Pens

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by justindo

Pelikan is my pick for a value pen. They're well-made, reliable good writers at a bargain price. I use an 800 quite often at work and I've never had a problem with it. I'd recommend any of their pens at their respective street price-points.

....I think that spending a bit more will get you a nicer Pelikan.
Same here. Most of my fountain pens are 800-sized Pelikans.

 

[Alfa]

Originally Posted by dv3

+1. Wow!

When I first saw one online I knew I had to have one, but they were much more expensive than I was expecting (currently running on ebay between $150-$250). Considering they were only produced in the 70's, only sold in Japan and many are still in pristine condition with the pricing sticker still on, I think it is a fair price. Took me over a year until I could finally commit to it as I always have a fear of losing pens (Had a lamy 2000 drop out of my short APC pockets once). In the end I just rebought the Lamy as that is a pen I truly love. I will probably be much more careful with the Myu as they aren't still producing them.

The reissue of the Myu 701 (called the Myu 90) changes the proportions a bit and doesn't have the same efficiency in lines. I had a Montblanc before, but it just didn't move me and I subsequently sold it. Most people probably wouldn't appreciate a Lamy 2000 or a Myu as compared to a Montblanc, but I guess it is a bit like the recognition a Rolex gets over a Lange, right?

 

[Szeph el raton]

Today I came by a pen store and just couldn't resist. I've picked up a Pelikan M400 in red. It looks gorgeous and feels good.

It was an easy decision to choose it over a Mont Blanc.

 

[bullethead]

Write now (pun intended) I've been using two Danitrios. Both in raw ebonite, in the takumi and mikado sizes.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Szeph el ratón

Today I came by a pen store and just couldn't resist. I've picked up a Pelikan M400 in red. It looks gorgeous and feels good.

It was an easy decision to choose it over a Mont Blanc.
I have a couple of Pelikan 400's that I enjoy. 800's are my preferred pens, but the 400 is nice, too.

 

[hedgehog]

Out of curiousity:

Are there any lefties here who write with fountain pens? For me it's big enough a trouble to write with a ball-point pen, and at the end of a day with lots of writing, I'll be sure to have a blue hand.

 

[jesask]

I have a Dupont Orpheo that I have been using for awhile and I absolutely love it. I dropped it though and bent the nib...I have sent it for repair and am awaiting its return.

 

[518aata]

Originally Posted by hedgehog

Out of curiousity:

Are there any lefties here who write with fountain pens? For me it's big enough a trouble to write with a ball-point pen, and at the end of a day with lots of writing, I'll be sure to have a blue hand.

I'm a lefty and write exclusively with fountain pens. It takes some practice and planning not to smear, especially when writing with some of my pens that have broader nibs, but it's worth the trouble. Having said that, there are days where I come leave the office with blue on the side of my hand. Occupational hazard, I suppose.

 

[hedgehog]

Originally Posted by 518aata

I'm a lefty and write exclusively with fountain pens. It takes some practice and planning not to smear, especially when writing with some of my pens that have broader nibs, but it's worth the trouble. Having said that, there are days where I come leave the office with blue on the side of my hand. Occupational hazard, I suppose.

Okay. How exactly does it take practise and planning? Have you adjusted your writing technique in a way? And what uses do you have for it - most of your writing, or just when you want to be a little fancy?

I'm not getting one in the immediate future, but I can't see myself not getting one ever. I'm too anachronistic to avoid that.

 

[518aata]

Originally Posted by hedgehog

Okay. How exactly does it take practise and planning? Have you adjusted your writing technique in a way? And what uses do you have for it - most of your writing, or just when you want to be a little fancy?

I'm not getting one in the immediate future, but I can't see myself not getting one ever. I'm too anachronistic to avoid that.

It's kind of hard to describe, but I arch my hand so that the heel of my hand rests above (on the page) where I'm currently writing. I don't hold my hand in a "hook" the way some lefties do, but I do make an effort to keep my hand away from the area where I've just written, where the ink is drying.

