Brands You Will Never Buy From

[flight878]

I was surprised to see some people state Rotring, but I'm in partial agreement.

 

IMO, the best FPs they ever made were the 600 and 900 series. Sure, the paint finish is easy to scratch and come off, but those things were built like tanks and write smoothly.

 

However, today, now that Rotring is part of a mass market conglomerate that also manufactures plastic storage containers, it's only a brand with a red ring. Take a look at the Rotring Core, that hideous thing that nowhere near represents what Rotring once stood for, but some idiot thought that it'd be nice to market it as a Rotring pen, where its design is more of a PaperMate, thrown in the bargain bin at Staples.

[pajaro]

Some pen brands provide support/repairs whether you bought the pen new or used, and there is a fee for the service. That's perfectly OK, at least you can get service for your pen, and aren't hung out to dry because the brand can't provide a repair for a fee. I have used Montblanc service for a fee, and was glad to get the pens fixed. So, the brands that don't provide satisfactory service or any service at all for a fee are leaving the buyer at greater risk. Of course this gives pen repair people a market.

 

After considering this carefully, I would be reluctant to buy a brand where the support people, knowing they wouldn't provide any service because I told them up front that the pen was secondhand, laid out a question about the ink used and then came back with the statement that there would be no service anyway because of the use of boutique inks. I thought that was gratuitous, under the circumstances. Are they trying to irritate the buyer/coerce the buyer to buy their ink? Gluck auf.

 

So, where I was thinking about buying one of those M600 white tortoise pens (why buy another one that'll break?), I think I'll get a Lamy 2000 instead, or maybe one of those new and controversial TWSBI pens, or maybe both.

Edited April 7, 2012 by pajaro

[jaymac]

Marlen

[scribbler77]

I am one of those who does not like to say "never." But I most likely will not buy another Montblanc. Back in 1981 I bought the large Montblanc "Diplomat" at the boutique in Frankfurt Airport. I had been using ballpoints and thought it might be nice to get back into fountain pens. But the MB leaked badly. Cap full of ink after an airplane flight. Messy, messy. I didn't want to send it to Hamburg, or wherever MB headquarters is, and took it to Farney's in Washington. They fixed it, but for a price. (OK - I didn't buy it from them, fair enough.) It worked for a couple of months just fine, but then started leaking again. So it was fixed at Farney's again and the technician said that this was a common problem with MB. Subsequently, it was stolen from my desk when we had a break-in, but I never regretted it very much.

 

I have owned four piston fill Pelikans with nary a problem. The M200 is one of the best buys, in my opinion, for a quality piston-fill. MB was a great disappointment. I was later given another MB and it did not have the problems of the first, but it was not one whit better than a Pelikan at less than half the cost.

 

I note that several have named Rotring. Shows how tastes or experience can vary. I have five Rotrings and they are among my favorities. Not a dud in the bunch! Pity they stopped making the pens I like!

 

Oh, yes. For a recent disppointment, I would have to mention the FPN special LE Stipula Modelo "T". Not a total dud, but I could not get the supplied converter to fit and when I used an international converter it fit, but then leaked badly. The pen does work as an ED. The Passaporto's nib is exceedingly hard to change. I still have not been able to get the 1.1 italic to seat completely in the pen. Given the cost of these pens (the FPN specials were a bargain), I doubt if I will be buying any more Stipulas. I do appreciate all of Wim's efforts to arrange the FPN special, however. Nevertheless, with prices comparable to Pelikan, Stipula could do better!

Edited April 7, 2012 by scribbler77

[ianmedium]

Noodlers ink, the worst ink for nib creep ever!

 

And Waterman, the only one I have liked to write with is far too heavy to hold for long periods, also they just do not excite me, a bit like pretty much every Visconti apart from a couple of their limited editions.

 

If I can include pen stores then a Canadian chain that sells pens and watches called La Swiss, like buying from one of those markets one finds in the far east selling fakes. Not that they sell fakes its just that their sales patter is of similar qualities!

 

I once went in looking at pens and watches and saw a breitling I liked, the woman got it from the case and banged the side as she did leaving a huge ding in it. When I mentioned it she said "oh, it will polish out"! I thought if she is like that in front of a customer what the heck is she like when no one is looking!

Edited April 7, 2012 by ianmedium

[Spector]

I dont think I could bring myself to buy a pen over $200 so that would exclude mont blanc, a lot of pelikans, etc you get the picture

[FLYBYU]

The absolute ugliest pen

 

http://www.joonpens.com/db_image/WF_Wedgewood_Blue_fp.jpg

 

I actually quite like the looks of that pen.

[pelicanachic]

I never purchase current produced f.pen brands due to following reasons

 

1. Aurora - they tend to develop crack too easily on the end of barrel and the ink window.

 

2. Montblanc - Crazy prices and I don't understand their policy of charging enormous fees for repairing. No other company I've experienced ask for that much

 

3. Parker, Sheaffer, Pelikan, Waterman - It seems like their heyday is gone. I like their vintage models but not current one.

