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Thread: Advice on Leveling-up

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    The reasons that I prefer gold nibs are that they are usually softer and smoother to write with and I hear less feedback than when I write with steel nibs. I have both, and can tell when I'm writing with a gold nib. Some will disagree and say there is no difference.
    If there is a difference in smoothness, you've simply bought a bad nib. (Which happens a LOT with Lamy.) See -

    http://edisonpen.com/in-praise-of-steel-nibs-2

    ..You write on the tip of the nib and that's made out of the same material whether the nib is steel or gold.

    Also, if gold nibs were inherently smoother than steel, you wouldn't be able to buy steel nibs in the finest sizes.
    Most of my steel nibs are Lamy steel nibs and they aren't iridium tipped.
    Technically, no modern nib uses an iridium tip.

    All of my gold nibs are tipped, and out of the two I happen to prefer my gold nibs. They are my personal choice.
    If you're comparing untipped steel nibs and tipped gold nibs, that isn't a fair or reasonable comparison of steel and gold - you're actually comparing tipped and untipped nibs! Of course the tipped nibs will write smoother - that's the point of tipping!

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    I hate the L2K with a passion. It's a classic piece of bad taste design in that it sacrifices critical elements of usability to make the body look prettier. A lot of people also have trouble with the nib. I don't, but it you write from the wrist instead of with larger arm movements, you may. The L2K also doesn't the vast ink capacity people imagine. It's a 1.4ml total reservoir, meaning you normally get 1.2 in practice... compared to a 1ml from a large cartridge.
    (emphasis mine)

    As the old saying goes, de gustibus non est disputandum, in matters of taste there can be no argument. So it's not a "classic piece of bad taste design", it is only that YOU don't like the design. Others laud it. What can you do? Neither side is right. As for sacrificing "critical elements of usability" what exactly are you referring to here?
    The one already referred to. In the OP's first post even. As the reason he's backing away from buying the godawful thing...

    And, no, this isn't subjective like the appearance of a pen. If a designer messes up the ergonomics of a pen for looks, that's bad design - especially if the pen is marketed as Bauhaus, where functionality is supposed to be an absolute priority. Degrading a school of design's principles in this way is just vulgarity - it's like that appalling Alessi lemon juicer people thought was marvellous in the 90s and is now included in exhibits of bad design.
    Last edited by ilikenails; February 14th, 2019 at 04:25 AM.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    For what it's worth, one more set of opinions and experiences.

    I have one Lamy 2000 with a fine nib. It's a very nice smooth writer that has not given me any functional problems. I don't find that it tends to slip out of my grip, but then, I don't have any pen that does that, even when held loosely. I think some people tend to anticipate trouble and grip pens more tightly than they really need to.

    Even so, although it's in my rotation, I just find it a bit less comfortable than most of my Pilot pens, e.g. the Customer Heritage 91 and 92, and the Namiki Falcon. Those little nubs on the Lamy section are an occasional slight irritant, and on the whole it just feels less natural than my Pilots.

    As for gold vs. steel nibs, I find that in practice, most of the nibs that feel best to me are gold. I do have a few steel nibbed pens that are among my favorites, though, and some gold nibbed ones that I don't particularly like.
    "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."
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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    The reasons that I prefer gold nibs are that they are usually softer and smoother to write with and I hear less feedback than when I write with steel nibs. I have both, and can tell when I'm writing with a gold nib. Some will disagree and say there is no difference.
    If there is a difference in smoothness, you've simply bought a bad nib. (Which happens a LOT with Lamy.) See -

    http://edisonpen.com/in-praise-of-steel-nibs-2

    ..You write on the tip of the nib and that's made out of the same material whether the nib is steel or gold.

    Also, if gold nibs were inherently smoother than steel, you wouldn't be able to buy steel nibs in the finest sizes.
    Most of my steel nibs are Lamy steel nibs and they aren't iridium tipped.
    Technically, no modern nib uses an iridium tip.

