Lol. It kind of depends. There are a lot of variables. I'll list out a few options for you.

• Pilot Metro - This is one of the gold standards in fountain pens right now. Pilot doesn't fuck around when it comes to making nibs. Out of the box this thing should write like a dream. If you're getting the one linked, you'll also want to do yourself a favor and get yourself a piston converter for the pen. Unless you don't plan to ever use bottled ink. In that case you can buy cartridges to your heart's content and be just fine. so in total, your cost of entry is like $20-ish.
  
  
• TWSBI ECO - This is, in my opinion, the highest bang for your buck option in entry level pens. I love demonstrators. Having the clear barrel so you can see your ink sloshing around is sweet. The nibs are pretty decent, and the piston filling mechanism is awesome. If you're writing all the time, the huge ink capacity means you'll be able to write a lot with it before you need to re-fill. Cost of entry here is roughly $30.
  
  
• Jinhao X450 - Every time I've used one of these super cheap Chinese fountain pens I've been incredibly pleasantly surprised. The nibs are actually pretty decent. There's some issues with quality control on some of them. Weird things like loos caps or loose grip sections or loose converters inside could potentially make for a less than great experience, but you can find lots of these on ebay, like 10 for 5 bucks. You'll have to wait a few weeks to get them from China, but they're great for being able to take with you and have 0 worries of breaking or losing them. Cost of entry is roughly $5
  
  Those are the 3 pen models I personally recommend, although if you ask around you'll also find people recommending the Lamy Safari/Vista/Al-star (same model, different materials). It's not a bad pen, I've owned a couple and like them, but they're in the price range between the Metro and the ECO, and the ECO and Metro are so much better that I don't feel comfortable recommending the Safari over either of them, unless you have a boner for German engineering, haha.
  
  In terms of ink, there's so much stuff out there that there's really no place to start in terms of explaining it. I'd be happy to send some samples your way, though, if you were interested in getting started.
  
  The biggest favor you can do for yourself when you get into fountain pens is to buy yourself some quality paper to write on. It's a night and day difference between shitty standard copy paper and a nice fountain pen friendly notebook.
  
  One of my favorites is the Black n' Red. Writing on it is smooth, and there's no bleeding or ghosting of ink, and if you get some ink that does some cool stuff, this paper will let it do the cool stuff.
  
  Please feel free to PM me or even reach out to people on r/fountainpens if you have any questions. We'd be more than happy to help you get started!

Hi there! Welcome to /r/fountainpens! As a FP newbie myself, I hope I might be able to lend a little helpful advice on your search for a first pen. :)

Jinhao pens, I think most people would agree, are fair performers, and their costs at pennies on the dollar are quite attractive. A piece of advice, though: if you don't mind waiting for a Jinhao pen to be shipped from Asia, try eBay. You can almost always find their pens for a third of the cost as a US-based retailer, if not less. Here's the 159 for $4.50, for example.

Interestingly, many other Jinhao pens are also available on eBay for even less than this one. There's the 156 for $3, the 750 stainless for $3, and the X450 for $1.50, among many others.

Of course, any Jinhao pen you buy will not come with ink. You'll need ink to write anything with any pen! If you're after black ink, you could buy the Noodler's Heart of Darkness bundle, which is a bulletproof ink (which means it has properties that make it difficult or impossible to alter after it's dried on paper) that comes with a decent pen.

The Pilot Metropolitan deserves a nod here, too. It's a heavy pen (as it's made of metal), but some people love that premium feel at this price range. $13 shipped. If you don't like the zigzag pattern on the grip, Parker makes other models. Just search Amazon for the Pilot Metropolitan.

You might also consider the Parker Urban kit from Parker. $40 is a bit steep compared to the Jinhao and Noodler's kit, but it comes with everything you need all in one package. Some people don't much care for the Urban because it uses a proprietary converter mechanism (for filling the pen), but bah, humbug. It's a solid performer and is still easy to fill, even if it does fill differently from other pens.

I'll echo some general advice I've seen on these forums: Lamy pens aren't bad, but they tend to be overpriced. You'll run into lots of Lamy models if you do an Amazon search and filter by average review rating. They are highly reviewed pens. It's worth checking them out if you get more interested in fountain pens, but for starting out I'd recommend one of the units above.

Lastly, if you're feeling luxurious, you might be interested in the Massdrop sale on the Conklin Stylograph Mosaic. This little guy is $55--way more than the $12 Jinhao you started with--but it's also in a different kind of class, more a collector's item or a nice pen than simply a serviceable one. That $55 price tag expires today, and the regular price is closer to $100. I'd recommend a different pen for starting simply because this one is more expensive, but I also thought I'd let you know just in case because the deal is gone after today. :) There's no referral on that link. If anyone would like to help me with Massdrop referrals, my referral link is below.

Massdrop link with referral: https://www.massdrop.com/r/Z9E8TR

The world of fountain pens is big, and I'm just getting my feet wet myself. I hope you find the tips here useful. :)

I don't own many pens, but I'll try and help

<20 - Jinhao X750 (I own this one and it's real cheap and easy), I would also recommend looking at this list by /u/DontFuckWithMyMoney, a lot of people also recommend the Kakuno or Metropolitan made by Pilot

20-50 - Lamy Safari/Vista (A lot of people don't like the design, but I love this pen. Not a fan of the Al-Star though), Noodler's Ahab (Nice pen that you get to play around with), Kaweco Sport, and TWSBI 580 (I haven't used the last two, but I like their look)

*50-100 - Waterman Hemisphere (A bit small, but really good pen), and the Pilot Custom 74 (Don't own it, but I've heard good things and it's $85 on Engeika)

*Note, around here it's things that I don't own, but have heard good things about

100-200 - Pilot CH92 on Engeika, Sailor 1911, and the Lamy 2000.

200-500 - Pelikan M400/600 (I believe it's a size difference?), Sailor Pro Gear, Custom 823

500+ - I really like the look of the pens made by Nakaya. Maybe a rare vintage flex pen.

Vintage pens - My favorite pen I own is the "51", but I'm looking to get an Eversharp Skyline and a Vacumatic.

*Best Designs - I like demonstrator pens (CH92), the Al Sport, Nakayas (milky way, their normal cigar shaped ones), my Parker "51", and the Lamy 2000.

Pens are really subjective though, so opinions will differ between different people. I personally like my pens to be smooth and decently wet if that helps anybody looking at this. But honestly, I think that just exploring fountain pens was a fun experience and people shouldn't take these lists as a strict guide.

EDIT: Adding links and added Al sport to best design

EDIT 2: I also really like the Murex

Couple of quick thoughts on this, the Preppy suggestion is a good one, and pens that are nice, plastic is fragile, especially the caps, but if taken care of, these are great pens.

Now, for a cheaper start, to see if you like the methodology of note taking in different colors, since not all like it. The Pilot Varsity https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA multi-color pack is great for this, but I would recommend the Thornton's https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E68AKTC multi pack. I believe they are the same basic pen, nib, etc. However, I think the Thornton's is a nicer disposable pen that looks a little better.

With this choice, you can get a selection of colors to try and refine what you want in a note taking system. Do you want 2-4 colors or do you like having 6+ colors. Once you get a good idea of your use, you can refine what pens you want to carry with you and the colors you prefer. I personally like 6-8 colors for note taking.

Finally, another cheap option are some of the chinese pens that come in colors, the Hero 007 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-ship-Hero-Pen-007-Dark-tip-Vintage-Ultrafine-Schoolchild-pen-Handwriting-calligraphy-free-nib/32567244662.html, the Jinhao 599 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/JINHAO-599-Student-14-Color-fine-nib-Fountain-Pen-New-Free-shipping/32648562107.html or https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Jinhao-599-Student-fashion-Color-Medium-and-fine-nib-fountain-Pen-New-Give-Family-leadership-student/32668993830.html are good options, especially if you like the Safaris.

Hope this helps some.

Some quick questions, do you write really small now?

Most of the engineers I know do write small, which is why I ask. /u/the_illest does this joke you see here every time this question is asked, but it is a good recommendation to start. I personally recommend the Pilot Metropolitan over the Lamy Safari, I think it is a nicer pen to use, and the I believe the nib is better. If you write fine, you might be better off going to Goulet and getting the new model in fine, than buying the medium nib on Amazon. If you write really small, I really like the Metropolitan with the nib from the Pilot penmanship swapped onto it. The link here is more than I spent on the penmanship, if you search you can find them cheaper (I think on Amazon sometimes, I got two for that price). The Japanese EF nib is closer to a western UEF nib (the medium on the Metro is very close to an EF on the Safari). The line is very thin, and comfortable if you are used to writing small with a mechanical pencil.

With this, pick up a bottle of Noodler's black , and you will be set.

Now, to deviate a little from the standard answers. If you want something a little different, the Nemosine Singularity is an good intro pen that has gotten a lot of good feedback.

For a cheaper alternative, but usually only in a medium nib, the Jinhao x750 or x450 are big pens that make a statement (Amazon has sellers that ship these from China, Goulet pens carries them for $10 in stock).

There are a few others on Amazon that people like in the starting range, Parker, Scheaffer, etc that some like, but generally, the popular ones are the Metropolitan and Safari.

Current FP Carry:

• VP with [[Sailor Yama Dori]]
  
• Montblanc Classique with [[iroshizuku shin-ryoku]]
  
• TWSBI Diamond 580 with [[Diamine Oxblood]]
  
• Lamy Safari with [[iroshizuku fuyu-syogun]]
  
• Lamy Al Star with [[iroshizuku yu-yake]]
  
• Pilot Elite 95s with [[iroshizuku kosumosu]]
  
• Pilot Metropolitan with [[Diamine Soft Mint]]
  
• Pilot Ergo Grip with Oxblood
  
• Pilot Ergo Grip with [[iroshizuku ama-iro]]
  
• Muji with [[J. Herbin Emerald of Chivor]]
  
  I also have a Tombow mechanical pencil, a Montblanc ballpoint, and a metallic gold G2. It's a good fist-full, and a little too bulky for my preferences. BUT I LOVE THEM
  
  For the price, the Pilot Ergo demonstrator is an awesome pen and the EF nib is truly EF. I've even seen some people on here transfer that nib into other pens. I converted my Ergos into eyedroppers pretty easily with just silicone grease and the ink looks fantastic in them. I haven't had any leaking problems yet and they've been in action for about a month now. Despite being so fine, I haven't had any issues with them drying up too quickly either. The only thing I don't like so much about them is that they don't show off ink subtleties as well on paper since the line they lay down is so fine. I don't think they come with anything other than that EF Penmanship nib.
  
