/r/fountainpens

Photograph via snooOG

/r/fountainpens - A community for fountain pen enthusiasts, from the novice to the collector.

Please join our discord server: https://discord.gg/pendemic

RULES

  1. Be civil, courteous, and respectful at all times. Insulting, mocking, or attacking other users based on age, race, gender (identity or presentation), sexual orientation, physical or mental health, occupation, or opinions about fountain pens is not allowed. Observe good Reddiquette, especially remember the human, attack ideas not people, and don't be rude, don't troll, don't spam. Do not ever submit any NSFW/NSFL content,even if marked. * Profanity is not allowed in post titles. * Do not beg for karma
  2. Stay on topic. All submissions to r/fountainpens must relate to one or more of the following: the hobby of fountain pens, the greater fountain pen community, (e.g., inks, papers, accessories, etc.), and/or the career of significant fountain pen community members, including (but not limited to) major retailers, manufacturers, and primarily fountain pen-based influencers or social media personalities.
  3. No recent reposts. If a post has been made in the past 14 days, do not make it again. Instead, use the subreddit search function before posting to make sure that it is an original post. In some situations, posting about a topic again can be appropriate if a substantial amount of time has passed, or if there are new or significant updates that warrant their own submission.
  4. AMAs and surveys must have prior approval. Before posting an AMA, please get moderator approval. You will be required to prove who you are in some way. Before posting a survey, please get moderator approval. As long as the survey is directly related to the hobby of fountain pens or its community, it will likely be approved. Single-question surveys, such as straw polls, do not need moderator approval.
  5. No transactions. Do not use r/fountainpens as a platform for any sort of transaction for money or other value. Links to a page that offer a product or service are allowed, as long as the transaction is external from the r/fountainpens platform. (NOTE: certain domains may be blocked by Reddit by default.) If you are looking to sell your pens, please go to r/Pen_Swap, our awesome sister subreddit for buying, selling, and trading pens and ink.
  6. Contests and giveaways must have prior approval. Prior approval from a moderator is required for all giveaway posts. Large giveaways or contests may be stickied with moderator approval for a maximum of seven (7) days. Small giveaways or pay-it-forward posts may also be posted on r/pen_swap.
  7. Vendors and Self-Promotion. Vendors who engage in the community with discussions are more than welcome, but vendors who only self-promote are not. For more information, see the wiki.
  8. Report button abuse. Using the report button as a "super downvote" or as a means to harass, silence, or deter other users from participating is a violation of Reddit rules. Report abuse will be flagged for admin review.
  9. Observe Reddit's sitewide rules and content policy.

Information:

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Community:

/r/fountainpens

319,644 Subscribers

4

Pelikan 4001 Violet!

This little wonder just arrived! So enjoying its rich hue.

0 Comments
2024/12/02
00:49 UTC

3

Anything good here?

Newbie. Anything good here?

4 Comments
2024/12/02
00:47 UTC

2

Visiting Tokyo next year—pen store suggestions and special edition question

Hello penabled! I would like your best penabling suggestions for a Tokyo visit next year. I’ve got a few mapped out (Ancora to get the full moon ink yes please) but I wouldn’t mind a few more.

Also, does anyone know of a website or forum that has special editions that come out? I saw (and held! Took pictures of it 1) a Pilot 912 in a sparkly white and I loooove me a flat final pen and one that’s no just black? And still with the silver trim?! Yes please!! So any info especially for Pilots is appreciated!

3 Comments
2024/12/01
23:30 UTC

0

Newbie doubts

Hello, fellow fountain pen lovers!

I have recently gotten into the hobby and I have a couple of pens already (Lamy Safari and Al star) and I have some questions regarding them. I am sure you will be able to help me!

- If I have a cartridge and I want to try another one of a different color, can I keep it and reuse it afterwards? Or once I put it in the pen, either I empty it or discard it?

- If I empty a converter and I want to try a different ink, is there a proper way to clean it or should I have a converter for each ink I want to use?

