Back-to-School Shopping (Fountain Pen 101)

[@vibeauxssxuaebiv3489]

I find the "drawbacks" of Cleaning and Inking funny because those are often some of my favorite parts of owning a fountain pen.

[@mattsadventureswithart5764]

Similar here. I find the process to be a very good exercise in mindfulness.

[@lolbye8634]

Love watching the ink dissipate in water! So pretty

[@picolascage7762]

True. I can't imagine hating such a tranquil process! It really makes me hyper aware and super appreciative of all my pens ☆♡

[@jacknelson21]

Graduated college in may. Just found fountain pens last week lol. Guess that's more motivation for a graduate degree

[@GhillieFox375]

Yeah, I live in America and a lot of people don't even know what fountain pens are

[@norman4908]

XD I though they were only in Asia until 5 days ago!

[@SumD-EGuy]

Goo Man I just showed my little brother my new pilot metropolitan yesterday, had no idea what they were. He’s a sophomore in HS. Had never heard of them before, lol.

[@aliaphoenix7194]

_-Delaware Scrap-_ If I was your sibling I would have BEGGED to get one! I’ve been using FP since 8th grade

[@SumD-EGuy]

Alia Phoenix I remember when I was in elementary school I would use my dads fountain pens. Absolutely loved them and thought they were the coolest things in the world.

[@WantedVisual]

We had to use fountain pens in school after six months of first grade. After making some harsh comments on my brother's Lamy abc's grip, I was given the Safari (the grip of which is a slightly longer version of the abc, because parents don't get bossed around by their seven-year-olds). It got shaken vigorously, dropped with and without the cap, chewed on, dried out, used with wrong cartridges and generally taken horrible care of. I'd love to say it lasted from second grade until my high school graduation, but my mom 'needed to borrow a pen' when I was in tenth grade. I had a backup, so I lent her my Safari. Is 12 years on too late to ask for a pen back?

[@monicazanke1527]

No its not late yet

[@wutzitrone4522]

Not in the slightest.

[@RegularOddball]

i dunno if it's too late, but it is really interesting to hear that fountain pens were mandatory! any idea why?

[@ibisseraphim9915]

tasmin because kids who enjoy writing are more likely to educate themselves than kids with sore wrists and ugly objects

[@ibisseraphim9915]

tasmin ugly writing objects that is

[@BrMatthewF]

I discovered a love for fountain pens in the first year of sixth form (so basically when we have to do most of the note taking) and i can safely say yes, fountain pens are great for school, also if you have a pretty one you can stare at it when you're bored.

[@itsSTELLAAA]

Good thing he said not to ingest the ink

[@DarkMoonDroid]

LOL

[@b.c.9358]

I was really planning on knocking my ink back

[@rednassie1101]

First ingest, the digest

[@bjornfollin5056]

I wish I watched this video before doing so...

[@clisbeek]

😉

[@theaccountthatisntused2957]

It is economical but collecting is a different subject... I may or may have not spent many dollars on fountain pens, despite being a student.

[@Gouletpens]

If you catch the FP bug, that is a different matter entirely! :) - Colin

[@PhilipAlexanderHassialis]

Teach your kids to love fountain pens (and mechanical keyboards. and headphones). They will *NEVER* have money for drugs.

[@thedude9873]

@@PhilipAlexanderHassialis well, then they become an ink addict

[@TheAlmightySnobDog]

Fountain pens, are the most satisfying tool to make lines. For me they are even more than just a tool, many of my pens have a type of personality, that makes the process so mutch more organic, i found that is mutch more natural to mix painted art, with a fountain pen than other types. I see them as metal brushes.

[@dh.151]

Wow, that's poetic.

[@CurtisPurnell]

The Almighty Snob Dog tru tru

[@ShaanDaar007]

Its much not mutch

[@soaringsky4416]

When I started using a fountain pen I noticed that I would hold my pen a bit more gently (as it is a bit of a heavier pen). It allowed me to let the ink flow naturally instead of having to press it down. This reduced a lot of my hand cramps and write faster.

[@menthalightfoot4948]

I know this is an old video and no one may see this comment, but I thought I would put it out there anyway. Brian mentions that Sheaffer Red would be a good grading ink for teachers or professors, but something that I learned from my dad (who was a college chemistry professor) is that you actually SHOULDN'T grade in red ink. The color has such a strong cultural connotation, that it makes students feel more ashamed or angry about the results even if they only made a few minor errors. My dad always graded in green ink, because he felt that it gave more of a feeling of potential improvement. You may not have gotten it right on that exam, but if you went back and looked over what you did (or perhaps asked the professor for help), then you could learn what errors you made and get it right next time. Even before I got into fountain pens I always found it fascinating that ink color could make such a huge difference, but his students really did seem to respond to it.

[@Gouletpens]

That's interesting. Never thought about that, but I guess ink color could play a part in the emotional well-being of the student body. Noodler's Hunter could work then! - Colin

[@galamix1127]

A rich blue is nice too. Red gives off a dangerous, angry vibe. Choose calm, cool colors :0

[@dorcasmalahlela2805]

I grade in purple. Red is very shouty, and green traumatized me in French

[@pendlera2959]

It's worth noting that the negative association is learned, not inherent. Whatever color you use to grade will eventually become associated with negative emotions. It's a classic example of a Pavlovian conditioned response.

