Pen/Ink/Paper Collecting Thread

Discussion in 'Random Thoughts' started by Dr. Higgs, Feb 22, 2016.

  1. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @Cspirou No consideration for vintage pens? Nice and affordable, plus they're generally more expressive than modern gold nibs (you might even luck into a good flexy!). Barring that, the Sailor and Platinum 14k nibs get my vote— they're comparatively inexpensive, and the QC on them is pretty dang good. Sailor 21k nibs are firmer than the gold content would suggest, so you needn't worry about damaging them from writing with too much pressure, but they're a bit of a step up in price, especially if you go for one of their specialty nibs.

    Edison pens are amazing, and if you splurge a bit more you can have Richard Binder do a flex customisation on a gold nib. FWIW, the Lamy 2K is my second ever FP and has lasted me a good five years now, and counting. Looks boring, granted, but it's a hell of a workhorse.

    I also highly recommend trying other custom pen turners besides Edison, by the by! Newton Pens and Scriptorium Pens are both run by excellent people, and there's quite the selection of styles and materials to choose from— rather daunting if you don't know what you're looking for. IIRC Shawn Newton stopped accepting orders for flex mods, but the stock gold Bock and JoWo nibs he uses are pleasantly springy on their own.

    @msommers Perhaps she was referring to a flex pen? Some nib tines split when force is applied, increasing the width of the line. This ranges from a "a bit of flair" to "considerably broader. Flex nibbed pens are usually made of gold (ideally 14k), and are accordingly priced at a premium. Besides that, they're considerably more fragile than firm nibs (I've... broken my fair share), but with a modicum of caution can be great fun to write with. Expect maybe $100 for a good-condition vintage flexy, perhaps a bit more? Haven't checked vintage prices in a while. Note that eBay is hit and miss with this sorta thing, I recommend purchasing from a reputable dealer such as http://www.vintagepens.com, http://www.mainstreetpens.com/pensales.htm, http://www.lbepen.com, or members3.boardhost.com/PenMarket. First few links are pro sellers, so expect to pay a bit more; lattermost is a free market, can post a WTB if needed.

    You can get a steel flex nib such as on a Noodler's or a Ranga pen for much less than a vintage gold nib, but these are finicky pens, and not quite so fun to write with; you need an insane amount of force to really flex a Noodler's unless you're handy with a dremel and can cut out some wings on the nib to reduce the amount of requisite pressure to initiate nib flexion.

    Here's a writing sample I did as a warm up some time ago. Note that this is a dip pen nib (i.e. disposable steel bits, significantly more flexible than fountain pen nibs, though the latter last a good deal longer):

    [​IMG]
     
  2. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    That's beautiful, wow! And thanks for the advice :)
     
  3. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @msommers No problem, I'm basically leeching off the forum since I know little about audio, so it's great to help others out however I can, haha! And here's a good read I came across a long while back; Richard Binder is an authority on pens, and his articles are quite entertaining to read as well:

    http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/ttp/disaster.htm
     
  4. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    @Lyer25

    I have nothing against vintage. I just feel a bit more comfortable getting new rather then used when it comes to pens. My only reason to dismiss the Lamy 2000 is how it looks. I’m sure it’s a fine pen and I might even have it in my collection in the future. But I just don’t feel it now. If you were to interrogate me I would have no defendible reasons.

    Thanks for the recommendations and I will certainly check them out.
     
  5. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @Cspirou Eh, pens are hardly serious business. If anything, barring basic QC and the like, fountain pens and inks are entirely to taste, which is why I feel a bit more of an affinity for that hobby than this one (i.e. audio). Don't get me wrong, I friggin love good sound as much as the next person on here, but being able to build a collection that screams "this is me" isn't exactly something you can do with headphones, yeah?

    So no worries, I get that the L2K is boring as hell and basically looks like a ballpoint to the untrained eye— I'm just happy to have a pen that can stand my daily (ab)use! Same goes with vintage pens; the nibs are usually pretty good, but you have to consider that the vast majority of them have been used enthusiastically before, and not everyone handled these fancy ink sticks with velveteen gloves. Dealing with sac-fillers (e.g. lever, coin, blow, button) can be a massive pain in the pooter, too.

    Good luck on your hunt! If it's any good to prod, Platinum's #3776 series has this really cool new LE out, the Nagasawa. It's a hell of a beauty, really want one for myself but I'm pinching pennies for another Omas as-is, haha.
     
  6. Cryptowolf

    Cryptowolf Repping Chi Town - Friend

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    Check out the Lamy line of fountain pens. They take a number of different nibs. Goulet Pen's has a handy guide and the Nib Nook can help her figure out which additional nibs she might like.

    Franklin-Cristoph also offers a selection of fountain pens with swappable nibs, but it you go for 14K gold, the price might be prohibitive.

