Fountain pen help

[Goldstone1976]

I should add that he has specified for it to be piston filled via a bottle of ink rather than normal cartridges

http://www.johnlewis.com/montblanc-meisterst-ck-legrand-piston-fountain-pen-black/p783525

Something like that but cheaper?

Or is it better to buy a 'converter' and a normal fountain pen?

http://www.pelikanpens.co.uk/acatalog/Pelikan-Souveran-M800-Fountain-Pen-Black.html

Still too pricey?

 

[TomandJerry]

http://www.pelikanpens.co.uk/acatalog/Pelikan-Souveran-M800-Fountain-Pen-Black.html

Still too pricey?

Shall have a look, know of any shops that stock them? I'd prefer to see it in person first...or are they online only?

 

[Goldstone1976]

Shall have a look, know of any shops that stock them? I'd prefer to see it in person first...or are they online only?

I got mine from a shop next to JL in Cambridge. I think they're stocked by many different independent pen shops. I'm not sure if department stores stock them - I'm pretty sure that JL don't.

 

[Martlet]

Always been a fan of the high-end Parkers - sadly stopped being made in Newhaven in 2011 though...

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Always been a fan of the high-end Parkers - sadly stopped being made in Newhaven in 2011 though...

Yes m'lady.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Always been a fan of the high-end Parkers - sadly stopped being made in Newhaven in 2011 though...

A massive loss to the town. Still always associate Parker Pens with Newhaven. Presumably they get made in the Far East or somesuch nowadays, for a fraction of the manufacturing cost.

 

[Martlet]

A massive loss to the town. Still always associate Parker Pens with Newhaven. Presumably they get made in the Far East or somesuch nowadays, for a fraction of the manufacturing cost.

France apparently!

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Being left handed I always struggled with fountain pens, and as I was forced to use one at school for some years I ended up with a very odd wrist position (the classic keeping my hand out of the way of the wet ink position).

Therefore, I neither own nor have the urge to use a fountain pen.

 

[Hiney]

Go here:

http://www.cultpens.com/c/q/explore/product-type/pens/fountain-pens

and prepare to lose a portion of your life, as you browse all the pen-porn

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Being left handed I always struggled with fountain pens, and as I was forced to use one at school for some years I ended up with a very odd wrist position (the classic keeping my hand out of the way of the wet ink position).

Same. And same with a biro. You end up hunching your hand above the ink line. Else you just end up smearing all over the stuff you just wrote. Life was SO much simpler in the olden days when you were just corporally punished for even attempting to use your left hand for writing.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Being left handed I always struggled with fountain pens, and as I was forced to use one at school for some years I ended up with a very odd wrist position (the classic keeping my hand out of the way of the wet ink position).

Therefore, I neither own nor have the urge to use a fountain pen.

Reminds me of a boy at my primary school who refused to adopt that position for writing with a fountain pen. His solution was to instead write right to left across the page. It turned into a battle of will between him saying that he was not goin to contort his hand just to write with a fountain pen, and the class teacher saying that he had to both use a fountain pen and write left to right. As I recall, the fight lasted most of a term. Eventually, he won - and they let him use a pencil; at which point he reverted to writing left to right.

 

[maffew]

Reminds me of a boy at my primary school who refused to adopt that position for writing with a fountain pen. His solution was to instead write right to left across the page. It turned into a battle of will between him saying that he was not goin to contort his hand just to write with a fountain pen, and the class teacher saying that he had to both use a fountain pen and write left to right. As I recall, the fight lasted most of a term. Eventually, he won - and they let him use a pencil; at which point he reverted to writing left to right.

Yeah I know a few left handers who started turning the paper sideways and writing top down instead

 

[Codner pharmaceuticals]

I used to have a Mt Blanc that was a leaky pile of crap (and I love their brand in general). I now have a good old Parker (ball park £10 for the nice metal one) which is perfect! And a nearly Sussex brand...

 

[happypig]

On the subject of fountain pens I have a Sheaffer and a few years back I dropped it and cracked it so it leaked ink. I took it to WH Smith and asked if they could send it for repair which they did. About 3 weeks I collected it, asked how much and they said "Sheaffer did it for free". #SheafferIN

 

[SUA Seagull]

Dear NSC,

My dearest friend has requested a fountain pen for Christmas,

Can any of you good fellows recommend a good make?

His only request is that it should mostly black, no gold!

I have a Cross fountain pen (with matching ball point pen and retractable pencil) and it writes really well. I also have a Waterman fountain pen, which writes very smoothly. As well as being standard cartridge pens, both came equipped with a separate cartridge which can be refilled from an ink bottle. Hardly use them these days but they are pleasing to write with. In terms of value for money and "feel" I'd rate both above Montblancs, some of which can be a bit chunky to handle. Lamy and Parker (top of the range) are worth looking at too. John Lewis stocks quite a wide range. Good luck!

 

[Bodian]

When I'm in the office, it's as permanent an accompaniment as my mobile phone and a notebook. When I leave the office it's one of the six things I always check I have with me: phone, wallet, car keys, pen, notebook, lap top. I then keep the pen and notebook in the car overnight - I travel to different offices.

It's possible, but I think unlikely, that I'd lose it. I'd be pretty gutted if I did - it took me three years to get the nib worn down to exactly the shape I wanted!

I get laughed at in the office when I get out my fountain pen; or one of them anyway - I'm afraid I have rather too many 'vintage' pens, mainly from around the 1920s to 1930s. However, because I use a fountain pen I can write quicker and with smaller writing than most of my colleagues with their bic biros which skip and are broad. Consequently I get far more notes down in interviews meetings and public inquiries. Therefore, they all end up asking me what was said, so I have the last laugh really.....

 

[Goldstone1976]

I get laughed at in the office when I get out my fountain pen; or one of them anyway - I'm afraid I have rather too many 'vintage' pens, mainly from around the 1920s to 1930s. However, because I use a fountain pen I can write quicker and with smaller writing than most of my colleagues with their bic biros which skip and are broad. Consequently I get far more notes down in interviews meetings and public inquiries. Therefore, they all end up asking me what was said, so I have the last laugh really.....

Nice. I use a fountain pen simply because I had to at school and never got out of the habit.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I get laughed at in the office when I get out my fountain pen; or one of them anyway - I'm afraid I have rather too many 'vintage' pens, mainly from around the 1920s to 1930s. However, because I use a fountain pen I can write quicker and with smaller writing than most of my colleagues with their bic biros which skip and are broad. Consequently I get far more notes down in interviews meetings and public inquiries. Therefore, they all end up asking me what was said, so I have the last laugh really.....

 

[Bodian]

View attachment 80392

I actually received a proper hand-written letter at work last week! First for about a year.