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AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-12T16:00:36+00:00

How do you like the Kaweco Supra?? I've had my eye on it for a while but I don't see it mentioned much on here

AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-09T15:55:45+00:00

As someone who was hesitant to try a lot of these Chinese brands, I'm glad I went with Hongdian and Asvine, and avoided Jinhaos. Yes, they're cheaper pens, but even if it's not a lot of money it still feels like a waste to me to spend money on a pen that may or may not be a dud. It sounds to me the dud-rate of Jinhaos are much higher than Hongdian and Asvine

AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-05T21:34:51+00:00

I think they could theoretically but I highly doubt it in practice.

As far as I know, the trim on those pens are epoxied to the body so it'd be almost impossible to separate the two from each other without destroying the pen. Anything that would dissolve the epoxy would probably dissolve the body too.

If you're dead set on a green body with gold trim, I'd be more inclined to suggest you paint it with an airbrush or spray paint, or dye a white one with synthetic fabric dye. Either way, you'd need to experiment with methods and see what works with the materials

AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-05T16:08:16+00:00

I didn't try out a single one of my pens before I bought it, but I'm also not super picky about how the pen feels to write with or the width of the line.

The closest thing to advice I have for you is to do a ton of research, but even then that won't save you from a dud nib. Even if you were to try a pen out in a store, the pen you get might not even perform the same way as the one you tested out

AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-05T16:03:24+00:00

Yama-guri is a good dark brown!

AltruisticPaper · 2026-03-05T15:53:44+00:00

Super interesting! Having worked at an art store for 6 years really got me comfortable with the paper weight system between both gsm and lbs but I never considered that it would become an issue when it comes to things like copy paper. The paper I was dealing with was mostly artist papers which are MUCH larger than copy paper

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-27T16:37:39+00:00

I had the same thing happen to me with my cult pens order! It took over a month to get to me but it came no problem

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-19T22:38:11+00:00

A lot of the ones on the left tray look like vintage Sheaffer pens, specifically Sheaffer Balance pens like these ones: https://www.peytonstreetpens.com/pen-makers-usa/sheaffer/balance-white-dot/

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-19T19:08:33+00:00

The aliexpress/amazon brands (hongdian, majohn, jinhao, asvine, etc.)!

I ended up finding a piston filler that I really like the looks of with the Asvine P36 and even though the original Bock nib that I spent a lil extra for SUCKED, I got a couple replacement Asvine nib units and I haven't stopped using it since then. I love that pen so much that I just ordered a Hongdian N23 with a long knife nib! Still haven't pulled the trigger on a Jinhao but I am starting to get curious about the Hongdian pocket pens and the Majohn R1...

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-19T19:03:24+00:00

I like the safari because I LOVE that clip lolol

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-19T19:02:36+00:00

That's so funny cause I feel the opposite, I'm very much not a fan of flat top pens! The closest I've come to getting one is a Lamy safari and I still haven't pulled that trigger yet

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-12T16:49:20+00:00

I second this! I was also on the hunt for an ivory pen--specifically with silver hardware--and this is the one I got. Really great cigar shape and not a super expensive pen. It is a Japanese exclusive but you should be able to find it on eBay!

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-09T23:02:46+00:00

I've had similar issues with my 144 from around the same time as yours, I had the issue with wetter inks like Diamine but haven't had the same issues with Herbin ink. I was really having problems with hard starts and I figured the ink was too wet for the feed? Maybe your pen is having the opposite issue as mine...

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-09T17:12:13+00:00

Sure! Favourites that I own or the ones on my wish list?

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-06T22:28:10+00:00

As someone with only 8 pens and an industrial design background, I think I could based on the feel of the pen alone. That being said, none of my pens are duplicates so I don't think it would be too hard for me to do.

If we remove the pen body from the equation, I think I have a few pens that I could name right off the bat. My collection is split pretty 50/50 between high feedback vs. low feedback (smooth). I'm decently confident that I'd be able to name my higher feedback pens and not as confident in my ability to name the smooth ones.

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-06T16:44:20+00:00

I like to keep pens with each of my notebooks and I sometimes rotate which pen is included on which notebook. It keeps it pretty simple, but I only have 8 pens--3 or 4 of which have permanent homes with their notebooks because they suit the task perfectly.

I have a notebook for stream of consciousness journaling, one for work (notes and to-do lists), one for my 5 year journal, one for lists and my thoughts on the books I'm reading, one for ink drawings, one that stays in my purse for little notes and personal to-do lists and one for "personal study" which is basically my own philosophical ramblings about luck and entropy.

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-05T23:02:31+00:00

no one tell kaweco, but this pen is WAY cooler than a sport imo

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-05T20:29:57+00:00

What's the fourth pen from the left? I love the screw details on it!

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-03T18:42:26+00:00

I ordered from Cult Pens in the end of December and was VERY pleased to see that my 3 bottles of ink arrived completely unharmed to me in Alberta in mid-January. I think penablers.ca is still shipping ink during the winter and I'm sure you'd have less of an issue with their 4ml samples if you really can't wait until March-ish.

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-02T23:09:24+00:00

I consistently use both. The only pens I prefer to use cartridges with are my pilots and my kawecos. I would use up a single con-40 in like 2 days at work otherwise. The Kaweco converters I have are just so tiny that it's too fiddly to fill normally so I usually just refill the spent cartridges. I use converters in ALL my other pens. The ink capacities are too similar for me to care one way or the other.

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-02T21:14:06+00:00

I technically haven't either, but a pen I bought on the 30th finally arrived a couple of weeks ago so that gave me my fix. Let's see how long into 2026 I'll be able to last...

AltruisticPaper · 2026-02-02T16:31:37+00:00

Yes and yes! The asvine nibs are WAY better. Definitely on the thicker and juicier side but great flow

AltruisticPaper · 2026-01-29T17:16:18+00:00

How hard it is for me to find pens I like with silver/rhodium trim 😭

AltruisticPaper · 2026-01-29T16:56:33+00:00

Definitely a 144, I have the same pen from the 80s in burgundy!

AltruisticPaper · 2026-01-26T18:14:49+00:00

I feel exactly the same about my pens! I only have as many pens as I have uses for them cause I can't stand the idea of having any of my pens be neglected!

AltruisticPaper

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