The Five Best Fountain Pens For Artists

[@pieromattirolo5430]

My all time favourite is Pilot Kakuno, a very cheap model, with a fantastic nib and an even more fantastic Pilot CON-70 converter. I have tried Lamy Safari, Noodler's Ahab, Duke: they are all invariably prone to drying out, especially when using China Ink or other waterproof inks. The Kakun's seal is just perfect.

[@mkompan]

Thanks for the recommendation! I didn't know that the Kakuno could take the larger converter.

[@effy2848]

@@pieromattirolo5430 i was not loving the sensory feedback of the Lamy safari nib - all my inks seem dry with that pen... got any recommendations for a super wet ink? I do not mind if ink are water soluble.

[@pieromattirolo5430]

@@effy2848 Sorry, I'm not an ink expert. I have several inks in a variety of colours but many of them have been around for so long that I am not sure how they were performing when they were new.

[@effy2848]

@@pieromattirolo5430thanks 😊 no worries

[@JannekeVisser-h8c]

@@effy2848 Noodler's. But I think it is not waterproof.

[@barbarajloriordan2697]

Today I installed an FPR Ultraflex into my Noodler’s Ahab with very good results. Thank you for offering this suggestion.

[@mkompan]

You’re welcome. I love that combo and am happy you do too!

[@williamfraser]

A demonstration video of the Ahab (by its designer), shows that the piston filler can be pumped twice. The second pump fills the hollow plunger with ink.

[@mkompan]

Did he explain why the plunger is hollow? It's such a pain to clean.

[@williamfraser]

@@mkompan it is supposed to provide additional ink capacity. I don't own a Noodler's pen (yet) so you will probably make more sense of his explanation if you watch it yourself. His channel is Inkneedlastforever

[@mkompan]

@@williamfraser Weird way of adding ink capacity. I actually watch Nathan's videos. They're long, but very informative.

[@justinw9260]

@@mkompan Isn't there a clear hollow tube that goes from the nib unit into the piston filler plunger? It was like this on mine when I first got the pen, but obviously can be taken out.

[@GurtTarctor]

I love my Opus 88 Demonstrator, with custom fine fude nib that I made. It's surprisingly really easy to bend and grind a nib into a fude by the way, I'm really pleased with how mine turned out, it seems as good as an FPNibs as far as I can tell from your video on those.

[@mkompan]

I've tried making fudes with modest success from cheap Jinhao nibs, but don't dare try it with a Jowo nib. How do you do it? Any tricks to share? This is something I would love to master (and eventually share with my viewers).

[@GurtTarctor]

​@@mkompan I use a pair of pliers, specifically a Victorinox Swisstool but any flat jaws should do, with each side wrapped with paper so there's a few layers, then some scotch tape so the ink doesn't soak in and pulp the paper. Then I just hold the nib and section together tightly with my thumb and finger, get the pliers in line with the pen and just give it a good solid bend. It might take a few tries to get the angle just right, but you need to be fairly bold, like with many crafts being overly hesitant or nervous about ruining something makes it more likely that you'll have problems. I've done this 4 times now though and it's been quite successful each time. Then you need to grind the nib, first flattening the tipping to the same level as the rest of the flat, then refining the tip to be as smooth/fine as you would like. I'd never tried grinding nibs before but as it requires the same kind of skillset and materials as sharpening blades I had no problems at all. I used a smooth diamond plate to get the initial flat, a 600 grit will get it done very fast but a 1200 would be just fine too and probably reduces the chance of putting large scratches into the tip that would need to be smoothed out. The first few nibs I did like this I gave a subtle curve to the 'belly' with a rocking back and forth technique, but you can go too far with that and I've found I prefer a flatter more aggressive belly which can be less smooth but requires less angle and pressure to adjust line width. Then for shaping and sharpening the tip you can start with a combination of hard stones/plates to cut some angles into it and quickly remove material, I found that I like a bit of a lateral curve to the belly with a thinner contact area on the paper, so I rotate the pen slightly and bevel the sides. It's also probably a good idea to use the plate to sharpen up the tip a bit, sometimes it can be tricky to get the angle acute enough if other parts of the pen or nib get in the way, so it helps to use the edge of the plate/stone. Getting a small handheld stone might be a good idea too, one that you can hold comfortably between thumb and fingers, that way you can hold it up and see what you are doing easier. You will need something thin to remove the burr from the inside of the tines, I use some 4000 grit Tamiya lapping film which works just fine. Something I've come to understand intuitively from knife sharpening is that whenever you remove metal from an edge you end up with a burr to deal with, and it usually requires going back and forth between each sides working lightly to gradually minimise and eventually remove it. The same principle applies with nibs. Each time I remove metal from the bottom I'll wedge the film in between the base of the underside of the tines and just pull it through to the tip once or twice, then flip the film over and do the other side too. You don't want to over do it I think, because it's easy to round over the inside corners too much and end up with 'baby's bottom'. The goal is just to keep the burr to a minimum as you shape the nib to prevent it impeding ink flow and catching on the paper fibers. You can worry about it less and less as you work through the finer grits as you polish it up. For smoothing out and polishing the nib I like to use some micro-mesh sheets, I got a pack which has 4000/6000/8000/12000 grits. Starting with the 4000 you'll just want to round off any sharp corners, remove any burrs from the outer edges, and smooth out any scratches left by the stone/plate. A loupe helps here obviously. With the 4000 you can do some subtle shaping though it will take a while, I think with my current nib on the Opus 88 I started using a rocking motion at this point to get a very subtle curve. Then once you're happy enough with how the nib performs you can progress through the other grits, polishing the surfaces and tip as required. Remember to occasionally lightly run the lapping film between the tines to clear the bur and any gunk build up. I think theoretically you probably should remove the nib from the housing once your done and clean out any grit and gunk that may have accumulated in there, I wasn't confident in removing the nib from the Jowo housing so I didn't bother and just flushed some water through the section, and it's been fine as far as I can tell. It certainly makes sense to try all this with a couple of cheap pens first, just to get the idea. Hope that helps. You probably already know much of that but I thought I'd fill out the details for other viewers' benefit.

