Nostr notes by Richard Welty

Maybe I should take a break from buying #fountainpen ink. ...

2026-03-16T20:48:19Z

Maybe I should take a break from buying #fountainpen ink.

More vintage #fountainpen stuff: these inexpensive spark plug ...

2026-02-19T17:15:35Z

More vintage #fountainpen stuff: these inexpensive spark plug terminal pliers from Gear Wrench reportedly work well for gripping sections on vintage pens. Grabbed them on Amazon for $13.

#fountainpen supplies day. From vintage pens.com Fine abrasive ...

2026-02-19T16:18:06Z

#fountainpen supplies day. From vintage pens.com
Fine abrasive for nib touch up, nib blocks, and some supplies for ink sac replacement. I am anticipating more celluloid vintage pens in the future.

a plastic stock tank. My wife fills it during the summer as a ...

2026-01-25T17:20:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…yf6w
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a plastic stock tank. My wife fills it during the summer as a place to soak in.

for comparison, my backyard near Albany NY right this minute ...

2026-01-25T16:53:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…y5nk
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for comparison, my backyard near Albany NY right this minute

New old #fountainpen day: Esterbrook J Type, green celluloid. ...

2026-01-15T16:32:14Z

New old #fountainpen day: Esterbrook J Type, green celluloid. 1940s or 1950s. Cannot get a full fill, will need to investigate potential feed or sac issues; a sac issue seems more likely but a good feed cleaning is easier since the section is usually glued to the barrel in sac fillers like this.

New notebook day. Heard good things about Mnemosyne, going to try ...

2026-01-11T21:33:31Z

New notebook day. Heard good things about Mnemosyne, going to try one out. 90 gsm paper, dot grid. Will be interesting to compare to a similar Leuchtturm 1917 #fountainpen

on the other hand, NYC eats mayors alive. I wish Mamdani the best ...

2026-01-02T20:24:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…hkqu
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on the other hand, NYC eats mayors alive. I wish Mamdani the best and hope the city doesn’t eat him.

Conklin 1898 #fountainpen followup. I called it a wet writer in ...

2026-01-02T18:26:44Z

Conklin 1898 #fountainpen followup.
I called it a wet writer in my early impressions, both here and other social media. This triggered some private discussion with my father and some members of the Raleigh-Durham pen club. “Drier” inks were suggested. I dumped the Diamine Sargasso Sea back in the bottle and switched the blue cartridge supplied by Conklin 1/

New old #fountainpen day. Vintage Parker Vacumatic. I am having ...

2025-12-23T05:12:15Z

New old #fountainpen day. Vintage Parker Vacumatic. I am having issues with self restraint.

New #fountainpen day. Not really my fault, Atlas Stationers had a ...

2025-12-15T20:38:53Z

New #fountainpen day. Not really my fault, Atlas Stationers had a good sale. Diplomat Viper (F). Ink: Lamy Petrol. Nice hooded nib, nice writer.

a couple of weeks ago, i posted about the Tom Hessin #fountainpen ...

2025-12-12T04:49:21Z

a couple of weeks ago, i posted about the Tom Hessin #fountainpen i had just received. it is the only wood pen i've acquired to date.
this evening i noticed a crack in the barrel.
i've reached out to the place i bought it, Dick Blick. they have a seemingly generous return/replacement policy, so i have no real concerns.
but i do live in upstate NY and it's cold and dry here right now. i'm wondering if the cracking can be attributed to low humidity or it's just an odd case.1/

SCCA tech inspector here. One of the rules I enforce is our kill ...

2025-12-05T21:53:49Z

In reply to nevent1q…fhpy
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SCCA tech inspector here. One of the rules I enforce is our kill switch rule.

also, a bulb syringe. And @npub19t5…qnld (I think) has a simple ...

2025-12-03T02:55:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…5e8d
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also, a bulb syringe. And paradoxmo (npub19t5…qnld) (I think) has a simple formula for a pen flush, a mild detergent for pen cleaning.

you will want a couple of blunt needle syringes in your kit. Good ...

