Italian Pens' QC, Heat Setting, Brian Uses Hot Glue | Pencast Ep. 50

[@justusspace]

Hey Brian and Drew! I got laid off this week, so this podcast is one of the only consistent “normal” things I have going on right now. It is giving a lot of comfort to be able to listen to y’all go about your rambling :) Nothing pen related, just a thanks for posting

[@Gouletpens]

I'm so sorry to hear that, Justus. I know what that feels like - I got laid off once, and had to take the first job I could find. It was awful, but then I saw that Brian needed help with his new business. If I hadn't been laid off, I doubt I would've left that place to work in a garage selling fountain pens. You never know how a life shake-up might put you on a path you may not have found otherwise. Best wishes - sincerely. - Drew

[@stef1196]

Brian says fountain pens help our mental health!

[@loveisall5520]

You look young, probably the age I was in the seventies. It's a tough, crappy time right now compared to then, but in this age with so much hate and ugliness and reverence for bad politics, this guy is hopeful that you can look past your present difficulties. When I was graduated from a decade of college I looked for several months for a job, as I'd been graduated right in the middle of a recession in the early 80's. I worked a job I hated to pay the mortgage and put food on the table. Eventually I got into the job that I worked until I retired, and loved every day of it. Just don't give up, love those fountain pens, write down 'the bones' as Natalie Goldberg would say, and listen to "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee" from the Depression here on YT. Best wishes and fond regards from the Houston area-

[@sluggytube]

I hope you get some good news soon!

[@archivist17]

Hi. I do know how shitty that sort of situation is, so I have a lot of empathy. I can't work at the moment due to ill health, so yeah, it sucks. On the other hand, I've just become aware of your channel, so you've gained a subscriber, fwiw.

[@JustBethTrying]

1:43:18 “She’s a teacher. She has more experience keeping kids alive….” That statement hit hard! One a happier topic: I would love to hear the backstory of Brian and Drew. I have pieced together that you have been friends since middle school and I would love to hear about the early days.

[@macnch3ez3]

I have officially binged all of the episodes of the pencast.. started in late May. I’ve loved every second of it, from Brian’s swamp pillow to Drew’s love of 1984 and all that it entails. Thank you both for all of these casts and I now have to impatiently wait for the next cast… turkey hammock-er for life

[@ZiaLinkZen]

I’ve only binged a few, but but loving the Pencasts. Brian & Drew have definitely reignited my fountain pen passion. Pretty sure the heat setting has resolved a years-old issue with my fave 1990s tiger eye Monteverde. Thank YOU!

[@Gouletpens]

Thank you so so very much for the support! - Drew

[@DMylasteureka]

As an Italian, I want to thank you, Drew. Thank you for summarizing extensively in one sentence our mindset with such great depth. ❤️

[@Gouletpens]

That means a lot to me! Thank you so very much for saying that! - Drew

[@KarynaLovesToPlan]

There is a company called Great Fountain Italy who have an ink cartridge stopper, if that is what you're looking for. Thank you again for another great pencast! There is something both calming and soothing yet hilarious about listening to you both.

[@Dosbomber]

Thanks for mentioning this item. I won't be paying $3 each, plus $31 shipping though, but I have enough of an idea to try lathe turning some brass rod into one of those myself.

[@michelledelecki6224]

I work a hybrid job, so 2 months at home, then every 3rd month I work in the office. The Pencast playing in the background while working really helps to pass the time! :)

[@kapirk2244]

To seal ink cartridges, I just use the blue tack stuff that you put under items on a shelf so they don’t fall over easily. Comes out easily and seals pretty good.

[@cmw9876]

I've been heat sealing with hot glue - didn't want to try Blue Tac in case of residue - but if it works for you, I'll try it - carefully. 👍

[@daero90]

I am definitely one of those people who randomly blends cursive and print, but I mostly write in print.

[@dellaliz1610]

I say this with genuine respect, as I understand 100% where Drew and Brian are coming from re Visconti and nib QC and that the value of that pen may lay elsewhere but … I personally think if you’re going to play in the price range that Visconti does, then nib QC should be as high as it can be. Any pen you pay what they’re asking for and then have to send off to someone to get the nib tuned to have it to be properly functioning (I don’t mean fine tuned to your preference) shouldn’t be acceptable.

[@Gouletpens]

I don't disagree with you one bit! We were just trying to help with expectations. - Drew

[@alistair8112]

Interesting. I kinda go the other way in some respects. If I buy an expensive pen, I'm paying, at least in part for exclusivity, craftsmanship. I like that handmade, human touch, small volume thing and I think that expensive pens do it well. But then, there's a reason why mass market things aren't handmade, and it's not exclusively to do with cost. Machines are consistent, machines have excellent QC, the performance is repeatable, especially when batch sizes are large. I work with this issue day to day. You make a million items a year on an automated production line, you have time and incentive to get that process really, really nailed down. Say Pilot Preppy F nibs for instance. If you make 1000 with lots of human interaction (Visconti B nibs say) you don't and honestly you can't. That being the case, I think there's a 'nice' reason why small volume, high price point makers have variable nibs. It demonstrates that exclusivity and every item is unique. Now obviously, QC should be there and it should work perfectly as an item, but pen to pen variation is totally ok, because it underlines the inherent variability of imperfect meatbags doing the process. I like that. If it's actually bad, I'll send it back, and I expect the manufacturer and the retailer to give me that gold standard service I anticipate and demand when buying an expensive luxury item, but I'm not shocked or disappointed to see it anymore than I would be to see a Ferrari be less reliable than a Honda. I guess for Goulet, that customer service is also factored into their price points and profit margins, which is another reason why small batch pens are pricey.