[@pendlera2959]

@Wet Johnny But red is also considered erotic (supposedly related to swollen genitals) and hunger-inducing (red constrasts most against green foliage), so it's still very context-dependent.

[@SoyKhalid]

Organic chemistry classes introduced me to fountain pens, and while I am no longer in school, I still love using fountain pens. The fact that my notes were colorful helped me distinguish information more readily, and recall them more vividly.

[@aardappelsoepje760]

For anyone not yet sure to use a fountain pen in school, here are the reasons I am obsessed with fountain pen to use for school: - I used to suffer terrible cramps during test, I think it might even have resulted in lower grades because I was simply not able to write so quickly or much at a time. - Using a fancy pen (not so fancy for a fountain pen, I consider every fountain pen fancy) makes me enjoy the process of studying/taking notes, which results in a neater handwriting, neater notes and I remember more of what I write. - The last, maybe least important, maybe most important: glitter ink. Yes you read that right. On my tests. Teachers love it. Even if you don’t want to use glitter ink but I just love to play around with beautiful coloured inks.

[@hahaxd-yy1122]

I personally use fp for notes, cheap pens for practice/real tests

[@rivercarson5763]

I can vouch for the Lamy Safari in school. I use it everyday (since I switched to it, it was not my first pen) and it performs admirably with minimal maintenance and very durable body that you don't need to worry about scratching. One side note is, if you get the painted clip the paint started to come off. It seemed to get compressed and weakened somehow, and then rubbed/scratched off easily. Under that is a copper clip, not the steel, but it is hard copper not soft, and I have had no troubles with it, although I don't use it much.

[@lukester478]

River Carson i second that!! I used mine for over a year primarily. It never let me down and got me into the proper world of fountain pens. (Primary school used fountain pens) one problem i have with the pen, is that the cap is not very tactile, and ive had the cap come off in a pocket or when i open my pencil case, it will be off. Its a problem that gets worse with the pen wearing out abit more, but you learn to deal with it. (A zip up pen case works well)

[@GodlyLouis]

I'm a college student. I used an EF VP throughout highschool and graduated to a Custom 74 + TWSBI 580. VP is really great for jotting down some quick notes, whilst the Custom 74 and 580 are perfect for longer sessions like essays and exams. I use a laptop for writing/note-taking and FPs for annotating printouts and maths/chemistry. For inks, a bottle of Noodler's 54th Massachusetts sets the standard. It's an excellent ink and a bulletproof eternal all rounder. I don't really worry about bleed-through since I use cheap single sided lecture pads and my pens all sip ink. The biggest advantage I find for students is undoubtedly ergonomics. FPs let you write for longer, faster and neater compared to ballpoints which is essential when it comes to exams. The ballpoint deathgrip really isn't great for your hand. However the economics are probably questionable unless you're shredding through gels like the Pilot G2 or Jetstreams by the dozen... Though truth to be told I only buy fountain pens to appreciate the engineering and beauty. xD

[@Mf7d89]

You are so engaging and fun to listen to!

[@ralfpetitt713]

thanks

[@crashlove768]

for me the ultimate student pen is the lamy safari myself as student have been writing with fountain pens since 7th grade and now im in 3rd year of engineering and let me tell you, sometimes you're too lazy to take care of the pens to the point where they were sitting on the bag for about two weeks, without even using them, pull them out and write right away, no hard starts whatsoever

[@Glassjaw003]

You know, I totally agree, but I have had experiences where the Lamy Safari/Al Star/Vista was not perfect out of the box. A professor of mine felt as if he had a scratchy feel to both of his Vistas, I checked them out and they did. I was able to easily fix them, but still. Of course, there will always be bad apples in the bunch, but I wonder how big of a problem it actually is. With the Pilot Metropolitan, I have never used a bad nib, but I have heard of the same thing happening to them.

[@Glassjaw003]

The Goulet Pen Company Yeah, I checked out my professors nib, and it seemed to not be a misalignment, but I do of course have the tools (from Goulet :)) to fix it, and I did. I think it is probably safe to assume it does not happen often, but I'd hate for someone new to FP to get a scratchy nib, from any brand, and then stop using them.

[@akumirin5047]

I'm in seventh grade and I just got into fountain pens.... such a coincidence🙂

[@colindaugherty5867]

Ha, same here as to getting into fountain pens around middle school. And I've found that one of the only things that still bring me happiness is a pen. My collection is now nearly eight strong.

[@tiryaclearsong421]

I really like the TWSBI Eco and Go. They seem to be pretty hard to break and difficult to dry out.

[@popnsplat]

It's also been proven that writing notes down is far more effective for retention over typing them.

