Guidance On Getting Started

[mikeschu]

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.

That's what I found out in 2014 and why I'm on a nib sabbatical in 2015.

 

[TAYLORPUPPY]

Thanx, Alaska. I'll check out the sabre thread

 

[Soapy Smith]

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.

I have a lot of cheap fountain pens....my two cents....

I have two of these for daily use

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003EUM9UC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The pens feel good in the hands. You can use the cartridges or the converter. Writes relatively smoothly. My complaint about this pen is when used with the converter, there's a little ball bearing in the ink tank and it can rattle a little bit - drives me nuts.

I have one these...

http://www.amazon.com/Cross-Aventur...421368807&sr=1-22&keywords=cross+fountain+pen

This pen is the least smoothest writing pen I own but it works. You can buy a converter for it or use cartridges. My gripe with this pen is the cap will not stay on the pen when you're writing with it - it slips off. This pen stays home a lot. I won't be buying another.

On the higher end of my "cheap" pens is this Pelikan

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VR63EO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I love this pen. I own two of them. Writes smoothly, the cap screws on and off. You must use bottled ink with it (it doesn't take cartridges). I really like the nib on this pen. I take these pens with me back and forth to work daily. The pen is a shorter profile but it feels good in your hand. It's a pleasure to write with these pens.

I could lose the first two examples and I'd be OK with it. I would be bummed if I lost the third one but I wouldn't cry over it. If I lost a $300 pen, I'd be really upset about it.

 

[kansaskyle]

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.

Paradise Pen was a good experience here in Austin. The sales person, Linda, was very helpful, patient, and she let me try a Lamy Safari, Waterman Hemisphere, a Cross, and her personal Vanishing Point.

I opted for for a Lamy Safari holiday kit, and she showed me how to fill the converter. It wasn't as smooth as some of the other pens, but I figured this will hold me over for now.

The Vanishing Point was the smoothest, but it was more than I wanted to spend.

I also picked up a lined Rhodia pad so I can get started on my penmanship practice.