Fountain Pens 2023 - Anyone?

[MaytagMan]

Got something new in today... it is a Collaboration of Gravitas Pens and Figboot, a YouTube pen guy who does reviews.

It is the Gravitas Bitfrost
Frosted poly with rainbow PVD hardware and accents. It feels good in the hand and has a nice weight to it. I'll get it inked up this weekend!

 

[MaytagMan]

Well, I'm back from Portland, where there the Pacific Northwest Pen Show just happened to be taking place... I came back with 4, 3 of which are green - my favorite color.

Here is this year's damage ----->

Hinze Kolbenfüller in Green Juma

Hinze König in British Racing Green
(This is a big pen!)

Carolina Pen Company in Primary Manipulation 5 Resin

Sey Urushi Pen - Green Urushi Laquer with Raden chips

Here they are all together with a Pilot G2 for scale -

I think I will be on pen hiatus for at least a little while after this trip... okay at least through July!

 

[2K6TBSS]

I think that clear body pen on the far right is probably the best one you have!

 

[DomnioMaestro]

My writing is bad enough that me picking up a pen like any (but that far right one) would just plain be a travesty.

 

[Captain B]

I'm a lefty. Lefties cannot use fountain pens unfortunately.

 

[MaytagMan]

I think that clear body pen on the far right is probably the best one you have!

Certainly the most cost effective at the very least!

 

[MaytagMan]

I'm a lefty. Lefties cannot use fountain pens unfortunately.

Yeah you have it a lot tougher - at least your left hand would always have a nice color to it!

 

[MaytagMan]

Using fountain pens means that you have to have a cleaning day every so often...

 

[JCinPA]

I have a couple that have dried out, and this is making me want to clean them up and work on my penmanship again (prolly a lost cause ). What’s your process for bringing back a pen that has dried out? Water soak, ear bulb, found a few YouToobz on it, just wondering if you have any special tips, solutions, etc.

I could see falling down this rabbit hole, but thankfully, it’s not pulling me too hard. Lol

 

[MaytagMan]

I have a couple that have dried out, and this is making me want to clean them up and work on my penmanship again (prolly a lost cause ). What’s your process for bringing back a pen that has dried out? Water soak, ear bulb, found a few YouToobz on it, just wondering if you have any special tips, solutions, etc.

I could see falling down this rabbit hole, but thankfully, it’s not pulling me too hard. Lol

If you saw any of the people on youtube they would steer you in the right direction... even with a pen that is gummed up, warm water in a bulb syringe from the back of the section through the feed and out the nib - you may need to soak for a few and/or use a soft bristles toothbrush on the feed - just be careful not to bed/break and of the little fins on it. Some people use a pen flush solution - you can buy it or look up how to make it - I never do, I just use warm water... but the flush may help if you have dried ink everywhere.

Depending on the pen, you can pull the nib and feed as well.

Be careful as these parts are small. I work in a sink and over a sifter sitting over the drain so I don't lose anything...

Once you get water through and flush it, keep doing it until it is clear then do it a little more. Even with that, rest it on paper towel and you still may see a little color leech out of the nib/feed but you should be fine. Let everything air dry and you should be good.

Then ink up and get going!

 

[MaytagMan]

I'm not big into inks with shimmer (Sparkle) because the little bits in the the ink can clog the pen pretty easily. One of my favorites is Quetzalcoatl by Kiwi Ink... I use it in a broad nib to really show the color variation and shimmer. I was getting the pen ready at work and a large drop of in plopped on to the pad I was working over... check out the color variation and the big glob of shimmer in the middle... the ink is a pain in the ass, but does look really cool n paper when writing with it...