. But make sure it writes in every direction. Make sure it doesn't skip when you do loops with it. That way, you have a good baseline from which your future pen purchases can be judged.
My first fountain pen was a Lamy Studio gifted to me. I really enjoyed the option of swappable nibs and bought a few nibs to see which one I preferred. EF, Broad and Stub along with the initial M. It allowed me to relatively cheaply tryout a wide variety of sizes. Other than that I would just echo what you say by figure out what qualities you personally like. Once you do that look for reviewers that have similar taste or one that qualifies their reviews. For example I personally prefer converter pens because I like switching inks very often and I find them easier to clean.
Good advice on the video. I second the calls to watch lots of videos, especially those geared to the new user. Stick with big name brand pens to start with as well. Examples are Pilot and Lamy, just to name two. There are lots of great inexpensive pens out there. Have fun and enjoy the fountain pen journey.
I got into fountain pens because I love color and sparkle and that's what I've bought. I've been fortunate in that they've all been good writers. Now I'm thinking about getting a few metal body and vintage pens; expanding my repertoire in a way. So thats an interesting thing about fountain pens; there's always something new to learn about.
While you may have a budget, do not cheap out. Any pen is going to be more expensive than a cheap ballpoint or rollerball. I like starting with something like a Waterman or Lamy or Jinhao. Spot on as always. You mention the Pilot Metropolitan but I have issues with it because the grip is sharp (threads).
Nicely Done Doc, as always.
Very good advice. Spot on! Enjoyed the video.
Any working fountain pen is better than ballpoint. If you keep that in perspective, its hard to make bad purchase. If you keep that perspective, you are already winning. But really - figure out your deal breakers and prioritize them and then make sure your pen purchase has prioritized those feature so you don't regret the purchase.
Excellent, Stephen!
I have one advise: Enjoy!
This is great advice! And the ride, the process of learning what things are, how the work, what you can do with them, what you like and who lives in this world (so many absolutely lovely people) is SO MUCH FUN!
I've only been in the fountain pen world for 3 years, but I've learned that brand and price has very little to do with what I like.
I have 2 expensive Montblancs because "I should" have at least one. But honestly, my very favourite pen is a Kaweco Sport! It just writes so right for me, and I seem to gravitate towards smaller pens. I love how a tiny Sport feels in my hand. My Montblanc feels too big, and it has an impressive babysbottom. My Sport wrote perfectly out of the box.
I'm not a collector, I'm a user. And if it's a great writer, then price and brand isn't all that important.
Figure out what kind of ballpoints and rollerball pens types bodies you like. Than start a limiting the fountain pens that a lines with the what you need and want. If you do have the option to try out the fountain pen that your eyeing don't second guess and try it.
Great video. I'll think a Pilot Varsity, or Lamy Safari are great choices. I'd add a Platinum Plasir. Low cost (may be lower than either of the former pens), have a choice of two nib sizes, and it has the simple but very useful feature of having a cap that seals, so the nib doesn't dry out. One of the bits that cause someone coming to the pens to find a reason to just give up on them.
For people to whom a pen is like a fork, these are really good forks. After you've gotten used to having the pen to just work, and having the writing experience (smooth, not requiring the pen to be pushed hard into the paper, being able to choose ink color, being able to choose ink properties, like being archival, etc. etc.) then you have an idea of at least what the fun of these are.
As someone who's got way too many pens (ask my wife), I still have these in my usual "filled" category. And with the cap sealing, they work beautifully when I grab them to put them into service. One sits always available with "Heart of Darkness" ink, as a means to make a permanent, readable message on whatever.
But really great video.
Great Video.
Give yourself times to bond with your new pens. Start slow and think about what you want. Watch a lot of videos and do your research and distill the informations and understand the contradictions between sources of advice and information. Have fun.
Good advice as always. In many ways this is the golden age of FPS. CZcams has revolutionized hobby research ( & many things). When I started well over 30 years ago, info sources were more limited so I ended up with a lot of gold nibs & eschewed steel nibs - big mistake!
