Re: fountain pen. If your grip resembles a "normal grip" then Lamy Safari. It's my absolute favorite, especially in this price range (less than 20USD/EUR).
Charcoal Black comes with a dark nib (I'm using M size), looking gorgeous. All the matte versions are super nice to hold.
For some it might be quite light in hand but for me a capped Safari provides a nice balance.
With a converter it's easy to use any other ink but for daily use I prefer to just carry a bunch of dark pink (Dark Lilac) refills.
Not that you asked but my favorite paper for FPs is Clairefontaine (incl. Rhodia notebook brand) :-) Very little bleeding and no feathering issues.
I've heard so many good things about the Lamy Safari that I'm going to have to break down and get one! I've used a Pilot Metropolitan for a couple of years now and have enjoyed it, so I'm sure I'll enjoy the Safari.
I love my Rhodia notebooks! They make fountain pens perform astoundingly well. For ages I used Field Notes steno pads because I found them so good looking, but the paper is rubbish for fountain pens.
Charcoal Black comes with a dark nib (I'm using M size), looking gorgeous. All the matte versions are super nice to hold.
For some it might be quite light in hand but for me a capped Safari provides a nice balance.
With a converter it's easy to use any other ink but for daily use I prefer to just carry a bunch of dark pink (Dark Lilac) refills.
Not that you asked but my favorite paper for FPs is Clairefontaine (incl. Rhodia notebook brand) :-) Very little bleeding and no feathering issues.