What now!!

[jvillan29]

Got my first fp pen yesterday, TWSBI 580al with fine nib. Did a quick flush and inked it up with a sample of Iroshizuku Tsuki-Yo (moonlight). Since this is my first and very first time ever using a fp, it is amazing how well it writes and feels. Keep in mind I can't compare it to anything since it is my first time ever utilizing a device of such artistry and value. Wish I began this journey awhile back hehe.

Is this where it all begins, looking forward to my next pen (Pilot), quality paper, storage and pouches, inks, eye loupes, etc. Wow, am I becoming ill??

How was your experience when you began this journey? Also anything you might add that I might need for this hobby??

[VertOlive]

Welcome to the delight of your first fountain pen! The real pleasure of my first 1.1 nib is with me still, it was the best. There's a Big Wide World of fountain pens to wander around in. Enjoy!

Oh. You'll want a sturdy debit card for this gig.

[Laura N]

Hello and welcome. How fun!

Be prepared for what my husband calls "the boring, no-fun advice." Because my advice is not to buy anything else. For a while, that is. Put everything you think you want and need on a wishlist, rather than in a shopping cart. Ask questions, sure, and read a lot, but don't pull the trigger. I know it's hard. But when you're just starting out too often there's a temptation to buy everything everyone else likes, to try everything one after the other, as budget allows. But it turns out to be better and more cost effective to proceed slowly. Get to know one pen for a while. Learn how to clean them and maintain them, and if necessary do a little nib smoothing and flow adjustment. If you live near a pen store or a pen show, either of those will give you a much better place to try and buy than does the internet, believe it or not.

You've started out with a good first pen, because TWSBI offers interchangeable nibs.

[writingrav]

Welcome to the madness. Indulge!

[Sammyo]

Also anything you might add that I might need for this hobby??

Patience don't rush into any purchase; take your time; read reviews; don't be afraid to ask for help and advice.
It is easy to get carried away and try to run before you can walk. If you want to get a loupe and some micro mesh to tune your nibs, get a cheap ebay dollar pen to practice on first. If you make a mistake on a dollar pen you won't feel so bad

Aside from that! Enjoy
By the way... which Pilot?

[Lady Onogaro]

I second the advice to read reviews. Live with your pen for a while. Get to know its ins and outs (you've chosen one that lots of people have commented on). Don't make the mistake of thinking that spending more money necessarily equals a different or better experience (I've been reading a post about a guy who has bought a vanishing point and has tried 3 nibs and isn't as happy with it as he is a $10 pen--all of us have been there. One of my favorites is a Kakuno that I use just about every day. The other favorite is a Sailor. Neither of these pens cost me more than $15.00 with shipping, I think.)

[rdcalhoon]

When you first discover the fountain pen universe it is so easy to get swept up in all the exciting and interesting stuff and paraphernalia.

As much as I enjoy trying new inks, working to improve pen performance, wiring on different papers, reading blogs and this forum, and the thrill of inking up a new pen, there is one place I suggest you you should concentrate your attention.

Use your fountain pen(s) every day and at every opportunity. Don't keep them for "special". Reach first for your fountain pen. Hide away any other style of pen for a while. Find a pen (at least one) that you enjoy writing with and are also comfortable carrying around a risking losing or damaging. Find reasons to use your pens: start a journal, carry a pocket notebook, find pen pals, whatever gets you writing.

It is my contention that your future purchases will be more likely to be ones that will please you if you focus more on writing and less on amassing gear.

[cwent2]

Excellent advice given by all - I started this journey in Sept 12 - really wish I had received the same advice - just my 2 cents

to the forum. Write well and prosper!

And bravo on the good advice given fellow geeks!

[raibtoffoletto]

Oh Man, at his point there's no return, but go easy!
Enjoy your TWSBI, it's a very nice pen, and as VertOlive said, try a 1.1 stub/italic with it, you'll be delighted!
My first one was a Lamy Nexx M and I stayed with it for more then a month before by a second one, and Lamy
is still my everyday pen to use, so enjoy your first pen, because there's a special relation with it.

[Jeph]

We are happy that you have joined us in the madness. Now, the most import thing that you need is a BUDGET. After that, just go where it takes you.

[mustud52]

Hello and welcome. How fun!