  I also really love my TWSBI Diamond, and I have heard great things about the Eco so I'll probably pick one up sometime soon.
  

I’m sorry for your loss, and I hope that remembering him in this way will help you feel like you are passing on a piece of him.

Most of what I ‘build’ is stories and art. The best books for those are these notebooks. They are dotted for the perfect drawing help, but also clean enough so that I can write in them. I also would love a fountain pen to help make the journals look beautiful and formatted. I have a whole art supplies list, which is stock full of things perfect for anyone who wants to start journaling.

I hope that you can find something to alleviate the pain you are going through. You are doing something nice for others, but take care of yourself, and maybe look through everyone’s WL to see if you can find something that might help you make art or write or do whatever it is you need to do to get some feelings off your chest and into the creative world.

For hand pain and fatigue, fountain pens are good too. For most of them their own weight is enough to make them write so you barely have to grip them or press down. And there are a zillion ink colors that are fun to choose from. An inexpensive but good one is the Platinum Preppy...it’s like $4, comes with a large ink cartridge and the cap seals really well so it never dries out (just checked and the Preppy seems to be stupidly overpriced on Amazon right now, it should be cheaper at Jet Pens, Goulet Pens, Vanness, or any other site that has fountain pens). Pilot Metropolitan and Lamy Safari (Safari is pretty much the most counterfeited pen ever and there are a lot of fakes on Amazon so I’d order elsewhere) are pretty good “beginner” fountain pens too, if you want something that looks a little nicer but still isn’t too insanely priced. TWSBI Eco has a good reputation too and holds a TON of ink but it’s easy to put back together incorrectly if you’re the tinkerer type who has to take everything apart. Finer nibs will put down less ink and are less likely to bleed or feather on cheap notebook paper. Nib size isn’t really standardized, though, so there’s a lot of variation between brands.

I try to keep a fountain pen, a rollerball (NOT a ballpoint) and an extra-fine Sharpie in my bag at all times so I can write on just about any surface without killing my hand. Personally, I think ballpoints are the devil and I avoid them whenever possible.

If you need a pencil, fat ones like Pilot Dr Grip are more comfortable for me than skinny ones. I’m accident-prone and always breaking thin lead so I’ve started using sketch pencils with huge 5.6mm lead. I have one of these that I found on a good sale but there are lots of cheaper options. There are some good 2mm or 3mm lead pencils out there too. I got a pack of really generic cheap Chinese 2mm pencils a while back that are surprisingly comfortable to hold for as skinny as they are. They have a lead sharpener built into the back clicky cap thing so you can keep it sharp without having to hunt down any specialty sharpeners.

If I have to use skinny pen/pencil or a ballpoint, I modify my grip to make it less awful. This is how I hold pens that kill my hand if I try to hold them normally. It’s not a perfect solution but it keeps my hand from cramping up and my fingers from bending back as much for a quick note or signature.

This got really long, sorry. I get a little too excited about stationery things...

Before starting, you should settle on a nib width that you are going to use. A lot of time people choose Medium because they think it's middle of the road and they often leave unsatisfied because it isn't. The line width you get from normal writing utensils tends to be more of a Fine on a fountain pen. I find it hard to get good handwriting with a medium nib whereas a fine is a lot easier.

Now at £10 here are some options:

• Pilot Varsity: Ready to use pen made by Pilot. I've never seen anyone complain about the way it writes, and it already comes with in inside it. You also get your choice of nib Cons? It's a disposable pen and isn't that pretty
  
• Platinum Preppy: Very similar but actually takes cartridges. You can choose your nib. I think you'll have to buy the cartridges separately.
  
• Baoer 801: Fine nibbed Chinese knockoff pen. Mine writes very well. Comes with fine nib. You'll probably want bottled ink. Section scratches easily but at the price I don't mind.
  
• Baoer 388: Very popular Chinese Sonnet knockoff. Mine writes very well. You'll probably want to use bottled ink with this one. Medium nib only.
  
  There are plenty of other Chinese pens out there, and you could go search them and find one you like too. I'm partial to Baoer pens: for me they have written better than any other Chinese pen. A lot of people recommend Jinhao pens, but their nibs run wide and they dry out a lot quicker when left sitting.
  
  As for bottled ink, I would suggest it for the Chinese pens because they come with the converter that is used to fill from the bottle. The inks I would recommend for you are:
  
  
• Parker Quink Black - my go-to black when it comes to inking any pen up.
  
• Waterman Serenity Blue - good generic blue. maybe a little light.
  
• Waterman Mysterious Blue - A darker, off blue
  
• Any freaking Waterman ink, I've heard good things from them. Tender purple? go get it. I suggest Waterman inks because they are cheap in the UK and very fountain pen friendly.

I'm still a newbie too so don't take my word as anything other than a fellow person learning too, but I've recently gotten the Pilot Metropolitan (a fountain pen)

Amazon has one for around $10 https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW (that's medium nib, I prefer a fine nib for writing small such as a dot journal, and medium for larger writing such as lined paper or unlined).

My local pen guy calls it "absolutely the best pen under $100, bar none" and "don't bother buying another pen until you save up $120-150 and can afford a gold nib", so for $10-15 that makes it a super easy way to get into writing with one.

Why use a fountain pen? With a cartridge they're hassle free but regardless of ink supply they're very nice to write with. Almost no pressure required at all, a very simple and smooth glide over the paper. Easy to hold and you can hold it reverse to get an even finer line (at the cost of losing some of the smoothness of the glide).

Plus if you get into it, you can replace the disposable cartridges with a converter that lets you actually suck up from a bottle of ink and do it the old school way, and there's something "zen" or meditative about using great paper, a great pen, and treating writing practice as a form of mindfulness practice. But maybe that's just me :P

EDIT: On the total other side of the spectrum, if fountain isn't for you, I used to make cheaply rigged Mont Blanc rollerballs. The rollerballs are better than ballpoint (but not as smooth as fountain). I would buy Mont Blanc rollerball refills for like $7, and G2 Gel pens, and then one could cut a little bit off of the end of the Mont Blanc rollerball refill and place it into the Gel pen case after removing the gel ink. http://www.instructables.com/id/Save-$200-in-2-minutes-and-have-the-worlds-best-wr/ http://www.instructables.com/id/Mont-Black-Mont-Blanc-Hack-fitting-the-new-Mon/ That would get you a very high quality writing experience for cheap I bet

This. Just getting new supplies is often just as motivating as a tablet I think. A nice new pad of paper, a few nice new pens, maybe even a brush or g-pen and ink if you're feeling adventurous (definitely exciting, but possibly messy).

The Copic marker pad is some nice paper. Paper's a lot about personal preference though, whatever you get go to your local art store the next time and have her help choose one with you https://www.amazon.com/Copic-Markers-Alcohol-Marker-Sheets/dp/B000Q7G7S6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481785351&sr=8-1&keywords=copic+marker+sketch+book

For a brush, I'd recommend one of these for sure: https://www.amazon.com/Winsor-Newton-Kolinsky-Sable-Watercolor/dp/B000YQG9ZK

For ink, this one is great but messy container: https://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-India-Super-Black/dp/B0007ZJ8TM/ref=pd_sim_201_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DQKJEH36V4PAJVXBXQAC

A G-nib: https://www.amazon.com/Zebra-Comic-Model-Chrome-PG-6B-C-K/dp/B006CQW428/ref=pd_sim_201_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=MKPZYS4GTKG4MPMV5BKF
plus nib holder: https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774/ref=pd_sim_229_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JQ1R1E1GERQQ20KEYEVF is more traditional japanese style than a brush but I personally don't like it as much

And a few Copic markers would also be awesome, they're expensive but refillable and the best on the market IMO. A Skin tone set: https://www.amazon.com/Copic-Markers-6-Piece-Sketch-Tones/dp/B004XR92EG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481785568&sr=8-2&keywords=copic+markers

Plus maybe a floral set: https://www.amazon.com/Copic-Marker-Sketch-Floral-Favorites/dp/B005NB4IZ4/ref=pd_sim_201_5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=JG9YQ4AVBM15NPXW4XRW would provide a very good base as far as markers go

> No coupon that I'm aware of, buuuut they give a pop with every order and if you ask nice you might get 2!!!!!!!!! They seem to do a deal every week or two though. For example they had buy one get one Jinhao pens then the spring cleaning event that made everything cleaning related on sale.

Ooh, good to hear. Do they usually announce their special events beforehand?

> I've seen deals on Amazon where it drops to 100, but the best I can find atm is 116 https://www.amazon.com/LAMY-Fountain-Black-Extra-Fine-L01EF/dp/B000UUIZNY/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1496660631&sr=1-2&keywords=lamy+2000&refinements=p_36%3A8000-12000

So good! I'll stick with the cheaper Lamy and then might go for this one! That's an excellent offer, as they're way cheaper in Switzerland.

> If you post on pen_swap there's a good chance you can get one to you -with shipping- for 100 or lower if they are in the same country.

I really don't know if there are any Swiss people out there, but I'll keep an eye out.

> Inks - yeahhh I go for all the colors. I own a black and I've inked up with it once. It's just so boring... I think I said before, but I have a sample of Robert Oster Emerald that I'm loving right now. Everything RO is great... Especially their blue/greens.

RO has so many fantastic colours, I'll end up with a sh*t ton of different samples. Ugh, cannot decide, don't want to decide. There are just too many to choose from!

> Lamy2k Nibs. These are NOT sold separately. (Atleast in US, I've heard you can buy them in the EU) And even if they were, they are gold nibs and 40% of the pen sizewise so its a good $80 for a new nib. Also, whats cool about the reverse grind is that you can write with both sides at any time on a whim. No swapping out nibs or cleaning the pen. Just rotate the pen roughly 180 degrees and bam its a new pen. I plan on getting it does to my L2k soon, but the grind is around 75usd.

Alright, I'll keep that in mind.

> Small note, when you go to your local store/retailer online if they have Lamy Pretrol INK then you should grab a bottle or twenty. The ink is hard to get. It's bought for 10.50usd and sold for 25 atm and climbing quickly. Last years limited edition was the Dark Lilac and those bottles go for 50ish now... It's a nice ink so even if you don't want to sell it, buy one and use it! There's a Lamy Safari Petrol pen that matches the ink.

