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With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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The Hongdian Black Forest Fude-nib fountain pen, to be exact.  I'd never used a Fude pen - nib turned up - before this: I presume the company is Taiwanese, rather than People's Republic of China; I'm sure they make great art products too, the Chinese always have.  This pen though - lovely to look at, made in metal apart from the end piece, a pleasure to hold, can be used with its own non-waterproof cartridges, or with permanent Carbon ink - I'm not a paid company promoter!  But I urge you to get one of these if you love ink drawing - once started, I had trouble stopping.  But I did stop for a while, and when I did, the ink was still flowing perfectly.   The Sailor company, of Japan, also make fude pens (just be careful you're not misled into buying a brush pen: nothing wrong with brush pens, but if that wasn't what you wanted it's a bit of a pain): very good they are too - for calligraphy, though more especially oriental calligraphy, and for drawing.  I wouldn't normally push a product, but these pens - the Sailor is not quite so attractively made, it's all plastic apart from the nib - have got me back into ink drawing: I've filled one 40 page sketchbook, and have started on another. 

Alan Bickley

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I bought a fude pen several months ago now. Hated it… just couldn’t get on with it, and the bent nib was difficult to use to achieve any degree of fluency. I just don’t see the point of having a nib shaped like that… not for me.  So, you’ve surprised me with your glowing report and recommendation Robert. I’d be interested to see some of your sketches! I opted instead, for the Ackerman Pump pen, which has a range of interchangeable nibs, and doesn’t clog up even with Indian ink. American company and not particularly cheap as there is postage to pay from the States, but worth every penny in my view.
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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Alan - you've seen a couple already; I didn't identify them as being done with the Fude, though.  The one thing I couldn't do with it - well, not with any particularly worthwhile result - was write.  With practice, and more control of the nib through experience, I think I could.  But that's not what I bought it for - I bought it for strength and variation of line.   Who knows what will work for us ... the Ackerman almost certainly would work for me, obviously insofar as anything does...  I am, shall we say, contemplating it: which means looking at the price, and shuffling discreetly to the exit.  It isn't that I'm mean (cancel "Lie" mode) but I'm careful.   One thing - no, the Fude pens would not like Indian ink - or I'm assuming they won't, having looked at the mechanism - but they will take carbon black, a permanent black ink which I often use.  Is there any point in your persisting with the fude pen if you hated it - well, maybe!  You've got your Ackerman, though; so perhaps not.  All the same, yes, I love mine (both of them) and if it was only the novelty of them that got me drawing again, that would still have justified the purchase.  I'll put a sketch on done with the Fude in .... well, eventually: I don't work fast.... In the meantime, those drawings which appeared as rather blue on the Gallery, if you remember them, were Fude pen drawings. 
With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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PS - You.ve got me yearning for the Ackerman now - it was the mention of it taking Indian ink that did it....Damn!

Alan Bickley

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They work out at around £50 with postal charges! Best to buy any extra nibs at the same time obviously… I’ve got a selection of different nibs, some I like better than others. EBay do stock some of the recommended nibs which is useful. Consult me before considering buying, I can give advice on the different types of pen. I know you would anyway… Here is a Rembrandt style drawing I did when I first used it, note the variation of line thickness, which is generally what I’m looking for in any nib! I’ve bought two pens as you can see in my photo, different names but actually identical!

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by Alan Bickley

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, NAPA

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I'll certainly consult you first!   I have a large bottle of Kandahar drawing ink, which I can only use with dip pens at the moment - to say it's not exactly running out would be an understatement: it needs to be used.  Stand by your email, I have much on at the moment but - am anticipating movement (and not in the various senses that would be most undesirable).