Mike's Rollerball and Fountain Pen Review
msh...@gmail.com
Note: the version of this article with hyperlinks can be found at:
http://mikeshea.net/articles/001271.html
Mike Shea, 12 March 2005
Over the past year my pen obsession grew from the Pilot G2s at the
grocery store to the finer fountain pens found only in snobby
boutiques. In the following review, I attempt to capture my experiences
with a wide range of rollerball and fountain pens under the $100 price
range. I will also offer some recommendations to those unlucky few who
find their pen obsession weighing heavy on their minds and on their
wallet.
Roller Balls
Pilot G2
Go no further lest you to fall into the dark pits of pen obsession. The
Pilot G2 is the place to stop. This $1 pen can be purchased just about
anywhere in the US. It comes in both .5mm and .7mm tips. The ink is an
archival quality permanent gel-based ink that is water resistant, fade
resistant, and acid free. The ink inside the G2 fits inside many other
high-end pens such as Waterman and Rotring rollerballs, but who really
cares what it looks like. The value of this pen cannot be measured. If
you only ever buy one pen, buy the G2.
I have had some problems with the G2's ball gumming up after some use.
I tend to write very small letters in a Moleskine journal (mentioned
below under Paper) and sometimes the ball sticks. If it gets bad
enough, I'll throw it away and grab another but this ends up wasting a
3/4 full refill. Others don't seem to have this problem and its
possible the .5mm would do me better service. For $1, however, this
problem is hardly worth mentioning.
I cannot recommend the Pilot G2 any higher. It is the last stop for an
excellent pen.
Pilot Dr. Grip Gel
At $5, the Dr. Grip is the elite version of the Pilot G2. It uses the
same ink refill as the G2 and likewise can be purchased at just about
every grocery store, drug store, or office supply store in the US. It
has a rubber grip and a wide barrel, something that helps writers with
arthritis. The ink refill can be replaced with any Pilot G2 refill
without any problem.
Like the Pilot G2, the $5 pricetag on this excellent pen warrants no
further look. It is an excellent pen for a very low price. I highly
recommend the Dr. Grip.
Sakura Gelly Roll
According to Sakura's history, Sakura invented gel-based ink. The
Sakura Gelly Roll is another $1 gel-based ink pen that is fade proof,
water proof, and acid free. It is an archival quality pen.
Unfortunately it is not as easily found as the Pilot G2s, one of the
reasons I do not rate it as highly as the G2. Many writers prefer the
Sakura to the G2, however, and for the low price tag, it is worth
trying out if one finds it in an art supply store.
The Sakura has a soft plastic barrel and a small rounded cap. The ink
is not meant to be refilled but at $1 each, it wouldn't be worth
selling separate ink refills anyway. The ink inside the Sakura cannot
be used inside other roller ball pens.
On the web, Sakura Gelly Rolls can be purchased at Dick Blick for just
over a dollar each plus shipping which gets quite costly for a pen. If
you are really not happy with a G2 and want to try another cheap pen,
the Sakura is worth looking into.
Note on Cheaper Pens
The above pens represent only a tiny fraction of the excellent pens
available in most grocery, drug, or office supply stores. When looking
for a pen that will last the ages, look for a gel-based rollerball pen
that states that it is waterproof, fade proof, and acid-free. Water,
light, and ink acidity are the three elements most damaging to writing
over time. Seek out pens that avoid all three. Other pens to consider
include Pilot Precise and Uni-ball.
Now we explore some of the more expensive rollerball pens on the
market.
Rotring Core
I picked up a couple of Rotring Cores for about $20 each. They have a
wide barrel and a ridged grip. The style itself looks like something
that fell off of Darth Vader, but the pen writes well and uses the
Pilot G2 ink refill. The cap snaps well on the tip and the back when
writing. In a few cases I was able to pick up the Core along with the
matching pencil for $20 total.
I cannot recommend this pen any more than the fifteen dollar less Pilot
Dr. Grip. Neither pen will impress your fancy pen snobby friends, both
use the same ink, and both feel just about the same. The soft grip on
the Dr. Grip is a nicer grip than the ridged Core.
For this reason, I do not recommend the Rotring Core rollerball.
Rotring Newton / 600
The Newton was the first solid metal pen I purchased. Like all Rotring
rollerballs, it holds a Pilot G2 ink refill perfectly. When the cap is
on the tip, the pen feels great. However, when the cap is posted on the
back, the pen feels like it's four feet long and the cap doesn't feel
very secure.