[@mkompan]

@@GurtTarctor thank you for that wonderfully detailed explanation! This is something I hesitate to try on my Jowo nibs, but I think practicing on cheaper Jinhao nibs is a waste of time. I think I’ll have to dive in and try it.

[@atelierthhun1165]

I must admit to loving my Duke Ruby Fude as it's so handsome but also enjoy my reliable inexpensive Jinhao 450s with various nibs swapped in. They stand up to a lot of abuse from my clumsy self and seem indestructible. Thanks for another great video.

[@mkompan]

Some nice choices! I have two Dukes, the 209 and the giant, three tined 551. Both perform super well and are my recommendations for expensive fudes. And the Jinhoas X450 and X750 should also be runner up pens. For some reason they work really well with flex nibs such as the FPR Ultraflex.

[@atelierthhun1165]

@@mkompan if you like a heavy metal pen the Ruby is 35g compared to the 209s 20g. It is about the same diameter but a bit longer too- 5mm unposted and 15mm posted. It was also nearly half the price of the 209 which appealed to me too.

[@chrisblanc663]

One of my favorite pens is the twsbi mini. I think it would have made a great 5th pen for your video. It has a good amount of ink capacity. Adding the cap to the back makes it long enough to be comfortable in anyone’s hands, and great weight distribution. The nib is the same as the eco in your video. And it’s pocket size makes it ideal for keeping it in your pocket between uses without any issues.

[@mkompan]

I have a mini, and it’s great! It probably deserved an honorable mention (along with the mini vac). I didn’t include pocket pens in the mix because they deserve their own video (which will be coming early next year). BTW, the mini and the eco use slightly different nib sizes. The ECO uses 4, the mini #5.

[@chrisblanc663]

@@mkompan I will subscribe and look forward to that video next year. Didn’t realize the nibs are slightly different. Interesting. 😃

[@larryglatt2548]

Thank you for all your ink videos, your knowledge sharing is really appreciated.

[@mkompan]

You're welcome, Larry. Thank you for your support.

[@larryglatt2548]

@@mkompan You are welcome.

[@gabemadorma2933]

Thanks for the vid Marc! After this I was curious so I went ahead and put a parallel nib in my Leonardo. It’s beautiful

[@mkompan]

You're welcome, Gabe! That's great to hear about the Leonardo, and makes me wonder if Parallel nibs will slide into any pen that uses #6 Jowo housing.

[@gabemadorma2933]

@@mkompan It should theoretically work on all of them. I figured if it fits in an opus, then it should fit in other Jowo housing units. :)

[@mkompan]

@@gabemadorma2933 Not all of them. For example, in my Franklin Christoph pen, the converter plugs directly into the #6 Jowo housing unit, so the Parallel nib will not work. It would be nice to compile a list of pens that this trick will work with.

[@gabemadorma2933]

@@mkompan interesting, good to know. That would be a good resource, the only pen I could contribute would be the Leonardo.

[@CufflinksAndChuckles]

I use a Metal Falcon. It doesn't have as good a nib as the 912 FA, but I really like how it looks over the 912 FA. Before using it, I used to use the entire range of rOtring isograph pens for sketches. I still use them for finishing touches and finer detail work, but most of the sketch can be accomplished by just one semi-flex nib instead of two or three.

[@mkompan]

The falcon is a fantastic pen, and for most drawing purposes you don’t really need anything more flexible.

[@jwdyss]

May I ask what nib you're using in your Metal Falcon please? Thank you!

[@TheFutureLooksGrimm]

I draw with Rotring Isographs as well but was thinking about getting a Pilot Falcon or an e95 but I don’t know whether to get an extra-fine or fine nib. My other fountain pens have med nibs Twsbi, Noodlers, etc. I been looking at gold nib pens and figure if I get an extra fine I almost never have to use a Rapidagraphs/isographs .20-.25

[@jamesthoma6532]

I only found your channel yesterday and can’t stop watching. Thanks for that. If you see this comment, would you please suggest where I can find the Jowo music nib unit for the Opus 88? I see other Jowo units, but not the music. Thanks!