    All of my gold nibs are tipped, and out of the two I happen to prefer my gold nibs. They are my personal choice.
    If you're comparing untipped steel nibs and tipped gold nibs, that isn't a fair or reasonable comparison of steel and gold - you're actually comparing tipped and untipped nibs! Of course the tipped nibs will write smoother - that's the point of tipping!
    OK then FYI I can confirm I don't and I quote: "write on the tip of the nib and that's made out of the same material whether the nib is steel or gold. like you told me I did.
    To say that technically no modern nib uses an iridium tip is correct, but that makes no difference.
    You never mentioned in your quote that there was a difference between untipped nibs and tipped nibs when you told me what I was doing.
    I don't regularly use Chinese pens with steel nibs. You do. That's the difference. Each to their own. I'm happy with what I like too.
    Last edited by Chrissy; February 14th, 2019 at 09:03 AM.
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post

    Of course the tipped nibs will write smoother - that's the point of tipping!
    Not so! Many untipped nibs are very smooth indeed. Longevity is the point of tipping.
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Does it really matter if it is a Iridium alloy or a Ruthenium Osmium or Tungsten or whatever alloy.
    Most likely only the manufacturer knows really which alloy is used and which Elements are really mixed.
    In the past it was Iridium but as Iridium is expensive for sure the manufacturer using the cheapest possible hard alloy.

    So „Iridium alloy“ tipping is for me used as a synonym for whatever tipping material (parts are usually unknown) really is used.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    Does it really matter if it is a Iridium alloy or a Ruthenium Osmium or Tungsten or whatever alloy.
    Most likely only the manufacturer knows really which alloy is used and which Elements are really mixed.
    In the past it was Iridium but as Iridium is expensive for sure the manufacturer using the cheapest possible hard alloy.

    So „Iridium alloy“ tipping is for me used as a synonym for whatever tipping material (parts are usually unknown) really is used.
    It doesn't matter to me and it doesn't matter to you either.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by michaeldoleman View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by although View Post
    One thing that you mentioned was that you found the Lamy fine nib to be too broad for your taste. If this is the case, I think you should steer away from anything that isn't Japanese. Pilot, platinum, and sailor are the brands that can consistently deliver really fine nibs that work well. If you would rather use western pens, better learn to write bigger
    Hmm... That's an interesting point. It seems to run counter to my experience with Kaweco, however -- I have three Kaweco pens, all in fine nib, and they seem to deliver about the same line thickness as the Pilot. I might go for an EF in the Kaweco, but overall I find them to be about what I would expect.
    The best thing to do - short of testing a pen in person - is to check here -

    https://www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook

    ...Nib width comparisons can easily be thrown off though by eg using an ink that spreads after it meets the paper. Looking at the samples at Goulet, a Kaweco EF is much wider than a Pilot F - with the ink and paper used for the test:



    Very interesting indeed! It goes to show -- yes -- how different variables can throw-off a result. But also, more importantly, how perception can make a result *seem* different.

    For whatever reason, I have developed a bit of an early leaning toward the Kaweco pens. Even while realizing that they (seem at least to me) to have something of a "novelty" quality to them, in that they are throw-back/quirky designs, more or less just for the sake of it, I still like them. Particularly the Liliput pens -- I enjoy the way they feel in the hand.

    It's all a bit of a learning process for me, and it's part of what I truly enjoy about the hobby. I'm starting to think that as of yet I am not quite ready to spend a big sum on my "ultimate" pen. I still need to develop a personal style and preference, and understand all the different options, a little more clearly.

    I will probably spend a little on a couple more <$50 pens, from a couple different makers, to further compare the various differences. Then I will go from there.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    I have / had 27 Lamy nibs (roughly half of which were steel, and half were gold) and all of them wrote great out of the box. The insinuation that Lamy nibs are "bad" or of "poor quality control" is unfounded nonsensical drivel.

