Matthias at Bleistift discovers the Chung Hwa 6903 pencil in Shanghai.

Cheryl at Writer’s Bloc peeks inside the Fabrica Pocket-in-a-Pocket notepad.

Julie at Pens Paper Inks…Whatever offers the DeAtramentis Black Edition for your consideration.

Alex at Economy Pens recommends the Pentel EnerGel X 0.7mm Violet.

Terri at Filofax Fixation confesses her newfound obsession with the Lamy Al-Star.

Yochanan at Multi Pen Dimensions checks out the SK-Sharbo +1 multi-pen.

Dave at Seize the Dave gives good marks to Rohrer and Klingner Verdigris ink.

JJ at Penagerie grouses about the Paper Mate Sharpwriter mechanical pencil.

Rodney at GreaseMonkeyHands receives a Namiki Sterling Dragon as a gift.

PenandPaperHoarder dismantles the PHX-1: Design Tool Set.

• The LA Times reports that a new device expected out this summer will allow you to write with a pen on paper and transmit everything you write to your iPad in real time, exactly as it appears on paper.

The iNotebook itself really is the combination of an iPad app, the case, a transmitter/recorder and a special pen that connects with it.

How it works is that the transmitter sits above the page and watches you write with the special pen via infrared sensor and records what you write. Then through the app and a Bluetooth connection with your iPad, it shoots over your words — or doodles — in your very own hand almost simultaneously.

The downside: There’s no optical character recognition. So what you write is what you get. As a result, there may be no visual character recognition either, depending on your handwriting.

The $150 device could be useful for saving notes, phone numbers, etc. but no word yet on how well pen writes, or how well it doesn’t.

• Japanese pen maker Sakura put out a press release earlier this month announcing the release of a new one-stop calligraphy pen.

According to Sakura, the Pigma Calligrapher is:

 …a unique, all-in-one, durable lettering art tool that produces crisp edges and sharp hairlines in 3 nib widths and 6 Pigma ink colors. This disposable pen has a hard nylon nib that withstands heavy pressure and constant use, and still provides a reliable, smooth ink flow from edge to edge.

Sakura says the pen is a cost-effective tool for beginning calligraphers because it eliminates the need for refills and multiple nibs.

Interestingly, Sakura started out making crayons nearly 100 years ago and claims to be the first company to have created gel-based ink.

• It’s a common question: Can you poison yourself by writing on your skin with ink?

The answer is not really because the amounts of toxic substances in inks are so small that you would have to ingest large quantities (as in cups full) just to make yourself slightly ill.

However, the student paper at the University of Alaska – Anchorage decided to look into the matter and came to the conclusion that writing on your skin can be quite dangerous.

For instance, a blue gel pen uses a chemical called copper phthalocyanine (I’m glad this is written and I won’t have to try to pronounce that). Its Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) states that it is “hazardous in case of skin contact.” I think that’s straightforward enough.

But wait, that’s just the pigment. What about the solvent? It’s the component of the ink that makes sure all the ingredients stay together and you don’t get one liquid flowing out before another. Gel pens use a solvent called ethylene glycol. Its MSDS is even freakier than copper phthalocyanine’s. Even though its carcinogenic (cancer causing) effects aren’t classifiable for human or animals, its mutagenic effects sure are. And wait, there’s more! They’re specifically mutagenic for mammal’s body cells.

A little, um, over the top…but hey, we’re just glad they’re still interested in writing on something with pens.

• Paper Mate is running an all out marketing campaign to promote its new InkJoy pens, using the gimmick that theirs is the world’s most stolen pen.

According to Media Post:

The effort…includes TV ads on cable channels Bravo, HGTV, Oxygen, TLC and TNT. There is also a digital buy on tap across multiple properties, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as social media and word-of-mouth. There are also in-language websites for each country.

Scott Crist, global director of marketing for Paper Mate, tells Marketing Daily that the last time the company ran TV ads was in January 2010 around the Winter Olympics in limited U.S. markets on select NBC stations.

“Paper Mate has strong brand equity around the world but we’ve been a little lackluster with our advertising and promotion over the last few years,” he says. “The InkJoy launch is helping communicate a new, more modern Paper Mate in step with today’s more value-minded consumer.”

The article also reports that women are the No. 1 buyers of Paper Mate products.

We’ve been picking up some new readers lately, so it seemed like a good time to give our new friends a little idea what they can find on the Tiger Pens Blog.

We’re all about ink pens here, from fountain to ballpoint, and the ways that people use them, whether for writing, office work or creating pieces of art. Occasionally, we’ll touch on notebooks and paper, but there are several excellent blogs that do it so well, we usually leave it to them (we’re looking at you, Notebook Stories, Rhodia Drive and a dozen others).

Our favorite pens are the ones that are relatively inexpensive, reliable and comfortable to use – gels and rollerballs and hybrids from Pentel, Uniball and the like. We’re also fans of novelty pens, or just about any kind of pen that is ‘different.’

In keeping with our love of pens and their uses, we run several regular features on the blog. In no particular order, they are:

Pen Reviews – Fair, honest assessments of the newest disposable and refillable pens, as well as the classics that deserve a new look once in a while. Yes, we probably sell most of them, and, if we like a pen, we’ll tell you…but if we don’t like one, we’ll tell you that, too.

