Keeping track of your year with Leuchtturm

Some products from Leuchtturm 1917 have recently crossed our path, these being the handy little 2013 Diaries.

In the usual Leuchtturm sizes of Pocket, Medium & Master and as you'd expect with Leuchtturm they are packed with handy features.




Leuchtturm 1917 Weekly Planners- Every double page features one page with the full calendar week and a lined notebook page on the right. In addition to our familiar overviews and details you will find an extra booklet with a birthday calendar and address index in the folded pocket!

 Features:
12 Month weekly planner
7 days on one page
Each week has a page for notes
144 pages
Overview for 2012, 2013 and 2014
Phases of the moon, international public holidays
Project planner
Detachable pages for notes
Expandable pocket
Bookmark
Stickers for labelling and archiving
With a booklet for anniversaries and addresses in its pocket
Dimensions: 145 x 210mm
Ink proof paper
Acid free paper




Leuchtturm 1917 Daily Planners- An entire page for each working day. To keep the calendar as slim as possible Saturday and Sunday share the same page. 

Features:
One page per weekday
Saturday and Sunday share one page
352 pages
Overview 2012, 2013 and 2014
Project Plan
Phases of the moon, international public holidays
Expandable pocket
Book mark and stickers for labelling and archiving

 

All about Visconti

Visconti, are the relative new kids on the block in the world of the writing instruments, having only been set up in 1988, by Dante Del Vecchio.

The company have gone on to rival any of the other leaders in the field, despite being around for no-where near as long.

So why is this? What made Visconti able to catch up to the company's that have decades and decades of head start in the trade on them?

 The birth of the company derives from the dreams of Dante Del Vecchio and Luigi Poli who were lifelong collectors of fountain pens. In addition to collecting pens, these two men have a great insight into the sales and marketing of the pen. They also understood what is needed to hire the proper talent that can design and develop a pen.

The two entrepreneurs were instrumental in the reintroduction of celluloid pens to the marketplace. The popularity of these pens took the industry by storm and collectors have taken to purchasing such pens from a variety of manufacturers. Visconti still remains the big winner here as it is the operator of the largest celluloid pen factory in the world.

Yes, Visconti Fountain Pens have been very successful in the market and is one of the top pen manufacturers in Italy. The fact that this success was achieved in roughly two decades is very surprising. Then again, when you look at the amazing artistry of the pens, it becomes obvious why the company has been so successful.


Visconti is a well established brand in the pen collecting world but is also adored the world over by lovers of all things luxury. Devotees include Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood, Charlize Theron, Marcia Cross and Oprah Winfrey, to name but a few. As a further testament to the luxurious yet superb quality of the Visconti range, Visconti black fountain pens were chosen to be given to each of the World leaders who attended the recent G8 Summit in L’Aquila. Each pen was engraved with the initials of the leader to whom it was presented. 

The many colours of the Wellington...

The Conway Stewart Wellington is a substantial fountain pen. The striking design has been crafted with a subtly curvaceous form to both cap and barrel, an exciting shape that sets the Wellington fountain pen apart from traditional pen designs.

Conway Stewart have moved on from the usual Wellington colours and design, to bring us a multitude of offerings in different shades and colours.




Dartmoor is an interesting combination of browns, shimmering with suppressed highlights, marbled into a deep black background. It is deceptively simple in its mixture of somber shades, and allows the owner to experience the best of both worlds: elegant and classic design, with a touch of stylish fashion.



Bronze Whirl -- a new colour from Conway Stewart -- is a luxurious mix of rich tones consisting of a deep blue background that shimmers softly, with sparkling accents dusted throughout. Then they add a subtle Bronze whirl hue, looping and swirling through both the cap, barrel and front section. Each piece of this sturdy acrylic material has an individual pattern, so no two Wellington Bronze Whirl pens will look exactly alike. This is a pen for those who demand to stand a bit apart from the crowd!


The Conway Stewart Wellington Fountain Pen is offered in four popular classic colours gleaming jet Black, rich Classic Brown, elegant Classic Green and the modern Black Whirl.


