Hello everyone! Finally joining a forum for my growing addiction. Figured what better time than Fountain Pen Day Eve, haha.
I'm currently living in Southern California, finishing a PhD in Chemistry. Not sure where I'll go next... probably not SoCal anymore.
Started using fountain pens about 6 months ago (wish I would have started sooner!). Really enjoy them and I have a slight addictive quality to my personality and quickly develop collections of things and what-not. Into tobacco pipes too (anyone else?).
I've got several pens already, my current favorites that stay inked:
1) Pilot Custom 74, gold and black, SFM nib, really nice pen that I got for a great price. Inked with sailor yama-dori
2) Faber Castell Loom, blue and matte metal finish, broad nib, love the pen, so smooth and a great heft. Also yama-dori
3) Edison Nouveau Premier, Midnight Thunder finish from Goulet, broad steel nib, also super smooth and loved the finish! My first "next level pen", inked with diamine majestic blue (perfect match for the pen with the dark blue and purpley-red sheen!)
4) Monteverde Color Fusion Invincia, Black, Goulet broad steel nib, again a pen with great heft, got this one on a sale and really enjoy it. Inked with diamine sherwood green
5) Delta Journal, red pearlized, medium fusion nib, this one was dry and scratchy at first but I got smoothed it and really gently opened the tines a bit, now it's quickly becoming one of my favorites. Also got a fantastic deal on this one! Inked with Noodler's antietam.
6) Vintage waterman 92, gray/black/red speckled, #2 flex nib. Fixed this one up myself (thoroughly cleaned, polished, replaced sac, straightened tines, set nib to feed) Writes nicely now. Inked with diamine majestic blue
That's all I'll mention now as those are the ones I use most frequently. Other than a pilot metro that I use to write in my lab notebook using bulletproof inks from Noodlers, that one I suppose I technically use the most, haha.
I won't even get into inks...I have lots already. My top for now, Diamine: sherwood green, Noodler's: Antietam, and Sailor: Yama-Dori or Diamine: Majestic Blue
I've got my eye on a few Visconti pens now as my next "real deal" pen (as far as premium brands anyway), hoping to get a great deal tomorrow! Have yet to spend more than $150 on a pen (looking at the Edison there) so this one will be my first really big expense.
I'm trying to learn to not just buy any pen I think looks nice, but focus my attention (and wallet) on a particular pen or two that I can set a goal towards. Otherwise I'll just be buying on impulse which on a grad student budget just won't end well... I've also learned that I love a big, juicy nib so I lean towards medium at slightest but broads are my nib of choice.
Anyway, wanted to say hi and list a few pens I have. See everyone around the forum! Let me know if you have a question about my pens, inks, grad school, or chemistry!
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