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Mountain of Ink

mountainofink.com

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Re: Mountain of Ink

#61

Post by glitchc »

calmbonsai wrote: post #3

In the states, Goulet Pens is a wonderful niche retailer of inks and fountain pens. https://www.gouletpens.com/

I've been buying from Goulet for years, but lately their service has taken a major nosedive. I recommend people stay away from them now.

The last pen I received from them was broken. They would not take it back, asked me to deal with the manufacturer directly. Horrible customer service. After so many expensive pens (Pelikan, Pilot and Visconti), I won't be buying from them again.

Re: Mountain of Ink

#62

Post by bayindirh »

cropher wrote: post #58
bayindirh wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you carry your pens? Do you fly with them a lot?

Not at all. But it seems that the inside of the caps gets messy anyway. Probably from the nib making contact when capping.

Sometimes fountain pens "spit". This happens more frequently if the ink is low, the pressure changes or the pen get rocked a bit more than their liking.

Carrying pens nib up, in a pocket or bag helps. Also some pens are more resistant to this. From my experience Lamy, Faber Castell and Kaweco makes most spit-resistant and accessible pens. I can recommend Lamy Safari, Kaweco Perkeo or Faber Castell Grip 2011 (basically a Perkeo in a different shell), if you want to explore further.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to help.

Re: Mountain of Ink

#63

Post by cropher »

bayindirh wrote: post #62
cropher wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not at all. But it seems that the inside of the caps gets messy anyway. Probably from the nib making contact when capping.

Sometimes fountain pens "spit". This happens more frequently if the ink is low, the pressure changes or the pen get rocked a bit more than their liking. Carrying pens nib up, in a pocket or bag helps. Also some pens are more resistant to this. From my experience Lamy, Faber Castell and Kaweco makes most spit-resistant and accessible pens. I can recommend Lamy Safari, Kaweco Perkeo or Faber Castell Grip 2011 (basicall…

Thanks for the advice!

I think another reason for messy fingers is the way I hold the pen. It's easy to come into contact with the nib or the exposed part of the feed when you're not careful.

I might just be a bit clumsy. :)

Re: Mountain of Ink

#64

Post by bayindirh »

cropher wrote: post #63
bayindirh wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sometimes fountain pens "spit". This happens more frequently if the ink is low, the pressure changes or the pen get rocked a bit more than their liking. Carrying pens nib up, in a pocket or bag helps. Also some pens are more resistant to this. From my experience Lamy, Faber Castell and Kaweco makes most spit-resistant and accessible pens. I can recommend Lamy Safari, Kaweco Perkeo or Faber Castell Grip 2011 (basicall…

Thanks for the advice! I think another reason for messy fingers is the way I hold the pen. It's easy to come into contact with the nib or the exposed part of the feed when you're not careful. I might just be a bit clumsy. :)

You're most welcome. :)

> I might just be a bit clumsy. :)

We all are, don't feel bad about it.

Lamy Safari, Kaweco Perkeo and Faber Castell Grip 2011 have triangular grips which forces you to hold the pen correctly. Many people find these uncomfortable, but I love them. Because it allows me blindly open them (i.e.: Oh I need to take note of this, where's my pen?) while looking to the screen or elsewhere.

We all start from somewhere. Using fountain pens is not an instinctual thing. Also, even after trying these and decide that fountain pens aren't for you, that's perfectly OK, too.

From my experience, when you get used to fountain pens, they're not messier than a ballpoint pen.

Hope these tips help,

Have a nice day! ;)

Re: Mountain of Ink

#65

Post by cosiiine »

I am a fountain pen convert myself, and use them almost exclusively these days for my algorithmic plotter art. This website is a fantastic resource that I’ve referred to countless times.

I’ve even written my take on why they’re such great devices for machine art: https://lostpixels.io/writings/fountain-pens-plotters

Re: Mountain of Ink

#66

Post by throwanem »

glitchc wrote: post #61
calmbonsai wrote: post #3

In the states, Goulet Pens is a wonderful niche retailer of inks and fountain pens. https://www.gouletpens.com/

I've been buying from Goulet for years, but lately their service has taken a major nosedive. I recommend people stay away from them now. The last pen I received from them was broken. They would not take it back, asked me to deal with the manufacturer directly. Horrible customer service. After so many expensive pens (Pelikan, Pilot and Visconti), I won't be buying from them again.

Which pen?

Re: Mountain of Ink

#67

Post by crabl »

agambrahma wrote: post #16

I think people over-complicate fountain pens a lot. I have a Lamy Safari that I got in 2012 and works just as well today. It's what I still recommend to anyone who asks what to get. Just get the pen, with its cartridge, add more cartridges -- you can stay here and already you're way better than with most standard ball pens that you'd be using otherwise. Then, get the small converter, plop it in, get your first bottle…

the Zebra disposable fountain pens are EXCELLENT for how cheap they are, it's honestly a shame they're not refillable

Re: Mountain of Ink

#68

Post by lagniappe »

cosiiine wrote: post #65

I am a fountain pen convert myself, and use them almost exclusively these days for my algorithmic plotter art. This website is a fantastic resource that I’ve referred to countless times. I’ve even written my take on why they’re such great devices for machine art: https://lostpixels.io/writings/fountain-pens-plotters

I see you were bit by the Iroshizuku bug

Re: Mountain of Ink

#69

Post by lagniappe »

doom2 wrote: post #60
voidUpdate wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What hand position do you use? The equivalent of a right handed person, or a specialised one to move your hand away from the writing?

This is why I can't get into fountain pens (also left handed). I want to hold a pen like a right handed person does. I want to use the inks, pens, and papers that everyone else uses without taking special consideration for my being left handed. Why should I have to learn to write underhand or to hook my wrist or to tilt the paper when I write, just to avoid smudging? I don't see right handed people doing it.

It'd be easier to learn to write right handed. It takes about 3 months, speaking from personal experience, to change your dominant hand.

Re: Mountain of Ink

#70

Post by throwanem »

bayindirh wrote: post #55
throwanem wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Strong recommend. Brian's a friendly and diligent guy, always ready to help research and solve customer problems. The only fountain pens I don't get from Goulet Pens are the ones they don't sell.

Once I bought something from them and they shipped it here, overseas. The packaging arrived perfectly. I really wish them all the best. If you talk with him, and if you can relay this, I'd be glad.

We're not quite that close, sad to say; for the most part I'm just a very happy customer, and past that we once collaborated via email to find and source a suitable replacement part for my Decimo, when it extruded its body joint o-ring a few years back. But I'm sure he'd be glad to hear from you!
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