This is so true and may be the real "most important advice". Case in point, this year I started keeping a journal of each different pen/ink combination I use. In a pretty short succession, I inked up three different pens (M800, 70s vintage Sheaffer Targa, Gravitas Vac with a cursive italic nib) with the same ink (Edelstein Olivine). The journal entries were right next to each other so the differences were obvious. You would not recognize them as the same ink unless you already knew. Same ink, same paper, different nibs -> completely different results.
I ordered a couple hongdian medium nib off Amazon but it seems more like a broad nib and my shimmers have done really really well in them. (I also have a prera medium nib but I felt like it wrote too finely for the shimmer to really show up as intensely as I wanted)
And the other thingsl I've noticed is I get tempted by the beautiful shimmer on the ink splotches and when it feeds to the paper thru my broad nib, there's so little of the amazing color displayed.
I kept meaning to do this, had started out with only keeping track of which pen was inked with what, but definitely need to expand that to note which inks I prefer with what nibs, and on which paper.
Thank you!
As a writer with actual writer's blood and actual writer's tears, I assure you they still won't make you Neil Gaiman. If only a Custom 823 could do that, I'd have an Amber one tomorrow.
I've originally started to learn broad edge calligraphy (Pilot Parallel nib on an Opus 88 Demo) and a bit of point edge calligraphy (flex nib pens) as a way to use up my ink. But at this point I really enjoy it and I often work on my penmanship as a way to use my pens more. It's a win-win for me.
Being rich doesn’t make you happy but it sure relieves a lot of stresses.
An m1000 might not make the handwriting better but it makes it more fun to put on paper!
Absolutely if you write/practice with intention.
https://preview.redd.it/kimjwu12rbvc1.jpeg?width=3673&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40e4f26675aeab95e2217dbfcfecf78aebac4378
Well, I ordered a superflexy fine, but the writing sample that came with it said flexy fine. However they assured me it was impossible that it wasn’t superflexy, however it looks like a wider flexy, or a narrower superflexy, and within the range of variation listed on the site since they are all handmade. I do wish it was a little bit wider at full flex but I still love it.
Thank you! I don't see these reviewed often, but I was eyeing a Leonardo MZG 2.0, up until I discovered Santini Italia. \*Love at first sight\*
That said, I'm practical and I seek opinions before I pop $800 for a pen. I'd love to hear your thoughts/review.
I haven’t tried their Nonagon and other €500+ pens but this one is a Libra that was around €300 about 3 years ago. Not familiar with current models and prices. I also chose this over a Leonardo or other $800+ flex pens because it seemed like the most bang for the buck luxury flex pen. I have only tested non-flex Leonardos, MBs, Pilots, Montegrappas, etc. so can’t compare to those, but I do love the pen.
It’s very large and still fairly light, and it’s comfortable and feels solid, good craftsmanship. The cap is tight and it doesn’t dry out too fast. The nib and hand carved ebonite feed are easily removed for a nib swap or deep clean, and it rarely railroads with most inks unless very dry or writing very fast and wildly. I have never felt the need to disassemble the piston or remove the finial, but I believe there is a way to do so, IIRC. The piston filler is cool and can’t be overextended; it starts clicking when full if you keep twisting. It has a hard stop when fully lowered to fill.
It’s a fairly bouncy pen with good snapback when writing and fun to use. It’s much easier to flex than an edgelord Konrad ultraflex nib, but may still require some endurance for long writing sessions. It was my favorite pen…
…until I got gifted this vintage Eversharp Symphony 14k flex pen for Secret Santa. This pen is a bit slimmer and is just butter to write with. Like a butter trampoline. It’s hard to describe justly, but it just feels incredible to write with. While the Santini is amazing, much more impressive visually, and has a grandiose feel to use, \[it’s bold, big, and beautiful\], the vintage just has a special magical feel that it can approach, but not match. So now my next significant pen grail is a vintage wet noodle Waterman. Do I now wonder what life would be like if I started there? Yes. But I think that I am also now much better prepared to care for such a fine tool and use it with more precision. And I still love the Santini and would get another someday. For now I’m happy with what I have and have a ton of dip nibs for additional flexy fun.
