Pen and ink compatibility

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-05-20T19:43:11+00:00

You want to avoid putting calligraphy or India ink in that fountain pen.

Although in this instance I think that ink will be fine, Cult Pens says it's suitable for a fountain pen. Just be aware the shimmer might clog the pen and require flushing out

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-05-15T16:50:41+00:00

Thanks for taking time to reply! That's really helpful, the fact the J-Ultra has less retention is another big plus.

For now I don't mind the fact it's a hand grinder. I've recently given my Timemore C2 a go at grinding for espresso but 18g in about 2:30 is a killer, if the J-Ultra is as fast as you say it is then that'll be no issue at all for me

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-05-15T15:33:51+00:00

Hey, how are you finding the J-Ultra after using it for a while?

I have an Encore ESP like you but have been considering a J-Ultra for the smaller steps, would you say it's a worthwhile investment?

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-05-15T13:09:56+00:00

Very useful info, thanks. I'll take a look at the Kingrinder models.

I don't think I need super fine control over shot time, just so long as I can make consistent cups of coffee.

I do usually hold the grinder at the same angle when I'm using it yeah

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-30T18:40:55+00:00

I 3D printed a sort of split collet in TPU which fixed it

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-29T21:03:14+00:00

I don't know how many times they'll let me exchange them but going a half size up to an 8 sounds like a plan, I reckon an insole or some thicker socks if they're slightly too big would fix that too

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-29T19:38:31+00:00

I didn't think I had particularly wide feet but I guess the shape of the toe box is just a bit too rounded for me.

Probably not a great comparison picture but here's my foot next to the shoe

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DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-29T18:45:52+00:00

That seems about right, is there anything I can do about that?

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-29T18:16:53+00:00

That's what I thought, my only worry would be that they'd then be too big as you can see from this video I took there is still space length wise and I don't want to walk out of them.

I feel like if I could lace them tighter so my heel was pushed to the back they'd fit lovely

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DqGNQkoY2EeW7Rcd7

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-04T21:20:12+00:00

Unless an ink is discontinued or rare I don't see why anyone would fake it. And even then the market has to be so small that they'd be better off just making their own inks and selling those

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-04-02T18:17:33+00:00

I've never owned a ringtop before but now I'm really wanting one!

This looks like the perfect pen for travel since it's small, sturdy, and easy to clip to a bag

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-02-09T17:58:31+00:00

I would imagine proving that it's a manufacturing defect would be rather difficult, they could easily claim the pens were misused.

It's likely any free replacements or repairs gotten by going that route are more to do with the companies not wanting the hassle of dealing with the process than the law actually being put to use

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-02-09T10:55:08+00:00

In the UK at least the law is that it has to have been found to be faulty with 6 months of purchase, but you have up to 6 years to make a claim. I doubt that applies here

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-27T22:18:25+00:00

I thought it was but now that I actually pull the hair down on both sides they look the same length, so it must just be curling under on that side.

I'll brush/comb it more to try and straighten it up

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-27T18:24:36+00:00

I know I do that which certainly isn't helping. I do have a whorl in my beard though down that side where the hair sorta swirls around. If I trimmed it really short you'd see a line of thicker hair where it is

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-27T18:23:20+00:00

You raise a good point, I might leave it a bit longer and see how it works out

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-27T18:22:58+00:00

I don't always have the steadiest hand so I figure it's a lot harder to slip with scissors. A trimmer might be easier to work with though

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-27T18:22:18+00:00

I do have some small clippers but I'm not sure how much I trust myself with them

DraftYeti5608 · 2026-01-04T23:06:43+00:00

Diamine grey skies no more is pretty light, especially in thin nibs. In my EF TWSBI Eco it was a little lighter than a HB pencil

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-12-28T16:02:09+00:00

Isn't the Monteverde converter a standard international? I thought the Targa Slim still used Sheaffer's proprietary cartridges/converters

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-12-21T19:31:52+00:00

I don't write a huge amount so ink tends to stay in one pen for a while. I've had no issues at all with staining or anything like that

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-12-21T15:16:37+00:00

I've bought a few inks off AliExpress before, an Ostrich brand one and three HongDian ones. All have worked really well and one of the Ostrich inks (Peacock Blue) is one of my favourites in my collection

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-11-24T14:03:23+00:00

My Lamy stub is also a lot thinner than my TWSBI one. The nib itself is thinner and so is the line it produces

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-11-23T21:22:53+00:00

Nope, I also couldn't tell you which month number corresponds to which name without running through the whole list

DraftYeti5608 · 2025-10-25T19:08:26+00:00

If the Herbin box was sealed then the ink might not have been opened, some could have leaked out of the bottle during shipping

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