My go-to pen right now is a Visconti Breeze with a medium nib, and J. Herbin in Amethyste de l’Oural for ink.
2021 all new Fountain pens, stationery, wax seal etc thread
- Thread starter Jeff3F
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Both the Lamy Safari and the Pilot Metropolitan are inexpensive, good quality, starter pens. There’s no need to buy cheaper pens which will likely have issues with poor nibs, and the nib makes alllll the difference in how much you like writing with a given pen.
I'm also a syringe filler, so let me add my voice to the chorus. I think it's easier and less messy than nib filling.
Broad nibs: try a western medium, first. My Visconti Breeze is a medium and writes satisfyingly thick line without being too much.
I wanted to re-ink my Breeze today with a different color ink, and decided it would be a good time to look at my Regata and Metropolitan … and subsequently discovered that past me was a lazy bitch who didn’t flush her pens before putting them up on the shelf on her desk, so today was pen cleaning day. The Regata got cleaned and put back into the box it came in, the Breeze is now sporting some Cornaline d’Egypte, and the Metropolitan has been filled with Kon-Peki.
I’m kind of looking at the Rembrandt Blue Fog mentioned up thread. I love my Breeze and I think I’d like another Visconti. The “Medium” on the Metropolitan nibs just isn’t medium enough for my tastes, but the Metro I have plays really nicely with some Emerald of Chivor, and then I could keep the Kon-Peki in the Rembrandt …
I’m kind of looking at the Rembrandt Blue Fog mentioned up thread. I love my Breeze and I think I’d like another Visconti. The “Medium” on the Metropolitan nibs just isn’t medium enough for my tastes, but the Metro I have plays really nicely with some Emerald of Chivor, and then I could keep the Kon-Peki in the Rembrandt …
You may not be aware of how much pressure you normally put on your pen tips. Fountain pens use liquid ink, so you basically shouldn’t be putting pressure on the nib; it will lay down ink just gliding over the paper. It’s a common first time user error.
As for it draining the ink into the cap, did you store it point down/cap down? Gravity is a thing, and like I said, liquid ink. Make sure it is kept nib up when in motion (like in a bag or whatever). They’re not just funny shaped ball points, and take different handling.
As for it draining the ink into the cap, did you store it point down/cap down? Gravity is a thing, and like I said, liquid ink. Make sure it is kept nib up when in motion (like in a bag or whatever). They’re not just funny shaped ball points, and take different handling.
I’ve used my pens on Post-Its, copy paper, stationary, card stock, envelopes, etc. They are pens. I write with them. Usually with shimmer inks because I like them.
For other people they are a deeper hobby but I use my pens as pens. Everyone is a little different.
For other people they are a deeper hobby but I use my pens as pens. Everyone is a little different.
Bay State Blue came up in a conversation last night.
I put in a pen order today. Getting a bottle of J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor (I have a bunch of sample containers from a friend, but no proper bottle), a bottle of Diamine Pink Glitz, a violet LAMY Safari that I can put Amethyste de l'Oural in, and then I was going to get either the Rembrandt Blue Fog or a blue Custom 74, and my husband was like "Why not both?" so I got both.
I’m not going to say definitively that Emerald of Chivor is my favorite ink, but I might whisper behind my hand that it is. 
But then I look at Amethyste de l’Oural and maaaaybe …
It’s taken multiple rounds of cleaning, including disassembling the converter to address water that got behind the piston, but I am satisfied now that my Regatta Sport is as clean as I can make it after allowing some shimmer ink (Amethyste de l’Oural) to dry in it while it sat on a shelf, so it is going back into the box it came in and stored properly.
I noticed some more-than-normal writing feedback from my Breeze after loading it with Cornaline d’Egypte so I broke out the loupe and took a look at the nib, because LOL Visconti amirite? It’s actually not bad, no tine misalignment but I have never noticed before that the actual tipping material is slightly asymmetrical. I don’t have a nib tuning set and I’m not sure I’m going to bother sending it off for the Breeze. I guess the inks I’ve used before were juuuuust wet enough that I didn’t really notice, because I don’t think of it as a bad writer. I dumped the Cornaline d’Egypte because I just wasn’t feeling the orange and replaced it with a pink ink (LAMY Coral) from a Goulet sample vial I got from a friend.
