Glass Pens

I have a set of glass pens which I am trying to learn how to use.

As I look at the pens for sale, I notice that they seem to have grooves
in spiral pattern.

Mine are straight grooves for the ink.

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first, and I don't know
how long such a pen is meant to write.

Is there a trick to using these pens as opposed to the ones with the
spiral groove?

Thanks.

Jeff Miars writes:

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first, and I don't
know how long such a pen is meant to write.
Is there a trick to using these pens as opposed to the ones with the
spiral groove?

Dip the pen into the ink.

Then touch the tip to the inside of the edge of the inkwell, so that
the excess ink drains out and back down into the main pool.

Now write until the pen starts to skip. (If it's a good one, that
will be at least a couple of lines).

--
Mark Atwood | When you do things right,
| people won't be sure you've done anything at all.
http://www.pobox.com/~mra

Jeff Miars writes:

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first, and I don't
know how long such a pen is meant to write.
Is there a trick to using these pens as opposed to the ones with the
spiral groove?

Dip the pen into the ink.

Then touch the tip to the inside of the edge of the inkwell, so that
the excess ink drains out and back down into the main pool.

Now write until the pen starts to skip. (If it's a good one, that
will be at least a couple of lines).

--


Note these can also be made to work in fountain pens (though you must make a
tighter set of lines with even deeper grooves - Chicago Conklin, Spors,
Hartline, Kerr, and many Japanese manufacturers used glass nibs in fountain
pens).

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 03:27:51 GMT, Jeff Miars
wrote:

I have a set of glass pens which I am trying to learn how to use.

As I look at the pens for sale, I notice that they seem to have grooves
in spiral pattern.

Mine are straight grooves for the ink.

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first, and I don't know
how long such a pen is meant to write.

Is there a trick to using these pens as opposed to the ones with the
spiral groove?

Thanks.

what ink are you using? the other advice given is probably the best
advice but I have found that some inks flow beautifully from glass
nibs while others don't. I was surprised to discover that among the
best (in my collection) is Waterman ink.

Jeff Miars wrote:
I have a set of glass pens which I am trying to learn how to use.

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first

Some glass pens were created meticulously to write with. Other glass
pens are made as home decor to sit pretty on a desk.

The kind of cheap ones (about $12) with the really thick, fat ink
channels don't write very well.
The French and Italian ones (run about $25 up to $99) with the very
fine, thin ink channels can often write over a half-page on a dip. They
are a joy to write with.

I find it works best to buy a glass pen in person, dip it in ink and
test drive it. Each is a little different because they are hand blown
glass. You'll know from the first dip if it is one you want to bring
home.

So, Jeff, it might not be you. It might not be your ink.
It could be the pen.

Nancy

So far, I have tried Quink, Skrip, 4001, Winsor & Newton, and P.R., with
about the same results each time.

kcat wrote:

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 03:27:51 GMT, Jeff Miars
wrote:


I have a set of glass pens which I am trying to learn how to use.

As I look at the pens for sale, I notice that they seem to have grooves
in spiral pattern.

Mine are straight grooves for the ink.

I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first, and I don't know
how long such a pen is meant to write.

Is there a trick to using these pens as opposed to the ones with the
spiral groove?

Thanks.


what ink are you using? the other advice given is probably the best
advice but I have found that some inks flow beautifully from glass
nibs while others don't. I was surprised to discover that among the
best (in my collection) is Waterman ink.

Thanks. I was hoping...

Nancy Handy wrote:

Jeff Miars wrote:

I have a set of glass pens which I am trying to learn how to use.


I have a problem with ink flowing too quickly at first


Some glass pens were created meticulously to write with. Other glass
pens are made as home decor to sit pretty on a desk.

The kind of cheap ones (about $12) with the really thick, fat ink
channels don't write very well.
The French and Italian ones (run about $25 up to $99) with the very
fine, thin ink channels can often write over a half-page on a dip. They
are a joy to write with.

I find it works best to buy a glass pen in person, dip it in ink and
test drive it. Each is a little different because they are hand blown
glass. You'll know from the first dip if it is one you want to bring
home.

So, Jeff, it might not be you. It might not be your ink.
It could be the pen.

Nancy