Giveaways – Pens are great fun…and FREE pens are even funner, err, more fun. So, every month, we set aside a special package of pens to give to one of our readers just as our way of saying ‘thanks’ for visiting. If you discovered our blog through one of the giveaways, welcome, and we hope you stay a while.

Totally Random Pen Stuff – This is an occasional feature comprising news about pens coming to market, pen-related stories in the media, and mentions of interesting pen collectors, as well as other miscellaneous pen nuggets of interest.

Conversations About Handwriting – Pens aren’t much good if we don’t use them, and handwriting is one of the most common uses of pens, so naturally we follow the chatter on this topic with great interest. Our occasional handwriting feature collects tidbits of news and opinion on handwriting, from features on handwriting teachers to the handwriting practices of presidents.

Inappropriate Uses of Pens – Some people do the craziest things with their pens…things that pens were clearly not intended to do. Sometimes, they are amusing, other times, mind-boggling. We collect those stories, and once in a while, post them for our readers’ enjoyment.

Penthusiasm! – There is a wonderful, vibrant community of pen enthusiasts online who happily share their endless knowledge of pens through blogs, Twitter and Facebook. Every week, they write dozens of posts about pens, pencils and paper that are, by turns, amusing and fascinating. Each week, we try to round up some of the best ones and share with our readers, in case there is something they’ve missed.

Blog Reviews – Each month, we try to select one pen- or paper-related blog to feature as an outstanding blog. We choose them based on…well, basically, their ‘wow’ factor. If they often have posts that we read, then say, ‘oh wow, that was cool!’ then there’s a good chance we’ll review them at some point.

Guest Posts – We’re continually amazed at the level of expertise or just plain enthusiasm of some in the pen community. When we come across someone who writes brilliant pen posts, whether reviews, anecdotes, or obscure finds, then we invite them to post on our blog, both to help spread the word about them…and to impress our readers with our nifty pen friends.

Tiger Pens News – It’s no secret that we sell pens, but the last thing we want to do is flog our products too much on the blog. This blog is first and foremost about providing our visitors with informative and entertaining posts about pens and pencils. But once in a while, we get in a new product, or have a special deal running that we really want to share with as many people as possible. When that happens, you’ll read about it here. Just not too often.

One thing we’ve been thinking about is adding a regular feature on artists and theworks they create with pen-and-ink and pencil. So many of you seem to be quite talented, and we love seeing the drawings and sketches that you post on your sites and on Twitter. Whether a new visitor or a regular reader, please let us know what you’d think about seeing a regularly featured artist on the blog.

And, if there is anything new or different that any of you would like for us to try, don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send an email using the ‘Contact’ link at the top.

The blog is here for you, so we want it to be exactly what you want.

Nina at Nina Johansson explains why she uses Noodler’s and Platinum inks for drawing.

John at John a Lookin’ Around discovers the Noodler’s Ahab Flex nib fountain pen.

Andrew at Stationery Review loves his first fountain pen, a black Lamy Safari.

MJ at MJ Monaghan reveals his quest to find the perfect pen.

Pencil Talk displays the very tiny World Press Cartoon pencil.

OfficeSupplyGeek shares his buyer’s remorse over the Pilot G6 gel pen.

Heather at A Penchant for Paper offers faint praise for the Pentel Fiesta 0.5 mm mechanical pencil.

George at My Supply Room shows off his set of vintage Lindy pens.

Andrew at Economy Pens unboxes the Retro 51 Hex-O-Matic ballpoint pen.

Leigh at My Life as a Verb thinks the Kaweco Sport Chess Print is cute.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s is usually slow for most offices, so we thought we’d give you a long list of good pen and paper reading for those moments when you’d rather not be working.

Julie at Pen Paper Inks…Whatever shows off the colors of the new Iroshizuku inks.

Speck at The Purple Penhead goes inside the Eddie Bauer journal.

Dan at Fountain Pen Geeks takes an approving look at the Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock limited edition fountain pen.

Sheila at Does This Pen Make Me Look Fat investigates the DeAtramentis Sherlock Holmes fountain pen ink.

Yochanan at Multi Pen Dimensions gets a comfortable week’s use out of the Swan Neck Pen.

Dowdy at The Pen Addict searches for a little nostalgia with the Pilot Better Ballpoint retractable.

Peninkcillin tests out Noodler’s Firefly Yellow highlighter refill ink.

Nifty at Notebook Stories shares a photo of the North Korean dictatorial entourage toting notebooks.

The Pen Buff gives a brief but firm thumbs-up to the Zebra F-701.

No Pen Intended finds design flaws in the Uniball Style Fit Mystar 5 Color Multi Pen Body.

Rhonda at the Blog of Rhonda Eudaly checks out the finer points of the Uniball Signo Bit 0.18 mm pen.

Economy Pens turns out a solid recommendation of the Sharpie Pen Grip.

Derek at Derek’s Pens and Pencils offers a look at his recently restored vintage Yankee fountain pen.

Azizah at Gourmet Pens saves a ton by modding Monteverde refills to fit her Retro 51 Tornado.

(Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments.

Part I covered the reasons for wanting a fountain pen, and the pros and cons of choosing vintage or modern pens. Part II continued with more detailed criteria for selecting a pen. In Part III, he offers specific suggestions for first-time pen buyers.)

What pens would you recommend for beginners?

There are thousands of different pens out there, and in such a dazzling array of styles and colors too. It’s mind boggling to try to browse through them, and find the right one. Lucky for you, I have some recommendations to help you find a suitable first pen! These are my top picks, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best, or everyone’s favorites. They are however, all very popular, and they’re all great pens. Let’s jump right in!

