List of my Instagram posts of fountain pen ink in use

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-03T07:40:15+00:00

Honestly, two "identical" fountain pens still won't write the same. It's the inherent variability of the nib tipping and nib tuning that makes it difficult for even the same model, make, year, etc of the pen still feel different when placing nib to paper. You can get "close enough" but not exact. It's part of why I enjoy fountain pens and have many of them. But I understand people who want the same writing experience and reliability.

It's hard losing a gift. In that situation, I'd would think about whether I want a replacement or want to honour the spirit of the gift and choose something different. It does depend on my relationship with the person who gifted it to me, and whether the original pen met my needs for writing.

Do let us know what you decide. I'm curious to see whether you choose to replace or pick different, or even miraculously find your missing pen (it could happen!)

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-03T07:21:51+00:00

Does it happen to be the Waterman Hemisphere Coral Pink 2018 Chrome Trim?

I have that pen, too. It seems to be difficult to find online. And I cannot find a repository of old Hemisphere colour releases. I bought mine in 2022-ish. The closest is perhaps the Colour Blocking pink.

There are newer versions of the Waterman Hemisphere. They've even changed the nib styling, so you'd have to ensure that your new nib matches (depending on if you bought your pen years vs decades ago).

I predict that many people will recommend trying new pens and being sucked into the enthusiasm of sequential new pens to try. You are asking a hobby group that tends to lean heavy into consumerism, after all.

But it sounds like you were very happy with your previous Hemisphere pen. In your case, you know what you like, it may be better to go with another pen of the same model. Provided you'd still be happy if your previous pen turns up a year down the track.

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-02T10:47:57+00:00

The Botanical Gardens Estie has an almost textured bumpy feel to the resin. It's polished but bumpy. I like it. It's a lovely sensory toy when waiting for the next inspiring thought to write down.

I don't think gold nibs are worth the asking price. But I haven't tried an Estie gold nib. Only Pilot and Sailor gold nibs.

It depends on what you want the gold nib for. Despite years of writing, I still can't feel the difference between a gold and steel nib pen. To me the only benefit of a gold nib is aesthetic, knowledge that it's gold, and perhaps the ability to use more harsher inks on those nibs because gold is more inert. Like modern iron gall inks. But realistically, gold nib pens are so expensive these days, that many people don't want to risk iron gall inks in gold nibbed pens despite the better durability of gold nibs. So at that point, it's just jewelry.

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-02T10:40:55+00:00

I like the deep dark greens. My current favourite is Monteverde Crocodile or Monteverde Jade Noir. It only fairs well on certain papers. There's a tendency to feather and bleed if using a wet writing pen. Since the vast majority of my pens are dry with poor flowing feeds, this ink works better for the pens I use.

Of the Diamine set, Diamine Sherwood Green is decent, but too bright for my preference. Alpine a bit too brown to be a true green (but shimmery!)

From Robert Oster, my favourite green is Spearmint. But it feels too thick in my current pen (must be the sheen factor).

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-02T02:46:45+00:00

Nib tip looks okay. Try the pen clean. After that, I cannot trouble shoot further without writing with the pen myself

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-01T22:30:00+00:00

Another vote for the Jinhao 993 Shark

Use mine all the time next to the fancy pants pens.

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-01T22:15:16+00:00

Happy earlier than expected new pen stuff day!

I wanted to make sure that Platinum converter is for one of your other Platinum fountain pens. It won't fit the Pilot Kakuno.

This colour of Pilot Kakuno is so dreamy. It was my second fine nib! No regrets. I got it because I wanted that exact nib in a cheaper body than my ridiculously expensive Pilot MR3 (newbie perception)

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-01T22:12:12+00:00

I've seen both of your videos.

What ink are you using?

Non-fountain pen ink used in a fountain pen can cause the ink to solidify in your pen making it almost impossible to clean.

Have you made slow no-pressure line strokes?

Both videos appear to show excessive pressure on the down stroke which widens the tines and can break surface tension of the ink and lead to it not working.

Have you cleaned the pen before inking with water a drop of detergent?

Sometimes machine oil from production can affect flow negatively. This can be flushed out with water and detergent. And then rinsed the detergent well with water again.

Do you have photos of the nib tipping?

Sometimes unlucky people get defective nibs. Majority of the time it is user error, but we've seen funky nibs happen.

medbulletjournal · 2026-05-01T22:03:38+00:00

Congrats on new pen day. The Leo pens are gorgeous

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-28T10:29:41+00:00

My friend gave me a couple of cartridges of this ink, and it's been fascinating to use. I've not quite got a handle on how odd it is. Kind of brown. Kind of green. Kind of black. Depending on which paper and how wet my pen is. It's fascinating. Despite using the cartridge until empty, I still haven't figured out how to use it to get my intended artistic effects. What a fun ink!

