Lamy Vista eyedropper

most fountain pen aficionados would know what would motivate a pen freak lover to experiment with something not natural to a pen engineered with a modern filling system and convert it to a primitive eyedropper-style pen. but for those wondering why, it is usually because of 3 simple reasons:

1. ink capacity - converters are smaller than the barrel itself for ink. therefore, one needs to refill more often with a converter, especially with broader nibs. this eyedropper conversion makes the Vista carry 3ml of ink instead of just half a milliliter or so.
2. it's prettier - i like seeing all that beautiful colored ink moving around in a demonstrator (clear) pen barrel. 
3. just for the fun of it - what else are you going to do with a pen except write? converting makes you do something else with it. it's playtime.

i first heard about converting the Lamy Vista demonstrator from my "suki" salesperson Rose at the National Bookstore closest to my place. she said all i needed was the Vista Rollerball barrel. for Php 475.00 (which is about US$11.00), i ordered one last December as a spare part. it arrived just last weekend.

since i am all in an excited bunch awaiting the arrival of the latest Lamy Safari limited edition 2012, it was welcome news to know that i can now stave off my longing for it by picking up my RB barrel and of course, a Lamy Vista and taking it to town. i also really, really wanted to use my Iroshizuku Chiku-rin alreadt. i was actually looking forward to the apple green 2012 Safari because it's a great match for it. but since, its not yet available in the Philippines, i might as well ink up the Vista with it. yey!

so i excitedly dropped by National last Saturday to pick up the barrel and the Vista that suki texted in. i even threw in a 1.1 italic nib knowing the Chiku-rin is on the light side of inks and looks best with a bigger nib. i actually tried it first on my apple green Prera with fine nib. it didn't work well because it was too light. as a nice surprise, suki Rose also gave me a Lamy notebook as a free item for my purchase. gotta love Rose! the notebook is a winner.

it's a small but handsomely presented notebook. not sure if it's real leather or faux, either way it looks good to me.

the Analog Dog couldn't resist "marking"it.

my favorite on a notebook are graph lines so this is such a winner for me.

here's a video of how i did the simple conversion. i also had some fun trying out a stop-motion style video blog. so for that also, the Vista is well worth the price for the fun i had with it. and that is not to mention what a great, functional, workhorse of a pen the Lamy Vista is. most everybody probably know that, considering the long reputation Lamy Safaris (the Vista is a clear body variant of the Safari) have for many years already. 

as for the Selley's Epoxy Fix, i think only time will be the best judge if this is a good adhesive to use for this purpose. initially though, it looks like a good match. i actually first thought i'd just use the regular silicone sealant. i went to Ace Hardware to get one but sitting right beside the sealants were the epoxies. i didn't know there was a clear epoxy so when i saw it -- and it was cheaper too being in a smaller tube, this one costs Php 89.75 -- i went ahead and inspected it. i almost didn't take it after reading that it was not recommended for polyethylene and polypropylene plastics but it was recommended for "many rigid plastics, glass, metal, ceramics and wood". the Lamy clear plastic barrel is what material???... i remember the colored Safaris are made of ABS plastic but i'm not sure about the clear Vista. Considering i would be possibly be ruining a P475.00 barrel that took 5 months to arrive, i hesitated a bit. the silicone sealant is a safer bet, i knew i stand a better chance of safely removing that adhesive without marring the clear finish if i make a mistake because silicone sealants are soft and flexible. however, i also don't like that it is flexible for this pen either. i'll probably play with it and eventually pull it off.  i also think there's a higher chance it will eventually stain from the ink.

so left with not much choice, i took home the Epoxy Fix. i love that it dries clear and rigid. it looks like it belongs with the pen and does not stand out. probably the only giveaway that it was put there is that on closer inspection, you will see tiny bubbles that hardened inside. but on the surface, it is clear and smooth.

another thing i'm enjoying on this pen is the 1.1 italic nib. it's my first italic nib, with a Lamy at least. my other nib(s) that is italic is on a Rotring Artpen Calligraphy set, which has a 1.1, a 1.5 and a 1.9mm. however, i don't really use it for everyday writing since the pen is long-ish, being calligraphy style. i'm not really a fan of broad nibs for everyday writing, my handwriting looks terrible with it because i write fairly small. but, this 1.1 italic is perfect for me, even as a regular writer. i can write fast with it and my handwriting looks decent enough. when my green 2012 Safari arrives, i will probably switch the nibs and the ink to match that pen and refill this Vista with another color. 