For modern pens:

TWSBI Diamond 540:

I love this pen. It’s my top pick for any new FP users – the first pen I always recommend. This pen has created a huge fan-base, due to the company’s excellent service, and how awesome the pen is.

Details:

Price: $50.00

Filling system: Piston

Size: Medium/Large

Nib material: Steel

Let’s go over it’s pros and cons.

Pros:

• Very inexpensive for what you get. Lots of value for dollar here!
• Piston filler – holds lots of ink.
• Cool design! I love demonstrators.
• The company’s customer service is A++! They’re the nicest company I’ve ever dealt with. If something breaks on your pen, and it’s a manufacture defect, they’ll send you a new pen or part for free, without a moments hesitation.
• Interchangeable nibs. Huge plus to me. Nib units screw in/out, with no mess, even when the pen is inked. The company gives you a case to hold the spare nib, so you can swap nibs on the go!

Cons:

• You may hate the design. Some people do not like demonstrator pens…
• Steel nib – not really a con to me though. I love my TWSBI nibs.
• The nibs can be (rarely) hit or miss. I have heard mostly good reports, but just a few bad ones. Luckily, if it’s bad, you can get a free replacement, no questions asked!

Overall, I have yet to find a modern pen that even begins to compete with the 540′s value for $. There is nothing quite like it!

Lamy Safari

German made, and built like an absolute tank, the Lamy Safari is a superb pen that can really take a beating. It comes in some wild colors, and it does look a bit goofy. However, if you have a rough job, you’re at school, or you have small children who love messing with your stuff, this may be your pen. It’s practically indestructible.

Details:

Price: $28.00!

Filling system: c/c (cartridge converter – comes with converter)

Size: Large, but lightweight

Nib material: Steel

Some ups and downs:

Pros:

• Very inexpensive, period.
• Practically indestructible. This thing is not built like a tank, it is a tank!
• Has interchangeable nibs, though  they’re not nearly as easy to swap as the TWSBI 540. The plus is that new nibs only cost about $11.00 – dirt cheap!

Cons:

• The design is not very nice, to me personally. The matte black version looks a bit better, but some of the brighter colors look very “pre-school”, if you know what I mean.
• c/c filler. Does not hold a lot of ink.

Overall it’s a great pen, and it just doesn’t break. If you’re rough on your stuff, the Lamy Safari will not be failing you.

Pilot Vanishing Point

One of my favorites in my collection. The Pilot Vanishing Point is a convenient pen, which is exactly what it’s designed for. It is one of the few pens that can be “operated” one-handed. There is no cap to this pen. Instead, it uses a clicking mechanism much like a ball-point, though it feels much smoother to operate.

Details:

Price: $130.00, give or take depending on the store.

Filling system: c/c (cartridge converter – comes with converter)

Size: Medium/Large

Nib material: 14k gold (with the exception of Limited Editions being 18k)

Pros:

• Really amazing, and convenient pen.
• Super fast for on the go writing.
• Very sturdy pen – great for travel.

Cons:

• You may hate the design. I love it. It’s usually one or the other – no in between.
• Does not hold a lot of ink. In fact it holds a very tiny amount compared to other c/c fillers.
• Lacks the “elegance” of a traditional fountain pen.
• It’s expensive for what you get. It’s worth it, but it’s not quite as much value as the TWSBI 540.

I really love this pen, and I highly recommend it. To me, it’s worth the price if you’ve got the money to spend.

For vintage pens:

Esterbrook J series:

One of my personal favorite vintage pens, Esterbrooks are what got me hooked on both vintage pens, and restoring them. Value for dollar, they’re amazing, and they come in such a variety, there’s one for everybody!

Details:

Price: $40.00 depending on where you buy it from. This is assuming it is restored to full working order.

Filling system: Lever filler.

Size: Small, medium, or large depending on which model you get.

Nib material: Steel.

Pros:

• Comes in a huge variety of sizes and colors. Three sizes, six colors. Lot’s to choose from!
• Lever fillers are classic, and fun.
• Interchangeable nibs. The replacements are very cheap (approx. $10.00 for most, with the exception of rare ones), so you can have a huge variety of nibs to pick from.
• Lever fillers are very easy to flush clean. This makes routine maintenance a bit easier and faster.

Cons:

• It’s vintage, so naturally it’s not “super” sturdy. It is strong enough to withstand perfectly normal use though.
• The nibs can be rather hit or miss. I recommend buying one from a restorer, who tests all the nibs before selling them. That’ll ensure you get a good one.

Overall, this is one of my top choices for anyone looking for a less-expensive vintage pen. They’re really fun! I more than highly recommend these.

Sheaffer Snorkel

A true classic. These pens are amazingly complex, and yet fun to use, and easy too. The filling system is pneumatic, utilizing air pressure via a plunger to compress an internal sac. The pen sucks ink through a tiny tube, called the “snorkel tube”. This makes it so that you never need to wipe your pen off after filling. Very nice!

Details:

Price: $60.00 depending on where you buy it from. This is assuming it is restored to full working order.

Filling system: Snorkel/pneumatic.

Size: Medium.

Nib material: 14k gold, or steel, depending on the model.