I've already asked my local shop, but they haven't replied just yet, most likely due to a public holiday. Hopefully I'll get an answer tomorrow and see if I can get my hands on these inks.

I'm not a vast array of pen experience but IMO

It's not the cheapest, but I feel the pilot prera is very underrated. I have it in F and EF, it's a great work horse and its compact size is great for travel but it posts to pretty much a full size pen for a comfortable writing experience.

Pilot also has this

Pilot Fountain Pen with Ergo Grip, Extra Fine Nib, Clear Body (PFP50RNCEF) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CQUI9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v1JLxbF3E8KAC

It's the same nib as the metro and Prera but in a much cheaper body. I got one after a co worker bent my Prera nib and wanted to switch to EF. It's a

I've also recently received a Lamy Al Star and based on reviews it's the same as the safari, just in aluminum. I know the safari is a reasonable price and the ability to swap out nibs is pretty quick and easy.

These:

http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA

Are a great way to get into fountain pens. They're disposable, cheap enough to throw away, but good enough (as long as you don't let them dry out) to write comfortably until they're empty. They do have a larger/looser stroke than she may prefer, though.

http://www.amazon.com/uni-ball-KuruToga-Mechanical-Starter-1751934/dp/B0026ICM1E

Hands down one of the best mechanical pencils you can get. You won't see too much a difference writing in cursive, but it's a whole 'nother world for block/print script.

Rhodia and Leuchtturm make some of the best notebooks. If you've got cash and aren't averse to leather, Levenger makes a great disc-binding system that costs maybe $150 to get into. Staples has the Arc system which is compatible, and is maybe $20-$40 to get into.

Good luck!

I have a nice selection of fountain pens, and they're lovely. I enjoy using them immensely, and they make great gifts! Perhaps you should show her the price range of higher end fountain pens?! Watch her head explode. Good thing you like fountain pens, and not high-end automatic (mechanical) watches!!

If you haven't used a fountain pen before, you want something inexpensive and disposable to try out, the Pilot Varsity fountain pens are actually quite good (and cheap):

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Varsity-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA/ref=sr_1_4

For something a little nicer looking (but still really inexpensive), check out the JinHao fountain pens (China). Here's an older review: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/131552-jinhao-x750-review/

Just keep in mind that you do need to clean out the ink periodically, and you definitely want to clean them out if you're not going to use them for a while.

The JinHao fountain pens are sold on eBay. Here are two examples:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/jinhao-x750-fountain-pen-blue-and-black-Medium-nib-new-free-shipping/312719179069

https://www.ebay.com/itm/JINHAO-X750-FOUNTAIN-PEN-Black-shimmering-sands-Medium-NIB-new-free-shipping/140641723784

Good luck!

They take platinum proprietary cartridges as far as I know. I currently have converters in two of mine (just search "Platinum Fountain Pen Converter" in amazon), and the other 2 as eyedropper pens.

BTW: if you are in the UK, Cult Pens has them for cheaper.

The nib you asked about is the 03 (you can look at the images to tell, it is printed pretty big on the pen itself). This is more like a western EF and will definitely be finer than your Safari F nib. I love it but I write pretty small. I would recommend you get a 03 and a 05 from CultPens and see which one you like the best before ordering several to hold different colors. The included Blue-Black cartridge is pretty good actually.

If you decide on the medium, I would recommend getting the 7 pack as I have heard that people have still occasionally gotten the old styling on those pens. They function the same but the nibs match the color.

EDIT: BTW if you can't tell I love my preppies. I use them for pretty much the reason you describe. I have to take notes quickly and need to color code them. I can carry 4 preppies for about the price of many other pens and if I loose them it usually isn't a big deal.

Yes and No.

Yes, if you want to try out a lot of colors as well as trying the pens, it can be a good deal. To that point, have a look at https://www.amazon.com/Thorntons-Office-Supplies-Disposable-Fountain/dp/B01E68AKTC which appear to be the same as the Pilot Varsity, but in more colors and different cap design. This is a great introduction to fountain pens and the wonderful variation of ink colors as well as note taking in color.

No, if you don't intend to run a lot of colors, go with a cheaper pen like the Pilot Metropolitan or Jinhao 992 https://www.amazon.com/JINHAO-992-Fountain-Pen-Translucent/dp/B06XYFK681 and a bottle of ink https://www.amazon.com/PARKER-QUINK-Ink-Bottle-Black/dp/B004YK4VHA or https://www.amazon.com/Bulletproof-EEL-Noodlers-Fountain-Ink-Black/dp/B000WIUNOI and go to it. Small investment overall.

A final option for pen and ink would be one of the larger bottles of Noodler's with a pen in the box, something like https://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Ink-Heart-Darkness-19808/dp/B0015VB4EE would give you a pen and ink, and you would be able to give it a go.

So pick your poison and have fun. I think the Thorton's 10-pack is a great introduction, it is an introduction with a lot of great colors and no mess, but you should choose what you think is your best introduction.

I'd love to hear what other folks are using. Ideally, I'd like a case that can fit a total of 16-20 fountain pens, but hopefully with a smaller footprint. The 96-slot Global Art Leather Pencil Case is almost perfect... but they changed their design since I bought mine and they now have only one loop per slot instead of two. (I utilize both loops for smaller things, like pencil leads, wax stamps, etc.)

My current case contains the following items, but as you can see I'm just about out of room!

---

Side A: Pencils

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1. rOtring 800 in .05
   
2. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with red nano dia lead
   
3. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with blue nano dia lead
   
4. Uni Kuru Toga Pipe Slide in .05 with green nano dia lead
   
5. Erasers: refills for the General Pencil Co. Factis BM-2 mechanical erasers, plus some for the Kuru Toga
   
6. A pair of General Pencil Co. Factis BM-2 mechanical erasers (a nice, thin eraser capable of area or detail erasing)
   
7. Extra red, green, and blue Uni nano dia lead
   
8. Extra black Uni nano dia lead (in a spare Pentel container)
   
9. Alumicolor 6" engineer pocket scale, standard (used as a straight edge)
   
10. Heavy-duty X-Acto Gripster knife
    
    ---
    
    Side B: Fountain Pens
    
    ---
    
    
11. Noodler's Neponset Ebonite Flex in black, filled with Noodler's Apache Sunset
    
12. TWSBI Eco in black, filled with Jacques Herbin 1670 Emerald of Chivor
    
13. Jinhao X750 in Black Night Sky, filled with Jacques Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey
    
14. Jinhao X750 in Lava Red, filled with Diamine Sherwood Green
    
15. Jinhao X750 in Black Frost Black, filled with Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrun
    
16. Jinhao X750 in Black Night Sky, filled with Noodler's Blue Ghost
    
17. An inexpensive atomizer (used for fine control when creating ink splatters)
    
18. Pilot Plumix, filled with Noodler's Firefly
    
19. Noodler's Charlie (not sold; comes free with 4.5 oz Noodler's inks), filled with Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-Budo

No coupon that I'm aware of, buuuut they give a pop with every order and if you ask nice you might get 2!!!!!!!!! They seem to do a deal every week or two though. For example they had buy one get one Jinhao pens then the spring cleaning event that made everything cleaning related on sale.

I've seen deals on Amazon where it drops to 100, but the best I can find atm is 116 https://www.amazon.com/LAMY-Fountain-Black-Extra-Fine-L01EF/dp/B000UUIZNY/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1496660631&sr=1-2&keywords=lamy+2000&refinements=p_36%3A8000-12000

If you post on pen_swap there's a good chance you can get one to you -with shipping- for 100 or lower if they are in the same country.

As for paper, what makes Red n Black good is it's so cheap and has a paper weight of 24. So if you can find something similar near you then great!

Inks - yeahhh I go for all the colors. I own a black and I've inked up with it once. It's just so boring... I think I said before, but I have a sample of Robert Oster Emerald that I'm loving right now. Everything RO is great... Especially their blue/greens.

Lamy2k Nibs. These are NOT sold separately. (Atleast in US, I've heard you can buy them in the EU) And even if they were, they are gold nibs and 40% of the pen sizewise so its a good $80 for a new nib. Also, whats cool about the reverse grind is that you can write with both sides at any time on a whim. No swapping out nibs or cleaning the pen. Just rotate the pen roughly 180 degrees and bam its a new pen. I plan on getting it does to my L2k soon, but the grind is around 75usd.

Small note, when you go to your local store/retailer online if they have Lamy Pretrol INK then you should grab a bottle or twenty. The ink is hard to get. It's bought for 10.50usd and sold for 25 atm and climbing quickly. Last years limited edition was the Dark Lilac and those bottles go for 50ish now... It's a nice ink so even if you don't want to sell it, buy one and use it! There's a Lamy Safari Petrol pen that matches the ink.

I prefer pen and paper. Writing by hand has always helped me retain more knowledge and memory than typing, and there's actually some science to back this up.

>According to a new study, Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer of Princeton University and UCLA Los Angeles respectively, students who write out their notes by hand actually learn more than those to type their notes on laptops. Over the course of several experiments, Mueller and Oppenheimer tested students’ memories for factual detail, conceptual comprehension, and synthesizing capabilities after half of them took notes by hands and the other half took notes by way of computer. Students who used laptops cranked out more words than hand-writers did, but the hand-writers ended up with a stronger conceptual understanding across the board.

This, plus I find the tactile feel of the pen moving and creating across the paper to be a deeply satisfying and somewhat spiritual experience.

I use a simple Black n' Red spiral notebook (LOL that Amazon price) because I find it easier to let loose and write down anything that comes to mind. The fancy journals I've purchased in the past always ended up unused because I was too anxious and self-conscious about marking up the pretty pages with thoughts that didn't seem "worth it." If you're going to start journaling on pen and paper, I strongly recommend starting with the simple route. Spend the money on something fancy when you're more comfortable with journaling.

I also strongly recommend ditching ballpoint pens if you're serious about paper journaling. Gel and fountain pens let you get your thoughts out much faster and with less pain. I use a Uni-ball Signo UM-151 and Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen. Again, I don't like to get too fancy with my journaling. It's more important to get the words out than fret over the tools.

As for what to write...write whatever resonates with you no matter how scattered or silly or unformed it may seem. Don't get self-conscious about it. Just get the words out.

My parents got me a $50 Amazon gift card, and so I'm thinking of buying a few fountain pens, pretty much just starting my collection. This is the list of pens I'm thinking of:

Hero 9296

Jinhao 301

Jinhao 1000 (Gold version)

I'm less certain about these two:

Baoer

Jinhao Copper (I don't know what the actual name of this one is)

Could anyone help me decide whether to get the last two and if the others I picked are good?


