Mailbox

My email inbox gets a plethora of interesting pen related questions, and I spend a good deal of time crafting thoughtful responses to each person who writes to me. A lot of times, the questions I get are good ones that I feel are worth sharing with you! I'll be posting highlights of some of my more interesting email questions every week in what I call Mailbox Monday. Here is a listing of all of the previous ones I've done.

Mailbox Monday #1, 12/6/11
Mailbox Monday #2, 12/16/11
Mailbox Monday #3, 1/20/12
Mailbox Monday #4, 1/31/12
Mailbox Monday #5, 2/17/12
Mailbox Monday #6, 2/27/12
Mailbox Monday #7, 3/11/12
Mailbox Monday #8, 4/23/12
Mailbox Monday #9, 4/30/12
Mailbox Monday #10, 5/7/12
Mailbox Monday #11, 5/14/12
Mailbox Monday #12, 5/21/12
Mailbox Monday #13, 5/28/12
Mailbox Monday #14, 6/11/12
Mailbox Monday #15, 6/18/12
Mailbox Monday #16, 6/25/12
Mailbox Monday #17, 7/2/12
Mailbox Monday #18, 7/9/12
Mailbox Monday #19, 7/16/12
Mailbox Monday #20, 7/23/12
Mailbox Monday #21, 7/30/12
Mailbox Monday #22, 8/13/12
Mailbox Monday #23, 8/20/12
Mailbox Monday #24, 8/27/12
Mailbox Monday #25, 9/10/12
Mailbox Monday #26, 9/17/12
Mailbox Monday #27, 9/24/12
Mailbox Monday #28, 10/8/12
Mailbox Monday #29, 10/15/12
Mailbox Monday #30, 11/5/12
Mailbox Monday #31, 11/12/12
Mailbox Monday #32, 11/19/12
Mailbox Monday #33, 12/3/12
Mailbox Monday #34, 12/10/12
Mailbox Monday #35, 12/17/12
Mailbox Monday #36, 1/7/13
Mailbox Monday #37, 1/14/13
Mailbox Monday #38, 1/28/13
Mailbox Monday #39, 2/4/13
Mailbox Monday #40, 2/11/13
Mailbox Monday #41, 2/18/13
Mailbox Monday #42, 2/25/13
Mailbox Monday #43, 3/4/13
Mailbox Monday #44, 3/11/13
Mailbox Monday #45, 3/18/13
Mailbox Monday #46, 5/6/13

20 comments:

  1. Brian I'm newer fountain pens that work without cartridges (I have at least 20 older Shafer pens).
    My question is I recently purchased my 1st EF Lamy Safari (LOVE IT!!) and do a fair amount of sketches ,but I then watercolor them.
    Could you recommend a waterproof, featherproof Black ink that would work well with the Safari converter? and not smear with watercolors...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Hands down, the #1 black in recommended to me by artists doing watercolor/ink washing is Platinum Carbon Black: http://www.gouletpens.com/Platinum_Carbon_Black_Ink_p/plat-inkc-1500-1.htm

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  2. How do you get the final drops of ink out of a bottle?

    Bill from Cincinnati

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I have a video that shows a lot of different techniques here: http://www.inknouveau.com/2012/08/fp101-sampling-ink-part-2.html

      I'm mainly addressing small ink samples and not full bottles, but the techniques can be the same. I find and ink syringe works best.

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  3. Greeting from Frigid Buffalo, NY !

    First, thank you for all that you do for the hobby.

    Secondly, What kind of paper do use for the Ink Swab's ? I want to do the same for my expanding ink bottle and sample collection.

    Thank you,

    Ricardo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. You're very welcome! For my swabs, I use 210g Clairefontaine Pollen cardstock. It's smooth, thick, consistent, and bright white so it shows a true color sample.

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  4. I have a Stipula Vedo pen that is gorgeous to look at, but very reluctant to write. Is it possible to adjust the nib and feed a little so it's not quite so dry?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I'm sorry to hear that. I wouldn't really recommend messing with it too much unless you're really experienced with nib work. I would contact the place you bought it or reach out to a professional nibmeister to get them to help you. It's just too easy to do a lot of damage if you don't know what you're doing.

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  5. Kia ora from New Zealand Brian. Was wondering what was the actual email address we should be sending to for Mailbox Monday? Couldn't find it anywhere on your site :(

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  6. Yeah, sorry, I don't post it everywhere because I get spammed like you wouldn't believe. My address is brian (at) gouletpens (dot) com ;)

    ReplyDelete

  7. Hello Brian, I inherited 2 Pilot Custom 74 from my father last year. He passed away without using one of the pens. However, both of them have Music nibs, mainly because he was a musician and he did write a lot of music during his lifetime. This Pilot Custom 74 was a gift of his friend who was in Japan at that time. They were communicating a lot.
    Like what I said, last year my father passed away and my mother started digging up some items. I requested that she gives me the fountain pens of my father.
    I was wondering how I could replace the nib to a broad or does Pilot have an oblique type of nib?
    Thanks Brian for the help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. I'm very sorry to hear of the passing of your father. I actually wasn't even aware they did a music nib! They're not available here in the US, even to a retailer like me. I can order a Custom 74 nib unit, it actually includes the nib, feed, and whole front grip section. It's $108, not cheap, but less than a whole pen. Or, if you know you definitely don't want both music nibs and you'd be interested in a trade, I would love to talk to you about that, as I'm a big fan of italic/music nibs myself. Of course, I fully recognize that it's sentimental to you and I wouldn't want to disrespect you. In any case, shoot me an email me at brian (at) gouletpens (dot) com and we can chat more (I have to write my email like that to avoid getting spammed to death!).

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    2. I have any number of Ahab & Safari pens as well as several bottles of Noodlers ink. My question is do you or can you sell the unique labels with out the bottles. No I'm not going into the ink business. Tks. Rog

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    3. No, I don't have any labels apart from any bottles, I'm sorry.

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  8. Brian,
    I've searched all over and cannot find where to buy an EF nib for the Lamy 2000. Can you help?
    Thanks,
    David

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Lamy doesn't sell spare Lamy 2000 nibs, that's why you can't find it anywhere. Perhaps you could find a used one on ebay or something, but you won't find one new.

      Delete

  9. Brian,
    Firstly, thanks for all you do here. Great work! On the Caran d'ache ink front - I just bought 3 bottles of old square Amazon - love it and am stocking up on your advice.
    On the Noodlers Army green front, the very original used to change colours from an olive when you write, to a light green when it dried. I loved this! Does the one you have in stock to this?

    ReplyDelete

  10. Caran d'Ache Amazon was a great color, one worthy of stocking up :) That was actually a color we used in the very first Ink Drop we ever did! Army Green is changed back to what it originally was, so it should do all the same neat stuff you liked before :)

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  11. what camera do you use for your videos?

    ReplyDelete

  12. I use a Canon Vixia, been happy with it for over 3 years now.

    ReplyDelete

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