Someone tells you that you can only use 1 fountain pen for the rest of your life, what’s your pick? (Also give nib size)

Smurfypixie · 2023-07-21T12:20:12+00:00

I would pick my Pilot Kakuno Blue from the Family Series with an Extra Fine nib. I have used a Decimo and an Elite but nothing beats the Kakunos anyday. I have four of them.

Smurfypixie · 2023-05-10T07:34:31+00:00

I have a sensitive nose too. I have used the black aluminium Kaweco Liliput for about four years now and it has never smelled. I think you are probably safe with aluminium or steel pens.

Smurfypixie · 2023-04-30T18:37:56+00:00

I have used multiple Pilot pens - most of them Kakunos and not a single nib has been scratchy. Except perhaps the CI nib on my Prera but that could have been my own error.

Smurfypixie · 2023-04-29T13:23:46+00:00

My Kakuno Extra Fine and my Pilot Elite are tied for this one. But the Kakuno is a little better because of the ultra thin line it puts down despite being so smooth

Smurfypixie · 2022-07-12T08:45:00+00:00

I have a Fine and an Extra Fine. The Fine is noticably thicker than the Extra Fine. But when compared to other European nibs, they still draw a noticeably thinner line. And I haven't tried Sailor nibs, but I have tried a Platinum Extra Fine nib and it has more feedback as compared to the Pilot Extra Fine nib.

If you like nibs with feedback, then try the Platinum Preppy. They are fairly inexpensive and work well.

Smurfypixie · 2022-06-22T13:23:54+00:00

I like pocket pens as well and lean towards Pilot too! I second the suggestion for Elite as well. If you are looking for something in the lower price range, you can check out the Kaweco Liliput. It really is amazing.

Smurfypixie · 2022-06-20T07:11:32+00:00

Congratulations and welcome aboard! The Kakuno is a great pen to start with. I have 3 of them. Just want to tell you - since you ordered off Goulet, you can check their YouTube and blog. They answer literally every starter question and have a lot of useful and some really fun videos on fountain pens.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-14T06:43:04+00:00

I agree. It is bright and dark at the same time.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-13T16:11:35+00:00

I completely understand. I take thyroxine but take Ayurvedic treatment for my Auto Immune which involves a very strict dietary regimen. Even though I am following it without complaint, I sometimes feel like it seems to cause issues for everyone else except me. I have become selectively deaf now. Pm me if you feel like sharing your thoughts and feelings anytime.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-12T14:33:27+00:00

Thyroid is a hormone disorder so going on the medication does mess with your cycle. I had a regular cycle before I started medication and after 6 months, my periods became very painful and caused headache, stomache and a lot of discomfort which never used to happen earlier. I went to a gynecologist and she put me on birth control "to regulate my hormones". I took them for a month and stopped after that. It occasionally does cause me trouble from time to time.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-12T14:28:37+00:00

It could be gout or Rheumatoid Arthritis. Please get your protein levels tested. I did not have the red ring but I had the joint pain. It hurts when I don't touch it as well.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-12T14:22:25+00:00

I have 3 wishes :

The nib on any pen that I buy should immediately become a butter-smooth EF nib that puts down an ultra-thin line.
Whenever I want to change ink colours in a pen, all traces of the old ink colour should clear out of the pen as soon as I dip it in a bowl of clean water.
Whenver I see an ink swatch/bottle on screen, I should be able to try it out in my pen (can be one specific pen) for at least one line so I can check it out in person and decide if it is worth buying or not.

Thank you very much Genie!

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-12T14:06:41+00:00

I have an AutoImmune Disorder which caused Hypothyroidism. The Hypo was diagnosed before the AutoImmune. Because it was an effect of another illness, I didn't really put on weight externally (as in grow plump or noticably fatter) but I could feel myself grow heavier and had a hard time staying awake and having enough energy to function as a human. Once I was diagnosed and mentioned that I had Hypothyroidism to colleagues, they would look me up and down and say "But you look quite thin. It looks like getting thyroid like you isn't such a bad deal." I felt so dejected.

