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I started using fountain pens a couple of years ago, and still do for my daily writing. I write rather a lot; I don't bring my laptop into meetings unless I ne
by mfringel 8y ago
I started using fountain pens a couple of years ago, and still do for my daily writing.
I write rather a lot; I don't bring my laptop into meetings unless I need to. Combine that with my handwriting being relatively neat, small, and stylized, and I needed something with a sufficiently fine nib, and ink that would flow well through it.
It turned into a fascinating optimization problem, during which I ended up down the rabbit hole of nib sizing (European nibs tend to run wider than Japanese nibs), notebook paper (there are plenty of good notebooks that are fountain-pen friendly, and that Moleskine notebooks are both comparatively expensive and the paper just isn't great), and different types of ink (which brands run "wet" or "dry", etc.)... and all of this is before getting into eyedropper-conversions, nib repair, and all of the other craft-related things one can get into.
I started with (and still have) a Pilot Metropolitan and a Platinum Preppy that still see use, although I've gone over to a Kaweco Special FP and a Pilot Vanishing Point (both with extra-fine nibs) for daily writers.
The current "daily writer" tuples are:
1) Pilot Vanishing Point (extra-fine nib), Pilot black cartridge ink.
2) Kaweco Special FP (extra-fine nib), Faber-Castell Carbon Black ink.
...preferred notebook is the Kokuyo Campus High Grade MIO notebook (A5 paper, 80 sheets, ~$6.50 each).
That all being said, I still use ballpoint pens on airplanes; the Pentel BK77 Superb (fine point, black) works just fine.
- JohnBooty 8y agoThis is why I won't let myself get started on fountain pens. I tend to go down the rabbit hole hard when I pick up a new hobby, and fountain pens have always seemed like such an enticing rabbit hole to dive into! Three months into the hobby I'd probably have two desk drawers full of pen paraphernalia and a credit card bill full of shame! Not that other pen freaks do this. I just know I would. (and I'm left-handed....)
- jgtrosh 8y agoSounds like you'd fit in just right with the others at r/fountainpens
- JohnBooty 8y agoHa, that's the problem, right? I fit in with obsessive gear geeks a little too well, and can't afford a new time- and money-suck of a hobby. As somebody who enjoys playing games, managing to avoid the MMO craze entirely was a struggle and an achievement...
- lb1lf 8y agoAs for being left-handed, so am I - and I have found it to be not much of an issue, as (some!) modern inks dry almost instantly. (de Atramentis Fog Grey being a favourite - dries instantly and is highly water resistant to boot.)
- erbium 8y agoI just stopped using fountain pens when my $3 ones broke
- komali2 8y agoThe airplane bit is a big blocker for me. I've yet to do a successful dropper converter that didn't explode on a plane for me. Forum responses are usually vague and along the lines of "try different viscosity ink," which, yeah, but there's tens of brands and thousands of flavors.
- lb1lf 8y ago-I've flown with fountain pens several times without incident (though I will admit to being slightly nervous!) I put the success (thus far) down to always filling the pen all the way before flying, and also making sure the nib is pointing upwards at all times. That being said, there's no denying just about any pen is better suited than a fountain pen for flying. Edit: pens I've flown with - Lamy Logo and Dialog 3, various Pelikan Souveräns, the occasional Metropolitan. Edit: Presumably obvious, but still - the reason for filling the pen all up prior to flying is that ink does not expand as air pressure decreases - unlike, well, air. If there is no air in the ink reservoir, outside pressure is more or less irrelevant.
- mfringel 8y agoAgreed. To be clear, I'll travel with them... I just won't use them on the plane.
- mfringel 8y agoI don't think I've flown with a homemade dropper-converted pen. However, I've flown with (and used on the plane) a fully-filled Moonman M2 (~$25 on Amazon), which is built as an eyedropper pen, and I enjoy writing with it.
- gdpgreg 8y agoYou can get nibs tuned and modified, I once had the opportunity to use a VP with a reverse oblique nib, changes everything.