Some writing samples of my new pens...[Modem Killer, Dialup Doom..etc]

[Audigex]

I've got to admit, I didn't know there was so much to a pen!

My pen tends, I'm afraid, to be a Kodak ESP-3 printer-scanner-copier; but I always liked messing around with my dad's expensive pens when I were a nipper.

Thanks for this post, I found it surprisingly informative and, completely unrelated, an excellent example of someone taking the positive, the constructive, the negative and the abusive in his stride.

[bsodmike]

I'd love to get into fountain pens, but my handwriting "technique" is such that i always end up smudging the ink. I've taken to using Parker Rollerballs which is a good compromise - fairly free flowing ink, and it dries instantly

I might have a solution for you, but I'd only recommend it for use in a Lamy Safari (as they are cheap). Noodler's Bulletproof Black ink ~ completely waterproof, and extremely fast drying. It's aking to Diamine's Registrar's ink but faster drying.

You should be able to write with it and find it dries up quick enough to prevent your smudging. The problem with it though is that it *can* clog some pens (the bulletproof formula of it at least) and did cause issues in one pen I tested it in. Had to send it in for a service for the feeder to be fully cleaned out.

[bsodmike]

Since getting back from London the jet lag hit us pretty hard so my Mom decided that we spend the weekend at the Hilton in Colombo. The room had a very large window which allowed plenty of light in which was perfect for me to take these snaps earlier on today.

Solitaire LeGrand in Sterling Silver (Ag 925), B nib









The MB black ink is a very wet ink, you can see a bit of nib creep (the pooling of ink on the nib surface a we pen buffs call it) taking place...









George Bernard Shaw Writer's Limited Edition, B nib













Due to the reflective nature of the platinum rings, it is very hard to photograph Shaw's signature that is engraved on the clip side. You can just about make the end of "Bernard" and "Shaw"...love the way he curled upwards from the 'w'. On the other side of the cap, nearer to the MB star, the edition no. of my pen is engraved (10286/16000)

[bsodmike]

Montblanc Meisterstück 149, (OBB) nib

This pen truly has a magnificent nib.







It is filled with the MB Bordeaux ink, writes like a red wine stain!





Tell me you can't appreciate the engraving on that. It's 18K gold, platinum (rhodium plated), 18K gold (i.e. the whole nib is one piece of 18K gold, just the middle part is carefully platinum plated,









This feeder stands out from most; it has a central channel as well...



As you can see, I need to change the angle when I use this pen...will be taking macro shots of the next few weeks to see how the tip finally settles...



Hope you enjoyed the new pics

[merdat]

Yes they are great, thanks for posting them. . p.s. I need some of that quick drying ink as well , sounds good , never liked using blotting paper.

[bsodmike]

Yes they are great, thanks for posting them. . p.s. I need some of that quick drying ink as well , sounds good , never liked using blotting paper.

Another ink I know that dries really quickly is Sailor Kiwaguro "Nano" Carbon ink (Japanese ofc). Supposedly has carbon particles at the nano-metre scale (10^-9 m or nm). Permanent and quick drying as well. Be careful though, a friend of mine bought a bottle home and had it on his desk. I think it reacted with the heat from the radiator or could have been UV from sunlight playing in.

The cap exploded off the top, and spewed ink all over his office area. The carpet was a right off. Bottle cost ~£10, replacing the carpet..priceless

Update:: Just checked with my friend. Montblanc blue-black, in his experience, is the fastest drying. I use it myself; a ferro-gallic ink (means it's iron-gall based and bit acidic but MB has made it friendly enough for their MB pens). Permanent, and a stunning shade of blue-black. Will link to a video shortly...

[Main]

Thanks for the advice Mike, looks like I'm already eyeing up the slightly upgraded model of the one you suggested just to get my prefered colour

Got to say I love the look of the George Bernard Shore pen now you've had a chance to take some shots of it in better light!

[bsodmike]

I was having a problem with my OBB nib as this was the first time I've ever used such a unique nib. The first problem was that, I did not flush the pen properly ~ normally this is something I religiously perform with a new pen but being on holiday I got carried away. This resulted in the nib not putting as much ink down on paper...

