My Fountain Pen Collection! (TWSBI, Kaweco, Pilot, LAMY, and more)

A few years back, I started getting into fountain pens and I've acquired a bunch of them. Watch this to hear my thoughts on a bunch of TWSBI pens, my small mountain of Kaweco Sports, and the rest of my rainbow, galaxy, and miniature fountain pens from around the world.
Let me know if you want me to review a specific pen in this video! I bought these from @JetPens , @Gouletpens , @Penchalet , @Yoseka , and received some as gifts from family.
Also, check out @JobsJournal who I mentioned in this video.
Follow me on instagram and twitter @laurenfairwx for more content between videos.
#fountainpens
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Fountain Pen Storage
01:58 Pilot Kakuno
03:15 LAMY Safari
04:33 TWSBI Eco
06:31 TWSBI Diamond Mini
07:50 Diplomat Traveller
08:49 Kaweco Sport
09:52 Kaweco AL Sport
13:21 BENU Talisman
13:51 Conklin Duragraph
14:40 Monteverde Invincia
15:26 Pilot Prera

[@AbigailPoirier]

What a pretty collection! I can almost feel how nice they are to hold. And I agree with you, writing with a fountain pen really elevates the journaling experience. My first fountain pen, bought about 15 years ago, was a turquoise Lamy Safari. I loved it and used it daily until my purse fell out of my motorcycle saddlebag and I lost the pen & multiple other things. Now I have a Lamy Al-Star in purple black that my sister purchased for me about 13 years ago. I've used a calligraphy nib, a medium nib, a fine nib, and an extra fine nib with it. "Fine" is probably my favorite. I have the refillable plunger insert for the pen so I don't have to keep buying cartridges. And then I have a pack of Pilot Varsity disposable pens, which I just keep refilling. They're nice because they're super cheap (so I'm not worried about losing one or messing it up), they write very smoothly, and they hold a LOT of ink. My inks are Levenger cobalt blue, Levenger purple (both almost used up), Noodler's Ottoman rose, Noodler's Navajo turquoise, Noodler's bulletproof black, and Noodler's Cayenne red (really a dark orange). My pens live in a wooden vase I made myself in highschool woodshop class. Pretty low-key! I'm considering buying another nice fountain pen, though. After +/- 12 years, my Al-Star is starting to show wear and the nibs don't work as well as they used to. So I'll definitely check out the ones you mentioned!

[@wrenweasley]

What a beautiful collection!! I would love to see a more detailed video on the Conklin Duragraph. I think you *might* enjoy a Lamy Al-Star if you enjoy that smooth metal feeling. They are pretty light which is great for long writing sessions. I have the bronze color and it's my absolute favorite! Also GOLDEN HONEY is my absolute favorite ink color! I use it with my bronze Lamy and the color match is perfection, especially for Puffs. 💛

[@gailsbookishthings5191]

I feel the same about fountain pens…they have made me love writing and journaling and taking notes. It’s sheer delight to write!

[@Kaytaaay]

When I worked in schools, I used to bring one of my less prized fountain pens to work with me. My students almost never had seen a pen like that before and were SO eager to try it out. This reminds me of those days. :)

[@rachels2560]

Love this channel, Lauren! I'm learning so much!

[@miahoover9225]

I keep telling myself I'll just buy one more and then I say it again. I have 2 TWSBI ECOs in 8:13 fine, medium and an ECO-T stub. My nect purchases are a Travelers Brass and a Pilot Custom 74. I also have 3 Kaweco Sports, a Pilot Metro, a Diplomat Magnum and an Opus 88 Mini in Cheer Kitty. My favorite nib is medium.

[@gerileemakes]

What beautiful pens! I don't do journaling on this level, just a ball point pen and pretty notebook are enough for me. But it is fascinating to see all the different supplies available.

[@JournalSunshine]

For the longest time, all I used was a uni ball signo! But branching out and trying new things has been really fun for me lately. Happy to share it!

[@AbigailPoirier]

If you ever did want to dip your toe into the fountain pen experience, I highly recommend the Pilot Varsity pens. Currently they're $13 for a six-pack on Amazon. They're silky-smooth to write with and as easy to use as any "regular" pen- just uncap and go.

[@gerileemakes]

@@AbigailPoirier thanks for the suggestion 😀

[@Suiseisexy]

They make erasable pens now, the particles in the ink that reflect light are bound up with a chemical that changes their molecular position in a reversible reaction triggered by temperature, so to erase you flip it over like a pencil and rub it with a smushy plastic thing to heat it up with friction and it disappears. This has resulted in situations where students have had to freeze their homework to un-erase it after leaving it in their car.

