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Thread: Getting started

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    Default Getting started

    Hello. New member so please don't flame me. Look forward to learning from you all.

    I have had a couple of fountain pens here and there mostly of the Mont Blanc and Parker variety that were gifted to me. So they were all gifted as a medium nib and I didn't use that much to be honest.

    I am now looking into really carrying a fountain pen on a daily basis which is new for me.

    Question for the group: I am not sure what nib size I want so what inexpensive pen do you recommend I pick up so I can try a few different versions, broad, medium, fine? I was looking at some of the more inexpensive ones like pilot metropolitan, pilot varsity, Platinum preppy etc. They all only come in a medium and in a fine. I like the idea that they are cheap enough that I can just get rid of them after I figure out what size nib I would like as a daily writer but I really want to try something that has three nib sizes.

    So, what do you all recommend that I can pick up that's inexpensive that has a broad medium and fine nib option so I can play with all three to get a better understanding of what I want in a nib?

    BTW, I have two out of the three Trifecta already down with good ink and good paper on the way.
    Thanks

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    Last edited by oxzilla; February 20th, 2021 at 08:15 AM.

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    Senior Member jar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Getting started

    Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell. Wish I could help but it's been about 60 years or more since I looked into the starter range of fountain pens. But if you contact Sam and Pendemonium I bet she can set you up with perhaps the best of all times, an old Sheaffer calligraphy set.

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell. Wish I could help but it's been about 60 years or more since I looked into the starter range of fountain pens. But if you contact Sam and Pendemonium I bet she can set you up with perhaps the best of all times, an old Sheaffer calligraphy set.
    Oh yeah I used to have one of those when I was younger. Good point didn't think about that

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Welcome.
    Just note that ink/pen combination can change how a nib behaves.
    A fine nib with dry ink/ pen can write like a nail and with a wet ink it would be bliss or vice versa.
    A wet ink can turn your fine into medium... you get what I'm saying
    Finally Japanese nibs write finer than their European counterparts.
    There was a time you could get a Jinhao 992, will all the different nib sizes for less than $10. But with the post the way it is, it's best to stick with local pen shops.
    Kawecos come at a reasonable price and the nibs are swappable. Their filling system is not the best. But they are practical little pens.
    You can also buy a Lamy Safari and buy extra nibs to try different sized nibs.
    Hope it helps

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Ha, I don't think that you can wear that watch while using a Jinhao... It's just wrong. Beautiful dial on that one. I'll second the Safari. Good quality control at Lamy as well, so you won't be basing your later decisions on a $10 dud.

    Bob

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    Default Re: Getting started

    One thing that most people who just entered this hobby don't realize is that as you start enjoying different fountain pens, your preference towards nib sizes may change as well. This may sound non-intuitive, but it is nevertheless true.

    I used to be an EF nib only guy back when I started this hobby years ago, I can't stand Medium not to mention Broad nibs. But as I write more and get to experience a lot of different nibs, I started to adjust my writing and today, unless I'm sketching, EF nibs seem to look "anemic" for writing. Fine is okay and Medium is better. And of course once I experienced Broad stub nibs, those became my favorite as well.

    So my suggestion is to get some entry level Japanese pens (Pilot or Platinum) to experience EF and F nibs, then get some entry level German pens (Lamy or Kaweco) to experience M and B nibs.

    By the time you're done with this, you'd spend less than $100 (or less than $50 if you buy extra nibs and swap them instead of multiple pens) and you'll probably have a good idea which nib size you enjoy the most.

    Hope this helps.
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    Default Re: Getting started

    Thank you all for the great input. I have ordered pilot extra fine, fine, medium and lamy medium and broad. Got them all within $75 so don't mind dumping them once I figured out what type of nibs I'm shooting for.

    Will report back.

    Picture as a thanks for your time!

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: Getting started

    I see you already ordered. I'd advise a Lamy safari with a set of all the nibs which you can easily exchange. Should come out much cheaper.

    Now I'd advise you take this more as a journey. I've been using fountain pens for many years and my tastes still change. In the long run, if you fall in love with fountain pens, you will likely have a range of nib sizes, pen models, ink colours, and papers in your collection.

    My tastes vary dramatically based on many factors. Sometimes I'd like to play around a bit and a broad crisp italic is nice. Sometimes I want to take notes and I'll prefer a stiff thin nib. Sometimes I prefer a nice flex nib to toy around with calligraphy. In the winter, I tend to prefer darker colours and rest of the year brighter colours. Etc etc.

