Thread: More fountain pens!

So what is your favorite colors
Black
Blue
Brown
Green
Red
Other

Originally Posted by jnich67

I've seen the term "feathering" a lot on pen forums. What exactly does that mean? Thanks

Jordan

Feathering is when the ink soaks into the paper too fast and expands the ink beyond the intended line. Paper is the usual culprit. Paper is sized so that the ink stays on top of the paper until it dries. It's a balance to let enough ink soak into the paper to remain permanent, but not so much that it feathers. It's called feathering because it looks like a feather, the written line is the spine of the feather and the feathering is the barbs.

Other causes of feathering:
- the broader the nib, the more likely it is to feather
- ink flow is too wet
- ink additives to make the ink flow more smoothly also cause feathering

I collect "wet noodle" fountian pens, especially Conklin Crescents and Waterman EDs. A wet noodle is a super flexible nib (about as stiff as a paint brush) and can be used for Spencerian and Copperplate penmanship. I am a Spencerian penman and use slight pressure to control ink flow from extra extra fine (XXF) to BBB (triple broad). That's from a hairline to about 1/8 inch. So I use a lot of ink and have to be careful to use a well-sized paper.

If you write a line and it starts to spread out after you have finished, that's feathering.

Dave

Originally Posted by jockeys

Mike Blue has it. basically, it's when your ink bleeds. some people LIKE this phenomenon, mostly the types that use dip pens and write on parchment. most people hate it, because it makes otherwise neat handwriting look like crap.

Bleeding is a good description of feathering, but don't confuse it with shading. Bleeding and feathering are uncontrolled and unwanted, but shading is very controlled. I avoid bleeding and control my shading for Spencerian penmanship.

There was a time when flexible nibs and shaded writing were the norm. The flexible nib was replaced by the stiff manifold nib about the same time the DE made the str8 "old fashioned." I got into Str8s for the same reason I got into wet noodle fountain pens and Spencerian Penmanship.

Dave

Originally Posted by Tonsor

Bleeding is a good description of feathering, but don't confuse it with shading. Bleeding and feathering are uncontrolled and unwanted, but shading is very controlled. I avoid bleeding and control my shading for Spencerian penmanship.
Dave

I'm not confusing it with shading (or more commonly, "figuring" which is color variation due to ink flow variation), I was saying the some people like the spider-webby look of feathered ink when they are making a work look intentionally old. I am not one of them, but I do enjoy a good flexible nib with decent line variation. Never really gotten into Spencerian-capable nibs on my dip pens as they tend to be a bit fragile compared to my daily writers.

It's cool that you can do the Spencerian stuff, can you do the old school Copperplate at all? Always wanted to learn that, but never had the discipline for it.

Originally Posted by Don

So what is your favorite colors
Black
Blue
Brown
Green
Red
Other

depends on what I'm doing. If I'm writing on cream-colored paper (like a nice Moleskeine book) I like a nice brown, for instance I am currently using Noodler's Galileo Sketchbook Brown Bulletproof (FPN Ltd. Ed.) and it has a very nice look on cream paper.

For calligraphy I prefer a very saturated color like Noodler's Nikita Red or Luxury Hunter Green (both Bulletproof, it's all I use.)

For daily work writing, it's usually Noodler's Legal Lapis or Iraqui Indigo (both Bulletproof, my work writing must be solvent-resistant)

When I get tired of my fountain pen, I just make another one. I use MontBlanc black ink in my pens.

Originally Posted by jockeys

+1 on Pendemonium, they are good folks and will take great care of you.

I highly recommend Pendemonium. I've dealt with them for years. Sam and Frank Fiorella are great folks (Sam is Frank's wife). Their no quibble guarentee is real. They also have a premier custum grinding service. They charge $15 for a cursive italic grind. Most places charge $45 or more. A cursive italic, or stub, shades your writing without pressure. Sideways is thin and up and down is thick. If you print, this is an easy way to spice up your handwriting. I occasionally use one of their cursive italics to write cursive (Palmer Method). They also have some good deals on used pens that they grind.

Just a satified customer, not affiliated, &c.

Dave

Originally Posted by jockeys

It's cool that you can do the Spencerian stuff, can you do the old school Copperplate at all? Always wanted to learn that, but never had the discipline for it.

I love Spencerian. Sitting down and practicing is a lot like shaving with a str8. Same peace of mind, same satisfaction.

I went to the IAMPETH Convention (International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting) last summer. It was great. Besides all of the classes on Spencerian, I took a course on Engrossers' Script (aka copperplate). It's very different from Spencerian. I want to get better at Spencerian before I branch out to copperplate. IAMPETH has a great web site at www.iampeth.com that has lessons, videos, and examples of the master penmen from 100 years ago. Take a look, I think you'll like it.

Dave

Originally Posted by jnich67

I'm a lefty too. I'm in the process of "retraining" how I write. I'm going from an over-the-line or hook method to turning the page and writing from under the line. I think it's doable and I can write just fine with the fountain pen. You can buy a pretty inexpensive fountain pen and give it a try!

Jordan

I'm not a lefty, but I know fountain pen users who are, and successfully use an extreme page angle. They tilt the page to 90 degrees from their body. In other words, the right margin of the page is parallel to the edge of the desk. The top is to your right hand and the bottom to your left. This allows them to write down the paper and avoid dragging their hand through the wet ink.

Practice also helps. Spencerian is very wet, it takes a few minutes for my pages to dry. I smeared many practices when I started out. After a while, I just got used to avoiding the ink. It will help you if you use a fine nib and a fast drying ink. Noodlers and Private Reserve have some fast drying inks. As mentioned earlier, www.pendemonium.com is a good source, as is www.swisherpens.com I recommend both and both carry their own house brand inks made by Noodlers.

Dave

Originally Posted by Smiles

While we're talking pens, are there any rollerball pens that take can use Noodler's ink? Whether it's a screw type resevoir like Mont Blanc or a plunger like my Parker Latitude? Thanks!

There is the Montverde Mega Ink Ball. It uses international cartridges or you can fill from a bottle of fountain pen ink with a converter. I'm not sure if www.pendemonium.com has them, but www.swisherpens.com has them ($156).

I don't use ballpoints, rollerballs, or gel pens, so I cannot personally advise you on them, but many people seem to like them.

Montverde used to sell a c/c (cartridge or converter fill) rollerball for under $20, but I haven't seen those since the Mega Ink Ball took off. I saw these at Staples a couple of years ago.

Dave