[@Gouletpens]

Yeah, that's definitely a good point for students to use fountain pens. - Colin

[@archanachandra8463]

I am actually doing this one n the middle of this video... The respect I have for this gentleman here has spiked to the points not imaginable. I am a teacher and no matter how efficient and involving one tries to be in the class; there are always so e elements in the class that not only distract themselves but disturb others too with the phone... Oh my Gos I felt like to give him a warm hug thanking him when he said isn't it the point of being in the class to listen what the professor is saying?! Loads and loads of love from India❤️🥰👍

[@ElementalHeroJoe]

This video pretty much covered every question I had. THANK YOU! I was thinking that I could get away with using cheap paper with a fine nib but your demonstration showing that ink can still bleed through made me realize the importance of paper quality

[@Gouletpens]

***** Glad this video helped! Paper really can make all the difference! -Margaret

[@nathansmith9616]

The Goulet Pen Company kojnkkk ggyybn Company m

[@FarhanPasha1]

Well very Fine pens could still work with Chep paper. I recommend u do what I did. I bought a Pilot Metropolitan and a Penmanship. I yanked the nib and feed from both and swapped them. Now I have a an extra fine Pilot metropolitan ;). That's like a EXTRA EXTRA fine with European standards. And in Los Angeles, the papers I get from school tend to be kind of good with fountain pens. But too fat pen(Noodlers Flex Ahab in my case), and it starts to suck. But Goulet Extra Fine nib, Pilot Fine and Xtra Fine all do good for most papers I get from school. Also Staples has decent paper. But Staples is very expensive where I live, it's more economical to buy proper fountain paper online.

[@AlphineWolf]

+Aquaria depends on the ink you use and the pen. Dry inks like Monteverde works well with cheap Mead Paper. Noodler's x feather is another suggestion

[@wutzitrone4522]

I love living in Germany just for the fact to be forced to learn writing to fountain pens. Even better for me: My grandfather had a small collection of pens (Lamy 25P, Pelikan M481, MontBlanc Noblesse, Reform) so I have more pens than crushes on girls. To be more exact: 8 pens.

[@vopvoopone]

I got really lucky, my grandpa passed down a Montblanc 149 for my first pen and that started me at home, but I didn't want to bring that to school everyday so I got a pilot metro and it worked so well.

[@BC21beats]

do you guys use it for math notes?

[@opulan]

A Tribe Called Quest fountain pens are glorious for any note taking, although for maths i might recommend you go with a fine nib to fit all those numbers and all.

[@BC21beats]

Alex G ok i'm a lower level engineer student so most my notes are math physics and chem

[@Kaiju3301]

A Tribe Called Quest I like to live on the edge, I do all my math and physics in pen.

[@adminfebhost]

This video is 25 mins long and i didnt even realize that im reaching the end of the video really fast. i cant describe how engaging and really well made this video is.

[@Overcooking]

I know this comment is really late but I just started using fountain pens, and I absolutely love how smoothly and effortlessly you can write with them! After watching the whole video(which was realllly informative and helpful, thanks a lot Brian!), I felt so happy to hear that an ADULT disliked school and knows how us students feel. Thanks for the video and the kind words at the end! ~Fountain Pen Noob James

[@theprincemachiavell1]

I swear it was the transition back to fountain pens in my freshman year that saw me make it through university. The absence of in class distraction and the focus on writing actually made a significant difference on my performance. Great advice for any student!

[@Gouletpens]

That's awesome to hear. Concentrating on what you're writing it definitely a benefit of fountain pen use. Write on! - Colin

[@shapshooter7769]

Basically the only Pilot guy in my uni right now, rocking two Metropolitans (M and F nibs) for different note taking like main and side notes. Also helps out with diagram work

[@LoremasterYnTaris]

Been in the workforce for a couple of years now, about to go back to school to get a bachelor's degree this August, and let me tell you this video is a godsend. Thank you so much for making this.

[@peteacher52]

I'm a retired teacher, 50-odd years experience, from 1966. Children have always been inquisitive about the fountain pen I used for all work, a Parker 75. "Can I use one of them?" "Yes, but first show me that you can write very lightly with a pencil held correctly. Good. Now, write an alphabet sentence until you have half a page with no errors because you can't rub out ink. Good. Now I'll loan you this (Chinese Hero, $NZ10) pen to practice with, then you can ask for your own as a birthday present. There is so much more to it than this of course but I agree with you that a good quality inexpensive pen that doesn't leak is a necessary starting point. The Hero with its hooded nib, performs well but has no replaceable parts, so it's meant to be used for a few years until the bladder cracks, then that's it. As a next stage I would suggest something like a Conway Stewart with an iridium tip. Looked after, with occasional professional servicing, will literally last a life time. Should the writer like a second pen for a different coloured ink, say, then the choice is very wide indeed. Your selections are mostly brands I've either never heard of or know little about. What would I do differently with 20/20 vision in hindsight? From 1963, avoid the terrible leaky Parker 45s and use the low cost hooded nib Conway Stewart until I could afford the Sheaffer and the Parker 75, the one for red ink and the other for documents. That happened in 1973 and both gave trouble free service until 2018 when they were washed and placed in honourable retirement! Col, NZ

[@craigdakyns489]

I found fountain pens in 7th grade greatest choice of my life, I’ve regularly taken notes or done exams for 6 hours on end and have never gotten hand fatigue. Honest the most truthful point Brian said.

[@aen9321]

I'm a surgical student. Started out with a Pilot Metropolitan and I got pulled right into the FP community after that. It made working an absolute joy, more than it already was, and was always a great conversation starter to make connections. I'm a very selective person, I like an intimate feel to things. The customization available with fountain pens is perfect for me. Currently I am using a Platinum PTL 5000a in red. I'm excited for the next semester.

[@alecpace2156]

Im 12, and I recently got into fountain pens because of your chanel and i really like it for school! Makes writeing much more enjoyable. I love the awesome tips and keep up the good work!

