I used Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph pens for years as an architectural and artifact draftsperson for archaeological excavations. They were originally designed primarily to be used with smooth drafting films and papers so they don't shine on regular old paper, regardless of the ink you use. I now use them primarily in my artwork for stippling. They make a clean, perfect dot and are superior to any other pen I've ever tried for this task. The best way to get the ink flowing is not to shake them -- hard shaking isn't good for the pen -- but to suck it out the nib end either with a little suction bulb or -- and I know this might sound disgusting -- just by sticking the nib end in your mouth and gently sucking on it which is what we always did because, inevitably, we had lost or broken the suction bulb by the end of the first week of excavation. Ideally you don't do it so hard that you end up with a mouthful of ink, but we did generally go around most of the time with ink blotches on our lips. The best way to clean them (the pens, not your lips) is with an ultrasonic cleaner. You can also buy cleaning kits (which include a suction bulb, I believe) and cleaning solution from Koh-I-Noor. Finally, if you are going to be using rapidograph pens, it's worth it to buy one of those little tools that opens the nib up -- you can't fully clean it if you don't do this. If you buy a cleaning kit from Koh-I-Noor, there should be one included but I think you can also find old used ones for $5 on Ebay. If asked in a court of law, I'll deny I ever said this, but you can probably also open them up simply by using a wrench.....very, very carefully.
@@blinkybli8326 oh wow!!! What a n interesting life you have! I just watched Indiana Jones (the last crusade) and your post made me think about it!😊 my dad was an engineer out on the field and I remember him putting his technical pens and fountain pens in his mouth! So funny to jog that remote memory for me! So, I’ve been constantly using these pens since I did the video. They have Noodler’s Heart of Darkness in them and they write so well on cheap paper. They are a great substitute for Pigma Micron
@@KitchenCounterCrafts I'm glad the pen is working out for you. Ultimately, if you're happy with the way it works, you're doing it the right way! There's just something about rapidograph pens that is very alluring, especially to people who love pens and ink, so I get wanting to be able to use it every day. The other thing is that I believe fountain pen inks (all inks, actually) are manufactured differently than they were when Koh-i-Noor first came out with Rapidographs, and also with the idea that people will be trying them out in all sorts of devices, so that the old "Never put anything other than technical ink in your Rapidograph" rule that was drummed into our heads doesn't hold as strictly as it used to. Happy penning!
@@blinkybli8326 Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I saw that in the description of the eBay listing and also on Reddit! I didn’t think it would harm anything to try fountain pen ink- it’s definitely working well and I love each of them- even for writing short notes!
I have a set of these from the 80s that I used in my graphic design classes in university. We used these with a ruler to draw straight lines as ALL the work we did was by hand - not a computer in sight yet in the mid 80s. I'll have to dig my set out and try them with my DeAtramentis doc inks for sketching. Thanks for sharing!
Might try them for sketching with doc inks or regular fountain pen inks. I hadn't thought of using them that way until seeing your video, so thanks for sharing the idea! @@KitchenCounterCrafts
I recently started using Rohrer & Klinger SketchINK in my fountain pens and I like it a lot. I also have a lot of unused technical pens lying around. One day, before I had enough coffee, I had the crazy idea to try this ink in a technical pen. Surprisingly it worked. Couple of caveats… 1. Seems to work better with narrower nibs like .35 or .30. 2. I periodically clean the pens I’m using with an ultrasonic cleaner. 3. After the first fill it seems to be a little harder to get the technical pen started, needing more shaking and tapping. Once it starts it seems to be very smooth and skip-free.
@@MichaelOrmsby 😂 “before I had enough coffee!” That made me laugh! FP ink has been great! I’ve kept these guys inked since the video and I haven’t had any hard starts or any problems. I’m wondering if it’s because they aren’t the thicker, more substantial sketch inks that traditionally are used in these? What do you use your pens for?
