Gifting Pens to Family and Best Nibs for Daily Use | Goulet Q&A Ep. 291

[@karlshewchuk6463]

Question. I take a ton of notes in school, and cannot find a paper/ruling combo that fits my extremely specific and picky needs. Is it possible to buy loose leaf fountain pen paper and print my own ruling on it? If so does the type of printer matter(inkjet/laser)? I dream of a day 7mm dot grid is a widely available option.

[@petragallert9198]

You could do what people have done for decades: make a guide sheet, with your preferred markings, and slip that guide sheet under a blank sheet of paper.

[@karlshewchuk6463]

@petragallert9198 I've thought about this and if I can't figure out another option I'll probably give it a go. I'm just worried about fiddling with stuff during lectures and it being distracting. Things go fast and i need to stay focused

[@micbix]

Really enjoyed the in depth answers to questions. Especially the TWSBI as I am looking into getting one.

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks! I'm glad to hear that. :) -Brian Goulet

[@ichirofakename]

I think there is a line of demarcation that falls right under medium, below which smoothness is impeded. So unless the thinness of the mark is crucial, I stick with medium or wider.

[@fossilimprint2954]

Great coverage of nibs in the TWSBI line, much appreciated. I have heard of some ink bottles with some sort of device where you can turn the bottle upside down and then fill a pen even if the ink is low. Can you show what this is and how to actually use?

[@marynorby9530]

Super-informative episode. Thank you.

[@tonydeveyra4611]

I love my twsbi 580, it's my second fountain pen (first was a white lamy safari) and i often think about if it would be possible to just buy that ALR grip as a spare part to turn my 580 into a 580ALR. I've also daydreamed about figuring out how to make that grip section out of something like cork, or wood. Would be so cool to figure out other ways to customize it in the future.

[@Gouletpens]

TWSBI doesn’t sell parts, the only thing they have is a clear 580 grip/nib section. You can swap 580 grips with each other if you have multiple pens, but you can’t get just an ALR grip, unfortunately. -Brian Goulet

[@notl33t]

I feel like default nib/grind is so personal! For work I'm always doing EF/standard, but for journalling I love Broad or Stub/standard. I love a super wet nib with thick lines, but if I need other people to read it besides me I really have to stick to finer nibs.

[@Ankan-yj3px]

Can you please do a shootout between Diplomat Viper and Waterman Expert 3 and Lamy Studio vis-a-vis smoothness of Fine nib?

[@Gouletpens]

I'll keep that in mind but I have no personal experience with an Expert 3 so that's not something I can really speak on at the moment. As for the Viper and the LAMY nibs, it won't quite be apples to apples because the Viper only comes in fine/medium. As for smoothness, I find the Viper and LAMY nibs to be fairly comparable but the Diplomat might edge out a little ahead in terms of feeling smoother. -Brian Goulet

[@Ankan-yj3px]

@Gouletpens Thank you.

[@stampedinhisimage1]

Thanks Brian, the fun fact; I didn't know about the Rudolph origin. I always enjoy your videos and this was very informative with the nib exchange or not info, thanks again!

[@Gouletpens]

I'm glad to hear that! -Brian Goulet

[@followyourbrush]

Thank you! That’s along the line I was thinking as well. Pam Tuggle! Christmas and grandchildren! 🎄 I’m think she would like Harry Potter too! Gold nibs are not an option. 😂

[@janwilson9485]

Interesting video, particularly about the nibs. Keep up the good work.

[@Gouletpens]

Thank you! I'm glad you like it, I'll keep it coming -Brian Goulet

[@tootsfour956]

Thanks, Brian. Just when I think of a question to ask you, you have already answered. 😊 there are great questions from this pen group. Christmas blessings!

[@Gouletpens]

haha, I'm in your head! 😜 I do appreciate the good questions, and I have fun putting answers together. Merry Christmas to you as well -Brian Goulet

[@JefferyHall-ct2tr]

Hi Brian! No quarrel with your suggestions for the youngster! All are really great suggestions. I am partial to fine nibs, myself, although medium nibs are usually a bit smoother, but seem to put out a lot of ink for me. Good info on stub nibs also! Agree that the 1.0-1.1 nibs are the best starting point. But man, that 1.5 is pretty sweet too! Must have when starting in fountain pens. . .gotta have a bulb syringe!! I have at least three! Indispensable for cleaning purposes! Have a good week!

[@therealinak]

Question for the next Q&A: Do you have any plans for an improved Goulet pocket notebook, or to carry a better pocket notebook from another brand? I carry a notebook every day. Historically, I carried the government issue "Memoranda" notebooks, which I found to be perfect in size and durability but thick for daily carry and poor in paper quality. Main upshot is they were free and common, at least until everyone started keeping notes on their phones. Recently, I've been on the quest for the perfect pocket notebook. Clairefontaine is good in size and paper quality, but a bit thick and the cover design isn't appealing in any color. Apica provides great paper, a good looking conservative (but bare minimum in durability) cover with space to label it, binding that (again just barely) lasts the life of the book, great pricing, and good thickness (just enough to last me a month). However, you only offer the too-small CD7 that can't handle any reasonable amount of information and gets lost in the pocket, or the too-big CD10. Of course, your house-brand notebook offers ideal size, ideal paper, and a good price, BUT the cover and binding aren't durable enough, and I only get about half-way through before the book comes apart on me. What we (I) need: Something like your pocket notebook in size and thickness (or even slightly thinner), with good paper (Apica or Tomoe River in quality), but with cloth or stitched binding and a cover made out of a treated paper or plastic material capable of lasting the intended lifespan of the book (ideally about 1-2 months of carry) in adverse environments. A "Goulet Deluxe" notebook, if you will, or even just add an Apica offering in the B7 size range?