[@mkompan]

Thanks for finding my channel! You can order the music nib from Franklin-Christoph.

[@jamesthoma6532]

@@mkompan Found it! Thank you.

[@gunsmokeandghouls]

The Ahab is the first fountain pen I bought, and still love. Especially with the untipped noodler's flex nib.

[@mkompan]

I like the untipped version too, I guess because I’m so used to scratchy dip nibs. Smoothness is overrated.

[@JennyEverywhere]

Great video! My first fountain pen was a Platinum Preppy. Two, actually, I got one Fine and one Extra Fine. I bought a third Platinum a couple of weeks later, a Prefounte. I don't see and serious changes in writing/drawing, so it must be the beautiful emerald green barrel that makes it so nice. I got an Ahab Demonstrator next, in translucent blue. Yeah, it smells a bit. But it's a lot less now versus when I first received it, so that's good. The flex nib it came with is very nice, but I'm not skilled enough with it to get it to vary the line width a while lot. I'm going to try sealing it with Renaissance Wax soon. I read that it can help with the odor. But I have filled it with Baystate Blue. I'll try taking it as apart as I can get it and put it through my ultrasonic cleaner with a touch of Dawn and see if I can get it clean. I've got some other ink I want to try in it. I also have Baystate in another pen, an Asvine V169, the "water drop" silver plated brass over deep blue acrylic. It's very heavy, and it feels good in my hand so long as I don't try to post it. It can stay Baystate Blue so long as the ink doesn't eat it. I don't care if the clear plastic under the brass gets stained blue as it already is blue. Where you like your TWSBI Eco, I like one of the knockoffs, the Lanxivi Yongsheng 3008 EF. There's a $4 pen that doesn't look like one. They're on Amazon in packs of 4 for about $16. I haven't had any trouble with cracking or leaking. I have one in service at the moment, inked up with De Atramensis Archive Black, which this pen likes just fine. I used to run Platinum Carbon in it, but I wanted to try some other blacks to see if I liked them. I like the De Atramensis very much. I tried around with inking some drawings I made, and it did a nice job, even though it isn't a great nib for it. I used to create a webcomic, but I did everything in digital before. I'm learning to do it all analog as well. This would make a decent inker pen...though I'd prefer a flex or italic nib for that. I'll probably get the Lanxivi italic set next, as it's a full selection of standard italic nib sizes, for $15. My favorite writing pen so far is the Hongdian Rainbow Forest, I think the model number is 1850, in titanium dioxide rainbow, even the Fine nib. It's nice in the hand, heavier since it's all brass, and I find it the most comfortable to write journal entries with. I'm using the Hongdian black cartridges presently, but it came with a converter, so I'll probably fill it with De Atramensis when this cartridge is empty. I would use Platinum Carbon, but they were quite insistent that it not be used for carbon inks. I'm not even sure if the De Atramensis Archive is a pigment or dye ink. I just love how it writes! On a complete whim, I got some disposables, just to see if they were worth anything. I got a Thornton's Novice 12 pack in black, and a box of 48 unnamed colored ink disposables, 6 sets in 8 colors, including black. Both are surprisingly good. Not fantastic, but for disposables they seem very usable. I'm keeping a couple of the Novices, along with a lined Huhuhero hardback notebook, in my bag. I got a box of 10 of the books, and stick on pen loops. The books are $5 each in quantity 10. My journals are 3x that price, Ricco Bello brand with faux leather covers. Both books have decent fountain pen friendly paper, though the cheaper books will show feathering and bleeds through if I use the Noodlers Baystate Blue. Since then, I've gotten some Noodlers Black to try, and I got the Lexington Gray and Standard Brown you recommended in your waterproof ink video. And a set of water brush pens, to play with the wash technique you demonstrated. I was meaning to get the water brush pens anyway. Your drawing style reminded me a lot of Andrew Loomis figure drawing. Was that an influence? If not, who? I'm fairly envious. 😁

[@mkompan]

Thanks Gwen! And thank you for writing such a useful, detailed response. These days I've decided not to purchase cheaper pens because well, I have too many already, but I love to recommend inexpensive pens to my students and people getting started with fountain pens and will look into your recommendations. My favorite cheap recommendation is the Platinum Preppy. The nibs re very smooth and the fact that you can easily eye-dropper it is a huge plus. They do crack eventually, but then they're still perfectly usable as a cartridge converters. Andrew Loomis was probably an influence on many of my instructors at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts where I studied. I use his books in my teaching frequently, but mostly for his advice on topics related to illustration.

[@thuntz29]

Awesome video! I must get myself an opus 88 :) I have a couple of Pilots parallels but the pen is pretty annoying to carry around.

[@mkompan]

Thanks! :) Yes, that Opus 88 with the modified Pilot parallel nib is such a great combination. I find myself using it all the time.

[@JustGaming117]

My time with the Ahab prepared me for an even bigger fight, but with a satisfying payoff when I started using the Ackerman Sketch pen. Really hard to dial in but there's something about the fit, feel, line variation, and even just the somewhat utilitarian look that grabs me.

[@mkompan]

I've heard of the Ackerman pen, and will have to try it at some point.

