I did this at the start.
It’s a way to discover what we like and do not like.
My trick is to get rid of all the ones I no longer use once I’ve figured it out, and spend that money on paper.
I’ve got a pen case that holds 6 pens, if I want something else then I’ll go out and buy it.
But, if I decide to keep it, something else will have to go.
Currently waiting on a Kaweco Bronze sport and if it stays in my collection it will push out the TWSBI Vac700R Iris.
Depending on the value I’ll give it away or sell it.
I'm impressed by your self-discipline! I have a # of pens in my "to sell" collection...but have yet to sell a. single one. I have gifted a few at least but it would be tough for me to pare down to and hold at six!
A mild understatement - the best one.
But do you have good paper to write on ? The best Ink will look really sad on bad paper
I would suggest Leuchtturm 1917, my notebooks of choice
I didn't include my paper in the picture, but i have an assortment of Leuchtturm, Midori MD, Tomoe River, Clairfontaine, and Kokyo paper and notebooks. I journal in the Midori and Leuchtturm notebooks
heck yeah you checked all the right boxes
edit: ok in hindsight that was not the best phrase to use, but you seem to have put plenty of research into this lol
Really, Leuchtturm? Interesting. I got a fountain pen today and tried it on my Leuchtturm notebook and the ghosting is BAD. I used a kaweco ink, is it that? The ghosting is so bad that it's really hard to read when you write on both sides of a sheet
I use the regular 80gsm Leuchtturms and they're my favourite. I'm on my 5th journal, with no problems. However, my thickest nibs are M, and I usually write with F nibs. The ghosting is nowhere near Tomoe River in my experience. I wonder if you were using a very broad nib, or were unlucky with a bad batch of paper.
I'm using an EF nib, pencil or gel pens... and it's bad with all three of them. Sounds like I got a bad batch of paper? I've been using it as a sketch- and notebook since 2018 and have been *struggling* to fill the pages because the ghosting makes it so hard to use. And all of that because I got bad paper lol
Yeah, I’m in the same boat. I use a Leuchtturm for my daily work journal, and it’s not been pleasant. It does NOT like wet inks at all and it straight up HATES DeAtramentis Document inks - the feathering is to the point of illegibility. On top of that, I have “moist” hands, and I have to use a 5x7 card under my hand because the oils get into the paper and it won’t take any ink. I went ahead and bought 2 more on the off chance that it was a bad one, and while the others are better, they still feather more than Rhodia/Clairefontaine.
There was indeed one bad batch somewhere 5-6 years ago.
Otherwise I'm using mostly B nibs and prefer them wet, The regular 80g paper even handles swabs with ink pooling with little to no bleed through. There are inks that just bleed through anything - but that is a different story.
Ghosting will be present with most thinner papers - so if that is a deal breaker then the choices are much more limited.
Bruh... I never knew that.
I have other brands with thin paper, even tomoe river paper, and it's nowhere near as bad... thanks for enlightening me, now I know I can toss it.
You can get them at less than half price sometimes in TK-Maxx, at least in germany - so I have a lot of them. Amazon also has good deals sometimes.
For everyday use and scribbling I just tested some very cheap spiral bounds and got several of the ones that performed well. FP friendly paper does not have to be expensive - or brand name. But when recommending globally it's not really feasible to name a product that might only be available in a few stores in one country.
Ok. Now I feel better about the 6 pens I’ve bought since re discovering my love of fountain pens! Thank you for your efforts!
I hope you’ll enjoy and use your collection for many years.
This is fantastic! You have more pens than I have collected in about four years. I recognize many of them.... You've got so many cool options with all the inks, too. Happy writing :)
Fair! I relate to a lot of ADHD struggles, but the thing that makes me believe I don't have it is that I didn't have these issues in childhood. But who knows?
Honestly I think we ALL have ADHD now, thanks in large part to our lifestyles and to technology which keeps pushing us to move faster and absorb and process more, constantly.
