💾 Archived View for sdf.org › stug › phlog › 20230203.txt captured on 2023-03-20 at 18:52:57.
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3rd February 2023 - Fountain Pens ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recently I have gone fountain pen mad. It all started from seeing the Muji fountain pen. It is an aluminium affair which has a knurled pen grip area and feels very industrial chic. At a low low price of �18, it was a bit of a no brainer. Something clicked and I felt a need to find out more. Queue reading reviews and watching videos. Then I fell into the rabbit hole. I have ended up with a Muji pen, a Hong Dien Forest in black and an Ohto Tasche. Yep, told you I went down a rabbit hole. I previously have dabbled with a Lamy Safari too. However I stuck to cartridges with that one. I stopped using it as the nib is too wide really and reminded me of all of the various pens I used while in school. Those were a mix of Parkers and Watermans in the el cheapo range and never cared for. I have discovered the use of converters and ink bottles. This along with the Muji seems to have lit a fire in me. My typical pens have been 3 in 1s where you have black, red and pencils in one barrel. I have a Cross, Rotring and Lamy version. The Lamy one is probably my favourite although the Cross one is a close second. However, they use ball points and I am fed up of those. The ink is closer to grey than black and I write scrappily with them. Using a fountain pen again has been rather fun. I think it is in part to discovering bottles of vibrant inks and in part to discovering that pen nibs come in fine or extra fine. My previous pens have all been medium nibbed and seemed to make my writing hard to read. I was also not happy with much writing I could fit on a page. However, the use of an extra fine nib has been revelationary. I seem to have made my writing neater and able to fit more on a page. With the inks, I have ended up with a blue black Watermans, a turqouise called Aurora Borealis from Diamine and a purpley black called Eclipse from Diamine again. The Diamine inks seem cheap but flow well. I am happy with the colours. The purpley black is a little disappointing but seeing as I wanted something work appropriate with a hint of difference, it seems to stick closer to work appropriate. The purple tint does not really show often. I need to play a bit more incase it is due to technique. I have found myself doodling away while playing with the pens and making more notes than previously. I am a little aprehensive about running out of ink while in the office but I can always do a regular check and refill where required. I suppose I better get involved in the fountain pen board on bboard!