This stylish modern look is married with the timeless look of vintage style engraving and a classic rich black hand made resin, with the result being a pen that makes the perfect choice for those who appreciate understated and classic elegance.

Fountain Pen Day - 2nd November 2012!

Just found out about this on the grapevine, the first ever Fountain Pen Day is being celebrated internationally on the 2nd November. 

The day was created to help embrace, promote, and share the use of fountain pens in day-to-day life, as well to help revive handwriting as a whole.

It appears as you've probably seen from the various news articles that have been circulating over the last few months (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18071830) that this is the year for the resurgence of the fountain pen, and writing instruments in general.


So what can you do to support Fountain Pen Day? Here's a few that things that they recommend...

1. Write a letter to someone with your favorite fountain pen and ink. Under your signature you can write the pen & ink you used.
2. Post on your favorite forum or blog by writing it out with your fountain pen. Then take a picture of it and post it. Again, under your signature write what pen & ink you used.
3. Instead of typing Facebook status updates and tweets on Twitter, write them and upload a picture of them (mention the reason that you’re doing it at well.)
4. Take one of the pens you don’t use anymore and send it off to a friend with a handwritten note. If you don’t have any pens you want to part with you can shop one of the online retailers and have it sent direct to them.
5. Make that the weekend you have your pen club meet up.
6. Turn off your computer and put down the phone and spend some time writing.

Can we add any to this list?


So please help spread the word, and let us know what you get up to in your celebrations!







If you want to find out more or show your support for Fountain Pen Day - 2/11/2012, then visit 

www.fountainpenday.org

Patriotic Pens

Was inspired to do a bit of research on pens that have a patriotic nature about then, after seeing the Diplomat J1 Stars and Stripes, so let's take a look.


Diplomat Stars and Stripes

Diplomat brings us the SpaceTec J1 Stars and Stripes, beautiful slim design with aluminum casing, shrouded in the stars and stripes flag design. Wonder if the President has one?



Conway Stewart Belliver Red White & Blue

A vibrant and energetic patriot theme with hand made resin, in red, white and blue takes resin effects to new heights! Shimmering shades of pearlescent blue, energetic whirls of rich pearl white and vibrant red are blended together to form the backdrop to swirling lines of a rich exclusively hand-made resin material. The effect is stunning and outspoken. A traditionally styled Conway Stewart clip ensures that the Belliver is always ready to hand in your pocket, and the cap and barrel are also adorned with hallmarked gold bands for the crowning touch of elegance. The combination is at once both warm, rich, and luxurious


That's the extent of my list so far, anyone add any?

Parts of a Fountain Pen

Thought we'd help you brush up on your fountain pen knowledge by running through some of the terms used to describe the different parts that make up a pen, some you may know, others are a bit more obscure. 

Cap- The cap is an essential part of a fountain pen. Without it, you'd be taking a risk putting the pen in your pocket or in any other sort of case or container; ink can be bled out of the pen whenever the point comes in contact with any surface. The cap also slows down evaporation from the point and helps keep the pen in ready-to-write condition between uses. Also very importantly, the cap protects the point and feed from damage.

Tassie/ Derby- A cap may have a decorative part on the end, like a button or a jewel. This is usually called the "tassie" or "derby"


Nib- The pen's nib is, of course, what the thing is all about, and its construction was the most involved and highly-skilled process in the manufacture of most pens.

Feed- The feed sits underneath the nib, it's one of the most important parts of the pen. It has the difficult job of balancing the delicate forces of atmospheric pressure and capillary action to promote the controlled exchange of ink (going out of the pen) with air (going into the pen). The feed also guides the ink down through the slit and it must be able to store or “buffer” excess ink not needed for writing so that the pen does not blot or flow too heavily.

Section- The Section holds together all of the pen's various parts, including barrel, sac, breather tube, and (of course) the nib and feed.

Sac- The internal ink supply is what makes a fountain pen a “fountain” pen, as opposed to a dip pen. Of course, you have to be able to replenish that ink supply when it runs low, and this calls for a filling system.

