Sailor sells empty cartridges for syringe filling. While this sounds completely pointless given you could just buy one filled with ink and then use the empty I believe they are made with more robust plastic that prevents stretching at the neck after several uses and the potential for an unexpected leak or excess flow at the nib. Something to look into.

You should look at kakimori dip pens. It is highly regarded in the reviews I’ve seen except perhaps the standard pen nib attachment which in one review was considered scratchy and stored very little ink.

Not wanting to advertise Reddit use too much, but you should look at the posts by u/bosseschreibt. He/she/they take some great pictures of writing samples with a number of Document inks, sometime side by side. One of their posts actually made me want a sample of Koh-I-Noor Document Blue. Anyway, their pictures are a great for seeing samples of various Document Inks from multiple brands.

HP Premium 32lb paper is widely regarded as the best fountain pen friendly printer paper. $15 for 500 sheets. It is really thick (120gsm).

I recall you buying it and I’m glad you like it so far. Did you get a converter in the end?

By the way, we discussed being selective about the ink used to try to protect the ion plating. Also avoid flossing the tines if you can or working on the nib with micromesh or fine grit paper as there are theories that it can weaken the plating along the edges and risk flaking outward from those points.

Sailor Pro Gear Slim Midnight Sky (Gunmetal Trim) F with DeAtramentis Document Black

Ah, yeah. They do that. Bad form.

#2 or #1

Report back about how you like it when it arrives.

You will get a warning notice with this pen because it is ion plated. Sailor will advise to only use their inks in it to avoid plating damage and early reports from ion plated nib owners did suggest that the plating could be damaged, presumably from non-Sailor ink usage. There has been a lot of speculation about why this happened but a general consensus was that acidic inks could be the issue.

Both my Sailors are ion plated and I have chosen not to stick to Sailor only inks but have resiolved to be be selective about what I do put in it. Pilot Iroshizuku inks are generally neutral to slightly alkaline as are the original Herbin line and the DeAtramentis Document line. Waterman inks can be very acidic so stay clear of them despite their great reputation (Serenity Blue has an acidity similar to vinegar). There are a number of websites that have measured the acidity of popular inks you can reference. Also, a number of forum posts on Fountain Pen Network report and discuss the acidity of specific inks.

Sounds like your VIsconti experience echos my worst fears. I hadn’t considered the porous nature of the material being an issue for absorbing ink but that would also annoy me greatly. Thanks for the feedback.

In terms of overseas suppliers. Ordering from Amazon Japan was no different to Amazon US or UK. I didn’t even need a to create a new account. When buying from Amazon I normally ensure the seller is Amazon itself rather than a third party to avoid fakes although apparently this isn’t foolproof as Amazon sometimes mixes their own stock with that of third parties (see a recent Pilot Metro post). Cult Pens have been excellent and I’ve use them several times. They left a Lamy nib out of one order I placed but quickly expedited it to me when I contacted them to report it was missing. Their prices are good and you can get free shipping if you spend enough. I’ve also used The Pen Company for one order and they were great. I’ve heard good things about Pensachi but have not personally used them.

I don’t know where you are based, but if in the USA be aware that Sailor pens have a dramatic markup over the home and other foreign markets. I generally advocate buying local but both my Sailors have come from abroad and saved me a lot of money. Actually I probably wouldn’t have brought them at all if paying US prices. My Pro Gear Imperial Black came form Amazon Japan for $200. The same pen is $470 plus tax in the US! My Cult Pens exclusive Gunmetal PGS Midnight Sky was $180. Regular PGS run around $220 and that is without the plating on the Cult Pens edition

Buying from abroad has its risks and drawbacks but when using a reputable seller it can save you $$$. The Gentleman Stationer discusses the situation here in his re-review of the Imperial Black. https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2019/2/2/battle-scars-revisiting-the-sailor-pro-gear-imperial-black-after-five-years

Also be aware that the 21k nib, while having very little flex, is actually quite soft and easily sprung or bent if roughly handled.

Did you keep your Visconti Bronze Age? That is one of the few pens left on my wish list but I know their nib QC is abysmal and if/when I have the funds I know I will have a hard time paying their prices for a pen that I’d probably have to send straight off to a nibmeister.

Midori MD pads with one of their covers work well and aren’t too expensive. Available in A5 and A6 if I recall. Otherwise as already mentioned I like the 90gsm Rhodia or Clairefontaine notebooks. The 80gsm Rhodia paper (found in a lot of their pads) always feels like the backside of the paper has less coating on it and not as enjoyable.

As much as I can although due to moving they are all currently all packed away.

Normally, I use them in Bullet Journal which is an organizational tool rather than a way to unpack my feelings. I’ve toyed with traditional journalling but I just don’t feel my life is interesting enough to write about. Otherwise, odd notes for work and home life and I have brought some books to learn and practice my penmanship. I also try to write the odd letter around the festive season to some of my older relatives that still appreciate real letters.