Pros:

• Amazingly fun filling system.
• Mess free filling.
• Interesting/unique design.
• Comes in many colors and models

Cons:

• Though reliable when properly restored, it does require more maintenance than some pens to keep in good working condition.
• It’s not a “tank”. I’d call it sturdy, but not abuse-ready.
• The filling tube always looks so fragile to me! Luckily it’s retracted into the pen during use, so the chances of hurting are practically none.

Overall, I really love the entire Sheaffer snorkel “family” of pens. They’re fun, quirky, and really good writers (most of the time). Highly recommended if you’re willing to pay for one.

Parker 51

The face of reliable vintage pens – The Parker 51 is iconic, and is one of the best vintage pens ever made. I dare to say it is the best vintage pen ever made. I will keep to the Aerometric filling system for this article. The Vacumatic filling 51’s are great, but I much prefer the aeros, especially for beginners.

Details:

Price: $80.00 depending on where you buy it from. This is assuming it is restored to full working order.

Filling system: Aerometric

Size: Medium.

Nib material: 14k gold in most cases (there are some “octanium alloy” nibs out there).

Pros:

• It just never fails. Once properly restored, they’re as reliable as a fountain pen can be.
• They look cool!
• They can take a beating, and then some. For a vintage pen, it doesn’t get any more rock-solid than this.

Cons:

• It doesn’t exactly look like a fountain pen. I’ve had it mistaken for a ball-point on multiple occasions.
• Nibs can be really bad if you buy one un-restored. Stick to good/trusted re-sellers and restorers.

Overall, there is not a vintage pen I recommend more highly than the Parker 51. If I had to bet money on a pen being reliable and good, my thoughts will always go to this one. If you can afford the cash, I urge you to buy one.

Where can I get one?

The last and final section of this series. Now that you’ve (hopefully) picked out a pen you like, you’re probably ready to buy it! The question is: where on earth do you get one? Well, there are lots of places to shop. some are good, some great, and others are not worth looking at. I’ll go over my favorites here, as well as the ones to avoid.

Recommended:

• Goulet Pen company

Probably my favorite online retailer of pen and ink stuff. They’ve got a huge selection, good prices, and amazing customer service. The owners of the business (Brian and Rachel + “the team”) are young, energetic, and fun people to deal with. Highly recommended.

• Fountain Pen Network

There is a marketplace section, where great deals can be had on new and old pens, vintage and modern – there’s a little bit (well, a lot actually) of everything! I have gotten the best deals on the FPN marketplace, and the forums are a great place to be too if you like to chat pens.

NOTE: You must have an account to sell on FPN. There a few other minor requirements. You can read the rules here.

(Editor’s note: Tiger Pens also sells a number of new fountain pens, including Pilot, Lamy, Parker, OHTO, Waterman and Jinhao.)

There are quite a few folks who re-sell restored vintage pens, including myself. Here is a list of the ones I trust the most:

• Tyler Dahl – Fountain Pens

Well of course I trust myself! Each month I put up around 12 restored vintage (and some modern) pens for sale. All are in fully functional order, and are guaranteed for a year. I occasionally do sales too, (New Years day coming soon!).

•  Richard’s Pens

As a fountain pen repairman myself, I greatly look up to Richard Binder. He is an icon of the FP world. He also lists a monthly tray of vintage restored pens. His prices are more on the premium side, but the pens he sells are certainly well worth it, coming from such a master restorer.

• Main Street Pens – Ron Zorn

Ron Zorn is another restorer who I really look up to. He’s been in the business for many years, and is nothing short of amazing. He has a sales page which is updated every so often with new restored pens. Again, prices are on the premium side, but his work is worth it.

Stores to avoid!

I don’t want to name individual stores to avoid, so I’ll just give you some rules/guidelines to go by:

• If you’re buying a vintage pen, make sure the restorer is trustworthy, and offers a good warranty. The three restorers shown above all offer 1 year warranties. I’d personally recommend nothing less, but if you’re comfortable with a 3, or 6 month warranty, that might be an option. Just make sure it has one.
• Make sure you’re not paying for a “name”. Buying directly from the manufacturer, or from a high-end retail store will just cost more for the name on the package. I like to buy used, but if you want new, seek out the lowest price, without compromising quality and customer service of course.

There is just one “store” I will specifically point out to avoid, for beginners. This doesn’t apply to “seasoned” FP buyers.

Do not buy from eBay!

Let me say that one more time: Do NOT buy a pen (especially a vintage one) from eBay. You just don’t know what you’re getting. I’ve purchased dozens of pen that were “restored,” only to find them in need of a complete (real) restore upon arrival.

Well, I think that’s just about it! I’ve hopefully given you all the info you need to make a good, solid, wise, and enjoyable first-pen purchase. If you have any further questions, you can feel free to ask me anything at: tyler@tylerdahlpens.com.

About the author:

Tyler Dahl is a young and enthusiastic fountain pen fanatic. The youngest professional pen-repairer currently out there, Tyler spends much of his time with inky hands, and broken pens.

He keeps plenty busy running his part time restoration business, and two different blogs: Tyler Dahl Fountain Pens, and The Repairer’s Bench.

When he’s not blogging or repairing pens, he’s currently working on building a small house with his family in Tennessee, and helping run the family farm.

(Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments.

Part I covered the reasons for wanting a fountain pen, and the pros and cons of choosing vintage or modern pens. Part II continues with more detailed criteria for selecting a pen.)

Wow! There are so many choices! Can you explain them to me?