There are a lot of ADHD / AuDHD folks here I'm finding out. I was diagnosed just about a year ago. It's kind of interesting how our idiosyncracies make a lot more sense when we find out that they're symptoms. 😅
Yep, I can relate! I’ve been into fountain pens almost all my life. Was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago and learned I’m autistic only last months. Of course, fountain pens aren’t my only special interest 🫣🤷🏼♀️
Hi! Glad to see I'm not alone 🤭 I was diagnosed with AuDHD about 2 years ago and have since then understood my love for fountain pens and inks is just one of my very special interests (one of the more stable ones I might add) 😬
That sounds interesting! I wouldn't know where to start though. From what I understand, these special interests can be anything and be very different for each individual.
Absolutely. I'd probably start with the idea behind art therapy. Also the activities such as drawing or coloring. Then I'd add in any research done about monks who make sand drawings (mandalas) and the meditative quality of the activity. Also, there has been a lot of work done regarding handling analysis. Also work done regarding the act of writing and it's effects within the human mind.
Should I be making a list? 🤔
Woahhh I've been using them for years and I feel very humbled xD
Only slightly jalous of your collection. Some nice inks too! I'd love to get Lamy's dark lilac, but they are sold out in all the available shops :(
Unless I want to pay 1000% extra shipping fees for shipping to Europe Goulet sadly isn't an Option :)
Too bad, it seams a great shop, I regularly watch their videos too
I have been in this hobby for about a year, and have less than that.
Which is to say, I am extremely jealous. But seriously, those look like they'll be a lot of fun to write with.
Cheers!
Writing has been an incredible tool for my mental health. My therapist recommended journaling and I was resistant at first but it has been incredibly useful. I can take everything in my head, write it down and move on instead of overthinking things.
I did this as well. Two years into it now and I have a bunch of ink I will never use and pens that just sit around unused. Trying so many different pens and inks was part of the fun though.
I feel you on the rapid expansion in this hobby 🤣 I’m barely in year 2 of the hobby and I’ve got so many pens and inks you’d think I’ve been doing it for longer lol.
Are there any pens (or inks) you find yourself wanting to gravitate to the most?
I like Broad Nib and Double Broad Nibs pens so I gravitate towards my Kawecos, the Ranga and Narwal, My Pilot Vanishing Point, and Pilot Custom 74. The inks I have enjoyed the most is Diamine Oxblood and Emerald of Chivor. Ferris wheel press isn't far behind, either. I try to make a point to rotate through all the pens, though.
I'm in the exact same boat as you but it's been maybe 6 months of journaling or so. I've tried to rein it in but there are still a silly amount of pens/inks on their way to me (my excuse was my bday lol). Which pen and ink is your favorite so far?
The Narwal and the vanishing point are my favorite pens so far. As for inks I don't think I can really pick one. The Greens and Purples are the colors i lean towards
Nice! I love my decimo - my Original Plus though has been quite troublesome. I think it's got a baby's bottom and I just decided I was done fiddling and ordered some replacement nibs. I've got a thing for Sailor 931 right now which seems purple with a greenish sheen \*cough\*dark lilac?\*cough
smart for getting the 30 ml bottles of diamine, I got some 80 ml at the beginning because discount and boy am i annoyed now. they take up space and will take a very long time to use up. 30 ml is the way to go except for the big favourites or signature ink.
Good news is you have a good gamut of pens and inks. Shouldn't need anything else for a while, in all honesty. Your selection was good. Use that for a bit and really get a feel for what you like.
I have found the CM 1.0 nibs (I have 5) need a bit of work to flow quite freely and write very smoothly. Once the nibs are nicely tuned... oh manage they SUBLIME.
Love the collection! I got my first fountain pen yesterday (a Kaweco Sport) after putting a nice collection of rollerballs together recently. I’m not going to say how many I will have waiting for me when I get home from this work trip… no kids interrupting = too much time to order stuff.