side by side with Rotring Artpens.

but definitely, i shall be getting another 1.1 italic/stub one of these days. maybe i'll try a TWSBI 1.1 next. it should be on my (future) Vac700 or Mini. so, here's to looking forward!  

here are a more shots beside a TWSBI 540 for comparison:

Writing samples:

feeble attempt at italic writing. needs a LOT more practice.

my regular writing works better with this 1.1 nib than a broad.

the impressive TWSBI Diamond 540

sometime in December of last year 2011, i found out a good friend was coming home from the US. so, as usual, i had to ask if he can do me a favor and bring home a small item for me. when it comes to pens, it is usually a simple and inexpensive matter to have it shipped directly to me but i could not order this pen myself since the Ebay site of TWSBI won't ship to the Philippines. i usually do not even order from sites like this (i can't help but feel a bit slighted) because i do not think it is particularly problematic to ship to here. i have done it many times with no issues thus far. however, i had to make an exception with this pen. judging from all the reviews and from an earlier version, the TWSBI 530, which i have seen from one of the penmeets here, i KNEW just *had* to have one.

even the packaging was impressive.

it looked expensive and well-made. (but it costs just US$50.00 before shipping). i also find those 2 clear, plastic "anchors" that latches the pen very securely in its box pretty cool. there was even a wrench and a small bottle of silicone grease underneath that white hood. impressive, eh? and that is because this pen can be completely disassembled for cleaning (and i suppose, for parts replacement if needed) see it on my unboxing video down below or click the link to watch on youtube.





once you get it inked up, you fall even more in love with it because, being a demonstrator pen, it displays a lovely ink color very well. i loaded it up here with one of my most favorite, the Pilot Iroshizuku in Yamabudo color.

you can already probably guess by how gushy and enthusiastic i am about this pen that not only does it look good, it writes smoothly too. my nib here is an F and i am in love with it. i have a feeling it will stay for a long time in my daily pen arsenal.

*** my unboxing video ***

the incredible Bulk

uhhh, FILM, that is... 100-ft. bulk film roll.

i thought 135 film for analog cameras existed only in the usual 'cartridged' form. you know, the kind that are available these days as 36-shots-per-roll film encased in a hard shell. they also used to come in 24-shot and 12-shot rolls but i hardly find them in this form anymore in these times when digital photography rules. film also used to exist in many sizes and shapes. there used to be 110, 120, 220 and Advantix. i think there may also be other forms i am not aware of. these days, only 135 and 120 are available and they are not exactly cheap.

if you are inclined to explore film photography, you might start feeling the expense and the lack of choices when it comes, at least, to the more popular 135 form. here is where acquiring film in bulk may come in handy.


i first heard about this from another film photography enthusiast friend, Miko, who happened to mention that he rolls his own film. that got me curious and googling and, long story short, i eventually found me a daylight film loader and some reloadable film cartridges on Ebay. the 100 ft bulk film rolls are not readily available in the Philippines either so i hitched an order with some online friends who "group buy-ed" from BH [thanks Francisco Bal!]. i thought i'd try the cheaper Ilford HP5+ while the others went for the Kodak TriX film. you can check out the vid below on how i first rolled my own. please pardon the fumbling.

sexy red Fed!

being as excited as i am now, i just had to blog about this the soonest. see, for quite some time now, i wanted to get me a rangefinder camera. i even went and joined an online forum called rangefinderfilipinas.com some years back to learn more about these cameras although i wasn't exactly an active member. (in most of the forums i am on, i am mostly a lurker anyway.) being the constantly distracted creature that i am, it's been years since then but i still haven't got around to getting one... till now.

it was several weeks ago when it just occurred to me to look in again on that sinful, tempting website called eBay, and i came upon this red Fed 2. the color caught my attention first. then, i looked closer and saw that the lens attached to it had a really cool-looking flanged focusing ring, and it wasn't black. (the lens is an Industar 26m.) i pooled some opinions from the RF group - who recently went on Facebook, hence was more accessible to me - and asked them what rangefinder was good for starters. a few guys recommended a Fed 2. perfect.

long story short, i hit the Buy It Now button and set down for the wait. the rangefinder was shipping from Ukraine which was closer to me than the US so i thought it might come in sooner, but it did not. but hey, it finally arrived yesterday! and goshdarnit!... it looked even better than the seller's photos! heck, it was love at first sight! isn't that camera just, oh so, vintage sexy? or is it just me?