But then I look at Amethyste de l’Oural and maaaaybe …It’s taken multiple rounds of cleaning, including disassembling the converter to address water that got behind the piston, but I am satisfied now that my Regatta Sport is as clean as I can make it after allowing some shimmer ink (Amethyste de l’Oural) to dry in it while it sat on a shelf, so it is going back into the box it came in and stored properly.
I noticed some more-than-normal writing feedback from my Breeze after loading it with Cornaline d’Egypte so I broke out the loupe and took a look at the nib, because LOL Visconti amirite? It’s actually not bad, no tine misalignment but I have never noticed before that the actual tipping material is slightly asymmetrical. I don’t have a nib tuning set and I’m not sure I’m going to bother sending it off for the Breeze. I guess the inks I’ve used before were juuuuust wet enough that I didn’t really notice, because I don’t think of it as a bad writer. I dumped the Cornaline d’Egypte because I just wasn’t feeling the orange and replaced it with a pink ink (LAMY Coral) from a Goulet sample vial I got from a friend.
You could always pick up a glass dip pen as a tester. They’re loads easier to clean at least, although they obviously won’t tell you how any one pen will like any one ink. I have one that I keep around just to play with ink.
Pens (and their supplies, like nib tuning equipment, cleaning equipment, etc)
Inks (and their supplies)
Paper (has anyone told you about paper yet?)
Waxes and seals (wax sticks, wax chips and melting spoons, hot glue gun wax sticks)
Assorted stationery like letterhead and envelopes
Journaling
I can keep digging …
Inks (and their supplies)
Paper (has anyone told you about paper yet?)
Waxes and seals (wax sticks, wax chips and melting spoons, hot glue gun wax sticks)
Assorted stationery like letterhead and envelopes
Journaling
I can keep digging …
I was going to buy myself a new pen for Valentine's Day, and talked it over with Sam to get some input and narrowed it down to one of two choices, but then my husband was like "Why not both?" so I got both.
I have a beautiful blue Pilot Custom 74, broad nib, inked with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, and that Visconti Rembrandt Blue Fog, medium nib, that was talked about up-thread because I kept going back to it and back to it. It is inked with Emerald of Chivor. I've been posting some penmanship samples on Facebook since the pens arrived. I won the Visconti lottery with that pen, because the nib had two beautifully aligned tines straight out of the box, writes like a dream. And the Pilot is gorgeous, of course, because it is Pilot.
I also got a bottle of Diamine Pink Glitz to go in my Visconti Breeze, and a violet LAMY Safari, but I was a dumb and forgot to order a converter for the Safari, so it is not inked for the moment. My Monteverde Regatta Sport (Northern Lights) is clean clean clean and stored, and that just leaves my little Pilot Metropolitan for me to find an ink for. I don't actually have anything inked with black at the moment, so I'm considering getting a nice waterproof black to put in that. Probably De Atramentis Document Ink or Archive Ink, since I'm not about Nathan's Noodler eccentricities.
I have a beautiful blue Pilot Custom 74, broad nib, inked with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki, and that Visconti Rembrandt Blue Fog, medium nib, that was talked about up-thread because I kept going back to it and back to it. It is inked with Emerald of Chivor. I've been posting some penmanship samples on Facebook since the pens arrived. I won the Visconti lottery with that pen, because the nib had two beautifully aligned tines straight out of the box, writes like a dream. And the Pilot is gorgeous, of course, because it is Pilot.
I also got a bottle of Diamine Pink Glitz to go in my Visconti Breeze, and a violet LAMY Safari, but I was a dumb and forgot to order a converter for the Safari, so it is not inked for the moment. My Monteverde Regatta Sport (Northern Lights) is clean clean clean and stored, and that just leaves my little Pilot Metropolitan for me to find an ink for. I don't actually have anything inked with black at the moment, so I'm considering getting a nice waterproof black to put in that. Probably De Atramentis Document Ink or Archive Ink, since I'm not about Nathan's Noodler eccentricities.