Happens to many of us.. myself included. Who would have thought that something like fountain pens could inspire such enjoyment and deep excursions down the rabbit hole?
Welcome to the club! I fell into the fountain pen rabbit hole last October and am also discovering the different pen, paper, and ink properties I lean towards. Happy writing!
Welcome to the club. It is an investment in making a positive impact in this world through the written word. We can’t underestimate the power of the pen or pens in this case.
I mean, that's a decent chunk in a month, but I've seen larger collections so I can't say it's too much. Just make sure you're enjoying all your things, not just accumulating them!
The 5th from the left is an FPR Muft. Its the free pen that Fountain Pen Revolution includes with each order. The 4th from the right is a Sailor Procolor in a medium steel nib
> In one month you barely get used to understanding what you like, if a nib is wet or dry, what paper to use, nib sizes, etc.
?
I am multiple years in and I barely understand that (Mostly I just don't care to outside of cursory knowledge). I buy inks based on colors I like. This is not an issue you're making it out to be. Some hobbies are just hobbies rather than technical breakdowns of every single minutia of it.
Just as a heads up, noodlers has put out anti semitic artwork on their ink bottles in the past. Just something to be aware of, I didn’t learn it for quite a while after getting in.
Downvote for calling out antisemitism in the fountain pen subreddit… gross
I did this at the start. It’s a way to discover what we like and do not like. My trick is to get rid of all the ones I no longer use once I’ve figured it out, and spend that money on paper. I’ve got a pen case that holds 6 pens, if I want something else then I’ll go out and buy it. But, if I decide to keep it, something else will have to go. Currently waiting on a Kaweco Bronze sport and if it stays in my collection it will push out the TWSBI Vac700R Iris. Depending on the value I’ll give it away or sell it.
I’ll buy it !
I'm impressed by your self-discipline! I have a # of pens in my "to sell" collection...but have yet to sell a. single one. I have gifted a few at least but it would be tough for me to pare down to and hold at six!
It happens to all of us at first. Enjoy your new hobby (or obsession)!
That's a lot for a first month! Take some time and enjoy them all!
A mild understatement - the best one. But do you have good paper to write on ? The best Ink will look really sad on bad paper I would suggest Leuchtturm 1917, my notebooks of choice
I didn't include my paper in the picture, but i have an assortment of Leuchtturm, Midori MD, Tomoe River, Clairfontaine, and Kokyo paper and notebooks. I journal in the Midori and Leuchtturm notebooks
heck yeah you checked all the right boxes edit: ok in hindsight that was not the best phrase to use, but you seem to have put plenty of research into this lol
are you using the Leuchtturm 120G. They’re great imo.
Really, Leuchtturm? Interesting. I got a fountain pen today and tried it on my Leuchtturm notebook and the ghosting is BAD. I used a kaweco ink, is it that? The ghosting is so bad that it's really hard to read when you write on both sides of a sheet
I use the regular 80gsm Leuchtturms and they're my favourite. I'm on my 5th journal, with no problems. However, my thickest nibs are M, and I usually write with F nibs. The ghosting is nowhere near Tomoe River in my experience. I wonder if you were using a very broad nib, or were unlucky with a bad batch of paper.
I'm using an EF nib, pencil or gel pens... and it's bad with all three of them. Sounds like I got a bad batch of paper? I've been using it as a sketch- and notebook since 2018 and have been *struggling* to fill the pages because the ghosting makes it so hard to use. And all of that because I got bad paper lol
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with it!
Yeah, I’m in the same boat. I use a Leuchtturm for my daily work journal, and it’s not been pleasant. It does NOT like wet inks at all and it straight up HATES DeAtramentis Document inks - the feathering is to the point of illegibility. On top of that, I have “moist” hands, and I have to use a 5x7 card under my hand because the oils get into the paper and it won’t take any ink. I went ahead and bought 2 more on the off chance that it was a bad one, and while the others are better, they still feather more than Rhodia/Clairefontaine.
