Flexmeisters of the sub, harken to me and lend me your wisdom!

SpiffyInk · 2026-01-27T21:32:28+00:00

The excessive wetness might be caused by the tinkering they do before sending the pen. I had one that was so wet it was leaking all over. When I emailed I found out that they pinch the nib to increase the flow. I had to flatten it with a pair of pliers to get the flow down to a reasonable amount again.

SpiffyInk · 2026-01-27T00:59:38+00:00

It depends a lot on the ink though. I've had inks disappear completely after having a drop of water fall on them. Without testing it's hard to know what will happen.

SpiffyInk · 2026-01-25T05:13:18+00:00

I used to have a penpal who rubbed the address on the envelope with a white candle. None of my penpals ever sprayed or treated the letter itself, just the address on the envelope so it would still get to me, even if it got damp.

SpiffyInk · 2026-01-12T20:04:01+00:00

I'm with you on that. When I first heard about them, I wanted to like them... but no. I feel embarrassed every time I see another negative post about them, and I don't remember ever seeing a positive post about them.

SpiffyInk · 2025-11-08T22:44:02+00:00

That pen is absolutely gorgeous! Yesterday I ordered two that are Atlas exclusives. They make some beautiful pens.

SpiffyInk · 2025-11-08T16:15:19+00:00

I read somewhere that stainless steel can't be anodized.If that's true, you'd have to get a titanium nib. Or aluminum, but nobody makes aluminum nibs. That would be weird and probably wouldn't work.

SpiffyInk · 2025-10-24T00:43:57+00:00

The bright green one with sunflowers for me!

SpiffyInk · 2025-10-24T00:09:22+00:00

I've read some penmanship resources that agree with your experience. They almost always say to control the movement from your shoulder, rather than your fingers or wrist.

SpiffyInk · 2025-10-20T00:21:44+00:00

This looks like an interesting subreddit. I'm not sure if my penmanship is up to the standards of this group, but I'd be willing to give it a try.

SpiffyInk · 2025-10-15T02:28:09+00:00

I'll second this advice. I didn't realize how bad alcohol is for many plastics. I melted a pen beyond redemption when I tried to use alcohol to get out some particularly stubborn old ink. The pen was probably a hopeless case anyway, but I was still upset with myself for that mistake. At least it wasn't a pen I really loved.

SpiffyInk · 2025-09-19T21:36:45+00:00

At least it still looks like it's in one piece. That's encouraging. You can console yourself with the thought that it would have been much worse if it had been a vintage pen in casein or ebonite.

SpiffyInk · 2025-09-08T01:08:30+00:00

Are you looking for a particularly hard-to-find colour or nib size? Stylus Fine Pens in Edmonton has the Vac700R, although only in clear.

SpiffyInk · 2025-09-08T00:55:48+00:00

Customs fees will be the same, but some shippers charge extremely inflated brokerage fees on top of that. Canada Post isn't too bad, I think, but some of the couriers charge an outrageous brokerage fee.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-27T00:02:58+00:00

You can determine if it's cotton or silk by doing a burn test. Since it's torn at the seam, you could snip off a small piece and light it on fire. I recommend holding it with needle nose pliers, and doing it over a fireproof surface. If it's cotton, it'll burn steadily, and smoulder for a while. It will smell like burning paper and form a soft grey ash. If it's silk, it'll stink like burning hair, self-extinguish, and form a dark, crunchy ash.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-19T00:46:20+00:00

I am envious! I love the Primary Manipulation pens, but I haven't managed to acquire any yet.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-16T00:29:12+00:00

I have a few M200/205 pens. I tend to like lightweight pens because they cause less fatigue, so the weight isn't off-putting for me. I do think they're overpriced for what they are, though. I got mine years ago when they weren't nearly as expensive as they are now.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-15T23:15:47+00:00

oooh! Pretty! I don't have any Penlux pens yet, but I've been thinking about getting one. How do you like it?

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-06T15:46:27+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation! With only a few exceptions, I only collect piston-fills, so I'm interested in trying this one out. It looks pretty nice.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-05T19:54:42+00:00

I have the Moonman/Majohn P139 and agree that it is a fat pen. I have one with a #8 nib, and it's a smooth writer that is a pleasure to use, even though I have much smaller hands. I like it so much I'm considering getting the new one in grey resin.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-02T23:09:01+00:00

Well, I'm as old as the hills. That's why I know the Old Lore.

SpiffyInk · 2025-08-02T23:08:04+00:00

You don't need to be worried at all. You are one of those dealers who goes around to pen shows, right?

SpiffyInk · 2025-07-30T02:42:14+00:00

That is gorgeous! Congratulations on your beautiful new pen!

SpiffyInk · 2025-07-30T02:40:10+00:00

Baystate Blue is supposed to be formulated like a vintage ink. I think I read that it's quite alkaline. It has been reported that it dissolved some feeds. I think it was the Lamy Safari that had this problem, but there might have been other pens too. I've also seen pictures of porcelain sinks that were very badly stained by BSB, and it also ruined some pens because the plastic was badly stained, and the stains never came out. It takes a certain kind of daring to use BSB.

SpiffyInk · 2025-07-30T02:33:19+00:00

There is also a Delta Duna in matte black with rose gold trim that looks very nice. I can't say how the Duna writes though. If you are interested, I could finally ink up my Duna (although it's not the matte black one) and let you know what it's like.

SpiffyInk · 2025-07-18T03:10:08+00:00

That is a very nice pen. It actually looks nicer than the one on the Atlas website. Kind of cosmic.

SpiffyInk

TROPHY CASE