    To OP, I suggest taking a gander at a Pelikan M200/M205. Within $200, I would heartily recommend also Pilot (for example a Custom 74 or even a 742 with the excellent flexible FA nib), and Platinum #3776. Platinum also makes very nice "modern" (i.e. silk screened) maki-e pens within the price range.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by ilikenails View Post
    I hate the L2K with a passion. It's a classic piece of bad taste design in that it sacrifices critical elements of usability to make the body look prettier. A lot of people also have trouble with the nib. I don't, but it you write from the wrist instead of with larger arm movements, you may. The L2K also doesn't the vast ink capacity people imagine. It's a 1.4ml total reservoir, meaning you normally get 1.2 in practice... compared to a 1ml from a large cartridge.
    (emphasis mine)

    As the old saying goes, de gustibus non est disputandum, in matters of taste there can be no argument. So it's not a "classic piece of bad taste design", it is only that YOU don't like the design. Others laud it. What can you do? Neither side is right. As for sacrificing "critical elements of usability" what exactly are you referring to here?
    The one already referred to. In the OP's first post even. As the reason he's backing away from buying the godawful thing...

    And, no, this isn't subjective like the appearance of a pen. If a designer messes up the ergonomics of a pen for looks, that's bad design - especially if the pen is marketed as Bauhaus, where functionality is supposed to be an absolute priority. Degrading a school of design's principles in this way is just vulgarity - it's like that appalling Alessi lemon juicer people thought was marvellous in the 90s and is now included in exhibits of bad design.
    Except that the designer has not "messed up the ergonomics of the pen for looks". The pen is beautifully functional for a great many people, including me, and that is probably why it has been popular since its inception. When you talk about "degrading a school of design's principles..." you are expressing your opinion. In this particular case it is my opinion that you are incorrect.

    I ask again for you to explain your "critical elements of usability", because as it stands it looks like a throwaway remark that is intended to look like it means something but really doesn't. Kind of form over function, ironically.

    As for the Alessi lemon juicer, well, it is displayed at MoMA so I guess a lot of people appreciate it as an artistic design despite its apparent lack of functionality. Starck is often quoted as saying that "It's not designed for squeezing lemons, but for starting conversations".

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    If you plan to buy only one nicer pen (lots of luck with that, by the way), I strongly encourage you to try out the the ones you're considering before pulling the trigger. Looking at pictures online and reading reviews just isn't the same as experiencing a pen IRL.
    Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te fabula narratur. — Horace
    (What are you laughing at? Just change the name and the joke’s on you.)

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds View Post
    As for the Alessi lemon juicer, well, it is displayed at MoMA so I guess a lot of people appreciate it as an artistic design despite its apparent lack of functionality. Starck is often quoted as saying that "It's not designed for squeezing lemons, but for starting conversations".
    Actually Starck's lemon squeezer for Alessi is surprisingly functional. Not at all ergonomic, but functional.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    I have eight Lamy Safaris. I have extra fine nibs in each, and they are all smooth. I also have the fine, medium and broad nibs for them, and they are smooth and quite acceptable. The italic nibs sometimes tend to catch in the paper if you let your head get up and locked. I have been using fountain pens since 1958 and have used a lot of steel nibs. Most are smooth enough and many American steel nibs from the 50s and 60s are quite nice but firm. The gold nibs, at a higher price point, generally are better finished. Some of the springy ones might feel rickety until you cultivate a sufficiently light touch for them to feel smooth. I think most feelings of scratchiness or lack of smoothness in nibs indicate that a higher skill level should be obtained until smoothness is achieved. I have found myself endlessly striving for a better, lighter touch. Previously scratchy pens came into their own.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Out of the pens I have, I come back to the Pilot Metro time and time again. So I think at this point I am steering toward something like a Pilot Heritage 91 as my first "fine" pen. At under $100, it seems to be just about the best deal going for a gold nib (which I do want to try).

    I'm also looking seriously at the Pelikan models that have been suggested here, and a few others. I may also try one or other of their less expensive models, just for the sake of variety.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Hooboy...this thread is fun.

