Inks

I've only used fountain pens to write in black and the best black ink that I have found is Aurora. I understand Private Reserve has many wonderful colors.

edit: what fountain pens are you using?

My favorite is Parker's Quink in blue-black. It is easily available, flows well, and dries on the paper but not on the nib. Blue-black is the color most characteristic of fountain pens and renders that beautifully aqueous line redolent of frolicking dryads and such that only a fountain pen can create.

Omas grey and black are also excellent inks. I used to write with the Omas green, which is lovely.

I use Omas pens almost exclusively -- a black Paragon with an extra-fine extra-flex nib I've had since '94 and a Celluloid in Arco with a nib customized by John Mottishaw that I got last year.

Noodler's is the best I have used.

Italian pens also have the best nibs in terms of both feel and writing dynamics.

The Wahl-Eversharp Doric is one of the iconic faceted pens of the 1930s.

I like Private Reserve, but my favorite is Pelikan's Black. In case you can't locate that easily, I'm told Cross ink is the same as Pelikan.

Noodlers is terrific ink, and their offerings are broad enough that you can find pretty much anyting you want. Aurora blue is my favorite blue.

So do you guys use fountain pens for everything? Taking notes in meetings, writing out the shopping list, leaving emergency numbers for the babysitter...

Or just more personal or important writing, letters and signatures? I'm really curious. I can't see pulling out a $300 pen when my boss is giving me a list of stuff to work on.

Tom

Tom,

I am in the minority - but I only use mine to sign things,and for short handwriten notes. I find that I am too prone to smudge the ink.


gentlemen in the know - I have always tried to carry a pen with an usual color, because I often sign off on documents that have 10 or more signatures, and I like to have a signature that I can see from a bit away and know that I have signed. I started off using red - but felt that was too severe. I have done green, which I didn't like so much, and am now on purple, which my wife doesn't like. any suggestions?

Pelikan makes a very distinctive ink called Brilliant Brown. It is a shade of sepia that avoids being muddy but also avoids being too orange. Distinctive yet sufficiently businesslike.

I use my $600 custom Omas for nearly everything, including marking documents and taking notes in meetings. No one even raises an eyebrow.

Omas Arco Celluloid

thanks - I will look into it. I presently use Pelikan, and like the (struggling for a word here - consistency, texture? ), but I don't have much experience. I think that I will try the brilliant brown next time I buy a bottle.

I use fountain pens for just about everything I do at work. I have one pen that I keep filled with red ink for document mark-ups. The rest I just rotate through depending on my mood. Fountain pens are pretty common. The only pen I think I've had anyone really notice and comment on is a rather ornate Montegrappa in red and silver. The rest of my pens are somewhat low-key.

I'm not that much into pens, but I've got these sitting in a cup in my closet, next to the cufflinks: This is a favourite (it's not the actual one, but identical, except for the odd-looking sticker or something on the clip on this one): Sheaffer Targa Model 1005, gold plated, with matching ballpoint. And then (had to look): Sheaffer gold-plated "Lifetime" model of some sort Old Mont Blanc Meisterstück 82 in gold, with a damaged nib that has to be replaced at exorbitant cost Pelikan M400 in green stripe (downmarket version of this): Then there's a bad copy of a Parker Duofold, and two Parker 61s in black and brushed steel. I rarely use any of them - but when I do, blue Parker Quink goes in them. Photos from www.nibs.com