Thank you so much for your help!

1 Comment
2024/12/01
23:26 UTC

13

Ready for the new week.

Visconti Homo Sapiens Carbon Moire, Krishna Ink Pakeezah.

First inking of my new pen, bought on Fountain Pen day, which coincided with my birthday this year.

I’ve heard the nibs on the Homo Sapiens line can be hit or miss, maybe they’ve sorted that out or I got lucky, this one writes like a dream.

1 Comment
2024/12/01
23:23 UTC

36

Got my Schrodinger's Cat nib

12 Comments
2024/12/01
23:13 UTC

17

Sheaffer pen - Faries’ No 60243 Table Lamp. 1938.

0 Comments
2024/12/01
22:41 UTC

0

Lefties into Caligraphy

My mum has recently wanted to get back into calligraphy, she found her nibs, but not the pen. The set of nibs looked to be Parker vector.

I was thinking for Christmas I would buy her a new set and some nice paper. She is a leftie though… is there is anything I should hear in mind? Any advice/reccomendations for leftie calligraphers?

She wants to practise fancy writing but also general writing with it too. So a selection of nibs I guess would be good.

2 Comments
2024/12/01
22:34 UTC

3

Diplomat vintage pen set with warranty

I found this pen set that I might want to give to someone for Christmas, I have had it for a long time from when a bookstore had a liquidation sale but I have no idea what these are worth now. Do you all have any ideas? I have never used them they have just been laying in my drawer. It’s a fountain pen with gold tip and a twist pen.

0 Comments
2024/12/01
22:17 UTC

19

TWSBI ECO Smoke Rose Gold

I really enjoy this pen! I'm trying to improve my handwriting 😅

2 Comments
2024/12/01
21:57 UTC

7

Impatiently waiting for new inks

I ordered the following on Black Friday (various websites) and I’m chomping at the bit for them to arrive. Most of them haven’t even shipped yet. I’m an almost 40 year old woman, but I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve. I don’t normally experience this level of consumeristic desire, but inks seem to have me in a vice grip at the moment!

• Pennonia Árvácska (Pansy) • Pilot Iroshizuku Momiji (Autumn Leaves) • Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo (Crimson Glory Vine) • Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-Rin (Bamboo Forest) • Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-Ryoku (Forest Green)

And a new TWSBI Eco stub.

I’m also craving Sailor Manyo Sakura, but I am absolutely broke now. And I only have a couple of empty pens at the moment, so I won’t even be able to get all of these new colours rolling straight away as it is.

Trying to tamp down this addiction. The struggle is real.

3 Comments
2024/12/01
21:49 UTC

9

How does one write on squared ruled paper ?

10 Comments
2024/12/01
21:48 UTC

6

Bought this randomly

Bought this randomly at sainsburies for £2.50 and it’s already better than my other pens

1 Comment
2024/12/01
21:47 UTC

30

Currently inked - My Fantastic4 - Daily Must Haves

Now I know saying must have for a fountain pen and ink would be weird in the normal world but I'm among my people here. Just wanted to share my main 4 aka the Fantastic Four and hear what others have as well.

Transparent blue Twsbi with Noodlers Baystate Blue (1.1 stub) Mimi 580 AL Grape with Lamy Dark Lilac (broad nob) Lamy 2000 with Platinum Chou Kuro and fine nib Teal Kaweco with Emerald de Chivor and a double broad nib

3 Comments
2024/12/01
21:09 UTC

1

Unique Gift suggestions for pen loving father

Hello!! I am trying to find a gift for my dad who collects pens and all things related— I don’t have a huge budget so that is limiting. Trying to stay under $100. He has so many pens and inks and paper (though I know he’d love more lol) but I’m trying to find something unique to get him but still relating to his hobby… any suggestions??? Thanks!

ETA: budget amount

9 Comments
2024/12/01
20:52 UTC

9

Is there an ink similar to this?

