Not a Wizard

@jonnypencils@jellis.co.uk @vfrmedia@social.tchncs.de @vwbusguy@mastodon.online Next may be some fountain pen friendly paper. 🤣 Most of the standard stationery shop/school grade notebooks and pads available around my parts are cheap and nasty. So if the paper you have bleeds or feathers (ink spreads through the fibres on the paper), then don't let that put you off the pen. :)

@k9mail Oh no. :( I don't like Thunderbird so don't want to be there when they start making new design decisions for ex-K9. It was great while it lasted, and I appreciate the work the K9 team has done for so long.

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online @jonnypencils@jellis.co.uk @vfrmedia@social.tchncs.de Interesting, I didn't know there were problems getting it or a change of ownership. I've continued to get TR notebooks for years. The main place I get them from these days are Galen Leather in Turkey and they don't seem to have had problems. Some notebooks in certain sizes would sell out every now and then, but that was it. Be interesting to see the new formula. The idea that it's stiffer with more tooth doesn't sound great to me, but will definitely try it.

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online @jonnypencils@jellis.co.uk @vfrmedia@social.tchncs.de My favourite is Tomoe River 52gsm. For some reason the thin paper really appeals to me. :)

@jonnypencils@jellis.co.uk @vwbusguy@mastodon.online The market for modern fountain pens is huge and I would recommend those first before delving into vintage pens. Not sure of UK based shops, but a good one I use is Fontoplumo in the Netherlands: fontoplumo.nl Goulet Pens is a popular one in the US. Even if you don't buy from them it'll give you a good idea of what's current and the prices..

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online 😄 another hobby we have in common. Yeah I collect fountain pens and run a local fountain pen meetup group. One of the members is even writing for the Writing Equipment Society magazine and I'm editing his articles for him. Current favourite makes are Pelikan, Visconti, and Pilot.

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online I think the Visconti quality control issues seem to have been sorted in the last few years. They changed ownership and that seems to have helped things get better in that regard. I'm sad tho that the palladium nibs aren't available any more, but that era were among the problem ones, so like you I'm avoiding those. Recently got an M800 and they are very good size-wise. Need more Pilots in my collection. The Custom 74 with Soft Fine nib is perfection to me. :)

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online @RL_Dane@fosstodon.org Some brands I really love are Graf von Faber Castell (their Olive Green is probably my fave ever), Pilot black (the cartridges are a very nice deep black), and J Herbin are moving up the ladder for me. All very nice flowing, consistent inks.

@RL_Dane@fosstodon.org @vwbusguy@mastodon.online TWSBI make very nice pens. Noodler's inks didn't appeal because they behave so badly. Just this past weekend I heard about the guy who makes them, and I didn't like what I heard. :(

@vwbusguy@mastodon.online @RL_Dane@fosstodon.org My presumption was that it was popular in large part due to the patriotic made-in-America aspect. Personally I always struggle with separating the person and the product/art/whatever. If supporting a product means giving money to people I don't like, then I try not to. Doesn't always work. My cats really like one particular brand of catfood owned by Nestle. :( Thankfully in the case of Noodler's I didn't like the inks, so no issue. haha