My boss told me I can only use work-appropriate colors. What qualifies as work-appropriate? Although it may seem boring, work-appropriate is usually black, washable blues, blue-black, and red if you really need to highlight something.
Catalog #77: The upcoming December 2015 Catalog (#77) will open to the public at 11:00 AM EST on Tuesday, December 1. As has been our tradition, the December will feature a large group of mint-in-the box pens (vintage; modern; limited edition), perfect for your collection, use and as holiday presents. Don’t forget that Gift Certificates will be available right from the Catalog. These are very popular – and it’s not too early for you to …
This 1918 Parker “Black Giant” is an interesting pen. A lot of vintage pens tend to be on the smaller side, so this one definitely stands out. Have a look at it (Pen #10) next to the other pens! It’s a wide pen. The “Black Giant” eyedropper-filler here is in Black Hard Rubber. Parker’s first “Giant,” the “Red Giant,” introduced in 1909 at $10, failed because the cap was too brittle and Parker was losing …
Some people have the idea that vintage pens are boring and are usually just plain black hard rubber. Not this one! Here is a 1925 Waterman 52 lever-filler set in Cardinal Hard Rubber. What a great color! Very rare – especially in this condition! Extra-fine, flexible, italic nib. New-old-stock. Except for a slight shade difference where the barrel was covered by the cap, mint in original box. Not only is it a great color, the condition …
It sounds a bit crazy to have rules with fountain pens. They’re not really rules. They’re just things I like to remember, and things I suggest to people who ask me what they should do as they venture down the rabbit hole. Although not putting India ink in your fountain pen should be a rule. Do you have any fountain pen rules, or things you like to stick to?
Catalog #74 Sale: We are pleased to announce a sale of 10% off of any item remaining in Catalog #74. There are about 60 items remaining – hopefully one will be just what you’re looking for. Please be sure to also check out the remaining pens in the other active Catalogs.
What’s so great about those pigmented/carbon inks? Inks like Platinum Carbon Black and Sailor Kiwa Guro Pigmented Nano Black are nice inks because they are so dark and intense, especially for those who like a really solid color. They’re great for artists who use them in watercolor drawings, those who sketch, and if you need an ink that is water-resistant. The downside is these inks contain fine particles that can clog your pen’s feed, so …
I admit, I still like a lot of ballpoints, and I carry several with me most of the time. Dr. Roe is right though: the feeling of writing with a smooth, well-ground flexible gold nib is unreal. The sensation of a nib gliding across paper is magical. I love it. Sheer pleasure? Yep.
This 1906 John Holland has an unusual filling mechanism. A model 52 “Pull-Filler” in gold-fill Repousse on BHR. Circles of high repousse roses on an etched “bark” background. Exquisitely beautiful! Sometimes called the “saddle-fill”, since it’s a saddle shaped device the user lifts to fill the pen. Holland claims to have started fountain pen manufacture in 1865, and introduced this particular filling mechanism in 1906 (a year after they introduced their “sleeve-fill” pens), and used it …
Do water-resistant inks damage pens? It can happen. Iron-gall/permanent inks are acidic and can corrode the metal parts of your pen, especially if they are constantly exposed to the ink. This can take time, so you probably won’t have a crumbling nib after one use, but it’s wise to practice proper pen care and maintenance.