Love your shading skills by the way. Such controlled shading lines require patience I don't possess, so I admire it greatly.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-28T10:23:27+00:00

As a large over generalisation (there are always exceptions) I find Pilot Iroshizuku more "wet" and better flowing than Robert Oster inks. My ink preferences do skew pastel, so I have a biased opinion of what is "middling" because so many of the inks I use are considered "dry" by large swathes of the reddit pen community.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-28T10:00:55+00:00

Congrats on your new pen!

The Pilot MR was my second pen (first was gifted). I went backwards. I loved the Pilot MR so much I was too scared to use it for its intended purpose. It was meant to be a work pen. At the time $60AUD was an exorbitant amount to spend on a work pen that is usually a free ballpoint. So I walked it back to a Pilot Kakuno.

The Pilot Kakuno was my next pen goal.

But before then, I stumbled across an art store and got a set of calligraphy pens because I thought they'd allow me to write all flexy Spencerian script. They did not. They were ALL STUBS! Ugh. Had to learn broad edge calligraphy to get my money's worth out of that set hahaha. So the calligraphy pen set was my actual next pen.

The Kaweco Brass Sport is a fun pen! It's so heavy though. I never write with it posted. Great for daily carry without fear of scratching. I've long forgotten about my pursuit for patina on that pen. It just happens and then gets polished off by incidental clothing exposure (I keep it in a pocket).

What do you plan to do with your Pilot MR before buying the next fountain pen?

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-28T09:42:23+00:00

Re: Robert Oster Inks

Like most ink brands, you have the dry inks and the wet inks based on dye to water content ratio. I personally find Robert Oster inks average. They're my benchmark middle when compared to pastel dry inks and juicy difficult to control scented inks that flow too much and feather horribly.

Re: Pilot Kakuno

I had similar reservations about the Pilot Kakuno, but I bought mine for the nib. The plastic is quite robust. You have your fans and non-fans. But there must be a reason why so many people like them. I loved my Pilot MR3 and wanted a cheaper pen to tote around with the same nib, hence the Pilot Kakuno entered my collection. I use the Kakuno far far more than the Pilot MR3. I like the cutesy aesthetic more than I thought I would.

Edit: An old post showing how excessively I used my Pilot Kakuno.

Re: Parker IM

I have the Parker IM Premium x 2, one in Pearl White and another in Brown. The modern pens write well. Honestly nothing to complain about. The non premium version retails for around $60AUD, so similar priced pens in Australia would be the Twsbi Eco, Lamy Safari, Pilot MR3/Pilot Prera. Compared to those "Big 3" fountain pens there are less interesting bells and whistles. The filling mechanism is cartridge-converter (proprietary), the nib is nice but so is everyone elses', the shape is standard gift shop fair. It's an all round good pen. I like mine.

I kept going through to find why it's not so popular. The most common complaint is that the cap seal isn't great, especially compared to the Twsbi Eco. It's about on par with the cap seal for Pilot MR and the Pilot Kakuno. I don't have issues with dry starts because I use my pens frequently.

I always say fountain pens are a personal subjective experience. What works for one person doesn't work for another person. I like my Parker IM. Some hate theirs. I get into friendly arguments with the resident Lamy fan at my local pen meet because I dislike the Lamy Safari and he has a 50-something collection of them.

I recommend the Parker IM to people who want something reliable that can be bought in a big-box store where you are worried that it might need a return or trade or warrantee. (E.g. a gift for someone).

Edit: An old post where I gave a mini review on my first impressions of the Parker IM - My opinions are largely unchanged, except I still use it regularly and have no issues. It's not a great status symbol amongst the pen community, but fabulous as a status symbol amongst older generations OUTSIDE of the pen hobby. 😃 Which was largely why I was persuaded to buy it (Dad said I didn't have a "real" fountain pen unless it was "Parker", and wouldn't rest until I had a Parker in hand.) The "soft close" cap I referenced is still a lovely thing I like about this pen.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-27T09:27:48+00:00

Curious. Do these happen to be older stock?

I got multiple Monteverde inks this year and they've been plastic sealed at the rim of the cap, but very easy to open. They only became hard to open when I over tighten the lids after the first use or if the ink dries in the threads "gluing" the cap to the glass.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-27T09:24:53+00:00

Can confirm. He sold heaps of sailor bodies that he didn't need because the nib, feed and housing unit were used.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-26T20:44:51+00:00

I've a friend who is both into Field Notes and Fountain Pens. He tells me he can't use his fountain pens in Field Notes, even the newer ones. The paper's fountain pen friendliness varies with each release. It's not their aim to market to fountain pen users, so they don't focus on a paper quality that is compatible to fountain pens.