[@pauljupp2077]

@@alistair8112 well put sir. Made me think about it differently

[@pacificsword1632]

@@Gouletpens just a question on stacked nibs - do you think it’s possible to make it out of two metals ala swords like the katana where the cutting edge and the main body are made of steels of different hardness, to get the benefits of both compositions

[@Fershky98]

For the print/cursive poll, in my case I walked past a Lamy store at a mall. I had never used a fountain pen before (except for about 1 month during elementary school until I pressed too hard and broke the nib). I was amazed with this store. Subconsciously, I thought if you had a fountain pen, you HAD to write in cursive, so I set myself a goal to learn cursive, and once I had it down, then I could buy a fountain pen. Fast-forward 4 years, I haven't written in print ever since, except for official/legal documents. Can't imagine going back now.

[@pugup]

1:03:00 what Brian is describing is related to specific heat of water. Basically water takes a lot of energy to heat up so it can give you a lot more energy as it cools per degree of temperature drop. This is particularly useful if you want to raise the temperature of something with lots of energy available for it, without going into a sudden thermal shock (like an open flame) same reason why sous vide is so so so good

[@peteazouz6072]

Thank you again for another 2+ hours of my life that I won't get back :) especially loved Drew's comparison of Italian made pens to what car enthusiasts go through with their passion projects. That being said having owned a vintage Italian car (Alpha Giulia 73) it's actually very accurate, if you turned on the windshield wipers the turn signals came on, the stereo can best be described as an "artiste" in that it only worked when it felt inspired, but when it worked it really worked. With that being said though, you really can't beat the beauty of Italian design - I remember showing some of my family who aren't FP users some of my collection, including some Maki-e and Urushi pens, the one that had them though was my Visconti HS Bronze Age.

[@Gouletpens]

LOL I love that analogy, Pete! Thank you! - Drew

[@mrcat3493]

I have a Brian and Drew question that hopefully they will answer on the Pencast. What do you do with the boxes that your pens came in? Some are really nice and I do not want to throw away, but they have practical use. Others are nice, like Sailor, but I have no use for them. I am trying to de-clutter and outside of keeping boxes for limited run/limited edition pens not sure what to do with the rest.

[@Gouletpens]

I keep the super nice ones - I throw away the rest if I can't repurpose them. - Drew

[@lizdubdub]

This is the first time I watched/listened to the whole pen cast! I made it to the end!

[@Gouletpens]

Turkey Hammock! - Drew

[@donaldgoerig6171]

Drew, I agree with your friend about Italian pens. They are my favorite but not always the best. But when they write and look beautiful, they are amazing.

[@Danny.._]

silicone caulk would probably make a great substitute for the hot glue for plugging cartridges. it stays in one piece much better, and i think it would make a good seal but still come off of plastic.

[@sunny8254]

The sailor urushi reminds me of the faux texture painting my mom used to do on the walls in our house in the 90's. Not a look I'm interested in, but I'm sure it will be beautiful for a special collector.

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

Akin to German vs Italian cars. Very much a difference in passion, build, philosophy behind the machines. BTW> Great Show guys! Drew just went up in cool points, as an Iron Maiden fan.

[@ichirofakename]

I'm excited about the upcoming ink lightfastness info. TIA.

[@brettsmith1655]

Love the description of Italian Pen Manufacturing. I am a sucker for Italian pens for exactly the passion and flair that you describe. I am more than happy to tweak a nib or do the legwork on a warranty service to get a gorgeous pen that just feels great. It's a feeling that I just don't get from the boring and soulless Japanese pens.

[@TheReKinn]

I'm not going to mention brand specifically because I don't want to create a rumor mill of "Stay away from this brand because they have X problem." but, I did purchase a $1500 pen that was handmade that had a pretty severe issue, and that is a real rollercoaster of emotion. Logically I understand that not everything is perfect, especially when you get into the more handmade products, but emotionally it's like... I could get a 10 cent bic and it wouldn't have fallen apart on me, so why can't I expect the same from a $1500 pen? What I will say is that the company's customer service is excellent, they immediately offered to fix the issue and they do have a lifetime warranty for the original owner of the pen. Question for Goulet Pen Co - This happened outside the return window, but it is a pen I purchased from GPC not long ago (3 months.) Do you guys want to hear about stuff like this just so if it's a trend you can recognize it and address it with the manufacturer? Like I said, I've worked with them directly for an RMA, but I wasn't sure if I should let y'all know the issue I had since I did buy it from your site. Love you guys!

