Hey! I recently got into fountain pens and got myself a LAMY Safari with a Fine nib.

It just arrived recently, and I went through the things you'd do with a new FP. So I flushed and dried it before inserting a cartridge (A LAMY T10 - Black). I placed it in a cup pen-side down and waited for an hour.

I tested it afterwards, and it was really good experience. Although I noticed that the ink isn't applying onto the paper properly - it's really light and almost grey instead of black. I've tried it with 80gsm paper I found lying around, and it's still the same. Did I do something wrong, or do I just need to get better paper?

Edit: I have not touched the nib in any way; no tuning yet. Frankly, I'm scared I might break it.

I hope this is okay to post here.

I plan on improving my handwriting with fountain pens, and throughout the journey I'd like to write down nice quotes or poems. What are your favourites, either just faves or the ones you like to write etc. I'd like to make a little notebook full of quotes.

I love hearing about why someone likes a quote.

hello guys, im just getting started with the fountain pen hobby. Which cheap quality ink should I choose for my lamy safari, diamine or pilot standard . I'm a student so I don't care too much about the ink color but instead the quality of the ink. Do you have any other ink suggestions? Thank you

I am going to try and restrain myself from buying everything I see today. I would like to purchase one pen with a really flexy nib. I am thinking of a Pilot with a zoom nib- any other suggestions of pens/nibs below $130 USD? Looking for a modern vs. Vintage pen. (photo for reference).

Been looking at a Monteverdi with the Omni flex nib. Does anyone have one? How do you like it?

30dollars free shipping on amazon!

Happy Fountain Pen Day from the land down under…

A few of my favs from L-R Raden ‘magic wand’ by Hiroko Bokumondoh on a Platinum 3776 with a naginata grind by CY Purple sparkly urushi by Garage Fountain Pen with a vintage Sailor nib Strawberry urushi on a Kaweco by Aijing Another beautiful urushi beauty on a Sailor Pro Gear by Hiroko and a Music-Architect grind by CY Nakaya Toki Iro with an architect grind by CY Galaxy (maki-e) platinum 3776 with a M nib Bungubox TIPS release with a stacked/ cross concord nib by CY (fine on normal side and a thick architect on the reverse)

Opus 88 Omar Pumpkin 1.5mm stub; Iroshizuku tsukushi; Mnemosyne ruled

Has anyone bought a fountain pen over the $800 declared value from Europe before? I’m looking to buy one of my grail pens for just under 2k from appelboom.

How much of a fee am I looking at paying? And what is the process for paying it?

I recently came back from uncovering all my fountain pen stuff while moving. I have bought a used Lamy 2000 EF and I have a Twisbi 580 Diamond AL? I forgot the name but it's the emerald/green one from around 2017. Not looking to buy more pens at the moment except maybe a Platinum 3776 F if there's a very good deal. Also I'm located in the US.

What has ink has come out the past 5 years that would be great to buy/look into? For reference I took a picture of all my inks for this sub a while back but my absolute favorite ink is Troublemaker Luneta Twilight Pink. I love all the troublemaker inks and I like my R&K Salix. Is there fun colors you recommend that look good when writing to someone?

Lastly I guess would be papers, notebooks to get? Anything to look for in this area for tomorrow? I have always just used Rhodia but maybe something smaller for notes?

Thanks for any help!

This is my first week as a fountain pen user. I have the Asvine V200 (EF Asvine nib) with Noodler's walnut ink. My first day of writing was great. After I got the ink flowing and getting used to the feel, I had some nice, dark, thin lines with very smooth strokes. Easy pressure, like a rollerball. Every day since then, the experience is gradually worse. The ink doesn't flow well, I'm having to put more pressure and the lines are lighter in color and thicker. The experience went from smooth to scratchy. Several times the ink stopped flowing completely. I would run the nib under water and spend 15 mins working the nib until it flows, but I can only get to about 50% of where I was on day one. What happened?

So I have been collecting interesting and cheap Chinese pens that catch my eye. Usually, I don’t expect much from them and buy them with that in mind.

I started looking into the retractable pens that I see on AliExpress and Amazon and wanted to give them a try to see how they perform. So far, they’ve been solid writers for beginners, perfect for tossing in a backpack or quick notes.

The nibs are all pretty similar in design, but not the writing experience. There are two true gems here that I am actually bringing up into my often-rotated pens.

Let’s talk about the first two pens, top to bottom on the writing sample photo. They don’t have a name on AliExpress, just search “retractable fountain pens,” and they will show up.

Right off the mark, the “retractable” function on both is negated by the need for a cap. They will dry out without it. But if you are okay with that, I guess you can consider the clicker as an extra level of nib protection.

Both use Chinese converters. The first pen is very light. The nib to me feels like an EF nib, with good ink flow. The nib is smooth but does have a bit of drag, not feedback or scratchiness. I may need some extra polishing, that I will most likely do.

https://preview.redd.it/epwt9uqat7yd1.jpg?width=1963&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0da81b519e605f541b77a1d60422da217622e7e9

https://preview.redd.it/4n93myqat7yd1.jpg?width=2059&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1bbae68d2f697fa510068842a392b60fde7c2c27

https://preview.redd.it/bl6trtqat7yd1.jpg?width=1787&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1f90a97a741ef02e311b9b264f2f62e4f6e5045

I feel this is a great pen for everyday use on cheap paper. Nothing fancy, just a solid pen.