@@KitchenCounterCraftsI use my pens for drawing / sketching. The term urban sketching is sometimes used. Basically I do a very loose ink sketch and then use watercolors over the ink sketch. Until I discovered the Rohrer & Klinger ink I had a lot of problems with the brush and watercolor smearing the ink which wouldn’t be totally dry, even hours later. I use Lamy fountain pens because I like the way they feel in my hand. Many years ago I got a degree in Architecture and spent a few years in the field where I was encouraged to use technical pens. So I have a lot of them lying around. At this point I mostly use the Lamy pens for the initial drawing but the fine nib tech pens are great for rendering hatching and textures. Thank you for your informative video.
@@MichaelOrmsby that sounds amazing! I just met an architect at our pen club in OKC and he does urban sketching (I’m a complete novice at that). I’m sure you’ve heard of Luz Steel? Architect based out of Australia. I’d love to grow up to be like her one day 😆
Thank you for the video! Months later, have you had any problems with fountain pen ink not working on them or something? It's incredible how little information is out there about using this type of ink with tech pens, especially since I imagine that it'd 100% easier to use and would require far less cleaning
@@Cristian-draws I’m so glad it’s been helpful! I’ve kept the same ink in some of the pens (i inked all of them with the same ink). I ended up using the thinner pens more than the larger nib sizes so the larger ones sat on my desk for a couple of months. I recently picked up the abandoned ink ones and was surprised when they wrote right away!!! I’ve filled & refilled these pens several times and have been thrilled with the way I can use them with archival inks to draw, sketch and not have them cost an arm and a leg (aka Pigma Micron pens)! BTW, I didn’t even clean them- just inked with a clean syringe. What do you use these pens for? Which ones do you have/use/recommend?
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Thank you for responding! I haven't used them but was considering it and after looking online, you're the only person to confirm it full-stop. Thank you again. Consider putting an affiliate link so you can get some money from the purchase btw.
@ you’re so kind! I appreciate it! I bought mine from eBay- all 6 for about $25. It was a little risky in case they didn’t work but what great pens!!! I just checked my Amazon and they’re $138! I have an affiliate link but I’m going to tell ya- go cheap!😏 Try it out first before you plop that much cash! amzn.to/3VTixky
I've seen some Rapidograph nibs described as being "jewel point". I wonder, is this just another way of referring to the standard Rapidograph nibs, or is a jewel point nib a special variety of Rapidograph nib?
@@musar03580 Thanks for watching and sharing your great observation! The Jewel point looks like the other rapidographs but the cylinder for ink is not the cheaper plastic. It looks more clear and has some etching on it. Otherwise, I think it’s just a branding from vintage stock. I could be wrong on this, so if someone has one, please share!😅
@@KitchenCounterCrafts I've looked into this further since my original comment. I've even found a jewel pointed Rapidograph pen with an additional replacement nib on eBay and purchased it. It turns out that this is a special type of nib tipped with a "jewel" (I don't yet know what material this is) that makes for a smoother writing experience. The primary difference is the material at the tip of the nib that makes contact with the writing surface. Guess I'll know more when the nibs arrive.
@@GodzillaGoesGaga my go-to method is warm water and a drop or 2 of Dawn dishwashing soap! It cleaned up everything easily. An ultrasonic cleaner (like for jewelry) will also help. Mine didn’t need much. I would try that first and let me know how it goes!
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Thanks for the feedback. The ones I’ve just got (literally arrived today from ebay) seem to be very old and caked up. I’m letting them soak in Dawn + Alcohol to try and break the ink down and then I’ll completely disassemble the nibs and clean them. I plan on doing an ultrasonic clean after that to restore them to new if possible. Fun and games!!
BTW for the ink clamp ring, it might be a good idea to put a bit of silicon grease on the thread so that the carbon particles can’t clog them up and causing them to seize.
@ I’m excited to hear how they do for you. You can also try a lubricated ink like Iroshizuku to help “grease” the pens from the inside and get some of the gunk out Plz keep me posted.
