Best fountain pen kit reddit. My next favourite, very close to the top, is Preppy (F).
Best fountain pen kit reddit If you want something close but with steel flex nibs I'd suggest Blue Dew or Fountain Pen Revolution Ultra Flex, though they are less snappy and can't get quite as fine. 25 USD. mine have held up fine in the last two years at least. (RO) Pen house. I’m an artist and I would love to draw with pen and ink, I searched here for any guide for fountain pens for drawing but I found nothing. Such as usage, material, collectibility, build quality, workmanship, craftsmanship, style, balance in the hand, etc. Fountain pen nibs (the business end of the pen) are generally hardier than they get credit for, but they still require more attention than a gel / ballpoint pen (e. Agreed! I recently decided to give Calligraphy a try and so I decided to order a kit on Amazon and I ordered a refillable pen as well. I like a more a Pelikan Epoch 360 that came as a ballpoint but ended up being the right mechanical pencil for my hand. (Optional) Saying just one is good but I would be happy if you give your top three. You need a wood lathe, chisels, chuck, spindle, drill bits, blanks, saw, glue/epoxy, and finishing supplies. That's the oldest fountain pen shop in the United States and Fred Krinke is the third generation of his family to run it. Best papers for fountain pen use are just about anything made in Japan: Tomoe River, Midori, Maruman, Life, Apica, Kokuyo, Travelers, etc. These have the barrel trimmer, trimmer sleeves, drill bits, and busings necessary to turn pens. I've had the 601 for almost a year now and ice been lucky enough to write, and play with, 2 vintage 51's and, honestly. I think it shows best with an XF or F nib. Basic cleaning kit: Blunt needle and syringe (also does double-duty for refilling cartridges when you don't want to buy a converter) snot sucker for infants (get several, cut the tip to a size that fits your pens) To give a little bit back of my experience to you, I'd like to share my favorite paper, fountain pen and inks: Favorite Paper: Rhodia Goalbook dotted in A5 Favorite Fountain Pen: Pilot Namiki LEGNO 89s Fountain Pen Deep Red Fine feels so unbelievable soft and writes wonderfully. To really get the writing experience that's best for you you'll want to buy a few smaller notebooks from various manufacturers and see what works best for you. It seems like most pens favor rounded weak metal. For fountain pen nibs, I think the best modern nibs are nibmeister nibs from the likes of Linda Kennedy, Kirk Speer (Penrealm), Pablo Carrasco (FPNibs). There are some mediocre to decent pens like FPR, Kanwrite, Osprey, or BlueDew. I now have four (clear demo, blue demo, opaque black, opaque blue) and they hold their own comfortably next to pens that cost many times as much. I have basic knowledge of fountain pens so let me explain what type of pen would be good. I have it and use it constantly. There are so many different aspects of fountain pens where "best" can be derived from. The absolute best flex nibs I've heard for fountain pens are the people behind Secretary de Flex and they are definitely a pretty penny While I dislike them, Kaweco Sports have a twist out nib as well and of course the grandfather of all of these pens, the Esterbrook Fountain pens, from the popular J series to less popular M2, all use the twist out nibs which are readily available from Andersonpens. They do repairs by mail, too. gg/pendemic I second the Wing Sung 601. . 5 Color, Pentel 0. Be sure to watch Brian Goulet's videos, especially on micromesh. Hey all. I tried looking last night and was overwhelmed. I started buying fountain pens in search of the "perfect" drawing pen. Best fountain pen I ever tried (and own) This a sub for people with fountain pens and cats or cat themed fountain pens /accessories, so put up those fountain pen and cat related photos! 