Barrel & Lever- The pen's barrel is the portion that extends back from the section; it's the part that rests between your thumb and first finger as you write.

Your Guide to the new SmarTouch nib from Visconti

SmarTouch Tubular Nib

After lengthy tests Visconti's writing collection has acquired a new writing device, the SmarTouch Tubular Nib.

Its special shape is turned from a capillary tube in Chromium 18 that wraps closely around the feed and allows you to fill it with the ink without having to dip the entire section into the ink, an operation that is a necessity with any other fountain pen on the market.

This makes filling both easy and clean, and it can be performed even when the level of ink is low in the bottle.

The traditional problems of the section being stained during filling and refilling with a low level of in the bottle have thus both been finally solved.

Snorkel filler : together with the new nib, we have invented an interesting device designed to avoid dipping even the nib in the ink and, at the same time, making it possible to refill the pen using up the last drop of ink.

It is well known that fountain pens dry out very easily if the cap is off, because ink evaporates from the feed through the two open sides of the nib.

SmarTouch tubular nib, which wraps closely around the feed and has the airhole positioned at a distance from the tip, can delay the drying of the nib with a substantial benefit in terms of everyday use. Naturally, drying time depends on individual environmental humidity and temperature conditions.

The use of ball points has significantly modified the handling of pens; today the normal writing position is much more vertical than the classic fountain pen position at 45 °. To help this posture we have modified the inclination of the tip, thus broadly extending its range of use.




Snorkel Filler : use and maintenance
" Position the tubular nib with the writing tip facing the mark in the snorkel.
" Gently press the snorkel until it touches the pen section.
" Fill the pen according to the instructions.
" Gently pull out the snorkel with a straight movement. Do not unscrew.
" Wipe the nib as usual.
" The snorkel has residual ink inside it, so you may wish to rinse it with clear water.

Warning :
" Always place the fountain pen nib pointing at the mark in the snorkel. Do not reverse or angle it.
" Never unscrew the snorkel, only pull it out. Unscrewing it will remove the nib and feed from the section.

This is currently only available on the new Visconti Opera Crystal and Typhoon

Travelling Ink Wells

 Nothing worse than running out of ink when you're far away from a trusty ink bottle! Luckily Visconti have just the solution.

The Visconti Travelling inkwell is the perfect accessories for anyone wishing to be ready to write when away from home or desk. It holds about 5ml of ink - two fills for a reasonable capacity pen. Works beautifully for all Visconti pens, ensuring almost complete filling of their piston and powerfiller pens, but its universal fitting means it will work for most makes of pen.

There is a rubber gasket around the mouth, in which you place the nib and part of the front section of the pen so it locks on the rubber flap. Invert the pen so the nib is bathed in ink. Then you plunge your piston and with the excess pressure produced by the piston the pen fills nicely. It is best to fill it only two-thirds to avoid leakage by pressure. If the reservoir is too full pressure rises so much you get leaks round the flap.

A useful and elegant accessory.

Visconti Van Gogh...

After the phasing out of the original Visconti Van Gogh, it was decided that the gap needed to be filled. Visconti was inspired by some of the great artists work and the multitude of colours, textures and styles that he used to create his masterpieces.

The entire range of Visconti Van Gogh is a hymn to colour, they worked very hard to find the right formulas to ensure that the images would be represented faithfully.

The paintings at are retold in the Visconti Van Gogh range are - Sunflowers, Starry Night, The Iris and his Self Portraits. Never before has a pen been designed getting inspiration from a specific canvas, a very difficult work considering the diversity of the objects and techniques that are used on each of the paintings.

Therefore, these images have become the pens with a painstaking, a meticulous choice of the formulas of colour, models and the chromatic yield.

The fountain pens, roller balls, ballpoint and pencils have become paintings of their own, Visconti have engraved them with the name of Van Gogh and they also come packed in a Gift Box with the faithfully reproduced canvas embellished upon it.