    Let's start from the top: There is no "leveling up", imo, when it comes to writing experience unless the pen you got first was a piece of garbage. Flex/italic/stub/architect are all personal preferences and one is no better than the other in that regard. I prefer medium to fine size nibs that range from nails to pleasant flexiness. The one stub I've had, I did not like as it was too broad for my taste (TWSBI 1.1mm nib). "Leveling up", just like the games that inspire the phrase, is very dependant on the character, class, and goals of the player. Does most of your writing happen at a desk at home or at a busy job? Do you use your pen for everything or correspondence/journaling? Do you want something hefty that feels powerful in the hand or something light that allows the hand to dance gracefully over a page? What about visual appeal? Do you want a large amount of ink that you don't change often or the ability to swap out many colors of ink in relatively short succession? Many questions that only you personally can answer. There is no power-levelling in pen use/collecting, not really anyhow.

    Regarding other things: some steel nibs are tipped, some are not. Lamy nibs are tipped (See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jf3...youtu.be&t=145). The polishing and shape of that material will largely determine the writing experience. This includes if there are any micro pocks in the tipping that won't change the writing experience regardless the polishing. When it comes to gold vs steel it really comes down to preference, to a certain degree. I feel that I can use whatever ink I wish with impunity using a gold nib. This is not the case with steel. In terms of aesthetics, I just don't like steel nibs. On that token, I also don't like rhodium plated gold nibs visually unless the rhodium is used as accents (see: Visconti).

    The tipping is likely not iridium and, in all truth, even vintage nibs marked as being iridium tipping only contained a percentage of iridium :
    https://www.vintagepens.com/FAQbasics/iridium.shtml

    and https://www.nibs.com/blog/nibster-writes/wheres-iridium

    Regarding the Lamy 2000: A design in continuous production for over half a century has to be doing something right. Not my personal preference in look, but you can't argue with its popularity across decades.

    If you can, get to a brick and mortar (or be cool buying and selling large numbers of pens to try various sizes/nibs/materials) and try as many pens as you can to find what works best for you and, possibly more importantly, have a good idea of what those attributes actually are. What makes a pen "perfect" to you.

    Anyhow, good luck.

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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Hooboy...this thread is fun.

    Let's start from the top: There is no "leveling up", imo, when it comes to writing experience unless the pen you got first was a piece of garbage. Flex/italic/stub/architect are all personal preferences and one is no better than the other in that regard. I prefer medium to fine size nibs that range from nails to pleasant flexiness. The one stub I've had, I did not like as it was too broad for my taste (TWSBI 1.1mm nib). "Leveling up", just like the games that inspire the phrase, is very dependant on the character, class, and goals of the player. Does most of your writing happen at a desk at home or at a busy job? Do you use your pen for everything or correspondence/journaling? Do you want something hefty that feels powerful in the hand or something light that allows the hand to dance gracefully over a page? What about visual appeal? Do you want a large amount of ink that you don't change often or the ability to swap out many colors of ink in relatively short succession? Many questions that only you personally can answer. There is no power-levelling in pen use/collecting, not really anyhow.

    Regarding other things: some steel nibs are tipped, some are not. Lamy nibs are tipped (See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jf3...youtu.be&t=145). The polishing and shape of that material will largely determine the writing experience. This includes if there are any micro pocks in the tipping that won't change the writing experience regardless the polishing. When it comes to gold vs steel it really comes down to preference, to a certain degree. I feel that I can use whatever ink I wish with impunity using a gold nib. This is not the case with steel. In terms of aesthetics, I just don't like steel nibs. On that token, I also don't like rhodium plated gold nibs visually unless the rhodium is used as accents (see: Visconti).

    The tipping is likely not iridium and, in all truth, even vintage nibs marked as being iridium tipping only contained a percentage of iridium :
    https://www.vintagepens.com/FAQbasics/iridium.shtml

    and https://www.nibs.com/blog/nibster-writes/wheres-iridium

    Regarding the Lamy 2000: A design in continuous production for over half a century has to be doing something right. Not my personal preference in look, but you can't argue with its popularity across decades.