 

4. Japanese Company - their Q.C. is the best among pen manufacturers but I just don't like their too narrow nib.

 

5. Some companys like montegrappa and dupont who use metal as their pen's grip section. - It's too slippery, very uncomfortable when writing for long period of time.

 

 

 

So I just collect some vintage models and only use bexley-based models(Bexley, Gate City and Edison)

Edited April 7, 2012 by pelicanachic

[wspohn]

I never purchase current produced f.pen brands due to following reasons

 

4. Japanese Company - their Q.C. is the best among pen manufacturers but I just don't like their too narrow nib.

 

 

Not sure what you are talking about here.

 

Yes, several Japanese manufacturers tend to have M nibs that equate to an F nib in other manufacturers lines (and all the rest of the line also tends to be narrower than non_japanese nibs), but so what?

 

They sell nibs all the way from ultra fine to ultra broad and you can get whatever you want. Are you so fussed that the nib you want might be labelled as a M instead of an F that you refuse to buy their pens? Seems very odd to me.

[Pen Nut]

2. Montblanc - Crazy prices and I don't understand their policy of charging enormous fees for repairing. No other company I've experienced ask for that much

 

Odd one that. My dealings with MB have always been great in respect of repairs/servicing and considering the intial outlay for the pen/writing instrument I do feel some of this is 'returned' when sending pens back to them. Your mileage or kilowhatsits may vary a bit.

[NedC]

I honestly can't think of ANY brand of pens I would NEVER consider buying. If I pen's aesthetics tickles my fancy (I'm thinking of the Montblanc Kafka here), or its functionality meets some particular need I have e.g. Noodler's pens, and I can afford it and get a reasonable deal on it I'm willing to buy it. I still don't have my Kafka because I can't afford one. I really like my Noodler's Ahab, in spite of the many times I've cursed it, because it is a GREAT drawing and sketching pen and is really cheap and pretty rugged.

 

My tastes, needs and budget guide my pen buying decisions, not brand names. Fortunately most of the pens I would find most aesthetically appealing and useful are not too expensive. I tend to prefer pens that are small to 'standard' sized, not overly decorated, and fairly light in weight, with the exception of some Nakayas and Auroras I'd really like to have, and that MB Kafka, most of what I like can be had for well under $350 new, and many for below $150.

[PENitent]

I can't imagine paying more than $30 for a pen so that adds a bunches of brands to my no-fly list.

[smodak]

I ran into a friend today and he mentioned that he will never again buy a Parker, after his first experience with their service, after having a very sketchy quality nib. He was also very obstinate about never purchasing from Lamy, calling their pens "ugly".

 

It got me thinking though, that I will probably never buy a Platinum, just because I think their nibs usually look hideous. Other brands that seem to primarily construct from celluloid crossed my mind, as I'm not a fan of the material.

 

Do you have any brand you flat out refuse to buy from, or to buy from again? What's the story behind it?

 

Not brands but specific pens (similar bad experience with multiple copies/multiple times)

TWSBI 540

Noodler's Ahab and Regular Flex Pens

[yamborghini]

Visconti- the nib is not nearly as smooth as my other pens and the convertor has a tiny capacity. Plus, its picky as to what inks it likes.

 

Obviously has not tried or own a 23K palladium nib.

 

The only real FP I wouldn't buy are pirre Cadin. Some cheap chinese rip off of pierre cardin. I'm also going to stay away from iridium points.

 

I like to have one of each brand tbh and if one is different or interesting, I just have to have it.

[blackangus]

Only evil deals in absolutes.

 

Isn't that an absolute?

[amberleadavis]

I wouldn't buy an Authentic Models Palette for Pens glass pen again. They're pretty and beautifully packaged, but they don't write well.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5297/5432507270_4f19d7bd29_z.jpg

 

Dang, I forgot about these. YES you are correct. They don't write well. It's embarrassing really because I gave them as gifts.

[amberleadavis]

I wouldn't buy an Authentic Models Palette for Pens glass pen again. They're pretty and beautifully packaged, but they don't write well.

 

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5297/5432507270_4f19d7bd29_z.jpg

 

Oh, carp! I was going to buy that!

 

Just say no. It was so sad.

[amberleadavis]

I shall never buy anything again from Conway Stewart. Not because of the quality of their products but because of their customer support or lack of.

 

 

I'll second that. My experience with service (Mary) was fine, but the modern pens have absolutely crappy quality control. Two out of two (that makes...um... oh yeah - a 100% defect rate) were faulty. I am probably unlucky, but that is pretty ridiculous. One was machined with the threads on the wrong piece so that the section came off and stayed inside the cap every time you removed the cap. The other had the whole nib fall out on the desk the first time the cap was unscrewed. Way to go, Conway Stewart!

 

No problem at all with vintage CS, but the company has become a boutique MB wannabe, a shadow of its former self.

 

But I love the car.....

[amberleadavis]

I generally avoid Noodler's inks now.

 

I'm so sorry to hear that.... I'm a huge Noodler's ink fan. Everytime I'm "unfaithful" with a new brand, I have to learn my lesson again. Noodler's for me.

[amberleadavis]

when i first saw a lamy, i thought "how ugly"

I too think that Lamy is ugly. What did you say her phone number was?