[@Gouletpens]

We always like to learn about product issues, for sure! It can impact future product decisions. Thank you! - Drew

[@newketolady1859]

I've never used this hot glue idea to seal cartridges and I don't think I'd be interested in trying to create my own custom cartridges for storage or travel (I just fill with a syringe when needed). The "flugen-flagen" idea doesn't appeal either LOL! But my problem-solving brain is telling me that maybe a better way of using the hot glue is to drop a bead of the glue on a surface from which it can be removed - for example, a silicon mat. Then wait for it to cool until it's a bit firm but not completely; then press the open end of the cartridge onto the glue, using it as a kind of makeshift stopper. While holding the cartridge firmly to the glue, peel the glue away from the surface it was placed on (might need to slide a blade beneath the glue so as not to dislodge the cartridge). Then use your finger tips to shape the exposed warm glue a little, to make it easier to pull away from the cartridge when ready to use the cartridge. Given Brian's sincere efforts to pull the glue out of the cartridge (LOL), I wouldn't plug too much of the glue inside the cartridge. Hopefully someone who is interested in trying this can tweak this method to work for them. I'm not sure it's worth the effort though haha.

[@LordWhatever]

Just watching as usual, every Saturday morning before going to art school... Sadly today my wife and I are quarantined due to covid, we are both ok since we're vaccinated and symptoms are more like a common flu... still enjoying your video while using my fountain pens to do some art. Thanks for your tip about setting plastic and/or ebonite feeds. I have two Jinhao 750 fitted with Noodler's Ahab/Konrad #6 Steel Flex nib. I followed the tip to the point and I'm happy to say that they are working a lot better now. Thank you for this life changing tip. 😉👍🏽

[@Gouletpens]

Glad to hear it, Efrain! I hope you and your wife are going as well as can be expected! - Drew

[@jolynsorensen8312]

Happy 50th episode! I absolutely love the Goulet Lamy Vista it so simple yet so beautiful good job with that one! I loved it so much I bought one for my husband who has recently switched jobs and is now in an office setting. I used this opportunity to introduce him to fountain pens and ink. He now has one of my twisbi ecos, a mini and the Lamy vista. I also purchased him a bottle of his own ink (pilot Iroshozuku) and have him using a tomoe River notebook it has been so much fun sharing this love of pens we even had a lesson on filling the pen and we brushed up his cursive skills. I switched to using only cursive around 2013 and still only use cursive.

[@Elphie8a]

I definitely mix cursive and print as well lol The "if you're not into fountain pens, you are dead to us" had me LOL!! I love these videos, please never stop making them. They really do brighten my days :)

[@annestrasko7581]

I just spent nearly two weeks traveling around souther Italy, and Drew's response about Italian products in general tracks with what I noticed about the country. Beautiful and full of a zest for life, but sometimes flawed because of different priorities. And I don't mean that as a criticism! They just have a different way of living and operating compared to some other countries. For example, I love their idea of two hour lunches where everything shuts down. It's great for the employees even if it's not all that convenient for visitors.

[@edwinvillanueva8320]

I absolutely love these pencast episodes. I learn so much and it has helped guide my collection! Thanks a lot guys! Keep up the great work.

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks for the kind words, Edwin! - Drew

[@wendywander7]

Thank you for a delightful pencast episode! I really like hearing the Benu updates. I have so much respect and awe for what they're going. Thanks also for the Noodler's update; I really enjoy his products. I also have to say, Brian's infinity cube is amazing!!! Thanks for keeping us supplied with content one way or another!

[@HASK1]

What about ballbering balls for sealing cartridges? You can easily buy them in bulk and many difrent sizes.

[@notabit]

Or just save the small plastic balls from some other cartridges. When eventually there are too many plastics balls inside the cartridge, just cut it open and you will have a good supply to use and to share.

[@Mr2Badboybrown]

WHY do you not sell Leonardo Officina Italliana pens?

[@darlyndar13]

I am patiently waiting for you guys to carry Vinta Inks. Will that ever happen? I’d also love to see Kakimori on your website, as well.

[@Blue_Rosemarie]

1st of all I want to say thank you for the weekly content that you are creating. I‘m watching these videos every week and I do enjoy them quite a bit. 2nd I wanted to share my view on some of the most popular models. And I will say that this is probably quite some unpopular one. But what can I say, it is my personal taste. As I am living in Germany it was totally normal for me to write with fountain pens in school. Little did I know though that beyond that school environment with plasic fountain pens from Lamy, Pelikan or Online there is this whole big world. So for me personally Models like the Lamy Safari or other school pens are always assiciated with that school environment and I do not feel open about spending my money for such pens, that I saw and used all day back when I was still in school. I know that these pens are worth their buck for a lot of people and there are so many people out there that do love these pens, but I can‘t get over the fact that these are school pens.

[@TheJigglypuffGuy]

Hey GPC ! Is there the same nib on diplomat aero and magnum ?

[@Gouletpens]

No, the Magnum nib and the Aero nib are very different - both in size and writing experience. - Drew

[@bluejchou4404]

Thanks for putting so much work and effort into these videos!