[@AbigailPoirier]

@@Suiseisexy That's kinda hilarious, although I'm sure the students' hearts dropped at first!

[@hhjjhh09]

I think this might be an older video, so you’ve probably decided on what to buy next. Some suggestions are TWSBI Go, mine is the stub nib and I love it, so smooth. It is a wider design, might be considered “boxy” to some. Platinum Plaisir often gets overlooked. Faber-Castell’s Loom is a really top notch pen. My favorite pen right now is the Sailor ProGear mini called “Blue Dwarf”. It has a music nib. It’s a fairly expensive pen, but I bought it second-hand, so I got a price break. Glad I found your channel!

[@ampersandjournaling791]

Oh no! Watching this was dangerous because now i really want to try the mini TWSBI. Loved the video, Lauren! My current favorite fountain pen is my vintage Schaefer Balance.

[@susanscandles]

The Prera pen still is my favorite!! Love the feel of the click cap. Size perfect and can write for long time and still feels so good without hand soreness. I just got delivered about 10 mins ago to my door, another one in Cobalt blue F nib. My other 3 are the demonstrator ones, which I LOVE! So excited. Can’t wait to hear how you like it and now how it compares to your love of AL koweko’s.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh nice! I have footage for a review video waiting in a pile but lots of folks have been bringing that one up in comments lately so I might need to move it to the top. I might try a demonstrator Prera next!

[@jackivaltrades]

Lovely collection of pens, and never a rush to gold nibs. I keep telling myself that the last pens to my fountain pen arsenal are going to be gold nibbed pens, but I'm not rushing into it! I like your natural progression into fountain pens. I, myself, started with a fude nib on a chinese pen because I thought I would only be using them for art. I was assuredly wrong. 😂 My 2 most recent additions are a traveler's company brass pen and a retro 51 tornado brass pen. They were my toe dips into brass before I tried out the brass sport that I REALLY want. I could go on and on. So, I'll stop while I'm ahead. 💜

[@Amyduckie]

Omg I’m jealous of that rainbow Conklin! My favourite pen right now is my Conklin. I have the Duragraph Abalone Nights with an omniflex nib and I’m loving it. My one abs only gold nib pen is a close second (Pilot Decimo)

[@fieldsofdandelions]

I got a kakuno because you’d posted it on Instagram forever ago. It’s a good starter. I’m hoping to get back into journaling more after school is over this summer.

[@loracharis6814]

Hey. Nice collection. I am new to fountain pens as well. About 4-5 months. I have collected a few beginner pens myself as I experiment but I still want to try a few more before I jump to the gold nib. However, I have decided that my first gold nib should be either the Pilot E95S in burgundy (I just love the retro design from the 60s-70s) or the Pilot Vanishing Pilot / Decimo. I am leaning towards the Decimo as right now I am liking the smaller profile.

[@Rgc571]

My White Kaweco Sport (M) is in my shirt pocket all day, every day. The Benu Tailsman Edelweiss is my newest pen and it is great. I really like the Galen Leather Slim Notebook in Crazy Horse Green and the 10 pen case in Crazy Horse Brown. Two other newer pens are a TWSBI Eco and a Pilot Vanishing Point. All the hype surrounding the Vanishing Point is well deserved. Really enjoyed you video and will look for more. Thank you.

[@stphzIRL]

Love your energy! And You have suci a beautiful lineup :) wondering if You could do an ini collection video next? Id love to see it alongside your thoughts on your favorite one

[@JournalSunshine]

Thank you so much! There will definitely be more coming with inks - good to know that’s something you’d want to see!

[@Kimbopolo]

Fun video! I just purchased my first gold nib pen at the Atlanta Pen Show - a Pilot 74 Custom in teal with a medium nib. It's beautiful and writes like a dream!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh I’m considering getting one of those! I’m glad you like it. I wish they had ones that aren’t demonstrators here in the US. And wow, a pen show! I’d love to go to one of those someday!

[@scarletisbell8520]

Definitely review the Benu please. I love the look just haven't purchased one yet. Great vid. And great collection.👍

[@starcharmed]

YES! I'd been waiting for this one! As a beginner fountain pen enthusiast, this is the perfect video

[@JournalSunshine]

Aww yay! I’m so glad you liked it! What’s your favorite pen so far? Your dream pen?