The pen itself runs about fifty bucks on the web. With the high price
and the problem with the posted cap, I do not recommend the Rotring
600.
Rotring Freeway
Unfortunately, by the time I received my Rotring Freeway, I already had
about fifty rollerball pens so it saw little use. The Freeway is the
best of the Rotring rollerball pens. It costs about $25, has a solid
brass barrel and cap, and holds a Pilot G2 refill perfectly. It is a
very simple and utilitarian pen for a reasonable price.
For a modern and solid metal pen at $25, I recommend the Rotring
Freeway.
Waterman Phileas Rollerball
Waterman pens have been around a long time and the Waterman Phileas
black rollerball was the first Waterman pen I owned. The $30 Phileas
has a plastic barrel and cap, something that I don't particularly care
for but common on pens below $50. The grip is tapered at the end so our
fingers don't slide too far down the tip. Small grooves also hold your
fingers in place. The cap snaps on when closed and posts well on the
back when in use. Like all Rotring and Waterman rollerball pens, the
Phileas holds Pilot G2 refills without any problem. Sometimes, however,
a small bit of paper has to be stuck in the back of the barrel to hold
the G2 refill to prevent it from wiggling inside.
For a bit of a snobbier pen, the Waterman Phileas is a fine rollerball
pen. However, it offers little value when compared to the Pilot Dr.
Grip that costs $25 less. I recommend this pen if you must have a
snobbier pen, but you are better off with a Dr. Grip or a Phileas
fountain pen reviewed below.
Waterman Expert Rollerball
The $80 Expert rollerball pen is the best rollerball pen I own. I
personally like the dune-red look, the look of the pen I purchased
myself, however the flat black version also looks very nice. Like other
Waterman pens, the Expert holds a Pilot G2 rollerball refill perfectly.
The barrel is an enameled brass barrel that has a good weight and a
tapered grip. The cap snaps on both when closed and on the back when in
use.
While the Waterman Expert rollerball is the finest rollerball pen I
own, I cannot recommend this pen based on its heavy price tag when
compared to the excellent value of a Pilot Dr. Grip. If you are going
to spend $80 on a pen, make it a fountain pen. However, if you want a
very nice pen that uses Pilot G2 refills, look no further.
Fountain Pens
Fountain pen history goes back over one hundred years. Many pen
collectors and experts consider only fountain pens to fall in the
category of fine writing instruments. Many collectors won't bother
looking at any other type of pen for collecting and many writers write
only with fountain pens.
Of course, this is elitist crap. The rollerball pens mentioned above
draw just as nice a line and use ink that will last centuries. There
are few better pens than a Pilot Dr. Grip gel in all practical
purposes.
However, there are a few advantages to a fountain pen. It has no moving
parts except the ink converter. The pen engineering itself has gone on
for over a century. When writing, fountain pens leave ink at the barest
touch to paper. There is no ball to move within the tip. Fountain pens
also let you pick the exact color and type of ink you wish to use. All
of the pens mentioned below include ink converters that take ink
straight from a bottle instead of a cartridge.
If you become a fan of pens, fountain pens are the place to look. With
their vast history, elegant look, and highly entertaining use, fountain
pens are just plain fun. Many writers including Stephen King, Neil
Gaiman, Neil Stephenson, and Joe Haldeman write exclusively with
fountain pens.
There are a few problems with fountain pens. They're expensive,
starting at around $20 and going up into incredible reaches. Consider
the $13,500 Visconti Four Seasons fountain pen if you want to see how
high the price can get. I don't recommend purchasing a fountain pen for
more than $100 and even that price seems incredibly high when comparing
the final writing of a fountain pen and a $1 Pilot G2.
Fountain Pen Ink
I only recommend one brand of fountain pen ink: Noodler's. Nathan
Tardaff, a New England pen dealer, designed a fountain pen ink that
remains water soluble on fountain pens but becomes permanent on paper.
It is waterproof, acid free, light proof, and permanent even when
subjected to horrible torture tests. Short of destroying the paper,
Noodler's Ink is permanent.
There are a few different colors of Noodler's that offer this
permanency including black, Eternal Brown, and Legal Lapis. While
Noodler's Black can be purchased at many online dealers including
Fountain Pen Hospital and Arthur Brown, Eternal Brown and Legal Lapis
only sell from Pendimonium.
Noodler's Ink is the best ink I've ever used. Were it not for the
durability of this ink, I would not recommend writing with fountain
pens at all. Most other fountain pen ink is not water resistant. Take
Waterman's ink, for example. Write something on a piece of paper and
run some water over it. It disappears in seconds. Noodler's ink looks
no different after soaking in water or many other horrible substances
for days.
