Fountain pen appreciation

[Kevin Peacocke]

I couldn’t help noticing (as a carpenter and the grandson of a carpenter joiner) that the legs for the desk have been set up back to front BUT that kind of error often happens with advertising images. Nice looking kit, provided that the missus gets what she wants, first.

Very observant!

 

[Pheroze]

What ink and color are you guys using?

I am playing around with ink made by Ferris Wheel Press. They are based in Toronto. They have some interesting colours. I am staying away from the more dramatic ones as they have particulate in them. They are a bit thick but seem to flow nicely. I think I can't post links now but if you google it they come up. Otherwise, my utilitarian ink was Lamy. They have an ingenious ink pot with a roll of blotter attached. BTW I order all this stuff, so no need to find a local store if they won't accommodate you.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

A word of caution about Cross pens. The ink they put in their cartridges is crap. Too thick and doesn't flow. Unfortunately, my custom burl pen only accepts Cross cartridges. Fortunately, it also has an optional plunger pump. It likes Scrip ink the best but very hard to find up here. Parker ink is all that's available at our local office supply. Hmmm. There is an artist supply store in town that may have other options. I'll check. Twenty years ago when I was doing my PhD in Winnipeg I had lots to choose from for my cheap Shaeffer pen (from my HS days!). My favorite color back then was "Peacock Blue" with a bit of regular blue mixed in to make my writing unique.

What ink and color are you guys using?

I like the brown, also difficult to find. Mont Blanc makes it and I got a bottle the other day. They also have it in cigar smell and single malt smell editions, so you get to enjoy the smell too.

 

[Alistair]

A word of caution about Cross pens. The ink they put in their cartridges is crap. Too thick and doesn't flow. Unfortunately, my custom burl pen only accepts Cross cartridges. Fortunately, it also has an optional plunger pump. It likes Scrip ink the best but very hard to find up here. Parker ink is all that's available at our local office supply. Hmmm. There is an artist supply store in town that may have other options. I'll check. Twenty years ago when I was doing my PhD in Winnipeg I had lots to choose from for my cheap Shaeffer pen (from my HS days!). My favorite color back then was "Peacock Blue" with a bit of regular blue mixed in to make my writing unique.

What ink and color are you guys using?

I have far too many inks at present, but some favorites are Pilot Iroshizuku ku jaku, Sailor Manyo haha (broad nibs only), Diamine Red Dragon, Diamine Imperial Purple and Organics Studio Walden Pond.

I don't tend to use a lot of basic black and blue inks, don't see the point when you can do that in a ballpoint, but I used quite a lot of Sailor black for my university exams where black was required.

 

[Nyati]

Diamine Presidential is a nice blue/gray, Pelikan 4001 for daily use in any pen, flows nicely.

Montblanc blue/black, black for serious use.

Diamine Oxblood, if you need a red ink !

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Melville and Moon have introduced a campaign writing desk that I had the pleasure of sitting at yesterday. Imagine the pleasure of putting that Holland and Holland pen to some fine bond at that very desk, field bar to one side and the Zambezi flowing by metres away.

It shall be done!
View attachment 536312

The writing desk is perplexing. Presumably it's designed to be a traveler like the booze box. But note that the box part is setting on a large tray. No drop front. In fact, no way I can see that the front closes up. I'm sure I can design something much better for transport. The design for this ammo box came right out of my head. Never even drafted a preliminary blueprint. The drawer is spring loaded and locked with the brass capped plunger rod on right side. Someday it will make a grand keepsake for my grandson.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The writing desk is perplexing. Presumably it's designed to be a traveler like the booze box. But note that the box part is setting on a large tray. No drop front. In fact, no way I can see that the front closes up. I'm sure I can design something much better for transport. The design for this ammo box came right out of my head. Never even drafted a preliminary blueprint. The drawer is spring loaded and locked with the brass capped plunger rod on right side. Someday it will make a grand keepsake for my grandson.
View attachment 536347

That is a very good looking ammo box OH, for sure it will last generations.

Some of the M&M stuff is a little tongue in cheek, it is nice make no mistake, but you need to use a little imagination on the 'campaign' label.
I get my campaign stuff made by a master cabinet maker in Harare and it is genuinely world class. It is all solid teak, with imported brass fittings from England. I got him to make my safari drinks cabinet, photo below. It, like your work, is full of care.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

That is a very good looking ammo box OH, for sure it will last generations.