Carts are great. The only downside to them, and it barely counts as a downside, is that if you put a fresh cart in a freshly cleaned pen, it can take a few minutes for the capillary action to prime the feed. With a converter, I can hold the pen nib down over a trash can or paper towel and gently twist the converter piston until I see ink saturate the feed. Then, if so inclined, I can take the converter back out at that point and re-fill it to replace the ink it needed to prime the feed, but you can do that with the cart too once the feed is wet.
Otherwise, cartridges are (as papadage said) perfectly cromulent, and many people prefer them to converters.
Otherwise, cartridges are (as papadage said) perfectly cromulent, and many people prefer them to converters.
I just bought a whole brand new bottle of it and I have 3 Goulet sample vials full from a friend, so I’m topped up! Pass that puppy on to someone who hasn’t learned yet how amazing that ink is.
A half millimeter *is* fatter than a third, unless you meant that the other way around.
Yuuuuup. This is why the line width on my broad Pilot Custom 74, and my medium Visconti Rembrandt and Breeze, is roughly the same.
LOL pens.
When I placed my new pen order, I forgot to order a converter for the violet LAMY Safari. :facepalm:
However, I wanted to pick up some Séyès ruled paper for handwriting practice, so I put in a Goulet order for a notebook, some black ink, a Rhodia dot pad, and the converter I needed, all of which is to be delivered today. I am low-key stalking my mail person. (Seriously, our mail carrier is great. We know him by first name and chat briefly when we catch him out and about.) Once the delivery is made, my Pilot Metropolitan will get the black ink, the Safari will get some Amethyste de L’Oural, and then I should probably set about looking for a pen roll or pen case because they’re all just floating around my desk right now.
The Visconti Rembrandt remains a great pen, but I don’t think Emerald of Chivor is the right ink for it, which is too bad because I love that ink. The Pilot Custom 74 has become my daily driver. FANTASTIC pen, inked with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. I may order another Iroshizuku color to put in the Rembrandt; Ku-jaku perhaps.
However, I wanted to pick up some Séyès ruled paper for handwriting practice, so I put in a Goulet order for a notebook, some black ink, a Rhodia dot pad, and the converter I needed, all of which is to be delivered today. I am low-key stalking my mail person.
(Seriously, our mail carrier is great. We know him by first name and chat briefly when we catch him out and about.) Once the delivery is made, my Pilot Metropolitan will get the black ink, the Safari will get some Amethyste de L’Oural, and then I should probably set about looking for a pen roll or pen case because they’re all just floating around my desk right now. The Visconti Rembrandt remains a great pen, but I don’t think Emerald of Chivor is the right ink for it, which is too bad because I love that ink. The Pilot Custom 74 has become my daily driver. FANTASTIC pen, inked with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. I may order another Iroshizuku color to put in the Rembrandt; Ku-jaku perhaps.
Nope, it was a paper mis-match. Turns out on Clairefontaine paper it is great; on the Rhodia dot pad it's good, but the Clairefontaine is better. This makes me very happy, because now I can keep the ink and pen combo that I wanted it to be.
My Custom 74 is the pen I find myself reaching for first, over and over again. Easily my favorite pen right now, even though the Rembrandt is prettier, and arguably just as nice to write with.
Actually I had been considering an 823 when I bought the 74; the currently available colors on the 823 are disappointingly meh.
I was going to buy a pen case, but instead I got a monitor stand with a little drawer that's perfect for holding my currently-inked pens, the Mildliners I use for highlighting and writing headings, the light gray Fineliner I use for drawing a margin on my dot paper, and a single black fine tip Sharpie.
In my last Goulet order, I got some De Atramentis Document Ink in black, intending in putting it in my Metropolitan (M nib). I finally got around to inking it up, tested it out on my Rhodia pad and I was like "Oh, I really don't like this. This is way too fine a line for me."
Then I wrote something on the cheapest of cheap Amazon 20lb copy paper and it was like LOL there is the line I wanted. So I guess this pen is now dedicated to crap paper.
Then I wrote something on the cheapest of cheap Amazon 20lb copy paper and it was like LOL there is the line I wanted. So I guess this pen is now dedicated to crap paper.