3750 members Go to penandink His son (16) is taking wood shop in school and wants to make his dad a pen for Xmas. The kit pens can write well, but for me I'd prefer a kitless pen completely custom made using a Bock or Jowo nib. Parker Frontier is one of my favorite fountain pens and I have more fountain pens then I need and some are way more expensive then this one. I am used to folding knives where clips are secured to the knife and are made of tough spring steel. And they have crazy fast delivery system. Under $100 your best bet is dip pens. When I'm having issues with a pen I always give it a cleaning with a fountain pen flush as a first step. Top 5 Fountain Pens Under $50 Pilot Metropolitan - The battle for the best fountain pen for beginners is over and the Pilot Metropolitan has won. While I hope it won't be the case this time, buying a historical brand and besmirching its honor with shit products happens more often than the opposite in the fountain pen business. Virtually all of them are cartridge/converter pens, and most of them have the same cheapo no-name-brand "iridium point germany" #5ish nibs that are low quality and fairly scratchy. gg/pendemic Anyway, india ink is good for art in that once it's dry it's 100% water proof unlike many fountain pen inks that claims to be waterproof. The kit was put together beautiful with 10 nibs, ink and the pen. None. Best Affordable Fountain Pens. The ink does not distribute evenly, it allows 1-2 letters before running out then creates a glob of ink after refill. Red ripple Waterman 55 and 56; all my OMASs; a red and blue Arco Radius Superiors; various Parker Vacumatics; a mottled Waterman 13 (probably my oldest fountain pen); a MINT BCHR Waterman 52 (its chasing is CRISP); some random urushi Japanese pen (not sure what the brand is); my tigers eye Montblanc 244; and all my stub-nibbed Waterman and Mabie Todds. 5 HB, Uni 0. I've found the Jinhao 992 to be a very reliable writer, but not reliable build, the cheap plastic they use will break eventually, especially if you use the clip at all. Hello all!! I recently learned that my duragraph will be shipped to my family’s house back home 9hrs away :( I’m likely going to have them return it but I was wondering if there are any good budget fountain pen recommendations you may have! Budget is $60 and under. gg/pendemic I've tried most of the entry level fountain pens and I'm starting to develop some preferences, and I wondered what the next best pen would be. gg/pendemic Best $40 Spent: Esterbrook 407 Dip-Less Fountain Well, an ancient post office dip pen that uses FP ink, holds 2 ounces, and writes a page in between dips. Most kits do NOT come with quality reservoir mechanisms. they're the best for a bulk buy of diamine ink (they have their store exclusive colours) and offer the lowest prices i've seen on quite a /r/fountainpens - A community for fountain pen enthusiasts, from the novice to the collector. gg/pendemic /r/fountainpens - A community for fountain pen enthusiasts, from the novice to the collector. I'm trying my own pen out and I can't get it to write consistently for the live of me. Posted by u/ChromaLife - 8 votes and 8 comments cult pens has the best prices for ink out of europe and they have the fastest shipping. They're generic and result in heavy, unbalanced pens. OP, you can get a 7-pack of Pilot Varsity pre-filled fountain pens (7 different ink colors) for about $13 right now on Amazon. TLDR; School paper sucks. $200 and Up: At this point in life I am not buying a $300 fountain pen. 5mm). These can be quite expensive, a kit pen won't need these. My Jinhao x159 has a great big nib that I couldn’t have afforded to try from luxury brands, and my Jinhao 100 makes me want to try a Parker Duofold, the pen that inspired it and whose patent lapsed. Different papers act differently with different pen and ink combinations. If you plan on diving into fountain pens, yes, I'd say it is worth it. As an alternative to fountain pens but still get the advantage of fountain pen ink, a J. ro - official retailer in Romania for Conklin, Cross, Monteverde, Parker, rOtring, Scrikss, Sheaffer, Standardgraph, Tombow, and Waterman, to name only the fountain pen related brands. gg/pendemic The best cheap pens I've used (and own) are my Lamy Safaris ($29) and Al Stars ($37), and my Majohn Q1 ($20). Finishing was with basic hand tools on hand like wire saw, files, wet-dry sandpaper, superglue, and a Dremel. The nibs are smooth and put down a lot of ink. i bought something on the thursday and it already arrived in the country at 4am. Sep 29, 2015 · for a general "shot-in-the-dark" suggestion, Gouletpens: Apica notebook ($3. I don't like the typical look of the kit pens and the thin metal sections that they often use Hi, Thanks for the info; but these nibs came with these cartridges as a package, and they fit snugly inside. gg/pendemic Pilot E95S - Amazing little compact pen with a springy inlaid gold nib. It's not cheap to get started, but it's pretty easy to learn. However they don't know much about fountain pens, so I'm curious about a decent "beginner" pen. Many of them sell mostly or only fountain pen friendly paper, JetPens categorizes theirs (in the filters) as fountain pen friendly (or not). Also franklin Christoph the p66 and 20p in particular. 