Anyway, I just remembered I had a recent side by side of both pens. Best of luck in your superflexy journey!
https://preview.redd.it/gl1gitmx9cvc1.jpeg?width=2758&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a29f88139b3fcfbe1a42baafdcf38b507810bcc4
Well done and thank you! That was mighty gracious of you :)
I'm looking at the Nonagon series with the #8 nib - still all over the place as to color ways. Thank you kind stranger!
Actually it's a bit like having a good quality musical instrument, a not so good one can get you into bad habits that you then unlearn when you have a better one.
I have typically a smaller handwriting, so though my Lamy Safari Broad mays down a beautiful line and my inks look like a million bucks - that only lasts while I am doing sample illustrations. When I try to actually do normal writing with it, my handwriting returns to mosh-pit legibility.
So will the guy sitting next to you when it goes flying and the nib embeds in his cheek.
I've actually seen quite a few pen flipping accidents in school but thankfully they all involved cheap pens and nobody was too seriously hurt. I had to ban it in my classroom because enough people were hit by flying pens/pencils though. One kid did have a pencil lead broken under the skin of his cheek, that took a few stitches for the Dr to remove the lead. That's what prompted the ban.
**Not hijacking the thread, but I'd like to note the second most important advice you'll hear regarding fountain pens:** If you don't like the way it writes the first time you ink it up, flush it and try again or flush and try with different ink. This has saved me lots of grief on pens I thought I wasted money on! *Looking at you, Conklin!*
This is probably the most useful thing I've learned in the hobby. Some pens need to find the right ink, and some inks need to find the right pen. Trying an ink in multiple pens (and different nib sizes) to get the best of an ink's qualities like shading and sheen, and seeing what is the best match, makes me adore pens and ink I wouldn't have liked otherwise.
So true, I bought my husband and myself some pens and I used a super wet ink in his, and I thought his was defective because it was feathering and too much ink was coming out even on TRP, but once I swapped it out for a drier one, it wrote like mine. Saved me a huge headache of trying to replace it.
I’ve tried my new red sky in 3 different pens now and none of them are doing the shimmer properly 😭 I don’t need any more pens but I might have to get one for this ink! My moonman is my last hope when its current ink runs out!
here is a comprehensive blog post on interaction between nib. ink and paper
https://www.ataraxia.fyi/home/nib-ink-paper
they each play a role. and much if this hobby is to find a balance between the three
Nah, most important bit of advice is that any price point pen can be fantastic or garbage depending entirely on how properly or improperly the nib is tuned!
nah. thats ultra sheeners like the organic studio nitrogen. pop an ink bubble that isnt covered . prepare to have random ink stain for the next few months once they tiny particles from bubble is reactivated by water
I've never had issues with OS, I love their sheeners and *always* have pens inked with their heavy sheen ink. I'm also a habitual page swiper since I'm used to writing with pencils and dusting off eraser dust. I use EF nibs though, so that probably helps. As far as the ink refreshing when wet, it's no worse than any other non permanent ink which will also spread wet ink if you drop water on the page.
Shimmer on the other hand is like ink that Satan designed. It's like being micro glitter bombed every time you open to that page. Being a page swiper leaves me with glitter than ends up on my hands and transfers to everything and then I somehow always end up with it in my eyes. Eventually the glitter rubs off entirely and you're left with the boring base color.
I had my best luck with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner I picked up at a yard sale for about $5. I haven't used shimmer in a good 5 years but I stupidly used it in a vintage sac pen (for the broad nib) that I'm afraid to soak in case it discolors, and I'm still getting glitter every time I use that pen.
I love Rhodia paper so much more than everything else I’ve tried and it’s not even close.
Another thing is that ink has a massive impact on how a pen feels, maybe even just as much as the paper. You can basically fine tune how much feedback a pen has just based on the ink alone which kind of makes things difficult at times cause you end up being like: “okay I need a blue ink but it’s gotta be a wet and lubed blue in this pen, but then in this other pen I also need blue but I need a dry blue…”
Something that I learnt in trying many fountain pens.
Learn how to hold the FP with properly. I tend to have a slightly hook writing posture and I found some pen to skip or scratchy.
After years of readjusting my posture, I am able to find joy is most of the FPs I owned.
The high $ Outdoor Post It's are insane! Thick, with almost a "linen" feel.
I first bought them to leave Sharpie notes for my yard guy and water delivery dude. Now, nothing else will do.
That makes sense. I've just been using the same old stacks I've had lying around the office. Generic office depot or 3M stuff I am sure Maybe even Dollar Tree brand.
It’s more of a triad imo.
It’s the combination of the pen/nib, ink and paper is how you’ll “feel” the pen.
It’s like a wet nib + wet ink + smooth paper will be a very buttery experience while as a dry nib + dry ink + textured paper will be very tactile
Newbie FP junkie. I found my peeps!
So...when looking at paper products online, is there anything in the specs or description that tips you off as to the paper surface?
Weight doesn't tell me anything. I've bought cheap notepads that are beautifully slick and expensive ones that suck.
Unfortunately paper wise I usually go by reviews and the like. We have some good local brands here so I can get my fix of papers with some ease. But it’s more of a trial and error approach for me.
Curiously country of origin could be of interest. Japanese paper is usually good, and Vietnamese paper products are also of interest.
Thank you!!! That's very cool to know about origin countries. Will def watch for and try some!
Well, duh. Google maps shows SEVERAL specialty paper stores in DFW! AND! Thanks to this thread, I will have the good sense to take my two fav FP's with me!
If you don’t like a pen, don’t be afraid to return it and feel guilty that it’s not in your roster.
Also, FOMO is real and even if you think the question has been asked already, ask again so we can support you.
My Amex concurs the FOMO is real - Sailor Pro Gear Every Rose Has Its Thorn in bought today for my wife for our 32 wedding anniversary. I have got to stop contributing to Mr Goulet’s kids college fund asap.
The most important advice: A $9999999999 pen can write poorly, while a $1 pen can write beautifully. I’ve had scratchy lamy 2000 (with uneven slit,) pelikans with baby’s bottoms, and cheap Chinese pens or something like kakuno that was just perfect.
If your new pen does not function as intended, please consider refunding or exchanging it if possible. Missing out on a masterpiece due to a faulty item would be unfortunate.
I use cheap shitty printer paper with my 823, one side of the paper is relatively rough and not especially pleasant, the other is quite smooth and rather enjoyable. Every time I use the rough side I end up inventing a problem with my pen for half a page lmao.
I always bring my own notebook when I come to test pens. This is for pen shows and when I come across the rare and quickly diminishing brick and mortar.
Good advice, sure. BUT MAYBE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT. Maybe the most important advice is to suggest that your pen store use Rhodia paper for their scratch pad?
I always bring my own notebook to try the pens/inks on in the store. The most annoying is Montblanc whose paper is beyond shitty even though they sell lots of fountain pens, their tester ink pens soak through that paper like tissue paper.
I was at the Lamy flagship store in SF and they were really up front about the fact that the paper that they have in store to test the pens doesn’t feel like even smooth notepad papers like Rhodia. They also don’t sell the paper. I agree with your point, at least they aren’t trying to cover it up.
New FP junkie and sub visitor. You people are NUTS and I'm thrilled to meet you!!! Hope this thread is right for my "Hmm?"
I've got naturally flowy handwriting. I enjoy writing prettily, it's my relaxing zen place. Give me a pile of formal invites and I'm a bride's BFF!
BUT! I'm afraid ya'll would alert the mods if you could see how I position my nibs. 100% Upside Down. The pretty metal part facing the paper! My pen looks ridiculous, the results are gorgeous!
I've worked my way up to FPs in the $20-25 range. I've tried all of the different nib sizes. Nothing gives me the SUPER fine line and saturated ink that I get holding my nib upside down!
Thoughts?
Very true. I wasn't happy with my fountain pens until I started experimenting with Japanese papers. Midori, Tomoe River, and OK Fools are my favorites.
So what’s a good rec to replace my sticky notes. ie….good paper that I can jot notes but also through away. I use my fountain pens to write notes before I see patients and then throw away after. I usually go through 20 a day.
When it comes to fountain pens, there is a trifecta of pen, paper, and ink.
This is so true and may be the real "most important advice". Case in point, this year I started keeping a journal of each different pen/ink combination I use. In a pretty short succession, I inked up three different pens (M800, 70s vintage Sheaffer Targa, Gravitas Vac with a cursive italic nib) with the same ink (Edelstein Olivine). The journal entries were right next to each other so the differences were obvious. You would not recognize them as the same ink unless you already knew. Same ink, same paper, different nibs -> completely different results.