Also, with the remaining $25ish, what inks should I get? I don't get to write on nice paper all too much, as I'm in high school. So a nice black and/or blue, and maybe like a red or green? Especially with the black/blue, one that plays nice with cheap paper. Thank you in advance!

EDIT: oh, and I'd also consider getting a pilot parallel if I could fit it into my budget. Any thoughts?

1. I feel good about how dedicated I am to things I believe in. I am loyal to my friends and family, I worked my butt off in school, and I will work my butt off at my new job. I don't quit or give up on things easily.
   
2. Seeing the results of my hard work motivates me. I look at all the things I've accomplished at 23 years, and it helps me realize that even when it totally sucked, the sacrifices I've made and the effort I've put in to reaching my goals really does pay off. Knowing that makes me want to work even harder and push myself to accomplish even more.
   
3. Here's an unconventional fitness tip-- eat less meat. I became a vegetarian six years ago, and the benefits have been awesome. I eat fewer calories, I eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and I've tried foods I would have never even considered eating during my meat-eating days. Plus, meat is expensive, so it saves me $$. The whole idea of not getting enough protein is bogus-- there are plenty of foods other than meat that are packed with proteins, it just takes a little planning. Also, it makes avoiding fast food a whole lot easier. Even if you just try giving meat up 1-2 nights a week, I'm sure you'd notice a difference.
   
   pen
   

It's a preppy fountain pen and I love it dearly. I had one before and broke it and bought myself a nice $40 fountain pen. Every time I used it, I longed only for my $7 preppy pen. sigh I simply had to replace it!

This is the deal right here though. It's the pen and enough ink to last you like forever for $20. I loved it so much that I bought a set for GeorgeDouglasMcFly as well in hopes that it would inspire him to write more. We both love the pens so much we write like everything with them all the time!

Just a few comments/suggestions :)

I would recommend the Pilot Metropolitan as a starter, for around the price of the Plasir it is very reliable, smooth writer, and much easier to clean. If you do buy the Plasir, you will also need to buy a convertor to use bottled ink, where the Metropolitan comes with one included.

The Jinhao is a copycat of the Lamy Safari, a good starter, but know that people either absolutely love or hate the style of the grip.

The inks you picked out are good, although to start I really recommend getting a Goulet sample pack so you can try similar colors before committing to an entire bottle, which will last quite a while.

Hope this helps! I love helping new people explore the world of fountain pens :)

Oooh, depends on what you're looking for, my friend! However, all my starter pens were under $35 with my favorite being the Pilot Metropolitan ($15). It writes very well and it's a great starter pen!My next suggestions would be: LAMY Safari Pen and TWSBI Eco Demonstrator. These are fun, come in fun colors or can be see-through which is neat cause then you can see the ink!

Also take into consideration nib sizes (Fine being thin lines and more tactile, and Medium+ having thicker, "wetter" lines). 🎆🎇

I just checked, and honestly the only concern I have about J-Subculture is that they don't have HTTPS on their website, so I wouldn't give them my credit card info (not because of them, but because of people who might intercept it). Other sites that people are recommending here like Engeika and Rakuten aren't any better in that regard actually, but if you use Paypal, the risk should be mitigated.

To explain J-Subculture, it's a Japanese import service. Their basic shtick is that you give them a link to a page where something is being sold or auctioned, you pay them, and then they buy it and ship it to you, although they do have their own shop as well.

If you don't feel comfortable with the lack of HTTPS, definitely try Amazon. For about $220, you can get a C823 from Amazon pretty easily (though I would recommend buying from a seller with high ratings).

Alternatively, if you don't mind the flat top design or the piston filling mechanism, you could try a Pilot Custom Heritage 92. It recently dropped to $133 on Jetpens and on top of that, it comes in Black and Blue now too (for a long time, only clear CH92s were available outside Japanese sellers). It's the same nib as the Custom 74, though, so if that's a turnoff, sorry.

Absolutely. Warning: if it tursn out that you relaly like fountain pens it is a deep dark hole of spending as there are so many great pens out there.

If you want to get your feet wet and not invest too much I suggest the Pilot Metropolitan. This pen's msrp is 15 (but lower on amazon) and can be found at wal-mart and staples. It is made of a brass body (so it has some heft), has a fantastic japanese steel nib (japanese nibs run on the small size for line width), and even includes a converter (easy way to use bottled ink) and a cartidge of ink. It is the quintisentional introduction fountain pen and exceeds the quality of pens 2-3x its price. It comes in black, gold, silver, and purple.

Now I know any people prefer to side on the buy it for life side and jump in with a more expensive item, but it is important to figure out what size nib you like and a japanese mdeium is seen as a nice overall starting point. After that I would suggest you check out /r/fountainpens to see reviews for pens like the lamy 2000, twsbi 580, pilot custom 74 and so on.

While fountain pens are cool, their ink is even cooler. There are hundreds of colors available and can even be bought in samples that are cheap (but enough to last for 2-3 fills of your pen). The most popular retailor for ink is gouletpens.com

WORK

PowerTank Retractable Pen All-Angle All-Weather Wet Surface… Standard quick draw go-to pen for the last 5 years

Pilot Varsity Disposable Fountain Pen Recently got into fountain pens so I use this when I can to sign stuff or have time to take decent notes

Silver Sharpie for writing on dark surfaces

Pocket Level for leveling anything from pictures to 80” monitors and in between

Retractable Sharpie for permanent marking/writing everywhere else not covered by the previous items

Telescoping Magnetic Retriever

My First Pencil for temporary marking… large size for durability and novelty

House Keys, Personal Truck Keys (98 F150), Work Truck/Van Key (what is this thing), Building Keys

Fitbit Charge HR

Large Rubber Band because you just never know when you might need one… and I pop myself if I get a craving for something I don’t need lol

A little Cash, Our Energy Management Policy (our VP will randomly ask to see it and if you have it on you, you may get to be off the rest of the day, get a meal or gas gift cert, movie tix, etc.)

Vicks Inhaler, Every Man Jack chapstick

1/8” Allen Wrench

ThorFire throwaway LED Flashlight for quick peeks, or if the larger one’s battery dies

BP Rewards Card (Filling the work truck a couple times a week gets me a few cents off my own gas… shhhhh), Work Visa, License, Insurance, Carmike Rewards Card because you never know when you may wanna catch a flick.

Nitecore MH1C Rechargeable LED Flashlight… found this baby up in the ceiling and fell in love (once I read the manual and figured out how to work it.)

Zippo Spectrum Lighter… Don’t smoke but I love fire and Zippo’s even more. I have 16 right now but this is my throw around EDC.

Gerber Superknife

TAC Force Throw away assisted opening knife

RFID Access Badge

Medical ID Bracelet… recently diagnosed with Diabeetus and put on Xarelto after a huge blood clot (PE)

3x5 Index Card Daily Work Order Checklist, needed supplies, random notes/measurements/numbers

/r/KaizenBrotherhood 30 Day Challenge Checklist

Leatherman Rebar MultiTool… work buys these (bless them) and I usually break them enough to need one every 1-2 years. Had one model or another since my 18th birthday (36 now) and just found out they will actually repair them for free so I will have to round up some older ones and send them off. Once they are retired they wind up in a glove box, random tool bag/box, in the recliner, on my desk etc, anywhere I might need one and I am not in my work clothes.

NOT PICTURED

Folding Wood Rule

Motorola XPR-6300 Radio

iPhone 6 in Lifeproof Fre Case with Nite Ize Steelie Magnet on the back and $20 inside... used to take picture

*added phone

I have the Ahab, a TWSBI classic (if im spelling that correct), and was just gifted a Delta Unica.

I just got into the hobby about 8 months ago and have used way more than those three, but didn't own any till recently. I would say the Delta writes fine, but havent used it that much, the TWSBI is what I usually use to write, since it just feels better in my hand. And the Ahab I use to doodle. Had it for around two months and draw a lot with it. I will say it does bleed at the top of the nib and gets on my fingers occasinally and i cant get it to stop, but as far as actually writes, its not bad.

Edit ;Also I just re read your comment and realized you mentioned the same pens I bashed. The Jinhao you see in that link are the ones I have and they have performed horribly for me. I hope you have better luck and maybe mine are junk, but all four are unusable for me.


Also.... I have these. I don't talk about those. Dry up in a day, less flex (if any), and bleed heavily. I also got those from my well meaning father who knows nothing about you get what you pay for.

Would you like some recommendations?

Check out the Pilot Metropolitan. It's clean and polished looks are so smooth and inoffensive, and the silver or gold will go really well with a tie clip. There are no obvious logos on the pen, and it's rounded smooth edges are easy on the eyes.

http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW

Get the fine point. It writes beautifully, too :)

Another favorite of mine to use with a silver tie clip is the Cross Bailey. It has a black lacquer body and a silver trim.

http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Bailey-Lacquer-Fountain-AT0456-7MS/dp/B0089TV8UA/ref=pd_sim_sbs_op_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0ACQRBCFWBTMS04MFDG2

That's just to get you started. Generally, try matching your pen with your tie clip and cufflinks. Also, if you keep it in your pocket tip-up then you won't have any problems with ink leaking out of the pen. It also becomes a conversation piece, if you have to pull it out of your pocket to use it for writing.

Have gold and silver cufflinks, and a gold tie clip? Wear a red or gold tie, and this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D04KDE?psc=1

> I really want to start using them, but they're so expensive!

There are several really good starter fountain pens for ~$30

Pilot Metropolitan

MUJI Aluminum Fountain Pen

Would be two that I would recommend. The second I have experience with, it has a lot of feedback but is still pretty decent. I haven't used a Metropolitan but it has a very good reputation.

If you don't have them yet, I would suggest saving part of your $75 budget for ink and paper.

Also:
Automod: Activate

There are plenty of good inks out there on amazon. Since we don't know what colors you like, just pick any 30 ml bottle from Diamine and you should be safe.

For paper, get a Rhodia dotpad, or Black&Red notebook, whatever size you like.

Now you're at around $55 for a pen, which is plenty.

Read the automod post below for some tips.

I would suggest the TWSBI Eco ($30), which kinda posts, but I never post mine. Other good choices are the
Pilot Metropolitan,
Faber-Castell Loom, or even a
Conklin Duragraph

Good luck!