Some of the M&M stuff is a little tongue in cheek, it is nice make no mistake, but you need to use a little imagination on the 'campaign' label.
I get my campaign stuff made by a master cabinet maker in Harare and it is genuinely world class. It is all solid teak, with imported brass fittings from England. I got him to make my safari drinks cabinet, photo below. It, like your work, is full of care.
View attachment 536365

A couple years ago I left the trap club with ammo box on top of my Jimmy. It didn't fall off till I was on the paved county road. One of the other club members was following and picked it up. A small piece of wood was knocked out of one bottom corner but otherwise unscathed. Built to last. I made a double gun case to match but with two A-5s inside I can hardly pick it up.

 

[Tintin]

Finally got a Big Red - current production, so no patina or historical charm.

A companion to my 51, nice to have both of the war-ending Parkers in my fountain battery.

 

[rookhawk]

I’m an absolutely amateur when it comes to fountain pens and I presently own zero of them, but I’d like to mention the finest writing pen I’ve ever owned. (Dry cleaner swiped it years ago)

The Mont Blanc Meisterzuck Le Grand Rollerball was a wonderful pen. Sure, they offer a fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil version of the same, but that rollerball with royal blue ink was a constant companion of mine. I still miss it.

Anyone have a nice pen that they use every single day?

Postscript: I just realized I alluded to this pen on this very thread pages back and about 2.5 years back. Apologies for my early onset senility.

 

[WyoBull]

I have a couple of Montblanc rollerball pens that I used to use quite often but now they just sit in their box.
I love fountain pens but I press too hard when writing so I had a hard time with them.
I did do some calligraphy years ago and had to learn not to press too hard.
As a daily pen it was hard to beat a Montblanc rollerball ball.

 

[Red Leg]

I’m an absolutely amateur when it comes to fountain pens and I presently own zero of them, but I’d like to mention the finest writing pen I’ve ever owned. (Dry cleaner swiped it years ago)

The Mont Blanc Meisterzuck Le Grand Rollerball was a wonderful pen. Sure, they offer a fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil version of the same, but that rollerball with royal blue ink was a constant companion of mine. I still miss it.

Anyone have a nice pen that they use every single day?

Any Mont Blanc rollerball - particularly a medium - may just be the finest writing instrument yet created. Like you, I think the Le Grand is the perfect size and weight. Mine even goes to Africa with me. I also use a Mont Blanc Kipling edition rollerball. It too has wonderful heft in the hand though a bit heavy for everyday shirt pocket carry.

 

[rookhawk]

Any Mont Blanc rollerball - particularly a medium - may just be the finest writing instrument yet created. Like you, I think the Le Grand is the perfect size and weight. Mine even goes to Africa with me. I also use a Mont Blanc Kipling edition rollerball. It too has wonderful heft in the hand though a bit heavy for everyday shirt pocket carry.

@Red Leg I too like bigger pens. I’m not sure if you had abysmal penmanship growing up? For whatever reason, my script literally looks like a doctor’s jibberish Rx with a regular pen or pencil, but if you hand me a giant pen I’m able to print legibily. Hell, with the right fountain pen I can actually do fairly decent calligraphy. I remember in school how uncomfortable it was to print with a standard sized writing instrument, I just preferred to fail the test.

Do you suffer the same affliction that drove you to the larger sized pens?

 

[Red Leg]

@Red Leg I too like bigger pens. I’m not sure if you had abysmal penmanship growing up? For whatever reason, my script literally looks like a doctor’s jibberish Rx with a regular pen or pencil, but if you hand me a giant pen I’m able to print legibily. Hell, with the right fountain pen I can actually do fairly decent calligraphy. I remember in school how uncomfortable it was to print with a standard sized writing instrument, I just preferred to fail the test.

Do you suffer the same affliction that drove you to the larger sized pens?

For me, anything in the hand needs to have meaningful heft. Pens, razors, and knives just need a bit of weight to work properly. I am not a doctor or a musician, but I also have the fingers of a proctologist or pianist.

 

[Alistair]

I’m an absolutely amateur when it comes to fountain pens and I presently own zero of them, but I’d like to mention the finest writing pen I’ve ever owned. (Dry cleaner swiped it years ago)

The Mont Blanc Meisterzuck Le Grand Rollerball was a wonderful pen. Sure, they offer a fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil version of the same, but that rollerball with royal blue ink was a constant companion of mine. I still miss it.

Anyone have a nice pen that they use every single day?

Postscript: I just realized I alluded to this pen on this very thread pages back and about 2.5 years back. Apologies for my early onset senility.

I use my fountain pens every single day, so yes.

I rotate through the collection as the mood takes me, so currently it's my Pelikan M1000.

The ink is getting low, so it'll be something else next week. Maybe my Pilot Vanishing Point.

 

[ZG47]

@Red Leg I too like bigger pens. I’m not sure if you had abysmal penmanship growing up? For whatever reason, my script literally looks like a doctor’s jibberish Rx with a regular pen or pencil, but if you hand me a giant pen I’m able to print legibily. Hell, with the right fountain pen I can actually do fairly decent calligraphy. I remember in school how uncomfortable it was to print with a standard sized writing instrument, I just preferred to fail the test.