Lamy Safari Medium Point
The $25 Lami Safari medium point was the first fountain pen I ever
bought. It leaves an amazing thick line of ink, thick enough that I
didn't care for it. The pen construction itself is hard graphite with a
rough texture. There is a small window on the side of the pen to show
you when it begins to run low. The tip has a contoured grip that fits
your fingers perfectly. The nib is steel and inflexible. Many consider
the Safari to be an excellent workhorse pen.
The Safari does not come included with an ink converter to take ink
from a bottle so one needs to purchase that separately.
Because of the wide ink flow, I do not recommend the medium point
Safari, but I do recommend the extra fine point mentioned below.
Lamy Safari Extra Fine Point
The extra fine point Safari leaves a much thinner line than the medium
and works very well as a fountain pen for Moleskine notebooks or other
smooth papers. For rougher paper, consider a fine or a medium nib.
For a beginning fountain pen, one expected to be used and perhaps lost
over time, one cannot go wrong with the Safari. Next to the Waterman
Phileas fountain pen, it is one of the best values in a nice fountain
pen. I recommend it just behind the Waterman Phileas.
Waterman Phileas fine point fountain pen
My second fountain pen was a Waterman Phileas fine point in the green
marble style. The fine point on the Phileas is wider than that of the
fine point on the Expert reviewed below. Like the Phileas rollerball,
this $35 fountain pen has a plastic barrel and cap. Unlike the Lamy,
the Phileas includes an ink converter putting this pen and the Lamy in
roughly the same price range.
For thicker or rougher paper, like Arches Text Wove found in the
Renaissance Art journals described under Paper, the Phileas fine tip
fountain pen works very well. It may have a line a bit too thick for a
Moleskine journal. For Moleskine use, an extra-fine point found on the
Safari, a Waterman Expert fine point, or a Pilot Vanishing Point fine
point pen works better. The style is excellent, it is a fine looking
pen.
I highly recommend the Waterman Phileas fine point fountain pen.
Waterman Expert fine point fountain pen
My third fountain pen I picked up on sale from Fountain Pen Hospital, a
fine point Waterman Expert for about $60. The normal price of this pen
is around $100. Like the construction of the Expert Rollerball, the
Waterman Expert fountain pen has an enameled brass barrel with a cap
that snaps on both the top and the back when in use. It includes an ink
converter for the use of bottled ink.
For a traditional fountain pen by the manufacturer with the most
history in fountain pen construction, there are few finer pens for the
price than the Expert 2. It is a very sold and well writing pen with a
tip a bit finer than a Waterman Phileas fine point.
Within the $100 price range, I recommend the Expert fountain pen to
those seeking a more traditional pen than the Vanishing Point below. If
one cares little for tradition and only seeks an excellent writing pen,
consider the Vanishing Point.
Pilot / Namiki Vanishing Point
I have only had this pen for a day but I already love it. The $100
Pilot Vanishing Point comes highly recommended from a variety of
sources. Pilot has produced these pens for over forty years.
The engineering of this pen is quite interesting. It operates like a
traditional ball point, with a large button on the bottom of the pen.
When pressed, the 18k gold nib extends out of the top of the pen. This
keeps the pen's nib upright when clipped to a shirt. When not in use,
fountain pens should always sit with their nib upright. A small cap
covers the nib's tip when it is retracted back into the barrel.
Because of its construction, the entire nib unit of a Vanishing Point
can be replaced with another for about $25. I purchased both a medium
and a fine nib for my Vanishing Point. The fine point is more like the
extra-fine nibs of other pens. It is very thin and writes very well in
a Moleskine plain pocket journal. The fine nib is too fine for the
Arches Text Wove paper of a Renaissance Art journal. I expect the
medium nib to write well in the Renaissance Art journal.
The Vanishing Point nib is 18k gold and will eventually fit the
writer's hand the more it is used. Though expensive, this is a pen for
writers, not collectors or traditionalists.
For a pure writing fountain pen, I highly recommend the Pilot Vanishing
Point loaded with Noodler's Ink.
Ink
As mentioned above, there are two inks I recommend. For rollerball
pens, I recommend the Pilot G2 ink. For fountain pens I recommend
Noodler's black ink. Both inks are acid free, waterproof, and light
proof. Writings in this ink should last as long as the paper it is
written on.