4-0. this is the biggest positive /r/fountainpens - A community for fountain pen enthusiasts, from the novice to the collector. A Pilot decimo with a steel nib is probably one of the most practical for travelling. After watching a ton of vids, I see that Lamy, Pilot and muji have a similar pen at a similar price point. Though, in India none of these are cheap fountain pens. gg/pendemic Also recommend having multiple inexpensive pens to start out with. He is a talented and accomplished woodworker and has turned many kit pens in the past, but never a fountain pen so he does not know any specifics about the specs of the kits. The enthusiasts at penturners. Conklin. I've probably turned pens from some 6 or so different fountain pen kits over the years. (Buy) TWSBI ECO - An entry level piston-filler for the price of an entry level cartridge/converter pen. Looking to get my first fountain pen. org. Feel free to also discuss the associated paraphernalia that goes along with writing, the papers that are good for your pens, how you carry or store them, etc. ), you will find that they sell paper. But if you are going to destroy a pen starting out, a kit pen is an OK place to do it. Herbin refillable rollerball pen is nice. These pens basically can't ultrasonic cleaner (great for cleaning fountain pens quickly and thoroughly, also for jewelry, smaller precision parts, etc. (If it's easy, pull out nib and ink feed before/after. ) de-mineralized (or distilled) water - for final rinse before drying Locked post. Recommendation, there is no where to go but up from here. However, I hear the caps and such may crack in a few years. that means less annoyance in writing and the ink lasts longer. At least on noodlers I can bend it back if it happens to be over extended. just like most ball point pen kits come with a very Aug 7, 2023 · 1) JetPens “The Best Beginner Fountain Pens” (2023) 2) Gentleman’s Gazette “5 Best Inexpensive Fountain Pens For Beginners” (2018) 3) Robb Report (2022) “How to Use a Fountain Pen—and 5 Great Models to Get You Started” 4) The Pen Addict (2015) “The Beginner's Guide to Fountain Pens (By a True Beginner)” 27 votes, 15 comments. Since then I acquired the Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari, TWSBI Eco, Sailor Fude de Mannon, Pilot Vanishing Point, Pilot Custom Heritage 92 and 74 and Pelikan m200. Will also strongly disagree with you as well. Kaco Master and now Platinum Century 3776 Medium. This sub is for tool enthusiasts worldwide to talk about tools, professionals and hobbyists alike. Not super deep carry, but I think the metal Kaweco Al-sports are the best edc pocket pen for under $50. Pilot Custom 74 was one of my first relatively expensive pens and remains one of my favourites. Also the internal part of where the cartridges lock into the head & get pierced by the opening doesn’t match the shape of what you’re showing. Heck, you can get many different nib units from Pelikan to Jinhao, pick one and do the rest of the pen, and end up with something you can actually use. The benefits to writing with a good fountain pen are that you can write for long periods of time without fatigue. These pens are zero maintenance and and very consistent quality - I found one in a box recently and it still wrote fine after being Here is my little travel kit in a Kaweco tin can: Two sample tubes with the ink I‘m using at the moment Spare lead for my mechanical pencils: Uni 0. We welcome posts about "new tool day", estate sale/car boot sale finds, "what is this" tool, advice about the best tool for a job, homemade tools, 3D printed accessories, toolbox/shop tours. My default everyday inks. For a moment, let's disregard brand names and prestige, which fountain pens give the BEST QUALITY for their price? and tell us why you think so. cheap as it gets, you can try out various nib size options ranging ef, f or m yet to learn what you like they have some pretty limited edition ones available currently, and the patented platinum snap and seal cap means it wont dry out of you don't use it for a while. 