Fountain Pens! (3 Viewers)

[iSplicer]

First of all, yes, I know there is another thread on pens, but I heard someone mentioning fountain pens, and I am quite interested about them now. Some quick research on the internet shows that

-fountain pens flow better
-Are easier on your hands since they dont require downward pressure
-Help handwriting
-Make you look cool

This would greatly help for english essays, where I target to get in 1250 words in 40 mins, but ATM I can only manage 1050 =(. I asked my parents and according to them they used fountain pens for their school lives and they reckon there are new 'cartridge' technologies and such which make them really, really easy to use.

Does anyone here use fountain pens and care you say a word or two about them? Are they good to use in the HSC? Anyone can recommend a good one on ebay?

 

[Kwayera]

That was me, and yeah, it depends on the pen. The ones you can buy for $2 at Officeworks are shite - it goes without saying, by the way, that you get what you pay for. I shelled out ~$70 for a Lamy Safari, with a 1.1 italic nib on it, as my everyday writing pen. I also have a Porsche Steel TecFlex and a very nice solid silver Pilot I picked up in Japan.

It takes a few weeks of wriiting for the nib to conform to your writing angle, but once it does, it flows with no effort at all. It also takes a bit of time to get used to writing without smudging the ink (which takes a few seconds to dry).

I used said fountain pen in the HSC with cartridges (although I now use an inkwell and vacuum catridge, which is reusable and lasts longer than a cartridge - also buying an inkwell is cheaper) with no problems, and I continue to use it to this day, every day.

I originally started using a fountain pen regularly in year 9 because I was routinely getting RSI in my writing hand - I grip pens firmly and use a lot of pressure, and you don't need to do that with fountain pens.

 

[iSplicer]

That was me, and yeah, it depends on the pen. The ones you can buy for $2 at Officeworks are shite. I shelled out ~$70 for a Lamy Safari, and then put a 1.1 italic nib on it. Goes without saying, by the way, that you get what you pay for.

It takes a few weeks of wriiting for the nib to conform to your writing angle, but once it does, it flows with no effort at all. It also takes a bit of time to get used to writing without smudging the ink (which takes a few seconds to dry).

I used said fountain pen in the HSC with cartridges (although I now use an inkwell and vacuum catridge, which is reusable and lasts longer than a cartridge - also buying an inkwell is cheaper) with no problems, and I continue to use it to this day, every day.

I originally started using a fountain pen regularly in year 9 because I was routinely getting RSI in my writing hand - I grip pens firmly and use a lot of pressure, and you don't need to do that with fountain pens.

Could you please explain what an italic nib is? How is it different from a normal nib? And where would you get said LAmy Safari?

 

[Kwayera]

Well a standard nib gives a.. well, a normal line, and an italic nib gives it a slant - a bit like a calligraphy pen. I buy all my pens and pen-related paraphernalia at Pen-Ultimate in the QVB (top level of shops).

Link: http://www.pensdeluxe.com/

 

[Drongoski]

iSplicer

Used to use fountain pens with ink from a bottle of Parker Quink ink. Utilised a blotting paper to help dry out the ink from the writing as ink takes a while to dry. Have no experience with new cartridge technology as we've stopped using fountain pens.

But as I've been trying to point out, apparently without success, a 'fluid' writing instrument is but one parameter to speed handwriting. What I believe is even more important is correct handwriting technique & running writing which is rarely practised nowadays; so I suspect people don't know what I'm talking about and are rather dismissive. If you want to find out more ask or PM me.

 

[axlenatore]

i thought it said fountain penis

 

[Kwayera]

But as I've been trying to point out, apparently without success, a 'fluid' writing instrument is but one parameter to speed handwriting. What I believe is even more important is correct handwriting technique & running writing which is rarely practised nowadays; so I suspect people don't know what I'm talking about and are rather dismissive. If you want to find out more ask or PM me.

I disagree. I think each person has their own technique - my parents both write at the speed of light in block letters, and my writing style has morphed into a quasi-hybrid running-writing and print, which is fast enough for me to keep up with in lectures. I cannot write with any degree of skill, speed or neatness (it's chickenscratch) with a ball-point - a fountain pen has definitely allowed me to write quickly and neatly, and with a somewhat evolved style.

 

[Drongoski]

You disagree. But how much do you know of running writing?

 

[Kwayera]

You disagree. But how much do you know of running writing?

As much as anyone forced to do it for many years.

 

[hopethisworks]

First of all, yes, I know there is another thread on pens, but I heard someone mentioning fountain pens, and I am quite interested about them now. Some quick research on the internet shows that

-fountain pens flow better
-Are easier on your hands since they dont require downward pressure
-Help handwriting
-Make you look cool

This would greatly help for english essays, where I target to get in 1250 words in 40 mins, but ATM I can only manage 1050 =(. I asked my parents and according to them they used fountain pens for their school lives and they reckon there are new 'cartridge' technologies and such which make them really, really easy to use.