Visconti Say: "The extraordinary result has made us proud of having made such a tribute to the great artist and joins Visconti and Van Gogh among the Impressionists."

These are the designs you have to choose from:

The new Self Portrait



Arles


Sunflower
 
Starry Night

What you need to know...about Ink

Ink fuels your fountain pen. These days you can get a huge range of colours to reflect your personality, your mood or to indicate your purpose. I usually carry two or three pens, each loaded with a different colour. If I'm scribbling down notes or ideas, I'll often use them to indicate different threads or trains of thought. Useful and fun!

One blanket warning: Don't use Indian Ink or calligraphy ink in a fountain pen. They are full of stuff that is definitely not made for fountain pens.

There are two basic types of fountain pen ink: pigment based and dye based.

The dye based inks, which are dissolved in water, are very unlikely to harm your fountain pens. There was a time when some inks contained powerful solvents which would attack rubber - not good when sacs and rubber seals were the norm. However, you may find that some inks may suit you and your pens better than others. They have different flow and drying characteristics, some of which may work better than others for you. Also, some will be higher maintenance than others - meaning that you may need to clean out your pen more often and carefully to maintain performance.

Pigment inks are different, as they work by holding particles of the colouring material in suspension, and it is the deposit of these on the paper that leaves a mark. They have a greater tendency to clog (some more than others) but, if you are willing to clean your pen out regularly, you'll have no problems and may be rewarded by some spectacularly pleasing looking writing. Again, a matter of maintenance

It is, of course, important not to leave your pen filled and unused for long periods: over time the ink is likely to dry out, resulting in the need for a good clean out. Similarly, bottled ink may, over time, lose water by evaporation. The counsel of caution is to throw it away, but its acceptable to top it up with a drop of water to restore dilution.

Take a look at some brands of Fountain Pen Ink here...

The Lamy 2000 gets a shiny new coat

Now, we all know that the Lamy 2000 is one of the most popular pens around, it is so revered that it is on permanent display at the Museum of Modern Art and has won countless design awards, not bad eh?

But did you know in it's most recent branch off from the original design, its had a bit of an upgrade?

Unfortunately we are yet to see this in the flesh, but orders can now be placed for these, with expected delivery at the end of the September.

From what we've heard however, the response has been positive. Being brushed steel the pen and grip section easy to hold and write with, which you may not expect from a metal pen. 

The clip is coated in shiny platinum, with is a good looking contrast and is a nice interlude from the brushed steel body. 

The rest of the pen is pretty much the same as the normal Lamy 2000, it still has the spring clip, piston-fill mechanism and the 14k gold nib coated in platinum. 

You can take a closer look at it here, we'll check back in with a proper review as soon as we get our hands on one! 

Top 5 Lamy Pens

Now, as one of the most prolific pen manufacturers in the world it is difficult to narrow down their entire range to a mere 5 writing instruments that are the most note-worthy, but I'll give it a go.

2000 Stainless Steel- Lovers of Lamy have been waiting for this pen for months, and it's almost here, unless you're in the US then you could potentially already have it you lucky devils. Based obviously on the original 2000 Design, but with a few upgrades - re-engineered in a sleek, matte slainless steel. It is piston filled and as such can only be used with an ink bottle and not with ink cartridges.



 
Safari- Another of the thoroughbred old-school Lamys, instantly recognisable and in a bright range of colours is there a better pen that displays both excellence and value? Constructed from a sturdy ABS plastic and with a flexible clip of shiny chrome, it will certainly last you for the duration.




Joy- We have spoken about this recently when discussing italic nibs, but it's most definitely worth another mention. Easily one of the most reliable and durable calligraphy pens on the market. With the ability to give any hand-writing a look of elegance and technique, it's a perfect companion for any aspiring stylograph.





Dialog 3- If it's possible to have an alternative to the exquisite looking Lamy 2000, then this is it. Palladium finish and an outstandingly sleek design makes the Dialog 3 one of the best looking pens in the Lamy range. Well worth a look at!




