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If You Could Limit Yourself To 5 Pens, Which Ones?


akafridi3

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That's like asking which body part I thought I could do without.

 

For beautiful performance, I would keep a Lamy Al-Star, Pilot Plumix, Cross ATX Maltese Jade, and Parker Challenger.

 

For value, my Parker Vacumatic! (It still needs a diaphragm, so it's not up and running, though in perfect condition otherwise. I imagine it would also fit in the awesome-performance-category.)

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Easy. I can limit myself to just one pen in Japanese EF nib.

 

5 pens would be PO, 2 x EF and 2 x F.

 

I'd pick Pilot for the brand.

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That's like asking which body part I thought I could do without.

 

 

I could do without my beer belly.

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Let me see...

Parker Sonnet, Parker 75, Montblanc 90th, Parker 180, Pilot Varsity, and... wait, that's five.

-William S. Park

“My two fingers on a typewriter have never connected with my brain. My hand on a pen does. A fountain pen, of course. Ball-point pens are only good for filling out forms on a plane. - Graham Greene

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Yard-O-Led Victoria Grand

Nakaya Neo

Pilot Raden VP

Delta Dolce Vita Oro

Pelikan Sovereign M1005

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Of the pens I currently own:

 

- Newton Pens custom - fine stub - because Shawn is awesome and makes awesome pens

- Baoer 388 - medium - I've been using this pen to test new inks and I can't stop now

- Kaweco Classic Sport - fine - this one lives in my pocket and I'd be lost without it

- Pilot 78G - fine - my journaling pen (doesn't get nearly enough use, but maybe next year..)

- Sheaffer No Nonsense - fine italic - my wife says this pen makes my handwriting almost legible (and since you said "pens", I'm keeping the nibs from my other No Nonsense pens!)

 

I'm cheating a bit, because my Newton Pen hasn't actually been made yet, so for the next couple of days substitute my Noodler's Konrad Ebonite Dixie #10 - my newest pen (It's only going to be a couple of days, right Shawn?)

 

Edited because I forgot to answer the "...and why?" part...

Edited by keo
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It's a difficult choice but I guess it would be:

Montblanc 146 - F nib

Montblanc 234 1/2 - BB nib

Pelikan 100N - M nib

Pelikan 400NN - B nib

Pelikan 400 - KM nib

 

As to why: it's all about the wonderful nibs!

Edited by carlos.q
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Mines would be:

 

Waterman 52 - full flex - love the variation you can get from this nib. Helps me write bold or fine depending on pressure, good for note taking.

Edison fountain pen in green swirl ebonite - Just love the way the ebonite looks, it reminds me of aurora borealis

Parker 51 kullock vacumatic demonstrator - easy to fill, easy uncap system, doesn't get too much attention, can see ink level.

Pilot Custom Heritage 92 blue demonstator - love everything about this pen, the looks, the springy nib, the sword like clip, can be used posted and unposted,smooth piston filler

A clipless Nakaya sometime in the future - beautiful simple designs, probably with double-broad stub/ cursive italic

Edited by akafridi3
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1) Sheaffer Balance Vac-Fill with Radius clip -- because it is beautiful/quirky, super-functional, smells nice, reliable

2) Waterman full-flex BCHR or early celluloid -- expressive/brushlike, flex that doesn't quit

3) Kaweco V16 set with OB nib -- great balance of portability and ink capacity, and an awesome nib when tuned right

4) Pilot Vanishing Point Stealth or old-style faceted -- great nibs — that actually feel like FP nibs — at a click

5) Sailor Sapporo -- because it just does everything right and has the grace and detail of older pens, but no need to coddle it. Great nibs

 

I could go on, but if I HAD to stop at 5, there they are

 

PS — OP asked "why," people. Tell us *why* you love them

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It's a tough challenge.


Sheaffer Imperial VI touchdown-filler with matching pencil -- because it's iconic Sheaffer and a perfect writer.


Sheaffer Triumph brown striped vac-fill desk pen -- because I liked to have a desk pen around, and this is my favorite of them all.


Wahl Monitor with flex nib -- because everyone needs some flex.


Bexley Corona with Binder stub nib -- because everyone needs some stub.


Hero 220A stainless steel -- because it's slim and rugged and can go everywhere.


Ask me tomorrow and you might get a completely different selection.
Edited by tonybelding
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I could limit myself to three and survive.

My Binder needlepoint full flex nib, my Pendleton Brown .7 butter stub, and my Mike Masuyama fine left oblique.