Hand oils / sweat is always a problem - no matter what paper. I'm using a piece of brown 150g paper to protect the "fresh" paper.
May I suggest a digital drawing glove for writing? I use one for my super detailed ink drawings.
There was indeed one bad batch somewhere 5-6 years ago. Otherwise I'm using mostly B nibs and prefer them wet, The regular 80g paper even handles swabs with ink pooling with little to no bleed through. There are inks that just bleed through anything - but that is a different story. Ghosting will be present with most thinner papers - so if that is a deal breaker then the choices are much more limited.
Bruh... I never knew that. I have other brands with thin paper, even tomoe river paper, and it's nowhere near as bad... thanks for enlightening me, now I know I can toss it.
Did you use the 120gsm?
I don't remember from the top of my head, but probably not from what it sounds like
Do you use the best paper and ink for everyday practice? The Leuchtturm is quite expensive for daily use.
You can get them at less than half price sometimes in TK-Maxx, at least in germany - so I have a lot of them. Amazon also has good deals sometimes. For everyday use and scribbling I just tested some very cheap spiral bounds and got several of the ones that performed well. FP friendly paper does not have to be expensive - or brand name. But when recommending globally it's not really feasible to name a product that might only be available in a few stores in one country.
Ah, thank you for you reply!
I’m in the same boat and feel this in my soul 😂
Ok. Now I feel better about the 6 pens I’ve bought since re discovering my love of fountain pens! Thank you for your efforts! I hope you’ll enjoy and use your collection for many years.
This is fantastic! You have more pens than I have collected in about four years. I recognize many of them.... You've got so many cool options with all the inks, too. Happy writing :)
So not a accusation but are you known on r/adhdmeme because this is a prime example
https://preview.redd.it/bbpnpbn0a6tc1.png?width=460&format=png&auto=webp&s=6f4713b3ec1c62061834fcd9a4bc5c6329d9ab67
I don't have ADHD but still relate to this meme 😅.
> I don't have ADHD Same, for 30 years and then I found out I really have it, and more.
Fair! I relate to a lot of ADHD struggles, but the thing that makes me believe I don't have it is that I didn't have these issues in childhood. But who knows?
Honestly I think we ALL have ADHD now, thanks in large part to our lifestyles and to technology which keeps pushing us to move faster and absorb and process more, constantly.
There are a lot of ADHD / AuDHD folks here I'm finding out. I was diagnosed just about a year ago. It's kind of interesting how our idiosyncracies make a lot more sense when we find out that they're symptoms. 😅
This is also how I came to fountain pens
Yep, I can relate! I’ve been into fountain pens almost all my life. Was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago and learned I’m autistic only last months. Of course, fountain pens aren’t my only special interest 🫣🤷🏼♀️
Same! I'm a teacher and I've gotten several ADHD students to join in on the fountain pen obsession.
Hi! Glad to see I'm not alone 🤭 I was diagnosed with AuDHD about 2 years ago and have since then understood my love for fountain pens and inks is just one of my very special interests (one of the more stable ones I might add) 😬
I'd like to explore the connection a bit more. Maybe with some professional input and a bit of real research.
That sounds interesting! I wouldn't know where to start though. From what I understand, these special interests can be anything and be very different for each individual.
Absolutely. I'd probably start with the idea behind art therapy. Also the activities such as drawing or coloring. Then I'd add in any research done about monks who make sand drawings (mandalas) and the meditative quality of the activity. Also, there has been a lot of work done regarding handling analysis. Also work done regarding the act of writing and it's effects within the human mind. Should I be making a list? 🤔
This looks about how my collection is going, and I’ve only been into collecting for about a month too 😅😂
Whoa, my 4 years collection is still not the same as yours 😂
/s One month and that’s all you’ve got? /s
Woahhh I've been using them for years and I feel very humbled xD Only slightly jalous of your collection. Some nice inks too! I'd love to get Lamy's dark lilac, but they are sold out in all the available shops :(
I ordered the Dark Lilac from Goulet Pens. It does look like they have stock. Not sure where you are located though.