I love holidays! We used to travel every summer and winter as a family, and my favorite vacation was a trip to a huge, river-fed waterpark. We stayed for an entire week, renting a room inside the park. Every morning my mom and I would wake up early and go to the bakery to buy breakfast for everyone, then we'd all go fishing at the river before heading off into the park. Because we were staying in a park cabin, we were able to wander around all night, and they even had a heated pool open 24/7. It was pure bliss.. looking back, I realize I was extremely lucky to be able to go on so many vacations. A lot of them were just camping or a cheap hotel at the park, but every now and then we'd do something awesome like a ski trip (which I will never do again. I was sick the entire time!) and staying inside the waterpark.

I don't have any pictures from our trips, but this is a picture of my favorite part of the park. It's a fairy tale playplace for the little kids, with toadstools, fairies, and even Hansel (Hansel & Gretel) in a cage. I simply cannot wait for my son to be old enough to take him!

Oop, forgot my item. Pens to practice my handwriting :P

If you want an really inexpensive pen with a hooded nib, I would highly recommend the Hero 9296. Very good quality for the price, if you ask me.

You can even get a set of two for an even better bargain.

Crazy K&A Hero 9296 Accounting Ultrafine Iridium Nib Writing Fountain Pen for Office School Black & Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I17WZA2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_KVa5wbS0PD8AX

By the way, I replied to your post with a possible solution to your inky finger issue. Check it out.

5 dolalrs and free shipping for a pretty nice converter that comes standard with a lot of pens. This converter should work perfectly for you, and buying it from amazon will be a way better deal than trading away your ahab

Not OP but another avid fountain pen enthusiast, and having owned a few $100+ fountain pen, my most used pen hands down is the Pilot Metropolitan, a great pen for pretty much anyone, at the humble price of $12. And not to mention its made of brass, so it is BIFL quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=pilot+metropolitan+fountain+pen&qid=1562300808&s=gateway&sprefix=pilot+met&sr=8-4

> tried recently that JetPens said were pretty fast drying

Fast drying inks tend to feather more. And you shouldn't need fast-drying on cheap paper - it'll absorb the ink and feather instead of letting the ink sit as a puddle on top.

Pilot's steel EF is really nice, you can get one fairly cheaply and swap it onto your Metro.

 

I basically only use my own paper, so I don't have good ink recommendations of my own. But these seem helpful:

• FPN request for good blues/browns/violets
  
• another vote for iron gaul plus a suggestion for pigmented inks. Platinum makes a few. I have their red, which looks pink in the bottle, which'd be cool for a demonstrator pen like a TWSBI.
  
• more votes for iron-gaul/pigmented
  
• You could alternately pick just a dry ink. Pilot's pens are pretty dry, so the combination might put down little enuf liquid to avoid your feathering.

I have a few Pilot Metropolitans. A black one with a medium nib was my first one, and I still use it as my daily driver. It's about $12 currently on Amazon, so if I were you, I'd start with that.

^^Ninja ^^edit also be aware that fountain pens are different from dip pens (I assume that's what you meant by drip pen? :) ). Fountain pens can be used for art projects, but they're mainly for writing. And also DON'T PUSH ON THE NIB unless you're sure it's a flex nib! Pens like the Noodler's Konrad or Noodler's Ahab are flex nibs, so you can push on them to get a thicker line. (Sorry if that was a little confusing!)
^^
Good luck!

I'll go with everyone else here and say the Pilot Metropolitan, which is just a classic. I love Pilot fountain pens. They have nice, even, fine and extra fine lines and are economical everyday pens. I prefer the way they work with the way I write to my more expensive LAMYs and Faber-Castell Pens.


I will also recommend the Pilot Kakuno, which is a plastic, hexagonal barrel beginner pen (I think it's actually intended for schoolchildren).

I also like [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fountain-Extra-Clear-PFP50RNCEF/dp/B006CQUI9O/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1510627790&sr=1-3-fkmr2&keywords=cheap+pilot+fountain+pen) just cause I think it's a kind of cool little demonstrator. You can get right into using these with a CON-50 converter or you can use the Pilot IC-100 Namiki cartridges (which I actually prefer at work because they're a little easier to pop in and out).

If you want the fountain pen experience and can shell out an extra buck or two, I really like the Pilot Varsity disposable. Or you can get a dozen for around $25.

But yeah, like most hobbies, it doesn't make much sense to invest a lot of time and money into fountain pen collecting unless there's something that really ignites your passion. Good luck either way!

Oh here's an idea for mixed media. Tomoe River makes fountain pen friendly paper that is super thin, and a lot of artsy type people I know of in the community have recommended it.

Incidentally, you don't necessarily need card stock for paper to be good enough for fountain pens. You can use this HP 32 lb Premium Choice Laser paper for fountain pen friendly stuff.

I think the cheaper budget option pen is the Platinum Preppy. If you want to use it on almost any paper, you'll want it in extra fine or fine.

In my experience as long as you use it at least semi-frequently maintenance is minimal. Plus when you do clean it it’s a breeze. I’m new to fountain pens and cleaned my pen for the first time two days ago. All you do is take apart four pieces and let them soak in water for a while. Put it back together which is extremely simple and boom your done. I heard great things about pens like the pilot metropolitan or Lamy Safari , which only run you about $15! They even make Disposable fountain pens that come in packs of 5! So if I were you I’d give one of those cost effective options a shot and if you like it go from there.

I'm replying to you so people who may be interested have a place to start:

My favorite fountain pens for beginners that are super cheap are Pilot Varsity. They're disposable and you can get a pack of them for pretty cheap on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA

They can also be brought on planes (I know--I just flew with one and it didn't leak). It's seriously a huge difference to write with a fountain pen vs ballpoint or felt or gel or whatever.

I have a few others, but I mostly use my Safari with Diamante China Blue ink. I have one safari with a leaky tip, or the ink doesn't like to stay in (Diamante ancient copper) and one safari that will not write no matter how I press. I need to figure out how to solve that problem, as in a day I can go through a whole full ink cartridge.

I have some suuuuuuuper ultra extra fine pilot pens from Japan, which I really like, though they are scratchy to write with, due to how fine the tips are! The ink seems to dry without getting a good flow in one of them (one of the Noodler's V Day inks) but the Noodler's bulletproof works very well in the other one. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006CQUHXG/

I have a couple of other pens that unfortunately BOTH are leaky beasts, and so they sit in my mug of pens for use at home in clothes I don't care about if I take a cap off and it flings ink at me. One is a Baoer http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0052HYKC0/

And the other is a Hero 9296, which I love the weight of, just not the splatter I had happen in lab (which hit my coat, so, hey, at least it was in lab!) http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00I17WZA2

I just bought some basic Spencerian copy books off of Amazon, along with some pilot varsity fountain pens. I think it was less than $25. So far I am really enjoying it!

I've been thinking learning it with someone else would be awesome, to try to stay accountable on practicing. Interested?

Edit: The books and the pens if anyone is interested.

I'm not OP, but I have one and really like it. It looks neat, writes smooth, and the cap looks good when posted. Also I'm a fan of thinner pens and pencils so it scratches that itch.

I put a cartridge converter in mine which makes it last a while longer and use less expensive ink, although it still doesn't hold as much as a twsbi eco or even a lamy safari with converter because it's a smaller pen.

Edit: lady to lamy. Also [this is the converter](Universal Fountain Pen Ink Converter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002P2T42G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_27AP6CX567JxQ) I used for it.

Not trying to get you sucked into the fountain pen hobby (maybe I am) but this pen is under £10. The Pilot Kakuno. It comes in various colors, and a medium or fine point. And it comes with an ink cartridge so it's ready to use right when you get it. Or The Platinum Preppy, I have one of these and it is great.

There wasn't a Sir Steve, but I found a cool looking Sir John pen.

My favorite mechanical pencil was this Pentel Side Fx. I used it every day in high school and some of college. Then one day... I sat on it. He looks fine, the front piece still screws back on. But on the inside, he's cracked and the lead won't come out anymore. Still kept him.

Pilot Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen, Black Barrel, Classic Design, Fine Nib, Black Ink (91111) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRPFD96/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ClLyCbE11EHDE (comes with converter, and personal favorite)

Pilot Kakuno Fine-Nib Fountain Pen, White Body Soft Blue Cap Body (FKA-1SR-SLF) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOOOBU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_emLyCbX5CXBY8 (takes con-50 converter)

(25 u.s. dollars) Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen Gift Box, Fine Nib, Gray Barrel, 1-Pack, Black Ink (12271) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KBSLWCZ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9mLyCbABH6FRS (get con-40 for this one, or syringe and refill cartridge)

Platinum Fountain Pen, Preppy, Fine Nib, Black (PPQ-200-#1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001H0CEM4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lrLyCbFE357BE (just get an o-ring and eyedropper convert this one)


For all the pilots get the refill cartridges at Staples cheaper than online.

Good (cheap) ink brands are noodlers, waterman's, diamine, and Parker.

Also r/fountainpens is a good resource.

Regular pens

Tombow Airpress 0.7mm Ball Point Pen, Full Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047Z24IU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-xLyCbH5FAXT9 (pressurized can even write upside down)

Zebra F-701 Stainless Steel Ballpoint Retractable Pen, Black Ink, Fine Point, 2 Pack (29411) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0141DN1CA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SyLyCb6MJMDZ4

Pilot FriXion Ball 0.7mm Erasable Gel Pens, Fine Point, Black Ink, Pack Of 6 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019OZVV6I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_XzLyCb98B993R (erasable)

Pentel EnerGel Deluxe RTX Gel Ink Pens, 0.7 Millimeter Metal Tip, Assorted Colors, 6 Pack (BL77BP6M) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012G9VNS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_NALyCbV2QVSTV (disposable cheaper at Staples to)

Parker Jotter Stainless Steel Ballpoint Pen, Medium Point, Black Ink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017D5WXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UBLyCbX0J93DW (Again Staples)

Anyone else can and should add on to this if you want to.

For me it's the price difference.

Pelikan m800 | Goulet $572 | Amazon $415 | isellpens $425 | nibs $520 |

Namiki metal Falcon | Goulet $240 | Amazon $213 | nibs $240 |

Lamy 2000 | Goulet $159
| Amazon $125 |


I like Goulet as much as the next person, and I've supported them in the past, and will continue to selectively support them in the future. However shipping cost to Hawaii is expensive, combine that with free shipping from Amazon through prime makes it an easier choice where I spend my money.