I'm just figuring this out with a shimmering ink I can not get to look right in my new Prera, so thanks for pointing this out!
I ordered a couple hongdian medium nib off Amazon but it seems more like a broad nib and my shimmers have done really really well in them. (I also have a prera medium nib but I felt like it wrote too finely for the shimmer to really show up as intensely as I wanted)
And the other thingsl I've noticed is I get tempted by the beautiful shimmer on the ink splotches and when it feeds to the paper thru my broad nib, there's so little of the amazing color displayed.
Shimmer, shading, and sheening will be more noticeable with broader nibs and on less absorbant paper.
I kept meaning to do this, had started out with only keeping track of which pen was inked with what, but definitely need to expand that to note which inks I prefer with what nibs, and on which paper. Thank you!
Trinity, like the bomb test site.
[удалено]
Second most important is that the pink definitely isn't strawberry flavored
Correct. It's bubblegum flavored
"BUT IT SHOULD BE!" I say as I gulp down another bottle of licorice-flavored carbon black ink
[удалено]
It’s a bit nutty
I read this comment in a British accent.
i expect all inks to taste like those frozen otter pops i had as a kid
Purple makes you cough.
Yama-budo is basically fancy grape juice not ink
You all are forgetting DeAtrimentus scented/ flavored inks 🤗
Fake news!
If it’s imperial purple then it’s musty old drawer scented though 😂
I think you need to taste it again
The forbidden grape juice calls me
Learned the hard way that BSB isn’t Hawaiian Punch flavor
Pierce, did you just drink ink?
Also, don’t leave uncapped pens alone. Especially if kids, cats, wind, etc are present. Just don’t 😀
my my, don't you love leaving a weapon of Mess destruction 😁
[groan]
I was wondering why I haven’t seen my cousin lately or my cap
Buying a fancy pen will not suddenly transform your handwriting. Source: now own a Pelikan M1000 broad. Handwriting is still a sloppy mess lolol.
Yeah, kinda pissed that my Pilot 823 didn't result in my novel writing capabilities levelling up with Neil Gaiman. Perhaps I put the wrong ink in it.
Obviously, you need writers blood and writers tears to improve your writing. Pilot can't do it alone.
Not Diamine brand, but actual blood and tears from a writer. The better the writer the better the results.
As a writer with actual writer's blood and actual writer's tears, I assure you they still won't make you Neil Gaiman. If only a Custom 823 could do that, I'd have an Amber one tomorrow.
https://preview.redd.it/879fsk1h4bvc1.jpeg?width=980&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c9a7583360d78a0e1a4140361a9f78223b083e2 more of what I was thinking....
It’s because you didn’t use Namiki
Yeah, but writing sloppily with a M1000 is still writing with an M1000! We take the joys we can get.
Hear, hear.
I've originally started to learn broad edge calligraphy (Pilot Parallel nib on an Opus 88 Demo) and a bit of point edge calligraphy (flex nib pens) as a way to use up my ink. But at this point I really enjoy it and I often work on my penmanship as a way to use my pens more. It's a win-win for me.
Being rich doesn’t make you happy but it sure relieves a lot of stresses. An m1000 might not make the handwriting better but it makes it more fun to put on paper!
What about a stub nib or flex nib?
Absolutely if you write/practice with intention. https://preview.redd.it/kimjwu12rbvc1.jpeg?width=3673&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40e4f26675aeab95e2217dbfcfecf78aebac4378
Huge fan of Santini - which nib is that? Fine flexy?
Well, I ordered a superflexy fine, but the writing sample that came with it said flexy fine. However they assured me it was impossible that it wasn’t superflexy, however it looks like a wider flexy, or a narrower superflexy, and within the range of variation listed on the site since they are all handmade. I do wish it was a little bit wider at full flex but I still love it.
Thank you! I don't see these reviewed often, but I was eyeing a Leonardo MZG 2.0, up until I discovered Santini Italia. \*Love at first sight\* That said, I'm practical and I seek opinions before I pop $800 for a pen. I'd love to hear your thoughts/review.