Paper
I use three types of paper for my writing. For daily notes and stories
I write in a Moleskine plain pocket journal. The thinner paper of this
joural works very well with a Pilot Vanishing Point fine point fountain
pen, Waterman Expert fine point fountain pen, Lami Safari extra fine
point fountain pen all with Noodler's ink, or any rollerball using
Pilot G2 .5mm or .7mm ink refills.
I also write stories in a Renaissance Art leather journal. The Arches
Text Wove cotton-based paper of the Renaissance Art journal is very
thick and rough requiring a fountain pen with a wider nib such as the
Waterman Phileas fine point. The extra fine points of the Waterman
Expert fine point or the Pilot Vanishing Point fine point are too thin
to sink well into the Arches Text Wove paper of the Renaissance Art
journals.
I sometimes write in a Moleskine pocket sketch book. This thicker
smooth paper sometimes has difficulty with fountain pen ink which
doesn't seem to sink in well. While fountain pens can be used on this
notebook, Pilot G2 rollerball pens do a much better job with the
Moleskine pocket sketch books.
This article encompasses all of the experiences I have had with a wide
array of pens, inks, and papers. Use it to make your own choices and
make those choices smartly. If you can stay away from the alluring call
of the fine writing instrument, stick with the Pilot G2. If you are
looking for a more traditional fountain pen, consider the Waterman
Expert. If you want a fine writing instrument using both modern and
traditional methods, consider the Namiki / Pilot Vanishing Point.
Above all, remember the single rule to all pens, papers, and journals.
None of them matter next to the words you write. Pens, notebooks, and
journals are meant to be used. Use them.
john cline ii
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote an excellent review but included this:
! The Vanishing Point nib is 18k gold and will eventually fit the
! writer's hand the more it is used.
Er, no. This is a common myth, but it simply isn't true. The nib will
NOT change to fit the user, though the user may change to fit the nib!
What colour inks do you prefer in the G2s?
john cline ii, who wonders--and misses Frank!
Juhapekka Tolvanen
"john cline ii" <jwciit...@earthlink.net> writes:
> <msh...@gmail.com> wrote an excellent review but included this:
> ! The Vanishing Point nib is 18k gold and will eventually fit the
> ! writer's hand the more it is used.
> Er, no. This is a common myth, but it simply isn't true. The nib will
> NOT change to fit the user, though the user may change to fit the nib!
Yeah!
http://www.pentrace.net/penbase/Data_Returns/full_article.asp?id=240
http://faculty.haas.berkeley.edu/rjmorgan/openions/how_to_break_in_a_nib.htm
--
Juhapekka "naula" Tolvanen * * http colon slash slash iki dot fi slash juhtolv
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"sometimes, i have everything - yet i wish i felt something." nine inch nails
Bluesea
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110648742....@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
>
> Pilot G2
>
> ...The ink is an
> archival quality permanent gel-based ink that is water resistant, fade
> resistant, and acid free.
>
I gave up on the G2 pretty early in favor of the Pentel gel which is more
comfortable with which to write and waterproof.
> Sakura Gelly Roll
>
> According to Sakura's history, Sakura invented gel-based ink. The
> Sakura Gelly Roll is another $1 gel-based ink pen that is fade proof,
> water proof, and acid free. It is an archival quality pen.
> Unfortunately it is not as easily found as the Pilot G2s, one of the
> reasons I do not rate it as highly as the G2. Many writers prefer the
> Sakura to the G2, however, and for the low price tag, it is worth
> trying out if one finds it in an art supply store.
This is a great pen that I've found at drug stores and Wal-Mart.
> Fountain Pens
>
> Of course, this is elitist crap. The rollerball pens mentioned above
> draw just as nice a line and use ink that will last centuries. There
> are few better pens than a Pilot Dr. Grip gel in all practical
> purposes.
Elitist crap...draw just as nice a line? Wrong! You can't write with a flex
nib, stub, or italic with any of the gel pens mentioned.
> There are a few problems with fountain pens. They're expensive,
> starting at around $20...
Nonsense! I have several by A&W that cost <$2 and my Parker Reflexes cost
<$7 each. Pilot and Pentel both have disposable fps for ~$3. Can't remember
the price of the Sheaffer Reaktor, but I recall it being <$10.
> I don't recommend purchasing a fountain pen for
> more than $100 and even that price seems incredibly high when comparing
> the final writing of a fountain pen and a $1 Pilot G2.
That depends on the fp you're using for comparison. With the G2, you're
stuck with only the two line widths. With fps, the variety of lines produced
is much greater not to mention the weight, balance, spring/stiffness, lack
of pressure needed to write, etc.
