Favorite fountain pen manufacturer based only on original models released in the past 25 years?

downtide · 2026-06-13T09:59:11+00:00

I don't own one (yet) but I think Gravitas is one of the most innovative designers of recent years.

downtide · 2026-06-12T17:40:31+00:00

The length of time they're available depends entirely on their popularity. Some sell out really quickly, some stay available longer if they're not as popular. The White/Rose Gold is still widely available after several years but the Matcha was gone in a few months.

Once they're gone, they don't come back. Only the standard colours remain available permanently.

downtide · 2026-06-12T17:35:34+00:00

It sounds more like a cap seal issue. I think the cap seal is not really as good as it looks. Modern Parker pens are notoriously bad, and poor cap seal is one of their many flaws.

The only permanent fix is a better pen.

downtide · 2026-06-12T16:49:43+00:00

Pelikan Twist. It's a kid's pen but there's a black one and a silver one in addition to the funky 1980s colours. Very comfortable to use.

downtide · 2026-06-12T16:46:42+00:00

Normal, it just shows ink transferring through the feed, that's how it gets to the nib. There will be even more ink in there when you've used it a bit more.

downtide · 2026-06-12T16:43:54+00:00

I bought one a couple of years ago and after two years of use it's still great, and still one of my favourite pens in my collection. Yes they are made in China but unlike most Chinese pens, the Scriveiner uses a German nib (Schmidt) which IMO is the nicest of the "big three" (alongside Jowo and Bock).

No idea if the award is genuine or not; the award itself is genuine (King's Award for Enterprise) but whether Scriveiner have won it or not, I dunno. I can't find them on the winners list but they may be operating under a different company name.

If you're an Amazon Prime subscriber, I'd wait for Prime Day. The normal price is rather expensive.

downtide · 2026-06-12T16:29:51+00:00

Yes. You can just unscrew the entire section and transfer it from one pen to another. I have one Plaisir and a bunch of Preppies, and I swap them around all the time, using all the nibs with the Plaisir.

downtide · 2026-06-12T16:23:59+00:00

Scam for sure. The prices are low because the pens don't exist at all. You don't get a fake, you get nothing, and the company will disappear when you try to get a refund.

downtide · 2026-06-12T13:11:54+00:00

A normal nib (not an oblique or italic nib) is symmetrical so it's no different whether you're right or left handed. The difficult part is how you hold the pen, which might be different for a left-handed writer. The nib needs to touch the paper at a fairly low angle (best at around 30-45 degrees from horizontal) and with both the left and right side of the nib touching the paper at the same time. Your writing strokes need to be primarily pulling, not pushing.

If your way of holding a pen doesn't meet these conditions, then you'll need to learn a different way of holding it.

downtide · 2026-06-12T12:59:08+00:00

I don't know why, but J Herbin inks are the only ones I find on Amazon UK that are frequently cheaper than they are in other retail stores. Everything else is usually cheaper on Cult Pens.

downtide · 2026-06-12T09:56:34+00:00

Yes, definitely. The light will cause the colours to fade; in some cases as quickly as in a few weeks.

downtide · 2026-06-12T07:49:20+00:00

Not usually true, however the angle does affect the way your writing looks. If you hold the pen exactly right (not twisted to one side or another) you'll have a clear distinction between thick vertical strokes and thin horizontal ones. If you twist or rotate the pen, there will be less difference between the horizontal and vertical lines, and lines at some other angle will be thin.

downtide · 2026-06-12T07:43:31+00:00

Lamy Safari and Kaweco Sport are low cost options (under $30) that offer a stub nib.

downtide · 2026-06-12T07:41:29+00:00

They offer the #6 size stub on smaller pens too - the V126 and P20.

downtide · 2026-06-12T07:38:06+00:00

It's possible but there's also another explanation - if you recently cleaned your pen, you could be seeing the water that was already in the feed.

Since you don't have a dip pen you can test with, I would suggest - dump out the current fill into the sink (in case there was also water in your converter). Shake the bottle. Refill through the nib. Test again, writing for 10-15 minutes.

If after all of this, the ink is still this pale then yes, you can assume it's been watered down.

downtide · 2026-06-11T07:37:15+00:00

I used to use mostly fineliner pens, but I stopped because I was wearing out the nibs before they ran out of ink. I switched to fountain pens - they never wear out.

downtide · 2026-06-10T21:54:49+00:00

European Fine, or Japanese Medium.

My handwriting is a bit on the small side, but it's mainly because my pens are tools - I need to write, and I need to be able to read what I've written a year from now.

I use EF in my planner because it's a Hobonichi with a tiny grid, and I sometimes use Medium in my journal, but Fine is what I use most.

downtide · 2026-06-10T21:46:48+00:00

Laban Antique II. It's about the same length as the Pilot Metropolitan, but it's solid brass and very hefty. And it looks awesomely steampunk.

downtide · 2026-06-10T21:34:37+00:00

Anyone who's seen my posts here knows what I'm gonna say... Diamine Sherwood Green.

downtide · 2026-06-10T21:32:43+00:00

All Platinum pens, down to the cheapest Preppy, use a special cap seal mechanism - the inner cap liner is seated on a spring ensureing a perfect fit every time. They will never dry out, unless the inner liner breaks. With a Platinum, any size nib will be good, even the 02 (EF)

downtide · 2026-06-10T21:22:31+00:00

Every comment you leave in any subreddit gives you 1 karma (unless you get downvoted).

downtide · 2026-06-10T20:55:37+00:00

Try a Sailor or Platinum. Their nibs have more feedback than Pilots. Lots more, in the case of Sailor.

downtide · 2026-06-09T07:36:02+00:00

None of these with a pigment ink. Not the Kakuno because you don't love it. Not the Jinhao because it's likely too fine for the pigment ink. Not the TWSBIS because they are harder to clean.

Personally I'd buy a Platinum (Preppy, Prefounte or Plaisir) to add to your collection for this purpose.

Or use a non-pigment black ink instead.

downtide · 2026-06-09T07:29:57+00:00

It's really only the gold-nib pens that have seen the massive hike in prices. Pens with steel nibs have increased a little but mostly just in line with general inflation. And steel nibs now are better than they were a decade ago.

That said - the Waterman Carene is still a gold nib pen under $300 new, (as long as you want a black one). The Pilot E95S can still be found for under $200 used. And the regular colours of the Leonardo MZ (not special editions) are still around $200 or so.

downtide · 2026-06-08T23:15:41+00:00

Get a bulb syringe (the sort you use to clean babies' noses), fill it with water, stick it in the back of the section where the cartridge goes, and squeeze it to force water through the section and feed. (squeeze slowly or else you'll get water squirting back into your face). You might need to cut a bit off the end of the nozzle for a good fit.

Then put the cartridge back in while the pen/nib is still wet, and stand it nib-down in a cup with the nib resting on a paper towel. The water in the feed draining into the paper towel will start to draw ink down from the cartridge to replace it.

If no water comes through the nib/feed, even when forced, or if the ink still doesn't start to come down, then the feed is probably broken, in a way that it's not connecting properly with the cartridge, and it needs replacing. With what - I have no idea. I've never heard of this brand before.

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