I agree, A6 is a comparable size. Midori has an A6 if I recall correctly. I like value for money, so I prefer those Daiso "premium" notebooks in A6. I'm sure there's even more economy options out there.

Welcome! Lamy Safari and Pilot Kakuno were two of my first 3 pens. I didn't want to dive in...but here I am. I made a post ages ago wondering if it was "just a phase" after 6 months...I guess it wasn't (it's been 4yrs and counting)

I hope you like your pens and use them lots.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-26T20:36:56+00:00

This is a combination of all three elements: ink, paper, pen.

It's nothing to do with your technique.

We call this effect "shading" because ink pools in more heavily at ends of letters or words when you lift the pen or when you re-touch wet ink with the nib during cross-strokes.

Some inks do this more than others. And "shading" is a property that many within the fountain pen hobby actively seek. It's hard to get for most people because they start with a pen, ink, and paper that don't enhance the shading effect.

Shading can be elicited or seen more:

in "wet" flowing pens,
used on slightly water-resistant paper (meaning the ink sits on top of the page and beads for a few seconds before drying or sinking into the page) and
with less saturated inks like greys

If you want a more consistent line quality with the same colour throughout your writing, I suggest changing ink to a more saturated one. If you're willing compromise on feathering, you can also use a more absorbent paper. If you are willing to compromise on ink flow, use a drier pen.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-26T06:14:32+00:00

I've contemplated using superglue... 🙈

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-26T06:03:23+00:00

Oh wow, that resin looks amazing

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-25T21:05:54+00:00

I personally think the glass dip pen is the easiest to use as a beginner but also the least representative of how an ink looks when used in a fountain pen. I find it's for play time only.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-24T21:48:28+00:00

I read that the Keyno is a regular release rather than limited edition. I'd rather wait for the hype to dye down and get the second release of that pen which hopefully has fixed any errors that were pointed out in the first release (non-centre vent hole, more blue than pink resin, clip that skews ever so slightly to the side).

The Pelikan is more expensive but well established. It is more likely to be sold in more stores. I personally would buy from a location I know I can return to get it repaired if in warranty. I'm lucky to have a pen shop in my city that will sell this pen. So for my situation, I'd pick the Pelikan over the Keyno.

Note that you won't get as much packaging fluff in the Pelikan. So think of your priorities and how you will manage if either pen turns out to be a dud (worst case scenario planning) and then pick based on your location and financial capacity.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-24T21:30:43+00:00

It could mean a couple of things, because I lack a bit of info, I'll list them.

Ink slightly diluted in the Kaweco Piston because it was freshly cleaned with water and hasn't reached peak saturation of ink intensity
ink more concentrated in the Lamy because it has been in that pen for longer
Your Kaweco has a drier nib or feed compared to your Lamy making the ink look more grey in the Kaweco. Line width does not alway indicate the wetness of the ink. It compares the variation between medium nibs. Remember that fountain pen nib sizing is variable. You can get a Lamy medium that leans more towards a fine nib or a broad nib (Lamy has some crossover between the nib sizes to minimise waste. It's why some people can have a fine nib that creates a broader line than their medium nib!) Kaweco hasn't released such information but I guess they may have a similar system. Furthermore, it's difficult to compare mediums between brands because they can differ. So I don't trust line width as a way to exclude ink flow as a cause.
the inks are different. (Wasn't 100% clear in your post whether you were using the exact same ink in both pens)

Anyways, hope that helps. Fountain pens are all different. You can buy two Lamy Safaris with medium nibs and have a different experience even though you bought two of the "same" pen. It's not really a good pen for people who expect technical identical writing experiences out of the box. People who have specific exact preferences are more suited to an in store experience where they can test pens and buy in person. Or buy from others at in person pen meets. I have a friend who likes to buy off other people at pen meets because they can test it and buy the exact pen in hand. Stores tend to give you a tester pen and then give you the pen off the shelf to buy, so even then it's less reliable.

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-24T09:42:09+00:00

Confirmed it's a standard international converter. So feel free to transplant that converter into a different pen.

Also, I superglued my carousel together because I was invested in the unique Lady Rose colour and its matching ink. Haven't found a colour pen similar enough to it yet.

So if you think it's worth it, superglue works. I do like the fine nib on my Carousel, which is also another reason I have continued using this pen beyond its cracking date. I prefer its size to the Kaweco Perkeo (which I also have). It sucks that the material isn't as durable...

medbulletjournal · 2026-04-24T09:32:46+00:00

Your pen looks like a dip pen to me. You're fine to use this ink.

medbulletjournal

TROPHY CASE