Do you suffer the same affliction that drove you to the larger sized pens?

In the late 1980s, Parker resurrected their DuoFold line for a few years. I know this because my first Trade Cert is in retail and I was a commercial stationer at the time. Bigger barrel than normal and a very nice feel. I imagine that any DuoFold pen is fetching collector prices now BUT if you ring up a U.S. outfit such as Goulet, they would be able to tell you if anyone is making a decent large-barrel fountain/ball/rollerball pen at the moment. Have a good weekend.

 

[SaintPanzer]

My "everyday" pen is my Space Pen, mostly because it fits in my pocket well. The reality is I don't write handwritten notes much anymore. When I do, I have the Mont Blanc pen I bought when my wife and I were married to sign our marriage license.

I also have my Lamy fountain pen for everyday stuff, just because.

But my "funny" fountain pen story is this: When I was in Afghanistan, in Kabul, there were many counterfeit Mont Blancs as well as a Cartier or two. So I bought several. When I made it back to Stuttgart, they sat in our group office on my desk, in a coffee cup I purchased from the KGB Bar in Tbilisi. I'd use them all the time, for my total investment of say, $30 or so. I think I paid more for real Mont Blanc ink.

One of my office mates, however thought I was both full of myself for displaying $2000 worth of pens, as well as tempting others to help themselves to that investment. One day, a very cheap counterfeit nib broke, and so I simply tossed it in the trash. The only thing more priceless than the look on the officemate's face when he thought I was simply tossing $400 or so was the look on his face when I told him the origin and value of the collection. Yeah, I guess you had to be there, but it was really funny at the time.

If it helps to imagine the situation, the private nickname we had for this individual was "Frank Burns". He was that kind of guy.

 

[Sabre]

I’m an absolutely amateur when it comes to fountain pens and I presently own zero of them, but I’d like to mention the finest writing pen I’ve ever owned. (Dry cleaner swiped it years ago)

The Mont Blanc Meisterzuck Le Grand Rollerball was a wonderful pen. Sure, they offer a fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil version of the same, but that rollerball with royal blue ink was a constant companion of mine. I still miss it.

Anyone have a nice pen that they use every single day?

Postscript: I just realized I alluded to this pen on this very thread pages back and about 2.5 years back. Apologies for my early onset senility.

My favorite pen I have used is a Uni-Ball Jetstream 0.7mm Fine. It seems they have discontinued it now (I just found this out trying to look it up). The discontinued model was a capped pen. However, it appears they still sell the retractable version. I believe it uses the same ink and same rollerball tip. I would buy that and give it a shot. They are quite cheap compared to the ones discussed here. But the ink doesn't smear, writes on almost anything, and seems to be fairly waterproof from my experience.

 

[Tango]

I’m an absolutely amateur when it comes to fountain pens and I presently own zero of them, but I’d like to mention the finest writing pen I’ve ever owned. (Dry cleaner swiped it years ago)

The Mont Blanc Meisterzuck Le Grand Rollerball was a wonderful pen. Sure, they offer a fountain pen, ballpoint pen, and pencil version of the same, but that rollerball with royal blue ink was a constant companion of mine. I still miss it.

Anyone have a nice pen that they use every single day?

Postscript: I just realized I alluded to this pen on this very thread pages back and about 2.5 years back. Apologies for my early onset senility.

I'm a big fountain pen fan. Yes, the Mont Blancs are wonderful. I use mine at work, but my daily is the compact Kaweco AL Sport. They're aluminum so they have some heft to them and they write beautifully. Very well sealed with quality cartridges so no leaking on airplanes. Flat sided cap, no rolling off the desk top. Best of all they're still made in Germany and affordable at about $40-$45. Cartridges are cheap and widely available on Amazon or in craft/painting/calligraphy shops. I think it's a super deal for a fine little piece of kit. They also offer a plastic body version but it's not nearly as nice to handle or write with...go with the AL model.

 

[Rimbaud]

I bought a Kaweco like yours, @Tango when I was in Budapest. I've been using fountain pens for years, and never knew of Kaweco. I'm not even sure that they are even stocked by the big fountain pen shops in America, like the Fountain Pen Hospital in NYC. The nib is good, and the pen is handy as it fits easily in the pocket or briefcase. I know everyone tends to like Mont Blanc - and the Boheme fountain pen is a neat safety pen similar to Kaweco - but Pelikan fountain pens have better nibs, in my view. I have a rotating batch of Pelikans that I use at the office, and a great Caran d'Ache in silver that writes v well, too.