I’m not a physically strong person, so having to take apart a pen is really tough for me; I always feel like I might break the pen because I find myself applying as much force as I can. Any tips on how to loosen pen parts (such as nib and feed, piston filler) to make it easier on myself to assemble and dissemble the pen? Thanks.
- it depends on the pen
- some aren’t made to be taken apart and applying that much force could break them
- do your research first, see if others have taken apart your particular pen before trying it yourself (YouTube’s great here)
- some special tools may be available from pen repair people, you’ll have to hunt (check FPN)
- rubber gloves, rubber bands, rubber strips help give a better grip
- stuck nibs help to rock back and forth instead of just straight pulling out
What pen brand would you like to carry that you don’t today?
- Faber-Castell
- Visconti/Mont-Blanc don’t want us
- others we’ve considered:
- Nemosine
- Acme
- Giuliano Matzzuoli
- Diplomat
I am trying to get my friend interested in fountain pens but she is used to gel pens and I’ve had a hard time finding the right one for her. Can you recommend a pen and ink combination that would “float” across the page but won’t break the bank?
- Pilot Varsity is a great first pen for this
- Pilot Metropolitan, also
- Lamy pens have a solid reputation, the Safari and Al-Star
- ink is tough, you have to get something in a color she’d like
- Noodler’s, Diamine, Private Reserve inks are really saturated, they ‘pop’ (generally)
Hi, Brian. I was wondering why many fountain pen aficionados prefer resin over metal. I know one argument is that metal sections are a bit slippery or cold to the touch when compared to resin, but I think the durability and weight of metal pens are desirable traits to many that make up for these. Despite this, they seem much more popular with the corporate crowd than with hard-core fountain pen users. Of course, as is the case with most things, it has a lot to do with personal preference, but is there an alternative explanation you can offer? Thanks, and keep up the great work!
- I’d say your assumptions are generally pretty accurate here
- this is something I learned coming over from making rollerball pens for corporate gifts in my pen making days
- for longer writing sessions, lighter pens are less tiring in the hand
- metal grips feel slippery after a long writing session (10+ minutes straight)
- metal just feels less personal, colder
- metal can be more durable, but resin is pretty darn durable too
- really, it’s all about preference
5) anonymous- Facebook (18:51):
I have the 4 Pilot Parallel pens that I play with and have had them for about a month but I don’t go through ink very fast. I want to flush them out but I still have half the cartridge left. Is there a way to save the cartridge for a flushing of the pen then reinsert the cartridge? Or should I toss the cartridge and insert a new one each flushing/cleaning? Or should I just finish the cartridge even if it postpones the flushing/cleaning another few weeks?
- you can definitely do that, if you’re putting the cartridge right back on
- over a long time, the ink in the cartridge may dry out/become more saturated as water evaporates
- can be reconstituted
- you just won’t be able to save a partially used cartridge apart from the pen
- bulb syringe works great to flush if sung cartridges (no converter), though Parallels come with a ‘cleaning cartridge’
- best seller: anticlimatic: Lamy Z24 converter
- used on the Al-Star and Safari
- converter isn’t included on these pens, so it’s a popular add-on
- Pilot Con-50 is up there too
- Honestly, not really
- Platinum 3776 doesn’t get the attention it probably deserves
- Stillman & Birn
- Lamy CP1 and Logo, maybe
Hehe…What paper is best if you are writing with an invisible ink?
- Seems like you were intending to ask a silly question, but there’s a real answer!
- the specific type doesn’t matter so much
- off-white paper shows invisible (UV-reactive) ink so much better!
- greater contrast
So what does make the Aztek an awesome car?
- probably the wrong week to ask me that! ignition issues
- lots of great things about it though
- cheap to acquire, though they have gone up rather significantly in value in the last couple of years
- Walter White’s car!
- clearly designed ahead of its time
- fantastic turning radius, easy to park
- SUV, but drives like a car
- comfortable for both me and Rachel, which is rare to find
- sits high up
- is small on the outside, big on the inside
- AWD
- fabric inside is great for kids nastiness
- so utilitarian, seats fold down/come out so easy
- hooks and stuff everywhere
- always super-easy to spot in the parking lot!
Brian Goulet