Does anybody else on here use them? One of my uncles passed away a couple months ago and I was given 3 of the ones he collected. The nicest looking one of them is a Sheaffer. I've never used a fountain pen before but I like this pen. I also like that it's fairly simple to refill when it runs out of ink as it takes cartridges.

Compulsary when I was at school but that was a long time ago.

You can always tell a left-hander who wrote with a fountain pen in her formative years by the peculiar "round-the-top stance" of the pen hand - otherwise you smudge your own writing with your pen hand. Like many lefties of my generation i was "encouraged" to use my right hand at primary (infants) school with the result that I can now write illegibly with both hands!

But to answer the question, yes i still use one on very rare occasions and a friend of mine who has excellent handwriting in the Copperplate caligraphy style still uses one for everyday use.

My father is into Calligraphy as well. I haven't picked it up myself. Yet. I'm still intrested but I don't have the space for a decent desk or area of the house that I can declare as "only mine" for such a purpose. Someday.

I write with a fountain pen mostly.  I have a gorgeous, antique Parker with 18k trim, but I use a new 'Retro 51' brand the most as it also is a cartridge based pen (The parker is a bladder) and easy/cheap to refill.

One of the other pens is a Duke. The third I can't tell what it is. I may search for a specialty shop in the area and see if someone can tell me. It has a "plunger" style system. The Duke has a "bladder". (both of which look like they wouldn't be much fun to try to refil)

As a matter of fact I got 2 new ones for Christmas bringing my collection to 7.

Quote from: jserio on December 30, 2010, 03:18:10 PM
Does anybody else on here use them? One of my uncles passed away a couple months ago and I was given 3 of the ones he collected. The nicest looking one of them is a Sheaffer. I've never used a fountain pen before but I like this pen. I also like that it's fairly simple to refill when it runs out of ink as it takes cartridges.

Ive got 3 watermans that were moms when she passed awbay 11mos ago. one has a 14k gold nib. i enjoy drawing with them
one like this

Filling the plunger / bladder should not be a problem. Get a quality ink and do it slowly. Give it a flush with a weak, warm soapy solution first to get rid of any dried up ink and a few clean rinses - the practice you get doing that will demonstrate how simple it is - assuming of course that the bladder is intact and not perished.
Good luck 

I have a few montblanc, parker, sheaffer etc and they are making a small comeback. I am going to say they'd never truly come back ... much like letter writing is never going to come back, but in a way its good to see it not die.
Now vinyl on the other hand is totally worth bringing back. So is reel tape, just IMHO.
Cool.
Buddha.

I also use them. I've got a medium point Diplomat magnum that I carry everyday and then one that I've bought new from a ebay seller from china, but I can't remember the model nor brand name (it's got a hooded tip and possibly resembles a parker 51?). I refill both of them from a bottle of Sheafer black ink, but I've also got cartridges for the diplomat as it was originally a cartridge style pen.
Tony

ps. I also enjoy listening to vinyl, but don't have much experience with the reel to reel tapes.

Reel is very close to LP for how much music is on it, and very close to cd for noise. Of course depends on the recording on the thing, or quality of the reel ... like it wears just like normal tape.
Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: The Buddha on January 03, 2011, 11:26:19 AM
Reel is very close to LP for how much music is on it, and very close to cd for noise. Of course depends on the recording on the thing, or quality of the reel ... like it wears just like normal tape.
Cool.
Buddha.

You're showing your gray ones buddy...

Never was a vinyl guy...had a thousand cassettes though...turfed 'em for cd's...now I rip all my cd's to mp3 to play on my iPod at work...technology is great!!  Even for old farts that remember when the cassette was the latest item...my first car had an 8-track, which didn't stay very long...

As for the fountain pens...don't know if I ever have used one...I use gel pens...

Later.

CD's are fine, dont get me started on CD players though ... the bloody op amps after the DAC kill the sound, unless your system has its share of cloudy twists it adds it sounds like something is missing. Try this guy's simple fet mod on a cd player and it will blow your mind. But you do need a system that would be able to put it all into the output ...

8 crack ... who said anything about 8 crack ... I hate those.

http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/FETISHIZATOR/fetishizator.html

Cool.
Buddha.

You know the first PS1's are some of the best CD players around. Actually, a lot of audiophiles use them as the base of their entertainment system.

I typically write in Gel ink myself about the only thing that is legible in my chicken scratch! LOL

Mary

Indeed they are. and tehy also have a bitching graphic that plays too

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on January 03, 2011, 03:04:14 PM
You know the first PS1's are some of the best CD players around. Actually, a lot of audiophiles use them as the base of their entertainment system.

I typically write in Gel ink myself about the only thing that is legible in my chicken scratch! LOL

Mary

PS1 has the ability to play sacd's. I believe it has a fet based transport cos some how opamps mess up the super sonic freq's and it needs to have those.
My solution to the opamp issue is easier. But Yea PS1 I should try to get one I think, I have a handful of cartridges ... not sure what they are though.
Cool.
buddha.

Oooo mary you are so cool.
Apparently a ps1 has a output straight out of the dac, bypassing all the opamp trash. You cut the output serial cable and get the left end 4, L Gnd, L +, R gnd, R +.
My method I still like, cos there aint one more clunky piece I gotta buy. Also I got a remote with my cd player.
Cool.
Buddha.

I think I've got one laying around if you want it? The ps3 plays the ps1 discs so I'm not missing anything.

Mary

Also have these
( also were moms )


and an easy writing and comfy ballpoint
a waterman charleston ivory.



damn her, from her, ive learned an appreciation for teh finer things in life. but im broke lol

Quote from: Toogoofy317 on January 04, 2011, 05:05:50 PM
I think I've got one laying around if you want it? The ps3 plays the ps1 discs so I'm not missing anything.

Mary

Not worth the shipping, I found and bought a 5501 series PS1 for 10, tossed a CD in it and it wailed last night. First blush I'd drop it in the same category as my nakamichi, but not as good as my rotel or marantz. But its 3rd in that impressive list. The thing has mods that need to be done, power cable, output cable, this and that, align the laser etc etc ... I shudder to think it can surpass the marantz and rotel for sound.
Apparently sony lost near about 500 per unit, they cost 1300 to make, sony couldn't sell em @ 750. They could have just crammed the guts in a cd chassis and called it a day.
Cool.
Buddha.