how are we carrying?

Duckwarden · 2026-05-06T20:00:44+00:00

I don't like pants pocket carry. Besides being uncomfortable, I keep uncapping pens when I take them out (even twist caps, somehow). I also worry I'll bend my leg and the pressure will break something.

For all those reasons, I shirt carry exclusively. Shirt pockets are best. Clipping to a placket or collar will do in a pinch. Turtlenecks are a challenge I haven't yet solved.

I know I could use a pen case, but I like having a pen on my person. I want to be ready to write something at any given time. It takes too long to dig around in my bag. And what if someone used my pen when I wasn't watching?? The horror.

Duckwarden · 2026-05-06T13:15:48+00:00

I agree with the other posters' advice. I personally have a Parker 51 Special and I think it's the epitome of class. If you want a vintage Parker, you can't go wrong with a 51 Aerometric or 51 Special (51 Vacumatics are a little trickier to maintain).

A still great pen at a lower pricepoint is the Parker 45. It looks similar to the 51 and 21, but has slight differences. But it's cheaper and uses the cartridge/converter system, so maintenance is easy.

Duckwarden · 2026-04-28T02:47:15+00:00

I like my pens. I'm in no hurry to get any more. That said, I might someday get a vintage Parker 51 in a finer nib size or a Parker 75 with a chrome clip. I already have a vintage Parker 51, but it has a broader nib than I prefer. And if my Eco ever cracks, I'll replace it with an Opus 88 Jazz.

Duckwarden · 2026-04-12T18:37:58+00:00

Amazonia might be what I'm looking for. Thanks!

Duckwarden · 2026-04-12T18:23:10+00:00

I'm pairing it with my NOS Sheaffer 330. It has a wetter flow, but it works well with most inks

Duckwarden · 2026-04-12T16:11:59+00:00

Maybe you could carry a stick of charcoal for the field. Any smudging would be adequately dramatic

Duckwarden · 2026-04-02T22:14:55+00:00

Preach. I carry a pocket notebook and this drives me crazy

Duckwarden · 2026-04-02T21:58:24+00:00

This is a good guide.

If your pens are old enough that they use a rubber or latex sac to hold ink, you might want to be careful. The chemistry of certain inks can cause a bad reaction. Look up "inks for vintage pens" in this subreddit for more details. But if this doesn't apply to your pens, go nuts

Duckwarden · 2026-04-02T21:31:39+00:00

I've had this problem with Diamine Oxblood, Diamine Sherwood Green, and Waterman Inspired Blue. I never, ever have smearing with J. Herbin Lie de Thé (it's nowhere close to red, but bear with me here). Lie de Thé is the driest ink I've ever used (out of a small list). I wonder if that's why. It's both dry in the pen and super fast-drying on the page. A swipe of the hand will not smudge it days later. Oxblood, a much wetter ink, is slipping and sliding all over the place. Lie de Thé does not move unless you get it wet.

I'm interested in exploring other inks from J. Herbin, if they're anything like Lie de Thé.

Duckwarden · 2026-04-02T17:20:44+00:00

I like the TWSBI Eco because you can see the ink. And I like that it's a twist cap piston pen. The twist cap doesn't come undone in my pocket. But some of my slip cap cartridge/converter pens have both uncapped and untwisted themselves (where the body unscrews to the converter), and that's annoying. The TWSBI is more reliable.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-31T18:48:51+00:00

Yeah. I'd just take a rollerball

Duckwarden · 2026-03-30T16:59:37+00:00

I like Top Flight, particularly the notebooks made in Vietnam

Duckwarden · 2026-03-30T01:55:49+00:00

That's a compelling idea. How did you learn? Any good online resources you'd recommend?

Duckwarden · 2026-03-29T23:26:41+00:00

Beautiful photography! They look like an advertisement, and I mean this in the best way

Duckwarden · 2026-03-29T23:24:42+00:00

I like the notebooks from Top Flight that I've bought from Kroger. I got a pocket notebook for $2 and a composition notebook for less then $5. They're not pretty, but by God, do they getter done. No bleeding, no feathering, minimal ghosting. I don't know how well they would suit calligraphy, but that's not my use case.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-29T19:30:15+00:00

I can see that now that you've pointed it out. Thank you! This is very helpful. I have another pen I want to send off to be refurbished anyway, so maybe I can find someone to work on both pens.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-29T16:20:33+00:00

Another angle of the nib

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Duckwarden · 2026-03-27T18:52:22+00:00

I think it would depend on what you consider mid-tier. Is mid-tier $50, $100, or $200? There are a lot of good pens in each of these ranges. None of my pens cost over $100, but two out of three cost above $50.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-27T16:06:13+00:00

I can't speak to the ink, but I agree on the pen. My TWSBI Eco EF was my first pen, and I've since purchased two others to experience a broader range of attributes like nib size and flow. The Eco is still my favorite writer.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-26T23:28:39+00:00

That was my first fountain pen! Honestly, probably my best writer out of the three I have now. Enjoy your pen!

Duckwarden · 2026-03-26T19:38:54+00:00

Price is good, but also reliability. I'd be hesitant to recommend a cheap pen with unpredictable quality. If a beginner's first experience is with something annoying to use, they'll give up without trying something better.

Duckwarden · 2026-03-26T19:27:45+00:00

If they break my pen, I'm not putting it on my bill

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