[@Gouletpens]

Thank YOU for watching, Jessica! - Drew

[@rachelt.1684]

Private Reserve sells empty cartridges and fill kits that include a syringe. What do they suggest? Anyone buy a kit?

[@Ava-wu4qp]

I made a couple of my own stacked nibs just because. While they're definitely not professional quality or even pretty, I just needed to have a 'condor' style nib for note taking. I bought a dozen double broad #5 nibs off ebay, did all my shaping with knife sharpening stones and a dermal, and bonded them with epoxy. Of those dozen nibs, I only have 2 double stacked nibs that work.

[@pamelacopp8552]

Loved the infinity cube. Display it as art

[@lpburrows]

"Bulbous globule" is a hell of a formulation. And I am a *child* in my gutter humor (and see Drew struggling to keep a straight face, too).

[@BHernandez64]

I’ve been searching comments to try to figure if I was the only one noticing the gutter humor. I had to scroll much further than I’m comfortable with. So thank you for sharing my sentiment 😆

[@da2357]

I blend cursive and print, where I journal mostly in cursive and take notes in print! Love the pencast, keep up these fun/great videos!

[@agm2531]

I’m sure one could get a distorted view of reality by just checking on the internet, but I can’t believe Italian brand’s issues with QC is just something the internet blew out of proportion. I have 22 modern “luxury” fountain pens, 6 of which are Italian. I have had problems with 7 of them: 1 German (overpolished Montblanc that wouldn’t write), 1 Japanese (a rare bad Sailor nib) and 5 Italians (including Leonardo and Visconti). That means 83,3% of my Italian pens had issues out of the box (as opposed to 12,5% of my non-Italian pens). I get that it’s just anecdotal evidence, but it’s such a common sight to see someone complaining about how they got an Italian pen that doesn’t write that there’s surely something more to it than just an internet trend.

[@joecolucci1395]

Random suggestion for the website ~ Maybe a Country of Origin option? Like if somebody wants a Japanese pen and that Japanese EF experience they can find it easier, or if somebody wants a romance-infused Italian pen its easier to find...

[@zackjedzinak8670]

I love the shirt Drew, that's my favorite video game series of all time.

[@Gouletpens]

Yes! I'm a huge MGS fan! Snake Eater is my top fave! - Drew

[@sharelleshobbies]

I never wanted to use cartridges, but I love them! Lately I have been so busy with my kids’ baseball/softball season that I don’t have time to think about ink, so being able to pop in a cartridge and go has been wonderful! Someday I’ll have time to get back to my bottled inks… 😉

[@pattymk13]

I used to write a bastardized print with a few cursive flairs. but about 10-12 years ago when I learned that many primary schools no longer teach cursive, I switched to all cursive. And when I got the fountain pen disease, I worked hard to improve my handwriting. By the way, the fountain pen disease is a wonderful malady.

[@Dosbomber]

If no one's learning cursive anymore, how do people sign their name?

[@archivist17]

I love the Infinity Cube! Brian should mount it as an ornament. And, as Drew suggests, a larger version for a glass-topped table. And maybe four mid-sized ones for seats...

[@psa7211]

I found you after this video came out. I admired Benu but was not interested in any Russian products. So was really pleased to know that the company uprooted themselves and left Russia. So I will now consider a Benu. Thanks for the update.

[@waltski4375]

Congrats on Episode "L"! What are the three Iroshizuku ink colors that are to be discontinued?

[@osirisgolad]

Tsuyu-kusa(blue), Ina-ho(yellow-brown rice husk colour) and Tsukushi(warm brown).

[@waltski4375]

@@osirisgolad Thank you!

[@s.n.11]

@@osirisgolad I'll be missing ina-ho the most. Any similar colours of other brands?

[@osirisgolad]

@@s.n.11 Sadly not. The ones that have a similar type of shading are too yellow, like Sailor Ink Studio 970 for example.

[@andreacull8239]

So... if were requesting non-US products from partner companies... I'd love to be able to get Platinum Shooting Stars from Goulet. I know its very similar to the preppy but I think it looks so much better (doesn't look so disposable) and often comes with a little converter (also, cute stars on the nib and the pastel colors!)

[@bkzwolf]

I've thought about making a "cork" for the cartridges with the using the glue stuff.

[@danielklopp7007]

The secret to the "hot glue plug" for refilled cartridges is to leave a glob of hot glue on top of the opening (and don't try to shove the glue down into the opening with a tooth pick). The down-side to this method; you can't store the refilled cartridges in the original box (or the Kaweco Twist & Out) - I store my refilled cartridges (with the glob of hot-glue sealing the opening) in a small zip-lock bag (giving a little insurance in case one of the ink globs comes off). The upside to the "glob of hot glue" method; it's easy to get the hot glue plug off the cartridge. ...Or the hi-tech method (as noted by several others); buy a bag of brass plugs from "Great Fountain Italy" (I haven't personally tried these - since the hot glue method works fine for me - but I've seen several other KZbinrs claiming they work great).

