Wow, wild thread, my two hobbies collide. I wish I could share pics with you all but I don't have a digital camera (getting one for christmas though!)
A few things I've notice while browsing through the thread:
milkpowder - OMG, you have got to try Noodler's Ink! I just saw your ink picture, and while they are fine inks, Noodler's is just too much fun. Also check out Private Reserve. Noodler's and PR can be purchased from fine retailers like
www.isellpens.com (Todd is a great guy, just like our own Todd) and
www.pendomonium.com (I am in no way affiliated with either of these retailers other then being a satisfied customer).
Just remembered you are in the UK. I know there is a UK provider of Noodler's, but I cannot think of his name right now.
Second off, anyone with a serious interest in fountain pens needs to check out the great community over at
www.fountainpennetwork.com. My handle over there is "Johnson". I'm new to FP's, but the folks at FPN, again, like the folks at Head-Fi, have been great at holding my hand through all the newb stuff.
As for my own pen collection, off the top of my head:
4 Sheaffer Legacy II's w/ touchdown filler, bought NOS on eBay (gold, sandblasted palladium, cobalt, and bronze) My favorite pens, along with my:
2 Pelikan m200's, a green marblized w/ F nib and a black with a 0.6mm stub nib from everyone's favorite nibmeister, Richard Binder (
www.richardspens.com, again, no affiliation, just a satisfied customer). I absolutely love my Pelikans, the m600, m800, and m1000 are all on my wish list.
The obligatory Lamy Safari in Yellow, F nib (great pen for CHEAP!)
Sheaffer Heritage Legacy in Sandblasted Palladium, c/c filler, these are the modern version of the Legacy II, same difference but alas, no touchdown filler, and IMO, the nib is not as smooth or soft as the Legacy II's.
2 Hero 100's, one in black, one stainless flighter (on order). A lot gets said about the poor quality of cheap Chinese pens, and with good reason, a lot of them are cheap and of poor quality
. But, the Shanghai Hero pen company makes fine writing instruments at a good price. When the communist revolution occurred in China, Parker had to abandon its factory in China, which was then taken over by the state run Shanghai Pen Company. The Hero 100 is basically an imitation of the infamous Parker "51", which makes sense because Hero uses a lot of the same machinery to manufacture their pen's that Parker did. Usually I'm not a fan of imitations, but the Hero is a rock solid writing instrument. Hooded nib, aerometric filler, the standard Chinese F nib.
1 Montblanc 146 (on order, my first Montblanc.)
1 Tactical Carry I aka the $27 pen, an OEM prototype pen from a "major pen manufacturer [which is actually Dani Trio]). Purchased from a member of the FPN community, Kevin Cheng, aka winedoc, who has close ties with the Dani Trio pen company. Pen was nicknamed the Tactical Carry I because it is so heavy and tough, and the German Iridium Nib is so large, you could stab somebody in the neck with it and then go on writing whatever you were writing. Cool pen.
1 Tactical Carry II aka $33 pen, similar to above, just a different model, and the nib is not as big. Great pen though.
1 Bexley Simplicity in Bronze Pearl, purchased from Richard Binder. A truly beautiful pen from a great pen company.
Beyond this, an assortment of cheapies. Highly addictive hobby. When I first wrote with a fountain pen just a few months back, I knew I was hooked. Really easy to stretch the wallet.
Picture me, at my desk, with my rig, listening to Brahms Violin Concertos, writing in my Black N Red journal with a Pelikan. Who needs heaven, when I've found it in my own home, on earth?