Vista- As we've mentioned in the demonstrator post recently, everyone loves to be able to see what's going on inside their pen and for the price the Vista is in a class of its own.




Take a look at the entire range of Lamy Pens here...

The oldies...

Some of the oldest around...

Pelikan                          1832

Pelikan is a German, yet Swiss-incorporated manufacturer of fountain pens and other writing, office and art equipment, credited with the invention of the differential-piston filling method. Their "true" history began with the model "100" and the modified 100N (both fountain pens), which sparked the genesis of the company's distinctive styling.


A T Cross                      1846

For more than 166 years, Cross has re-invented writing instruments, combining design ingenuity with jewelry-quality craftsmanship. We were America's first manufacturer of quality writing instruments, and that means that we've been making pens people use, depend on and enjoy for a long time. 



Diamine inks                  1864

Ink Manufacturer's since 1864 Diamine Inks relocated to this purpose built 'state of the art' factory in Liverpool in 1925, where they successfully carried on using the traditional methods and formulas for ink production. Over the years the company was taken over many times and relocated yet again, but throughout the DIAMINE TRADE MARK and production methods survived symbolising the finest quality in Fountain Pen Inks, Calligraphy Ink, Drawing Ink and Writing Inks. 

Waterman                     1884

The initial years of Waterman's involvement in pen manufacturing are unclear. The earliest records of reservoir pens date back to the tenth century, with the oldest surviving examples dating back to the 18th. Waterman's improvements on basic pen design and aggressive marketing played a vital role in making the fountain pen a mass-market object.

The key novelty feature of Waterman's first fountain pens was the feed, for which his first pen-related patent was granted in 1884. From the beginning, competition in the fountain pen industry was fierce, both in the marketplace and the courtroom. Despite later company literature that depicts Lewis E. Waterman as a golden-hearted innocent, all evidence indicates that he was a tough, savvy, and innovative businessman.

Parker                           1888

George Safford Parker, the founder, had previously been a sales agent for the John Holland Gold Pen Company. He received his first fountain pen related patent in 1889. In 1894 Parker received a patent on his "Lucky Curve" feed, which was claimed to draw excess ink back into the pen body when the pen was not in use. The Lucky Curve feed was used in various forms until 1928.

Sheaffer                         1908

The year: 1912. The place: Fort Madison, Iowa. Walter A. Sheaffer takes his grand idea of a pen-filling apparatus that utilizes a lever system and, with his life savings, founds the W.A. Sheaffer company.

Pilot/Namiki                  1918

The first PILOT pen was launched in Japan in 1918. At this time, the country was opening up to Western influence and was importing European techniques. Trade agreements and contracts were being concluded and the Japanese, whose writing was not very adapted to the demands of commercial trade, quickly had to simplify the lines of their ideograms. Many pen factories were set up in the Land of the Rising Sun at this time.

Lamy                            1952

In the evolution of Lamy from a small Heidelberg writing implement factory to the market leader and brand manufacturer of international significance, the birth of the Lamy design brand in 1966 was without doubt the most important milestone.  

10 things you need to know about...Fountain Pens

10 Things you need to know...

1. Use your fountain pen as often as possible - it will love it.
2. Don’t drop your fountain pen on the floor – it will land nib-first!
3. If your fountain pen doesn’t write properly – give it some TLC, flush it through with water and soak the nib over-night.
4. A ‘good nib’ is a subjective judgement – it doesn’t matter what it’s made of.
5. Cheap fountain pens can be scratchy – will put first-time users off fountain pens for life.
6. Pens should be tried before buying – each pen/nib combination is different and needs to be experienced before committing.
7. The paper you write on will have a significant effect on the writing performance.
8. Don’t over-tighten the screw cap to your pen – the cap will split!
9. Universal ink cartridges aren’t necessarily universal and may leak try; different ones if you must use them.
10. Try different ink and refill colours – writing can be fun!

Thoughts from a pen novice...