[@TartaricKnight]

I've tried the brass plugs and they work great, however not an ideal solution for storage. This is for a 24-72 he window. After several days, the brass would corrode heavily and contaminate the ink in the cartridge

[@danielklopp7007]

@@TartaricKnight Interesting, since the Italian guy that makes these claims he uses and alloy of brass that's non-reactive with fountain pen inks... personally I've always been suspicious of this claim. If I were making them, I wouldn't use anything other than 316 stainless or titanium. I'm even suspicious of 304 stainless - although I have an experiment going currently where I've eyedroppered a Gravitas pocket pen made from 304 stainless... I'll report back after a year of continuous ink contact.

[@TartaricKnight]

@@danielklopp7007 the brass plugs I ordered came out of the UK. So likely a different person and brass alloy

[@catherineflusche8935]

I'm late to the show (literally), but I've been wanting to try the hot glue trick and I just did. Yeah, it was definitely user error to shove the glue in. I had no trouble resealing and reopening a couple standard international cartridges with just a dab with tab on top. Except, I totally burned my finger due to carelessness. Ouch.

[@Ironchick22]

I wouldnthink using a tweezers to remove the glue

[@alextaplin7354]

You briefly mentioned that you are re-swabbing some Noodler's inks, I thought it was just the labels changing, so are the colours going to be adjusted too?

[@Gouletpens]

I had to re-swab the ones that had their names changes, since we write the name at the top of the swab. I suppose we could've photoshopped it, but the swabs were pretty old anyway - might as well freshen them up! - Drew

[@vincentrivera]

Funny I heard mention of the brown metal falcon.. I am actually looking to buy one at the moment as I collect brown pens :)

[@archivist17]

With you and Drew, that's two potential customers. 😉

[@dragonabsurda]

I definitely do a blend of cursive and print and the ratio varies depending on the day. It's kind of an organic flux between the two.

[@margalo399]

Same here lol

[@loveisall5520]

In the seventies when I was in college I dated a professional graphologist. From her I learned that how much you connect your cursive handwriting characters has personality-train indicators. Back then we hadn't raised a generation or two of children ignorant of cursive. I wonder whether the analysis of cursive based on decades of research has ever extended to printing--I doubt it. I can remember that there was a definite movement back then that stated one could change one's personality and habits by changing one's cursive handwriting; I even remember reading one of her books on it. Back then graphologists were often hired by companies for analysis of traits in prospective employees, rather like they would use lie detector experts. With the lack of ability with handwriting today combined with all of us on computers/printers I doubt that at least in our nation it would be considered useful or even viable.

[@edwardstaats4935]

Happy Father’s Day to all of you. Enjoy Summer

[@macnch3ez3]

One statement and one question. You mentioned felt feeds on an earlier cast in reference to the pilot varsity and wondered why they aren’t on more pens. Well I think the reason you don’t see them more often is that if you want to swap inks and you have to rinse the felt, you then have to wait for that felt to completely dry out before you reink the pen. If you don’t you have to get through all of the water before the ink makes it’s way to the nib. The question , I am a new construction plumber and I was wondering which fountain pen you would recommend that would survive a construction site? I currently use pilot g2s and every month of so I have one of them leak out all over my pocket/ pants. Not sure if this is heat related or the motion but I’m tired of buying new pants( the superior leg covering). P.s., I know it’s a long one thanks for reading it .

[@Gouletpens]

Good point! - Drew

[@mattmeech]

which Pilot Inks are getting discontinued?

[@monikachlebowska6269]

I have seen your recommendations for lefty pen users, but what would you recommend to a right hand writer who holds a pen like a left handed overwriter and writes with italic to the left. P.s. Was not my idea to use right hand... and now it is a bit too late to change.

[@CubingEducation]

Question for Pencast: Do you think ever the technology of a stylus and tablet would be able to get to a point where it was just like the feeling of a fountain pen with tomoe river for example? The remarkable 2 tablet is heading in that direction of paper feeling tablet and if so what do you think this would do to the future fountain pen enthusiasts.

[@Gouletpens]

Great question! - Drew

[@kevinlandon7578]

I hope next Pencast will feature the history of Mustard!

[@bikkies]

On the discussion about an Italian brand, though it sounds odd, I wouldn't really mind a bad or defective product. What I'd definitely mind is if the manufacturer didn't have robust customer service mechanisms to take care of the issue, give me the assurance that my concern is being taken seriously, and put learning in place to prevent recurrence. All of these are concerns I've heard from multiple sources about the manufacturer in question. I'd have no doubt GPC would have my back and would do all they could to put it right, but all that does is shift the problem to something GPC would have to endure. I don't think it is fair for the GPC team to have to fight those fires when the fault is not theirs. All these points give me no incentive to buy that particular brand, through no fault of GPC. That has nothing to do with a cultural difference between nations. Lack of manufacturer customer care is international and cannot be excused in my mind, and this is the damaged reputation the Italian brand in question really needs to recover.

[@geomancer6371]

Hi guys. Some time ago, I think almost 10 years, my wife gifted me with a Dallaitti pen set, fountain pen and ball point. The ball point pen still works, but the converter on the pen went kaput. A shame, because it really had a beautiful design. Ever heard of this brand? I've been trying to find a replacement converter for some time.

