3rd February 2023 - Fountain Pens
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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!