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- #21
Devin,
Thanks for the input. There are a few guys in here that are in the Straight Razor Shave Clinic, and I am sure they can tell you I do learn, slowly, but I can learn
Guidance On Getting Started
- Thread starter AndroiDad75
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Devin,
Thanks for the input. There are a few guys in here that are in the Straight Razor Shave Clinic, and I am sure they can tell you I do learn, slowly, but I can learn
So, how are the FPs working out?
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- #23
Hey Sam,
Funny you brought this back up. I got to do a little writing with them at work today. I definitely write slower with them, due to not being comfortable with them yet, but I am hoping that will get a little better.
I took a pre-FP writing sample, a sample of my first sentences using a FP and snapped a pic. I am going to post a FP journal type thing soon, with the pic, so I can keep track of my penmanship goals - leading to a letter to my wife on our anniversary. All very exciting stuff!!!
Funny you brought this back up. I got to do a little writing with them at work today. I definitely write slower with them, due to not being comfortable with them yet, but I am hoping that will get a little better.
I took a pre-FP writing sample, a sample of my first sentences using a FP and snapped a pic. I am going to post a FP journal type thing soon, with the pic, so I can keep track of my penmanship goals - leading to a letter to my wife on our anniversary. All very exciting stuff!!!
What are these things you call "fountain pens"?
jk, glad you're enjoying yours, Rob.
jk, glad you're enjoying yours, Rob.
I'm resurrecting a nearly year-old thread, but I wanted to see if the recommendations for pens still holds true for a NIB newb?
This looked like a good discussion, and I thought it would be a good place to start my NIB journey.
This looked like a good discussion, and I thought it would be a good place to start my NIB journey.
did you have a budget to get started in mind? it may help us pair you with the perfect start up set up
I haven't researched prices. Can you suggest some ballpark figures so I have an idea of what I'm getting into?
On the shaving side, I know you can pick up a Vintage starter kit for $35 from Garry's Sample Shop, spend around $100 at Maggard's on a kit, or go a la carte where the sky is the limit. Are there comparable start kits for pens?
For $30 or $40, you can assemble a nice starting kit. I'd go with a Pilot Metropolitan (~$15), a bottle of blue or black ink (~$15 or less) and a couple of nice lined tablets. That's really all you need. What gets expensive is the "wants". 
I've been reading up on starter fountain pens (I did a Google search on site:badgerandblade.com "the nib" "first fountain pen" and site:badgerandblade.com "the nib" "starter fountain pen").
I've seen some mention and love for:
Like with razors, I figure whatever I buy is not likely to be what I use forever, so I'm kind of shying away from the higher cost of the Pelikan.
I know worth is a subjective term, but I would be interested to see if y'all think it is worth it spend some more money on a starter pen, or just go on the lower end until I figure out what I'm doing, what I like, etc.
I've seen some mention and love for:
- Pilot 78g - Guessing this is a step down from the Metropolitan at $10-$15?
- Pilot Metropolitan - this is the one Snargle mentioned. I see them around $18 with a 'Pilot Press Plate Converter'. Is that the converter I need to use my ink from a bottle or do I need to buy a separate one?
- Platinum Plasir - I see this listed on WCS at $21.
- Lamy Safari and Al-Star - I see these on Goulet pens and other places. They are a step up in price over the Pilots around $35-$40.
- Waterman Hemisphere - Step up in price over the Lamy's at $57 on Amazon.
- Pelikan M200 - kind of on the high side for my budget (just under $100 on Amazon) and a first fountain pen, but I'm OK with buying quality and only crying once if it would really be that much better.
Like with razors, I figure whatever I buy is not likely to be what I use forever, so I'm kind of shying away from the higher cost of the Pelikan.
I know worth is a subjective term, but I would be interested to see if y'all think it is worth it spend some more money on a starter pen, or just go on the lower end until I figure out what I'm doing, what I like, etc.
Of those pens, I only have the Pilot Metro and a Pelikan M200. Demonstrator. I like them both a lot. The Pelikan probably writes a little better for me, but it is smaller. For a first pen, I'd probably go with the larger Pilot Metro.. Not sure if an Edison is in your price range, but that was my first real FP and is still one of my favorites.
The Pilot Metro comes with a converter, so no additional purchase is necessary.