    (edited for spelling)
     
  7. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

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    If she likes the Metropolitan, you could try going with a nicer Pilot. I have the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 in FM, which is absolutely my favorite pen...great writer, great nib size, and a piston filler. If you want more of a cartridge/converter sort of deal, I've heard good things about the Pilot Custom 74. For non-Japanese pens, TWSBI is very well regarded and the 580 or Mini is probably in the price range you're looking at. If you want something a little cheaper, the TWSBI Eco is an amazing pen for the price...great writer, lots of bang for your buck. Most TWSBIs (other than the Eco) you can get multiple nib units for and swap them, so that might be up your alley. Also, keep in mind that the nibs on non-Japanese pens (including TWSBI, even though they're Taiwanese) are going to be broader than the corresponding Japanese size (so a Japanese fine is going to be finer than a Western fine, &c).

    Also, FYI, with Japanese pen brands (like Pilot, Platinum, Sailor, &c) you can usually get a much better price buying from Japan (usually via ebay) than from an official US vendor...like, way better (e.g., the aforementioned Custom Heritage 92 is ~$220 from US vendors, and more like $110-$130 from Japanese sellers). JetPens also usually has good prices, if you want a US seller but don't want to pay official US prices. The exception, oddly, is the Metropolitan...it's much cheaper than its Japanese counterpart, last I checked.
     
  8. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I hesitate to recommend TWSBI because you are required to use bottled ink. If you know they already use bottled ink then it’s fine, but I typically think it’s better to let them make that decision unless you know they are hardcore about fountain pens.
     
  9. nithhoggr

    nithhoggr Author of the best selling novel Digital Jesus

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    Fair enough...I tend to forget that some people use cartridges. Though that'd be an argument for a c/c Pilot (like the Custom 74...the CH92 would have the same issue as the Twsbi), since just about all Japanese companies use proprietary cartridges.
     
  10. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    I MORE ROCK AND SCISSORS COLLECTOR

    [​IMG]
    Chalcopyrite, I have one that is more iridescent turquoise and purple, but this is really how it looks.


    [​IMG]
    This has a swivelling thumb hole in case you have to duel with your scissors. Also, they are titanium coated and will resist even direct contact with a lightsaber thanks to the cortosis weave.




    Here's me when I saw these scissors: @Grahad2

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Dr. Higgs

    Dr. Higgs Boson - Member

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    I figured you were more of a Fordite guy Kunlun (even though it's not a real rock):

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Kunlun

    Kunlun cat-alyzes cat-aclysmic cat-erwauling - Friend

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    [​IMG]
    This is more my speed, Duh!


    I'm a big fan of Star Sapphires, too.
    [​IMG]
     
  13. FallingObjects

    FallingObjects Pay It Forward

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    What is this? Paper, scissors, rocks? Doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely.
     
  14. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    [​IMG]

    So the first Friday in November is Fountain Pen Day. Celebration here was on the day after, though, and I kinda went whole hog.

    ... At least I didn't buy a fountain pen.
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    I just got a little 3 pack of Pilot Iroshizuki. Embarrassing hand writing samples to come
     
  16. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    Great inks, @Cspirou! If you're a fan of Japanese inks (excellent flow and saturation compared to Herbin and the like, anyway), you might wanna look into hoarding Sailor's Four Seasons inks. Rumours of a massive price increase are currently circulating.
     
  17. msommers

    msommers High on Epipens

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    I'm calling on members again to help my ignorance regarding stationary! I'd like to pick up some different papers for her to try and so far I have the Clairefontaine Triomphone in A4.

    I'd like to also find some vintage looking paper, something you'd see in the movies with a treasure map or something on it (that really thick, kind of yellowish/cream paper with lots of texture on it). The GF and her Dad still write each other letters, with wax seals no less, and I thought something like that would be fun.
     
  18. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    @msommers

    Creme-coloured is great! Easier on the eyes than super-bright white, and does interesting things to inks.

    My personal favourite would have to be Tomoe River paper, followed by Basildon Bond. Those are the two that come to mind for good FP performance, though TR is a bit on the thin side. Texture on both is amazing, makes writing on them with nibs a fun experience.

    Oh, I've also had a fair bit of luck with Fabriano paper. Really scary pricing, but I love the finishes on their cold pressed stuff. Worth looking at if you really wanna impress the missus :)

    Haha, if you're looking for a good custom wax seal maker I know someone here in the Philippines who does a great job with it (no affiliation, just a happy customer). Might get you roped in and penning letters with the rest of them :p
     
    Last edited: Mar 20, 2018
  19. Lyander

    Lyander Official SBAF Equitable Empathizer

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    I got a new nib for my (still-broken) Pelikan, dicked around taking photos and turned out something halfway decent.

    [​IMG]
     
  20. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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