[@starcharmed]

@@JournalSunshine I have a LAMY safari and it's so pretty! Like yours but not that colour, it's like a dark orange and it's sooo cute

[@JACathcart5181]

Hi Lauren, I have to echo what you said about the enjoyment that fountain pens bring to the journaling process. Before I got into fountain pens, I used to journal off and on for the cognitive benefits that journaling brings. Actually WRITING was simply a means to an end. Now, the writing part IS half the reason I journal. When you find that perfect pen/ink/paper combo it's something you look forward to every day. You have a beautiful collection BTW. This hobby is a rabbit hole, isn't it? A long, deep, endless & expensive rabbit hole...and I love it.

[@JournalSunshine]

That’s such a wonderful way of putting it! I’ve been trying out lots of new supplies to try and find those magical combinations, and it’s definitely required some patience, but I’ve been having fun with it and having a place to share it with other folks who love fountain pens and journaling has been so great! Thank you for sharing your thoughts here and adding to the conversation.

[@JournalSunshine]

Hello again! You can find the list of pens in the video description along with timecodes of when they appear in the video. I purchased these pens myself from a variety of online shops including JetPens, Goulet Pens, Yoseka Stationery, and Pen Chalet (and some were gifts from family).

[@scarletisbell8520]

Just saying I feel like you need the new Kaweco iridescent sport to add to your collection.😁 Their like pokemon gotta collect em all.

[@JournalSunshine]

I’m editing my unboxing/first look for it right now. 😂 Couldn’t resist.

[@taylernicole1189]

I would LOVE to see a writing video with some of these! 🥰

[@JournalSunshine]

Lots on the way! Most of these don’t have ink in them but I’m getting through a few at a time as they do.

[@rapstarD]

Modern Fountain pens are amazing! You have great taste. I have multiple TWSBI models and Lamy models. I have much more expensive writing instruments but really enjoy using my TWSBI Ecos. I don't really recommend one way or the other a gold nib pen. I have a SAilor 1911 large with 21 carat nib. It writes incredibly but I use my twsbis more due to the lower cost. I have a Pilot vanishing point in flat black that is probably my favourite pen at the moment. I think it's an 18 Carat nib. I love the pen, it's uniqueness and the way it writes in a medium nib. If you like the way a vanishing point feels in hand I strongly recommend them. So cool that there are nice click fountain pens.

[@EsmayCreates]

Oh I absolutely love my fountain pen! I inherited a waterman charleston 18k fine nib and it's the best. I want to get into medium and broad next though so your video is helpful! Would love to see you do a video where you show what they look like when you write with them :).

[@JournalSunshine]

That sounds amazing! Will definitely be doing individual writing videos/reviews as I ink up each one.

[@DaedalusGage]

I started on fountain pens the same way that you did: Pilot Kakuno (Clear)! In my case, though, I picked up a Fine nib, and that Fine nib was an absolute revelation! A smooth and exact writer with a perfectly controlled flow of ink, light-weight, and the kind of pen that (because of its faceted section) wouldn't roll in my hands. I knew to stay away from the finest pens the Japanese could create since I'd experienced a Japanese needle-point gel pen that would rather cut through paper than leave ink on it (looking at you, Hi-Tec C). That being said, a Pilot Fine pen is worth your attention, I promise! So smooth and perfect! Feels like you're barely touching the page, but the control is unparalleled! I have so many other pens now, at all levels of the price spectrum, but I still keep going back to my perfect Pilot Kakuno Fine! Highly recommend! Now I'm going to look into that TWSBI Mini! Thanks for showing us your beautiful collection!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, that’s really good to know! I haven’t inked up the Pilot Prera with the medium nib yet, but I think that’ll give me an idea of whether I want to try a Pilot fine nib too - and to be honest, I’ve been eyeing some of the Pilot Customs in case I decide to splurge on something with a gold nib finally. So many exciting options out there, but since I don’t have access to an in-person store where I can try things out, talking to other people who’ve actually tried them helps so much! This comment was super helpful - thank you for posting it!

[@gluis2k]

Great collection! I love fountain pens too! I use mine mostly for sketching though . My favorite in my collection are the Lamy 2000 and the pilot falcon. The Lamy 2000 is a great golden nib fountain pen by the way.

[@JournalSunshine]

That’s awesome! I wish I did more sketching - I’m never as consistent with it as I know I need to be to get better. Ooh, I’ll have to check out the Lamy 2000! I’ve heard the folks at Goulet Pens mention that one a lot.

[@lory1117]

Hii, My favourite pen is the pilot Vanishing point and I highly recommend it!! thanks for sharing!!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, I’ve heard good things about that one! Thank you!