In my book the Pelikan M20X series is the best for beginners who decided they like fountain pens. Sure it costs about 5 times a Lamy Safari but it comes with a piston, built like a tank, classic look, beautiful steel nib, and can be upgraded to a gold 400 nib/feed later on if needed. It fits almost any context and can be the ONE pen for entry level users who don't want a collection. But good luck buying just ONE Pelikan 😅
Good day to you too.
My first fountain pen is the JML classic fountain pen. Second was Lamy Safari. I prefer fine and extra fine nibs. Anyways, interesting video.
Stephen: Thanks for this most helpful video. Well done and surely useful for people just joining our pastime. Indeed, if I could only have one book on this subject it would be Mr. Twydle's book "Fountain Pens." Thanks to your advice over the last few years I have experienced many interesting pens and avoided most mistakes. Thanks for being a great resource.
Stephen, THIS is why I have so much admiration and respect for you. Great video, wise advice, from a genuinely nice and humble fellow - even if he does have a very good friend who loves hot-pink pens. ;-p
Great video. Many of the best pens for a really decent writing experience are fairly cheap. For example I have just bought a Retro 51 & it would make a pretty flawless first pen. Some stainless steel nibs are excellent and offer at least an equally pleasant writing experience compared to their gold nib counterparts. Perhaps look at various styles of handwriting online you may discover that an oblique or italic nib is best for you. Watch pen video’s, particularly if you see a pen that catches your eye and which may help you to make an informed buying decision. Finally pens like many other items such as watches and cars, are governed by the law of diminishing returns, that is after a certain price point you get comparatively little for a much greater cost. Two brands that I particularly like and offer great value for money are Gravitas and Ensso. Both small independent manufacturers offering innovative products.
Another reason to stick with inexpensive pens for a while is that you can experiment with adjusting them, swapping parts, etc., secure in the knowledge that if you do ruin the pen, you haven't lost a fortune. The knowledge you gain from that will help you know what you really want in a pen.
"The smaller the hand the finer the nib" - looks at small hands and the extremely buttery smooth Custom Heritage 92 broad nib, really now Stephen? :)
Solid advice! I suppose mine would be, if you can, try a friend's inexpensive, still on the market, and reliable pens -- and get decent paper. If you aim too low, you might be turned off by a substandard product. If you break the loaner, you can afford to replace it and learn without too much embarrassment. Don't fiddle with it over fine linen. Do be ready for inky fingers. Have fun!
I would suggest avoiding cheap Chinese pens. There is a plethora of interesting designs from China, but the quality control isn't great. I've had some great Chinese pens, but I've also had some terrible ones. If my first pen was one of these duds, I may have been turned off of the hobby entirely. You will also find that a lot of Chinese pens are, let's say "inspired", by more popular brands, which you may or may not have a problem with. Generally, I'd suggest sticking with something well-known at first. I would also do some light research in manufacturer nib sizes. A Lamy EF is much different from a Pilot EF. Also, understand that fountain pens are not necessarily calligraphy pens, and using a fountain pen will not automatically make your handwriting nicer (although you may be more conscious of your writing while using one, which can potentially help). Finally, don't get too excited by the fancy shimmering inks right away. They can be a little tricky to maintain and depend heavily on the nib and paper used. I of course encourage you to try them if that's something that excites you, just maybe keep it simple for your first bottle. My first ink was a basic Parker Quink bottle and I wouldn't have it any other way. It was cheap, and very well-behaved with all my pens. On that same note, the standard 50ml bottle will last you quite a long time, so don't feel pressured to get a lot of ink unless you want to try different colors.
If you'd like a list of some common beginner pens to research, here are some suggestions:
- Pilot: Kakuno, Metropolitan (includes converter), Explorer. These all use the same nib, which is a step up from the Varsity and Petit1.
- Lamy: Safari, Vista, Al Star, Lux. All generally the same design, just with different materials. Nibs can be swapped very easily. These all have a triangular grip section.
- TWSBI: Eco, Swipe, and Go. I have not personally tried TWSBI yet. but they are some of the most highly recommended pens on the market. The Eco (and the more expensive Diamond 580) have a piston-filling mechanism that allows for very high ink capacity. The Eco-T is the same as the Eco, but with a triangular grip.
