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Technoronin
5
Aug 15, 2015
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My order arrived yesterday. I haven't used a fountain pen in decades. Started playing with the disposable Pilots. They seem nice, but the tip is a bit broad for my taste. Usable, but I usually use the Pilot .5mm pens. For future reference, what should I look for in a fountain pen to get that kind of thin line?
Second question: do you have pointers to lessons on beautiful penmanship for these pens?
Aug 15, 2015
cjnludlow
2
Aug 19, 2015
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TechnoroninI believe the Pilot Varsity has an M nib, which will get you a slightly thicker line. If you want something with a finer line, I'd look for a pen that comes with an F or EF nib, although they do tend to be a bit on the scratchy side due to the narrow tip and tend to be a bit drier than something with a broad or even an M nib.
And to get beautiful penmanship, find a style you like and replicate it. I looked at some cursive styles and just filled up pages upon pages until I was consistently getting a beautiful form on each letter. I have a notebook with about six pages filled of majuscule Gs and minuscule Zs!
Aug 19, 2015
Technoronin
5
Aug 26, 2015
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cjnludlowIt's tough to figure out what kind of nib the Pilot Varsity has. Looking on Amazon, I see some that are apparently from Japan with a finer nib. I haven't ordered any yet.
My next problem is finding appropriate notepads to use. I have some Sam's mini legal pads that bleed through badly, probably because of porous paper. Any suggestions for legal pads that I can easily order that will work much better? I'm someone who writes lots of lists and discards them frequently, so I'm looking for something closer to regular office supplies instead of high end calligraphy paper.
Aug 26, 2015
KAPS1M0
378
Sep 15, 2015
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TechnoroninFor nib sizes, check the comparison tool on Goulet Pens called the Nib Nook. I'd say you should generally stick with Asian fine nibs (Pilot, TWSBI, Platinum) or European extra fine nibs. www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook
As for paper, no matter what your preferences might be, Rhodia should have you covered. A wide range of products in various formats, with smooth but not too sleek paper and what I would describe the "right" amount of feedback. Especially for someone who likes lists, Rhodia notepads are excellent. From the pocket-oriented no.11 to the A4-sized no.18 (included in this drop), they all have great quality lined/graph/dot paper. Perforated too, so you can discard it easily. Pick and choose. Start with the Standard that is Rhodia paper and see what you like. You might then try Clairefontaine (sleeker than Rhodia) or Tomoe River (very thin paper that really brings the ink to life).
Sep 15, 2015
IATerakahn
48
Sep 19, 2015
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KAPS1M0I didn't know the paper really made much of a difference. I just had my first fountain pen break at work so I've been looking for a replacement.
Sep 19, 2015
Technoronin
5
Sep 19, 2015
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KAPS1M0I'm guessing that you aren't an American. It appears that Rhodia only does metric sized notepads, which are nothing but a headache in an American office.
Any other suggestions for finding good and inexpensive paper to write on?
Sep 19, 2015
KAPS1M0
378
Sep 19, 2015
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IATerakahnOh yes, it does. Cheap paper = feathering, bleedthrough, scratchiness Good paper = smoother, crispier lines and ink resistance
You might even find some nice paper at work. Look for a thicker (laser) printer paper, that feels smoother when you glide your fingertip over it and that shines a little. This would be a dense and coated paper. Rough and matte paper means bad performance when coupled with a fountain pen, because it usually is too porous and uncoated. For instance, HP makes some laser printer paper that is nice. And for a 500-sheet pack, I'd say the price isn't that high.
Sep 19, 2015
KAPS1M0
378
Sep 19, 2015
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TechnoroninYou're right, I am not. Unfortunately, the only American sized paper for fountain pens I know of is that of Clairefontaine's Classic Wirebound Notebook. http://www.gouletpens.com/clairefontaine-classic-wirebound-3-hole-punch-notebook/p/C8267
I guess you can always get a pack of heavier printer paper (I know HP makes good paper). http://www.amazon.com/HP-LaserJet-Brightness-Inches-11240-0/dp/B00006IDS1 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000099O2W/
Sep 19, 2015
GonzoTGreat
756
Sep 22, 2015
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TechnoroninIndeed. As @KAPS1M0 suggests, heavier laser printer paper should do the trick. Often 24# will work. 28# should do the trick if you're using inks that are more prone to bleeding. Non-laser printer (ie. paper made for ink-jets) is designed to absorb ink from the ink-jets -> less FP friendly. The 24# paper I use seems to hold up fairly well for most inks and was pretty cheap at a local Costco. If I want to take notes on it, I'll print lines or dots as I wish. A cheap monochrome laser printer is also reasonably economical for the template print-outs. If you do a search for dot-paper or lined-paper templates, you should be able to find a site or two that'll fit your needs for that, too.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Sep 22, 2015
KAPS1M0
378
Sep 22, 2015
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GonzoTGreatJust for reference, The Well-Appointed Desk [1st link] has some printing guides (and a lot of references and useful stuff like the refill guide, so bookmark it). Then there are the guide sheets provided by IAMPETH [2nd link]; they are calligraphy-oriented though. And then there are a lot of printable templates, either ready-to-download [3rd & 5th] or customizable [4th & 5th].
http://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/05/turn-a-blank-notebook-into-a-lined-notebook/
http://www.iampeth.com/collection/guide-sheets
http://www.printablepaper.net/category/dot
http://www.worksheetworks.com/miscellanea/graph-paper/dot-grid.html
http://paperkit.net/dottedpaper
Sep 22, 2015
JonasHeineman
5987
Sep 23, 2015
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KAPS1M0Great resources here, thanks @KAPS1M0!
Sep 23, 2015
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