2025-12-03T02:51:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…sqly
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you will want a couple of blunt needle syringes in your kit. Good for cleaning, good for filling cartridges from bottles.

platinum has very decent inks. Their cartridges are proprietary, ...

2025-12-03T02:40:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…4pjx
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platinum has very decent inks. Their cartridges are proprietary, but cleaning and refilling empty cartridges is something people do. I use a converter in my preppy but platinum charges more for the converter than the pen.

using the platinum ink cartridges or a converter with bottled ...

2025-12-03T02:37:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…ujrp
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using the platinum ink cartridges or a converter with bottled ink?

the preppy is an excellent fountain pen starting point.

2025-12-03T02:29:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…pfz0
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the preppy is an excellent fountain pen starting point.

Double new pen day part 2: not quite a #fountainpen. Sailor ...

2025-12-01T17:51:49Z

Double new pen day part 2: not quite a #fountainpen. Sailor Hocoro dip pen.
Some thoughts in replies 1/

Double new #fountainpen day (another post to follow). Tom Hessin ...

2025-12-01T17:35:41Z

Double new #fountainpen day (another post to follow).
Tom Hessin Edinburgh in Forth Bridge Red (F). Ink is Lamy Petrol. JoWo steel nib. Performs exactly as would be expected. Wanted to try a wood pen.

i have a website, mostly built up 15 or so years ago, written in ...

2025-11-28T18:06:22Z

i have a website, mostly built up 15 or so years ago, written in a #perl based system named #mason - mason 1 to be specific. i'm transitioning it to a virtual server running #nginx, and it's challenging. Mason 1 was pretty specific to apache2, but supposedly can be gotten to run with nginx using #fastcgi. i now have the new server providing pages via fastcgi, but the mason processing is not happening. having trouble finding a mason community online anymore; can anyone provide guidance?

Going to switch the new Conklin 1898 #fountainpen over to one of ...

2025-11-17T19:34:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…tec4
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Going to switch the new Conklin 1898 #fountainpen over to one of the included Conklin cartridges to see if it’s a little less wet with their own ink.
Forgot the tag on my new pen day post last week.

New pen day. The sale at Atlas Stationers was too good to pass ...

2025-11-14T18:25:36Z

New pen day. The sale at Atlas Stationers was too good to pass up. Conklin 1896 (M) Deep Lake. A bit of a wet writer.

Nostr event nevent1qqsv0mzkp29dc2yhrl4kxlzmwpemmsjetgsppyv7860n990q4fzct9szyz70dg5y7gkk2xxsk25r3djvd3zx692y6hs83zxxptf0v5alscxdsnelvh0

2025-10-28T23:29:03Z

What do folks like for closeup viewing of #fountainpen nibs?

nice update from Drew Brown: https://youtu.be/rNfWVSISLgQ ...

2025-10-27T16:31:29Z

nice update from Drew Brown:

https://youtu.be/rNfWVSISLgQ

#fountainpen

#fountainpen at the race track. Whole lot of race car logbooks to ...

2025-10-17T11:20:55Z

#fountainpen at the race track. Whole lot of race car logbooks to fill out today.

New pen day, again, not quite a #fountainpen. Last year’s ...

2025-10-02T23:45:00Z

New pen day, again, not quite a #fountainpen.
Last year’s inkvent calendar has gone at a glacial pace. This cheap dip pen should allow proper day-by-day viewing of new inks. Now to figure out all these nibs.

New pen day but not exactly a #fountainpen . DSPIAE panel line ...

2025-09-19T22:46:43Z

New pen day but not exactly a #fountainpen . DSPIAE panel line pen for use detailing models. Dipped it in Robert Oster Crystal Marine and verified its fundamental unsuitability for writing with ink. Didn’t buy it for that, it’s for applying various washes and other materials to subtly alter their look. #plasticmodels

Making sure all the #fountainpens will be nib up in the seat back ...

2025-09-15T18:19:07Z

Making sure all the #fountainpens will be nib up in the seat back pocket on the flight. #airtravel

I have one of these. If I put a clairfontaine notebook in it ...