Until very recently I knew pretty much squat about pens, of any sort, and certainly had no idea of the scale of which people enthuse about the next hotly anticipated 'release'. For some its very much like what it was like when you actually had to go to a record shop in order to get the latest offering from your favourite band.

In my short time in this relatively unknown world has definitely been an eye-opener, I really had know idea people had the inclination to spend thousands of pounds on a writing instrument. Like many, I covet the stolen pen from the bank extensively, well, until it explodes in my pocket creating turning coins, train tickets or anything else it finds into one of the blue man group…

We are of course, I suppose really talking about fountain pens, rather than 'pens' in general. 

I must be honest, I'm a fairly lethargic individual when it comes to most things, and I wouldn't say I've exactly been bitten by the pen bug, well - not yet anyway. I have however I think learnt to appreciate the stylographic corner of the world, so perhaps one day I'll move up a level from that.

Slowly though I am finding that I look at a certain pen and think, hmm wouldn't mind using that day to day. The worry that I'd lose it or sit on it, is always a high possibility. I think that the last time I actually used a fountain pen was in primary school, no idea what it was, I do also have some kind of Parker fountain pen at home, only used it a couple of times - perhaps I should crack it out and carry it around. Not sure it could cope with the inside of my pockets however, they're like an particularly unorganised filing cabinet, in which only one person knows it exact contents and where to find it…

But then I think, even if I did carry a pen around with me, would it get used much, I pretty sure I've gone through large periods of time over the last few years, not writing down anything using a pen for weeks or months at a time, I only wrote something down again just to make sure I hadn't forgotten how to do it. 

What pens have I looked at and thought this I hear you ask?

I must admit the Pilot Capless has caught my eye, until recently I had no idea you could even do that with a fountain pen, and it must be said that they look pretty darn cool.

So I ask of you, can anyone convince me of my pen wavering ways? 

I can see clearly now...

Everyone loves a demonstrator, because you can see inside the guts of your pen and whats going on.

Lamy Vista - Based on the Lamy Safari for a very good price - for £15.50 you get a pen where you can see virtually everything you want to. Ofcourse, it has the legendary Lamy writing quality, but a distinctive and very nice pen.

 


Sailor do a couple of demonstrators, the Professional Gear Slim with Rodium appointments and the 1911 Small. The advantage with these two is that they have a gold nib, and these will cost your around £120. Very nice pens, and obviously have the amazing Sailor nib quality that we have come to expect.



Recently Pelikan have brought out a much less expensive demonstrator than their last effort, the M200. The stark contrast of the perfectly transparent casing and the deep black workings of this pen are amazing to look at. Probably one of the most exciting things about this pen however is that the thread of the piston has also been made colourless so that you can see it in its full working order.

The selection of Omas

Giving you a run down of what you can expect from the Italian Omas range of pens.

Omas Pens are one of the great names in Italian pen manufacture. Since 1926 they have made luxurious pens with true Italian flair and style in Bologna, home of two other marques of individuality, style and performance - Ducati and Maserati.

The company was founded by Armando Simoni, he was very much influenced by Greek design, which you can still see in the modern pen designs that produce today. Another source of inspiration, that was obviously very big when the company was first created was the Art Deco movement, as you can see from the Omas Logo - at that also still reflects greatly in the whole design ethos of Omas.



At the moment Omas have three main ranges of pens, most of them they offer a full range of writing system Fountain Pen, Rollerball, Ballpoint and Pencil.

Before we go into more details about the pens, just have to bring this fact to your attention. One of the things that Omas pride themselves on is that they finish their own nibs, the engraving on the nibs are done in the Omas factory. They make their own feeders, and then craft the ebonite into the wonderful shapes we're going to have a look at.

Arte Italiana Range - The OMAS Arte Italiana Collectino is a modern tribute to the original twelve-faceted model design by OMAS Pens founder Armando Simoni in 1930 and mirrors a twelve-sided Doric column thus providing a precise grip which greatly enhances the pleasure of writing.

OMAS have brought together the perfect combination of tradition and innovation, The Arte Italiana Collection is available in a variety of different sizes, including The Paragon and Milord, and in various materials, for instance cotton resin, celluloid, titanium and gold.


