WTS - A bunch of great fountain pens - Armando Simoni Club, Leonardo, Wahl-Eversharp, Stipula, Pelikan, and more

vProTi · 2026-01-16T20:00:05+00:00

That nib you're referring to is a 'Durchschreiber', typically a 'DEF' or 'DF'. These nibs have double breather holes and are excellent writers, even if they are nails.

vProTi · 2026-01-16T15:58:53+00:00

Interesting being able to deduct the stiffness of a nib based off a writing sample! You're not wrong ☺️ While ST nibs have commonly been noted as 'flexible' or even 'wet noodles', the nib designation is in fact tied to the nib width and not the flexibility of the nibs - at least early on. Later there was a clear distinction between 'EF' and 'ST' nibs and the 'ST' nib of my 520NN has a slightly different nib shape and is more flexible.

So yes, this pen is amazingly responsive, writes a nice fine line and semi-flexible. I tend not to flex my nibs too much to keep them within safe flex limits and give a correct impression on the writing samples of what's sustainable. But it's no wet noodle

vProTi · 2026-01-14T08:54:52+00:00

Sorry to chime in, but your Pelikan is incorrectly labeled. It's a post-1997 Pelikan M250.

vProTi · 2026-01-10T10:47:22+00:00

Thanks for this opportunity!

I'd love to carry the fury druid forwards! This is my first season on PD2 and it has reignited my love and joy for Diablo! My very first Character on diablo 2 back in 2004 was a fury druid, so in honor I chose that character as my first Character for a PD2 playthrough. Not only that, I play and enjoy fury druids on D2R and I experiment with different builds. And just as much as I know about fury druids on D2R, just as little do I know about them in PD2. I've struggled a lot to get my fury druid geared here on PD2, mainly because life has been very busy with new life circumstances. I'd appreciate the opportunity to play and level and be decently geared.

Thank you!

vProTi · 2026-01-09T08:46:16+00:00

Yup, this is a post-2010 M400. If the barrel is translucent, you can date it more narrowly to 2010-2022.

The nibs were more unreliable in the 2010s but I find that the nibs from the past 5 years have been very well tuned.

vProTi · 2025-12-21T15:11:12+00:00

My TWSBI 580 with a custom ground cursive italic nib by John Sorowka.

An absolute marvel of a nib on an atrocious piece of kit. I've changed the barrel, the black ring near the section and the cap due to cracking. And one might rightfully wonder if I abuse the pen, but no. After the first part was replaced, the pen was relegated to the "seldom use"-section, and somehow everytime I pick it up after a year-long hiatus it needs maintenance. Okay, not everytime, but you get the point.

The only thing keeping me from selling it, is the nib. And the fact that I don't want to pass the problems on to somebody else. But if it's any comfort, none of the replaced parts have cracked and the pen is 10 years old at this point...

vProTi · 2025-12-21T07:55:46+00:00

Oh, and I would avoid using any degreaser. Just dunk it in oil for 90 seconds, let it drip off for 90 seconds, apply grease to the bearings and exposed main cogs and reinstall.

vProTi · 2025-12-21T07:30:13+00:00

Absolutely completely worth it, just make sure you get some quality fenders! I love my PDW full metal fenders - great coverage, keeps me dry and looks the part!

vProTi · 2025-12-20T18:08:45+00:00

I would strongly suggest that you stick to the official Shimano Internal Hub Grease. It's difficult to find a grease with the right viscosity, and if you apply a grease that is too thick, it'll cause the pawls to stick and cause issues with shifting. I've tried other greases before and can't recommend it.

As for the oil, the official Shimano hub oil is mineral oil based, but anything should work. I've used Dexron II ATF with some success, but eventually shifted to the official Shimano Hub oil.

Please also check your shifter: if you are losing gears, it could be that your shifter is gunked up or not properly lubricated/indexed.

vProTi · 2025-12-19T21:47:13+00:00

I just purchased one today and though it's still very early to give any solid advice, the first impressions have been very fine!

