As a fellow lefty, Maybelline and I thought it might be appealing to have my perspective on fountain pens for left-handed writers. I’ve written a previous piece for The Cramped about the things left-handed writers should consider when purchasing a fountain pen. But here, I’d like to talk about my favorite fountain pens — all of which are lefty-tested and lefty-approved! 1. Kaweco Classic Sport My absolute favorite is the Guilloch 1930 which adds some finely etched lines onto the cap and barrel of the pen giving it a classy, vintage look but any standard Kaweco Sport is a good option from the humble plastic to the weightier raw aluminum. Its available in a wide array of nib sizes from EF through BB and there is even a calligraphy set available but I’ve been given the impression that the feed system on the calligraphy set is different than the regular pens to allow greater ink flow to support those wider nibs. I wouldn’t recommend more than a 1.1mm stub nib for a lefty just because the flat wide nibs are difficult to make consistent contact with the paper for most lefties. Kaweco nib units are swappable so if you find […]
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People will tell you that they collect various things, but more often than not they are collecting memories. That’s certainly true for me with pens and writing implements. When Maybelline asked me to participate in her “12 Days of Christmas” event here at On Fountain Pens, I jumped at the chance because, for me, Christmas always reminds me of why I got into this hobby and takes me back to gifts from my childhood that started me down this road. Like many people who collect writing instruments, I’ve had a thing for pens, pencils and paper since I was little. As far back as I can remember, actually. My parents never turned us down when we wanted books or writing materials, but still thought I had an unhealthy obsession with shopping for school supplies. (Go figure.) At Christmastime, we always had a fresh dozen high quality pencils, a notebook or two, or a new pen in our stocking. I first became really particular about the pencils I used at school. I preferred — and still prefer — drier, even slightly gritty, graphite. Back in the 80s, Berol/Empire/Pedigree made a line of really cheap pencils with a super waxy core that […]
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My fountain pen story began back in April 2013. I had stumbled upon the Pen Addict podcast. I listened to episode after episode of Brad and Myke talking about micro gel tipped pens and fountain pens. I remembered thinking to myself: why would anyone want to use fountain pens? My only experience with fountain pens was the mandatory penmanship class I had to take during secondary school. I think this penmanship class was imposed on a certain generation of students and I was one of them. I remembered scratchy nibs and horrible writing experiences during those penmanship classes. However I am one who loves hanging out at stationery sections, so I got myself a Pilot Petit1 to give it a go. That didn’t turn out well for me. I gave it away and purchased a Platinum Preppy not long after. I couldn’t stand the nib feedback of the Preppy and I gave that away. Then third time’s the charm, I purchased a Kaweco ICE Sport (reviewed here) and I was hooked. At first I found it hard to incorporate these analog tools into an inceasingly digital lifestyle. I switched from using an app on my iPhone to a notebook and […]
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2014 has seen the release of many new products which captured the imagination of fountain pen lovers across the globe. As the year finally draws to a close, it would be remiss not to revisit some of the exquisite masterpieces and admire the exceptional craftsmanship and artistry that made them a reality. 1 – Mont Blanc 90 Years Anniversary Skeleton 149 The 149 holds a special place in Mont Blanc history – so much so that its 90th Anniversary is celebrated by nothing less than one of the most exquisite products ever launched – a skeletonised 149. The Skeleton 149 is a reintroduction of the 75th Anniversary Skeleton 149, which was highly-sought-after by collectors. The pen has a skeletonised cap and barrel plated with ruthenium. The pen is adorned by a quartz Mont Blanc emblem and features an 18K rose gold nib with a delicately applied 90th Anniversary commemorative engraving. 2 – Namiki Hina Dolls Maki-e is a traditional Japanese artform which appeals to the most discerning collectors – and the Namiki Hina Dolls is unquestionably one of the most significant releases in 2014 – issued in a matching pair of Yukari Royale fountain pens, the Hina Dolls are […]
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This is my first guest review and I have to say I am excited to be doing it on a stunning pen that really is one to behold. The OMAS Paragon Limited Edition in Arco Celluloid. This pen was limited to just 200 pieces. 75 in Gold, 75 in Rose Gold & 50 in Rhodium trim. I have had a couple of months with this pen and have grown to love it in every aspect. From its light and well balanced weight to the obviously gorgeous Arco celluloid. The buttery smooth nib and its ease of writing while allowing some flare if you want. It has been a very enjoyable time with this one. I say that as I was loaned this pen by Bryan @ Kenro Industries and handing it back will be a difficult task to say the least. I will start with its medium size and as you can see in the photo it is comparable to the Mont Blanc 146. The section is very comfortable and the cap threads are not noticeable at all. I will say that I am one who is distracted from a pen when the threads are sharp and dig into my fingers. […]