[@jace3132]

How have Fountain Pens held up for you?

[@wutzitrone4522]

Good thing for you

[@abrahamvinod9804]

Same what pen do u have?

[@normaeunicechavarria4101]

Im a nursing student and I use fountain pens for note. Now normal notebook don't work but I made my own with Tul notebook system. I use thicker printer paper and print out line paper. I do this because I absolutely love 💕 sheening and shimmering ink. Also since everything is custom to me it make me feel so unique. Also i love reading my note because it's so pretty.

[@MayaGoodeAuthor]

I completely agree, I stopped typing my notes after my neuropsychology class. The act of writing my notes made me remember so much of the lectures that I hardly had to review my notes. Learning more about how the brain works and moving to hand writing notes made that class one of the most useful of all the classes I took in college. I still do a lot of my writing my hand. My poetry and short story rough drafts are almost exclusively written by hand because my writing is actually better and more emotionally connected when I put the computer away.

[@soundknight]

I've come to fountain pens in my late 30s and it is such a breathe of fresh air to put my computer away and write to the soft warm glow of my creamy Kokuyo 7mm B5 binder. There are certain tasks I HAVE TO use my computer for throughout much of the day and it is taxing on my eyes and the way I think. Fountain pens and good paper have reinvigorated my work and personal life. I love your videos too. My weapons of choice are: 1. Pilot Kakuno in EF, F & M demonstrator with eyedropper modification (I know it's a kids pen but you should see the faces of my colleagues melt when they pick it up for the first time; it's an absolute ergonomic joy to use and melts into your hand like butter). Diamine Red Dragon ink (only the best red ink ever) 2. Faber-Castell Smoked Oak Ondoro EF with Diamine Prussian Blue. I absolutely love the texture and feeling of the Oak, it's like working around the house instead of at the office.

[@julienlinhngu6748]

J'adore vos explications. Thank you for you covering Fountain pen. Les stylos plumes c'est la vie :)

[@daniella2021]

I have literally no reason to be on this video. And yet I am here. And glad for it. Why do I feel charmed?

[@peeshkeesh6876]

I find the college professor comment so funny because that's why i'm here! My Chem Professor uses one and i was in love (i have two pens and a bunch of ink coming for christmas and i cant wait! i'm glad she sent me to y'all to buy my supplies!)

[@yoxievil]

such a great nice thoughtful retailer. thank you so much!

[@DebbiOverweg]

I just watched the Fountain Pen 101 series for the first time. Just had to note that it's been to see you get settled in your desk over the last hour of videos. It all started with just one picture behind you and the collection continued to grow from video to video!! :) Very fun

[@xavierbrenner6219]

I would like to see an updated version of this video with some of the new products on the market

[@tendjinn]

I know this is old but as a Tennessean and Vol fan/alum I have to give you a shout out for the VT shirt. The Battle at Bristol was epic this year and a lot of fun. I have tons of respect for Fuente given his work at U. Memphis and Foster is a legend. Good luck this coming season. East, TN and SW, VA gotta stick together. We have so much in common plus that proximity thing. :)

[@cferracini]

Platinum Preppy is my absolute favorite fountain pen. I don't really enjoy my Lamy Safari, but my Preppy is very much in my heart. One day I will have the entire collection in 0.2

[@PoopTruffles]

very informational, i actually watched the whole thing somehow

[@DjentleDjiant]

Been using fountain pens at uni for over the past year. Also happens to be a great conversation starter in class/lectures as well! Slowly converting a bunch of my friends to fountain pens in the process too.

[@Gouletpens]

DjentleDjiant exactly! -Brian Goulet

[@sophiey4341]

Haha! Same! Just converted 3 people and still counting :)

[@paulyeoman3167]

Great video! I like that this is targeting a non-fountain pen person that types "back to school" into KZbin and finds this video. That intro was perfect for the audience. Always nice to hook new ppl into the joys of fountain pens!

[@Gouletpens]

Paul Yeoman yeah, except I don't know if a non-fountain pen person will watch a 26 minute video ;) ah well! The information is there for anyone who wants it! -Brian Goulet

[@IAMTheNerdHerd]

To anyone from the UK I'd just say that while Clairfontaine paper is incredible, it isn't entirely necessary as your standard WH Smith paper stands up really well to fountain pens.

[@pat999x]

I caught the fountain pen bug quite early, and it was in school. When I was in elementary school (oooh so long ago!), it was a practice in our school that as soon as a student demonstrated enough neatness and self control in the classroom, they got permission to use a fountain pen. For me, and a lot of my classmates, that was fourth grade. My first fountain pen was a Parker 45 Convertible. Back in those days, that was a reasonably priced pen, and it remained so all through high school. It was a good, sturdy pen.

[@Gouletpens]

pat999x wow! I don't know anyone near my age that grew up using fountain pens, I'm pretty jealous. I could have been enjoying them all these years if only I'd known ;) -Brian Goulet

[@pat999x]

Well, Brian, I am quite a bit older than you are, so I guess the world has changed a lot. I'd actually given up on fountain pens until I found Goulet Pens, because there just wasn't anywhere that I could get good pens. I have to say, that I am amazed at how many good pens are available for modest prices these days. I have paid a lot more for pens that might as well have been disposable. So thanks!

