Be carefull wht you wish for. Here's a selection of many different ages filling types and manufacturers....I still have more but won't bore you with any moe
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Anyone still use a Fountain Pen?
- Thread starter Troy.T.
- Start date
Inca
Member Extraordinaire
That’s just incredible, I’ve never seen so many in one place. And the age of some of them, there must be some sublime nibs among them that glide over the paper.. Really quite lost for words, I doff my hat in your direction. I can’t help thinking now the collection must include, ink bottles, blotters, ink wells, dip ovens and a plethora of other related items. Just amazing.
TD_boy
Member Extraordinaire
Fred Dibnah used to produce some lovely copperplate handwriting - quite a juxtaposition with the outwardly rough and ready persona he projected...
Even his everyday handwriting was quite stylish...
Even his everyday handwriting was quite stylish...
I've got a sport and it's lovely as you say.
I've also got a Kaweco Supra, and it looks great, writes and handles well, but no nib (and I've tried about 6 replacement, different thicknesses, soaked them, clean then with IPA, everything) last more than a week or two before clogging up never to work again. I tried contacting Kaweco but they just keep asking where I got the nib, and ignored my data on how many and what type I'd tried. I've given up on it tbh.
You're not wrong
The oldest working pen I have dates to around 1912.The pen that writes like a paint brush is a 1920s Jewell pen co.ltd black hard rubber wet noodle of a pen.I have some wonderful German unbranded prototype pens of the mid 1940's with fantastic flex steel nibs.These started off my collection .
I have pens by multiple manufacturers with each brand providing me with a favourite writing experience pen. Not all pens of the same model perform the same of course.Some of my favourites are parker vacumatics and 51'& 61's but kudos also goes to Mabie Todd Swans and some Shaeffer models.
I also try and make up Frankenpens with various old and new nibs and feeds to try and optimise my writing experience. I'm more interested in performance rather than aesthetics and have no issues with using low cost chinese pens and swapping out the nibs etc to improve their performance.
I have as you have surmised lots of inks of different types and colours but from experience I tend to stick with the basic safe inks in Blue and Black for the majority of my regular ink up's. I also have a few pieces of ink stands and desk pens and blotting pads which rarely get used.
If anyone is thinking of trying out the fountain pen experience I can recomend the Jinhao 82 range of pens dirt cheap with ok ish nibs which improve with a bit of a fettle but for around £6 on the 'bay and £3 on aliexpress and £8 on amazon(prices do vary) they provide a great entry point.
Merry Christmas all and Enjoy 2026
Inca
Member Extraordinaire
I’ve one Jinhao that’s the dog’s dinner, truly awful, the rest can’t be faulted. Each time I use one I feel guilty that I’m using an obvious ripoff but equally amazed that something so good can be made for pennies then shipped across the globe. Chinese ink however, I tried some this morning for the very first time, it’s going down the drain (metaphorically speaking) it’s awful.
What ink are you using.Some inks are very problematic causing issues like oxidation leaving particles in the nib and feed.Try a simple ink like Waterman Serenity Blue or Parker Quink Blue and see if it makes a difference.I have had issues with Black inks e.g Pelikan/Cross 4001 and some Coloured Diamine inks that oxidise quickly causing issues
Yes I know what you mean.I bought a load of Jinhao ink cartridges and found they were too sloppy a fit in the Jinhao 82 but a bit of insulating tape sorted that out .The 82 uses a cartridge converter but the cheap ones I bought didn't have them fitted I might have to get some
JonnieP
Member Extraordinaire
I have a couple of Mont Blanc fountain pens in a box in my mum‘s attic, but haven’t used them in quite a few years now. I like the look of a letter written using a fountain pen, but I tend to rely on the Internet for my communications now so not sure I’ll go back to handwritten now.
Indeed it could be the inks I have had no problems with kaweco's own inks in either bottle or cartridge. Best colours are (in my opinion) ruby red, the green or the purple
Inca
Member Extraordinaire
Ink. Quite simply the best ink bottle I’ve ever come across is Montblanc, that little ridge in the base is a very clever design feature. If your level of ink in the bottle is getting low and you can’t draw it up into the pen then before opening the bottle tip it towards the lid. The segment beside the lip will fill and once again you. Can fill your pen. The ink’s ok as well.
Shake2Much
Super member
I was delighted to inherit my Mum's Sheaffer fountain pen and the two silver Parker roller ball pens when she died nearly two years ago - I'm thrilled to have them. She used the fountain for decades.
The brown enamel Parker had a matching roller ball which I dropped at a petrol station and went straight down the slit drain some forty plus years ago. A sad ending to a twenty first birthday present - the gold Schaeffer ball point was also a twenty first pressie - I've had them nearly 44 years and still prized possessions
The brown enamel Parker had a matching roller ball which I dropped at a petrol station and went straight down the slit drain some forty plus years ago. A sad ending to a twenty first birthday present - the gold Schaeffer ball point was also a twenty first pressie - I've had them nearly 44 years and still prized possessions
Inca
Member Extraordinaire
Get them down and use them even it it’s just to write your shopping list. My 146 is delightful. Yes you’re paying for the name, the hype and the cachet but they really are superbly engineered items.
C220w205
Member Extraordinaire
I do have a Cross fountain pen that I've no used yet. It is a cartridge pen but I'd like to convert it to a pump reservoir.
Just do a Google search for cross fountain pen converter plenty of places selling them including Amazon for around £9.
A universal converter MAY fit and will be cheaper
C220w205
Member Extraordinaire
Yeah, I did check it out on Amazon and it is cheaper than an online shop I found so I’ve put the converter and a bottle of black ink into my basket and I’ll sort it when delivery days are more favourable for me
AgentOrange76
Super member
Not a fountain pen user, my handwriting is awful as I try brain works faster than I can write but do like shiny stuff. Ordered a pen last week that uses the parker ballpoint insert- it’s a standard that others manufacture to - who knew. Anyway pen is made from a screwdriver shaft by a company that had 10,000 shafts made that didn’t meet the requirements of the screwdriver they were intended for so they have re-milled them as a bolt action pen
Hollowlegs
Super member
Oh yes, I was lucky enough to get a Mont Blanc Meister Stuk and I just love writing with it, love the whole process and action
Hollowlegs
Super member
Cool