Here's another sample I just tried a few minutes ago with MB black ink on Rhodia (FP friendly) paper,



I think it came out a bit better (in some areas at least). I'm also holding the pen differently, as described below,

When you write with an oblique, you must change the orientation of the pen in order to make the nib’s flat surface contact the paper. A left-foot oblique, when used by a right-handed person, will be rotated counterclockwise in the writer’s hand so that the nib is facing generally toward the writer’s left rather than diagonally away from the writer. The following photos, arranged to correspond with the nib shapes above, illustrate rotation in the hand; in general, the rotation depicted is exaggerated for illustration:

[santa claus]

As something of a traditionalist, the 149 OBB is my favourite. It's the one that takes me back to the days of that Parker FP I threw away which was also black and gold.

I'll be having one Mike; it's only a matter of time. You have shown me the way

ps "flushing the pen" - is there a particular process for this other than just the seemingly obvious?

[Georgy291]

i got a green laser pen that draws a green dot 2km away and i tested it to do that.

does this not fit in here very well?

[bsodmike]

ps "flushing the pen" - is there a particular process for this other than just the seemingly obvious?

I am well chuffed with the performance of the OBB nib now that the ink is flowing like it should...superb! It may even oust the medium nibbed version I keep in my 149 pen holder

Well, with piston fillers it's a tad more tedious as you have to be careful not to put too much undue pressure on the piston knob when filling and emptying with running water. It takes many of these to get the nib to run clear.

It is easier though to go from a coloured ink to filling with black etc, than the other way around. Before anyone tried to pass judgement on the size of the 149, I have written at least 2-3 years of exam papers with it! Obviously, I do not post the cap on the end, as it is perfectly well balanced on its own and extremely comfortable.

[menthel]

I have to say, that George Bernard Shaw pen is a real beaut. Nicer than my Copernicus LE, I think!

[bsodmike]

I have to say, that George Bernard Shaw pen is a real beaut. Nicer than my Copernicus LE, I think!

There was a time when I really wanted the Copernicus LE but after a couple years of studying their entire LE collection ~ safe to say, there are several other pieces I'd like to have apart from it and the Shaw was definitely one of them.

Jim, have you been to http://www.fountainpen.de/ ?? If not, it's a fantastic resource. Have you also got the hard-bound collectibles MB catalogue? Give me a shout and I'll ask my contact at MB to send you a copy

[0iD]

I would suggest that if you're looking to get back into FPs and you do not want to shell out too much to give them a try (as most would be concerned that they would simply give up in a short while), go for a Lamy...



The last I checked, these go for a little over 12 quid retail with VAT. It will definitely not have the smoothest nib out there but you can try and compensate by using wetter inks and trying different paper.

The more I read this thread, the more I felt the urge to purchase a 'proper' pen. So I cracked & made a purchase of one of the above writing impliments.

Mike, you're an inspiration Your passion in infectious.

[listy]

The more I read this thread, the more I felt the urge to purchase a 'proper' pen. So I cracked & made a purchase of one of the above writing impliments.

Mike, you're an inspiration Your passion in infectious.

only wish i could being a lefty dont work well with these pens

[bsodmike]

only wish i could being a lefty dont work well with these pens

Listy, may be some of these tips will help?

http://www.nibs.com/Left-hand%20writers.htm

Many left-handed writers have trouble with several kinds of writing tips. Points may catch on a corner or on an edge, digging into the paper. The worst of these are the extra-fine, needlepoint, flexible, and italic nibs; however poorly-designed mediums and stubs can also be nasty for lefties. While broad and broad-oblique tips usually present no problem, any of them can be problematic if they are poorly-adjusted or even just a little bit sharp in the direction of writing.

For these and other reasons, fountain pens can be just miserable for southpaws. However, with a few simple modifications, we have found that we can partially or completely accommodate left-handed writers.

By paying attention to the direction of the script, noting the position of the hand, drying up the point if it is too wet, or providing a narrower or drier tip, we can make writing more fun for lefties. We can even give left-handers some exotic nibs, such as extra-broad stubs and oblique points. After all, left-handers are well suited to appreciate the unusual.

Are you an under or overwriter like President Obama?

P.S. I loved my short holiday in Edinburg...