[@Homepage.]

have been using the safari for 3yrs now and I can confirm that it is a workhorse!!! I journal (40min/day) and do course work(8hrs/day) everyday and it hasn't stopped yet!

[@jessicamorado6910]

I have always loved the way fountain pens looks but was always told that you have to know how to do calligraphy to use those pens. I’m so disappointed that I have lost so many years to thinking that was true. Thank you to opening my eyes and showing me that I don’t have to write fancy to use these beautiful pens!

[@Gouletpens]

You should see my handwriting! You definitely don't need to have perfect script to write with these and strongly encourage everyone give them a shot. - Colin

[@sherryraza2316]

Just recieved my package from you guys today the pulot parralel and noodlers fire fly i immediately converted it into an eyedropper it works fine once again thankyou very much best regards

[@BC21beats]

can you do math/physics with these pens? i go through 3 gel pens a month and 3 sticks of lead for my mechanical pencil

[@Gouletpens]

Yeah, definitely. Just choose a quick-drying ink (Noodler's Bernanke line of inks) to avoid any smudges and should work pretty well. - Colin

[@BC21beats]

The Goulet Pen Company thanks for the reply !

[@harkonen1000000]

Upside-down writing is a good trick to squeeze in some indexes.

[@luispersaud6744]

A little late but I do all my physics and maths work with my fountain pens, no problems at all!

[@RuthieOnTheMobile]

I do. I'm from UK, so a level maths. parker vector fountain pen and pukka jotta pad. quick dry and smooth writing.

[@davidxia8881]

Would a fine nib one be better for note taking or broader nibs? Considering I'm using very cheap paper

[@Gouletpens]

Definitely a finer nib is the way to go when using less than ideal paper. Less ink means less feathering and bleed-through. - Colin

[@CarlosFernandezSanMillan]

I have seen many of your videos (literally... subscribed and super fan of yours) , but this one just rocks! It holds a great compilations of fantastic tools, many of which I have already purchased. Keep up the great work!

[@ranjanah1356]

I recently rediscovered the benefits of a fountain pen after i started out as an engineering student. Never looking back!

[@katemcdonald3634]

I'm in the 2nd year of my PhD and got into fountain pens since January. The pens and inks are helping me motivate myself to write my essays and whatnot. I've been thinking about buying a bottle of X-Feather for a while now, but now I really want to and then take you up on the challenge of finishing it by the end of my degree! The biggest challenge with that would be how much I like moving between colours and exploring the wonderful ink options. Three months into this hobby/obsession and I already have 45 different inks between bottles and samples (48 if you include the 3 samples that are already gone). ;)

[@gailsf]

I love using fountain pens on school! it is lovely to feel the pen running across the paper and it engages me so much more and although I do Collate my notes on the PC later I find it so nice to write with a fountain pen in class

[@Gouletpens]

Yeah, there's quite a few studies that suggests that writing down notes in school helps with comprehension much more than typing them would. Plus, fountain pens are just fun to use. Makes note-taking a bit more fun. - Colin

[@hypnoshypnos4755]

Iron Gall inks (e.g. Diamine Registrar's, R&K Salix or Scabiosa, or the Platinum Classic series) have a nice combination of fast drying, not bleeding or feathering, and being water resistant. It does vary from ink to ink. Another one that is like that is Noodler's North African Violet. Noodler's Black and X-Feather both perform quite well on cheap paper IIRC, but are pretty slow drying (Especially X-Feather).

[@KyTrys]

I write 10-15 pages a day, as i am a Finance Student in my standard size clairefontaine notebook, as suggested in the video. I also rock the Metropolitan and TWSBI 580 with the Pilot Iroshizuku ink and i am so glad i made this investment it is my favorite thing. I love this channel everything i have gotten was from your suggestions. I cant wait to further my studies and get better pens. I am returning back to this video because i want to find more stuff to buy. This took me a long time to type because ive been writing with my pen so much haha. Great Channel and video! Cheers!

[@Gouletpens]

+Kyle Potter That's awesome to hear! When you're ready to move up from your Metro/TWSBI, do check out our "Next Level" pens video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqSmeGymoZmSrLc - Colin

[@KyTrys]

I love my TWSBI and Metro i got the converter for bottle in on the metro, however i bought the three mini iroshozuki bottles and only have two pens :( might have to get a quick Lamy as i feel it is needed in everyones collection! Thank you for the think i will be watching

[@kirampd4545]

My favourite pen and ink as a student was the platinum preppy (extra fine / fine) with the platinum carbon black ink.

[@umakarunakaran4626]

My first fountain pen was a LAMY Safari (a gift) and my second was a Pilot Metropolitan (which I just happened to find at Staples)

[@hijodelsoldeoriente]

Which is better in your opinion? I'm planning to buy either one as my first fountain pen.

[@bengagliardo1080]

and after using the same pen for 3 years of school the nib is going to be really smooth..