[@pieromattirolo5430]

Just decided to give it a go and bought one. Thanks.

[@pieromattirolo5430]

I just received my Ackerman pen before leaving for the weekend, but my impressions have been rather on the negative side. To start with, the instructions are scant. I had a tough time unscrewing the parts, fearing to damage the nib in the process. When I finally was able to unscrew the body, I discovered that the ink reservoir is not provided with a piston for filling. To I filled the reservoir with Noodler American Eel ink by means of an eye dropper. I placed the reservoir back inside the pen and packed for the weekend. When I took my pen out of my suitcase I discovered it had spilled "bulletproof" jet black ink inside the compartment. After mopping up my pen, I started drawing. However the nib traced no lines but a big drop came down from the feed. There must be a secret for satisfactorly using these pens but it must spread by word of mouth and it hasn't reached me yet.

[@JustGaming117]

@@pieromattirolo5430 Sorry to hear it was a struggle for you, but that's familiar to me as well. What's helped the most, for me, was to reseat the feed and nib until snug, with the feed just touching the nib where the hole is. Then, heating up some water and heat-setting the nib. I'm pretty familiar with the problems you mentioned, globbing and even leaking, but after tweaking they have gone away and haven't come back for months. I did mention that the Ahab is much easier to tinker with than the Ackerman, but, the Ackerman (once working properly) is a fun daily driver for me. Edit: I should mention that when seating the feed and nib, there is a slightly recessed part of the pen body where the nib should fit, so that if you insert the two (feed and nib) and rotate, you will feel a slight "click" where it should fit. I'm pretty sure it's only a couple mm of clearance where the nib "should" sit, but you should feel it. But like cracking a safe, unfortunately.

[@pieromattirolo5430]

@@JustGaming117 I am beginning to see that these pens are not something you can use straight out of the box but require a learning curve. Nowadays we are used to being pampered by suppliers focused on user experience and with higher industrial standards. Ackerman tends to leave you to make your own experiences alone, rather like the first cheap Chinese manufacturers. Japanese pen manufacturers have a different ideal of perfection.

[@effy2848]

I am enjoying PILOT Iroshizuku's Yama-Budo, Crimson Glory Vine. With a "Little Fat Man" fountain pen with fude nib. The combination is a delight to sketch with.

[@mkompan]

Those Iroshizuku inks with their wetness, shading properties and lovely colors are fantastic for fude pens.

[@jennifermcleanmclean3863]

I learned a lot about these pens.

[@mkompan]

Glad this was helpful to you.

[@ichirofakename]

I recently learned that Pilot Parallel nib units will screw directly into the body of a Pilot Spare Sign Pen, a less glamorous and expensive option than the Opus. I bought 3, and if they came in more colors, I'd buy another 3.

[@mkompan]

Thanks for the tip! I have a number of modified parallel nibs but only one free Opus 88 to stick them into. This looks like a great, inexpensive option. I’ve also heard that they fit into one of Moonman demonstrator models (the C-4, perhaps?)

[@ichirofakename]

@@mkompan I tried the Moonman, I couldn't get it to seat cleanly. Leaked badly. Tossed it. So far zero problems with the Pilot Spare Sign Pen.

[@mkompan]

@@ichirofakename good to know! Thank you.

[@94002e]

Hello good sir, first of all, thanks for all those informative videos. Fountain pen reviews from an artist's pov aren't that common so it's much appreciated. I've seen all your pilot pens review but I'd like some clarification. In this video you're presenting us with the 912 FA as the best option. However, on the falcon's review you're saying "If you're gonna buy a single flex pen, it should be the falcon". then on the custom 74 and comparison videos you're saying you'd chose the 74 over the falcon. So although I really liked all those videos i'm still a bit confused as to which pilot nib would be the best performer overall. On top of that, I'd like to ask you about the falcon SEF. I understand you don't own it because it would be redundant with the falcon SF you got as a gift. That being said, if you've watched videos of it, what would be your educated guess ? Would you pick it over the 74 if you didn't have any of those pens ? Lastly, a bit a side topic question, which one of those pens feels better for everyday writting with a light hand ? Again, thank you for all those videos, you're enthusiams is showing and making fountain pen talks even more fun to listen to !

[@mkompan]

First thank you for finding my channel and watching my videos so carefully! My apologies if the inconsistency caused confusion but these videos were not made at the same time. The Falcon was the first Pilot in my collection, and I made the review before I bought the 912 or the custom 74. Now that I have the 912FA the custom 74SF and the 743FA, my opinion has changed. I still love the Falcon very much, but the 912FA flexes better and is more fun to use, and the custom 74SF is far cheaper, has an equal amount of flex, and has better ink capacity when used with the con-70 converter. I would recommend the custom 74SF for everyday writing. Unlike the other pilots which write a little on the wet side and require better paper, the 74 works well even on cheaper paper.

[@fenixway1]

hello Marc Great video! Like you, I look for the perfect pen to draw but I think it's just an excuse to buy more 😁 My favorites so far are The Parker 75 ciselé (one of the prettiest ever), Wing Sung 601A (workhorse), Wing Sung 626 (softer nib than the Pilot Falcon for a fraction of the price) the vintage Pelikans are fantastic and reliable and the Pilot ES95 which is cheaper than the Falcon, another pen with a smooth nib and very cheap is the Hero 395...