[@chantalbeaulieu888]

I’ve just started my fountain pen journey a few months ago and I adore the Pilot E95s in champagne and burgundy… I only have 3 gold nib pens but that one is amazing. Especially since you like smaller pens… My pilot vanishing point is giving it a run for the money, though.

[@tootsfour956]

I liked your video. Thanks. One gold nib pen is a Pilot E95S. Love it! So so smooth. BLESSINGS

[@JournalSunshine]

Thank you! A friend recently recommended that one to me too… I’ll have to look up some reviews!

[@dacksonflux]

My favorite pen right now is the Pelikan M200. It's beautiful, light weight, fits my hand perfectly, and has just enough line variation to show off nice ink without being too wet (I'm left handed so I drag my hand across everything I write 😓). I don't see the M200 recommended very often but I think it deserves more love.

[@salstermonster]

The black AL I have it.. I think it has that finish too and I love love love it

[@JournalSunshine]

One of my favorites for sure! Thank you for commenting. 💕

[@neilpiper9889]

TWSBI pens use Jowo or Bock German nibs. I had an ECO with a 1.1 italic nib. I sold it but I will probably be buying another Twsbi, a Diamond 580 with the 1.1 nib. I have a light grey Kaweco sport with a medium nib. I added the modern Kaweco clip to it. I love it. Kaweco make their own Branded pen cases. I had a Benu Frost but the dog chewed it. No damage to the dog, but the pen died! My daily user pen is a dark blue Pilot 78g + with a B calligraphy nib. Cheap to buy and a wonderful writer like all Pilot pens.

[@aych131]

Platinum 3776 is an amazing gold nib pen ( Japanese nibs do run a size smaller on avg than western, so go with a B if you prefer M) it was my first gold nib with a UEF and has been used for a few years now. A little higher in price is the Pilot custom 823, a larger vac pen with a larger nib as well. Very high quality and will last a lifetime but is fairly expensive for someone's first gold nib Sailor 1911 progear, slim, or standard are all amazing with a distinct "pencil-like" feedback to fairly bouncy 21k nibs. The lamy 2000 is a classic but is personally not for me, for $160 tho it is a good deal.

[@fr1sket363]

You should check out the Pilot E95s, i think you would love that pen. 😺

[@JournalSunshine]

A few people have recommended that to me recently! I’ll have to check that one out 😂

[@shoooe77]

Try the Pilot Decimo. Love your collection,welcome to the rabbit hole🤗

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, I’ll put that one on my list to check out! Thank you!

[@AverageB-side]

I would love to see your ink collections after seeing this!

[@JournalSunshine]

That’s definitely something I could work on! Thank you for suggesting it.

[@nerd-jock]

My favorite pen, hands down, is the Pilot Vanishing Point [in Fine, because I write small, but it's the smoothest fine I've ever written with]. It's the most convenient pen ever, it feels wonderful in the hand, I love the matte texture, and the weight is perfect for me [and I have very small hands]. It's the only gold nib I own and I adore it.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, that sounds wonderful! Lots of folks have been recommending that pen to me. Thank you for sharing!

[@Bella-vc9sr]

Would love to see a video with the line width differences between your pens! 😍

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, that could be interesting! I only ink up 3 or 4 at a time, so that would be a long-term project if I’m comparing all of them at once. Are there particular brands or nib sizes you’d be most interested in?

[@leighthomp]

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Prera once you've tried it! I have that exact color in mind.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh yes, I’ve got a video on the way! It’s very lightweight, writes smoothly, and I’m much happier with the medium nib over the extra fine on my Pilot Kakuno.

[@jennifer0847]

I’m a medium nib person too. I also love a stub nib.

[@sandrapawula4109]

Wonderful look at your fountain pen collection. I would love a video on inks that dry well on tomoe river paper. I start with the Pilot Kakuno too, which Iike. But I found the ink in the standard cartridges takes eons to dry on tomoe river paper and thus smears constantly. I'm currently using a Twisbi Eco with DeAtramentis Archive Ink black, but I found the black way too black for my taste. So I'm wonder what ink to get next. And even with the EF nib, I find it challenging to write on the small Hobo grid, even though my handwriting is relatively small. Love how easily the Twisbi is to fill.

[@JournalSunshine]

I don’t use quick dry inks because the dry time doesn’t bother me, so I may not be the best person to ask for that. I’m right-handed, so I just try not to touch the inks after I write and leave the journal open on my desk for a bit afterwards. If I have to turn the page, I insert a sheet of blotting paper so it doesn’t transfer onto the opposite page. Plus, the slow dry time on Tomoe River Paper makes sheening inks and inks with other interesting properties look so beautiful! 😊

[@sandrapawula4109]

@@JournalSunshine Thanks! I'm left handed so this is a concern for me.