[@cqpadovani]

Hello Brian!!! thank you so much for doing this video!!! I'm one of those professors tying to get my students into fountain pens!! I tried so hard to get some undergraduates and graduates students into this hobby but so far the answers are "ok cool" or "oohh nice" and that is it... probably they must be thinking that I'm a little crazy or freaky!! however, I have found some serious research on the stuff you are saying about taking notes in class... And I share this with some of my students and I think they are becoming a little bit more interested!! and now I get to see your video talking about this wonderful stuff!!! so you are going to be famous in all my classes!! I'm going to take some time in class to show your video to my students and see what happens!!! :) after all... all I want from my students is for them to learn!! and I am a true believer that taking notes in class should be enjoyable and at the same time helps my students learn!!! so I agree with your rationale on taking notes in class!! thank you very much for this!!!

[@Gouletpens]

Carlos Quinones That's awesome, Carlos! Haha, maybe you are a little, just a little bit crazy ;) Aren't we all though? That's fantastic that you're trying to get your students into 'real' writing, and I'm happy to talk more about this in the future. I'm not super studied up on all the science-y stuff about it, but there's plenty of stuff out there to prove that writing things out with a real pen on real paper helps your brain in many ways. Maybe this is something I need to explore further. -Brian Goulet

[@cqpadovani]

HA!!! Brian you are officially famous in all my classes!!!! I agree that we are all a little crazy... But the real crazy ones are the people that do not accept they are a little crazy!! :) well the video worked!! I noticed some students taking notes in class however they are all using ballpoints... And this gives me nausea!!! Hahahahaha but one step at a time!!! Some students did not know that fountain pens existed!! However I got others asking me about the pens and ink colors!!! So this is great!!! So thank you for all your teachings we are all learning from you (you explain things very well)... To thank you for everything!!

[@jameshart6811]

The Goulet Pen Company There have been quite a few studies done lately, but this sort of thing can also be explained using basic terms: writing information out by hand takes longer, and so you can't get things down verbatim like you might with a computer. So you constantly have to make decisions and interpret what you hear as you note it down. You have to learn it as you write in other words. But writing isn't always slower. I defy anyone who favors computers to draw an exploded diagram of, say, a fountain pen on a screen vs. in a notebook and see who gets done faster. :) Hand notes are king when diagrams are required.

[@cierragrove4745]

This is just the video I needed! I am a student but have always reserved my couple of inexpensive fountain pens for journaling at home. BUT I am considering using fountain pens during my next school quarter because the fountain pen experience is just so pleasant. Plus, it doesn't hurt to stand out! I'll be taking all of your points into consideration when I make my next paper/pen purchase at your website. :)

[@EpicCookieGamer]

I used them in college and late high school. I was in business school and writing was very important for notes and for presentations. To make myself look a little more distinctive I’d take it out during meetings and interviews with potential employers. At the time I had a Pilot Metropolitan which I still use today (10 years later) which was and still is a great conversation starter. The ease of the ink flowing off the nib and my preferred writing style made note taking very easy. I just couldn’t afford the good paper. Plus no one will ask to borrow your pen if you use a fountain pen.

[@TheLadyTWells]

I think fountain pens and ink are well worth the investment. You make a good point sir. I like the French ruled notebook, that would have been great for school.

[@FishGun]

18:45 Unless you're the owner of the Pen Habit...

[@rudrakshsrivastava3014]

LOL

[@awesomises]

I tried one and I personally prefer a parker frontier over it.

[@FishGun]

Jerry Meng I also have a Parker Frontier. However, in my experience it doesn't write very well (even with Parker ink) by having an inconsistent flow. I sort of have a similar issue with my Al-Star but it usually seems to write a bit better on school paper - albeit sometimes stops flowing well. I am going to try using a Parker IM to see how that goes but I do believe it will have a similar problem. Having some trouble finding a fountain pen that supports a fine/ medium nib and writes smoothly and wet.

[@awesomises]

It's IIIP(1997 ver).I agree on the flowing issue but I don't expect a FP to be any better at the price. IMO, its overall feels and looks a bit better. I have not tried IM but IM's ballpoint is quite disappointing... 2 out of 3 that I have presents quality control issue.

[@aadarsh3547]

Or Colin from the goulet pen company

[@maartenromkes353]

I wish this was available 25 years ago. But it will come in handy for my kids one day. Thanks for your great video's!

[@noriko9699]

Very helpful video. Thank you! 'm guessing you really like the Pilot Metropolitan since you've mentioned it in several videos. :) I have 2 students who are getting FP and good notebooks for Christmas. And, a FP for myself for my Hobonichi.

[@liveforlife2494]

Thanks for the tips on best nibs, etc. for Mead-like paper! I'm still a student and want to go through my pile of "regular" paper at the moment before I invest in Rhodia notebooks. I was worried about how my Pilot Metropolitan would perform without super-nice paper, but this video helps a ton. Thanks for all you do!

[@alphaomega5789]

Its very helpful!!! I was planning on engaging and i dont want to mess up. So this really helped a lot as well.

[@spahbed7150]

I completely agree with the remark on computers. The best way to do it in my opinion is to take notes by hand and then type them later on.

[@lamarrharding4776]

I went from crayons and pencils to dip pens from the 5 & 10 cent store in 3rd grade when we learned cursive script. When we graduated to fountain pens we usually got flexible nibs.

[@RedstoneMiner66756]

I bought a Pilot Metropolitan a week ago because it looked cool. Now I'm hooked.

[@Gouletpens]

+RedstoneMiner66756 Awesome! Pilot Metropolitan was the first pen I really liked. Now I'm eyeing all sorts of new pens! - Colin

[@narayana8249]

I noticed that a Lamy al-star with a fine nib and Lamy blue works quite well on cheap paper. I've actually begun do enjoy my math homework now that I use my fountain pen!