[@upsadaisy16]

My first stub was on a Conklin Duragraph. I loved it immediately, and it’s still my favorite. That said, I certainly enjoy my Lamy and Twisbi stubs too.

[@TonyProctors]

One of my favorite stubs is the Pilot Metro 1.0.

[@mikeresen-pickrell8380]

How about a list of recommended pens. No budget limit, I just want to buy the very best pen possible without paying extra for looks (fancy, pretty, exotic materials,etc)

[@Gouletpens]

That's a pretty wide open field! I'll think on that -Brian Goulet

[@mikeresen-pickrell8380]

@Gouletpens that would be awesome to get your input. I have searched and searched but nobody has approached this topic from this point of view.

[@N1inSK]

Canada Post is indeed still on strike/locked out. And now, Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike. Some couriers pick up from businesses (maybe Goulet Pens) and deliver to UPS and Purolator. Those small companies are no unable to devier anything to or within Canada. I support my local small businesses whenever possible, and will avoid Amazon unless absolutely necessary.

[@Gouletpens]

Yeah, the strike is certainly causing some delays, especially given the time of year with higher volume around the holidays. Things like this are a bit above all our pay grades so we just have to try to be aware of it and do what we can. I know we've suspended shipments we know normally go through Canada Post, but like you mentioned, the influx of orders to other couriers will have unforeseen impacts that's hard to predict. -Brian Goulet

[@frederikbruck5210]

Hey Brian, always looking forward to Q&A! 9' 37'' for gifting a 12 yo girl, handsize should also be considered. Isn't the eco a little too girthy on the gripsection for a comfortable writing experience? I would go for thinner pens, but maybe invest in a better nib. Interesting looks is also important, so I agree that a demonstrator would be the goto. What about a LAMY Vista, but with a Z53 medium nib? These are way more polished than the standard Z50 nibs, on writing they feel like in between a high level steel and a 14k gold nib. (for a fraction of the price) Here in germany you would have a hard time finding a school kid (from primary school up to senior high!) without a Safari in it's pencase: For good reason. I also agree on interesting ink-colour, but maybe teachers will not like red inks. Don't know of US-schools but most teachers here correct and grade exam papers in red. In my school days every colour except for blue and black was even forbidden...

[@Gouletpens]

Oh interesting, yeah that Z53 nib is only available in the US when you get a LAMY Aion, it's not something offered separately from the pen (in all truth I had to research what the Z53 even was bc I'd never heard it referred to by its number before!). Good point about the ink choice. I think it'll vary a lot by school/teacher. In general red is probably not recommended to use in school but that will depend a lot on where you are. -Brian Goulet

[@frederikbruck5210]

@@Gouletpens Wow! Sorry for the interuption in viewing, I'm usually not able to see a video from start to finish in one rush. I didn't realize you would pick my question, thanks a lot for that in depth explanation. 😍It seemed that you had a lot of fun trying out the swapping of parts? From looking at photos I didn't get it, how individually engineered the TWSBI-models are. Looking at the price range I would have guessed on more standard parts in individual combinations... But on second thought it's totally obvious that the vac needs an especially good seal between the components, otherwise the vac filling just wouldn't happen. Drawing air while moving the piston? Bad idea... That micarta looks stunning, being a "knife guy" I know the material and how bad it might behave on a lathe...Speaking of lathe: maybe someday in the far future I might get tempted to turn my own vac-grip with ripped surface... 😁 Fun fact on calipers: If you open it, there's a rod protruding from the lower end of the instrument. That's for taking depth measures. Just put the calipers body to the tip of the nib and extend the rod until it touches the grip section and you get an exact measure to 0.02 mm... Concerning interchangeable nibs within a brand, LAMY is gold standard with the single exception of the 2000. I just watched another pen geek's video here (dialog cc review), who briefly held his Safari into focus, saying: "Yeah, that's a gold nib on my safari... Get over it!". Each get's served to his own taste, that's fantastic. (Of course that's LAMY exclusive, that rectangular feedpart fits nothing else...)

[@lizbethdavern53]

i'm 110% with small business!! 👍

[@Gouletpens]

Woot! Thank you :) -Brian Goulet

[@ZenofThePen]

Good stuff!

[@chriscoffey9793]

As a default nib, the Sailor medium-fine nib is the clear perfect nib size in my opinion. I love the the MF nib!

[@Gouletpens]

That's a great one! That's my go-to Sailor nib size also - Brian Goulet

[@followyourbrush]

I do like my TWISBI 580s

[@gordonmackie4519]

I love my broads

[@nastehoomar500]

Are most subscribers white? Curious to know what percentage are black, latinx and asianx.

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

I would actually like to have a "new" pen. When I pay for a new pen, I expect to receive a new pen...

[@MitchellJBridges]

Oh what happened

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

@@MitchellJBridges It's too early to go public with. I have to wait until I find out how far that I have to go with it.

[@davidjollis1502]

@@robertcalkjr.8325then don’t bring it up in public!

[@blythetretick7081]

Lamy factory tests all the pens, hence blue ink residue.

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

@@blythetretick7081 That's not the concern in my situation. But I have bought a couple of Lamy's, and I saw the blue ink also.

[@mumalogue]

Your fresh turkey may have stayed true to the original recipe.. I imagine that 5 generations ago, it was not frozen! 🧊

[@Gouletpens]

I'm not sure...I know Rachel's parents always did a frozen turkey (for the last 4o+ years) so the fresh turkey is new for 4 of those generations at least! -Brian Goulet