> Lamy Safari Medium Point
>
> ...The tip has a contoured grip that fits
> your fingers perfectly.
For me, the Safari grip is uncomfortable and I can't write with mine for
very long.
> Pilot / Namiki Vanishing Point
>
> The Vanishing Point nib is 18k gold and will eventually fit the
> writer's hand the more it is used.
Nope. The writer adjusts to the nib.
Apparently, you're considering gel pens as rollerballs which use liquid ink
and are not the same as gels.
--
~~Bluesea~~
Spam is great in musubi but not in email.
Please take out the trash before sending a direct reply.
Garglemonster
> <msh...@gmail.com> wrote an excellent review but included this:
>
> ! The Vanishing Point nib is 18k gold and will eventually fit the
> ! writer's hand the more it is used.
>
> Er, no. This is a common myth, but it simply isn't true. The nib
> will NOT change to fit the user, though the user may change to fit
> the nib!
I agree with John on this point. Only if you tinker with the nib will
it come around to suiting your hand.
And isn't the nib 14K? Mine is.
I had a lease on an OEDIPUS COMPLEX back in '81...
msh...@gmail.com
> > Er, no. This is a common myth, but it simply isn't true. The nib
> > will NOT change to fit the user, though the user may change to fit
> > the nib!
>
> I agree with John on this point. Only if you tinker with the nib
will
> it come around to suiting your hand.
>
> And isn't the nib 14K? Mine is.
This reminds me of the "does speaker wire matter" debate over on the
home theater forums.
I stand corrected. I was under the (mis)impression that the softer
gold nibs would wear down to fit the writer's writing style.
Thank you for the useful links.
One other addition I wanted to make:
One larger problem with G2 pens, especially the .7mm size, is a long
drying time. The .7mm draws a thick line that takes up to twenty
seconds to fully dry. Left handed writers have a very difficult time
writing with a G2 and not smearing the ink. In a Moleskine, a written
page will bleed over to the adjacent page when closed leaving blots of
ink over on the opposite page. A sheet of blotter paper tucked in
between the two recently written pages solves this problem. For left
handed writers, the G2 may not be the right pen, although a .5mm tip
size reduces the smearing problem.
msh...@gmail.com
flex nib, stub, or italic with any of the gel pens mentioned. "
What I mean to say is that in one hundred or five hundred years, the
durability of the ink and the words it writes are more important than
the type of pen used.
Bluesea
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110690555.6...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Oh, okay. Still, considering that the ink in a G2 refill is water-resistant
and not waterproof like the Pentel, Sakura, or Noodler's contract inks, one
would be better off eschewing the G2 if one is aiming at posterity which
doesn't offer a peek at the writer's personality the way that an expressive
fp can.
Garglemonster
On 2005.03.13 00:04:46, mshea wrote:
> > >
> > > Er, no. This is a common myth, but it simply isn't true. The
> > > nib will NOT change to fit the user, though the user may change
> > > to fit the nib!
> >
> > I agree with John on this point. Only if you tinker with the nib
> will
> > it come around to suiting your hand.
> >
> > And isn't the nib 14K? Mine is.
>
> This reminds me of the "does speaker wire matter" debate over on the
> home theater forums.
>
> I stand corrected. I was under the (mis)impression that the softer
> gold nibs would wear down to fit the writer's writing style.
Given enough writing it might, but the gold doesn't touch the paper.
Only the tip does. That is made of harder stuff, usually called
iridium, but I've heard that the Pilot pens are the only ones with
iridium in the tip.
I think gold was first used not because it was soft -- that was
something of a drawback -- but because it didn't corrode when in
contact with the ink.
Bulbous also tapered.
Bluesea
"Bluesea" <this...@is.invalid> wrote in message
news:acQYd.377897$w62.2...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
> Oh, okay. Still, considering that the ink in a G2 refill is
water-resistant
> and not waterproof like the Pentel, Sakura, or Noodler's contract inks,
one
> would be better off eschewing the G2 if one is aiming at posterity which
> doesn't offer a peek at the writer's personality the way that an
expressive
> fp can.
err...I meant that the G2 doesn't offer a peek at the writer's personality
the way that an expressive fp can, not that posterity doesn't offer...
msh...@gmail.com
more than the pen used?
Don't misunderstand me, I love my new Pilot Vanishing Point and I love
Noodler's Ink, but I cannot, with sound heart, recommend such an
expensive solution to someone who is mainly interested in writing with
ink and paper that will last the ages when a $1 gel ink pen serves that
need very well.