Design:

For me, a fountain pen must look aesthetically pleasing if it’s going to get anywhere near my “to-buy” list. I have a feeling that this is important to most of us. Form over function – yes, but I still want a pen that I enjoy looking at and handling. To best show you some different styles, I’ll go over the basics, and include lots of pictures!

Classic pens

A classic pen, to me anyway, is a pen that shows a design that is not flashy, but not plain. It’s classy! Much like a fine suit, a classic pen is just the right thing for those who love formal, but not stiff.

Here is a personal favorite of mine. This pen is far beyond the price range we’re looking at in this article, but it’s the perfect example of a classically designed fountain pen. Shown below is a Pelikan M805 – Produced by a company founded in the early 1840’s, known as the Pelikan Pen Company. This pen however, is a modern pen, being produced in the last few years. Everything about this pen – the lovely pinstripes, the subtle trim, the beautiful nib – it’s a true perfectionist’s outcome of the word “classy.”

Here is another classic-looking beauty. This one however, is a vintage pen. This particular model is a Parker Vacumatic, in the “Major” size. The color is Azure blue, and this one sports a very rare BB stub nib (more on nibs later). This pen has the same classic elegance the above pen, but you can tell it’s vintage, from certain features. There is simply a “thing” about vintage pens that set them apart.

Next up – “cool” pens:

For all you guys reading this article – here is your type of pen! “Cool” pens, as defined by me, are fountain pens that are just plain cool. Best example of course is a picture:

This here is a Pilot Vanishing Point, in the matte black color. This is a pen that I own myself, and is one of my favorites. Though not cheap, this is certainly a viable option for a beginner’s pen, if you can afford it. If you really like this one, I’ve got a whole review of it here. This pen just screams “I’m cool”! And it’s the truth. Everything about the sleek lines, matte texture, and stylized clip – it all looks like something that Batman might use, if he had a fountain pen (maybe he does…).

Retro pens!

This is one area where vintage pens are the winner every time. If you love that retro-awesome look, take a gander at this pen!

This pen here is an Esterbrook – an extremely popular brand of vintage fountain pens. This pen will be shown below, as it is one of my top recommendations for vintage pens! Coming in a variety of colors and sizes, the Esterbrook J series is one awesome looking pen. The pen below is a red Esterbrook, full sized model. They come in green, blue, copper, grey, and black as well!

Elegant pens:

These pens are usually very simple clean. They are very understated, but at the same time, they stand out in their own special way.

This here is a Pelikan M205 – all white, rhodium trim (silver colored as opposed to gold colored). Many people tend to think of white pens as “ladies only” pens, but I disagree. I love white pens, though I will say that are prone to staining, which is a disadvantage.

Modern:

The pen below could also classify as cool, but it is such a perfect example of a modern pen, that I think it needs to be here.

This is the Lamy 2000 – a personal favorite of mine (reviewed here!). This pen is a beautiful clash of design, and function. It’s a utility pen that looks like a piece of modern art. Very cool.

Weird pens:

A strange category, I know.

I call any pen that is just abnormal, a “weird” pen. Here’s a prime example of one, being one of my favorite pens as well.

The TWSBI Diamond 540 (and 530). This pen is called a demonstrator. This means that it’s made of clear plastic, and is built in such a way that the internal components can be clearly seen. I really love demonstrator pens, but some people just don’t. I all comes down to a matter of personal preference.

Now that we’ve covered some of the different types of pen designs out there, you will hopefully be able to better choose a pen that you like. It’s a tough choice, but just remember: feel free to experiment! Buy a pen, try it out, and sell or trade it later on. That’s why I highly recommend joining a community, like the Fountain Pen Network, were you can trade, and buy/sell with other FP enthusiasts.

Size:

This is very important to some people, so I thought I’d go over it real quick.

Some people find certain pens very uncomfortable due to their size. This is once again matter of personal preference. I have always been the type who can use pretty much any sized pen, so long as it’s within the normal range (not XXXS or XXXL).

Here’s a quick comparison sot of some relatively common pens.

We have here, from left to right:

• Pelikan M800. I consider this a large pen, but not quite oversize. It’s very heavy though.
• TWSBI Diamond 540. This pen is almost the exact same size as the Pelikan M800, but it’s much lighter.
• Pilot Black Matte Vanishing Point is very long when the button is included, but since you wouldn’t want to rest your hand there, it drops down to the size of the next pen:
• Pelikan M200. This pen is a small pen. I think the size is very nice, but some people with large hands may find it to hard to use.
• Namiki Falcon. This is kind of a mid-range pen. Not big, not small. Pretty much right in the middle.

Another thing to consider for size is the thickness of the grip-section, simply referred to as the “section” by most of us. A Pelikan M800 has a very thick grip section, as does the Pilot Vanishing Point. The Pelikan M200 and Namiki Falcon both have much thinner sections.

I prefer a bigger section to grip on, as it’s more comfortable for me. Chances are though, if you’re not picky, you won’t have too many problems.

Nibs

This is a very important consideration in choosing the right pen. The nib is the part of the pen that actually touches the paper, and makes the words (or lines if you like to draw). Without a good nib, any fountain pen (even the nicest one), is worthless, except for use as a decoration.

I’ll try to keep this is short, but easy to understand. First I’ll cover nib sizes:

Nib Sizes:

It’s important to pick the right size of nib for yourself. You don’t want to end up writing with something so big that you can’t read your own cursive, and you don’t want a line so small that you can’t see it. This is purely personal preference again, so I will just show you the options, and give you my personal suggestions.