I’m pretty excited about them! Several in the art community use them but I didn’t know if I wanted to spend $35 on 1 pen… seemed pricey for an experiment! What do you think? Would you get one?
im not familiar with the korinoor, but i have the rotring and staedtler technical pens, and the "tools" to disassemble them are part of the pen. there is likely some way to use the cap or barrel to disassemble the nib without buying a tool. and the size is a number size. not sure of the origin, but the smaller the number the finer the line. thicker lines would be like a 5, as you get thinner lines, 4, 3, 2, 1... theinner stil would be 0. thinner than zero goes to 00, then 000, then 0000, ect. the 3x0 is size 000
@@502deth awesome!!!🤩 Thanks so much for the number explanation! I couldn’t figure it out! I’ll take another look at utilizing the cap or barrel, especially since it’s one of the older sets. I’ve been using these constantly since I bought them!!! They’re a great alternative to Pigma Microns and the fact that they’re refilled with FP ink is bonus!!! I wanted the Rotring but these looked about the same, plus the deal I got- couldn’t pass it up! What do you use yours for?
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Im old and reluctant to change, lol. im not much of an artist, but i still do drafting and draw up plans on paper on my drafting table.
@@502deth Never too old! I enjoy having these inked up and ready to write a shopping list, note or for art!😊 they’re really nice little pens that are meant to be used. Thank you again for watching and sharing your thoughts on these!💗
I have this same set, it is in front of me and I have never used it. The orange is the largest, then green, red, black, grey, yellow then beige is smallest
I used Koh-I-Noor Rapidograph pens for years as an architectural and artifact draftsperson for archaeological excavations. They were originally designed primarily to be used with smooth drafting films and papers so they don't shine on regular old paper, regardless of the ink you use. I now use them primarily in my artwork for stippling. They make a clean, perfect dot and are superior to any other pen I've ever tried for this task. The best way to get the ink flowing is not to shake them -- hard shaking isn't good for the pen -- but to suck it out the nib end either with a little suction bulb or -- and I know this might sound disgusting -- just by sticking the nib end in your mouth and gently sucking on it which is what we always did because, inevitably, we had lost or broken the suction bulb by the end of the first week of excavation. Ideally you don't do it so hard that you end up with a mouthful of ink, but we did generally go around most of the time with ink blotches on our lips. The best way to clean them (the pens, not your lips) is with an ultrasonic cleaner. You can also buy cleaning kits (which include a suction bulb, I believe) and cleaning solution from Koh-I-Noor. Finally, if you are going to be using rapidograph pens, it's worth it to buy one of those little tools that opens the nib up -- you can't fully clean it if you don't do this. If you buy a cleaning kit from Koh-I-Noor, there should be one included but I think you can also find old used ones for $5 on Ebay. If asked in a court of law, I'll deny I ever said this, but you can probably also open them up simply by using a wrench.....very, very carefully.
@@blinkybli8326 oh wow!!! What a n interesting life you have! I just watched Indiana Jones (the last crusade) and your post made me think about it!😊 my dad was an engineer out on the field and I remember him putting his technical pens and fountain pens in his mouth! So funny to jog that remote memory for me!
So, I’ve been constantly using these pens since I did the video. They have Noodler’s Heart of Darkness in them and they write so well on cheap paper.
They are a great substitute for Pigma Micron
@@blinkybli8326Also, thank you for watching and sharing your experience!
@@KitchenCounterCrafts I'm glad the pen is working out for you. Ultimately, if you're happy with the way it works, you're doing it the right way! There's just something about rapidograph pens that is very alluring, especially to people who love pens and ink, so I get wanting to be able to use it every day. The other thing is that I believe fountain pen inks (all inks, actually) are manufactured differently than they were when Koh-i-Noor first came out with Rapidographs, and also with the idea that people will be trying them out in all sorts of devices, so that the old "Never put anything other than technical ink in your Rapidograph" rule that was drummed into our heads doesn't hold as strictly as it used to. Happy penning!
@@blinkybli8326 Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I saw that in the description of the eBay listing and also on Reddit! I didn’t think it would harm anything to try fountain pen ink- it’s definitely working well and I love each of them- even for writing short notes!