[@mkompan]

It’s a never ending quest isn’t it? :) and thank you for the pen tips. I have a Pelikan 140 and 400nn and they are indead fantastic. And I’ll be looking into the Wingsun 626. The Scheaffer balance design with a touch of flex looks enticing.

[@fenixway1]

@@mkompan Wow, I also have the pelikan 400nn and I love it, it's beautiful and has a fantastic nib! If the 626 still comes with the same nib, I think you'll love it, the only downside is having to do 3 turns to unscrew😒. I don't know if you already have the 601A, older version, but it's a pen that I love to draw with, which despite having a nail in place of the nib is a nib that writes with some character, always writes first time, has a design inspired by the Parker and Sheaffer's tubular nib, which in my opinion is a successful mix.👍

[@mkompan]

@@fenixway1 Considering that all of my Opus 88s inexplicably require 6 turns to unscrew, three turns is not an issue.:)

[@fenixway1]

@@mkompan wow! I couldn't cope with that..

[@donnaturner20]

Hi Mark. I have learned so much from your videos and I thank you for that. I bought an Ahab. After a day or two I barely noticed the smell. I love the variable line widths I can get when drawing with it. I'll be happily drawing away and suddenly it's leaking, my fingers are black and I have permanent ink smudges where I don't want them. I'm using the plunger converter that came with the pen. The nib and feed are in as tight as they will go. It doesn't matter if it is completely full of ink or if it's only 1/4 full, it still happens. I have no interest in using cartridges. Why is this happening to me and what am I doing wrong? I really like the pen and don't want to get rid of it but this leaking is a big problem. It seems to come from the base of the pen body when the nib fits in as it isn't leaving blobs on my paper but it's all over my fingers. Thank you.

[@mkompan]

Hi Donna. I'm sorry you're having problems. This is a pen that often requires a bit of tinkering to get work without problems. Your dripping problem is hard to diagnose. One thing to try is heat setting.There are tutorials for it on KZbin, but all it requires is to heat water just under boiling, and then hold the pen up to the nib for about 30 seconds to heat up the ebonite feed. Then, after taking the pen out of the water, using a paper towel, squeeze the nib and feed against each other for about 30 seconds. That process shapes the ebonite feed and usually reduces dripping. Another thing that helps is to see the pen full, since the air inside the ink reservoir can cause the pen to burp. Hope those two things help. The Ahab is a great pen, but can be a headache.

[@spiritsjoy]

I had a twisbi eco i thought i lost, found it wedged between the bed frame a year and a half later....the pen was still inked up and wrote perfectly after all that time. Have you tried the Uniball Air micro? For a regular pen it has a good amount of flex. It is my take anywhere companion when a fountain pen cant ride.

[@mkompan]

I don't think I've tried the Uniball Air. I'll have to pick some up. My go to rollerball is the Pilot g2. I take my my fountain pens everywhere, but if I had to only use a rollerball, that would be it.

[@spiritsjoy]

@@mkompan You can take your fountain pens on a plane? Please do try the micro version and let me know what you think.

[@mkompan]

@@spiritsjoyI empty the pens and carry the ink in a Pinieder travel ink bottle. Some pens such as those with vacuum filling mechanisms, can go on planes without emptying.

[@LinhNguyen-vm8le]

Great video. I tried the Ahab but it was too finicky so I switched to the Twsbi and changed up the nib with the FPR ultra flex, thanks to your video suggestion. Love this combo, thank you! You stated Twsbi nibs can be switched around Twsbi pens. Does this hold true for all Twsbi? I have a Twsbi mini nib I would like to put in my ECO. I also bought the Himalaya V2 with ultra flex from FPR and found it too wet. Is there anyway I can tinker with the pen to make it less wet?

[@mkompan]

Thank you Lihn.! The nibs in the TWSBI Go and the ECO are both #4 and are interchangeable. The nibs in the 580, the Mini and the Mini Vac are #5 and are interchangeable. You can make the #5.5 ultraflex work in the ECO by using a little scotch tape to make the fit tighter. I believe the same trick would work for #5 mini nib. As for the Himalaya V2, making it wetter is easier than making it drier. Heat setting can make the gap between the nib and feed tighter, making the pen a little drier. There are lots of heat setting tutorials on KZbin, even one made by FPR. The other option is to order a standard 6.3mm feed (as opposed to the flex feed) from FPR. This feed is not designed for flex pens and should reduce wetness, but it might not work as well when it comes time to flex the pen. Adding flow is easily done on an ebonite feed with a razor, so you can adjust the flow little by little to get it to where you need it.

[@LeviRedrook]

Interesting. In an older video you talked about the 912 FA being too wet. What changed your mind?

[@mkompan]

It is very wet, and doesn’t not fit every single purpose, but I think it’s the best option if you want a perfectly reliable full flex pen.

