Cyclops

I bought them off Amazon. I wanted to start out with inexpensive pens in case I didn't like them. As it turned out, I won't hardly use anything BUT a fountain pen anymore. Unless I absolutely have to. Like endorsing a check, at least for now. But the same pens on Amazon have a different name now, but the same pens, and I believe still a 4-pack.

I use a syringe and a cartridge from Platinum, Pilot, and Jinhao (so far), cut to fit the syringe, and flush my pens that way. I used to use the converters, but those took way too long. I have a flush recipe I got online, and it seems to work just fine. Makes a lot more for a lot less than what I could buy from an FP retailer.

It is a very smooth writer, much smoother than the Go I had. I gave that one away because it had far too much feedback for me. Dumb question: what is this "Primary Manipulation" you refer to?

I'm not sure what's going on with my phone, but for some reason it won't upload a photo. Anyway, i got my first Eco, EF. I loaded it with Writer's Blood, and started working on a book from Jacob Marley's point of view.

I have Monteverde Horizon Blue. I like the reddish sheen it has even on cheaper paper like the JOT brand composition notebooks.

I got a bottle of Writer's Blood for my new EF Eco. I'm using it to write a books from Jacob Marley's point of view.

Then maybe I should try and get an Ultra-Fine pen to use the Writer's Blood in.

I haven't been here for a while, but I have a few new additions. NI&PD had last month J. Herbin Perle Noir and Parker Quink Black; this month brought Diamine's Writer's Blood and Jet Black on Tuesday (the 16th), and then a TWSBI Eco, EF, Cerulean Blue, and Robert Oster Blue-Black today (Saturday, the 20th). For some reason, the pix won't load. Oh, well.

And NPD a week or so back, a 3-pk of Preppy .2s (black, blue/black, and red) with a small folder of arrow sticky notes for a price I absolutely could not pass by. Pens were less than $5 each (not counting the sticky notes; less if figuring the SNs into the price) and I've been wanting .2 EFs for the longest time. And of course the pic wouldn't upload.

Well, I have discovered that a Platinum Preppy EF and Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin are not a good fit. I had to keep pressing down a little to write. And that was my whole point in getting into fountain pens in the first place; so I wouldn't have to press down and mess with my arthritis. Anyway, I moved it to a Fine Preppy, and it's working just fine now. Possibly avoided a major cuh-tass-truh-fee. Maybe.

I'm really thinking about getting a couple of the wooden Jinhaos that look like Conklin's All-American. I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but someday. What I did do, though, is buy a bottle of Parker Quink, black, because one of the reviewers said he uses it on plain-Jane copy paper with no bleeding. I'm hoping it will do the same with the JOT composition notebooks I use. The Platinum Black ink does great with them, but a bottle of that is a lot more than the Parker. And I think the Parker has at least the same amount, if not a little more. So when it gets here, I'll fill an empty Platinum cart and try it out. After cleaning the pen, of course. I've read that Aurora Black is good for cheaper papers, too. I may give that a try as well. One of these days...

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, and have a blessed and happy new year.

After a much closer inspection, it appears that the nib isn't chipped or broken after all. What's the best way to fix a possibly out-of-alignment nib? If it turns out to be that, I mean. I'm going to re-ink it and see if it'll write.

How much do you want for it?

Yup, only have one good one left.

Would I use a pair of fingernail clippers, or do I need something stronger? This is my first rodeo with a broken nib.

Upon closer inspection, the tine did break off. But I had not thought about clipping the other to make an italic nib. I may just try that.

A magnifying glass is the closest thing I have to a jeweler's loupe. Maybe that will be enough. I know of no pen groups or stores in this one-horse town.

Situation: I accidentally knocked the nib of my Metropolitan against the edge of my desk. Not real hard, but it doesn't take much. It's been writing very "scratchily" ever since. I can't tell if something broke off, but it sure feels like it. Question: Is it worth sending to a nibmiester to fix (if even fixable), or more cost effective to just buy another pen? Maybe a cheaper one and switch out the nibs?

I'll have to look up Herlitz, as I'm not familiar with that name. I ask just because I'm looking for inexpensive ways to experiment with writing on thin papers. That's all.

Do any of y'all write on tracing, onionskin, or vellum paper? If not, why not?

My grail pen is a Montegrappa Hemingway Fisherman. The only way I could ever get one of my own would be if I won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Nobody I know personally is going to shell out upwards of $30,000 on a fountain pen. Come to think of it, even if I did win the PCH $7000/week for life, I still couldn't see myself spending that much for it. If I were in Musk's, Gates', or Bezos's financial situation, no problem. Otherwise...

I had asked about the holes in the Pilot Kakuno cap, and was told they're to prevent choking if a small child got ahold of it and tried to swallow it. But I was also told the Kakuno is kid-oriented, as maybe I should try a more "grown-up" pen. So I thanked the person for the cap info, and then informed him that I do have "grown-up" pens, but the Kakuno was easier on my arthritis.

The Conklin, yes. It's been a little less than 24 hours since I used it last, so I'm going to try it again.