Last year my mom passed down a Lamy Safari that was completely destroyed and after trying and failing to get it to work, I resigned myself to my good ol' cheap gel pens. But this post pretty much re-ignited my interest. Right now my Amazon cart has a universal cartridge, a Jinhao x750 in black night sky, zebra g nibs, and Diamine ink. So thanks for that :p I decided to go for the diamine because it was cheap and only 30ml, so if this is something that I actually really like (I print pretty small, my 0.4mm gel pens have become my holy grail, so I can be pretty picky about this stuff) I'll spring for the Iroshizuku and Noodler inks I've fallen in love with. I've also been lusting over water brush pens... anything you can tell me about those?

Here you go. Wow, that's pretty expensive compared to the US. For us it is $24 for you, it is £26. That would be $38 after currency conversion. It is an amazing ink, though. It makes nibs glide across the paper like you are writing with oil.

This gif ...... this gif is the gif that made me buy my first fountain pen. The Pilot Metropolitan. /r/fountainpens will tell you this is the first pen to get. I also have a decent amount of nibs ( what you see here ) I even have this exact one.

That was about a month ago. Maybe 2. Best part about fountain pens and ink is that it is VERY CHEAP to get into. And if you use it and buy a fucking book you can improve a great deal. You will be busting out lines of beauty and cumming in your pants when you see how much fucking ink can be dumped out of a dremeled out ebonite feed in the Noodler's Ahab Flex.

I'm off to make capital P's. Gooood^byyy^eeee

I would love this, from my $20 and under WL. A good pen to write things is important, folks!

Also, that Five Below store is awesome. It's one of the few classy-ish dollar stores out there.

That's really cool that you're trying to share the hobby with your co-worker. Unfortunately, I'm not sure about sites for used fountain pens, (maybe check out r/Pen_Swap), but I have a few suggestions for cheaper pens:

• The Pilot Metropolitan is a very nice entry level pen and it's only $11 on Amazon right now. It comes with a black cartridge and a converter if you want to get him a bottle of ink. You could also get him a pack of extra cartridges to go along with it and stay under $20.
  
• The Platinum Preppy, which is about $3-$5 and comes in many different colors. (This is the blue-black version). It comes with one ink cartridge and works with standard converters. (The converter is not included)
  
• Pilot also makes the Varsity, which is a line of disposable fountain pens that come pre-filled with ink. You can get a set of 7 different colors for around $12.
  
  I hope this helps!

Item to help me accomplish one of these things

Of course, I'd have to post the poems in my blog for 40 days. This would be an accomplishment, as I am a seasoned poet, with 4 self-published chapbooks out, a longtime poetry blog, and have been featured at numerous poetry/writing events. However, I've had a bit of a hard time writing lately...okay, for the last few years since being in school. My mind just isn't in it. And it needs to be, or my gift is wasted.

I will need lots of these

These guys always inspire me!

I have a list of things I wanted to do for 30 days...maybe 40 days won't be so bad?

Some of the things on my 30 days list:

Go 30 days without:

Eating meat

Wearing makeup

Swearing

Wearing shoes

Go 30 Days:

Write a poem every day

Send a letter to a friend via snail mail

Drink more than the recommended amount of water

/u/n_reineke , /u/G0ATLY , /u/Yokuo ...what do you guys think?

Think I could go 40 days with any of those?

You can get Pilot Varsity disposable fountain pens pretty inexpensively. Check your local stationery store to get just one.

Platinum Preppys are also pretty nice and pretty cheap.

I guess it all depends on what you mean by "good".

Of course. Just like in anything, for example, sports, having the best equipment won't improve your skills.

If you wouldn't mind, can you explain to me the different characteristics of a dip pen vs. a... "non-dip" pen, like the Pilot Parallel?

Also, for a straight pen holder, is one like this like the one you're talking about?

https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1474410881&sr=8-4&keywords=straight+pen+holder

Yes, get a pretty fountain pen or felt tip that makes writing fun! I like le pen, varsity disposable fountain and sharpie's calligraphy pens.

My suggestion is to buy a Pilot Metropolitan, which comes with both a cartridge and a converter so you can try both out. I would also suggest getting a bottle of a basic, workhorse ink. Something like Noodler's Black would be a good option, a nice saturated black that is waterproof and behaves pretty well on cheap paper.

My suggestion is to get:

Pilot Metropolitan, you can also get a fine tip if you want that.

A Pilot Con-50

And finally, some Parker Quink.

I'd probably use the converters because they are less prone to leaking, and you can always get new ink in case you want another color.

A 2oz bottle of ink will likely last you around 9 months if you are writing a fair bit daily and don't spill any, though I've managed to go through one in 3 months, due to writing a novel.

If you want blue ink too, you can get some Blue Quink

Lamy also makes some great ink for cheap in Blue, Black and Turquoise

Yeah, that's a Muji Fountian Pen

Here are the refills

And a converter if you want bottled ink

I have one in a fine point and it writes wonderfully, good find!

Also look at Noodler's Bernanke Blue penaddict || officesupplygeek and Bernanke Black ikonhand. Both are extremely quick drying and the nice, solid inks.

Edit: For an inexpensive pen, I would look at the Nemosine Singularity, Pilot Metropolitan, or if you want something really inexpensive and that still writes well, maybe something like a Jinhao x250, x450, or x750. (The Pilot and the Nemosine are much lighter in weight, so I think they make for more comfortable writing pens for longer sessions, personally. But the Jinhao pens actually write quite well.)

I got myself a Lamy Al-star a few years ago and it has been absolutely amazing and I think I'm at the stage where I would like to shell out a little bit for something fancier.

I had a look around online for some different styles that I might like and settled on something a bit minimalist and preferably matte black.

Some that have caught my eye are the
Lamy Unic,
Visconti Homo Sapien and the
Custom Bamboo, but obviously these are quite expensive.

At this stage I was going to go with the
MUJI Aluminium or the Lamy CP1 since they are in a realistic price range for me (less than $200AUD).

I would love some advice or recommendations for others since I'm still very new to the scene and still learning about the different brands.

"Eyedropper" type pens, where you fill the entire barrel of the pen with ink, instead of a cartridge, are called an eyedropper pen, because the diameter of the barrel, being larger than a tiny cartridge, is easier to fill up with an eyedropper. I do have Noodler's Heart of Darkness ink in the larger bottle with the eyedropper, which came with an included free eyedropper pen. Like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Ink-Heart-Darkness-19808/dp/B0015VB4EE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1495247390&sr=8-3&keywords=noodler%27s+bulletproof+black

Schmidt K5 converters hold-up better than the Chinese ones. Not saying you cannot break it, but you can tell when you're holding it that it's better made.

edit: linked to Amazon out of convenience. If you want to ensure you get an authentic one, pick a retailer of your choice but they're around $5.

Bask in the glory of the greatest pens ever, The disposable fountain pen that works better and lasts as long as actual fountain pens

Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:

Amazon Smile Link: Varsity Fountain Pen


|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||




To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.

This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.

You could start with disposable colors. http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA

Then move on to the others mentioned earlier. If ink color is interesting, join ink drop from Goulet pens. 5 new ink color samples every month. But you will need a pen with a converter at that point. I don't always clean my ink completely as it is nice sometimes to see the transition of colors. Careful though, some inks don't play well together. Hope she enjoys it. PM me if you have any questions.

Platinum preppy is another great, inexpensive pen that performs like a champ. (imo)

Amazon

Yeah, my demonstrator's held up nicely (despite being banged around more than a little), but the reports I've heard of the opaque Singularities breaking led me to making it a stay-at-home pen, just to be safe.

If you want a really fine line, check out the Sailor HighAce: thinnest line I've ever seen.

There's also the Pilot Metropolitan, of course. Medium nibs are on sale on Amazon right now, and a Pilot M is going to be both smooth and roughly equivalent to an F/EF western nib.

Pilot G2 is always a good pen. I also like the pilot precise V5. It is a roller ball pen, so it feels a little smoother than other ball point pens. I use fountain pens. Pilot Metropolitan or Lamy Safari is a great place to start out, but if you want to spend even less money the Platinum Preppy is a popular starter pen. In the long run a bottle of ink will be cheaper than a ton of disposable pens.

In my house we make jam during the summer when fruit is ripest.

We also make our own pizza and bread dough from scratch (because I can't find good sourdough in Louisiana).

I shave with an old-fashioned safety razor and a brush with shaving soap because it's the closest shave and best for my skin.

And I recently started using a fountain pen for my sketch book and like the ability to vary line quality with a single tip so much more than a ballpoint. I had no idea I could get a decent pen for $15

I also got married before we got pregnant and I have an old-fashioned job: tugboat captain.

If you are looking for the smoke color, the the easiest place to get it would be from amazon. To the depth that I understand UK import fees, it's a complete toss up as to if you will have to pay duties. You can find the Amber color on eBay as well, but once again, you won't really know about duties till after it arrives.


The clear color way is pretty really hard to get in the UK.

All Hail the Lobster!!"

^^I'm ^^sensing ^^a ^^contest ^^train ^^XD

^^EDIT: THANK YOU FOR THE CONTESTS xd

Much better gel pens :

Zebra Sarasa Clip Rapid Dry Ink Gel Retractable Pen, 0.7mm, 20 Colors Set with Original Vinyl Pen Case https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXEPCSB

Better yet:

Platinum Preppy Rainbow Fountain Pen Set, Fine Point - Pack of 7 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IU3US7O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gsZvyb4TX033G

Muji Aluminum fountain pen. One of my favorite budget fountain pens out there. Very light weight (which turns some people off of them) but I love it.

https://www.amazon.com/MUJI-Aluminum-Body-Fountain-Pen/dp/B00K2T9DGG

​

Here is an 8-pack of Jinhao 599 fountain pens from Amazon for $12.69 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Lanxivi-Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent/dp/B00L95MIJQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459028586&sr=8-1&keywords=jinhao+599+fountain+pen


And a Platinum Preppy 7-pack (rainbow colors) for $16.99 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Preppy-Rainbow-Fountain-Point/dp/B00IU3US7O/ref=pd_sim_229_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=51ZXAYCAZOL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR128%2C160_&refRID=1V2M317AXM250K390K8Q

Still cheaper on Amazon when shipping is added Comes out to 44 cents less on Amazon Prime. Might be good for those without Prime, though!