[@JournalSunshine]

Goulet Pens is my go-to resource for fountain pen stuff and it looks like they have a whole series about left-handed fountain pen tips if you haven’t seen it yet! This is the first episode: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f6rTq5qNnrNkfbs

[@liambrennan4469]

I think fountain pens look awesome but I don’t know anything about them 😳 would you ever consider making an intro to fountain pens video? 😅 If not I know I can always find someone else, I just love your content style 😁

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, this might be something I could eventually do, but it’s a big topic I’d likely split up over time. In the meantime, this video from Job’s Journal and friends is pretty great: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZfahKF3os5maK8 and this one from Abbey Sy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKa3hGSLhch2p6s I have also learned a whole lot from the Goulet Pens youtube channel and their store is amazing too.

[@brittanyfreeman9101]

Adventure Denali is also a good source!

[@JournalSunshine]

She’s one of my favorites!

[@Suiseisexy]

Great video, you showed off some pens I had been considering, I just got into it last year. If you don't want go gold yet I think you might like an Edison, the Beaumont in Unicorn and the Collier in Rock Candy being pens I'm eyeing largely for their ostentatious colors. But if you do go gold it's the standard debate between the Custom 74 and the Century 3776, the secret there is the 3776 has a deliberately and supposedly "tasteful" feedback where the 74 is pure butternib. Right now I want a Platinum Kanazawa Leaf (Moon&Rabbit if I can get it), supposedly the nib is among the springiest of the gold nibs and it sounds fun, also might be a good first choice if what you're really really looking forward to from gold is springiness since it's only like 100 bucks more than the first two. Oh, and have you seen the Franklin-Cristoph Model 03 in "Antique Glass", aka The Coke Bottle? I really want one, planning to have them put a music nib on it since I don't have a non-standard nib yet and music looks the most fun of those. Gah, so much to look into! The rabbit hole only gets deeper.

[@JournalSunshine]

These recommendations are awesome! The numbered pilot customs were confusing to me so that helped a lot. I’ll have to check out those Edisons! Yeah, I definitely get that feeling about it being a rabbit hole - there are so many options to try!

[@shamtoy20]

You have a lovely collection ive tried the twsbi eco but its just a bit big for my hands i love small fountain pen because i have small hands and i love to post my pen for gold nib either decimo or e95s both by pilot you cant go wrong with those 2. I use my e95s for more journaling type of writing and decimo is one of my everyday work pen easy to use since you dont have to cap it. I also want to try benu love the colors on there pen Thanks for vid love them

[@JournalSunshine]

Mini pens are my favorites too! A lot of folks have recommended the e95s and the decimo but I’m still not sure. Hoping I can find a brick and mortar shop that lets you try different pens before buying - then I can see how they write and feel!

[@Shananigans6978]

You talked me into the Diplomat Traveller 😍

[@Shananigans6978]

My deep red Kaweko Al Sport has a satin finish too 😍

[@JournalSunshine]

I love the Traveller! Ooh, good to know about the deep red Kaweco.

[@arabesquejacob8176]

Hi! Great 👍🏽 video! I love the Kaweco fountain pens too! I didn’t know we could change the nibs…how do you do that? Would you do a video on how to change nibs on Kaweco pens ? Thank you 🙏

[@JournalSunshine]

JetPens already made that video and this is how I learned how to do it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bp_GaXqApt2HbM0

[@marachristian8726]

We have a lot of the same pens! I have the Conklin Duragraph, Monteverde Invincia Nebula, Diplomat Traveller, and a few TWSBIs and Kawecos (many of them the same colors you have!) I started building my collection last year, and now I am up to about 75 pens and about a dozen vintage pens. I decided to stop buying pens and start using them instead! I look forward to following your channel and getting into journaling (now that I have all the supplies, right?)

[@JournalSunshine]

Wow, we have similar taste in pens! Do you have any I don’t have that you would recommend to me?