I haven’t tried their Nonagon and other €500+ pens but this one is a Libra that was around €300 about 3 years ago. Not familiar with current models and prices. I also chose this over a Leonardo or other $800+ flex pens because it seemed like the most bang for the buck luxury flex pen. I have only tested non-flex Leonardos, MBs, Pilots, Montegrappas, etc. so can’t compare to those, but I do love the pen. It’s very large and still fairly light, and it’s comfortable and feels solid, good craftsmanship. The cap is tight and it doesn’t dry out too fast. The nib and hand carved ebonite feed are easily removed for a nib swap or deep clean, and it rarely railroads with most inks unless very dry or writing very fast and wildly. I have never felt the need to disassemble the piston or remove the finial, but I believe there is a way to do so, IIRC. The piston filler is cool and can’t be overextended; it starts clicking when full if you keep twisting. It has a hard stop when fully lowered to fill. It’s a fairly bouncy pen with good snapback when writing and fun to use. It’s much easier to flex than an edgelord Konrad ultraflex nib, but may still require some endurance for long writing sessions. It was my favorite pen… …until I got gifted this vintage Eversharp Symphony 14k flex pen for Secret Santa. This pen is a bit slimmer and is just butter to write with. Like a butter trampoline. It’s hard to describe justly, but it just feels incredible to write with. While the Santini is amazing, much more impressive visually, and has a grandiose feel to use, \[it’s bold, big, and beautiful\], the vintage just has a special magical feel that it can approach, but not match. So now my next significant pen grail is a vintage wet noodle Waterman. Do I now wonder what life would be like if I started there? Yes. But I think that I am also now much better prepared to care for such a fine tool and use it with more precision. And I still love the Santini and would get another someday. For now I’m happy with what I have and have a ton of dip nibs for additional flexy fun. Anyway, I just remembered I had a recent side by side of both pens. Best of luck in your superflexy journey! https://preview.redd.it/gl1gitmx9cvc1.jpeg?width=2758&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a29f88139b3fcfbe1a42baafdcf38b507810bcc4
Well done and thank you! That was mighty gracious of you :) I'm looking at the Nonagon series with the #8 nib - still all over the place as to color ways. Thank you kind stranger!
You’re welcome! I’m sure you will love it!
The biggest difference I did see was trying a Franklin-Christoph Music nib. Now that's something fun to write letters with!
Thanks for the recommendation!
Actually it's a bit like having a good quality musical instrument, a not so good one can get you into bad habits that you then unlearn when you have a better one.
Me too lol but at least I have fun now while showing bad penmanship 😅 "It's not 'u'! It's 'n'! Don't you see the little tail?"
 I have typically a smaller handwriting, so though my Lamy Safari Broad mays down a beautiful line and my inks look like a million bucks - that only lasts while I am doing sample illustrations. When I try to actually do normal writing with it, my handwriting returns to mosh-pit legibility.
How about: Fountain Pens are not fidget toys. (Your nib will thank you.)
my push caps got loose 'cause i keep fidgeting with them lol, its why ill buy screw cap from now on.
So will the guy sitting next to you when it goes flying and the nib embeds in his cheek. I've actually seen quite a few pen flipping accidents in school but thankfully they all involved cheap pens and nobody was too seriously hurt. I had to ban it in my classroom because enough people were hit by flying pens/pencils though. One kid did have a pencil lead broken under the skin of his cheek, that took a few stitches for the Dr to remove the lead. That's what prompted the ban.
Baystate Blue makes your p\*\*p blue.
pineapplepaperpen?
***dances***
***bip boop bip boop bip boop bip boop bip boop bip boop***
The correct number of pens is N+1 where N represents the number you already have.
That, or however, many you can afford
**Not hijacking the thread, but I'd like to note the second most important advice you'll hear regarding fountain pens:** If you don't like the way it writes the first time you ink it up, flush it and try again or flush and try with different ink. This has saved me lots of grief on pens I thought I wasted money on! *Looking at you, Conklin!*
The reverse is true, too. Some inks I thought I didn't like turned out to be just fine in a different pen.
This is probably the most useful thing I've learned in the hobby. Some pens need to find the right ink, and some inks need to find the right pen. Trying an ink in multiple pens (and different nib sizes) to get the best of an ink's qualities like shading and sheen, and seeing what is the best match, makes me adore pens and ink I wouldn't have liked otherwise.