352 members Dip nib fountain pens like Osprey or Ackerman would give you the most line variation, but the nibs have to be replaced every so often. gg/pendemic The 456 is probably their best model, and in its price range one of the best vac filler pens. gg/pendemic Coming from someone that has made thousands of pens, both kitless and kit pens, a kit pen is absolutely the right place to start. Of those, the FPNibs is the most affordable at around 70€. " These turn out to be great deals and some include multiple kits. Fountain pens are very, very simple devices. Pilot Metropolitan Fine nib will always be one of my favourites. The best affordable luxury fountain pens are the Conklin All American and the Kaweco AL Sport. I have quite promptly realized the poor quality of the fountain pen kits I can get at my local woodworking store compared to even a modest commercial fountain pen. pen flush (very straightforward and cheap to DIY). The other problem are that the weight is awkward (too much weight near the back of the pen), and the grip section is metal and skinny. I’m not kidding. I thought a fountain pen would be great, since they talked about being interested in nice pens and calligraphy. Osprey also includes a kit that makes it very easy to swap the nibs out. they say you don't need it and that water or soap and water are all that's needed, but there have been times that I have noticed issues with new pens (or pens that haven't been used in a while), and round of water-pen flush-water did the trick. No problem with any of them. It's not a question of upgrading the nib--my $1 Jinhao fountain pen has a great Chinese-made nib, after I tuned it. IMO it is better than the TWSBI Vac700R and also slightly better than the Wing Sung 699. So the question: what are the best pens under $50 with durable clips? I'd like to put in O-ring on a fountain pen section that's a bit under 10 mm, and ideally I'd like to have a standby kit of O-rings of various sizes and widths, that I could use as needed on a range of fountain pens. and pay zero customs. I'm looking at the pen kits at exotic blanks and wondering if there are any higher end kits out there. I know, that even melted my cold black heart. She has no idea it's coming but i hope she'd enjoy it. Although my penmanship may not justify owning and using these wonderful pens, I find writing with fountain pens to be relaxing and satisfying. My favourite is Kaweco sport (EF), I like how solid and smooth it feels and the grip is good too. When not using fountain pens I tend to use mechanical pencils that I have a few too. Reply reply 27 votes, 32 comments. Our cheap fountain pens are as cheap as 0. i'm in canada. I’ve found nice Chinese pens in all the lines I’ve tried so far. Here are some good quality fountain pen friendly paper. I have been hearing that "pairing" fountain pen to the paper enhances the writing experience to another level. gg/pendemic Best sheener Best shader Best colour Best flow Best waterfastness Best fun Best wash-it-out-of-the-carpet-off-walls-off-animal-fur Above all, the wisdom of samples. If you're looking at over $100, my personal favorites are the Schon DSGN pocket6, and the pilot vanishing point. I know a lot about pens and nothing about turning. These are considered slightly expensive and make for perfect gifts to friends and family. It might also be worth it to get a cheap "tester" pen, just so you can get used to writing with a fountain pen. The Conklin All American is a large barrel pen that is surprisingly delightful to use. To set an immovable goalpost for the future: if I put pen to paper and see Pilot Blue glow red, I will know Christ has risen. Otherwise my personal favorite is Rhodia or Clairefontaine. May 2, 2023 · We explain what to look for in a fountain pen and recommend the best fountain pens for every level. (Buy) I used TWSBI stub nib, TWSBI medium, Pelikans M205/200/481 in EF F, M, OB. gg/pendemic It can be both rollerball and fountain using fountain pen ink same as machine era, but he uses #6 jowo nibs which are a lot better, and being aluminum it is not heavy. The fact that it's a piston filler automatically rules it out. But you have to be willing to tinker with it and do a lot of work. If you get a fountain pen (such as the Pilot Parallel Pen mentioned above, which is excellent for starting on broad-edge calligraphy), be sure to get fountain pen ink (or, for the Pilot Parallel in specific, stick with the cartridges for it). Is there anyone on here that has a source to better kits? Go and buy a nib unit from a reputable source, maybe a clip, then make the cap, section, and