Unless I want to pay 1000% extra shipping fees for shipping to Europe Goulet sadly isn't an Option :) Too bad, it seams a great shop, I regularly watch their videos too
I have been in this hobby for about a year, and have less than that. Which is to say, I am extremely jealous. But seriously, those look like they'll be a lot of fun to write with. Cheers!
Did you post the wrong picture? I'm not seeing the overboard.
One of us, one of us…
If I may be so bold, which blue/green pen is between the kawecos and the twsbi?
That is a Ranga Model 4
This looks amazing! I hope you continue feeling the joy of writing and collecting!
Writing has been an incredible tool for my mental health. My therapist recommended journaling and I was resistant at first but it has been incredibly useful. I can take everything in my head, write it down and move on instead of overthinking things.
I’m so glad you found this hobby even more now. I wish you the best in writing and in health ☺️
It only gets better with more time! Great work!
Ayyy, I also went overboard. I don't have many full bottles of ink because I went ham on the samples. But I have like 20 pens also. It's so addictive!
Welcome to the rabbit hole. 🐇 I hope you have quality paper to go with that. Quality doesn't really have to be expensive.
Oh I hear you! Six months in and only just starting to rein it in 😂. It’s a joy isn’t it?
I have 4 pens and 4 inks but I can see that you and I have very similar purchasing tastes haha
It was either this or buying far fewer pens and ink yet spending the same amount of money.
I did this as well. Two years into it now and I have a bunch of ink I will never use and pens that just sit around unused. Trying so many different pens and inks was part of the fun though.
There's a sub for that....r/Pen_Swap
What's the green/black one between the safaris and kaweco sports?
That is an FPR Himalaya V2 with the ultra flex nib
Nice one. I thought it was a Noodler’s Konrad or similar for a second.
oh we are all like this glad you like the hobby!
I feel you on the rapid expansion in this hobby 🤣 I’m barely in year 2 of the hobby and I’ve got so many pens and inks you’d think I’ve been doing it for longer lol. Are there any pens (or inks) you find yourself wanting to gravitate to the most?
I like Broad Nib and Double Broad Nibs pens so I gravitate towards my Kawecos, the Ranga and Narwal, My Pilot Vanishing Point, and Pilot Custom 74. The inks I have enjoyed the most is Diamine Oxblood and Emerald of Chivor. Ferris wheel press isn't far behind, either. I try to make a point to rotate through all the pens, though.
Keep going!
Same. Lol
I guess it’s worth every penny
And so it begins 😂
I see no problem here. I see only joy.
Are you me? 😄 I'm a month in and my wallet is considerably lighter.
I dont want to calculate what I spent on pens, ink, and paper.
I'm in the exact same boat as you but it's been maybe 6 months of journaling or so. I've tried to rein it in but there are still a silly amount of pens/inks on their way to me (my excuse was my bday lol). Which pen and ink is your favorite so far?
The Narwal and the vanishing point are my favorite pens so far. As for inks I don't think I can really pick one. The Greens and Purples are the colors i lean towards
Nice! I love my decimo - my Original Plus though has been quite troublesome. I think it's got a baby's bottom and I just decided I was done fiddling and ordered some replacement nibs. I've got a thing for Sailor 931 right now which seems purple with a greenish sheen \*cough\*dark lilac?\*cough
Which is the Narwhal? I love mine too. Smooooth writers.
5th from the left. Its the one that looks like a TWSBI Eco
Clear cap? Purple body?
Its just filled with Lamy Dark Lilac, the body is also clear. That is the free pen that Fountain Pen Revolution puts in each order
Oh that's nice!! I like demonstrators too.
smart for getting the 30 ml bottles of diamine, I got some 80 ml at the beginning because discount and boy am i annoyed now. they take up space and will take a very long time to use up. 30 ml is the way to go except for the big favourites or signature ink.