Personally, I would stay away from the higher-end pens until you've had a chance to play around with fountain pens for a bit and learn what you like and dislike. There are many variables and you're not going to know which ones work best for you until you dip your toe in the water and wade around in the shallow end. Better to experiment with a low-priced pen than to make a major investment and then find out that you dislike some feature.
Personally, I would stay away from the higher-end pens until you've had a chance to play around with fountain pens for a bit and learn what you like and dislike. There are many variables and you're not going to know which ones work best for you until you dip your toe in the water and wade around in the shallow end. Better to experiment with a low-priced pen than to make a major investment and then find out that you dislike some feature.
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I like your thinking!
I found there is a http://www.paradisepen.com/ in Austin. I think I'll check it out on Saturday and see if I can give some pens a test drive to get an idea of what I like in regards to weight, length, etc.
Thanks for the feedback.
I've just started myself, but I do have a 78g as well as a Metropolitan. The 78g is a bit leaky around the nib, but that may just require a bit of work. I love the way it writes. It has a fine nib and works great in my pocket Moleskine notebook. Doesn't bleed through like my medium nibs do. I've had a Metropolitan for about 5 days and really like that. It works great, however, it does need better paper to prevent bleed through or feathering. It does NOT work for typical Mead office paper. It is a very smooth writer though and I'll be lucky if I can keep it away from my wife. She likes it alot.
Good luck with Paradise Pen. I visited their now-closed shop in Pennsylvania a couple of years ago, and although fairly knowledgeable and friendly, they would not let me dip a pen for testing. Also be aware that their prices are closer to MSRP than just about anyone else.
I too am a 2015 Sabbatical refugee looking for new ways to spend money and acquire new ADs. Earlier this week I got in a Lamy Safari and Platinum Preppy from Goulet Pens, both in medium. Also, picked up some inks from WCS (thanks again Chadao!), the favorite being the 5 O'Clock Shadow, which is a very nice black/green. I'm coming from gel pens but really like the way these pens write and make my otherwise sloppy, ugly writing look nicer. I'm working on it.
But it's certainly an new acquisition disorder to contend with. I find the medium nibs a bit to wide for my writing so I've got another order on the way from Goulet. Getting a fine nib for the Lamy and a couple of ink samples (Noodler's 54th Mass and Antietam) and two more Preppys in fine (which have the same feed and nib as the Plaisir) to test said inks in.
SWMBO just asked me what the point of the shaving restraint was if I was just going to blow it all on pens and inks. I guess it's back to getting to the post office before her.
Bummer about Paradise Pens if that is what I am going to find out. I'll report back on what happens.
I too am a 2015 Sabbatical refugee looking for new ways to spend money and acquire new ADs. Earlier this week I got in a Lamy Safari and Platinum Preppy from Goulet Pens, both in medium. Also, picked up some inks from WCS (thanks again Chadao!), the favorite being the 5 O'Clock Shadow, which is a very nice black/green. I'm coming from gel pens but really like the way these pens write and make my otherwise sloppy, ugly writing look nicer. I'm working on it.
But it's certainly an new acquisition disorder to contend with. I find the medium nibs a bit to wide for my writing so I've got another order on the way from Goulet. Getting a fine nib for the Lamy and a couple of ink samples (Noodler's 54th Mass and Antietam) and two more Preppys in fine (which have the same feed and nib as the Plaisir) to test said inks in.
SWMBO just asked me what the point of the shaving restraint was if I was just going to blow it all on pens and inks. I guess it's back to getting to the post office before her.
Bret - You know what I'm going through then!
You are just a few steps ahead of me. I was thinking about going with Fine nibs from what I've read thus far. I hope to have something figured out by this weekend on a starter kit.
Hey alaskazimm. Both are great pens. If you were starting at the bottom, I'd suggest the preppy. If you wanted the higher end of starter pens, I'd suggest LAMY. You did good. Now, help me with something. Please. I want to get a Japanese straight. Disposable blades. Do you like this? Thanx
I had a Feather Artist Club for a while but never got very good shaves from it, my fault not the razor. But that was about the time I was starting to really get in the groove with my DEs and didn't want to mess with it so I put it up on the BST. You could stop in at the SABRE thread as there's lots of good information to be gleaned there.
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Would also recommend a Pilot Metropolitan. Japanese nibs are finer than standard Western nibs. Japanese Medium is about equivalent to Western fine, and Japanese Fine is equivalent to Western Extra-fine. Western EF will generally be okay for most papers, unless you use very wet inks and/or have super-cheap paper.
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