Trying to find an ink similar to this Colorverse Lucky Cosmos

9 Comments
2024/12/01
20:43 UTC

0

Using 15+ year old ink?

I found a bottle of Noodler’s Zhivago, the heart ink of my twenties when I made fedoras look good, that I thought was long gone. The only thing is that it’s at least 15 years old. I’ve never kept ink around for that long - is there any reason to be concerned about using it?

9 Comments
2024/12/01
20:35 UTC

301

Successfully penabled some people in my life. Hosted my first ever pen night. Cheers, to good friends and neighbors

Ink swatches, notes, exchanges, gift giving, envelope making, food and booze. Great night

10 Comments
2024/12/01
20:35 UTC

41

The Hobby In Three Months

I first started getting into fountain pens when I found a red Lamy Safari in my university town and thought for $5, I’d try it out and see if I like it. I only knew so much about fountain pens because my sister had mentioned she wanted to try one out since it was “trendy” at the time. I just guessed from all I heard from people and media that they were antiquated and required daily maintenance along with a hefty price tags for writings that could be done by a ballpoint pen. I bought some ink from AliExpress as I didn’t want to invest too much into the pen.

When I first put pen to paper and bled so badly, I knew it was anything but what I thought it would be like. Everything from the tactile feeling that required little pressure to the filling of the pen, it was what I was looking for in other pens and mechanical pencils. In the last three months, I’ve breezed past dozens of pens looking for more of {that} feeling. A sudden realization dawned on me as what had been $5 turned into dozens of pens that were exponentially higher. What I was looking for wasn’t going to be found in a few dozen pens, it was going to be simply a few that had meaning to me and that I know would be used everyday. A tool is meant to be used and if it wasn’t, there isn’t a point in having it there unfulfilled.

So here I post, for the sake of you and me, I don’t need more pens if I can’t use them everyday. Only will it be an option when one of them breaks and needs to be replaced. I’ve whittled away at my collection and have kept four pens I knew I would use and not regret owning. To be completely honest, it was going to be three pens but as misfortune would have it, I spotted a Pilot Custom 823 for $160 and offered $130, half expecting to not get it and half just urging me to push the Buy Now. Here we are, completely befuddled at the deal and a new absolute favorite pen. I might buy a few cheap pens here and there to give people the same unexplainable feeling I get it. I’m happy I got to enjoy these beautiful pens and the beautiful writings they create everyday for me. Goodbye my addicting thoughts and hello to the cherishment of my pens.

2 Comments
2024/12/01
20:16 UTC

0

Pilot ink > nib size assignment task

How would you assign these inks to Pilot #15 <Medium> or <Fine> nibs? (one of each nib sizes or both possible)

  • Pilot iroshizuku tsuki-yo
  • Pilot iroshizuku kon-peki
  • Pilot iroshizuku yama-budo
  • Sailor Manyo Yomogi
  • Sailor Shikiori Yama-dori
  • taccia Sunao-iro Ao (Blue)

They do have different shading and even sheening properties, although most of these inks are fairly wet (as are Pilot #15 nibs, at least Medium).

The aim is to get the best out of each ink, but also finding out which could work nice with a Fine nib (which brings ink colors to a different tone than medium), plus as a bonus it consumes less ink than a Medium nib.

4 Comments
2024/12/01
20:11 UTC

4

Looking for information on a vintage pen.

I found this at a thrift store today for $40 and had been considering a desk pen for a while so I snagged it. The tag just said “Sheaffer feather touch #5 14k gold nib 1930s”. It writes well and is in great condition as far as I can tell but I’m looking for more information on it (e.g. when was it in production, a manual with care instructions, etc.) any help would be greatly appreciated.

6 Comments
2024/12/01
20:01 UTC

8

[Discussion] W Article on Montblanc Meisterstück Pen

5 Comments
2024/12/01
19:56 UTC

34

Enjoy the flex (writing sample EF nib)

1 Comment
2024/12/01
19:47 UTC

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