[@dmtarry]

Hi could you provide links to buy the suggested pen please, the TWSBI Eco with the FP nibs no6 ultra flex nib? I’m unable to locate them. Though I am older and may be missing something? Not sure what the references to fude grind and Jowo relate to? Thanks

[@mkompan]

Hi David. it looks like the confusion stems from the fact that we're dealing with two distinct companies with similar names, Fountain Pen Revolution (FPR) and FPnibs. FPR sells the #6 ultraflex nib, which fits into a Noodler's Ahab and some other pens that use a #6 nib. They also sell a smaller #5.5 nibs that fits into many other pens, such as the TWSBI 580, the mini and the mini-Vac. FPnibs is a company that does nib customizations, such as turning regular nibs into flex nibs and fudes (a type of nib with a bent tip). Jowo is a popular nib brand that FPnibs uses for many customizations. It's a small company with limited inventory, and currently they're not selling nibs for the TWSBI ECO. I have a separate video on Fude pens and the #6 ultraflex nib if you need more information. Hope that helped!

[@amyr.862]

Where did you get your posting nib? I've really wanted to add one to the collection but haven't been able to find one secondhand. Having one to put into the pen of my choice would be even better.

[@mkompan]

That nib is an extreme version of a posting nib, called a concord nib. I ordered mine from the Toronto Pen Company. Very fun nib!

[@amyr.862]

@@mkompan Thank you! I just looked at some up close photos and wow! A bend so good it looks bad 😁

[@MediumAtLarge]

Two questions- I have a noodler Konrad -will that take the FPRev #6 too? I have a twsbi ecot… will the 5.5 FPRev ultra flex work in that? Or should I go up to the 580 which is a larger size?

[@mkompan]

Hey, that's three questions. :) 1.The Conrad with also take the #6 ultraflex nib. 2. The 5.5 is a very loose fit in the ECO. You can use a little bit of tape, or some other shim to make it stay in. 3. It will fit perfectly in a 580 without any tinkering.

[@whoami5422]

there is a Kaweco sport clone made in Ultem, it's design to be eyedroped with oring built-in, you may want to take a look

[@mkompan]

I've seen it, but haven't seen anyone review it. I might have to be the first.

[@whoami5422]

@@mkompan ya, fountain pen therapy channel did an overview on it along with some ultem pens looking forward to your review

[@robhead22]

Great video. Thank you!

[@mkompan]

My pleasure!

[@the_boatswain]

Twsbi Eco = favorite

[@Thenerdinyourclass]

How many slits in the ebonite for the 912 do you recommend?

[@mkompan]

I bought the one with two slits and it works great. The pen already writes wet, I’m not sure three is necessary.

[@TW-tp6fw]

I have read that (in the past) the Jowo #5 nib could be custom ground to a fude and then be used to replace the standard nib in a TWSBI 580. Will the replacement still work?

[@mkompan]

Yes, I have a custom made fude in a 580 made by FPnibs and it works great. I use it in many of my videos on fude pens.

[@GaryScott-pdx]

I use several pens for inky playtime. I have several Lamy Joys with different stub nibs. I like the Lamy for its length allowing me to hold the pen more like a paint brush. I also have several pens that I’ve converted to fudge nibs of different sizes. I’m more of a doodler than an artist so my selection of pens may not be that useful for a true artist. LOL

[@mkompan]

Inky playtime. :) I assume you meant fude instead of fudge. How do you convert? Do you bend the fude nibs yourself? Or are they really fudge nibs, in which case I'm curious to know more.

[@paulmchugh1430]

I do not own any of these pens. That being said, I have had the Ahab and the Pilot Falcon. The Ahab was a chore to use. I did replace the nib with the Fountain Pen Revolution Super Flex nib. Love the nib but the amount of burping was horrible. I kept the FPR nib, looking for an alternative pen. I had the Falcon but found the Soft Fine nib on my Custom 743 much more to my liking. I do want to get an Opus 88. I like the Japanese eyedropper mechanism. I haven't been able to decide which model. As for my favorite pens currently: 1. Pilot 743 2. Sailor King of Pen with a Broad nib ground to EF by Sailor 3. Pen BBS 495 with a mini fude nib 4. Jinhao 9019 with EF and M nibs. Wonderful ink capacity and very affordable. 5. Wing Sung 630 with a gold fine nib because I can't afford a Montblanc 149 and it is such a smooth nib. Where did you find the sealable fountain pen cartridges? Fabulous overview.

[@mkompan]

Thanks for that very detailed comment! You sound like an expert, but heat setting the Ahab helps with the burping issue. A great option for the FPR ultra flex is to get a #6 Jowo housing unit with an ebonite feed from the Flexible Nib Factory, which will allow you to use it in any pen that takes #6 Jowo housing. I'm testing the 9019 and the 630 (with a steel nib) at the moment. Both great pen bodies but I have to say, the nibs leave much to be desired.

[@paulmchugh1430]

@@mkompan they are stiff. I spent the extra money for the gold nib which is quilt bouncy.