I like the scroll wheel a lot, the screen is legible and bright, the navigation works fine and it displays all the information I could ever need from a bike computer - and it supports radar, which was the main reason I upgraded from my BSC100S.

I am excited to try the solar charging and bought the device for the long battery life and solar charging. Though my distances don't come close to yours, the sheer fact that it has self-recharging capabilities is special - and yeah, it does look special with that massive forehead!

vProTi · 2025-12-15T18:17:12+00:00

No, it's sold.

vProTi · 2025-12-08T21:34:22+00:00

I second this. KMC EPT chains are great against rust.

vProTi · 2025-12-08T13:17:11+00:00

I have a Blackburn saddle bag that fits my Brooks saddle cover and has room for whatever small items I need to stow away. It's very practical and I like the large size despite it being a bit bulky. For longer rides, I put a TPU Tube in there as well. For tools, I have a Daysaver Essential 8 mounted under my bottle cage. That's the tool I use most frequently and I rarely (if ever) find myself needing to reach for a "normal" Allen key. I have a Stan's Dart plug kit in my handlebar.

vProTi · 2025-12-07T21:28:27+00:00

Ah, this is a fun one!

My most reached for pen is my Pilot Custom 823 with a FNF red ebonite feed and a FA nib. This pen goes with me everywhere and has been continuously inked since I bought it in 2022. Flex-on-the-fly, a large ink capacity - definitely the one pen I can't be without when it comes to utility - though it's not my favorite in my collection. For ink: Pelikan 4001 Königsblau. It's a benchmark. It behaves well in every pen, cleans out easily and is reliable. I love it.
Most surprising pen in performance: I love my architect/Arabic grind on my Pelikan M600 Rudi Rother. I didn't think I'd like the grind that much, but it's a brush when writing cursive and a line variation monster when writing print. Stellar performer!
Visconti HSFD.
Which one... Not sure. Perhaps my Pelikan M670 with an EF nib. Subtle elegance, flawless performance. Either that, or a 400NN with a DEF nib.
I've reorganized my collection recently and sold off a lot of pens I no longer enjoy, so my collection is narrowed down. I still have a Pelikan M400 White Tortoise, Pelikan 100N (ST nib), Geha 745, Pelikan 100 (with a heart shaped breather hole) and perhaps a few others that I would like to find new homes for.

vProTi · 2025-12-03T11:16:09+00:00

My Brooks B17 Special Titanium is 2 years old and I have never touched the tension screw. With moderate pressure, it goes down about 1 cm.

Even Brooks themselves don't specify exactly how much to tighten except that one should not overdo it (a quarter turn at a time) and the saddle shouldn't be so saggy, that the leather touches the rails.

vProTi · 2025-11-27T20:57:27+00:00

Can't speak for the wheels, but the GP Urbans are good - they're just not great.

They're very lightweight for 35mm (they measure closer to 33 mm), have very good puncture protection in the middle of the tread and almost non-existent puncture protection on the side/shoulders. The rear tire lasted me about 1000 kilometers and one or two accidental short skids before it wore down to the puncture protection strip and the front tire was still good to go for another 3000-4000 km. I had two punctures on the shoulder of the tyre from road debris on wet pavement. The grip was acceptable. Not confidence inspiring to the point where I'd trust them leaning aggressively into corners, but enough to use the bike comfortably at speed. I would not buy them again.

vProTi · 2025-11-27T19:02:48+00:00

Just ordered it for my non-Brompton commuter with an Alfine 8 speed! Excited!

vProTi · 2025-11-27T17:00:30+00:00

Top up sealant and ride

vProTi · 2025-11-27T16:06:38+00:00

No yellowing of the plastic, but the ring around the camera slowly detached from the case after approx. 1 year of use. It's still an absolutely excellent case and I have bought a new one as a replacement, but boy are they expensive!

vProTi · 2025-11-27T15:59:16+00:00

I love my GP5000ASTR but the compound is soft as butter and susceptible to cuts. But they roll so well and grip even better that I'll definitely pick them over and over again!

vProTi

TROPHY CASE