[@erikaserika]

It was certainly economical when I had just the Pilot Kakuno as my sole FP, because I only ever wrote with one of those horrendous Bic Cristal ballpoints. But when the addiction kicked off, boy was my wallet angry. I have more pens than I can think to rotate through, and more ink than I could ever use up!

[@owenritz-williamson1605]

It would be awesome if at the end of summer 2016 you could make an updated version of this video.

[@Gouletpens]

+Ethan Bradberry Definitely something to consider! Though I think most of the recommendations would still hold true. - Colin

[@Sisterfifi]

I had to use fountain pen for a year in primary school in 1975 and a smooth writing pen is key. A fountain pen is more environmentally friendly, especially if you use bottled ink rather than cartridges.

[@randomwatcher3447]

Whenever I go look for a good pen, I always get a Platinum Preppy because they're fairly good at what they do.

[@krystalutkin6967]

Mine arrives tomorrow! I am so excited. I love your videos. My pre law degree starts in August and since I'm almost thirty (24) I decided to take a classic approach!!!

[@Gouletpens]

Krystal Utkin Hope you love it! -Margaret

[@krystalutkin6967]

The Goulet Pen Company i just figured out how to put the ink cartridge in and OMG this is the best pen i have ever used in my life. It is going to make everything so much more enjoyable. Thank you!

[@colindaugherty5867]

I feel determined to add that if you are a student who plans to do essays/assignments with your trusty pen of choice, USE WATERPROOF INK. I would recommend something like Noodler's Eel Black or some of their other "Bulletproof" inks. It's better to be on the safe side than to see your entire project ruined either by you or your instructor spilling some water.

[@llKaiserx0ll]

Good video, I shared it on facebook so my friends can see why I like fountain pens so much.

[@quadreye]

No but seriously. Get a pilot petit, or a platinum preppy, and a bottle of parker quink ink and you won't have to buy ballpoint pens for half a year, or even a year and more. They're also reeeeally low maintenance (haven't cleaned those two of mine in months probably and I often toss them around, but they still work perfectly fine) and you won't get weird stares for using fancy stuff. Also, the platinum preppy EF behaves pretty well on bad paper.

[@Gouletpens]

Yeah, the Petit is a good option as well (though it's not available to us). An eyedroppered EF Preppy is my go-to recommendation for students. - Colin

[@quadreye]

Carmen Leung Carmen Leung Ah yeah, I second that! About the wick thing, I meant. In the span of my previous comment to this one, there has been performance issues. I do prefer the preppy over it, but the petit is still super cute and pretty good in value (half the price of the platinum preppy here) for me. Sadly, parker quink is way easier to find and way cheaper than diamine in my country. I only found diamine ink on sale online this year, and a 80ml bottle is a bit more than double the price of a 50ml parker quink. Of course I prefer diamine, but you know. Noodler's aren't common either--I prefer Noodler's black than quink black, but they're also more expensive here :'( So, putting that in mind, I guess my tip is exclusive to my fellow asian countrymen?

[@AlphineWolf]

+Quadreye is so done (Quadreye) It's more expensive but per ml wise it's cheaper. You can't use Parker Quink without trying to evaporate it and not be annoyed by the horrible grey experience. Noodler's while being hard to get to makes it worth my while. It's a 30 minute train ride and a 12 minute sea bus ride away for me. Noodler's ie so saturated that a 3 oz bottle will turn into a 6 oz bottle of ink. It's actually cheaper than the bottle of quink.

[@quadreye]

AlphineWolf I'm still unsure about the cheaper part knowing my country, but I do agree I'd rather use Noodler's ink... I'll just save up for a big bottle of it later hahah

[@klanny22]

I like the look of the rhodia/clairefontaine notebooks with the hole punches. Is there an A4 notebook with TWO HOLES, aka european? Is there an equivalent which isn't made by clairefontaine or rhodia?

[@manfrekqmustermann7538]

Yes, e.g. in Germany they are sold with 2 or 4 holes in it

[@mibelloaleman]

Hi Brian! Just to share with you after seeing this video. I used fountain pens through out college and graduate school. It was all I used. I first discovered fountain pens after I first purchased a gold Parker roller ball, which still is beautiful and refills are great, but when I went to get the refills I discovered the fountain pens. I enormously enjoyed college and graduate school because I was TAKING NOTES! The tactile feel of note taking was wonderful, especially since I used different inks, different colors, and yes, my professors loved it! I even continued using them in my professional career, whereby my reports had to be typed by others and when they saw my written reports with the different color inks, they grabbed them QUICKLY! My reports were the first ones typed because of me using fountain pens. I ALWAYS paid attention in college, but especially so I could write everything logically, neatly and great to read back. I only wish I kept most of my note books. Ciao!

[@_channel_4293]

Regarding the maintenance topic: I used my Lamy Safari for 4 years without cleaning it once. To be fair, I had to use more pressure on it as time went on(still far less than on a biro). I even wrote my Abitur/finals with it before cleaning it for the first time(we had to use fountain pens in school). After cleaning the pen, it obviously writes smoother. I’d say that cleaning a fountain pen, that’s filled with regular “royal blue” or any other everyday-use ink, every 2-3months should be fine (as long as you use the pen on a regular basis).