Put the Diamine Pink Glitz in the Breeze and WHOA BABY that is a lot of shimmer. Like, dwarfs the shimmer in J. Herbin inks by a lot a lot. I luuuuurve it.
It feels like this is a reference to something I'm not getting.
I don't think I can sufficiently express how much I love glittery things. But yes, the ink is very much a controllable glitter.
But yes, the ink is very much a controllable glitter.
I'm about to buy a broad nib for the Safari because I'm just not feeling the medium. I really wish the Metropolitan could be swapped to a broad nib as well, but nooooo apparently Pilot can't put broad nibs in anything costing less than $150.
Sure. Got a link handy selling either of those pens with a broad nib? Because as far as I can tell, none of my usual suspects have it. Goulet, Goldspot, JetPens, Cult Pens, Anderson ... after that I stopped looking. Even Pilot.us is only showing a 3 pack of Plumix with medium nibs, and nothing for Penmanship.
No, it's just that I've already spent quite a lot of time investigating things, and I already know what my options are (or, to be more accurate, aren't) here. I wasn't asking for someone to solve the problem and it's kind of annoying in the first place to be treated as if I was asking for someone to help, and then for that "help" to not actually be what I asked for. If I say I'm sad my local grocery store is out of chocolate ice cream, and you come back with "they have vanilla" then ... that's not actually helpful.
I have three pens I'm really happy with the line width on, and two that I'm not. One of those two is trivially and inexpensively able to be remedied. The other is not. Let's just leave it at that.
I have three pens I'm really happy with the line width on, and two that I'm not. One of those two is trivially and inexpensively able to be remedied. The other is not. Let's just leave it at that.
Me: there was something else I wanted to do before game tonight <looks at notes from last night>
Me: OH YEAH COME HERE YOU INK BURPING NON-WRITING LITTLE SHIT
... half an hour later ...
Me: I don't know how, but i just lost a fight with my fountain pen and now everything is Emerald of Chivor
Me: OH YEAH COME HERE YOU INK BURPING NON-WRITING LITTLE SHIT
... half an hour later ...
Me: I don't know how, but i just lost a fight with my fountain pen and now everything is Emerald of Chivor
Sparkly and murky with a crazy red sheen.
I've gotten pretty good at being able to clean my pens without getting ink all over my hands, but for whatever reason when I was cleaning the Rembrandt, I ended up with teal spots all over my hands, followed by tipping over a half-full sample vial of EoC while syringe filling the converter. It tipped on the large self-healing cutting mat I use on my desk, and of course I have it yellow side up (not green side up) but it wicked under the mat. So there was a whole lot of wet paper towels and baby wipes and sopping things up and wiping things down and it was just generally ugh.
The Rembrandt, however, got thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned and is now back to writing as it should. I think I just had one too many cycles of refill-but-not-flush for the pen's taste and the shimmer did what shimmer does.
Okay, got the nib on the Safari swapped from Medium to Broad, and now four of my pens write just the way I want. The fifth (the Metropolitan) will either need replacing (oh noes, another Custom 74? THE HORRORS), or I'll just have to live with the fact that a Japanese medium nib isn't as medium as I would prefer.
I kinda want to go back and re-write all my game notes I had before with the medium Safari nib, now that I have the broad. It's a niiiiice and thick line.
I kinda want to go back and re-write all my game notes I had before with the medium Safari nib, now that I have the broad. It's a niiiiice and thick line.
If you had asked me, I wouldn't have said I have large handwriting but now I'm squinting at my notes like ...
So, the Séyès ruled paper I use for penmanship practice, I ignore the traditional rules for using it, and yeah, that's large handwriting, but it's on purpose. For my everyday, all purpose note-taking, I have a Rhodia dot pad, and I don't think it's large handwriting? Maybe it is?
How large is large?
So, the Séyès ruled paper I use for penmanship practice, I ignore the traditional rules for using it, and yeah, that's large handwriting, but it's on purpose. For my everyday, all purpose note-taking, I have a Rhodia dot pad, and I don't think it's large handwriting? Maybe it is?
How large is large?
I think Rhodia uses a 5mm dot grid, so my block caps are about 4-4.5mm tall. Interesting!
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