Does anyone here use fountain pens and care you say a word or two about them? Are they good to use in the HSC? Anyone can recommend a good one on ebay?

within a few days you will start to realise you are being tool

this obsession will be relatively short lived

within a week(perhaps) you will realise the cost of ink cartridges is getting too expensive for writing in the hsc aswell

additionally the ink will bleed through pages, only allowing you to write on one side

rest assured you will be soon back to the old ballpoint/felt-tip pen and wondering how did this obsession spiral out of control (perhaps too late, having bought a $100 fountainn pen or some jizz)

 

[Kwayera]

within a few days you will start to realise you are being tool

this obsession will be relatively short lived

within a week(perhaps) you will realise the cost of ink cartridges is getting too expensive for writing in the hsc aswell

additionally the ink will bleed through pages, only allowing you to write on one side

rest assured you will be soon back to the old ballpoint/felt-tip pen and wondering how did this obsession spiral out of control (perhaps too late, having bought a $100 fountainn pen or some jizz)

- fountain pens are awesome
- ink cartridges are not that expensive, and if they are, then pay $16 for an inkwell that will last you a year and a half
- bleeds through pages? News to me, as I have been using them on all sorts of paper for almost a decade now

 

[hopethisworks]

- fountain pens are awesome
- ink cartridges are not that expensive, and if they are, then pay $16 for an inkwell that will last you a year and a half
- bleeds through pages? News to me, as I have been using them on all sorts of paper for almost a decade now

-perhaps.. not for the hsc
- k
- do you write on both sides of paper with a fountain pen?

 

[Kwayera]

-perhaps.. not for the hsc
- k
- do you write on both sides of paper with a fountain pen?

- I used mine in the school certificate and the HSC, and I did a lot of very writey subjects (4U English, Ancient History..)
- Of course I write on both sides of the paper

 

[iSplicer]

- I used mine in the school certificate and the HSC, and I did a lot of very writey subjects (4U English, Ancient History..)
- Of course I write on both sides of the paper

So If I got like an A4 refill sheet and used a fountain pen, it wouldnt bleed through?

 

[91MAM09]

I really like fountain pens too and I definitely agree that they put less strain on your hand when writting because the ink flows with no need to press (unlike other pens)
However... I have a "rotring" fountain pen (which you can refill the cartridge) but unfortunately it doesn't seen to work properly... =( as in, the ink doesn't flow well even if its full and no matter how hard you shake it it might only work for like 5 words... Would any of you experts out there know whats wrong with it?? (could it be the type of ink??) Any solutions??
Thanks

 

[Kwayera]

So If I got like an A4 refill sheet and used a fountain pen, it wouldnt bleed through?

It shouldn't, no.

I really like fountain pens too and I definitely agree that they put less strain on your hand when writting because the ink flows with no need to press (unlike other pens)
However... I have a "rotring" fountain pen (which you can refill the cartridge) but unfortunately it doesn't seen to work properly... =( as in, the ink doesn't flow well even if its full and no matter how hard you shake it it might only work for like 5 words... Would any of you experts out there know whats wrong with it?? (could it be the type of ink??) Any solutions??
Thanks

It may need a cleaning - take it apart and give it a good rinse under water - or maybe it's just a crap pen. I've never personally heard of Rotring. When you fill it with ink, do you invert it, tap it and pump out the air bubbles?

 

[Davo1111]

- I used mine in the school certificate and the HSC, and I did a lot of very writey subjects (4U English, Ancient History..)
- Of course I write on both sides of the paper

as per above, both hsc and sc for me too.
but no i don't write double sided, you dont write double sided in the hsc anyway.

 

[Drongoski]

I really like fountain pens too and I definitely agree that they put less strain on your hand when writting because the ink flows with no need to press (unlike other pens)
However... I have a "rotring" fountain pen (which you can refill the cartridge) but unfortunately it doesn't seen to work properly... =( as in, the ink doesn't flow well even if its full and no matter how hard you shake it it might only work for like 5 words... Would any of you experts out there know whats wrong with it?? (could it be the type of ink??) Any solutions??
Thanks

I'd just get a good ordinary ball pen, e.g. a BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (Avail @ Big W, but not the 'fine' ones I prefer .. good for writing out maths solutions, subscripts & superscripts and what not) and learn to write properly. I'm wondering why I'm just being a voice in the wilderness advocating correct handwriting techniques. Rotring, Lamy, Waterman etc are no doubt outstanding writing instruments but the key to fast/legible handwriting is doing it 'the right way'

 

[Kwayera]

I'd just get a good ordinary ball pen, e.g. a BIC Ultra Round Stic Grip (Avail @ Big W, but not the 'fine' ones I prefer .. good for writing out maths solutions, subscripts & superscripts and what not) and learn to write properly. I'm wondering why I'm wasting my breadth advocating correct handwriting techniques. Rotring, Lamy, Waterman etc are no doubt outstanding writing instrument but the key to fast/legible handwriting is doing it 'the right way'

Which is?

 

[shuning]

back it China it was complury to use fountain pens in pmy school since yr 2....
so ive used that for all my works for 2 yrs.

and what i wana tell u is... it sucks!
and it would suck even more here cuz it's more expensive... i went to the art shop and saw inks in small bottle for 8 bucks.... whatta big rape!

the inks go thru pages easily! it even breaks the pages sometimes..... any most importantly... the ink fkn leaks like creazy if u don't know the proper was of using it ( which happens to most noobs in the 1st yr. )

e.g. the ink leaks when u didnt screw the lid back on enough. but most gay'ly it leaks when u over-fills it, it's like when the pen touches the paper the inks start poring lika river. and any leaking will make an instant big blue dot fucking THIS BIG... on ur cloth, on the paper, on ur hands....

if u wana find out more, feel free to ask me. and i still have a fountain pen in my house, no inks tho:mad1:

there is a reason y no1 use em anymore.