[@SlimTony]

The Lamy Safari is the standard fountain pen for german students. It holds up very well and it's so ubiquitous that the lamy cartriges were considered the "standard" size (at least in my school)

[@hatool7324]

Wow, thank you so much! Definitely helped me decide :)

[@frankm.2850]

As a further remark on what Brian said about notetaking with a FP as opposed to typing on a computer, I've started keeping a to-do list almost exclusively using pen and paper and found I have to check it less often than when I was using my phone because I'll just remember I need to do something.

[@tommysluss3981]

you've been my favorite pen channel for a long time no! and now I know your a VT fan your that much better. #GobbleGobble

[@ziggyzheng]

The difference before the Noodlers X-feather and Noodlers black is water resistance. noodles black is completely water resistance after it dries whereas X-feather is not I m in architecture at uni and I personally use x feather with a fine twsbi 580 to sketch on moleskins. It doesn't bleed at all and I can go over it with water and a brush pen (depending on what shading you need , filling the brush pen with water might be better than dipping) , it bleeds a bit which creates a lovely shading effect. However i would recommend using at least the sketching paper moleskin if u want to use water over it , the normal plain paper ones are just too thin and sometimes you can see the intense black of the ink on the back side of the paper i don't have the noodlers black so i m not sure if it feathers more compared to X feather but i would imagine the difference will only show up on really crappy tissue paper

[@Gouletpens]

Zinggy Zheng both inks are pretty darn good at bleed/feather resistance. -Brian Goulet

[@thelarky8374]

Talking about notebooks, I used to use ring bound with sections but they tend to hook up on each other in your bag and being a lefty it was a bit irritating, I just brought a bulk of Rhodia a4 staple bound and their much more convenient and lighter in my bag:)

[@LLuna768]

I agree with Noodler’s Black being a well behaved ink. I can use it with a Fine Pilot Metropolitan in Meade Notebook paper without any problems.However Noodler’s 54th Massachusetts is the complete opposite. I don’t know, maybe it’s formula has changed, but for me it is a very wet ink. I’ve used it with a fine Pilot Metropolitan and and extra fine Platinum Preppy. It’s a very wet ink. It bleeds through the cheap Meade paper and it feathers on 80 g Leuchtturm paper. The only paper that I’ve used, where it behaved itself are the 90 g Clairefontaine and the 52 Tomoe River (ink resistant) paper.

[@norman4908]

Have you tried waterman serenity blue? I want to see if it will feather.

[@ladynottingham89]

Not knowing jack about paper I put my two metropolitans to the side for two years after buying them. I couldn't handle having to skip the back of a page. I am definitely investing in a couple of these notebooks you mentioned here especially after seeing some lefty friendly ones.

[@julienlinhngu6748]

What do you think of Parker or Waterman Fountain Pen ?

[@kenb9707]

Hey guys, just a heads up. The Staples brand regular loose leaf is pretty good for $1.60 per 100 sheets! I use Waterman medium nib pen with Parker Quink ink in Black, and it works very nicely. Obviously not as nice as the expensive stuff, but very good on a budget, and would probably be even better with a fine/extra fine nib, especially a Japanese one.

[@michellevandenoever9324]

I’m late to the party, I know, but I’m in college and still almost 100% analog. Everything I turn in is hand written with a fountain pen, apart from my research papers. All of my notes and summaries are handwritten on Oxford paper (not as expensive as clairefontaine and really good quality!), and I wouldn’t change it for the world!

[@MsMeffie]

Thank you so much for all your videos! I had no idea that highlighters like that existed. I wish I had known back when I was a literature undergrad... (But I'm teaching so, I guess I could justify that.)

[@Alf_4]

Is noodlers black different to their bulletproof black?

[@Gouletpens]

Nope! Same color! - Drew

[@max_ishere]

As a student I want to point out that I need large capacities because I get bored of having to refill every so often. I hope that TWSBI eco will solve this problem as it arrives.

[@sepioify]

Advantages: faster than ballpoint, less pressure Disadvantages: decent fountain pens prices start around 5 dollars ( disposable ) like Pilot Vpen or so

[@Gouletpens]

But in the long run, it's a smart investment to go with fountain pens. Brian tackles this dilemma in a Q&A slice: kzbin.info/www/bejne/apmaqKehfd6dgtE - Colin

[@christiananthonymaninang8362]

My fountain pen is not doing like calligraphy

[@presidentsad7217]

I just ordered a platinum 3776

[@x-changex-outx-oner8224]

Awesome pen.

[@justaguy6216]

I started using fountain pens for University about 6 weeks ago. In that time I've written more notes than the whole of last semester.

[@sinclairbowman92]

As a general rule, I like going for a middling object for the first time to see if I like it. The exception is this hobby here. My first first pen was some ugly red thing with the worst nib I've ever felt before. I don't know where it is and I don't care. What I consider my true intro into this world is the Metropolitan. There is such a different in writing quality that I have no problem using it as my Ambassador to my friends who are still living that ball point life. I'd readily recommend a Metropolitan as a first pen even though it is cheaper and maybe not as "nice" as like a Duragraph or the Edison you guys helped design. So inexpensive works for this hobby (is what I wanted to say, but got long-winded).