Author Topic: New to Broad edge calligraphy  (Read 2725 times)

Offline saulyleeplans

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New to Broad edge calligraphy
« on: January 04, 2019, 06:26:07 AM »
Hi,
I have recently discovered a love of calligraphy and am teaching myself foundational calligraphy.  I will have lots of questions I'm sure, but my first is what is a good brand of pen for writing with that I can use cartridges or comes with a converter for ink wells?  I have been searching this forum for about 4 hours and I'm a bit confuddled so thought I would ask.

Thanks for your help

Lee

Offline Bianca M

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2019, 11:57:50 AM »
Lee,

The Pilot Parallel pens are great - you can get them at many places, but here's a link for Paper Ink Arts:

https://www.paperinkarts.com/nsearch.html?query=pilot+parallel&x=0&y=0&vwcatalog=yhst-141105795965626&.autodone=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.paperinkarts.com%2F

Offline RD5

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2019, 12:27:55 PM »
I would suggest a dip pen, I stared with a fountain pen but switched to a dip pen, because they are more economical and easier to switch colors.

If you really want a fountain pen Parallel Pens are a popular choice and have their own following. They have an unconventional design, but you write with them the same way. The more classic option is the Rotring Artpen, but the Lamy Joy is very similar and also from a good brand. I have the Rotring, but mostly use a dip pen.

For practice, I suggest you go big. Something between 2.5 - 3 mm, at least.

Offline A Smug Dill

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2019, 08:09:13 AM »
You could just get a Pilot Prera demonstrator model already fitted with a CM (Calligraphy Medium) nib at the factory; it will come with a Pilot (proprietary) converter included in the retail package.

(Prera models that are opaque do not come with included converters, and CM nibs are not an option offered with those.)

I've seen those in at least one bricks-and-mortar shop in Sydney – specifically, Kinokuniya in The Galeries Victoria – so they aren't impossible to get locally. However, I could order one directly from Japan, and (have to) pay for international shipping by EMS service, yet still come out on top expense-wise; no way such a pen should be selling for $81.

Or you could buy Pilot Plumix pens with the same type of nib (which are in fact interchangeable between the Prera, MR, Kakuno, 78G, Plumix and Penmanship models). Amazon sells them, at more reasonable prices that what I've seen on eBay for the same products.

But, in either case, to answer your question: Pilot is the brand of pen you're after.

You could, of course, opt to try a Lamy pen with an Italic nib instead; you can buy those nibs as separate retail products, and just fit them onto your Lamy Safari, Al-Star, Logo, CP1, etc. yourself; it's really easy to do. Or go all out and buy yourself an Aurora pen fitted with a factory Italic nib.

Offline RD5

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2019, 01:33:53 AM »
You could just get a Pilot Prera demonstrator model already fitted with a CM (Calligraphy Medium) nib at the factory; it will come with a Pilot (proprietary) converter included in the retail package.

(Prera models that are opaque do not come with included converters, and CM nibs are not an option offered with those.)

I've seen those in at least one bricks-and-mortar shop in Sydney – specifically, Kinokuniya in The Galeries Victoria – so they aren't impossible to get locally. However, I could order one directly from Japan, and (have to) pay for international shipping by EMS service, yet still come out on top expense-wise; no way such a pen should be selling for $81.

Or you could buy Pilot Plumix pens with the same type of nib (which are in fact interchangeable between the Prera, MR, Kakuno, 78G, Plumix and Penmanship models). Amazon sells them, at more reasonable prices that what I've seen on eBay for the same products.

But, in either case, to answer your question: Pilot is the brand of pen you're after.

You could, of course, opt to try a Lamy pen with an Italic nib instead; you can buy those nibs as separate retail products, and just fit them onto your Lamy Safari, Al-Star, Logo, CP1, etc. yourself; it's really easy to do. Or go all out and buy yourself an Aurora pen fitted with a factory Italic nib.

What is so great about Pilot and what is "Calligraphy Medium" for a size?

Offline A Smug Dill

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2019, 04:44:35 AM »
What is so great about Pilot

The O.P. was specifically asking about fountain pens (models utilising cartridges/converters as the filling mechanism, specifically) with broad-edged nibs. Pilot is one of the 'Big Three' Japanese manufacturer of fountain pens, with a good reputation for product quality irrespective of price point, and as far as I know all the Pilot pens on with broad-edged nibs (at least as an option) are made in Japan. She could go as low as about US$10 for a Pilot Parallel pen or Plumix pen (inclusive of GST and delivered to her in FNQ), or as high as US$400 or thereabouts for a Custom 743 fitted with a 14K gold #15 Stub nib, or somewhere in between for a Custom 74 or Custom Heritage 912 with a 14K gold (#5 and #10, in Pilot's nib sizing, respectively) Music nib, or even a Pilot Capless Vanishing Point pen fitted with a 18K gold Stub nib.

The entry barrier is lower budget-wise and the available options are more plentiful than, say, Lamy; getting a basic Lamy Safari and then a Z50 italic nib for it in Australia would set her back the price of four or five Pilot Parallel pens, and my experience with the Safari is that the cap is not very good at sealing the nib and section to prevent ink from drying out in a matter of days.

Monteverde USA (mostly made in China, if I'm not mistaken) and Aurora offer a fair range of pens with Stub and/or Italic nibs, but again the entry price point is far higher. I have a Monteverde Rodeo Drive fountain pen fitted with factory Stub nib (in steel) and I like it, but that cost me US$38+ not including international shipping, and then only because I snagged it at less than 50% of the retailer's list price when all the planets aligned. Trying to buy that from a local retailer – even one, such as Peters of Kensington, that sells online and will happily ship interstate to anywhere in Australia – would set her back rather more; and getting pens with Stub nibs from such places is not easy (because other than perhaps specialist pen stores, nobody here stocks pens that come fitted with Stub and Italic nibs).

Pilot is a far more accessible brand of pen in comparison.

Quote
and what is "Calligraphy Medium" for a size?

I'm not sure what you're asking me there. Pilot doesn't size it steel nibs in the way it sizes its 14K gold and 18K gold nibs (i.e. #5 on the Custom 74 and Custom Heritage 91, #10 on the C742 and C912 as well as the Custom Kaede and Hannya Shingyo, #15 on the C743 and C823, etc.) or how Bock, JoWo, etc. size their steel nibs (#5, #6, etc.)

Offline RD5

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2019, 10:13:54 AM »
That's all very confusing, most calligraphy fountain pens come in mm sizes.

I think you are making things too complicated. First, why buy a safari in order to put on a new nib on it, instead of just buying a Lamy Joy.

Second, why would anyone want a stub italic for broad edge calligraphy? For everyday italic? sure, for blackletter? Never.

Offline saulyleeplans

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Re: New to Broad edge calligraphy
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2019, 03:21:38 PM »
I now have a speedball set for calligraphy coming and a TWSBI with an italic nib coming for everyday writing.  Thanks everbody for the replies :)