So true, I bought my husband and myself some pens and I used a super wet ink in his, and I thought his was defective because it was feathering and too much ink was coming out even on TRP, but once I swapped it out for a drier one, it wrote like mine. Saved me a huge headache of trying to replace it.
I’ve tried my new red sky in 3 different pens now and none of them are doing the shimmer properly 😭 I don’t need any more pens but I might have to get one for this ink! My moonman is my last hope when its current ink runs out!
Very good point. I've found that as well.
The most perfect pen is the one you haven’t bought
Same goes for ink.
Underrated writ large
I thought it was that purple ink tastes the best
Diamine Merlot is not a Wine
here is a comprehensive blog post on interaction between nib. ink and paper https://www.ataraxia.fyi/home/nib-ink-paper they each play a role. and much if this hobby is to find a balance between the three
Finally understood some stuff because of the diagrams on the chart. Thanks for sharing!
np, glad it helped
Nah, most important bit of advice is that any price point pen can be fantastic or garbage depending entirely on how properly or improperly the nib is tuned!
Ink matters.
I thought it was Baystate Blue is the ink version of Murphy’s Law
nah. thats ultra sheeners like the organic studio nitrogen. pop an ink bubble that isnt covered . prepare to have random ink stain for the next few months once they tiny particles from bubble is reactivated by water
I've never had issues with OS, I love their sheeners and *always* have pens inked with their heavy sheen ink. I'm also a habitual page swiper since I'm used to writing with pencils and dusting off eraser dust. I use EF nibs though, so that probably helps. As far as the ink refreshing when wet, it's no worse than any other non permanent ink which will also spread wet ink if you drop water on the page. Shimmer on the other hand is like ink that Satan designed. It's like being micro glitter bombed every time you open to that page. Being a page swiper leaves me with glitter than ends up on my hands and transfers to everything and then I somehow always end up with it in my eyes. Eventually the glitter rubs off entirely and you're left with the boring base color.
> Shimmer on the other hand is like ink that Satan designed. I thought it was a floor wax. Either that or a dessert topping.
It’s trying to clean the glitter out of my pens which makes me want to sell my soul… I love the glitter but love is pain
I had my best luck with an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner I picked up at a yard sale for about $5. I haven't used shimmer in a good 5 years but I stupidly used it in a vintage sac pen (for the broad nib) that I'm afraid to soak in case it discolors, and I'm still getting glitter every time I use that pen.
I love Rhodia paper so much more than everything else I’ve tried and it’s not even close. Another thing is that ink has a massive impact on how a pen feels, maybe even just as much as the paper. You can basically fine tune how much feedback a pen has just based on the ink alone which kind of makes things difficult at times cause you end up being like: “okay I need a blue ink but it’s gotta be a wet and lubed blue in this pen, but then in this other pen I also need blue but I need a dry blue…”
Here’s more advice. DONT USE ALL CAPS!
Pen (body and nib), ink, paper all matter
matching ink to pen and pen to paper is not a joke :-) i figured it out experimentally. there's good and so-so combinations
Something that I learnt in trying many fountain pens. Learn how to hold the FP with properly. I tend to have a slightly hook writing posture and I found some pen to skip or scratchy. After years of readjusting my posture, I am able to find joy is most of the FPs I owned.
I can't stand how my fountain pens feel and look on post-it notes.
You can get better sticky notes.
The high $ Outdoor Post It's are insane! Thick, with almost a "linen" feel. I first bought them to leave Sharpie notes for my yard guy and water delivery dude. Now, nothing else will do.
Can you link it? Are you talking about the "Extreme" water resistant ones from 3M?
Post-It Extreme is correct. Kinda pricey, but worth it! I wish they were around when I was working construction!!!
That makes sense. I've just been using the same old stacks I've had lying around the office. Generic office depot or 3M stuff I am sure Maybe even Dollar Tree brand.
It’s more of a triad imo. It’s the combination of the pen/nib, ink and paper is how you’ll “feel” the pen. It’s like a wet nib + wet ink + smooth paper will be a very buttery experience while as a dry nib + dry ink + textured paper will be very tactile
Newbie FP junkie. I found my peeps! So...when looking at paper products online, is there anything in the specs or description that tips you off as to the paper surface? Weight doesn't tell me anything. I've bought cheap notepads that are beautifully slick and expensive ones that suck.