2025-08-30T23:37:33Z

In reply to nevent1q…mk57
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I have one of these. If I put a clairfontaine notebook in it (thick with stiff card covers) it’s a bit lumpy. I prefer Rhodia dot books (slimmer and more flexible) for that reason.

New #fountainpen day. Hadn’t really planned this buy, but ...

2025-08-26T19:18:57Z

New #fountainpen day. Hadn’t really planned this buy, but stumbled across it while learning about higher end Pelikans. Pelikan twist (m). Plastic body, steel nib, international standard cartridges. Decent value for slightly over $20, got it from Europe as apparently not exported to US.

Any recommendations from #fountainpen users for B7 sized ...

2025-07-21T14:49:42Z

Any recommendations from #fountainpen users for B7 sized notebooks? Preferably with dot grid. The All Terrain notebooks are the right size but I dislike stone paper. (B7 is shirt pocket size if you don’t know all the ISO sizes.)

i picked up a 3 pack of small All Terrain notebooks not really ...

2025-06-25T01:01:15Z

i picked up a 3 pack of small All Terrain notebooks not really knowing what Stone Paper is. i don't really like writing in them with pens (ballpoint is a little better than a fountain pen). and now i see this video from Doodlebud which confirms my own feelings. #fountainpen

https://youtu.be/nbqxasFZwsI?si=a5CgQvswp978m6E1

New #fountainpen day. In Chapel Hill for a wedding. Stopped at ...

2025-06-22T19:01:30Z

New #fountainpen day. In Chapel Hill for a wedding. Stopped at Crazy Alan's Emporium (npub1k09…4hck) , considering a TWSBI eco with a stub nib or a pilot vanishing point. Wasn’t leaning Decimo but here I am. Won’t ink until we get home to upstate NY, plane flight tomorrow.

Gravitas Pens and an appearance from Drew Brown ...

2025-06-21T15:48:13Z

Gravitas Pens and an appearance from Drew Brown

https://youtu.be/B6C2kMLXXNY?si=A0vaWAsUEwRxfYnL

#fountainpen

I have a little experience with these and do not recommend.

2025-06-20T21:16:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…dcg5
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I have a little experience with these and do not recommend.

that's the first planned experiment (maybe the only one.)

2025-06-16T21:33:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…9wl7
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that's the first planned experiment (maybe the only one.)

i have a pilot varsity that sat over the winter and while it ...

2025-06-16T21:31:06Z

i have a pilot varsity that sat over the winter and while it looks to still be half full of ink, it won't write, presumably things have dried out in the feed. is there an easy/effective way to get it going again, or should i dispose of it in keeping with the fact that it's disposable? #fountainpen

New #fountainpen day. Lamy Safari in charcoal. Got it for the ...

2025-06-05T17:23:28Z

New #fountainpen day. Lamy Safari in charcoal. Got it for the broad nib, to hopefully show off inks with shimmer or sheen. Considering a TWSBI Eco with a stub nib too.

a thought on #fountainpen ink samples... my first experience with ...

2025-05-30T15:40:22Z

a thought on #fountainpen ink samples...
my first experience with Robert Oster Crystal Marine was with an ink sample from a well known, major online vendor.
apparently the sample was done by a junior employee or something; the original ink bottle was not mixed properly and there was essentially no particulate in it. so i thought it was just a nice, slightly darker green. imagine my surprise when i bought a bottle and saw all the silver particles sitting in the bottom.

this particular #fountainpen ink claims it is also usable in ...

2025-05-28T19:40:38Z

this particular #fountainpen ink claims it is also usable in airbrushes. i'd not bought it for that, but i do have airbrushes i could load it into and try. pondering the experiment now.

plastic bottle so that's not really a concern. so far as i ...

2025-05-28T19:38:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…sf9t
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plastic bottle so that's not really a concern. so far as i know, shimmer and sheening inks depend on shiny pigments to do their magic so i'm operating as if there's no important difference.

#fountainpen has anyone tried using small paint agitator balls to ...