I wrote some stuff out with a G2 on a piece of paper, boiled it, soaked
it, microwaved it, soaked it again, and finally left it soaking in a
bowl of water for a night and the ink still looked as strong as it ever
did. Are you sure it isn't waterproof? It seems pretty waterproof to
me.
msh...@gmail.com
I actually prefer black because it is the most likely to survive
through catastrophic abuse and still last. G2 black ink, like
Noodler's, should last as long as the paper it's written on.
msh...@gmail.com
>From the Namiki FAQ:
"Is there a break-in period for a new fountain pen?
Yes. Since gold is a soft precious metal, adaptation to an individual's
style of writing and angle of use occurs over time."
Bluesea
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110726979.3...@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Shouldn't the words written give a peek at the writer's personality
> more than the pen used?
>
> Don't misunderstand me, I love my new Pilot Vanishing Point and I love
> Noodler's Ink, but I cannot, with sound heart, recommend such an
> expensive solution to someone who is mainly interested in writing with
> ink and paper that will last the ages when a $1 gel ink pen serves that
> need very well.
Oh, sure. One of my former co-workers got into scrapbooking and gel pens are
ideal for those types of projects for that very reason.
> I wrote some stuff out with a G2 on a piece of paper, boiled it, soaked
> it, microwaved it, soaked it again, and finally left it soaking in a
> bowl of water for a night and the ink still looked as strong as it ever
> did. Are you sure it isn't waterproof? It seems pretty waterproof to
> me.
Going by what the back of the blister pack said, it's water-resistant and my
own test, a short soak in tap water, confirmed it. The black and blue were
visible, but diminished, and the red ink was gone with just a hint of color
remaining - barely to no discernable characters. However, the last G2 that I
purchased was in Y2K or '01. It's possible that Pilot improved it since
then.
All the best.
john cline ii
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote :
Yeah, I have no idea why they say that.
SOME pen companies are also famous for propagating the myth that ink
that is over a year old should be discarded.
Gee, I wonder why? Ink sales increase, and nibs that don't write
exactly right will just break in.
Sure.
john cline ii, who wonders
Bluesea
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1110727199.0...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Yes, I've read that before and still have no idea from where it's coming
from especially since no pressure is necessary to lay a line of ink on paper
because ink flow is by capillary action. Nibs that change through use do so
through abuse and the result is that they're ruined, not adapted to the
writer's hand. In any case, it certainly doesn't validate the commonly
accepted myth that a tip adapts or wears down according to the writer's
usage since tips aren't made of gold.
Terry McGinty
<msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message >
The Namiki faq brought the following Mark Twain quote to mind.
"One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat
has only nine lives".
Bluesea
"Terry McGinty" <tmcg...@excessameritech.net> wrote in message
news:8s3Zd.4684$ZB6...@newssvr19.news.prodigy.com...
>
> <msh...@gmail.com> wrote in message >
> This is what I was going by:
> >
> > >From the Namiki FAQ:
> >
> > http://namiki.com/faq.htm
> >
> > "Is there a break-in period for a new fountain pen?
> > Yes. Since gold is a soft precious metal, adaptation to an individual's
> > style of writing and angle of use occurs over time."
> >
> This isn't ment to disparage Mike in any way. He was only misled by
Namiki.
Nya-uh! It's TRUE! I know 'cause I done seen it on the Internet! <r,d,h!>
msh...@gmail.com
Namiki.
> The Namiki faq brought the following Mark Twain quote to mind.
> "One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that
a cat
> has only nine lives".
No offense taken at all. I was just posting the note where I got the
misinformation.
Pat Lamb
> <msh...@gmail.com> wrote :
> | >From the Namiki FAQ:
> |
> | "Is there a break-in period for a new fountain pen?
> | Yes. Since gold is a soft precious metal, adaptation to an
> individual's
> | style of writing and angle of use occurs over time."
>
> Yeah, I have no idea why they say that.
>
> SOME pen companies are also famous for propagating the myth that ink
> that is over a year old should be discarded.
>
> Gee, I wonder why? Ink sales increase, and nibs that don't write
> exactly right will just break in.
On the flip side, I've got a couple of vintage pens where the
(quasi-iridium) nib has been worn down to match, presumably, the angle
at which the previous owner held them. So "break-in" probably DOES
happen; it just takes a couple decades of daily use instead of a couple
weeks.
What's a couple orders of magnitude among friends anyway?
Pat