a member from the RF forum, Martin, called that beautiful color oxblood red (which incidentally is a bakelite finish according to him). a girlfriend who also thinks it is lovely called color, wine... i thought it is an interesting example of how men and women...uhmm... grasp things :-)

please pardon the dust, but i got too excited.

i'm sorry but i think those knobs are just beyond cool... they're... well... hot!

it even comes with the leather case which was, well, a tad bit smelly, but i can live with it. just probably needs some airing. it's still a plus for me.

i've loaded it up with Neopan 400, a black and white film, just to test how everything works with the camera and that there are no problems with it. it also gives me good reason to try my hand again at developing film, something i have not had practice with since the photography classes i took a couple of years ago. hopefully i won't mess that up. will post on how that goes next.

here are some nice Fed 2 (and other Russian rangefinders) info links on the net:
Jay Javier's Fed and Zorki Survival Guide
Matt's Classic Cameras
Soviet and Russian Cameras
Fed 2 - The Fabulous 35mm Rangefinder Camera
Fed 2 - Penultimate Rangefinder

my one other analog passion...

... is scrapbooking! you know, the paper-photo-scissors-and-glue kind of crafting. these days, there is also digital scrapbooking but i usually sit all day in front of the computer being all digital at work, just like most everyone, and doing some personal designing with good old scissors and glue is just it for me. digital just doesn't turn me on the way traditional scrapbooking does when it comes to archiving my memories. perhaps this is because scrapbooking equates to playtime for me and digital would just feel too much like work. (that statement excludes social networking and blogging, of course :-))

crafting is something that i have always loved doing since my college days but scrapbooking is one of those things that have bitten me hard since around 2003. i have a separate blog for my scrapbooking thingamajigs, but i just thought i'd share these pages on this blog too. here's a couple of layouts about a two of my most intense analog obsessions: typewriters and vinyl records. these are 12" by 12" pages. i used the Olympia SG-1 to type the short journaling for these so they probably qualify as a typecast too :-)



they're supposed to be part of a series of 4, fountain pens and cameras are the other two, but i haven't gotten around to doing those yet.

so there... just thought you might like it. you can click on the photo to enlarge them for more detail. thanks for viewing!

spaced out... and out of space.

i miss blogging! things just keep happening in my little [analog] world and i always want to update my blog with it but like most people these days, i just can't seem to find the time. there's always something or another that keeps me away from my blogs to the point that i don't even visit them anymore. i always make a mental note to do an entry sometime soon but soon doesn't come and as time passes, i eventually lose the habit. then it gets harder to blog... or even write in my journal.

i recently read one of my old diaries from the 80's to my husband because there were several entries in it about him. we had a good laugh reminiscing the silly things i thought as a teenager and the nonsensical things we did and it just struck me. that i need to get back to the habit. it just feels so good to remember!... to remember the time, places, flavors, even old outdated verbal expressions. suddenly, journalling and blogging felt important. it IS an important activity and i should take time to do it. what if i lose my memory one of these days?

so here i am again trying to get back to the habit. of course, there's no better way to do it than putting to good use the typewriters and pens i already have. i also have to remind myself that no matter how inconsequential or unimportant a thought, a thing or a happening might be, 20 years from now, it will become a jewel that fuels my time machine.

welcome to my workspace, in all it's messy glory. in the foreground on the left is a gray Royal FP. the one on the right is a green Olympia SG-1. the typer in the far left is a 2-tone burgundy and gray Olympia SM3 that types cursive. i bought this from Ebay months ago but it just very recently landed on Philippine shores.

understated performer: the Lamy 2000

i can also entitle this blog entry as : Sometimes, A Girl Gets Lucky.

here's why. one day, i took home a pretty cool fountain pen, the popular Lamy Safari. that is not really much by itself but i especially liked it because it is red AND it had a black clip. the red Safari these days mostly have chrome clips. since i was so happy about it, i spontaneously posted a photo of it on Facebook. that turned out to be serendipitous! why? because an acquaintance and fellow photographer, Rolly Magpayo, saw the post and he thought it might be a good idea to ask me if i wanted to buy his hardly-used Lamy 2000, for almost a third of its market price. ...and it's a price that would not normally be in my range.