[@marachristian8726]

I am sentimentally-attached to Cross, Waterman and Parker pens. Cross Century II and Waterman Allure are affordable, slender pens, which I really like. The Parker IM and Sonnet are more of a classic size. These are companies that have been around for a long, long time, but they are proprietary with converters and cartridges, so that is an additional expense. I have lots of Conklin and Monteverde pens because they are affordable and come in so many different designs and finishes! You can get Conklin and Monteverde pens with Omniflex, Broad, or Stub nibs which are fun to try, although I am most likely to choose medium nibs. I have some BENUs (because I could not resist) and just one Visconti Van Gogh, Pineider Avatar, and Aurora Ipsilon. Those are my most expensive pens, so I will probably only have the one from each brand. I like having a variety of colors, styles, and brands. I even have some handmade wooden pens that I picked up at an Arts and Crafts Show for just $40 each, and they are all one-of-a-kind, and the craftsman uses the same standard Schmitt nibs that the big companies use! I love to "shop local" so finding fountain pens made by local artisans is a huge draw for me. Karas Pen Co. is in Mesa, AZ, so I have been following them because they have terrific branding and a cool story and website. Their pens have a more "manly" or industrial vibe, but they are making some really nifty acrylic and resin pens now, too.

[@salamanda11]

“Word got out that I like these.” I love how this almost implies you were trying to hide your affinity for fountain pens. 😅🧡

[@JournalSunshine]

Hahaha “I don’t know how, but people saw how much I was posting about these pens on social media and started buying them for me as presents…” 😂

[@_yvette_9782]

So watching this video i went down a rabbit hole i said i would never do is buy fountain pens but in feb of this year i made a jet pens purchase to buy beginner friendly fountain pens 8 pens for around 20 dollars and from all the pens i liked the preppy and i started watching more videos and bought the pilot kakuno and now i have 👀's on the twisbi smoke rose gold so thank you for this video i journal in my travelers company notebook

[@JournalSunshine]

Oh, I know that feeling well. I knew it was going to be a rabbit hole, so I avoided it for a while until I was stuck at home in 2020 and then I jumped right on in. Those are all lovely pens! Enjoy writing with them (for me that’s the biggest thing - they make even boring normal writing feel so fun and special!) and let me know if you get any cool new ones you love! 💕

[@HandmadebyLorelei]

Those little Kaweco's are like candies aren't they! So easy to collect them. Have you tried the Premium Kaweco nibs yet? Just curious.

[@JournalSunshine]

I haven’t tried the premium nibs yet! Not sure if I will - I haven’t really seen a review yet that had convinced me. Have you tried them?

[@HandmadebyLorelei]

@@JournalSunshine nope. I've had pretty good luck with all the kawecos I've gotten. I'm a broad/double broad lover.

[@susanscandles]

Pilot Prera is my favorite out of all my pens. It writes smooth on any type of paper, starts right away. I love the demonstrator ones and have 3. Should get a solid color one! Do not have a Kaweko. Is there a big difference in writing experience between plastic pen and metal ones you have?

[@JournalSunshine]

I really like my Prera too! I might end up getting a demonstrator one too. The big difference with metal vs plastic is the weight - it feels different, but also I find I have to press down less on the paper because of the way some of them are weighted. For some pens it’s really nice (LOVE the kaweco al sport for that) but for others it’s maybe a little too heavy for me (Conklin Duragraph) or a bit more backweighted than I like (traveler’s company brass fountain pen). I do like some of my plastic ones a lot though, the Prera and the TWSBIs. Overall, I wish there were a store near me where I could try out fountain pens before I buy them because how they feel is so unique to each person and difficult to describe online.

[@KR-tr9fl]

Kaweco sport addict here! Just wanted to say it’s pretty easy to swap the nibs on the plastic ones- I go back and forth between medium and broad nibs and have bought replacement ones for a few when the medium has felt too dry. I absolutely love these pens but the nibs can be inconsistent (not that that will prevent me from buying more!) great collection!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh yes! I’ve switched a bunch of nibs, including moving my smoothest ones onto whichever color pen I want to use next. Have you tried the gold nibs or even the premium steel? I’m considering them, since I love the pen so much, over buying a whole new gold nib pen. 😂

[@KR-tr9fl]

@@JournalSunshine oh good! I honestly just love those pens so much. I haven’t tried the gold or premium nibs. I’ve been mostly happy with the regular ones but I might still go for it at some point. I have three pens with gold nibs - two Pelikans and a Montblanc (that was a gift) and I have to say - they write like a dream. They are super expensive but I love them. I’m not huge into expensive pens but I am happy with the ones I have! On another note, I just discovered your channel because I just ordered the Chic Sparrow cover you designed! I can’t wait to receive it!

[@ThyPhan94]

seeing you have mulitple kaweco sports makes me feel less bad about ordering my 3rd one 🙈 waiting for kaweco al sport vibrant purple to arrive in the mail

[@JournalSunshine]

They’re highly collectible, in my experience. So cute and portable and they release new colors all the time!