A touch to the tip of the tongue would often get the ink flowing. ;)
I have a set of these from the 80s that I used in my graphic design classes in university. We used these with a ruler to draw straight lines as ALL the work we did was by hand - not a computer in sight yet in the mid 80s. I'll have to dig my set out and try them with my DeAtramentis doc inks for sketching. Thanks for sharing!
How cool is that? I would love to see! Dig them out- I bet you they will still work!
What are you going to do with them?
Might try them for sketching with doc inks or regular fountain pen inks. I hadn't thought of using them that way until seeing your video, so thanks for sharing the idea! @@KitchenCounterCrafts
@@dawnholder8819 I’m excited to hear how it goes for you! Mine are still doing great.
I recently started using Rohrer & Klinger SketchINK in my fountain pens and I like it a lot. I also have a lot of unused technical pens lying around. One day, before I had enough coffee, I had the crazy idea to try this ink in a technical pen. Surprisingly it worked. Couple of caveats…
1. Seems to work better with narrower nibs like .35 or .30.
2. I periodically clean the pens I’m using with an ultrasonic cleaner.
3. After the first fill it seems to be a little harder to get the technical pen started, needing more shaking and tapping. Once it starts it seems to be very smooth and skip-free.
@@MichaelOrmsby 😂 “before I had enough coffee!” That made me laugh!
FP ink has been great! I’ve kept these guys inked since the video and I haven’t had any hard starts or any problems. I’m wondering if it’s because they aren’t the thicker, more substantial sketch inks that traditionally are used in these?
What do you use your pens for?
@@KitchenCounterCraftsI use my pens for drawing / sketching. The term urban sketching is sometimes used. Basically I do a very loose ink sketch and then use watercolors over the ink sketch. Until I discovered the Rohrer & Klinger ink I had a lot of problems with the brush and watercolor smearing the ink which wouldn’t be totally dry, even hours later. I use Lamy fountain pens because I like the way they feel in my hand.
Many years ago I got a degree in Architecture and spent a few years in the field where I was encouraged to use technical pens. So I have a lot of them lying around. At this point I mostly use the Lamy pens for the initial drawing but the fine nib tech pens are great for rendering hatching and textures.
Thank you for your informative video.
@@MichaelOrmsby that sounds amazing! I just met an architect at our pen club in OKC and he does urban sketching (I’m a complete novice at that).
I’m sure you’ve heard of Luz Steel?
Architect based out of Australia. I’d love to grow up to be like her one day 😆
Thank you for the video! Months later, have you had any problems with fountain pen ink not working on them or something? It's incredible how little information is out there about using this type of ink with tech pens, especially since I imagine that it'd 100% easier to use and would require far less cleaning
@@Cristian-draws I’m so glad it’s been helpful! I’ve kept the same ink in some of the pens (i inked all of them with the same ink). I ended up using the thinner pens more than the larger nib sizes so the larger ones sat on my desk for a couple of months.
I recently picked up the abandoned ink ones and was surprised when they wrote right away!!! I’ve filled & refilled these pens several times and have been thrilled with the way I can use them with archival inks to draw, sketch and not have them cost an arm and a leg (aka Pigma Micron pens)!
BTW, I didn’t even clean them- just inked with a clean syringe.
What do you use these pens for?
Which ones do you have/use/recommend?
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Thank you for responding! I haven't used them but was considering it and after looking online, you're the only person to confirm it full-stop. Thank you again. Consider putting an affiliate link so you can get some money from the purchase btw.
@ you’re so kind! I appreciate it! I bought mine from eBay- all 6 for about $25. It was a little risky in case they didn’t work but what great pens!!!
I just checked my Amazon and they’re $138! I have an affiliate link but I’m going to tell ya- go cheap!😏
Try it out first before you plop that much cash!
amzn.to/3VTixky
I've seen some Rapidograph nibs described as being "jewel point". I wonder, is this just another way of referring to the standard Rapidograph nibs, or is a jewel point nib a special variety of Rapidograph nib?