    If you can, get to a brick and mortar (or be cool buying and selling large numbers of pens to try various sizes/nibs/materials) and try as many pens as you can to find what works best for you and, possibly more importantly, have a good idea of what those attributes actually are. What makes a pen "perfect" to you.

    Anyhow, good luck.
    Thanks for all of this. I think that for the most part all of what you're saying I'd already internalized at some level. And, by the term "leveling up," what I think I mean is that I've taken a personal interest in fountain pens, as a hobby, and am willing to spend some resources to get something premium. I realize that by spending a lot more money I won't necessarily improve my overall writing experience by a vast degree. However, for the sake of having some interesting new toys to play with, I'd like to kinda know "what comes next."

    I totally agree that I just need to see more pens in person, and actually write with them. So far, the main thing I know is that I like the feel of a heavier pen, and a very thin line quality. I also like a generous ink flow, but not a truly "wet" feel. In terms of flex -- I honestly don't even know. I feel that out of the pens I have, they all seem fairly stiff, and I seem to do fine with them.

    What I find interesting is how much the aesthetics and design of the pen play into it, for me. As I mentioned in my original post, the "classic" pens -- i.e., with various decorative embellishments -- don't particularly appeal to me. I like the very plain and simple/functional lines of a pen like the 2000. That's the real reason it originally appealed to me. I am finding more and more, however, that Lamy nibs (and Euro nibs in general) simply are not fine enough for the way I write -- very slowly, deliberately, and very small. I have a Safari with an EF nib, and even that isn't even close to as fine as the F on my Metropolitan.

    Most of my attentions at this time have turned to Pilot, even though I don't really care for a lot of their designs. In addition to the Heritage model I mentioned in my previous reply, I am -- at this point -- very seriously thinking about a Vanishing Point. I love the design of the pen, overall, even though it is next to impossible for me to get past the clip. I just have a feeling that it's going to bother me and/or get in the way of my preferred grip. But from what I've read, most people who own the pen -- who started with similar concerns -- say it's a non-issue. And for a pen with an 18k gold nib, it is surprisingly economical, at around $150.

    Thanks for all your words. I appreciate it. I am learning, and it's a fun hobby.

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    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by michaeldoleman View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Hooboy...this thread is fun.

    Let's start from the top: There is no "leveling up", imo, when it comes to writing experience unless the pen you got first was a piece of garbage. Flex/italic/stub/architect are all personal preferences and one is no better than the other in that regard. I prefer medium to fine size nibs that range from nails to pleasant flexiness. The one stub I've had, I did not like as it was too broad for my taste (TWSBI 1.1mm nib). "Leveling up", just like the games that inspire the phrase, is very dependant on the character, class, and goals of the player. Does most of your writing happen at a desk at home or at a busy job? Do you use your pen for everything or correspondence/journaling? Do you want something hefty that feels powerful in the hand or something light that allows the hand to dance gracefully over a page? What about visual appeal? Do you want a large amount of ink that you don't change often or the ability to swap out many colors of ink in relatively short succession? Many questions that only you personally can answer. There is no power-levelling in pen use/collecting, not really anyhow.

    Regarding other things: some steel nibs are tipped, some are not. Lamy nibs are tipped (See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jf3...youtu.be&t=145). The polishing and shape of that material will largely determine the writing experience. This includes if there are any micro pocks in the tipping that won't change the writing experience regardless the polishing. When it comes to gold vs steel it really comes down to preference, to a certain degree. I feel that I can use whatever ink I wish with impunity using a gold nib. This is not the case with steel. In terms of aesthetics, I just don't like steel nibs. On that token, I also don't like rhodium plated gold nibs visually unless the rhodium is used as accents (see: Visconti).

    The tipping is likely not iridium and, in all truth, even vintage nibs marked as being iridium tipping only contained a percentage of iridium :
    https://www.vintagepens.com/FAQbasics/iridium.shtml

    and https://www.nibs.com/blog/nibster-writes/wheres-iridium

    Regarding the Lamy 2000: A design in continuous production for over half a century has to be doing something right. Not my personal preference in look, but you can't argue with its popularity across decades.