I love Massdrop- just have to make sure the deal is good :D

I EDC'd a fountain pen for a while (Pilot Metropolitan) but eventually switched to a regular Pilot G-2 and I don't regret it one bit. I found that my fountain pen was particular about what paper I would write on, the ink took longer to dry, and sometimes it would be messy and I could get ink on my hands. Plus, I occasionally let people use my pen as part of my job, and writing with a fountain pen takes a little getting used to.

The pilot g-2 is inexpensive, has GREAT ink, I can write on any paper surface and I don't have to worry about losing caps. It's easy to take it out, click the back of the pen, and get to writing. No having to worry about angles, ink messiness, or anything like that. Plus, if I lose it, then I'm not out an 'expensive' fountain pen. I can get a 12 pack of g-2's for the price of a single pilot metropolitan

Here is a link to both pens:
http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW

http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Retractable-Premium-Roller-Point/dp/B001GAOTSW

Now, does that mean I've gotten rid of my fountain pens? Nope, I actually bought another Pilot metro in fine point. I use them for journaling and they are strictly desk pens. They are still fun to write with!

Awesome picks.

This is also a good collection:

• Fountain Pen Refills $8.70
  
• Fountain Pens $11.89
  
• A book to finish $9.89

I hope I'm in the right spot. I use the cheap amazon accounting pens that I've seen recommended a few times with noodlers ink. I'm practicing my handwriting with them and I do a lot of pages of lines every day. They don't work so great on the cheap printer paper that I printed lines on so I'd like to get some nicer paper or a notebook to practice on. It needs lines or dots so I can focus on my lettering and not have to worry so much about going in a straight line.

Any recommendations for something that is more utilitarian, but still works well with a fountain pen? I see lots of talk around about papers, but they all seem too "fancy" for my use.

Wow thanks!

Question: Is the Pilot Metropolitan retro pop's ink red too (not just the shell)?

I'm looking at [this one] (http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Collection-Fountain-Turquoise-91436/dp/B015XIKE2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451367976&sr=8-1&keywords=Pilot+Metropolitan+retro+pop).

Muji Aluminum body

It's beautiful and slick and sexy and so satisfying to use (plus any other s words I can't think of).

I carry several metros, but the workhorse ink I use is Noodle's Heart of Darkness, Haven't had too much issue with it. I also use Diamine shimmering ink for when I want some whimsy

I realize nobody told you how much the pen is. Brand new, the Lamy 2000 retails for ~$150. Amazon

It is beautiful and one of my favorite everyday writers!

[Lamy 2000] (http://www.amazon.com/Lamy-2000-Fountain-Black-L01F/dp/B001D3PYT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277169&sr=8-1&keywords=lamy+2000) as a modern pen, [Sheaffer Snorkel] (http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/sheaffer/1950s-sheaffers/sheaffer-valiant-snorkel-1950s-black-medium-superior-restored.html) as a vintage { [here] (http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/sheaffer/1950s-sheaffers/sheaffer-triumph-tm-touchdown-fountain-pen-gold-filled-fine-very-nice-restored.html) is another snorkel that matches your EDC}. however if you want something to try it out first go with a [pilot metropolitan] (http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Writing-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277744&sr=8-1&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+fountain+pen). Finally [here] (http://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Black-Waterproof-Fountain-Pen/dp/B000MVZ2E6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397277859&sr=8-1&keywords=noodlers+black) is a good black ink to start with. If you want me to recommend another color ink or want a specific trait in the pen just ask!

If you don't mind spending around $180 you could buy her a Lamy 2000 fountain pen http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001D3PYT0?pc_redir=1395215992&robot_redir=1 and then pick up the ball point version here http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000G0G5RG . I love mine and I know lots of other people do too.

Also, you might want to try and find out what type of nib she wants... Like EF, F, M, B, and so on .

Best cheap pen imo is the pilot metro: https://smile.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1550905029&sr=1-2&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+fountain+pen

I'm a big fan of this blue / black ink: https://smile.amazon.com/Noodlers-Ink-Fountain-Bulletproof-Massachusetts/dp/B00DJAKBAW/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1550905089&sr=1-1&keywords=54+massachusetts

I was curious about the deal so I checked out Amazon as well. The price is crazy low! Especially since they all come with a converter. I assume that it's being imported directly from China since the estimated delivery is so long.

For the curious: http://www.amazon.com/Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent-Unique/dp/B00L95MIJQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=Jinhao%20Fountain%20Pens&qid=1465346477&ref_=sr_1_5&sr=8-5

Now to get ink in all of those colors. Anyone know of any good yellow ink? :P

That's a dip pen. He's inking it.

specifically this handle:
https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774

as for the nib, I'd have better luck guessing at random, but I know it's one designed for dotting comics.

Also taking a wild guess, it's Sumi ink. Thats a v popular kind lately.
https://www.amazon.com/Yasutomo-KY6-Sumi-Ink-Black/dp/B0026I4UK0

Yeah the metropolitan is one of their fountain pen models. Here's a link to their medium nib version, which is the same size as a fine nib by International standards.


https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=pilot%2Bmetropolitan&qid=1567018495&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1


Also thank God you don't use ball points they're garbage.

That's a great fit. I may go with that one. Know of any pens that are a little less shiny than that AL-Star?

Edit: Nevermind, I found the perfect pen.

You actually probably do!

Platinum Preppy $5.67
Pilot Varsity $8.49 per 3 pack
Pilot V-Pen $6.99
Bic Disposable $5.06 per 2 pack
Jinhao X450 $4.54
Zebra V-301 $7.87
Jinhao X450 $4.54
Baoer Silver Cross Line $4.50
Pelikan 4001 Ink 30ml Royal Blue $8.65
Jinhao $5.21 for 15

So you see, you can buy one. Maybe not a Montblanc just yet, but don't worry, these are all still fun.

heh. Yeah, you and me both :).

I'm afraid the pen is discontinued. It was about $7: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006CQUHXG/

I've got a few laying around with cracked bodies (they feel nice in the hand but they're fragile as hell) so I might as well try it.

Didn't know that you were in the US.
You can try the gray market for Japan pens such as:
https://www.amazon.com/Sailor-Pen-fountain-professional-11-1222-220/dp/B001TI9LMU/

https://www.amazon.com/SAILOR-Professional-Shiki-Oriori-Season-Yukitsubaki/

https://www.amazon.com/Platinum-3776-CENTURY-Bourgogne-nib/dp/B007RA4U6Q/

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fountain-Custom-Heritage-FKVH-15SRS-NC-F/dp/B0046L6L4S/

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fontain-Custom-M-Nib-FKK-1000R-DL-M/dp/B001AX3T4A/


You can go for Pilot Custom 823: https://www.amazon.com/PILOT-CUSTOM-823-Plunger-TransparentBlack/dp/B001AX7T9Q which is more expensive but so much better according to every owner.


Or buy this Lamy 2000 which is superior to the Visconti if you want a European fountain pen:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D3PYT0/

I have messy handwriting AND I like to write very very small. When I was in college I quickly realized that it was easiest for me to write quickly and legibly in small caps, so that's what I do now. It's very neat and tidy, other people can read my tiny writing, and I can do it about as quickly as cursive.

Edit:

I also ONLY write with fountain pens now. I press down very hard otherwise, which hurts my hand and makes my writing worse. Varsity sells disposable fountain pens for about $5, and I buy them at Hobby Lobby with 40% off coupons every once in a while. Having a pen that doesn't require pressure helped immensely with the speed and flow of my writing.

You can get them for $3.25 with free shipping on Amazon.

not really I bought these pens and I think I am going to mix the inks to end up being complimentary colors according to the color of the pen nib. I think the contrast will end up looking really cool. Right now i just have a green vial and a blue vial (other than my mixing kit) but if you are getting rid of ink I am excited for any color really!

I need some help finding my first fountain pen. I have only two requirements: it must be cheap (<$20), and it must be as fine as possible (I'm used to a .38 mm Pilot gel pen).

I've been considering the Plainum Preppy 02 and I just saw that Pilot also has an extra fine-tipped one, but I'm wondering if there's a better option.

Well, you can get a single one in fine for $13.22 from Amazon right now: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009X9Z2FW

But if you actually want two, yeah. (I have two, because I wanted to try both nibs.)

Edit: $12.93 for a medium: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91104/dp/B009M3PIK8

4 Jinhao 250's and ink cartridges, thanks to my wife :-)

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00D6CJFBE?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Now I just need to convince her to let me visit the ink shop again ... she keeps trying to Jedi Mind Trick me - "you do not need to buy more ink..."

Sorry, it's a 750. Here's an Amazon link to the pen I bought. I think's its a cool looking pen for the price. It really does shimmer with different colors of red, green and blue.

Yes, I paid $8.49 for it to be shipped prime. Had a 1.5mm #6 stub nib not being used and didn't want to wait 2-3 weeks. I can say it feeds ink to the 1.5mm nib very well. It's a workhorse for me.

I should add, I have the 8812, too, and prefer it to my Pilot Metro. Edited to add The 750 is bigger than the 8812 and uses a #6 nib while the 8812 uses the #5 size nib.

Sorry it took me a while, I'm italian and I tried to look for the same items in Amazon.com instead of Amazon.it. Here's the complete list (from left to right, and from top to bottom):

• Speedball 2-Ounce India Ink, Super Black (https://www.amazon.com/Speedball-2-Ounce-India-Super-Black/dp/B0007ZJ8TM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1535785514&sr=8-3&keywords=india+ink+black)
  
• Nikko G nibs
  
• Leuchttrum1917 Hardcover Medium Dotted Journal (https://www.amazon.com/Leuchtturm1917-Medium-Size-Hardcover-Notebook/dp/B00FWRVVFE/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786131&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=leuchtturm1917%2Ba5%2Bdotted&th=1)
  
• Tombow 62038 Fudenosuke Brush Pen, 2-Pack. Soft and Hard tIp Fudenosuke Brush Pens for Calligraphy and Art Drawings (https://www.amazon.com/Tombow-62038-Fudenosuke-Calligraphy-Drawings/dp/B01M71S9DU/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1535785738&sr=1-4&keywords=tombow+brush+black)
  
• Rhodia A4 dotPad
  
• Tachikawa Comic Pen Nib Holder, Model 40 (T-40) (https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774/ref=sr_1_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786248&sr=1-1&keywords=nib+holder+tachikawa)
  
• Nib + Ink: A Modern Calligraphy Sketchbook (https://www.amazon.com/Nib-Ink-Modern-Calligraphy-Sketchbook/dp/1419724347/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1535786354&sr=1-1&keywords=nib+and+ink)
  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  ​

Platinum Preppy in either Extra Fine or Fine.