[@geomancer6371]

I'm so happy, I was able to find a compatible converter from an online store. Chinese fountain pen, perfect fit, and very inexpensive. With the price of the pen and converter, one can get the converter and throw away the pen. But the pen actually writes well, too, so I'm keeping it. Right now, my Dallaitti is back in my pen rotation, and I couldn't be gladder.

[@loveisall5520]

I've found that there's no need for an expensive 'traveling' inkwell; those little tubes that your company uses for the samples are perfect for packing in luggage, and I don't have the time to play with trying to refill. When I used to fly and drive long distances on business, though, I'd simply load up with, usually, a standard black.

[@oobruv6598]

Hey @The goulet pen company ! Was wondering if you ship to the Baltics?

[@TimmerH]

Cartridge stoppers: you guys had a comment a while back about using a particular sized rubber O-ring from a hardware store cut in half to shove into the end of the cartridge.

[@SuperJoeStalin]

Plugs for ink cartridges sounds like a good 3d printing project.

[@munozrick]

I've seen both plastic and brass plugs / stoppers for ink cartridges for sale out on various sites. For plastic, try Aliexpress. The only place I've seen brass ones was at Great Fountain in Italy, but I'm not sure they make them anymore (Penultimate Dave has a video on them.) I'm sure there are other places to get them. My guess is most are for international cartridges (not sure they exist for Pilot, Sailor, etc.)

[@heathergleiser]

Pac-Man and Metal Gear! Shirt game on point, guys, and after a long day at work that involved a power outage this is two hours of serotonin. Yay!

[@jayjenkins5464]

Brian, if you make a little lip with the glue it comes off easily and you don't get ink on you. Done it many times with Sheaffer cartridges. International standard should work even better, haven't tried it with platinum or namiki. Maybe I just have better glue sticks. I've heard that the reusable sticky stuff you use to mount posters on the wall with works too.

[@ctakahashi]

I'd suggest a small hook made from a needle (or very fine tweezers?) that might help. Another possibility: line the inside of the cartridge opening with silicone grease? or another: use a small neoprene plug instead of glue?

[@beckyisj]

Happy father's day to you both! We enjoy the dad jokes and so much more :)

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks, Becky! - Drew

[@michelledume8364]

Drew you mentioned something at the hardware store for plugging the reused ink cartridges. What about the plastic plugs to cover the bare ends of the white metal shelves in the closets?

[@Gouletpens]

Maybe! - Drew

[@michaelmedlinger6399]

I’ve always used cursive since I learned it, but it has gone through a number of phases. When I really started collecting fountain pens 2 years ago, I also began working on my penmanship, trying to approach the beauty that was my mother’s handwriting. It’s still far from that, but I get compliments on it. Perhaps because I am about the only person who actually writes cards and letters? 🤣 Have to use those pens for something, after all! Appreciation budget: I propose using it to buy Drew a lifetime supply of Dots! I can’t imagine anything that would give him greater pleasure! He has undoubtedly long since consumed all those that were put in his office some time ago!

[@joecolucci1395]

There are software tools you can use to try to salvage Brian's video. In short, when a drive re-formats all it does is say "you can change my stuff now" rather than completely wiping itself clean, so maybe some tools could work! AOMEI Partition Assistant comes to mind. and I think Macrium Reflect has something too.

[@yuklimka7251]

Testing for lightfastness? Sweet! Living near the Tropic of Cancer we get some pretty aggressive UV rays, so that's something I care about. I'm happy to learn that De Atramentis inks are doing well. The Pilot Fermo is actually already discontinued, but in my corner of the world some retailers still carry some, although stock is dwindling, so I'll need to get one rather sooner than later. In Taiwan nibmeister Tommy Zheng makes stacked nibs and grinds naginata nibs. For personal notes and journaling I prefer cursive, but for shared notes, presentations, etc. I use a writing style that's much closer to printing.

[@archivist17]

When I was younger, we were always advised to keep ink bottles away from light - in a cupboard, desk etc. That doesn't seem to be the way people do it any more.

[@yuklimka7251]

@@archivist17 Apparently I'm old-school, because inks that come in cardboard boxes stay in them until I need/want to ink up a pen with that that particular color. My 30ml bottles of Diamine stay out of direct sunlight.

[@archivist17]

@@yuklimka7251 Particularly in your region, I think that is prudent.

[@pamelacopp8552]

Which pilot inks are going away

[@lukaszpokoju]

Tsuyu-kusa, Ina-ho and Tsukushi

[@taeminhan3919]

I have 5 Viscontis. One had a bum nib, but Goulet Pens made it right for me. Thanks!