    If you can, get to a brick and mortar (or be cool buying and selling large numbers of pens to try various sizes/nibs/materials) and try as many pens as you can to find what works best for you and, possibly more importantly, have a good idea of what those attributes actually are. What makes a pen "perfect" to you.

    Anyhow, good luck.
    Thanks for all of this. I think that for the most part all of what you're saying I'd already internalized at some level. And, by the term "leveling up," what I think I mean is that I've taken a personal interest in fountain pens, as a hobby, and am willing to spend some resources to get something premium. I realize that by spending a lot more money I won't necessarily improve my overall writing experience by a vast degree. However, for the sake of having some interesting new toys to play with, I'd like to kinda know "what comes next."

    I totally agree that I just need to see more pens in person, and actually write with them. So far, the main thing I know is that I like the feel of a heavier pen, and a very thin line quality. I also like a generous ink flow, but not a truly "wet" feel. In terms of flex -- I honestly don't even know. I feel that out of the pens I have, they all seem fairly stiff, and I seem to do fine with them.

    What I find interesting is how much the aesthetics and design of the pen play into it, for me. As I mentioned in my original post, the "classic" pens -- i.e., with various decorative embellishments -- don't particularly appeal to me. I like the very plain and simple/functional lines of a pen like the 2000. That's the real reason it originally appealed to me. I am finding more and more, however, that Lamy nibs (and Euro nibs in general) simply are not fine enough for the way I write -- very slowly, deliberately, and very small. I have a Safari with an EF nib, and even that isn't even close to as fine as the F on my Metropolitan.

    Most of my attentions at this time have turned to Pilot, even though I don't really care for a lot of their designs. In addition to the Heritage model I mentioned in my previous reply, I am -- at this point -- very seriously thinking about a Vanishing Point. I love the design of the pen, overall, even though it is next to impossible for me to get past the clip. I just have a feeling that it's going to bother me and/or get in the way of my preferred grip. But from what I've read, most people who own the pen -- who started with similar concerns -- say it's a non-issue. And for a pen with an 18k gold nib, it is surprisingly economical, at around $150.

    Thanks for all your words. I appreciate it. I am learning, and it's a fun hobby.
    Also a consideration, if you want a L2K, would be to buy one and have the nib ground down. Granted, that takes a bit of time as pretty much every nibmeister I can think of that will do an ultra-extra-fine grind have a backlog of work, but that is an option.

    I will say, if the hooded pen with simple trim is your thing, you may want to consider a Parker 51 with a very fine nib. Some vintage fine nibs will write with a .3-.4mm line, which is very fine indeed.

  24. #38
    Senior Member Deb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Hooboy...this thread is fun.
    The tipping is likely not iridium and, in all truth, even vintage nibs marked as being iridium tipping only contained a percentage of iridium :
    .

    Yeah. We know. Many of us use "iridium" as a shorthand for ruthenium, osmium, tungsten and other hard metals. Recently I've got into the habit of saying "tipping material" because whenever iridium is mentioned someone has to come along and put me right.
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    Deb
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  25. #39
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by Deb View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    Hooboy...this thread is fun.
    The tipping is likely not iridium and, in all truth, even vintage nibs marked as being iridium tipping only contained a percentage of iridium :
    .

    Yeah. We know. Many of us use "iridium" as a shorthand for ruthenium, osmium, tungsten and other hard metals. Recently I've got into the habit of saying "tipping material" because whenever iridium is mentioned someone has to come along and put me right.
    My apologies.

    Honestly saying "we know" is a little uncalled for since not everyone "knows" and that statement was for the original poster. Since the thread was started by someone that appears relatively new to the hobby, sorting out what is/is not tipped with what is generally interesting/useful information. Beyond that, the thread had devolved into many separate sub-conversations that I was simply summing up for our new user friend here. I'm sorry a comment not direct at or for you was taken as a personal attack.

  26. #40
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: Advice on Leveling-up

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    ...the thread had devolved into many separate sub-conversations....
    Did you hear about the polar bears in Russia?

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