The ART of Writing


I got a new fountain pen this week.
it's a Lamy Safari and I don't think I'll lose it in the depths of my bag anytime soon.

It is described by some as . . .
Safaris are pretty much indestructible.
The barrel and cap is made of ABS Plastic. There's a strategically placed hole in the barrel through which one can see the ink cartridge (or convertor) and check the ink level. The barrel is not round but flattened on both sides.
The clip is a sturdy brass wire bent into a U-shape.

There's a rumour that someone once ran over one with a car, but I'm not going to attempt that test. The thing about fountain pens is that writing with them brings something special to the table.

With a fountain pen, you exert much less pressure than with a ballpoint, so it is less tiring.
A fountain pen is not something you want to loan out, as the nib begins to suit you and your way of writing. Loaning it to someone else interrupts that relationship. The attached photo is not of my bright yellow Lamy, but it shows the delicacy of the nib and why you'd not want to push too hard.

I've had disposable ones before, and you might wanna start that way. I think mine exploded on a plane or something, so do be careful what you fly with. The explosion, by the way, did not make any headlines, just a mess.

Anyway, I'm doing quite a lot of writing this weekend at a retreat, so let's hope my relationship with my new pen settles down quickly and we learn to work together to create beauty on the page.

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