@@musar03580 Thanks for watching and sharing your great observation! The Jewel point looks like the other rapidographs but the cylinder for ink is not the cheaper plastic. It looks more clear and has some etching on it. Otherwise, I think it’s just a branding from vintage stock. I could be wrong on this, so if someone has one, please share!😅
@@KitchenCounterCrafts I've looked into this further since my original comment. I've even found a jewel pointed Rapidograph pen with an additional replacement nib on eBay and purchased it. It turns out that this is a special type of nib tipped with a "jewel" (I don't yet know what material this is) that makes for a smoother writing experience. The primary difference is the material at the tip of the nib that makes contact with the writing surface. Guess I'll know more when the nibs arrive.
@@musar03580 oooh!!! That sounds so interesting! Would you please share your thoughts once you get/use the pen??? I’d love to hear!
@@musar03580 I’m now wondering what the original material is? Steel?
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Yes. According to the Koh-I-Noor USA website, "(e)ach Rapidograph pen features a stainless steel nib in one of 10 sizes. . . ."
Does soaking them in alcohol or alcohol plus dish detergent help with cleaning ? I have some on order and would like to properly maintain them.
@@GodzillaGoesGaga my go-to method is warm water and a drop or 2 of Dawn dishwashing soap! It cleaned up everything easily.
An ultrasonic cleaner (like for jewelry) will also help.
Mine didn’t need much.
I would try that first and let me know how it goes!
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Thanks for the feedback. The ones I’ve just got (literally arrived today from ebay) seem to be very old and caked up. I’m letting them soak in Dawn + Alcohol to try and break the ink down and then I’ll completely disassemble the nibs and clean them. I plan on doing an ultrasonic clean after that to restore them to new if possible. Fun and games!!
BTW for the ink clamp ring, it might be a good idea to put a bit of silicon grease on the thread so that the carbon particles can’t clog them up and causing them to seize.
@ I’m excited to hear how they do for you. You can also try a lubricated ink like Iroshizuku to help “grease” the pens from the inside and get some of the gunk out
Plz keep me posted.
@ that is a great idea!!! Thank you!!
Interesting, I have never seen these reviewed, thanks for sharing
I’m pretty excited about them! Several in the art community use them but I didn’t know if I wanted to spend $35 on 1 pen… seemed pricey for an experiment!
What do you think?
Would you get one?
im not familiar with the korinoor, but i have the rotring and staedtler technical pens, and the "tools" to disassemble them are part of the pen. there is likely some way to use the cap or barrel to disassemble the nib without buying a tool.
and the size is a number size. not sure of the origin, but the smaller the number the finer the line. thicker lines would be like a 5, as you get thinner lines, 4, 3, 2, 1... theinner stil would be 0. thinner than zero goes to 00, then 000, then 0000, ect. the 3x0 is size 000
@@502deth awesome!!!🤩 Thanks so much for the number explanation! I couldn’t figure it out!
I’ll take another look at utilizing the cap or barrel, especially since it’s one of the older sets.
I’ve been using these constantly since I bought them!!! They’re a great alternative to Pigma Microns and the fact that they’re refilled with FP ink is bonus!!!
I wanted the Rotring but these looked about the same, plus the deal I got- couldn’t pass it up!
What do you use yours for?
@@KitchenCounterCrafts Im old and reluctant to change, lol. im not much of an artist, but i still do drafting and draw up plans on paper on my drafting table.
@@502deth Never too old! I enjoy having these inked up and ready to write a shopping list, note or for art!😊 they’re really nice little pens that are meant to be used.
Thank you again for watching and sharing your thoughts on these!💗
I have this same set, it is in front of me and I have never used it. The orange is the largest, then green, red, black, grey, yellow then beige is smallest
@@stellacarmella oh wow! Put some ink in those beauties and just use them around the house!
They are great 😊
May I ask why you didn’t use them?
3x0 means it's a 000 gauge pen nib which equals .25mm
Thank you so much for telling me!!!😍 So what are your thoughts on these? Do you have any?
I just was given a set of these and several fountain pens and calligraphy pens and inks. I'm so lost!!
Ohhh!!! How cool! Did you inherit them?
I have a few videos on “beginner “ pens, inks, etc. that might be useful.
What can I help you with?