[@Gouletpens]

That's great! Thanks for choosing us! - Drew

[@justinwolf3311]

I got the limited edition olive ritma and paired it with monteverde olivine

[@daviddelburgo2851]

@Brian @drew: tip-of-a-later-week (maybe?) for eye droppers - when you've filled them and are screwing the section back in nib up, leave a few rotations unscrewed, enough that there's a seal, and then turn the pen nib down to finish the screwing, this will force a small qty of ink out to the feed, and leave it primed. (i do this with vac fillers as well, since i seldom use the vac-ness)

[@Gouletpens]

Very interesting! - Drew

[@BanzanShakuhachi]

Great pencast as always, lots of fun! Your pen spotlight reminded me of something I have been researching lately, so here's an entry for the Q&A segment. Can you recommend any snap cap fountain pens that make as little as possible noise when being capped/uncapped? For your reference, the only one that meets my "stealth" requirements so far is Lamy 2000, but several other pens I have tried are quite noisy (e.g., Platinum Plaisir) or not really silent enough (e.g., Pilot Prera). My use case are meetings where I'd prefer not to bother other participants when capping and uncapping my fountain pen, but still have the convenience of a snap cap (versus a screw-on cap) for quick note taking. Thanks!

[@Gouletpens]

That's a great question! - Drew

[@konradyearwood5845]

I have some of those cartridges that have a plug at the base. They are short international. I have looked closely and I can see three ridge lines that help the plug stay in the cartridge. I bought a load of them about 10 years ago and still have quite a few because they do not stay in place with many of my pens for some reason. The pens that accept them do so really well but I am unable to explain why they just drop out of other pens. You cannot normally use two back to back in the barrel because they fit slightly longer than normal short international cartridges because the neck is slightly longer so they do not get as flush into the section when connected to the back of the feed, which probably explains why some pens do not like them. But, they are two piece.

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks for letting us know! - Drew

[@karisbarfield8948]

Yes, yes, do another video on heat setting. I am going back and re-watching the "old" video to see the younger guys....

[@ZolaneG]

Hi Brian and Drew! I so enjoy all of your videos and find them helpful and enjoyable. I am also fond of the various segments covered in your Pencasts. Being relatively new to the fountain pen world, especially regarding various ink colors/properties, I was wondering if each of you have one or two favorite inks in each colorway. I've purchased a number of your samples based on your various videos, but would love to hear your ink preference in each color. If I remember correctly, Drew's not a huge fan of yellows, so you can skip that colorway :) Thanks so much for the time and effort you put into each video, your outstanding customer service, huge variety of inks/pens (including ink samples), and fast shipping. I'm so happy to have found your company and appreciate all the guidance I've received in my fountain pen journey! Have a blessed day! Zolane

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks for the kind words, Zolane! I'm working on getting a list of my favorite inks together! - drew

[@ZolaneG]

@@Gouletpens Yay! Thank you so much! I can hardly wait!

[@ccahua]

Turkey hammock'd the 50th, Congrats! Pro tip: the well known whoitzwhatitz part that plugs ink cartridges to perfection is the Signature Nib tipping found on Pilot's Custom 742. If Pilot Pen USA and Goulet should carry that in the future we should be golden 😜

[@bullseye11b]

Watching you use the hot glue gun gave me so much anxiety. I would wear gloves when doing that. My mom accidentally burned my thumb when I was 8 hot glueing patches on my Cub Scout uniform. The patch had glue if one side and flipped out of her hands and landed on my thumb. It’s probably fine if your an adult. I just remember that pain. Cool tip of the week though. I liked the heat setting talks too. I will try some of these tips out soon. Great video. I look for to Friday’s just for the Pencast.

[@edreilly6674]

Maybe for the Q&A without Brian's video, you could a series of pictures of him over the years in chronological order! Keep up the good work!

[@joefaracevideos]

Hot glue? I would bet that anyone who has a 3D printer could knock out some of these little kinds of plugs.

[@DianaB4dawn]

I have a tip of the week for you. Wanted to let you for a while now, and 50 episodes seems like a good time :) I used fountain pens in school and from back in the day I remember a small tool, that I have no idea what it might have been called and have never seen it again now that I use fountain pens again as an adult. It might just be a thing from the past. But, that thing was a small 'leaflet' of fabric sandwiched between two pieces of leather, maybe 4x4cm big. The fabric may have been something like linen, I recall it as very absorbent. And I used to use it for those drops of ink that sometimes collect at your nib or even grip section, when you threw your backpack around too often (also a very good reason why kids in Europe use cartridges, you don't want to see these backpacks lol) And as I don't know what that was or what it was called, only that the fabric was very good to clean my nibs, also from little pieces of paper stuck between the tines, I now have a 'glasses cleaning cloth' for the very same purpose. It's having nice stains of all kinds of ink on it, dries in no time, sometimes even blots the paper, but is always handy in my pencase and does a marvelous job :) Maybe you find this helpful as well

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks, Diana! - Drew

[@pastelpinkfairy]

I've had decent luck sealing cartridges with chewing gum and a bit of paper towel.

[@nayank5032]

Why GPC does not have Pilot Custom 74 in solid colors? I really want a solid Custom 74

[@Gouletpens]

Pilot USA doesn't import those solid colors, so we can't order them. :. - Drew

[@Dosbomber]

Interesting fact about hot glue that not a lot of people seem to know about: It's bonding properties are very vulnerable to ordinary drug store isopropyl alcohol. If you hot glue something to something else, and need it to detach cleanly, give the edge a spritz of iso and before long, they'll separate, and you can even get the glue to peel off both parts like a sheet, if it was between two flat surfaces. I haven't tried to refill an ink cartridge, but I bet if you left enough of a "glob" on the end, and used an alcohol "prep" pad to grip it like a jar opener, enough iso would work its way into the plug and you could pop any size glue plug right out. No fighting with boogers. I don't think the iso would damage the ink if a little got into the cartridge, as it would evaporate pretty fast, and whether you're using 70% or 91% iso, the other part of that is denatured water.

