![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Down the Ink Well....
Jun. 14th, 2024 12:18 pmI used to do Uncil Calligraphy over a quarter century ago but, well, life;>. Recently, I've taken it back up except instead of Uncil I went back to the beginning with Cursive and once my writing was decent again, I started on Copperplate. I half-heartedly started Spencerian 1st but since it evolved from Copperplate(like it from English Longhand), I decided to go Copperplate. At the same time I decided to take up the fountain pen....which is the real "Rabbit Hole".
I started with a recommended Beginner pen; the Pilot Explorer with fine nib. Basically, it writes the most similar to a rollerball, only a cleaner line. This lead to my Lamy Joy with a broad nib(the closest a regular nib is going to look to the vintage pens). Unfortunately, after the rise of the cheap rollerball both increase of meals price and the loss of the factories that made the parts means modern fountain pens generally do not write like those you might see in even up to a classic 'Bewitched' episode. There are those trying to recreate them from other materials and forms but while they come close, he difference is appearance side by side. Sort of like a vintage outfit and a recreation of the same with modern fabrics. Still...
So this month I ordered a pen from FPR(Fountain Pen Revolution), a small company that employs pen craftsmen in India and assembles the parts here in the States. I got there Ultraflex nib even with some of the reviews. A big problem with the few modern "flex" nibs is that the modern feeds can't often keep up delivering ink to the nibs. However, my Himalayan V2 Ultraflex hasn't had any issues and the writing is very similar in looks to a dip pen. I used to use those but they honestly make a mess no matter how careful you are!
Next month I'm going to try the Omniflex nib probably in a Conklin pen due to the price.
I'm enjoying my new hobby but will have to start ordering paper online do to any nib larger than a European Fine(Japanese and most Asian nibs are ground to make an even thinner line) will feather and probably bleed through to the other side.
FridhR,
Pat
I started with a recommended Beginner pen; the Pilot Explorer with fine nib. Basically, it writes the most similar to a rollerball, only a cleaner line. This lead to my Lamy Joy with a broad nib(the closest a regular nib is going to look to the vintage pens). Unfortunately, after the rise of the cheap rollerball both increase of meals price and the loss of the factories that made the parts means modern fountain pens generally do not write like those you might see in even up to a classic 'Bewitched' episode. There are those trying to recreate them from other materials and forms but while they come close, he difference is appearance side by side. Sort of like a vintage outfit and a recreation of the same with modern fabrics. Still...
So this month I ordered a pen from FPR(Fountain Pen Revolution), a small company that employs pen craftsmen in India and assembles the parts here in the States. I got there Ultraflex nib even with some of the reviews. A big problem with the few modern "flex" nibs is that the modern feeds can't often keep up delivering ink to the nibs. However, my Himalayan V2 Ultraflex hasn't had any issues and the writing is very similar in looks to a dip pen. I used to use those but they honestly make a mess no matter how careful you are!
Next month I'm going to try the Omniflex nib probably in a Conklin pen due to the price.
I'm enjoying my new hobby but will have to start ordering paper online do to any nib larger than a European Fine(Japanese and most Asian nibs are ground to make an even thinner line) will feather and probably bleed through to the other side.
FridhR,
Pat