All companies will offer you the choice of a F, M, or B nib. That would be “fine”, “medium”, and “broad”. Some companies even offer XF, XXF, BB, and BBB options. We won’t get into those, because honestly, I think they’re a bad choice for a new FP user.

Sadly, there is not “standard” for sizing nibs. This means that one companies F might be close to another companies medium. Generally speaking, Japanese made nibs tend to run a size smaller, and German nibs tend to run a size bigger.

Going off of what is approximately average, here’s what I recommend:

Fine nibs: If you like using .05mm 0.5mm lead in your mechanical pencil, and you love those nice ballpoints with the “ultra-fine” tips, I would recommend a fine nib for you.

Medium nibs: If you like using .07mm 0.7mm lead, and normal “bic ink sticks”, you’ll probably love a medium nib.

Broad nibs: Do you like the soft line of those thicker HB pencils? Perhaps you like to write with a Sharpie “ultra-fine” marker? A B nib is very close to these, and will probably be very satisfactory to you.

Once again, this boils down to a personal choice. I will say this – if you’re unsure, go with the smaller size. If you pick one to small, at least you can use it while you decide what to do. If you get a nib to big, you may not be able to even write with it.

Nib styles:

There are many different “types” of nibs that I simply won’t go into in this article. These are things to discover for yourself as you learn more about fountain pens. For a good starting point, read my extensive nib article here. This will jump start you on all the basics of nibs, and a little beyond.

Nib materials:

Many pens offer luxurious 14k and 18k nibs. Most inexpensive pens offer steel nibs. There is much discussion on gold being better than steel, however you can take my word for it – a steel nib, if properly tuned, can write just as good, if not better than any gold nib.

Filling systems:

Yet another important aspect of selecting a new fountain pen: You need to select a filling system that you like. Loading up your pen with ink can become a chore if you have a filling system that requires re-filling often, is difficult to use, or is unreliable.

For the sake of time, I will cover the most common filling systems. These are the ones you will see first, and will run into most often.

c/c filler:

A c/c filler is short for a cartridge/converter filling system. This is the most common filling system of all, especially with pens under $100.00. A c/c filler is a pen that is equipped to take a cartridge, or a converter. A cartridge is a small plastic tube filled with ink. Once the ink is gone, you toss it. A converter however, is for use with bottled ink, and uses a small piston mechanism to draw ink into the pen. It is reusable until the mechanism wears out.

Pros:

• A c/c filler is convenient because you can keep a few spare cartridges in your bag or purse. Then if you run out of ink, you can refill on the go.
• Easy to replace if it ever becomes damaged, and new ones are only $5.00 or so.

Cons:

• Holds very little ink, in most cases.
• They’re just not very “fun” to use.

Piston filler:

A piston filler is like a giant version of a c/c filler. Instead of being a converting unit that is installed into the pen, a piston is built into the pen. Piston fillers are known for reliability, and massive ink capacity. Pistons do need to be serviced every once in a while, but this is something that you can usually do yourself.

Pros:

• Holds lots of ink! This is very important to me.
• Very reliable.
• Piston fillers are very fun to operate and use.
• They don’t wear out under normal use.

Cons:

• They need to be serviced every once in a while.
• If you like to change ink-colors often, you may not like the huge capacity.

Lever filler:

Most commonly seen on vintage pens, lever fillers use an internal reservoir (made of latex, called a “sac”) to hold ink within the pen. Lever fillers are classic, iconic, and are very easy to use. They hold a moderate amount of ink, and last for a very long time.

Pros:

• Fun and easy to operate.
• Last for a pretty long time before wearing out, and need no service along the way.
• It’s a classic!

Cons:

•  They do eventually wear out, in about 30-50 years if properly taken care of. Replacement can be done at home, if you’re adventurous and want to invest in some inexpensive tools. Otherwise, one can get them restored for around $25.00 – $30.00.
• Unlike modern plastics, they do not take abuse well. The internal latex sac can be destroyed if ink is left to dry out in it for months without use.

Eyedropper:

An eyedropper pen is one that fills by using a syringe, or eyedropper to shoot ink straight into the pen barrel. These fillers hold the most ink of any kind, but they present some minor annoying problems.

Pros:

• Holds TONS of ink!
• No maintenance, no mechanics, never wears out.

Cons:

• Can be inconsistent when it comes to ink flow.
• They can blob/drip ink onto the page during writing. High end ones may have an air-valve to prevent this, but most of those are in the $300.00+ range.

Okay, I think that has basic filling systems covered. Ready to move on? Good, so am I.  There are dozens more filling systems out there, but I simply can’t cover them all.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, what you get is what you like. If you want an eyedropper-filler, and you don’t care if it has some minor problems, then go for it! I am just making suggestions, and giving you the info you need to make a purchase that you’ll enjoy.

Be picky, be selective, have fun!

Coming up tomorrow in Part III, Tyler makes some suggestions on the best pens for first-time buyers.

About the author:

Tyler Dahl is a young and enthusiastic fountain pen fanatic. The youngest professional pen-repairer currently out there, Tyler spends much of his time with inky hands, and broken pens.

He keeps plenty busy running his part time restoration business, and two different blogs: Tyler Dahl Fountain Pens, and The Repairer’s Bench.