[@joecolucci1395]

Know any good arthritis or hand pain pens? Like real light chonks? Preferably inexpensive (HS student here), or some higher-end stuff... My 1911L tends to work, but my metro ain't my favorite.

[@Gouletpens]

Try this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWSyZHyDqJt9g6s

[@swifty3]

cartridge sealing - caught on Reddit someone uses rivits of a certain size in the end of the international cartridge. I don't know the size or how well it seals, but might be worth an experiment.

[@debhan]

re: Prefounte packaging - has there been any serious discussion among pen manufacturers about reducing wasteful packaging to what's needed to protect the pen (and ideally made from renewable and compostable resources)? Could they offer a separate SKU for a gift box for those who need/want one, and reduce the price for everyone else (or just enjoy higher margins so they can make ever more awesome pens)?

[@ravinwind6860]

Cartridge resealing, #11 Pencast question: I use rubber o-rings, cut once diagonally for easy inserting. They compress securely into my refilled-cartridges without damaging the cartridges. The o-rings I use are (capri tools 419 metric and 407 SAE from Amazon) BUNA-N 715 (Nitrile 70 Shore) 3.5mm R16,17,18 Capri Tools (for Lamy Safari/Vista, yes I got some from you guys) and 3/32 inches R13 and R15 (for International size). I'm on a business trip right now with 5 ,T10 Lamy cartridges filled with the Goulet exclusive: Noodlers Liberty's Elysium.

[@Gouletpens]

Great idea! - Drew

[@florencefortyseven]

I don't follow Iron Maiden, but I listened to Testament covering Powerslave and that was [...] awesome. I saw a video of Alex Skolnick tracking the solo, and even as a professional, it took him multiple attempts to get it right.

[@wildsheepc]

• Which three Pilot inks are going away? (Love that new green-blue one though!) • Question about Brian's hot glue test: how long was that hot glue drying before Brian attempted to remove it? My recollection is that it becomes more hardened (and thus more easily removed) if it has been sitting for a longer period. • Last but not least: How I've heard ketchup explained that made more sense to me personally is, the term "ketchup" has always referred to a sauce-like condiment, but in the past it could be made with different main ingredients. Tomato ketchup (which is why it says that on the bottle) gained such massive popularity in the 19th century that it's what most of us know as the sole ketchup today. My Fannie Farmer cookbook has a recipe for grape ketchup and walnut ketchup!

[@lukaszpokoju]

Discontinued inks form Iroshizuku line : - Tsuyu-kusa - Tsukushi - Ina-ho Now introducing : "Even less readable Chiku-rin " " Kosumosu ² " " Shin-Jaku / Ku-ryoku "

[@davegoodridge8352]

I just can’t imagine working at a place like Goulet.

[@Gouletpens]

It's pretty rad! - Drew

[@themisterchristie]

In the case of cursive vs print, I primarily print, sometimes flowing into a bit of cursive. The type of pen doesn't change it, mainly my cursive tends to be a bit messy and my hand doesn't like to move properly for cursive.

[@BHernandez64]

I don’t know how you guys kept a mostly straight face during that hot glue segment. Kudos to y’all, I’m way too immature so I’ve been chuckling. 😆

[@pauljupp2077]

Im a long time listener. Guys this is the first time I have commented. I have a Visconti Wheatfields with crows. It’s a beautiful pen but has plenty of nib problems. Dry starting and skipping. I took it in to my local pen store and they wouldn’t go near it. Bottom line they stopped stocking Visconti due to do many QC issues. I have to find a nib meister which is far less common here in Australia.

[@Gouletpens]

Thanks for listening, Paul - so sorry that your first comment is in regards to a pen issue! If you email our team using [e-mail] we'll do our very best to help troubleshoot your pen! - Drew

[@pauljupp2077]

@@Gouletpens sorry I should have made it clear I didn’t buy it from Goulet pens. It is no reflection on your business. It was an eBay purchase but it was a new pen.

[@Jef99999]

I think of pens from various countries the same as cars from those countries. Italian cars e.g. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Alfa Romeo (audacious, form over function, very expensive, incites passion, high performance, mechanically unreliable). German cars e.g. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche (engineered for performance, form balanced with function, luxury, iconic, sweet spot between performance & reliability), Japanese cars e.g. Toyota, Honda, Nissan (function over form, excellent engineering, ultimate in reliability, consistency, value), American cars (nostalgic, medium performance, medium reliability, serves the widest market). I find these traits to be generally, very similar in pens from the aforementioned countries due to the cultural influences. I believe expectations should be similarly applied.

[@Gouletpens]

Indeed - I certainly would not compare an Alfa Romeo to a Honda. - Drew