Be prepared for what my husband calls "the boring, no-fun advice." Because my advice is not to buy anything else. For a while, that is. Put everything you think you want and need on a wishlist, rather than in a shopping cart. Ask questions, sure, and read a lot, but don't pull the trigger. I know it's hard. But when you're just starting out too often there's a temptation to buy everything everyone else likes, to try everything one after the other, as budget allows. But it turns out to be better and more cost effective to proceed slowly. Get to know one pen for a while. Learn how to clean them and maintain them, and if necessary do a little nib smoothing and flow adjustment. If you live near a pen store or a pen show, either of those will give you a much better place to try and buy than does the internet, believe it or not.

You've started out with a good first pen, because TWSBI offers interchangeable nibs.

Excellent advice.

[jvillan29]

Thanks for all your replies and help. Although the dilemma still lingers.
But honesty I will keep your suggestions with me during this journey. Rdcalhoon, yes I already looked at some books for better writing written by Fred Eager and Eleanor Winters. Also ordered Maruman Mnemosyne Notepad Holder from jetpens.com.
Thanks again!!

[caribbean_skye]

Also keep in mind any local pen meetups, theyre great for trying out different pens, inks, paper along with meeting fellow enthusiasts who are always happy to share their knowledge.

[elaineb]

If you're fighting the urge to start a spending spree because you're so excited -- head over to Goulet Pens and just go nuts with ink samples. They're $1.25 to $2.50 each, and working your way through a couple dozen of them will give you a great education on how ink can completely change the way your pen feels and the way your writing looks. Switching inks is the most dramatic way to vary your experience with fountain pens, and it's also the smallest investment.

Also, trying out different papers is another economical field of experimentation. I'd suggest trying out samples of Tomoe River Paper, Rhodia, Clairefontaine and some of the high-end papers at Staples (the refills for their Arc notebooks are nice) and also perhaps some artist papers that you can get in inexpensive pads. Strathmore 400 series drawing paper is one of my all-time favorites, and a 5x7 pad costs about $3.50. Don't go in for expensive notebooks at first, look for samples. (many places now sell a few sheets of Tomoe River in sample packs, for instance) or little cheap notebooks. Like ink samples, you're just trying to understand the spectrum of what's available, and what suits your particular tastes.

And finally, I second everyone's suggestion about getting a couple of extra nibs for your TWSBI before thinking about an additional pen. FWIW, the difference between a TWSBI and a Pilot with similar nibs is quite subtle. It has to do more with ergonomics, I think, than actual writing performance.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Hello and welcome. How fun!

Be prepared for what my husband calls "the boring, no-fun advice." Because my advice is not to buy anything else. For a while, that is. Put everything you think you want and need on a wishlist, rather than in a shopping cart. Ask questions, sure, and read a lot, but don't pull the trigger. I know it's hard. But when you're just starting out too often there's a temptation to buy everything everyone else likes, to try everything one after the other, as budget allows. But it turns out to be better and more cost effective to proceed slowly. Get to know one pen for a while. Learn how to clean them and maintain them, and if necessary do a little nib smoothing and flow adjustment. If you live near a pen store or a pen show, either of those will give you a much better place to try and buy than does the internet, believe it or not.

You've started out with a good first pen, because TWSBI offers interchangeable nibs.

Yeah, go slow, with one exception. I'm just going to add, if you fall over a bargain at a yard sale, flea market or wherever, go ahead, even if it doesn't work or you don't like it. You can always learn repairs or give said pen away.

[Lady Onogaro]

If you're fighting the urge to start a spending spree because you're so excited -- head over to Goulet Pens and just go nuts with ink samples. They're $1.25 to $2.50 each, and working your way through a couple dozen of them will give you a great education on how ink can completely change the way your pen feels and the way your writing looks. Switching inks is the most dramatic way to vary your experience with fountain pens, and it's also the smallest investment.

Also, trying out different papers is another economical field of experimentation. I'd suggest trying out samples of Tomoe River Paper, Rhodia, Clairefontaine and some of the high-end papers at Staples (the refills for their Arc notebooks are nice) and also perhaps some artist papers that you can get in inexpensive pads. Strathmore 400 series drawing paper is one of my all-time favorites, and a 5x7 pad costs about $3.50. Don't go in for expensive notebooks at first, look for samples. (many places now sell a few sheets of Tomoe River in sample packs, for instance) or little cheap notebooks. Like ink samples, you're just trying to understand the spectrum of what's available, and what suits your particular tastes.

And finally, I second everyone's suggestion about getting a couple of extra nibs for your TWSBI before thinking about an additional pen. FWIW, the difference between a TWSBI and a Pilot with similar nibs is quite subtle. It has to do more with ergonomics, I think, than actual writing performance.

Elaine's advice is great. I certainly did not know until recently how different of a writing experience a pen could be with different inks and papers. The samples are a great way to "make it new."