Too Many Inked Fountain Pens
12/18/2013December is far and away the busiest month and this year has been the worst ever. A thirteen pen rotation is quite excessive under the circumstances. So here it is before half of them get a bath and go into storage for several weeks at least.
At least two are certain to remain on my desk: the red Lamy Safari with Diamine Emerald because it amuses me this time of year and the Platinum #3773MU because it makes writing a pleasure. The Pelikan pens will remain in use for now along with at least one Namiki Falcon and a Levenger True Writer. Well, at least that’s the plan. Six pens seems like a lot, but inadequate in terms of inks. Being an inkophile is hard work!
An Inkophile's Blog 
Some really nice sticks. I am inflicted with the same carrying only 8 rotators so I need to trim that down as not all are getting used. I just don’t have that much to write. Staying for me will be my Edison 76 and Nakaya Long Cigar. I don’t think those two will ever be empty for more than a couple hours.
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Hours only? Now that’s some real pen love. 🙂
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Oh, I never can decide which pens to keep inked and which ones to clean and put away for a while, and so…I simply keep them all inked (I have about 20 pens in my collection), and spend a few minutes each week ‘exercising’ them on a blank sheet of paper (just to make sure none are getting dried up/clogged).
You certainly have an impressive set, though one we have in common, the Pilot Namiki Falcon, I find difficult to like. It is very fine and hence ‘scratchy’, and I am not skilled in the art of ‘flex’ writing. Let’s face it, I love my Broads (and double-broads and, even one triple-broad).
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Those Namiki Falcons invade my collection before my wide nib phase took hold. One was scratchy but improved with use. The other was broken in by a former owner and is more smooth if wider. I am totally with you on the broad nibs though stubs are my preference. Which pen has a BBB? That’s a rare nib indeed.
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The 3B nib is fitted to one of my Pelikan M1000s. Frankly it’s too wide for ‘normal’ use – I just address letters with it, and doodle generally, but filled with a black ink it certainly makes its mark. Maybe I’ll persevere with my Falcon…
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That Pel plus the BBB nib sounds like monster. It would be a challenge to master, but worth the effort. The Falcon really does improve with use as do many modern nibs that have the “soft” designation. The Falcon I purchased new a number of years ago took months of use to respond as a soft nib should. It is still more fine than the one I purchased used. It isn’t scratchy, but did start that way. I drew a lot of loops and swirls applying slight pressure on the down stroke which is where the wider part of the line should happen. \/\/\/\ is another useful way to practice the wider line and the upstroke that needs less pressure. No need to practice a specific style of calligraphy. Just add a little flair to your normal handwriting. One you get the rhythm of flex writing, it can be quite relaxing.
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