[@ThyPhan94]

@@JournalSunshine absolutely! just checked their website and I saw they're releasing a bronze sport in march and its so pretty

[@sathishrao7926]

Beautiful fountain pens.. You can start with a Pilot E95S as your first gold nib FP. Perhaps it’s not more expensive than some of the pens like Al Sport ?

[@JournalSunshine]

Lots of folks have recommended that one! It’s on my list.

[@xxflipchick22xx]

I’ve been eyeing the Kaweco AL. Is it a lot heavier than the normal Kaweco sport? I want something more substantial than the normal Kaweco sports, which are too light.

[@JournalSunshine]

The AL sport is slightly over twice the weight of the plastic sport (.33 oz vs .68 oz) but not as heavy as the Brass Sport (1.48 oz) or Steel Sport (1.38) -- the AL sport also feels more expensive/premium/high quality than the plastic, though the finish varies depending on which one you get (for example, the gold is satiny and the vibrant violet has a more gritty texture).

[@tomasharan2540]

pilots are phenomenal and they have a vast lineup. that one is very light but really nice. i have some gold nib for sale

[@JournalSunshine]

I’ve been using the Pilot Prera this week and it is very lightweight but I’m liking the medium nib over the extra fine in my Pilot Kakuno! I’m thinking about trying the Pilot Custom 74 after reading these comments.

[@tomasharan2540]

@@JournalSunshine i have that pen and it will feel like a step up for sure in balance and quality

[@bryanchoy3012]

If you like smooth wet writers for gold nibs you can not go wrong with a pilot custom 74 medium. I started off with very similar pens but once you go pilot you don't go back.

[@kerryhinkle3239]

I am currently eyeballing the Kaweco iridescent pearl, but they are sold out everywhere. 😔 It would be my first Kaweco. Do you use cartridges with yours or converters for bottled ink? I can't decide which way to go. I use bottled Noodler's ink with all my TWSBI pens, so I have plenty of ink! 🤣

[@JournalSunshine]

I either use cartridges or I fill empty cartridges with bottled ink for the Kawecos! The converter had mixed reviews, and that’s what’s worked for me. (Also I got email notifications when Goulet Pens got the iridescent pearl sport and I managed to snag one! Unboxing/first look video coming soon.)

[@kerryhinkle3239]

@@JournalSunshine I am on the list for Goulet Pens and just today I discovered Jetpens had them, so I signed up for their notifications, too. 🤞 (They were gone again by the time I got my Goulet notice. 😔) I can't wait to see yours and what you think!

[@matty6244]

I love taking notes and making my handwritten works with my dip pens! They are quite similar in feel to a fountain pen, they are from several decades ago... Made in USA by Sheaffer! I just need to find some ink and I can go back at writing my report for Food Science with them X3

[@JournalSunshine]

Oh cool! I have a glass dip pen I use for swatching a lot plus a JetPens starter calligraphy set that came with some nibs and nib holders I haven’t tried out yet.

[@matty6244]

@@JournalSunshine Ohhh! I had an eye on those glass dip pens but knowing that I am such a disaster I will most likely break it! Have you tried noodler's ink? Principally the x-feather, I am trying to get it because I mostly use regular-bad paper to write down things

[@bonnieshapiro3511]

What’s the difference between kaweko all sport and sport. I only see sport on the pens. Thanks

[@JournalSunshine]

AL sport is made out of aluminum and it’s heavier and more expensive. Sport is made out of plastic. They’re the same shape though!

[@weedsandwishes3381]

I would be interested to see the real difference between a steel nib and a gold nib. I've only used a few steel nib pens, and I don't know what the benefit for the gold nib would be!

[@JournalSunshine]

From what I’ve read, gold nib pens have a more flexible bounce to them when you’re writing while the steel nibs are more rigid. Gold nibs are also a lot more expensive. But I’ve never used one, so I personally haven’t tested what the difference feels like! Goulet Pens’ KZbin channel has been my main source of information here! They have so many great videos about fountain pens.

[@jeanrobinson6584]

Oh dear ... you are going to cost me a lot of money ..... beautiful pens! 😀

[@JournalSunshine]

Haha my hope is that videos like this will help you narrow down the choices so if you do choose to spend money, it'll be on the right pens! I spend a long time watching fountain pen comparison videos to help me decide what to buy since there aren't any brick and mortar stores that sell them near me. 💕

[@stareenafraser]

Hi can you do a comparison video on the benu and kaweco vibrant violet? I want to purchase one of these, but I would like to see more videos before I choose one. Also can you comment which one you think might last longer between the two? looking for a nice pen that is fancy but also writes well (especially at the price). Thank you so much, even if you can just put a reply if you cant do the video. Thanks again. I enjoy your content. Love your pen collection.