barrel to the specs of the nib you choose. ) I have no experiences with vintage fountain pens. Any single pen that will be listed here is best in only some aspects, there is not one single pen that is best in all aspects. Repeat, until the water is absolutely clear. I'll go first: 1st: Hongdian N2 (Any Hongdian) - it is incredibly smooth and there is practically NO feedback. (Aw) Anyway, he asked for my help in picking out a pen kit because he knows his dad is picky about pens. Namiki pens start around $750 and go into the $1000s easily, so they are ultra luxury fountain pens. It has decent cap seal and the filling mechanism works well. Super durable, decent nib. I purchased a starter cheap pack of fountain pens from Temu for myself and a nicer kit as a gift for my niece. 3 HB Pilot e95 and elite (older version of the same thing) is awesome. You can start with making kit pens, which include all the metal parts and only require you to turn the body on the lathe. A Faber-Castell Essentio Aluminium is better than the Pilot MR, as a metal-bodied starter pen (i. gg/pendemic For my tastes, I find all the kit pens horrible. Jan 7, 2011 · One reccomendation, Penn State Industries, offers starter kits for their "High end pens. Mar 7, 2016 · My overall favorites are most any of the "Sierra" variations - I'll use different ones from time to time to get different finishes, cap styles & bands. The ink isn't actually necessary because the pen will come with a cartridge, but you will run out of ink before filling the notebook. They sell all sorts of stationery, but they have a really wide range of fountain pens. My "custom" kit pen clip has sprung out. true. My Jinhao x750 medium is my best pen for high shimmer inks. There are some fountain pen inks that get fairly close though like Platinum Carbon black. Need some solutions/remedies to feathering and bleeding. I still do a lot of slimlines, but mostly for giveaways. Lamy 2000 - Great all-around professional pen, with a wet, stiff, gold nib cut more like a stub tha The nib is only one part of the problem with fountain pen kits. The steady flow of the This can be Dip Pens, Fountain Pens, refillable rollerballs or highlighters (like the Noodler's pens), or others that are interesting. Platinum Preppy gets my vote. I don't think I would place the Lamy anywhere near the top. You could also let the nib, feed, and section soak in some water over night. for folks who have no or little experience with using fountain pens, and looking to dip their toes in the water and get a feel of it); all four I have cost me only around US$30 each. 1 drop detergent. gg/pendemic There is no single best but there's a couple of fun options from multiple brands Pilot Kakuno: Pretty inexpensive, excellent Pilot steel nib that is used in like 5 different pens, seals poorly though Good news, if you used that ink, you bought two kit pens, the absolute worst of the worst, and filled them with non-fountain pen ink, an absolute no-go. the 601 does such a good job that I am able to hold off buying a 51. Whether you choose the inexpensive Platinum Preppy or the iconic LAMY 2000, this guide will help you find your perfect pen. Have used muji my entire college physics career and still use them for note taking years after. Worst expensive pens are my Pilot Custom Heritage SE ($336) with a nib that puts down the barest minimum of ink (even though I've tried to widen the tines with a brass shim), and my Conklin Yes, the pen bodies have some alignment due to the nature of the silicone molds shifting during assembly. com, it looks like they're selling mostly pre-constructed nib units. Cartridges are meh! Never used one and don't ever intend to. 80), a Pilot Metropolitan medium ($15), and Brian's favorite sample package ($9). Hey guys, I’m recently new to fountain pen community and all so I don’t know a lot. Paper for fountain pens is a bit of a personal choice, really. Flex is a very difficult thing to do right with modern fountain pens and $100 won’t get you a good pen. I like some of the PSI specialty kits - especially their bolt action & the Faith Hope Love kit. For what it's worth, my Jaipur v1 are both ultra flex and with really great with no leaking. I am in the Texas Panhandle if that means anything. On related note, Looking at the options on nibs. /r/fountainpens - A community for fountain pen enthusiasts, from the novice to the collector. While the end result of a kit pen rarely is going to be as good as a kitless pen, it gives you a good starting learning point. 