2025-05-28T19:25:23Z

#fountainpen has anyone tried using small paint agitator balls to help stir up pigmented inks. I have these for modeling paints and it seems like an obvious thing to try.

#fountainpen cleaning day. Lamy AL-Star Petrol nib feed and ...

2025-05-28T17:20:02Z

#fountainpen cleaning day. Lamy AL-Star Petrol nib feed and converter in water+pen flush for a good soak.

i have the ultramarine in one of my pens. Nice medium blue and ...

2025-05-09T16:41:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…zzux
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i have the ultramarine in one of my pens. Nice medium blue and while it doesn’t quite live up to the claims about drying time and not drying on the nib while uncapped, it is noticeably better for note taking and I use it a lot for that application.

Anyone have any useful info on silicone grease for #fountainpens ...

2025-04-20T16:53:12Z

Anyone have any useful info on silicone grease for #fountainpens ? I have 2 of the small TWSBI containers, a small tub from one of the online retailers, and then a large tube of “food grade” which I use when changing out cartridges in our water conditioner (we’re on a well.) no idea if the big tube stuff is ok for pens or not.

I decided to replace the leaky converter in my Jinhao 599 ...

2025-04-16T22:43:23Z

I decided to replace the leaky converter in my Jinhao 599 #fountainpen (Lamy Safari “tribute”) because it was dirt cheap on aliexpress ($0.99 + NY sales tax for 5). Good news bad news: direct ship from China so not pre tariff,but free shipping on first order. Qualifies for de minimus (no tariff on cheap things). Finally, de minimus with China goes away on May 2nd but this should just beat the deadline. Glad I stopped putting it off.

New pen day. Lamy 2000 fine nib. Bought now to get from pre ...

2025-04-10T20:27:54Z

New pen day. Lamy 2000 fine nib. Bought now to get from pre tariff stocks. No telling what this pen might cost in a month or so. I really like this #fountainpen (not unexpected.)

All Terrain notebook comment (short version) - nice little ...

2025-04-09T17:33:06Z

All Terrain notebook comment (short version) - nice little notebook but not for a #fountainpen - optimized for soft pencils in damp conditions

anyone have any experience with dickblick.com as a vendor? they ...

2025-04-07T20:36:02Z

anyone have any experience with dickblick.com as a vendor? they have some attractive pricing on some things but i know nothing about them. #fountainpen

when inks have particulates (shimmer/sheen/platinum carbon black) ...

2025-04-04T15:48:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…4th6
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when inks have particulates (shimmer/sheen/platinum carbon black) I usually drop the nib/feed/section) into a cup of water with a pen flus solution for a day or two to help get everything out.

Also new today is a Pineider pen filler - a recommended solution ...

2025-04-03T23:24:27Z

Also new today is a Pineider pen filler - a recommended solution for refilling while traveling. Fits a range of #fountainpens but my Monteverde Dakota is just slightly small for it. Pilot E95s may work. Textured grip sections might not seal, depending on the flexibility of the soft plastic seal. We shall see. #fountainpen

New pen day: Monteverde Ritma I’d bought one of these last year ...

2025-04-03T16:11:04Z

New pen day: Monteverde Ritma
I’d bought one of these last year and liked it, but it leaked badly from the section/feed. This is my second try and it doesn’t seem to leak. Nice nib. Metal body has a little heft. Magnetic cap closure. More in replies 1/ #fountainpen

I was tangentially involved in the huge NYS effort to replace ...

2025-03-28T15:56:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…4pr7
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I was tangentially involved in the huge NYS effort to replace their ancient systems 10 or so years back. You’ve got systems where the knowledgeable developers are retired or dead, and the staff worry that if you look at them funny it will fall over. Any changes are bags on the side, there are almost never changes to core code.

Yesterday is today (or something) New #fountainpen day! Retro 51 ...

2025-03-11T16:29:32Z

Yesterday is today (or something)
New #fountainpen day!
Retro 51 Lincoln Antique Copper Tornado ( bit of an unwieldy name that). Jowo nib, international standard cartridge/converter.
Included two black cartridges and a converter with a single agitator ball - things not mentioned on the Retro 51 website.
Feed unscrews rather easily. Writes well (Jowo nib and all)

i am somewhat miffed at the united states postal service. today ...