Pilot Kakuno in Fine.

Or Pilot Penmanship in Extra Fine.

All cheap pens that will write pretty fine to match your current pen. You will be at the mercy of your paper and the ink though. Pens will come with cartridges but be prepared to buy more carts or bottle ink and a syringe/converter.

G'day! I would like to buy a converter cartridge for my Parker Minxy "15", but I don't know anything about sizes and specifications. Should I be buying a specific size of cartridge? Or are the cartridges claiming to be "universal" size actually universal? Thank you! (I ask because this Parker looks extremely short compared to a normal pen, so I'm worried about converter lengths.) The converter I'm referring to.

I grabbed the set from Amazon. They had the best deal for all 7 colors, only $18
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IU3US7O/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Edit: updated link

All of my pens are on the cheaper side (except for one) -- I have a [Pilot Metropolitan] (https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW), a [Pilot Kakuno] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FZLLHOM/ref=twister_B00RJPHMZ0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1), a [Pilot Plumix] (https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Plumix-Fountain-Medium-Translucent/dp/B00ZF5HCOW/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1484067434&sr=1-3&keywords=pilot+plumix), a [TWSBI Eco] (https://www.gouletpens.com/twsbi-eco-fountain-pen-white-fine/p/TW-M7444340) (this one is probably my favorite), and a [Retro 51 Tornado] (https://www.amazon.com/Tornado-Fountain-Prism-Medium-Point/dp/B00KB2VQGO/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1484067543&sr=8-10&keywords=retro+51+fountain+pen).

I'd really like to have one of the green Lamy Safaris -- it's next on my list.

My favorite ink is [Diamine's Meadow ink] (https://www.gouletpens.com/is-d7083/p/IS-D7083) (green is my favorite color). Have you bought any ink samples from Goulet Pens yet? I have a few bottles of ink, but for the most part I've just been trying out their ink samples.

Since there are some fellow fountain pen fans on here... Anyone remember the Pilot Varsity? This was my first fountain pen and though they are disposal, I'd say it's still a great way to try out fountain pen if you're not sure you want to commit to the expensive ones.

I keep my good pens away from where people sit in my office. I litter G2s, a few TULs and a couple Jinhao 250s so people won't be tempted by my good ones.

Here's a direct link:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015VB4EE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511465821&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=noodler%27s+heart+of+darkness

Hope that helps!

I have one on the way right now on a slow boat from China, I found it for $3.37 on Amazon + free shipping. Here

Edit: or $5.98 with prime! Just look in the other offers section!

Lol there was a photo I upload but it got deleted. Well here are the links... https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00L95MIJQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&psc=1

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B071W4WNMY/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=A7RM57FDIWEJ0&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent-Unique/dp/B00L95MIJQ

$11 for 8 pens. I absolutely love them, they are so much fun to write with.

Looks like an International Standard converter to me. They're $5 on Amazon. Schmidt makes a good converter, as does Kaweco.

• USB OTG adapter with 8GB flash drive
  
• Eleaf iJust 2 vaporizer
  
• J5 Tactical flashlight
  
• OnePlus One with Diztronic case
  
• MUJI aluminum fountain pen with converter
  
• Pilot FriXion Clicker erasable gel pen
  
• BIC disposable fountain pen
  
• Billabong wallet
  
• Xiaomi Piston 3 earphones
  
  Bonus: The keyboard at the top is a CM Storm Quickfire Rapid with Cherry MX Blue keyswitches.

I almost always use some sort of fountain pen. They make me feel fancy. Also, these are the best things ever invented.

http://www.amazon.com/pcs-Jinhao-250-Fountain-colors/dp/B00D6CJFBE/ref=sr_1_3?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1459015719&sr=1-3&refinements=p_4%3AJINHAO they are all 250s, I currently have the Black and Red Magic one, I love it.

In case anyone else wants to do this next year,
these things are super cheap, and all come with a converter!

It's a Pilot, I can't find any sort of model name. It's got an extremely fine point. I like fine lines, but I don't use this one much because the other two are so much nicer to use.

Pilot fountain pen with ergo grip

Fine lines:
http://imgur.com/bJggd7Q

Ah, sorry. Best I found on amazon.in was an 8-pack for 1155 Rupees:

https://www.amazon.in/Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent-Unique/dp/B00L95MIJQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519739251&sr=8-1&keywords=jinhao+599

While not as common, Metros do come in Medium nibs! They're around $15. Just so you know, in not aware of anywhere that sells new brand name nibs for pens like the Metro (aka Cacoon), 78G+, Kakuno, or Plumix (aka Penmanship). Of you want a new nib, you're most likely going to new to few a new pen. Here's a Metro M in black from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?adgrpid=55217642319&hvadid=274694704554&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1018702&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8008502245000109308&hvtargid=aud-676677759524%3Akwd-308086084291&keywords=pilot+metropolitan+medium+nib&qid=1554222090&s=gateway&sr=8-1

If you love it so much, why don't you marry it?!

But seriously, it's a $15 pen. Not that fancy in context. Link

Amazon sells many. If you're looking for a starter pen, I really like the Muji fountain pen (https://www.amazon.com/MUJI-Aluminum-Body-Fountain-Pen/dp/B00K2T9DGG). You can buy ink cartridges, or if you want to really get into it, buy a "ink converter" into which you can load your own ink.

There's lots of items on Amazon where you get 4 or 5 wing sung or jinhao pens for like $10-15.


These

Or these


Or maybe these..

Amazon UK implies Lamy M nibs (and their steel LH nibs) are ground differently - check out the item description. So M nibs have a bigger sweet spot compared to the EF/F/B/BB.

Old German nib charts sometimes had "round" tips and "ball" tips. Lamy used to produce a MK (medium kugel/ball). At some point the old M was discontinued and they continued producing the MK under the M label.

Haha is that a thinkpad charger in the background?

just in case you don't know you can get an EF off amazon for $6

Got my pen from this amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Accounting-Ultrafine-Iridium-Writing-Fountain/dp/B00I17WZA2/ref=pd_sim_op_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=199N2NXGDT05FHWSV78D

The pen is really good for its price. You wont find much better than this at 4 bucks with free shipping, but it does have its flaws. It is a bit too shiny at the grip but thats orett much what I expected. It writes smoothly and if you guys want I can take pictures that are requested!

Wow, $27?! Doesn't Amazon have free shipping for prime and orders over $25? It's currently $14.

I wish there is a one-size-fits-all grip, but I'll try your method next time.

I use THIS one every day. I also had the fine nib but I don't dig it. I like the medium nib much better.

Thank you /u/Ezo31202 for doing some searching around. After doing some searching on Amazon do you think this converter would work?

Pilot Varsity

Platinum Pretty

Hope this helps!

Apart from the keycaps, this is a pretty budget setup, but I like it!

• Massdrop x NuForce EDC In-Ear Monitors
  
  
• Pilot Preppy Fine
  
  
• Pilot Peacock Green V Pen
  
  
• Gherkin with Godspeed SA set up for stenography
  
  e: formatting

Try Noodler's "Heart of Darkness" ink. It won't wash out... Just don't
spill it! http://www.amazon.com/Noodlers-Ink-4-5Oz-Heart-Darkness/dp/B0015VB4EE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421364663&sr=8-1&keywords=noodlers+heart+of+darkness

You want to get a good brand fineliner, copic, sakura. Or you could get a fountain pen with some platinum carbon ink which is smear and waterproof once dry.

Highly recommend https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Metropolitan-Collection-Fountain-91107/dp/B009X9Z2FW as a starter fountain pen.

The Blizzard notepad is nothing special, came with Overwatch or WoW, can't remember which.

I ended up getting some Moleskine classic notepads, just some pocket sized ones.

Unfortunately there is only a Staples (Office Depot) here, so everything else I need to order online, and it looks like Amazon.ca doesn't carry those Nemosine converters, only Monteverde and a universal one. So I'll have to keep an eye out if I come across them anywhere else.

This was my initial thought. Safaris are definitely hard to kill, but a little too expensive to be handing to a young child. 599 would hopefully be almost as durable and only a couple bucks each. Get an 8 pack on Amazon right now for under 10 bucks, that should last till middle school.

This is the notebook

Pen is a Crazy K&A Hero 9296 Accounting, ultra fine nib

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002P2T42G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can confirm this fits, I bought it specifically for my Loom and it fits perfectly.

Buy one for $13 on Amazon, throw in a few other things you need and get free shipping.

They're my favorite shows too! :D

edit: I'll make this my entry >__> link

If colors are youre game...then the Platinum or Pilot sets are a good choice:

https://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Preppy-Rainbow-Fountain-Point/dp/B00IU3US7O/ref=pd_sim_229_11?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=701CKH2FQ99KM1PDT5JD

or

https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Petit-1-Fountain-Komainu-Dou-Original/dp/B00N3ITMF0/ref=pd_sim_229_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=Z76N8ZSAQ88CTPYC6PDS

What the heck, Are those Jinhao 599s from the 8 piece set?
https://www.amazon.com/Jinhao-Fountain-Diversity-Transparent-Unique/dp/B00L95MIJQ/
Are they any good? OMG they got a set of platinum preppys for $15 too. I might bite on this too.

Noodlers Ink 4.5Oz Heart Of Darkness W/Pen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015VB4EE

Noodler's Ink Heart Of Darkness with Pen, 4.5 Oz (19808) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015VB4EE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oha6yb0MAD777

Lamy Refill Converter (Z24) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DVXWRI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_qJueLSwM8GTKc

I think that the Pilot Metro in classic black is pretty professional.

Perhaps a Metro in M nib with a bottle of black ink?

To be honest, I would suggest a cheap fountain pen. They dont drip, they are a joy to write with, and the bottle refills are cheap as fuck.

Pilot Metropolitan is $14

A 3oz bottle of Noodlers is $12, and will last for around 10,000 pages of writing. (I really like 54th Massachusetts, but get bulletproof black if you are looking for that shade)

I'm not a robot..

https://www.amazon.com/Tachikawa-Comic-Holder-Model-T-40/dp/B000UF2774/ref=gbps_tit_m-5_b061_795c3b32?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=d570f235-a833-442f-91c1-bc2096fcb061&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=5550342011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=RNXCYRRRF9GTH9R0R78V

This is a very good nib holder for calligraphy. I am wanting to get back into it and do it as a hobby.