- Kaweco: Sport and Perkeo. The Sport is a great pocket pen. Only problem is that it can only fit small ink cartridges or a small converter. Not a lot of ink capacity unless eyedroppered, but I would avoid doing that conversion too soon in your fountain pen experience (requires some extra materials and can be messy). The Perkeo is similar to the Sport in shape, but longer, allowing for bigger cartridges. I believe the Perkeo has an angled grip section. Both can use clips that are sold separately.
- Platinum: Preppy, Prefounte, Plaisir. These all essentially have the same nib and feed, but have upgraded materials respectively. The Preppy is usually ~$5, so it's definitely one of the most budget-friendly options. Like Pilot, Platinum is a Japanese brand, so their nibs generally run finer than Western brands. I personally like a fine line, but prefer my 03 Preppy over my 02.
- Other (I haven't tried these, but see them frequently): Parker Jotter, Diplomat Magnum, Pelikan Twist, PenBBS 308 (Chinese brand, but they seem to be high-quality).
For your first pen, get something cheaper (like a Platinum Preppy, Lamy Safari, Kaweco Perkeo, TWSBI Swipe) to see if you actually like fountain pens. Explore different nib sizes and grip sections, "entry level pens", to see what you like. Even if you have the funds to make a Montblanc your first pen, do you have the funds to disappointed with the nib size, the feedback, the grip section, the weight of the pen?
My suggestion would be dont fall into the cheap Chinese pen trap. Yes you get a lot of pens for a few € but they are often of bad quality and it hearts my feelings if i need to throw them away. That said i really like some chinese pens but its a hit ore miss.
My best advice would be to not buy your first fountain pen but to go to a store, where you can try out the different nib sizes and feel the weight and balance of a pen and whether or not it feels comfortable to you. And if possible, bring a more experienced friend with you, who can a) make the shop owner take you (or rather them) serious and b) prevents you from getting talked into a much more expensive pen than you came for as your first pen.
Sound advice, of course, and no reason to repeat it. I'd add a suggestion to give yourself time to learn about your new pen (no matter what it is). Don't get discouraged immediately if it doesn't write the second you pick it up, or if the ink feathers on the page. Do a little bit of research or ask someone for help. You may just need different paper, or you may need to leave more time for the ink to get into the nib. Too much ink on your fingers? Find out why. I say this because I've seen some people give up on fountain pens after 30 seconds of use. There's a lot of pleasurable writing to be had once you become familiar with writing with fountain pens. If it's not for you, that's fine, but make sure you're giving it a fair shake first. Most people in this community will be happy to help out if you run into issues, and most problems have simple fixes. Be patient with yourself and your pen.
Do not be tempted to buy many very cheap ($10 or less pens) in the belief that you are achieving value at low cost. Avoid super cheap plastic pens. Pilot, Platinum, and some Jinhaos being the exceptions. Quality over quantity.
Any advice for repairs?
By saying: "Montblanc is to impress business people" is part of enforcing an opinion/stereotype on others. My first pen was a Lamy, then Waterman (that broke after the first drop) and then I went to Pelikan M200 which I find to be a really well made pen. For the beginners it's very simple, start slow (under $100) and then go from there. Pen selection is not one of the hard decisions in life to be made.
Pelikan makes some very good budget pens.
Take your time, dont buy 10 pens in one month, you have all the time in the world. Enjoy what you have and if you have 100 eur to buy a pen dont look at 200 eur pens. You can have the best brush in the world but if you colours are crap your painting will suck. Buy good paper, use proper ink.
I once met a homeless man who asked me for advice on fountain pens. I told him if he didn't buy a Namiki Emperor with a custom nib and unique maki-e on the urushi finish then he wasn't worth a thing. He nodded gravely and said one day he'd buy that pen or maybe Twitter. And that man was Elon Musk.
My biggest advise would be buy cheaper fountain pens first to see what you like.
You will not know your tastes in pen until you use a fountain pen for hundreds of hours.
As you do this, you will figure out what you like and what could be better.
