Messages

976

Tools & Supplies / Re: Fountain pen ink

« on: August 03, 2015, 02:19:52 PM »

I'm coming to this all from the fountain pen world so I have many more FP inks than "real" dip inks.

One fountain pen ink that I've found to work beautifully well is a relatively cheaper ink by Monte Verde. Their ink is made in Austria and has some kind of extra ingredient that is supposed to make it flow well. It does! It just may be extra surfactant, but whatever it is, I mix it half-half with water and it is wonderfully kind on so many papers.

I have only tried the Burgundy, and they have limited colors, but you get 90ml for less than $13, and when you dilute it, that's half the price.

Here's what it looks like on absorbent cream cotton paper. On something less absorbent, it can look more translucent like walnut ink, but burgundy!

977

Tools & Supplies / Re: Looking for my first fountain pen purchase

« on: August 03, 2015, 02:03:39 PM »

There's a new and very good starter fountain pen out there to add to the good suggestions already mentioned. TWSBI is a Taiwanese pen company that has garned not only a lot of attention since starting up not that many years ago, but a very large and almost cult-like following among many. They've had some quality issues with earlier pens but they've worked hard to design those away, and their great customer service is one of the reasons for the loyalty.

These are not flexible nibs, but they do make italic nibs, and they hold a lot of ink as they're (almost) all piston fill pens.

The latest TWSBI (pronounced "twisby") is the Eco. (for Economical)  It sells for less than $30 in the US and is a fantastic bargain for that price. It comes in Black or White cap and end cap, both with a clear barrel, which is fun for seeing your colored ink sloshing around as well as when you're getting low. If you start to get adventurous, the nib is also easy to take out and then all you need is a nice flexible gold dip nib that fits and you may find yourself with a great and cheap (relatively) flexible fountain pen. And, you can get a 1.1 mm italic nib on it as well as the extra-fine, fine, medium and broad.

I have one and I'm very impressed for the price how nice of a pen it is. I also like it because you can take it completely apart (it even comes with a plastic wrench to disassemble the piston and instructions) to clean it and keep it maintained if you like. Or you can never touch it and it will work wonderfully.

978

Tools & Supplies / Re: Strathmore Writing Paper

« on: August 03, 2015, 01:11:08 PM »

If you have a USA address, we can send you a sample sheet.  Please indicate on your next order.  Or send an email to Michael at johnnealbooks dot com if you are not ordering soon.  Please include your address in the email.

Cheers, Michael

Thanks for pointing this out, and thanks, Michael for your generous offer.

I've written to see if I can get a sample. Always looking for that perfect paper.

979

Copperplate, Engrosser's Script, Roundhand Calligraphy / Re: Spirit of 1776

« on: August 03, 2015, 11:31:29 AM »

I love these old books. Thanks so much for sharing! Ultimately, I'd love to have a general, every-day kind of hand like this with which I could write letters.

I've started to keep my eye out for ones ever since I recently ran across a large ledger from 1853 in an auction pre-view. It turned out I couldn't make the auction itself, but I did take a quick picture of a page. What I also found a lot of fun was that the original blotter/pen wipe was still in the ledger 150 years later.

Now I wish I had placed a bid, so I'm starting to watch out whenever I can. I've seen some on the famous online auction site but it's a little difficult to get an idea of the quality of the writing sometimes.

Here's a photo I took you might appreciate.

980

Introductions / Inky Greetings from Durham, North Carolina (USA)

« on: August 03, 2015, 11:10:34 AM »

I'm quite happy to be here!

I've been dabbling with broad nib calligraphy since the late 70's in High School. I think it was a Sheaffer calligraphy set that got me started, which quickly moved into Speedball dip nibs. I've picked it up and put it down over the decades. I did a few small gigs (as I'm sure a lot of people have) doing invitations and envelopes, but nothing serious. It was merely my writing was relatively better than the person who hired me.

I also started getting into fountain pens about ten years ago and picked up that hobby more seriously a bit over a year ago. At the same time I decided to teach myself how to write cursive. I hadn't written in cursive, except my scrawl I call a signature, for about 37 years, since I left eighth grade.

This renewed interest in penmanship led me to the various forms, which lead to an interest in shaded writing. I then picked up my first flexible nib fountain pen, a vintage Conklin, which really kicked things off.

What threw me over the edge was looking at IAMPETH's website, and then digging through my old tackle box full of calligraphy holders and nibs to find a couple of small boxes of old nibs I had inherited from my Great Aunt Maude way back in the early 80's. (Oh, they're dip nibs, let's give them to Andrew since he "does" dip pens)

Well, I'm glad I held on to them. After sorting through, derusting and throwing out the broken nibs, I'm left with some pretty nice nibs. Maude had been a school teacher in a small, rural school in southern Indiana back in the 20's. I suspect a great many of these were ones she taught penmanship with. They include a couple of Spencerian No1, a very fun Spencerian Forty No 40 Falcon, a small selection of Esterbrook Bank Pens and several Little Red School house nibs of various kinds, some flexible some not. And a small group of flexible sub nibs as well including Spencerial Congressional nibs. I can post a complete list with pictures if there's any interest.

In early July I took a little road trip over to John Neal Booksellers just about an hour down the road in Greensboro. I picked up my first oblique holder (Century), some ink, and a couple of modern G nibs (Zebra, Tachikawa). I downloaded Dr. Vitolo's ebook onto my iPad, and printed out some guide sheets, and I've been obsessed happy with this new hobby ever since.

I have so much to learn, and I'm still in baby steps. I mainly see the problems with my writing at the moment, but I can see improvement over my attempts a month ago. I'm still looking for the perfect paper (though I just tried Tomoe River paper last night and was thrilled with how smooth it was, and how well it handled the ink while also being quite transparent to the guidelines sheet underneath, so it's a contender)

I've also been experimenting with what fountain pen inks work for pointed pen calligraphy. I know from my time with fountain pens, the three elements of pen, ink and paper combine to make the complete experience. When you get them all right, they make a world of difference. That's something else I can post the results of should I find the right place.

Well, that should about do it. If anyone's still reading at this point, I appreciate it, and I'm glad to be here. Can't wait to take a close look around and see what I can learn.

Andrew