Thread: Dip Pens

Being a person who appreciates the older ways of doing things I am often curious about how things were done before the tools we have today were around. We can't really go back much further with our straight razors. I don't think anyone here wants to be shaving with sharpened bits of sea shells.

But with pens many of us have gone from the cheap disposable plastic ball point pens and embrased fountain pens. So on a recent trip to Melbourne when I walked past a store sellling traditional paper products I couldn't resist a look. I was expecting to see a cabinet full of new and expensive fountain pens. But there were no fountain pens anywhere in the shop. The shop owner looked down on fountain pens in the same way that most of us will look down on todays five bladed disposable plastic razors.

So before there were fountain pens there were dip pens. Imagine the monk transcribing a book. Dipping the nib of his pen periodicly into the bottle of ink. What I ened up buying was a dip pen and a bottle of ink. And best of all, because it just consists of a piece of wood and a stamped nib it was much cheaper than I expected.

Now that I am back home I have bought myself a journal and have been writing entries in cursive script as an exercise to improve my hand writing. I am someone who is known for illegible hand writing and I have noticed that my writing is so much neater and legible when writing with a dip pen. Even my wife can read my hand writing now.

It seems to be the way, the older way of doing things is often the best.

You should also try a glass pen too.

Hey ndw76, do you remember the name of the Melbourne store that supplied dip pens?

yeah, I think it was called Illpapero, or something like that. I think it was on one of the little lane ways, maybe little Collins stree.

Originally Posted by ndw76

... I don't think anyone here wants to be shaving with sharpened bits of sea shells...

I do...

In regards to the pen and the script, I discovered this a little while ago. I'd been using a fountain pen or four for a year or so; I thought a dip pen would be hard to use; and in fact at first it was. Then I realised it had oil on it, and when I washed it in hot water it became excellent...

I have of late whiled away an afternoon writing rubbish in cursive; and trying to remember how to link the characters...

It's a great subject, thanks for bringing it up...

A friend of mine was asking me recently about Quill pens, and where he might buy one from, I told him just to make some. We went out and got some birds feathers from nature and a few bright coloured ones from a store and I showed him how to cut a nib. He and his kids are quite happy with that. Last I was there they had a whole assortment of inks as well. Of course, you can buy better Quills with nice machine made nibs that work better than hand cut ones, but it filled a purpose and they were all happy with it.


Mick

Carl, if you are interested in writing cursive with a dip pen, have a look at this web site. It is a wealth of information.

Lessons - Spencerian Script

Originally Posted by ndw76

Carl, if you are interested in writing cursive with a dip pen, have a look at this web site. It is a wealth of information.

Lessons - Spencerian Script

Oh yes I've seen that site. I sort of just make up my own style a bit, it's fun... The nib I have is quite wet, and it's really nice with J Herbin cafe des illes ink...

Originally Posted by MickR

... Last I was there they had a whole assortment of inks as well. Of course, you can buy better Quills with nice machine made nibs that work better than hand cut ones, but it filled a purpose and they were all happy with it.

The different inks makes a whole new facet. Mixing inks is fun too...

I have been using Swan Triple Filtered Ink. I found it amongst my Nana's stuff while cleaning out my parent's junk room. It writes really well. Unfortuantly I didn't find any of her old pens.