Your Best Cheap Pen?

[guilhermejf]

Pilot V-Pen

Although I don't quite like the ink that came with it, the pen is reliable, and can be refilled with the help of pliers.

[rroossinck]

If we're talking about underpriced antique shop finds, I've had a couple of $5-15 Parker "51"s that have been really nice (my first one was a Dove Grey that needed restoration, but for $5, I couldn't argue with the price - it turned out to be a really outstanding writer, and a doctor in Ohio is currently enjoying it, as far as I'm aware), a Balance or two (one of which was a VERY nice first-year Standard that I bought for a buck and a half!), and a handful of Esterbrooks in varying states of restorative need.

 

For the more off-the-shelf cheap stuff, I've got a couple of nice Safaris as well as the rest of the usual suspects (Pelikanos, Preppies and Plaisirs, Noodler's pens), but the one that I've taken a liking to recently is an all-stainless (and nearly brand spankin' new) Sheaffer No Nonsense with a stubbish medium nib. It was a gift from one of my fairly regular shipping customers at FedEx Office this year, and it's an outstanding writer!

 

One of these days I think I'm going to attempt to dress it up a little bit if I can locate a rhodium-plated Balance II/Connaisseur/Levenger Seas nib and section.

[JLT]

Hero 616 Jumbo. I bought a ten-pack for about $12. One of them is my dedicated Baystate Blue pen (two years and going strong) and it is a terrific writer and I've given away several to potential converts. Those remaining may keep me in 'cheap pens' for quite some time.

[JimB]

My $20 Ahab is doing great, but so is my my Pilot 78 G and Jinhoa x450, both under $10 before shipping. Lamy Safari, too, but it's a bit more costly, $28 plus the cost of the converter.

[tanalasta]

TWSBI 540.

 

I still am surprised every time I picked it up ... why I waited so long to get one. Superb finish, polished demonstrator pen with a reliable piston and o-ring on the cap etc... The attention to detail is quite impressive and the nib smooth, soft and a delight.

 

 

LAMY 2000 gets a commendation also.

[rdh]

There are a lot of good ones, but my favorite is the Sheaffer No Nonsense. Although new ones are available, the old ones with a screw top are excellent and can be found for around $10.

 

Dave

[countrydirt]

I have a Reform 1745 that IIRC cost a whopping $5 It is smooth and I don't mind that it is stained with BSB.

[DFerguson]

yeah dave, i have a no nonsense and i comppletely agree. i have an old one with a screw top which i really like, better than snap capped pens. i have a black one with a fine italic nib, very nice

[Beechwood]

Cheap pen that I am using today -- cost £2 (around $3) which was bought 3 years ago, unused and dating 1940s. made of brown marbled Bakelite that shines up like polished walnut, French, button filled, copper clip, fantastic DOM nib which has remarkable flex.

 

Great pen, at any price

[79spitfire]

I have a bunch of 'cheap pens' my Lamy 2000 isn't one of them... :roflmho:

 

For the price my Rotring Surf is an excellent pen, it's a nail, but very smooth.

 

The Jumbo 616s are ok.

[CosmicSlop]

My TWSBI 530 with a Pendleton Brown customized CI nib. I use it each and every day. It's not only my best cheap pen - it's my favorite pen.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Wearever Supreme. MSRP was 29¢, and I got it in a big enough lot of pens that that's about what I paid for it, too. Not a great pen, but pleasant enough, and if we're looking for a low intersection of passable performance and cost, it's hard to beat.

http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Wearever-0069.jpg

[ObserveClosely]

Pilot Plumix, $8.99 @ Staples.

+1 on the Plumix, converted to eyedropper

 

I'd like to add the Pilot 78G w/ 'B' stub/italic.

[wbpeoria]

Perspective is everything, I guess -- my TWSBI 530 is an "expensive" pen, in my collection.

 

A recent e-bay purchase landed me 4 Sheaffer pens (2 Craftsman w/ touchdown filling, one Fineline w/ lever filling, 1 cartridge pen) for about $30 shipped. I've only inked the two Craftsmans (Craftsmen?), and I love them. For approx. double the unit cost, I've got an Esterbrook LJ with a new sac and a new nib, which I also love (plastic is a little warped, but it writes wonderfully).

 

Wayne

[deansellers]

The best that I got new - Waterman Phileas. It also happens to be my first FP.

It doesn't top the little Esterbrook SJ with the 9668 nib I bought for $12.50, though.

[KrazyIvan]

My Hero 383 is probably the best bang for the buck pen I have so far.

 

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6214/6261608601_2dbf66936f_z.jpg

Hero 383 Fountain Pen by IvanRomero, on Flickr

[Blooze]

My Pilot 78G's with bold nibs are my favorite cheap pens.

[Clancy]

Either a Pilot 78g in fine or broad, or a Reform 1745.

 

I'm down with Bigeddie's choices. I love my Pilot 78g and my Reform 1745. To these I would also add my Reform Skywalker demonstrators and my Sheaffer 'NoNonsense' cartridge pens (the old style).

Edited December 23, 2011 by Clancy

[santander02]

Lamy Safari

[Uncle Red]

I've got a bunch of the pens everyone listed, the unique one is an orange celluliod ringtop I got from speerbob. The nib is a replacement gold plated ss but it's smooth and writes a nice line.