30 degree drawing angle? you’d probably like this: spark fountain pen the nib you’d want on this pen is a pro-flex, which is basically just a zebra g nib (unsure if you’re familiar with those, but they’re popular dip pen nibs for comic creators and have major line variation). e. You have to buy the rollerball as an add on, but total price of both the fountain pen and rollerball add on is like $160. Since fountain pens love to leak whenever there's any sort of pressure change, travel often includes flying or driving from one elevation to another, and I've gotten ink all over my stuff more than once, I only travel with fountain pens that have screw-on caps. how the tines touch the page / if the pen has a "sweet spot" / not The intricate designs of nibs and the pens as a whole are just amazing to look at. Both write smoothly though and take a standard cartridge or converter. The loupe with the lights is super useful. That will remove built up ink much better than just water. That stuff is really abrasive. I really like the Penn State DuraClick pens, but put in a good refill like the Schmidt EasyFlow 9000. Really I think the Japanese pens are the best overall for low cost reliability (Platinum Plaisir is my favorite). Maybe my favorite weird pen. It's just a question of whether I want another unbalanced kit pen that adds nothing on top of everything already out there just because it Don't get a "flex nib" fountain pen - they're difficult to work with and you'll be fighting your tools. (age 14) I checked on here and saw people had success with them. If you want to go vintage, check out the sheaffer tuckaway or use key words “ladies,” “ring top,” “junior,” “ves Hello! I'm new to fountain pens and have grown fond of the writing experience, especially with thinner nibs (0. Oof is this a loaded question for me. WHITE Tomoe River: very smooth, no feather/bleed 52gsm: high ghosting or 68gsm: moderate ghosting LIGHT IVORY If you go to websites of places which sell fountain pens (Goulet, Anderson, Vanness, PenChalet, Goldspot, JetPens, etc. Next day use a 50 ml bulb to clean it with a little bit of pressure some times. There's not going to be a fountain pen kit with a nib equivalent to pens costing hundreds of dollars, but I'd like to see at least something of decent quality that I wouldn't mind using. I'm looking for a pen that offers an excellent writing experience and durability, suitable for daily use in journaling and work documents. This means that you can combine india ink drawings with water color very easily. After giving the pen a good cleaning go back to the ink you used when the pen was last writing and try it Hi pen friends, I'm doing a favor for a friend/coworker and he said he would make me a fountain pen in exchange. It's so close to the Parker 51 that, if blindfolded and given both pens, I'm not sure many people could tell. My next favourite, very close to the top, is Preppy (F). For me, that's the Pilot Penmanship and the Moonman mini. Current Pen/Ink: Lamy Safari + Diamine Jet… Only if a fountain pen totally (!) dried out: Put it one night in a glas of cold water with max. In your pic you've shown a Lamy 2000 as the best pen for travelling. g. I have two and prefer the metal body one over the clear plastic one because of the weight. Please join our discord server while we are shut down in protest of the recent Reddit API changes: https://discord. The best pens would be C/Cs that are lightweight and made from metal. I wanted to get a councilor at my college a gift since they've been super helpful with keeping my grades up. Righto, my favourite inks are: Iroshizuku for flow properties, some sheeners, and shade to some degree. I now always flush a new pen before I use it to It’s been a few years since I bought fountain pen kits, but when I was, I did notice that the majority of the affordable kits, and some of the moderate to high end ones all used essentially the same writing hardware, with variations on the kits’ trimmings and cap interfaces. First, I don't agree with your statement about woodturners and passion for fountain pens. I've spent hours in the shop talking to Fred, buying pens and they do all of my repairs. Is there any way to know if a unit is usable with the pen kits linked above (or any other pen kit)? A kitless pen would require them to buy taps and dies that they might not have. obocfhcmttnlmjdwrnugrrctpnodvzvrpuposhgygcqlrzbumo