2025-03-11T02:53:44Z

i am somewhat miffed at the united states postal service. today was supposed to be new #fountainpen day. but it's not. sometimes it's hard to get a shipment out of Philly

New pen day was last Friday - a very affordable one. Kaweco Sport ...

2025-02-11T04:12:59Z

New pen day was last Friday - a very affordable one. Kaweco Sport in blue. I think Clifton Royston Clifton Royston (npub1ej7…lss8) suggested this one. Very decent little #fountainpen for the money.

For #fountainpen folks in driving range of Albany NY - I don’t ...

2025-02-08T18:38:27Z

For #fountainpen folks in driving range of Albany NY - I don’t think we have a proper pen and stationary store like Crazy Alan’s around here. But I dropped into Arlene’s Artist Materials today and they do have some things.
Notably, a selection of notebooks and pads with good paper, some dip pens and associated ink (not fountain pen ink), and a decent cabinet for pen storage I can stack under my watch case. Not perfect but better than nothing.

Ink mystery… I have had a cartridge I filled with De Atramentis ...

2025-02-07T01:07:34Z

Ink mystery… I have had a cartridge I filled with De Atramentis Alexander Hamilton for several months. It started out as a dark purple but now is almost black. Anyone have any comments about color stability of this ink? Shown next to a sample of De Atramentis Lilac. #fountainpen

I let people try them under my supervision but no more than that. ...

2025-01-21T16:20:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…vqzj
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I let people try them under my supervision but no more than that. I would loan one to my dad, but he has nicer #fountainpens than I do.

this may or may not be news here but it's news to me. i just ...

2025-01-07T01:29:19Z

this may or may not be news here but it's news to me. i just found out about this. #fountainpen https://writesideholdings.com/writeside-holdings-acquires-fahrneys-pens

New pen day: Laban Antique II in rose gold, medium nib. Leans to ...

2025-01-07T00:09:40Z

New pen day: Laban Antique II in rose gold, medium nib. Leans to the fine side a little, I think. 1939 rose gold filled watch for comparison. #fountainpen

Current #fountainpen adventure: replacing the seal on my ensso ...

2025-01-01T18:20:30Z

Current #fountainpen adventure: replacing the seal on my ensso bolt. It looked easy on the video. Currently picking pieces of seal out of the tip. Good tweezers and a handheld digital #microscope seem essential. It is possible to fool yourself that it’s cleaned out when it’s not. Also, patience.

followup: it would seem that while Richard Binder (author of the ...

2024-12-23T16:59:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…m507
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followup: it would seem that while Richard Binder (author of the article linked in the previous post) is generally well respected, his views on ink are definitely not shared by all. some counterpoint here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/327398-lamy-feeds-and-noodlers-bulletproof-inks/

a conversation with my dad yesterday about certain #fountainpen ...

2024-12-22T16:22:37Z

a conversation with my dad yesterday about certain #fountainpen inks led me to do a little online research about the problem of corrosion. unsurprisingly it's a bit more complex than just "don't use this ink" or "don't use that ink". this is probably not the last word, but i found the linked article more helpful than most. http://www.richardspens.com/ref/care/inks.htm

New pen day: Pilot Falcon. This pen is all about its flexible ...

2024-12-21T18:56:06Z

New pen day: Pilot Falcon. This pen is all about its flexible gold nib. It’s very nice. Pen includes the notorious con 40 converter (which I’m actually fine with.) #fountainpen

in Durham NC visiting family. my dad and i stopped in at ...

2024-12-21T18:38:07Z

in Durham NC visiting family. my dad and i stopped in at Crazy Alan's Emporium (npub1k09…4hck) because i wanted to check out the store (we don't appear to have an equivalent in Albany as far as i can tell.) nice store, carries the right stuff, prices are right in the ballpark. i walked out with a Pilot Falcon. more on new pen day later. #fountainpen

Ensso bolt comment: Was having issues with the nib & feed ...

