Pen-Fi (FPs, RBs, BPs, etc...) [56k Warning]

[clauswitz]

Ok, let's see how this works. This is a picture (if it comes out) of Conway Stewart 16 in green candle flame design. It was only made for two years in the early '50's. Its an incredible writer too

[clauswitz]

Since my last picture worked out well, I'm sending another picture. Here is another pen I love. I got this pen in January. Its only $33, cheap for a fp, but more than the KSC75. Its a prototype made by Danitrio. Its black rubberized, it writes very smoothly, but I think the nib may need a little adjusting. Picture from Kevin Cheng at internetpens.net, aka Winedoc. I highly recommend these pens.

[Lisa]

Nah, the FP version of the KSC75 has got to be the $15 Pelikan Pelikano. Nothing special to look at but very reliable and smooth writer. That pen of yours looks way too good to be KSC75.

[guitarman19853]

I'd have to say that the KSC-75 of the pen world is the Lamy Safari. Its still one of my best writing pens.




Oh, and I too own a Tactical Carry II prototype. This is one of two. Someone else on here owns the other copy of this finish.



and yet I have a strange addiction to the Waterman Phileas

[jjhatfield]

A lot of Tac Carry II love in the house, I like it! It really is a great value in the world of fountain pens. I am also a huge fan of the Lamy Safari, and would also call it the KSC75 of the fountain pen world. Even better then the Safari, IMO, is its more expensive and much older brother, the Lamy 2000. Which I guess is like the SR225 of the fountain pen world.

[firefox360]

I've been using my black Lamy Safari since Christmas now. It's my first (and so far only) fountain pen. So far I definitely like it. The pen has a fine nib, and I'm using Noodler's Ink "Old Manhattan Blackest Black Permanent" in it.







The pen has a very stealthy look to it, and that is probably a good thing since I use it in school daily. I'm not sure what is the ideal way to clean the nib off after pumping the pen up with ink (since you need to submerge the whole nib in ink to be able to suck in ink). Any ideas on how to clean the nib then?

[Lisa]

With a tissue.

Seriously just wipe off the ink with a tissue. Just everywhere where there is excess ink. And on the nib where the last bit is at the edges of the slit, just wipe really fast sort of just touching it so you don't draw out more ink from the nib. That works for me.

[firefox360]

Ahh... Seems simple enough. I just thought there might have been some crazy elaborate directions to clean it off. :P

Thanks for the advice Lisa!

[jjhatfield]

Yup, just a tissue or a paper towel is fine for wiping a nib after you fill it. You are using a Noodler's bulletproof ink which tends to exhibit nib creep. This means that the ink "creeps" out of the tines and tends to just rest on your nib. So even after you have wiped it clean, you may find that short time later, there is ink on your nib again.

But I'm jealous of your "Old Manhattan Blackest Black"! I haven't even heard of that, where did you buy it from? My favorite blacks are Noodler's Black, Namiki/Pilot black ink carts (for my VP/Capless pens), Pelikan Black, and Aurora Black. But when it comes to blues and blue/blacks, Private Reserve inks are my favorites, namely American Blue and Midnight Blues.

I don't have too many pens on my wishlist at the moment. I still want a Dani Trio Raw Ebonite Densho, and someday hope to own a Nakaya Cigar Piccolo in Haki-Tamenuri Urushi.

BTW, are the big pics in this thread making anybody elses browsers go crazy??

[clauswitz]

Old T shirts make great wipes. No chance of clogging a pen. I no longer throw them out. Oh yeah, glad we're showing love for Noodler's. Noodler's always exhibits nib creep. Be careful with it in expensive pens. A well known pen guy told me not to use it in vintage pens. No more in my "'51"s. I recently made a cool brown color by mixing Noodler's black with Waterman red. I'm using it in my charcoal Lamy Safari with an extra fine nib. Its a wonderful grading color as is Hunter Green.