When he’s not blogging or repairing pens, he’s currently working on building a small house with his family in Tennessee, and helping run the family farm.

(Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments.)

Hello to all of you who are reading this article! My goal here today is to help you in picking out your first fountain pen! It’s a difficult decision, and selecting the right one can be difficult. There are so many options, and with all the great articles and reviews out there, it can be mind boggling to a beginner.

By the end of this series, you should be able to make a wise choice on selecting your first pen. If you’re having a hard time, you can always send me an email, and get a personal response to your questions. Though I am a bit busy with business sometimes, I always make time to talk pens with people, especially beginners.

As with all my reviews and articles, I’m going to provide you with a little list of what we’ll be covering here. By breaking this down into categories, you should have an easier time not getting lost during the read, and scanning through if you bookmark it for reference.

My personal writing style is very “conversational”. I hope you’ll enjoy it, cause I sure love writing it! The way I’m going to break up this into categories is by using questions, and answers. Here goes:

• Part 1: Why would I want a fountain pen, and which is better for me, vintage or modern?
• Part II: Wow! There are so many choices! Can you explain them to me?
• Part III: What pens would you recommend for beginners?

Now, with that list in mind, the best place to begin is at the beginning, with question No. 1.

I’ll begin with a short list of the benefits of using and owning a fountain pen.

•  They’re downright fun. This may sound like a lame reason, but it’s not. Writing can sometimes become a chore, and a burden. By using a writing instrument like a fountain pen, writing can become a joy!
• They’re better for your hands. Ever gotten cramps from writing? Chances are you were using an “ink-stick”. This is the term which fountain pen owners use to denote a ball-point pen, usually of the “100 for $5.00) variety. A fountain pen is much better for long periods of writing, allowing the hand to relax, and write without becoming fatigued.
• The personalization! Who doesn’t love a useful item, which is custom tailored to your hand? This is what makes fountain pens so much fun! There is SO much to customize with a fountain pen. Here’s some quick examples:
• There are thousands (hundreds of thousands) of pens to choose from. LOTS of variety. There is something there for everyone.
• Each pen can have a different type of nib, and a different filling system for drawing ink. For those of us mechanical geeks (like me), it’s really cool to pick out a pen with a complex ink drawing system.
• Ink colors! There are at least over 1000 different colors of inks available, from a variety of brands. You can’t even begin to approach that with a ballpoint! Best of all, a single pen can use as many inks as you like, one at a time of course. This means that you can own only one pen, but you can have a stash of 20 inks (or more) to choose from, each time you re-fill.
• Lastly (though there are many more reasons, I can’t give them all, for the sake of time), there is the nostalgia of using a fountain pen. Something sacred and wonderful about the “rituals” involved with caring for, and using it. Everything from filling it up, to cleaning it – it’s all special, and really keeps us close with our writing instrument. Sounds cheesy, but trust me, you’ll love it the first time you get to fill your fountain pen!

For me, a fountain pen is really just another tool. But it’s a special tool. One of the few tools that you can connect with, on a personal level. Though I consider myself a user, and not a collector, I still enjoy the intrinsic value of owning a fountain pen.

Indeed, in this modern day of smart phones, and super-techy gadgets, it is downright refreshing to have a delightful tool that never runs low on batteries, never has software crashes, and never gets outdated!

If you still don’t want a fountain pen now, I don’t know what to tell you! After all, what could you not love about a fountain pen? Sure, they require some light maintenance, and a little upkeep/devotion, but with a fountain pen, it’s fun to perform these tasks, not annoying. If you’ve decided that you do indeed want a fountain pen, read on for more information.

Vintage or Modern?

So, you’ve finally made the decision to buy a pen, right? Well now you’re probably looking at the dazzling array of different options available. There are hundreds of thousands of different pens on the market, and many of them have some extremely winning qualities. What you need to do is decide what you want for your fountain pen.

I group fountain pens into two main categories: vintage pens, and modern pens. There are ups and downs to both types of pens. I will explain here, the most important pros and cons of vintage and modern fountain pens:

Vintage fountain pens

Pros:

•  You often times get more pen for your $ than with a modern fountain pen.
• You get the added nostalgia of the pen being vintage .
• A vintage pen has history behind it, each one has a unique story.
• You might just prefer the retro style!

Cons:

•  Vintage pens tend to be more fragile (not all of them) than their modern counterparts.
• Vintage pens often need repair before they are functioning again. This is the same as restoring any antique when it has been out of use for a lengthy period of time. This is all dependent on where you buy your pen from. There are many reputable sellers of vintage pens who will guarantee them working for you. I will provide a list of places to purchase pens from at the end of this article.
• You might dislike the certain filling systems that vintage pens use. I personally love them! They are a lot more unique than most modern filling systems. I’ll talk more on filling systems in just a minute here.

Modern fountain pens:

Pros:

•  Modern pens are usually very sturdy, due to the new plastics we’ve invented recently. This is very important if you are a student, or work at a job where your pen will be subject to some light “abuse”.
• Many people, including me, prefer some of the modern styled pens. Most particularly when you’re looking at a lower price range.
• Modern fountain pens are guaranteed to work when you get them, unless of course you have a strange occurrence of a manufactures defect. Luckily most companies and retailers will replace your pen if it’s not working properly.
• Most modern pens will last longer without the need to be re-furbished. Vintage pens need their internal components replaced every 15-20 years, or more depending the filling-system.

