# Fountain Pen Advice



## Johnturner (May 7, 2014)

I would like to turn a fountain pen for myself - What would the WB members recommend. I have some experience with regular pens - am looking for a relatively easy one and something that won't break the bank (especially considering it may end up as a design opportunity.)
John


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## manbuckwal (May 7, 2014)

I like the Majestic Jr's ( the starter kit is on sale at PSI that comes with the bushings, bits and trimming sleeves for 27.95) It's the only one I have experience with. @Bean_counter or @Schroedc and others have more experience .


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (May 7, 2014)

Johnturner said:


> I would like to turn a fountain pen for myself - What would the WB members recommend. I have some experience with regular pens - am looking for a relatively easy one and something that won't break the bank (especially considering it may end up as a design opportunity.)
> John


I have done the cigar fountain pens and they use the same bushings as the ball point cigar pens. They were my first ones and I was able to handle them with no problems.


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## PhoenixWoodDesigns (May 7, 2014)

If you want something cheap(er) to start with, you could use a Navigator / Baron fountain pen. It's a medium sized pen, and uses a #5 nib. Magnetic Graduate fountain pens from exoticblanks.com are also nice. They are long, have a magnetic cap and post, and also use a #5 nib (and are cheap!)

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (May 7, 2014)

I've made and like Tycoon, Jr Gent and Apollo Infinity (all PennState kits); the Pristina (from ClassicNib) is my current kit favorite.

I made but decided I don't really like the Olympian Elite II (also PennState).


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## manbuckwal (May 7, 2014)

duncsuss said:


> I've made and like Tycoon, Jr Gent and Apollo Infinity (all PennState kits); the Pristina (from ClassicNib) is my current kit favorite.
> 
> I made but decided I don't really like the Olympian Elite II (also PennState).



I just ordered the Tycoon . Glad to hear u like em . Any issues to be aware of putting em together ?


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## duncsuss (May 7, 2014)

manbuckwal said:


> I just ordered the Tycoon . Glad to hear u like em . Any issues to be aware of putting em together ?


None that I remember, so they couldn't have been too painful 

It took me a while to figure out how to align the wood grain across the cap/barrel divide (so it looks really elegant when the cap is on) -- eventually did it by screwing together the cap and barrel hardware then scratching a witness mark on the surface that was about to be pressed deep inside the brass tube (lining it up with an obvious feature in the grain of the barrel).

Reactions: Like 1 | Useful 1


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## Tclem (May 7, 2014)

Tycoon is a good one of course I do mostly majestic jrs but the vertex and vertex supreme are cheaper sets that are simple to start out with


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## bjbear76 (May 7, 2014)

I would agree that something like the baron is a good starter. It's fairly straight forward turning and assembly.


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## Bean_counter (May 7, 2014)

I dont make a lot of the PSI kits so I cant comment there. One of my favorites to make is the Junior Gent 1 or 2. The gent 1 is basically the same as a navigator/baron. Baron has a modest amount of differences in it. Being new dont worry about getting a "high class" nib. I am a huge fan of bock nibs but a standard iridium nib will work and tune nicely. Before you have it inked, take an old brown paper bag and draw figure 8's for 10 minutes straight while mixing in some zig zags here and there. This will file down the nib end and it wont be a scratchy writer and the ink will flow well. If you get stuck after that PM me and I will tell you some other ways to tune it without using a jewelers loop.

I had @Sprung tune his this way and I think it write really nicely for him

Reactions: Informative 1 | Useful 1


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## Schroedc (May 7, 2014)

The Presimo or Vertex from PSI have been popular and I have yet to have a comeback on either of those, reasonably priced kit, and the single tube make it easy with shorter pieces of material.


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## David Seaba (May 7, 2014)

@Johnturner 
I have a jr gent I fountain pen kit in chrome and a set of turn between center bushings I could mail to you. Probably have to add some shipping pen blanks to help make the package balanced. If you send me your address in a pm I will fix you up. Free is the price I'm asking.
David

Reactions: Like 2 | +Karma 4


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## Terry Summerville (May 7, 2014)

@David Seaba .....I've been thinking I'd like to try spending a million dollars! Got that laying around anywhere? Lmao

It's members like you that make WB a great place!!

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Johnturner (May 7, 2014)

David Seaba said:


> @Johnturner
> I have a jr gent I fountain pen kit in chrome and a set of turn between center bushings I could mail to you. Probably have to add some shipping pen blanks to help make the package balanced. If you send me your address in a pm I will fix you up. Free is the price I'm asking.
> David



David that is very kind of you - PM on the way.


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## David Seaba (May 8, 2014)

@Terry Summerville 
I will put You on my list if I every win the lottery. 
David

Reactions: Like 1


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## BassBlaster (May 8, 2014)

I love the Jr Gent II and the Jr Statesmen pens. The just look very high end but they don't have any over the top features that make them look tacky. I really like that the threaded plastic piece is inside the cap where it isn't seen. Most other pens put the plastic piece on the stem of the pen and it really cheapens the look IMO. I also like that you can knock out the finial in the cap and turn one out of your little off cut so that it matches the rest of the pen.


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## Johnturner (May 8, 2014)

WB truly is a great place made better by its great members.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Johnturner (May 12, 2014)

I received David's incredible package today.
It will surly keep me busy for a while. Pix to come.
I hope someday I can Pay Forward David's generosity.

Reactions: Like 1


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