Fountain pens

[watervole]

It's interesting to see how many of my friends are pen geeks.  Stationery porn is how I think of it - the drool that ensues over different coloured inks, propelling pencils and the precise choice of the hardness of pencil lead.

For anyone who wants to geek over ink, here's a nice little article. 

If you're looking for a pen or pencil, you can't do better than Cult Pens.  Their range is wide, their site makes it easy to find what you're looking for, and their customer service is excellent.  They'll change things without a quibble, even when the mistake wasn't theirs (speaking from personal experience here).  They respond to queries (telephone or email) quickly and with friendly, helpful staff.  I've bought from them before (found the leads for my 40 year old propelling pencil in the B hardness that I prefer), have a new fountain pen from them and am happily toying with the delights of different colours of ink.

Comments

[kalypso]

I can't help thinking that stationary porn is what they used to have at the Windmill Theatre, with those nudes who were acceptable to the Lord Chancellor as long as they didn't move. I think you intended to say stationery porn.

[watervole]

Oops. That's what I get for posting when I'm muzzy with a cold.

[kalypso]

I knew you didn't mean it.

[thebobby.livejournal.com]

I love fountain pens myself, though I'd not call myself a geek over it.

Sadly, it is better for everyone (including myself) if as much as possible is typed and printed rather then in my rather dreadful handwriting.

When I do take notes on paper I tend to use a 0.5mm mechanical pencil. I don't use fountain pens any more - they get so little use the ink dries before being used.

[keris]

I found that my handwriting was most legible (least illegible!) when I used a 1mm fibre-tip 'calligraphy' pen. Similar effect to a fountain or nib pen in that it gave some shape, but without the splatter and ink variation (and drying up) I've always had with ink pens (I'm very inconsistent with pressure, my hands move too much). But I haven't seen those pens for several years.