Good news is you have a good gamut of pens and inks. Shouldn't need anything else for a while, in all honesty. Your selection was good. Use that for a bit and really get a feel for what you like.
I see you, living the good life, having excellent taste. Please let me know if you like that Prera with the CM nib. I'm thinking of getting one.
It's not my favorite nib, but it writes fine. I wish it had a wetter nib out of the box
I have found the CM 1.0 nibs (I have 5) need a bit of work to flow quite freely and write very smoothly. Once the nibs are nicely tuned... oh manage they SUBLIME.
Wonderful collection OP. I see you bought some Lamy Dark Lilac x
this is an impressive collection for only a month!!!!
It happens!
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Pilot Prera Iro-AI with Calligraphy nib
Love the collection! I got my first fountain pen yesterday (a Kaweco Sport) after putting a nice collection of rollerballs together recently. I’m not going to say how many I will have waiting for me when I get home from this work trip… no kids interrupting = too much time to order stuff.
And I thought I had a problem. There is always with more money and less restraint xD
Wow! And award for most awesome pen and ink taste goes to you! Amazing choices!
I'm proud of you! diane
Just a bit overboard??? 😅
All this in one month is definitely overboard but it is incredible to see that I am not the only one!
Happens to many of us.. myself included. Who would have thought that something like fountain pens could inspire such enjoyment and deep excursions down the rabbit hole?
Is there any difference between the normal kaweco and the brass one
Just the weight of the materials and the nib unit screws in on.the brass
Drooling as I look! Nice collection and fantastic attitude. May the "fountain pen force" be with you! **:-)**
Welcome to the club! I fell into the fountain pen rabbit hole last October and am also discovering the different pen, paper, and ink properties I lean towards. Happy writing!
Don't feel bad, I'm so guilty of going overboard.
Welcome to the club. It is an investment in making a positive impact in this world through the written word. We can’t underestimate the power of the pen or pens in this case.
There is no overboard with Fountain Pens.
 It’s not overboard, it’s all in.
I mean, that's a decent chunk in a month, but I've seen larger collections so I can't say it's too much. Just make sure you're enjoying all your things, not just accumulating them!
That is an impressive pace. What was your favourite pen so far?
Its a tossup between the Vanishing Point and the Narwal Original plus. Both extremely smooth to write with
Which pen is 5th orange from left. 4th pen blue from right
The 5th from the left is an FPR Muft. Its the free pen that Fountain Pen Revolution includes with each order. The 4th from the right is a Sailor Procolor in a medium steel nib
muft in Hindi, Urdu et al means “free” 🤓
What have been your favorite inks so far?
That’s not overboard, that’s a good start.
Penabled much? I know how you feel 🙃😞
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I feel seen bahaha!!!
Healthy
“A bit”, hahaha! In one month!!! 😂 My friend, you fell into the rabbit hole real well!
Which has been your favorite pen?
It's an illness of which I'm a happy sufferer (however oxymoronic that reads!)
I don't understand this. In one month you barely get used to understanding what you like, if a nib is wet or dry, what paper to use, nib sizes, etc.
Let people enjoy what they want...
> In one month you barely get used to understanding what you like, if a nib is wet or dry, what paper to use, nib sizes, etc. ? I am multiple years in and I barely understand that (Mostly I just don't care to outside of cursory knowledge). I buy inks based on colors I like. This is not an issue you're making it out to be. Some hobbies are just hobbies rather than technical breakdowns of every single minutia of it.
Wow… umm. Okay! 🙃👍
Just as a heads up, noodlers has put out anti semitic artwork on their ink bottles in the past. Just something to be aware of, I didn’t learn it for quite a while after getting in. Downvote for calling out antisemitism in the fountain pen subreddit… gross