    In my opinions there is no perfect paper (whereas there is shitty paper). The combo of all 3 nib, paper, and ink is important.

    Good luck! The GS is really beautiful.

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Quote Originally Posted by adhoc View Post
    I see you already ordered. I'd advise a Lamy safari with a set of all the nibs which you can easily exchange. Should come out much cheaper.

    Now I'd advise you take this more as a journey. I've been using fountain pens for many years and my tastes still change. In the long run, if you fall in love with fountain pens, you will likely have a range of nib sizes, pen models, ink colours, and papers in your collection.

    My tastes vary dramatically based on many factors. Sometimes I'd like to play around a bit and a broad crisp italic is nice. Sometimes I want to take notes and I'll prefer a stiff thin nib. Sometimes I prefer a nice flex nib to toy around with calligraphy. In the winter, I tend to prefer darker colours and rest of the year brighter colours. Etc etc.

    In my opinions there is no perfect paper (whereas there is shitty paper). The combo of all 3 nib, paper, and ink is important.

    Good luck! The GS is really beautiful.
    Thank you for the amazing advice look forward to playing with all of these and adapting and being dynamic. I feel like with all of these comments I have a good starting point now.

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Quote Originally Posted by penwash View Post
    One thing that most people who just entered this hobby don't realize is that as you start enjoying different fountain pens, your preference towards nib sizes may change as well. This may sound non-intuitive, but it is nevertheless true.

    I used to be an EF nib only guy back when I started this hobby years ago, I can't stand Medium not to mention Broad nibs. But as I write more and get to experience a lot of different nibs, I started to adjust my writing and today, unless I'm sketching, EF nibs seem to look "anemic" for writing. Fine is okay and Medium is better. And of course once I experienced Broad stub nibs, those became my favorite as well.

    So my suggestion is to get some entry level Japanese pens (Pilot or Platinum) to experience EF and F nibs, then get some entry level German pens (Lamy or Kaweco) to experience M and B nibs.

    By the time you're done with this, you'd spend less than $100 (or less than $50 if you buy extra nibs and swap them instead of multiple pens) and you'll probably have a good idea which nib size you enjoy the most.

    Hope this helps.
    This.

    And don't just 'get rid of them' when you're done; give them to someone via PIF.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Default Re: Getting started

    You could consider the following.
    Get one of the cheaper Lamy pens (e.g. a Safari or Al-Star), they are decent pens and not expensive.
    You can be sure you get a good working pen (in opposite to cheap Chinese pens)

    Additionally to the pen there are nib sets from Lamy (for the Safari,Al-Star) available, e.g.

    with EF, F, M, B nibs:
    https://www.amazon.de/Federn-g%C3%A4...71&sr=8-1&th=1

    with F, B, 1.1, 1.5, 1.9 nibs (in case you also want to try stub nibs):
    https://www.amazon.de/Federn-g%C3%A4...71&sr=8-1&th=1

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    Default Re: Getting started

    I have Montblanc, Pelikan, Twsbi, and many others. I like them all for different things and usually carry 3 at a time. I got a Twsbi vac700 about 7 or 8 years ago with a 1.1 stub nib and it is one I carry most of the time... plus the ink looks amazing sloshing around in the clear body. I tend to prefer a stub nib because of the line variation it produces. You can pick up a Lamy Safari and swap nibs to try them all for under $50 total. And if you find one you prefer go from there. I’m also a watch nut, nothing about these hobbies are cheap. good luck.



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    Default Re: Getting started

    Quote Originally Posted by jackwebb View Post
    I have Montblanc, Pelikan, Twsbi, and many others. I like them all for different things and usually carry 3 at a time. I got a Twsbi vac700 about 7 or 8 years ago with a 1.1 stub nib and it is one I carry most of the time... plus the ink looks amazing sloshing around in the clear body. I tend to prefer a stub nib because of the line variation it produces. You can pick up a Lamy Safari and swap nibs to try them all for under $50 total. And if you find one you prefer go from there. I’m also a watch nut, nothing about these hobbies are cheap. good luck.



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Awesome nice setup!

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

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    Default Re: Getting started

    Since you already have some medium nibs, I would suggest investing in a case and carrying one of the pens you have.

    Use it as much as you can over the next month or so.

    Once you've done that, you will be able to reflect upon what works and doesn't work for you.

    Our hands get used to the tools - so what feels like a heavy pen at first, will not feel so heavy after two weeks.

    You also gain an appreciation of the tasks you need the pen for - and that will help you decide if, or what you might need.

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