Add to that my glass pen for testing inks, and my dip nib holder for practicing some of the poorest penmanship seen in generations, and I'd be perfectly content.

 

Edison pens are far and away my favorite bodies, two of the nibs above are in Menlos. If I had nothing but Edisons I'd be good with that.

Edited by AllenG
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I would have to randomly pick 5 and then crawl into a hole and mourn the loss of my others.

I would never emerge, but just sit there rocking and weeping uncontrollably.

Sometimes the cat needs a new cat toy. And sometimes I need a new pen.

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It's a silly question, but I'll bite.

 

I want at least one Noodler's Konrad, preferably an acrylic or ebonite version. Actually, let me have 2: one with a flex nib, and one with a Goulet stub nib. The Konrad is one of my favorites. It writes well. The flex nib is great for daily writing, and the Goulet nib gives me some variety. If I had to choose one fountain pen, I think I might choose a Konrad.

 

I want my Pilot Custom 823. It's just a great writer and it fits together beautifully.

 

I want my Pilot Justus 95. Its flex is fun, and the ability to change to "hard" gives it some versatility.

 

Since I need 5: how about my Noodler's Neponset? It's unique and kind of fun.

Proud resident of the least visited state in the nation!

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:gaah: Oh, I hate these kinds of questions.

Okay, hmmm. Assuming we're talking about pens actually owned, and not grail pens....

1) Parker 51 Demi (Plum, M-ish nib). Because, duh -- it's a Plum 51. Also, it's a great writer.

2) Pelikan 400 (Brown Tortoise F nib). Beautiful, and the nib is just amazing.

3) Noodler's Ebonite Konrad (Methuselah's Pine Cone Ripple, flex nib). Perfect size and balance, piston filler, and for some reason it's always the one that gets the "hey, nice pen" comments from people.

4) Parker Vector (blue, F nib). Yeah, it's just a Vector. But this one is my baby, my gateway pen; misplaced for a month, during which time it sat in the bottom of my husband's car in 20° weather, and when I got it back it started right up like I'd just capped it 5 minutes before.

5) Parker Vacumatic (F nib). Haven't quite narrowed down which yet: the Azure Blue Pearl Deb (sub-Deb) is probably the prettiest; the Silver Pearl Vac Major holds the most ink; and the Shadow Wave is just unique (but it's currently in serious need of repairs :glare:). Why a Vac? They hold a ton of ink so they write and write and write.

 

Honorable mentions: Parker 54 M nib; Noodler's (standard resin) Konrad, Flex nib; Sheaffer Snorkel Valiant (not sure what size nib it has); Esterbrook J (probably one of the blue ones, but haven't figured out what nib yet...).

 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

"It's very nice, but frankly, when I signed that list for a P-51, what I had in mind was a fountain pen."

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If they set a limit
of five pens only
which would I pick,
I have so many?

Not Parson’s Essential
that I do know!
With its fine italic nib
I can’t let it go.

And Noodler’s Ahab
not that pen either
without its fun flex
who would know my true signature?

My Levenger, True Writer
a fine pen indeed
when writing a letter
it’s just what I need.

Especially not my Waterman,
it was my first pen
for we’ve been together
since “I don’t know when.”

An ode to the Captain
is certainly due.
Dear Captain’s Commission
I won’t give up you!

With tears in my eyes
as I look at my pens,
I seek your forgiveness
and make my amends.
How could I ever
send any of you away?
Even the thought
has darkened my day.

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Hi,

 

It's kind of hard for me to just pick five pens, but I can try

 

I would have my Pilot Myu M90 fine nib with a Pilot Con-20 converter

Pilot Décimo pink fine nib with a Pilot Con-20 converter

Pilot Décimo violet extra fine with a Pilot Con-20 converter

Aurora Optima full size with a medium nib

Sailor Professional Gear Slim Mini Morita with a hard medium fine nib and a custom piston converter

 

I'd be loath to leave behind my Aurora 98 and 88 pens, my mini Optima, Pilot Custom 74 with a Con-70 converter.

 

Dillon

Stolen: Aurora Optima Demonstrator Red ends Medium nib. Serial number 1216 and Aurora 98 Cartridge/Converter Black bark finish (Archivi Storici) with gold cap. Reward if found. Please contact me if you have seen these pens.

Please send vial orders and other messages to fpninkvials funny-round-mark-thing gmail strange-mark-thing com. My shop is open once again if you need help with your pen.

Will someone with the name of "Jay" who emailed me through the email system provide me an email address? There was no email address provided, so I can't write back.

Dillon

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