[@LeviRedrook]

I have a Falcon and a Custom 823 in fine (and others that don't offer much for drawing), and I'm having a tough time deciding how to round out my pen collection because there are so many options and only so much money to throw at them. - Would you recommend the Montblanc to someone who already has a Falcon? - I've also got a Brass Sport, and am having trouble finding a nib that fits it. I wanted a good drawing pen I could take anywhere without having to worry about damaging it. - I know I want a Fude pen, but there are so many options (even that you've covered and like) that my head is spinning considering all of them. - Would I be better off getting one pen that can fit both FPR's Ultra Flex nibs and a Fude nib? If so, which pen? I believe you said the #6 Fude is the best one, but that won't fit in an Eco. I'm considering an Ahab, but it has issues. I wanted something I could take out of the house without worrying about it, but I also don't want something that's going to break on me. What would you do if you had to start over with what I've got, basically. Also thank you for all of these videos. It's refreshing to see someone who doesn't just fetishize pens and has done a lot of tinkering to get the most out of them, and you're an effective teacher and communicator.

[@mkompan]

I think all artists need a reliable semi-flex for general drawing purposes, and the Falcon definitely fits that bill. I you didn't have one, I would recommend the Montblanc Monterosa or a Pelikan 140, both of which are cheaper and slightly flexier than the falcon, with better ink capacity. The best source of vintage nibs is the German Pen Board. The prices for most #2 size nibs are around $40. Not all #2's are the same size, so look for a nib with the dimensions of the original Kaweco, and request dimensions where they are not given. A less time consuming, more practical alternative is to order a steel semi-flex for the Kaweco from from FPnibs. I made a review of it recently, and it's excellent. The great thing about fudes is that even the super cheap ones perform great, so your decision mostly comes down to pen body. A great start is the very sturdy Duke 209. The FPR ultraflex is a tricky nib. In my experience the only pen that can handle it perfectly is the Ahab, but many people insist that the pens made by FPR have been improved and no longer suffer from poor performance. If you're not into the Ahab, perhaps give them a shot? Then you can get a #6 fude nib for it (under 10 bucks for a pack of five on Amazon). This "rounding out" of your pen collection, as you put it, is a tricky business, involving trial error and expense, no matter how much advice you seek. Best of luck!

[@LeviRedrook]

@@mkompan I wound up buying a TWSBI VAC mini and plan to get a Fude nib from FPnibs and a 5.5 Ultra Flex from FPR. I may end up getting another VAC mini so I can have both on hand eventually. I'm considering giving that flexible steel Kaweco nib a try. I imagine I know the answer, but how does it compare to the vintage one you found? I actually found a good vintage pen at an estate sale (Moore Pen Co from 1950 at the latest) and the nib looks like it's about the right side, but I can't bring myself to separate it from its original body when I could find a nib without one elsewhere. Thank you for your thoughtful response!

[@mkompan]

@@LeviRedrook Good call on the #5.5/vac mini combo. This pen is a friction fit, so you can switch out the nibs quickly. As for how the steel semi-flex compares to vintage flex: It's close to many of my vintage semi-flex nibs, but yes, vintage is better. I wouldn't de-nib a vintage pen that someone could potentially lovingly restore. There are plenty of loose nibs around.

[@naomifreya1481]

Sailor has a fude fountain pen.

[@lordofthe6string]

Anyone know if the Safari is a decent pen for drawing? The yellow one really strikes me, just something about the design makes it look like a workman's tool, and that's appealing to me. It's a good price, but I don't want to get something and never use it if it's no good for drawing.

[@mkompan]

It’s so happens that I just got a Safari, and will be doing a review of it soon, but if you don’t care to wait, it’s very good for drawing.

[@larryglatt2548]

Question about inks. Does Carbon Black (Platinum) clog or dry up in some feeds?

[@mkompan]

Generally, yes, though how long it takes to clog varies greatly depending on the pen, storage/climatic conditions, etc. It’s good practice to clean pens inked with Carbon black every three weeks, and not use it in pens that are difficult to clean.

[@larryglatt2548]

@@mkompan Thank you for the information.

[@rudycaruso4757]

Can you use any kind of drawing ink in a fountain pen?

[@mkompan]

While there are a few exceptions, fountain pens should only be filled with inks specifically designed for them.

[@specialeffectsgraphicsdesi9066]

I'm using Rotring's Art Pens but since I don't use them often, they get clogged all the time. The ink is also by Rotring. Could you please let me know, from where did you buy those sealable, refillable cartridges? That would help my pens from clogging since I can seal the cartridges afyer use, and wash the nibs as soon as I finish using the pens.

[@mkompan]

Those sealable cartridges only fit the Noodler’s Ahab and Noodler’s Tripletail. There is a way to reseal cartridges with a glue gun that I demonstrate in my recent review of the Kaweco Sport AL. You can also buy little brass screw on caps for international cartridges (which the Rotring pens use) from an Italian company. I don’t have the name of it on hand, but I bought some and they work great.

[@specialeffectsgraphicsdesi9066]

@@mkompan Thanks a lot, Marc. I'll search for those screw-on caps online. A friend is visiting India from the UK by Christmas. He'll be happy to get them for me. If I can't find them, using a glue gun is a great idea. Thanks, oce again. And yes, I'll chack out your other video as well. 🙏

[@specialeffectsgraphicsdesi9066]

@@mkompan Found it! It's called 'GreatFountain'. Already placed an order for 4-pack. Thanks a million.