Does that make any sense?

Also, if I'm writing a check, sometimes I'll sign it first and then work up from there, so as not to smear the signature. This is necessary because check paper is slicker, and therefore dries more slowly than most other papers.

I also used to do italic calligraphy, which is really a challenge for lefties (although using an oblique nib helps.

It may seem like a pain, but writing with a great nib is such a pleasure that it's worth the trouble.

 

[hedgehog]

Originally Posted by 518aata

It's kind of hard to describe, but I arch my hand so that the heel of my hand rests above (on the page) where I'm currently writing. I don't hold my hand in a "hook" the way some lefties do, but I do make an effort to keep my hand away from the area where I've just written, where the ink is drying.

Does that make any sense?

Also, if I'm writing a check, sometimes I'll sign it first and then work up from there, so as not to smear the signature. This is necessary because check paper is slicker, and therefore dries more slowly than most other papers.

I also used to do italic calligraphy, which is really a challenge for lefties (although using an oblique nib helps.

It may seem like a pain, but writing with a great nib is such a pleasure that it's worth the trouble.

That makes very much sense, and is what I thought you'd have to do. It seems tiresome, and I'm not one for compromising my technique for much of my writing. For signatures and handwritten letters, a fountain pen seems in place, though. There are some old pens left after my grandfather in my grandparent's old house, so I'll bring one home the next time I'm there.

 

[518aata]

Originally Posted by hedgehog

That makes very much sense, and is what I thought you'd have to do. It seems tiresome, and I'm not one for compromising my technique for much of my writing. For signatures and handwritten letters, a fountain pen seems in place, though. There are some old pens left after my grandfather in my grandparent's old house, so I'll bring one home the next time I'm there.

I suppose it could be tiresome, but I've been doing it for so long that it's second nature. In fact, when you posed your quesiton, I really had to stop and think about how I do it.

 

[laphroaig]

Originally Posted by hedgehog

Out of curiousity: Are there any lefties here who write with fountain pens? For me it's big enough a trouble to write with a ball-point pen, and at the end of a day with lots of writing, I'll be sure to have a blue hand.

Originally Posted by 518aata

It's kind of hard to describe, but I arch my hand so that the heel of my hand rests above (on the page) where I'm currently writing. I don't hold my hand in a "hook" the way some lefties do, but I do make an effort to keep my hand away from the area where I've just written, where the ink is drying.
Being a lefty and having learned to write exclusively with a fountain pen, I've learned there are 3 options. The lefty hook, which looks awful. The blue hand. Or blotting paper. For lefties teachers always pushed the method of tilting paper to the right rather than the left. This keeps your hand bellow the writing and you don't get a blue hand. But it means you are pushing the nib across the paper instead of pulling and I've found even with nice nibs and specialised moulded lefty grip pens, the nib halves rasp across the page so I've never liked that method. And besides, nobody answered my question about the Parker pen model I asked about.

Someone must know.

 

[Alfa]

I am a lefty and I think much of the success of it depends on the firmness/flexibility of the nib you are using. The softer the nib the easier it seems to be to use and get a consistent line weight. Fountain pens are designed to "drag" the nib, but if you are lefty most of us "push" the nib which it isn't really designed for. You can also have nibs ground down to being a left oblique which can make things easier, but I found for me the biggest difference is how flexible it is. That being said, it doesn't make smudging easier and in fact probably makes things harder as the ink comes out wetter than a roller ball or ball point. Check out this page for some "solutions" to the problem: http://www.nibs.com/Left-hand writers.htm

 

[Alfa]

Originally Posted by laphroaig

Does Parker still make this?
What model would this be?
I'm not a Pen connoisseur but this looks like an ideal present for someone I know.

Hi Laphroaig,

I am far from a Parker expert, but it looks like a variation on the Parker 51 which is immensely popular. They come in many different finishes. Out of production, but many examples on ebay: