[-=Germania=-]

vpivinylspinner,

Don't get rid of the Taperite - how often do you get a nice looking vintage pen that writes so well? If you want to send it my way.......

 

[TheMarchingMule]

I've decided to stay away from the Calligraphy side of things until I get a feel with a normal nib. After all, this is a test run and I would hate to lose a decent amount of money if I grow frustrated with this.

 

[leftnose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vpivinylspinner /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess I need to ink up one of pens with my bottle of Legal Lapis to see what all the fuss is about.

It's definitely an acquired tasted. It also changes color over the course of a few days. It will come out and initially dry a greenish color and as time progresses, the blue will start to show. It's my go to color for checks. To me, excluding nib creep, it also has the best technical properties (flow, lube, dry time, etc.) of all the bulletproof inks.

 

[tnmike1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftnose /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oooh, Oooh. I just noticed that Pendemonium has Legal Lapis back in stock!

Pendedomonium was also offering a .9mm cursive nib; I have every Lamy nib offered and got thru The Writing Desk in UK. They have the total line of nibs not found here in US. Then have two Lamys and just switch nibs when I want different looks.

Pendemonium, though, along with Pear Tree offers Lamy nibs. For the inexpensive nature of these nibs, buy a couple and play with them. That's half the fun of using fountain pens--that and the multitudes of ink colors

 

[Zodduska]

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftnose /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's definitely an acquired tasted. It also changes color over the course of a few days. It will come out and initially dry a greenish color and as time progresses, the blue will start to show. It's my go to color for checks. To me, excluding nib creep, it also has the best technical properties (flow, lube, dry time, etc.) of all the bulletproof inks.

Nice find on that Lapis!
I've never tried it since its always been out of stock when I check, I'm considering ordering a bottle now. Nib creep drives me crazy with larger nibs but I don't think it would bother me in a VP or 51.

Would you consider Legal Lapis safe to use in a 51 vaccumatic?

 

[luiztfc]

I'd like some help for buying a fountain pen.

I already own a Lamy Safari (which I don't like because of the fine nib) and a Waterman Phileas (that I do enjoy writing with and mostly because of the medium nib).

I'd like now to upgrade a little my pen collection by acquiring a fountain pen (with a medium nib as I love to see the ink flowing) in a price range from $ 40 to $60. Would you guys recomend me any?

Thanks,

 

[Zodduska]

Hi luiztfc, I'm afraid I don't have enough experience with pens in that price range to suggest many. You already have two of the best current production pens in the sub 100 dollar range.

If you're interested in vintage pens you might be able to snag a Parker 51 Aerometric which have been known to stand the test of time quite well, a restored 51 Vaccumatic would be more expensive but they are both equally good IMHO. The only problem with this is the 51s I've had tend to run on the finer side of nib widths.

Once you get into the $75 to $150 a lot more options open up with both used and new pens, I consider the Pilot Vanishing Point and Pelikan M200 to be a good value although the M200 is pretty small.

A much cheaper option to consider would be a new nib on your Safari, since you don't like the fine, if the issue is line width you would probably like a medium or broad much better. The nibs are relatively cheap and easy to swap, you should be able to find some methods quite easily with google, if not let me know. Swisher Pens among others sell them but I don't know if they ship internationally.

Hopefully somebody else will chime in with more suggestions.

 

[leftnose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodduska /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would you consider Legal Lapis safe to use in a 51 vaccumatic?

I know that the Vaccumatic is the push button type but does it have a rubber bladder to hold the ink like an aerometric?

If so, I might stay away from the Bulletproof inks as some of them are known to stain bladders.

While the nib creep is pretty bad with Legal Lapis, it stays on the nib. It's not so bad that you get ink drops in the cap. If it does bother you enough that you would want to use it with a hooded nib, it sound to me like you have the perfect excuse to buy a Lamy 2000!

 

[leftnose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by luiztfc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd like now to upgrade a little my pen collection by acquiring a fountain pen (with a medium nib as I love to see the ink flowing) in a price range from $ 40 to $60. Would you guys recomend me any?

A Lamy Studio fits in your budget: Lamy ~ ISellPens.com ~ Lamy Fountain, Roller Ball Ball Point. Some of the Studios have gold nibs so they are at a higher price point. Those with stainless nibs fit right in.

While the Studio with steel nibs uses the same nib as the Safari, the body of the pen is a noticeable upgrade.

 

[Zodduska]

Thanks leftnose, the vac doesn't have the bladder so I think I'll try to order some if it's still in stock. The Lamy 2k looks nice but I'm holding off on getting more pens since I don't really use all of the ones I have as much as I would like to.. I really don't need any more ink either but this one is irresistible.

 

[ingwe]

The Atlanta Pen Show is this weekend.

I've never been to a pen show before. I never cared about such things--until this thread.

 

[vpivinylspinner]

The Long Island Pen Show is this weekend also.

I just picked up my first Pelikan, a 625 Special Edition Piccadilly Circus.

Pic I grabbed off the web.

 

[ingwe]

^^^ oooh!

 

[Zodduska]

Sweet Pelikan vpivinylspinner, congrats! I haven't been to any pen shows yet.

 

[luiztfc]

Firstly, I want to thank Zodduska and leftnose for the kind answers.

Secondly, before answering you guys specifically, I need to clarify something about the bugdet. It is not that I don't have more than 60 dollars, but I wanted to try differents levels of fountain pens and a time.

I mean, it should be awesome to start with a top Montblanc, but it's is also very fun to learn about the various kinds of FP as you use them in your routine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodduska /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi luiztfc, I'm afraid I don't have enough experience with pens in that price range to suggest many. You already have two of the best current production pens in the sub 100 dollar range. If you're interested in vintage pens you might be able to snag a Parker 51 Aerometric which have been known to stand the test of time quite well, a restored 51 Vaccumatic would be more expensive but they are both equally good IMHO. The only problem with this is the 51s I've had tend to run on the finer side of nib widths.

When I was considering buying the Phileas, I thought about a vintage pen as an option. However, two things prevented me from doing that: I could buy some irrecoverable pen and even if I didn't I would still need to send it to someone who knows how to do that.

But then, the 51 is gorgeous and a classic! Hummm, perhaps I should give it a chance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodduska /img/forum/go_quote.gif Once you get into the $75 to $150 a lot more options open up with both used and new pens, I consider the Pilot Vanishing Point and Pelikan M200 to be a good value although the M200 is pretty small.

The M200 is quite a beaty! When I started using fountain pens, I decided that somewhere in my life, I would buy a Montblanc 149 and a Pelikan M1000. I guess the M200 is an excelent start!

Do you think this one is a good deal? It's a little over the budget I thought of, but is affordable.

Pelikan M200 OB fountain pen brandnew M 200 Oblique B - eBay (item 160284992158 end time Mar-18-09 17:21:26 PDT)

About the Pilot Vanishing Point, a friend of mine have it and I personally think it is a little too modern for me, with this option of expose to show the nib

.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodduska /img/forum/go_quote.gif A much cheaper option to consider would be a new nib on your Safari, since you don't like the fine, if the issue is line width you would probably like a medium or broad much better. The nibs are relatively cheap and easy to swap, you should be able to find some methods quite easily with google, if not let me know. Swisher Pens among others sell them but I don't know if they ship internationally.

About the nib idea, I looked at swisherpens and found it for just U$ 11. I'll ask for the shipping to Brazil.

And this is also an opportunity to learn how to change nib/repair pens. It seems to be very interesting and I'll google it as you said.

SWISHER PENS Shopping Cart


Quote:

Originally Posted by Zodduska /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hopefully somebody else will chime in with more suggestions.

Again, thank you very much for the help provided!

As I said before, I'm planning on learning about the FP universe little by little. I first bought a Lamy Safari and discovered the wonders of writing with a proper pen. Then, I felt the urge to buy a better one, with a better structure and that allowed the ink to flow as it should, and chose the Phileas.

As for my new step, I'll decide between the Parker 51 and the Pelikan M200 - although I'll probably take the Pelikan. One thing that really matters for me is the price of the shipping that sometimes is U$ 30.

Quote:

Originally Posted by leftnose /img/forum/go_quote.gif A Lamy Studio fits in your budget: Lamy ~ ISellPens.com ~ Lamy Fountain, Roller Ball Ball Point. Some of the Studios have gold nibs so they are at a higher price point. Those with stainless nibs fit right in. While the Studio with steel nibs uses the same nib as the Safari, the body of the pen is a noticeable upgrade.

I didn't know that Lamy had that kind of Fountain Pen, I thought they only made that cheap models like Safari. But, as I said to Zodduska, I'm gonna change (or at least, try to) my Safari nib. And if I'm pleased with the result - I mean how it writes - then I can seriously think about it.

This one particulary is beautifull.

.