the minimalist, modern classic Lamy 2000 with the pen capped

being all of a newbie, i wasn't very familiar with the Lamy 2000 then -- but the price definitely appealed to me. truth be told, i was even a bit skeptical when my friend told me about how expensive it actually cost at the local National Bookstore. it got me wondering if there were issues with it and i even asked him this much. he replied that he simply wanted to dispose of some extraneous luxuries and that there really was no issue with his slightly used pen.

the simple yet elegant clip is "spring-loaded" meaning it can be pressed so it can easily be clipped to one's shirt pocket or neckline. it is so minimalist, even the branding is subtly engraved in fine letters on the side of the clip instead of on the top of it.

i immediately did some googling and found this from Wikipedia, among other things:

The Lamy 2000. Lamy's flagship fountain pen is the 2000. Designed by Gerd Alfred Müller and released in 1966, it remains in production today. The 2000 was innovative in its day for its use of a special fiberglass resin produced by Bayer, Makrolon, for the body of the pen. It is the only Lamy fountain pen that is a piston fill pen, so thus only takes bottled ink. It has a flexible 14 carat gold nib, though it is plated with platinum, which achieves a uniform colour scheme to the pen. The pen's design demonstrates the Bauhaus influence on Lamy pens, and that of "form follows function". The classic design continues to be popular forty years after being introduced. Notable author Neil Gaiman wrote his book American Gods with his Lamy 2000, which he refers to as his "novel writing pen".

the topside of the broad, platinum plated 14K flexible gold nib

How can i even resist that? aside from being a beautiful, minimalist, artfully designed pen, it strongly appeals to me because i also have a fetish for things that are released around the year of my birth. it was added attraction too that it is a favorite by a famous author who actually wrote his book with it, quite literally. so it wasn't surprising that the very next day, i was out to meet Rolly by the gates of GMA where he works, to view the pen. after deliberation and some hesitation (mostly due only to the fact that it was a broad nib and i usually prefer fine), i still ended up taking it. the price was too good to pass up. he even threw in a full bottle of black Lamy ink to sweeten the deal.

the Lamy 2000 has this little, unobtrusive window that shows how much ink it still has. this is how the window looks when the pen is empty.

this is how it looks when filled with a purplish ink. pretty cool yes?

however, that even that little window is minimalist--it is not obvious unless it is bright and the light source is behind the window. compare with the photo below with the light source on top instead of behind.

however, when i got home and started writing with it, i had some misgivings. i tried really hard to like the broad nib but it just won't jive with the way i write. the writing was skipping which i eventually figured was due to the angle that i naturally held my pen. my instinctive inclination was to grind the nib. (is it odd that i didn't even want to sell it off? :-D the thought did cross my mind, though.) of course, good logic contradicted. it would simply be foolhardy to do that because i didn't have enough experience! i tried nibgrinding just once before and i was happy with the result but it was with an 80-peso -- that's about US$1.75-- chinese pen. THIS one is a pretty expensive US$175.00 pen. definitely NOT a good idea to experiment nib-grinding with it.

...and i did successfully stay away from touching that nib... for about 24 hours.

but, before you scream at me, check out the results :-D i do have to thank an FPN-P member and a legit nib expert, J.P. Reinoso, who helped me out by doing the final tweaking to that nib. i didn't have the ultra fine buffing pad he has and he needed to smooth it down because, after my own grinding, and even if i was pretty happy with the line strokes, the nib was still on the scratchy side. after JP buffed it, it wrote like butter. definitely better.

check out below the difference of how it wrote BEFORE i fooled around with grinding the nib and AFTER.

all the skipping was making me frustrated and it shows on my penmanship. i definitely love the pen itself, but i hated how i write with it. the broad nib and i don't match.

now here is my writing AFTER i "tweaked" it. notice the line variations in the writing, the horizontal strokes are thinner and the downstroke, thicker. most importantly, no more skipping! :-D

...and here are the before and after profiles of the nib.

left side: BEFORE grinding

left side: AFTER grinding

underside: BEFORE grinding

underside: AFTER grinding

right side: BEFORE

right side: AFTER

topside: BEFORE

topside: AFTER

some writing samples again using Pelikan Edelstein ink (Jade) and J. Herbin ink (Larmes de Cassis)

needless to say, i definitely ❤❤❤ this pen now ...so much that it is always inked and regularly a part of my daily arsenal :-D