Cons:

• Modern pens can have a tendency to not write well out of the box. This is not uncommon, but it’s not extremely common either. It is something that you should be aware of. Luckily if your pens has been purchased from a good re-seller, they will make sure that the nib has either been tested beforehand, or that they have a good return policy.
• You may dislike the filling systems available for modern pens. Most of them in the lower price range will feature filing systems that just aren’t as good as a vintage pen for the same price.

So now we’ve discussed the pros and cons of vintage and modern pens. In Part II, I am going to go into more detail on different aspects of them.

About the author:

Tyler Dahl is a young and enthusiastic fountain pen fanatic. The youngest professional pen-repairer currently out there, Tyler spends much of his time with inky hands, and broken pens.

He keeps plenty busy running his part time restoration business, and two different blogs: Tyler Dahl Fountain Pens, and The Repairer’s Bench.

When he’s not blogging or repairing pens, he’s currently working on building a small house with his family in Tennessee, and helping run the family farm.

Seth at Good Pens introduces one of his favorites, the Kaweco Sport fountain pen.

Tammy at Simply Madly Me gets down to the fine points of the Tul needle-tip gel pen.

The Beached Librarian finds much to recommend about the Pilot Parallel calligraphy pen.

Make It…a Wonderful Life shows off artwork by kids using tin foil and colored Sharpie markers.

George at My Supply Room displays a mint set of 1980s Bic pens from Canada featuring Wayne Gretzky.

Dave at Seize the Dave explains why he has just about given up on Moleskine notebooks.

Marta at Marta Writes gives us a look at her pen collection of Pentels, Paper Mates and Sharpies.

Sara at Miscellaneous Ramblings of a Thirty-Something DIYer shares her drawing of Coraline (from the movie).

Cheryl at Writer’s Bloc asks and answers the question, “Does Fast-Drying Fountain Pen Feather?”

Azizah at Gourmet Pens deconstructs the Stainless Steel Sharpie Pen.

I usually have low expectations when picking up a regular ballpoint pen.

Before the point even touches the page, I know the writing experience is going to be less than smooth, and the ink is going to be ‘meh.’ That’s just the nature of ballpoint pens – they’re meant to be inexpensive and adequate, but uninspiring. Plow-horses, not thoroughbreds.

So,  the Pentel Vicuna 0.7 mm turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It’s easily one of the smoothest ballpoints I’ve ever used, and, while not spectacular, the low-viscosity ballpoint ink is certainly more liquid and more vibrant than typical ballpoint paste.

The Vicuna debuted last year and has slowly been spreading to international markets, recently making its arrival at Tiger Pens. Apparently, the initial marketing of the pen indicated that it was targeted at female pen buyers, which doesn’t really track because there is nothing particularly feminine about the pen.

Design

The barrel is a mix of semi-translucent plastic and darker rubber. The plunger mechanism is solid, with little play in its movement. The clip is simple, made of clear plastic. The barrel is slim on the top and flares out midway into the grip, which consists of shallow grooves cut into the rubber.

The overall appearance is sleek, simple and attractive, particularly the blue model. It’s comfortable enough; however, the pen is extremely light, giving it a bit of an insubstantial feel. The refill also seems comparatively small, adding to the sense that this is not a sturdy, long-lasting pen.

Ink

According to Pentel, the ink in the Vicuna is a pigment hybrid designed to be thinner than regular oil-based ballpoint ink. As a result, it lays down a slightly wetter line with bolder color than usual – not gel quality appearance, but definitely an improvement over the norm.

(One thing I noticed was that the color intensity seemed to fade slightly as I wrote.)

Writing with the Vicuna produced serviceable ink distribution without a lot of skipping or clumping. It tended to smear more than a straight ballpoint paste would. At one second of drying time, there was significant smudging. The smudging was slight at three seconds and minimal at five seconds.

Writing experience

This is where the Vicuna really impressed me.

Yes, I had to bear down more with the pen than I would with, say, a G2. But, it didn’t require an uncomfortable amount of pressure, and the overall writing experience was smooth, continuous and flowing. There was a clear and discernible difference in the level of friction generated by the Vicuna and a normal ballpoint pen.

On a scale of 1-10, I would put the Vicuna’s smoothness about a 7.

That counts for a lot, as far as I’m concerned.

But…

To me, the number one selling point of a ballpoint pen is the lower cost when compared to gel or liquid ink pens.

People don’t buy them primarily for performance, but because they are cheap and reliable (or reliable enough, anyway). These are pens that can be easily replaced when they stop working. Of course, the tendency to smear less and adhere more easily to some surfaces helps, but it still usually comes down to cost.

And that is where the Vicuna fails…and why, frankly, I just don’t understand the purpose of the Vicuna.

At more than US$2 per pen, they’re overpriced for ballpoints, even refillables, considering that Pentel already offers the much less expensive but still serviceable Superb RT and WOW ballpoints, among others. And the Vicunas don’t perform well enough to compete with any of Pentel’s gel pens – especially when you can buy the far superior Pentel EnerGel-X for less than the cost of a Vicuna.

(By the way, while this pen may be Pentel’s answer to the Uniball Jetstream RT, it isn’t nearly on that level.)

So, as much as I like Pentel pens in general, I can’t recommend the Vicuna. Not at the current price.

If you’re in the market for ballpoints, go with the Zebra Z-Grip instead. Or just step on up to a gel pen.