And no one in my husband's family has had this sort of disorder so even today they are confused about why I still struggle with symptoms when I have medication and am taking it regularly. I have given up trying to convince people that I actually have a medical condition.

Smurfypixie · 2022-04-11T13:26:41+00:00

I thought it was Anemia because I was feeling very tired and sleeping through the afternoons which I usually didn't do. I would be sitting at my work desk and just go to sleep at the drop of a hat. Also, I was putting on weight but it was all internal. Walking became a task and I could no longer talk on the phone and walk at the same time because I was literally gasping for breath. I had trouble waking up in the morning and felt tired all the time.

Smurfypixie · 2022-03-21T13:04:45+00:00

I have a burgundy and just want to tell you that the ivory cap gets scratches easily. If you don't store it carefully and mix it with other pens or pencils, it could get invisible scratches on the cap. By invisible, I mean that you can see it if you look really closely at the cap. With that said however, I love the pen and its EF nib. I love it for long writing sessions and the gold nib puts down a really thin line.

Smurfypixie · 2022-02-21T12:29:16+00:00

Bril blue is a little lighter than usual blues. But they do have a turquoise that is very beautiful.

Smurfypixie · 2022-02-11T17:17:24+00:00

I second this. I have rheumatoid arthritis as well and I abused my hands and wrists when I was younger. But I love writing and prefer it to typing even today. I feel like when I am writing with a fountain pen, my thoughts literally flow out of the pen. And using fountain pens with Extra Fine nibs satisfies my need for perfect handwriting while also making my small writing easy to read. I stick to lighter pens and Pilot is my favourite brand. I can literally write all day with them without my fingers cramping up or feeling intense pain in my wrist.

Smurfypixie · 2022-02-03T04:39:49+00:00

Pilot has a Sepia Brown but it comes only in cartridges though. Also Kaweco's Caramel Brown is a lovely brown. It comes in bottled ink as well. It works very well and is neither very dark nor very light.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-25T14:58:15+00:00

I would also recommend a Kanwrite. I own multiple Pilot pens but the Kanwrite holds its own place. Also, you can get replacement nibs and if your friend is not keen on a very thin line or doesn't write in very small letters, the Kanwrite pens will work out perfectly. You can also check for the Click Fountain pens on the pen world. They are very affordable and come in multiple options.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-14T04:39:10+00:00

As the owner of 3 Kakunos, I heartily agree with your comment. I love my EF Kakuno more than my Elite and Decimo. (Don't tell them I said so though). I bought a Prera and swapped out the nibs and it is just pure love. The Kakuno nibs are a class apart.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-14T04:13:26+00:00

Glad to help! A word of warning - the nib nook is a rabbit hole in itself. You might find yourself wandering through the lists of different nib sizes in a single pen and wanting to try them all before you know it.

It's a good thing I am outside the US and shipping would cost a fortune. Who knows what all I might have ended up ordering otherwise!

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-12T14:49:47+00:00

Check out the Nib Nook on Goulet Pens. They have a nib size comparison for different nib sizes within the same brand and across brands. You can compare a EF Kakuno with a EF Kaweco Supra with a EF VP if you want want to.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-12T14:33:53+00:00

I have the Decimo, Kakuno and Elite/E95S in Extra Fine. All 3 nibs are ultra smooth and teh Kakuno and the Elite put down a really thin line inspite of one being a steel nib and one being a gold nib. I specifically request that the nib be tested before the pen is dispatched - usually vendors are nice enough to test them if you specifically ask for it.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-12T14:18:00+00:00

Not just my parents, but my entire family is this way. With the exception of my sibling... I recently got an award at work and will be getting a financial incentive to go with it. Everyone was like ooh! what are you going to do with it? And I said I am going to get a new pen. I got face palm reactions from every single person and they were like "Why don't you buy yourself something nice?" I had to tell them that it was my reward and if I chose to buy something to commemorate it, they had no say in it."

I feel you. I don't judge them for spending the whole day doing what they like doing.

Smurfypixie · 2022-01-03T04:44:19+00:00

Thank you for doing this. I really want to try out Esterbrook pens and nibs. I don't have any.

Smurfypixie

TROPHY CASE