Through doing this I figured out that NOTHING on the market satisfies my particular taste.
I had to create my own pen by combining the nib and feed of one brand with the section and body of another brand.
Eric does not like hot pink. Hot pink likes him...or at least that is what he tells everyone. :)
Buy as many as you can as fast as you can.
because you never know when that special limited edition will go away
@@MissMarilynDarlingMy thoughts exactly when I purchased the Sailor Pro Gear Stellar Black Hole today! You read my mind Miss Marilyn! 😉
I'm a newbie. I'm certain that after I get a Diplomat Aero I'll never need another pen. I'll be done buying pens forever.
P.S. Like you, I would also assure a novice to the pen community that there are precious few "pen snobs" in the fountain pen community, unlike the early days of the then relatively small U.S. wine drinking community when "wine snobs" abounded. I'm not in that community now, but I understand it has become much more egalitarian, but still not to the degree of the FP community.
Mainly I learned 2 lessons the hard way: 1) Gold nibs are not better than steel nibs to the same extend as they are more expensive in price. Rather buy a high quality steel nib pen than a low class budget gold nib pen.
2) Consider shape and ergonomics of the pen. I bought many Pens with stunning design, nice nibs and high quality Materials. In the end: if the pen is to thinn, the grip is to slippery or the pen is to light… it will be sold anyways. Because you just will not use it
What’s up with Noodlers inks and pens? There seems to be some political dislike of their products. Thanks
I like them.
I have at least 7 of their pens the only fault I can find with them is that the clear ones stink because they are made of vegetal resin which is suppose to be environmentally friendly ?!? I dont know how true that is but thats what they say... if you wash them with dish soap and sprey them with your favorite perfume you'll be fine. but I LOVE NOODLERS KONRAD PENS they are wet and stiff enough you can write without any pressure to get a very fine line and with a little pressur you can make some beautiful calligraphy ish writing I have a whole course on calligraphy come check it out :)
(Disclaimer: before anyone gets triggered, I am just here to point to a source of information, not to argue about my position on the subject or anyone else’s.)
There is some controversy about the images used in a couple of their inks. There is a whole thread in the Noodler’s Instagram below an apology issued by Nathan Tardiff, the owner.
Some Noodler's Inks can stain your pen (e.g. Bay State Blue) - however these issues can generally reversed with a soak in mild bleach solution (e.g. 10% chlorine bleach / 90% water).
@@danielklopp7007 the only ink I've had actually stain the barrel beyond the normal amount of bleach you would usually use is noodler's King Phillip Requiem
Wtf is a chapette?
Other than that aberration, great video.
It's trite advice - but have fun. If a part of the pen world doesn't seem fun to you, ignore it. Not interested in ink swabs? Ignore it. Not interested in gold nibs? Ignore them. A hobby should bring joy. Sadly the pen world attracts a lot of borish, rich snobs (or those who aspire to be so). They will suck the life out of you if you let them.
Color is just color, no matter how pretty it is, you will get tired of it, in the same vain, no matter how ugly it looks at first, you’ll ignore it eventually, no color is worthy of any extra dish 😂
Your video and the posts below offer great advice! I've learned so much about fountain pens from the FPN forums, the Goulet Pens website/videos and the multitude of fountain pen users on CZcams. There's a whole lot to learn about pens, nibs, inks and writing, in general, so, for me, it seemed a no brainer to start off inexpensively. I've been writing with a fountain pen, exclusively, for 7 years, but still consider myself a newbie. I started off writing with a couple of $5.99 Jinhao X750 pens. Those were my daily writers (my job requires that I write a lot, everyday). After a couple of years of writing with the Jinhaos, I swapped out one nib for a Goulet (JoWo) Fine steel nib and that turned out to be my nib of choice. Well, it was until I discovered the Pilot Metropolitan and that has been my pen for the last three years. Now, I'm considering taking a small plunge and buying either a vintage Parker 51 or a Pilot E95S. I'm happy with the learning curve each of my pens has provided and I have little interest in learning why a $2,000.00 fountain pen is a far superior writing instrument compared to what I've been writing with. What I have been writing with have worked fine, for my purposes.