[@rogerehinger6694]

For drawing and sketching I do like the cheap little Preppy. Yeah OK the pocket clip broke, I glued it back on. It broke again and again, maybe I will buy a new one, maybe. With the repaired clip it just ugly enough nobody is going to steal it, that's a plus. People wander in and out of the senior center and some of them will steal so we have to watch out for one another.

[@mkompan]

Preppies are surprisingly good for their price, and it’s good to have a pen you’re not afraid of losing. Perhaps I need to make a video on a new category: pens no one will steal. :)

[@youtuber-452]

I need Help! i'm searching for that glass smooth line drawing experience that the ink flows and glides over the paper to give that ultra satisfying feeling i know these thicker 0.7 + tips can achieve. But here's the catch, Normally i use Pilot pens and Uni-ball's, felt tips at 0.4 - 0.5 that already give a great experience but i want to take that next step. It can give a little bit of resistance but not that 'scratching the paper' feeling. Not a beginner but never drawed with fountain pens, in my mind i always thought of writing. I don't care about the looks of the pen but of rich deep blacks flowing perfectly to form great firm strong lines without jitter. Advice?

[@mkompan]

Here to help KZbinr 452! Fountain pens nibs aren't sized precisely, and there's no consistency between brands in the way they size their nibs. I think for most Japanese brands .5mm would be equivalent to a medium fine or a medium. If you're willing to spend a little over 100$ the Pilot Custom 74 is a fantastic pen, with great ink capacity (if you use the con-70 converter) that's very smooth. Smoothness is not a quality I look for in a pen, but Lamy and Faber Castell nibs are considered some of the smoothest. European nib sizes run a little larger, so an F nib will approximate a .5mm line. BTW, one great thing about fountain pens is that you can customize the writing experience. You can buy Mylar polishing paper from Goulet pens, and in seconds make any pen write glass smooth.

[@youtuber-452]

@@mkompan Great answer, one of the best responses i had in a while thanks! You made me curious what do you look for in a pen when spending time drawing in the studio?

[@mkompan]

@@youtuber-452 You're welcome! The first "What's in my pencase?" video I made has a section where I talk about the qualities I look for in a pen and why I think the TWSBI ECO is best overall pen for artists: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3O9qYqrrZJ6Z7c

[@ichirofakename]

1. Such a good video, thanks. 2. I just finished a polychromatic drawing made with an Ahab and a Triple Tail and a handful of 308 cartridges. I was disappointed in the workflow. To switch colors, you still need to flush the nib, so it is still an interrupting bother. And somehow handling the 308s I got a huge amount of ink on my hands. It would have been better to have each color in its own pen, always available. So I vote NO for what I bought the 308s for. 2.1. What is the use case in which you find 308s valuable? 3. I put a vote in for drawing with nice long desk pens. I love drawing with my Pilot Carbon Ink Desk Pen, and even more with my even longer Guider Desk Pen (from FPR). 4. A cheaper pen that accepts the Parallel nib is the MaJohn M2. But I haven't tried any other nib swaps with it. 5. I look forward to your pocket pen video.

[@mkompan]

1. Thank you! Your comments are always thoughtful and most welcome. 2. No fountain pen is easy to switch inks with, it's just not in their nature. The Ahab's simple design makes the process simpler, but there's no way to do it quickly enough for it to make sense during the drawing process. When I want to use pens with multiple colors, I turn to the platinum preppies. I was experimenting with ink drawing using CMYK colors a few years ago and they worked very well for this purpose. Sadly most of them cracked, so I'm down to just two at the moment. 3. The Noodler's cartridges allow the Ahab to be portable. As much as I love the Ahab, it's a drippy mess when it comes to transport. 4. Thanks for the Mahjon (Moonman) tip. This is a brand that I've been looking at for a long time, but have yet to purchase.

[@ichirofakename]

@@mkompan I would love to see your multi-color approach some day.

[@mkompan]

@@ichirofakename That does sound like an interesting topic. I'll have to restock on those Platinum Preppies.

[@juanmarialberdigaritaonand4153]

Thanks!

[@mkompan]

Thank you! That’s very generous of you.

[@عليرضا-ث1ز]

pleasr send one or two or three..and the price.iwon.t.forget for ever...

[@mkompan]

Sure! Perhaps I just send my bank account info, and you take what you want. :)

[@sushanart]

😇🩷🙏🙌

[@mkompan]

Thanks!

[@anthonykoeslag]

Humour me: do you mean it actually stinks. I’m guessing you mean it’s sh-ty but you don’t really say why 🤷‍♂️

[@mkompan]

It actually stinks. The plastic the pen is made from smells likes vomit. Everyone complains about it, but the smell dissipates over time.

[@anthonykoeslag]

@@mkompan Wow, what an amazing design flaw :D, thanks for the reply.

[@mkompan]

@@anthonykoeslag the plastic is actually quite sturdy, which makes it ideal for working outdoors, where the smell is not so bothersome.

[@anthonykoeslag]

@@mkompan :D:D:D