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, lemme see what I can do! I'm working on a video about the vibrant violet and I may be able to sneak the Benu into it for a size comparison. Here's my more detailed video review of the Benu Talisman in case you missed it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d36bpXt8aaqSjtk As for how long it lasts, do you mean how long the ink capacity lasts on a single fill or how long the life of the pen lasts? There are vintage fountain pens out there from a hundred years ago still writing, so I'm not sure if I can really measure that, but I feel like a metal pen would be more durable and less likely to break than a plastic pen so I'm going to guess the Kaweco AL Sport. I've only had the two of them since the end of last year. Thank you for your suggestion!

[@stareenafraser]

@@JournalSunshine thanks for your quick feedback, i was thinking the metal pen might last longer as well :) looking forward to your video

[@leahcompston3840]

Lauren, my little sister loves doing calligraphy with dip pens, but I'd love to get her a fountain pen to try. I don't want to spend an awful lot of money in case it's not her thing, but I also don't want to get something so cheap it's not fun to use. Can you recommend a good beginner/learner pen that's not too expensive?

[@JournalSunshine]

The TWSBI Eco is generally agreed upon as an amazing starter fountain pen that’s really great quality! I use mine alongside ones that cost two or three times as much and they really hold their own. They’re piston fillers that you can dip right into bottled ink and fill that way, which she might like if she uses bottled inks for calligraphy! They just have to be fountain pens friendly inks; I’ve heard that some calligraphy-specific inks are thicker. For most folks, pens that take cartridges can be a bit easier to start with though. I’ve heard good things about the Pilot Metropolitan which is less expensive and takes cartridges but I’ve never tried one myself! Pilot pens don’t take standard international cartridges though - the ones you buy for it can only be used for other Pilot fountain pens, which is why I usually use converters and bottled inks for those instead.

[@leahcompston3840]

@@JournalSunshine Thank you so much!

[@JournalSunshine]

Of course! Let me know how it all works out.

[@corysoxydesigns6701]

I just noticed your Rosegold mini the black rubber on the other end is missing 😬 I have the same and they tend to leave the body most of the time. be careful!

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, thank you! I found one and wasn’t sure where it came from. Do you know what it’s supposed to do?

[@corysoxydesigns6701]

@@JournalSunshine it is to properly seal it when you are closing it :)

[@heatherhenderson1649]

I got a vanishing point decimo and it’s my prized possession. Asked for the reg vanishing point for my birthday.

[@JournalSunshine]

That's so cool! A lot of folks have been recommending that one to me. I'm not sure if it's my style, but so many people seem to love it so that made me take a second look at it! Might not be my first gold nib pen, but maybe someday I'll be able to add one to my collection.

[@alevel79]

I’d be great to see how they write on paper it is difficult to see how the work only see them in your hands

[@JournalSunshine]

If you’d like to see me write with them, check out the rest of my channel! I’ve been reviewing them one by one in individual videos and I also write with them in my journal with me videos. If there’s a specific one you’d like to see reviewed that I haven’t reviewed yet, let me know and I can put that one ahead in line!

[@badralbanai3654]

How i get group

[@holy_cow15]

In germany all we use is funtain pens so ive hat over 50 of these

[@JournalSunshine]

Wow, do you have a favorite? In the US, I’ve only ever found them in one store (and even then, they just had a few LAMYs by the checkout).

[@SarahDavisSings]

I'm curious if Lauren or anyone else here has used fountain pens for drawing? What do you all like for that?

[@JournalSunshine]

My friend Hilde draws with fountain pens and she likes the kaweco sport in F and M nibs! Here’s her channel if you want to check her out: kzbin.info/door/pd_YItMTs36ZGHl_xgI4NQ

[@ypaut]

Hesitating between a Diamond Mini and a Kaweco Sport. The stonewash in black is nowhere to be found however...

[@celrjs]

Lamy 2000 for your gold nib if you ever decide to get one

[@JournalSunshine]

Ooh, lots of folks have been recommending that one!

[@celrjs]

@@JournalSunshine writes like a dream (I have the medium nib). It's smooth, even when writing on regular printer paper. It's been my daily carry pen for the past year and I don't think I'll ever change it. Highly recommend.