360 Range- A very radical and contemporary design compared to the rest of the Omas pens. It's fairly unique in that it is a three sided pen, which you may assume would be pretty uncomfortable in the hand, but as soon as anyone holds one this assumption is cast aside. As with all of Omas the finish is absolutely beautiful - the Greek theme in is included here with a small motif around the cap band.

Designed with the aim of creating a Collection in tune with ergonomic principles, the  Omas 360 softens its lines on the grip, passing from a triangular to a circular section, so as to favour the manageability whilst writing. It is available in two different sizes, and in various materials, for instance cotton resin, titanium and clip with diamonds.

The third main range is the Bologna - The OMAS Bologna (a nod to the city where OMAS Pens began) series was designed to celebrate OMAS's 80th Birthday, it introduces a new extremely balanced shape that is exceptionally pleasing to the touch. Featuring a smooth style with an elegant cylindrical body design - compared to the faceted Milord and Paragon pens in the Arte Italiana series.

Manufactured in both resin and celluloid, the Bologna trademark porticos are engraved on the fountain pen nibs and on the ballpoint and rollerball tips. The resin pens feature a dependable cartridge-converter system, while the celluloid Bolognas are piston-fillers with an impressive 2.9 ml ink capacity.

Taking a look at the Pilot Prera

Looking today at the Pilot Prera, are they value for money? and how well do they write?

They retail at around £49, which comparatively is possibly quite a lot for a steel nib fountain pen.

Packaging wise, it's pretty cool, coming wrapped in a foam case corresponding nicely to the actual colour of the pen. Inside besides the pen, you get a pilot ink cartridge meaning that your new pen will be ready to go straight away, and they also bless you with a convertor if you are feeling a little more adventurous and want to try out some bottled inks.

In size the Pilot Prera may be small and quite light, but there is still a sense of high build quality and durability about it.

When writing, for a medium nib, it is on the fine side, which you would expect with this being a Japanese pen. The steel nib is quite smooth and lays down a crisp line. The flow even when just dipped is not too dry to skip or be scratchy but not too we.


 
It comes in the following colours - Yellow, White, Pink, Lime Green, Light Blue, Ivory, Grey, Brown & Dark Blue.


Overall this is an extremely well put together pen, for the price tag which it turns out is entirely justified, £49 for a metal pen that comes with a convertor? Can't say fairer than that.

Should I Use an Italic Nib?

There are many people out there in the pen world that like to use an italic nib, however as you may know, sometimes they are not widely available on the pen you may want. Especially if you are looking to get one on lower price range pens, you can get one on a Conway Stewart - a choice of Fine, Medium or Broad italics, with other pens you can get them, but more often than not you have to send them away to get an italic fixed. Alternatively you have to send it off to a nib-meister who will work their magic and grind one to your desired specifications.

However, Lamy do an inexpensive and fairly amiable series of pens called the 'Joy', available in 1.1, 1.5 and 1.9mm stub nibs.

So what sort of results can you get with an italic nib? and what is an italic nib?

Essentially the idea of an italic nib is to give you variation in line width depending which way you use it. So as you can see below, if you hold the pen at around 45 degrees to the page and write from left to right it will give you a thin line, and right to left gives you a broader line. Using the pen square on to the page will give you a broader line still.



Italic nibs achieve this diversity by being cut slightly differently from ordinary round nibs. 





In cross section this is how an italic nib looks, the top example being a cursive italic due to its rounded corners, which is perfect for ordinary writing.

The second example is a formal italic which is cut pretty much absolutely square - and has to be held at absolutely the right angle to the page otherwise you will cut the paper, but gives a very clear definition between different strokes thickness.


With practice, using an italic nib can become like second nature, adding both interest and some style to your writing.  We'd recommend that for everyday writing a 1.1 or 1.5 will be more than sufficient, as it means that you can write at a normal size whilst still achieving a good diversity of line thickness.

Take a look at the Lamy Joy here....