Now the second one. Oh buddy, this nib is a pleasure to write with. It has a more generous F nib. Smooth, and generous ink flow. A touch of feedback, but it glides on the page.

The body is metal, and heavier than the others. Again, the clicker is pointless, and I wished it had a proper cap. The finish is a deep, dark candy red. Very nice pen.

The third pen is a Writech pen. I got it from Amazon. It comes with a pack of short and stubby cartridges. The cap looks weird, but the nib is excellent.

I think this is more like an F-M type of nib. Smooth, very little feedback, and very good ink flow. I have left this pen inked alone for a couple of weeks with no drying issues at all.

Perfect for students, everyday carry, and it’s big enough for some extended journaling or writing. The grip has a slight triangular grip to help with proper grip and positioning. However, not intrusive as a Lamy.

I am using this pen more and more, and it has been elevated to a permanent rotational pen to keep going back to.

The next pen is an OASO K016 pen from Amazon. Build quality is great, this uses a silicon cap, like the Ensso Bolt to keep the nib wet. So far, so good with the nib not drying out, but I will keep testing. The nib is super smooth, minimal feedback, good flow. It has the same triangular grip as the other pen, but not obtrusive. I think it actually fits my fingers perfectly, not making it the grip awkward.

The tip of the grip is more like a beak shape that I think adds character to the pen. Definitely in contention for being upgraded to permanent rotation or travel position.

The looks of this pen tend to make it more for older students, with a more subdued and professional aesthetic.

For the final pen, this is a Torpedo Room Design pen. I think this nib is an EF nib. It’s not one of my favorites of the nibs so far. I may need to do some tweaking to make it a bit wetter, but I will hold off until a proper drive as well. The nib has a bit more feedback. But I attribute this to the EF nib size. It is a smooth nib.

The capping mechanism is like a Curidas type pen. Internal door keeps it sealed. Still pending full testing of longevity, but so far no issues. It closes fine, and starts right up.

It has a white rubber grip that helps with that for sure. It has the widest body of them all, so it feels great in hand. A good choice for students, and its colors make it more kid-aligned. There is nothing, or anyone that can tell you not to bust it out in a business meeting too. You do you, boo.

So overall, pretty interesting pens. I feel some miss the mark of the intended functionality, but that is made up for in the nibs. Two of the pens have surprised me on how well they write, and I think that is the the main point of pens. Just my thoughts, mileage does vary with everyone.

Today I pulled my Namisu N1 out of my pocket to take some notes and a few minutes later I realized that both of my hands had purple ink everywhere. I've tried carrying a bunch of different "pocket pens" over the years and I always run into one of two issues:

• If I carry the pen in my pocket with the nib pointed down then ink will inevitably drip down into the cap and then onto the section and then allover my hands

OR

• If I carry the pen in my pocket with the nib pointed up then the feed completely dries out and the pen doesn't work when I need to use it. EDIT: I should add that I'll often go weeks or even a month without using the pen, so that's likely why I have this drying out issue that others don't.

Does anybody else have these problems? Are you able to successfully carry a pocket pen!?

If you had the choice to pick between the two, which one would you pick and why? Similar price point. Is one pen better than the other considering they are both *grail* pens? How is the Urushi for things like scratches? I am usually a Fine in Japanese nibs. I can speak for Pilots, nibs are fantastic. I have a couple of their customs and they write very well. I've never owned a Pelikan. I am hearing things like "nib QC" issues and have to be polished?

I bought my first fountain pen a month ago, for my daughter (a Pilot Metropolitan). I really like it so I bought a few for myself. 16 sharks arrived today for my classroom (for student peer marking). Thankfully, living in China, these products are quite a bit cheaper than at home. Favorite is my Pilot Capless (not called VP here), and I have a majohn A1 coming so I can compare. May find a Pilot gold nib to add to it, but I’m undecided.

I've been looking at getting a Sailor Pro Gear for the longest time. I was sure if I wanted a classic black one or a limited edition. Only one limited edition had caught my eye in that way that I couldn't stop going back to look at it. It was the 2022 Stellar Black Hole. Only one of the stores in my area had one.

I went to check the deals for pens this morning. 20% off all items, plus 10% off new members and onsite orders. I couldn't not do it. If Korean shipping does its thing, it should be here tomorrow or Monday. I'm so excited!

Now I just have to find a ink worthy of it so any suggestions are welcome! It's the 21K Music Nib.

Yesterday Blake of the Paper Mind sent out a notice that Bank Paper has been discontinued. I reached out to Yamamoto Paper and they confirmed - the machine that made Bank Paper has been retired.

When that happened with Tomoe River, Sanzen bought the formula and has continued producing the paper (to mixed reviews)… I wonder if the same will happen with Bank Paper…

Octopus Fluids Iris Blue (Pastell collection)

I was watching the latest JetPens video and they reference this site: https://sheaffer.com/blogs/news/the-sheaffer-chronicles-mispronunciations-and-mischief

I... Don't know how to feel...

Has Eric left Anderson Pens? Their weekly contest winners used to be told to email eric@, but not so for the past few weeks and their Sunday Brunch shows are no more.

Anyone know?

By far the smoothest-writing pen I have, and the most expensive. It was a gift from a friend.

Medium nib.

Sailor blue ink

Dumb newbie question here - can I use international ink cartridges in the Pelikan M series of fountain pens? I currently have a P205 that will take cartridges but was curious if the M200s will. Thanks!

If so, what do you do with the half full converters not in use? Does anyone have a clever way to store them?