4 ms·

I picked up a preppy a couple of weeks ago. I got a fine nib, and after seeing how it writes I should have gotten extra fine, but the biggest issue I'm having i

I picked up a preppy a couple of weeks ago. I got a fine nib, and after seeing how it writes I should have gotten extra fine, but the biggest issue I'm having is that it seems to want the pen held at a shallower angle than what works for me. If I fold my pinky and ring finger under in an uncomfortable position then I can get my grip close enough to the page that it consistently inks, but otherwise it isn't consistent, which felt frustrating rather than special. I ended up switching over to the $2 Zebra ball point pen that I bought at the same time, and have had a much better experience, including pen on paper dragging that feels just as smooth as the fountain pen. I would like to have a good experience with the Preppy, but I don't know if this is just how it will be because I have large hands, or if I'm doing something wrong, or just got a defective pen. What is the pleasure that I should be looking for? Is there still hope I can experience it, perhaps with a different pen?

softfalcon 3y ago
> What is the pleasure that I should be looking for? It should feel effortless and an absolute joy to glide the pen across the paper. If writing with a BIC pen is 3/10 tedious, a well made fountain pen should be 0/10 for tedium. It should be so easy, you find yourself able to write for longer without tiring than you usually would. Ink should always flow freely, control of movement seamless, hand comfortable and not even the least bit stressed/cramped, and the nib should not feel scratchy or catching against the paper. It should glide. This is why I went all-in with a proper fountain pen after being frustrated with various other pens. On a budget, I have tried and can recommend the Jinhao 51A to get started. If you are willing to go all-in, Visconti and Parker makes amazing pens. The Jinhao 51A is a clone of the Parker 51 which was a staple every-day pen for white collar work in the 40-50's. They are physically wider to fit large hands and the pen tip is fine and precise. Good luck, I hope you're able to find something that works for you, fountain pens have very different characteristics. I own several and none of them are quite the same as the other.
ics 3y ago
In case you haven't already, try several different kinds of paper and see if there is any difference. Not necessarily "better" paper; the smoothest writing I felt recently was on the back of a receipt of all things. The steeper your angle the more the nib rotation matters so you can try adjusting that while holding the position which is still comfortable. Someone recently tried mine and had a similar issue because they held it almost vertical; pressure on the page helps spread the tines and allow ink to flow but not if it's stabbing. Holding the pen at a different rotation to suit their writing motion worked and made it more comfortable to use less pressure but it did take some trial and error.

softfalcon 3y ago

> What is the pleasure that I should be looking for? It should feel effortless and an absolute joy to glide the pen across the paper. If writing with a BIC pen is 3/10 tedious, a well made fountain pen should be 0/10 for tedium. It should be so easy, you find yourself able to write for longer without tiring than you usually would. Ink should always flow freely, control of movement seamless, hand comfortable and not even the least bit stressed/cramped, and the nib should not feel scratchy or catching against the paper. It should glide. This is why I went all-in with a proper fountain pen after being frustrated with various other pens. On a budget, I have tried and can recommend the Jinhao 51A to get started. If you are willing to go all-in, Visconti and Parker makes amazing pens. The Jinhao 51A is a clone of the Parker 51 which was a staple every-day pen for white collar work in the 40-50's. They are physically wider to fit large hands and the pen tip is fine and precise. Good luck, I hope you're able to find something that works for you, fountain pens have very different characteristics. I own several and none of them are quite the same as the other.

ics 3y ago

In case you haven't already, try several different kinds of paper and see if there is any difference. Not necessarily "better" paper; the smoothest writing I felt recently was on the back of a receipt of all things. The steeper your angle the more the nib rotation matters so you can try adjusting that while holding the position which is still comfortable. Someone recently tried mine and had a similar issue because they held it almost vertical; pressure on the page helps spread the tines and allow ink to flow but not if it's stabbing. Holding the pen at a different rotation to suit their writing motion worked and made it more comfortable to use less pressure but it did take some trial and error.