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“Do you have any left-handed fountain pens?” I want to say, go fish. I want to say, do you have any left-handed sunglasses, any left-handed smartphones, any left-handed automobiles? Such things may exist, but aren’t necessary. So it is with the left-handed fountain pen. They exist, much in the same way the rusty, raggedy, probably tetanus-infested left-handed scissors existed in the first grade. It exists, but why would you want to use it? There are two components to a pen that might make it left-handed. Number one: the grip. Shaped grips for left- and right-handed use are very popular…on pens for children. Or adults who have no idea how to hold a pen. If your left-handed friend likes bright, fun colors or has expressed interest specifically in a grip shaped for left-handed use, then buy away. Otherwise, pass on this often gimmicky left-handed feature. The second left-handable feature: the nib. This is more pointless than the shaped grip; it makes the undoubtedly right-handed presumption that all lefties write in exactly the same perverse and monstrous fashion, such that a special nib is required to overcome this malignancy and successfully convey ink onto paper for all left-handed persons. Not only is […]
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Don’t get me wrong. If you did buy me a fountain pen, we would be lifelong friends you and I. My appreciation would know no bounds. Not being a pen person yourself, you tried so hard to understand what I like. What my passions are. You came up with the fantastic idea to give me a gift I would absolutely love. For that I cannot fault you, nor your wonderful intentions. The fountain pen itself? Highly likely to be another matter entirely. You? I love. The gift? Perhaps not so. I so don’t want to disappoint you, and if you were to ask whether I like it, I might say it’s a nice pen; I may even say I’ve been using it at work today and it’s been great. On the slight chance you have managed to somehow pick the right combination of looks, size, weight, balance, nib size/style and an infinite number of other intangible factors then yes, I would truly love it. Unfortunately, without specific instruction on the pen I have chosen as my next, that is unlikely to happen. The problem? Mine dear friend, not yours. Problem? What problem? If someone you know is into pens. No […]
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I have long lusted after a Namiki Falcon. What lured me to this Japanese pen was the promise of a flexible nib attached to a modern writing instrument whose name combined the allure of Japan with the elegance and speed of a bird of prey. I knew that the Day of the Falcon has come when on a visit to the Fountain Pen Hospital in Manhattan I saw a Namiki peering out of a glass cabinet. The visit almost coincided with a significant birthday so it didn’t take me too long to become a proud owner of a Namiki Falcon. The Namiki Falcon is not a fancy pen. With its polished jet black resin body and gold trim Namiki has a conservative design its only decoration being the chain link detail with Namiki Japan engraved on the cap band. The gold clip is modern and simple and the flat cap and shiny gold bands give the pen an understated elegance. It also feels quite light. Namiki is not a hefty pen so not one for those who like their writing instruments to possess some weight or a wide girth. Uncap the pen and the Falcon’s hooded nib is revealed. It […]
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I’ll start off my guest post by thanking Maybelline for having me as a guest. My name is Sandra Strait. I’m a self-taught artist, who enjoys sharing her passions, and I’m here to share my thoughts about fountain pens and mark making. In almost all aspects of art, you hear about mark making. Quite simply, that’s the act of making a mark with any particular medium. Anything from a stick scraped across the ground, beautiful oils spread across a canvas or, in the case of this discussion, lines and color created by putting ink on paper with a fountain pen. I seldom write, because I get caught up in feel of the mark-making and my spelling and syntax suffer. Instead, I prefer to doodle or draw or actually paint with a fountain pen. Sometimes, I use them to make lines, swirls and patterns as I did with this Zentangle® inspired piece, done with an FPR Dilli fountain pen (review) fine nib using Diamine Chocolate Brown ink in a Rhodia DotGrid WebNotebook. Other times I go full color with a variety of pens, as I did with this piece on a sheet of Clairefontaine DotGrid GraF it (review) paper. I used J. Herbin Inks […]
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I met Maybelline at a Sheaffer event where I was talking about using fountain pens for drawing. So I thought maybe I’ll write about the same topic. I use a variety of pens for drawing, mostly technical pens and fountain pens, and to a lesser extent, ballpoint pens. Technical pens are my favourites because I like the uniform strokes they produce. And for that reason, I also prefer fountain pens that produce uniform strokes. The sketch above was drawn with the Faber Castell Ambition (review). However, there are also fountain pens that are capable of producing more than uniform strokes. The advantage fountain pens have over other pens is the ability to choose your own inks and nibs. And with different inks and nibs, you can get different effects. Here are the points to take note of when choosing the fountain pen, nib or ink for drawing. Nibs The standard fine, medium and broad nibs are going to produce uniform strokes. They are great for technical works where details are required. In addition to the standard nibs, there are also the specialty nibs such as the fude, music, calligraphy, flex, falcon, zoom, Spencerian and many more, some of which you can see […]
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