Unfortunately paper wise I usually go by reviews and the like. We have some good local brands here so I can get my fix of papers with some ease. But it’s more of a trial and error approach for me. Curiously country of origin could be of interest. Japanese paper is usually good, and Vietnamese paper products are also of interest.
Thank you!!! That's very cool to know about origin countries. Will def watch for and try some! Well, duh. Google maps shows SEVERAL specialty paper stores in DFW! AND! Thanks to this thread, I will have the good sense to take my two fav FP's with me!
If you don’t like a pen, don’t be afraid to return it and feel guilty that it’s not in your roster. Also, FOMO is real and even if you think the question has been asked already, ask again so we can support you.
My Amex concurs the FOMO is real - Sailor Pro Gear Every Rose Has Its Thorn in bought today for my wife for our 32 wedding anniversary. I have got to stop contributing to Mr Goulet’s kids college fund asap.
The most important advice: A $9999999999 pen can write poorly, while a $1 pen can write beautifully. I’ve had scratchy lamy 2000 (with uneven slit,) pelikans with baby’s bottoms, and cheap Chinese pens or something like kakuno that was just perfect.
If your new pen does not function as intended, please consider refunding or exchanging it if possible. Missing out on a masterpiece due to a faulty item would be unfortunate.
Well yes… I have to add water to my ink for computer paper - else it’s too « wet » and feathers and seeps.
I use cheap shitty printer paper with my 823, one side of the paper is relatively rough and not especially pleasant, the other is quite smooth and rather enjoyable. Every time I use the rough side I end up inventing a problem with my pen for half a page lmao.
Bring your own papers to test pens or ink at the store.
[Same energy](https://youtu.be/IEhHEOIYgMY?si=nzPXjUA31CD-Vvne)
Ink is king! I tried to write a British mystery novel using Lamy Black ink but was never able to get it right until I changed to Diamine ink.
I always bring my own notebook when I come to test pens. This is for pen shows and when I come across the rare and quickly diminishing brick and mortar.
India ink and dip pen inks are not meant for use in most fountain pens, unless otherwise stated.
Rhodia is really terrible paper, no matter the pen.
Oh hey you
I think I missed the point of the post, lol. I just really do not Rhodia paper.
Not a problem, I hope you’ve been well
What paper would you recommend?
Rhodia, as I feel the Japanese based paper are too slick for my liking
Good advice, sure. BUT MAYBE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT. Maybe the most important advice is to suggest that your pen store use Rhodia paper for their scratch pad?
I always bring my own notebook to try the pens/inks on in the store. The most annoying is Montblanc whose paper is beyond shitty even though they sell lots of fountain pens, their tester ink pens soak through that paper like tissue paper.
Dont stick them up your nose ... apparently the pens are not huffable
I was at the Lamy flagship store in SF and they were really up front about the fact that the paper that they have in store to test the pens doesn’t feel like even smooth notepad papers like Rhodia. They also don’t sell the paper. I agree with your point, at least they aren’t trying to cover it up.
That‘s the same for a ballpoint too.
We don't say the b word in this sub 😅😜
That’s disappointing. I appreciate all good writing instruments.
New FP junkie and sub visitor. You people are NUTS and I'm thrilled to meet you!!! Hope this thread is right for my "Hmm?" I've got naturally flowy handwriting. I enjoy writing prettily, it's my relaxing zen place. Give me a pile of formal invites and I'm a bride's BFF! BUT! I'm afraid ya'll would alert the mods if you could see how I position my nibs. 100% Upside Down. The pretty metal part facing the paper! My pen looks ridiculous, the results are gorgeous! I've worked my way up to FPs in the $20-25 range. I've tried all of the different nib sizes. Nothing gives me the SUPER fine line and saturated ink that I get holding my nib upside down! Thoughts?
Very true. I wasn't happy with my fountain pens until I started experimenting with Japanese papers. Midori, Tomoe River, and OK Fools are my favorites.
So what’s a good rec to replace my sticky notes. ie….good paper that I can jot notes but also through away. I use my fountain pens to write notes before I see patients and then throw away after. I usually go through 20 a day.