2024-12-20T21:48:06Z

Ensso bolt comment:
Was having issues with the nib & feed drying out. Theorized it was the silicone seal. Tried removing the tip with the seal and just soaking in a cup of water for a few minutes.
Seems to have cured it. I like simple fixes. #fountainpen

the E95s post is nearly perfect. The Dakota is very good but not ...

2024-12-03T03:30:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…xlnk
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the E95s post is nearly perfect. The Dakota is very good but not quite perfect. I don’t want to give the impression it’s bad, it’s not.

the same way but not quite as smooth. Pretty good though.

2024-12-03T03:10:02Z

In reply to nevent1q…z68m
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the same way but not quite as smooth. Pretty good though.

Comparison, Pilot E95s and Monteverde Dakota. Caps are the same ...

2024-12-03T00:48:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…njqu
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Comparison, Pilot E95s and Monteverde Dakota.
Caps are the same length. Dakota clip slightly more interesting.
Dakota body longer, Dakota nib and feed more conventional. Unlike the E95s, with the Dakota you can easily check ink level. #NewPenDay #fountainpen

#NewPenDay #fountainpen Monteverde Dakota. a tribute to the WWII ...

2024-12-02T16:31:56Z

#NewPenDay #fountainpen Monteverde Dakota. a tribute to the WWII cargo plane, the C-47 Dakota (or Skytrain). this variant is in a Olive Drab with invasion stripes, the scheme the C-47s carried while dropping paratroopers in Normandy during D-day. JoWo steel nib, international standard cartridge/converter. styling resembles a Pilot E95s (long cap), slightly longer and metal bodied so a bit heavier.

#fountainpen lapel pin. ...

2024-11-15T03:40:25Z

#fountainpen lapel pin.

#fountainpen storage question. i'm thinking about a better ...

2024-10-29T17:55:16Z

#fountainpen storage question.
i'm thinking about a better storage solution than what i have right now. i'm considering some sort of pen cabinet with multiple shallow drawers, which could be in a stack under an existing watch display case. i'm going to probably go by a locally owned artists supply store here in Albany NY to see what they have, but i'd like to know what has worked for others here.

there is a phrase that's been in the #SCCA #roadracing rules ...

2024-10-18T14:01:33Z

there is a phrase that's been in the #SCCA #roadracing rules for as long as i've been doing this (and likely a great deal longer than that.) it's trying to define aero properties of bodywork.
"For this purpose the “Control Area” is defined as the lower surfaces of the body and chassis that are licked by the airstream."
i've been doing this for 30+ years and i still have no idea how to assess what is "licked by the airstream". #AutoRacing

Unplanned new pen day. #fountainpen ensso sent me a 35% off code, ...

2024-09-25T20:49:38Z

Unplanned new pen day. #fountainpen ensso sent me a 35% off code, so what else could I do? Ebonite Piuma, fine nib, inked with Pilot Take-sumi.

this pen is light enough that it's almost certainly aluminum.

2024-09-04T22:41:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…nrse
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this pen is light enough that it's almost certainly aluminum.

ensso includes a rubber o-ring on pens they think can be ...

2024-09-04T22:32:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…atfn
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ensso includes a rubber o-ring on pens they think can be eyedroppered. there is no seal on the Pocket Six. a reason i'd not try it - although i'm not actually tempted to do it with my ensso italia pocket pen, either despite the presence of the o-ring.

International short cartridge. Maybe eyedropperable but I won’t ...

2024-09-04T21:52:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…7399
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International short cartridge. Maybe eyedropperable but I won’t be trying it. Seems a wet writer. #NewPenDay #fountainpens

#NewPenDay #fountainpens Schon DSGN Pocket Six Bismuth Crystal ...

2024-09-04T21:50:51Z

#NewPenDay #fountainpens Schon DSGN Pocket Six Bismuth Crystal

ensso #fountainpen size comparison: left to right, Italia pocket ...

2024-07-30T19:43:26Z

ensso #fountainpen size comparison: left to right, Italia pocket titanium, Piuma, bolt, Minimalist XS pocket Ultem.