Work Horse Fountain Pen Under $25.

[Abdulr204]

I'm looking for a everyday work horse FP that's under $25, light and comes with a fine nib. The current front runner is a Lamy Safari. I already own a pilot metropolitan with a medium nib. Do you guys have any other suggestions?

[KBeezie]

I'm looking for a everyday work horse FP that's under $25, light and comes with a fine nib. The current front runner is a Lamy Safari. I already own a pilot metropolitan with a medium nib. Do you guys have any other suggestions?

 

Well if you already got a Metropolitan, and if budget being Right at $25 is fine, then the Classic Kaweco Sport is lighter, small, can be had in either medium or fine nib and pretty durable (maybe not as much as the AL Sport). They only take standard international cartridges though.

 

Alternatively if you just want a lighter version of your Metropolitan, you can get a Pilot 78G with a fine, medium, or broad/stub nib (japanese sizes), which takes either pilot cartridges, or the included squeeze converter. Those run for around $10 to $12, probably not as durable as a Kaweco Sport, and they are a bit longer capped than the sport.

 

Otherwise there are a number of Jinhao pens or a Nemosine, but I don't buy those anymore and you probably wouldn't like them if you already have a Pilot.

 

The Lamy Safari is decent (I have a charcoal one, with EF, F or 1.9 nib, currently the EF is installed), but it's a bit tall and only takes Lamy cartridges (though I use bottled inks so not too big a deal with the converter). But in terms of usage, I prefer using my Pilot Petit1 or Kaweco AL Sport, and I wouldn't pocket the Safari Like I would those two. (plus I'm not too comfortable with the sectioned 3-way grip of the safari).

 

Edit: The nibs, feed and section on the Pilot 78G are interchangeable with the Metropolitan. The 78G just has a screw on cap instead of a pull cap like the Metro. (the cap makes it's connection to the barrel as opposed to the section, thus why they can be interchanged)

Edited August 22, 2014 by KBeezie

[Bill Broome]

My Pilot 78g is a surprisingly good pen. I prefer it to the Metropolitan because it is much lighter, and the Metropolitan has an irritating step between the barrel and grip section.

[FountainPenCowgirl]

Safari for sure. They're durable, lightweight and have a wide range of easily swapped nibs (EF to 1.9) that offer a wide latitude of writing experiences.

 

Kaweco Sports are great fun and even more portable. But the Safari offers more flexibility.

Edited August 22, 2014 by FountainPenCowgirl

[Water Ouzel]

 

Well if you already got a Metropolitan, and if budget being Right at $25 is fine, then the Classic Kaweco Sport is lighter, small, can be had in either medium or fine nib and pretty durable (maybe not as much as the AL Sport). They only take standard international cartridges though.

Or you can use it as an eyedropper filler.

[Mezzie]

The Safari is light and durable, so I'd go for it. The easily interchangeable nibs make it a decent investment if you decide you want variety -- no need to buy a new pen.

 

Be aware that a Lamy fine is about the same as a Metro medium, so if you were thinking about going down a nib size, you might try an EF.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Mezzie

[Historian]

Another vote for the Lamy Safari. You won't be disappointed with one of those.

[Joe in Seattle]

Kaweco. Bulletproof and a great writer

[KBeezie]

Or you can use it as an eyedropper filler.

 

Classic Sport yea, but not going to do that to my AL Sport (or any metal bodied pen for that matter). Plus I'd rather syringe fill a cartridge than deal with an eye-dropper filled pen moving around in my pocket. Less mess and easier to clean up that way.

Edited August 22, 2014 by KBeezie

[smithno]

How about a Jinhao 599 (Safari Clone) or a Hero 616. I got lucky an have a couple of 616's that are very good for a $10-$15 fountain pen.

[carlos.q]

Another vote for the Lamy Safari. Just make sure that you buy a separate converter so you can use bottled ink.

Some may dislike the beveled grip, but I find it most useful to teach a proper tripod grip and light touch which is necessary for the proper enjoyment of the FP experience.

The charcoal colored Safari is my personal favorite but many prefer the aluminum model.

[lisadan]

Parker 25, if you can find one with fine nib and under $25. Price may be an issue as these sell on eBay for $15 and up. Very sturdy stainless steel pen that can take a lot of punishment.

Another option is Baoer 388, a Parker Sonnet clone. They usually sell on eBay under $10 for a single pen and $10-$25 for 2-5 pens (shipping from China included). They are listed as medium, but that is Asian medium, which is closer to Western fine.

[dgturner]

I agree with the comments about the versatility and hardiness of the Safari, and it makes a great student pen (the clip is sturdy and the pen can handle being tossed into the pocket or body of a book bag). If you are going to try carrying the pen in a shirt pocket (or a pocket in your jeans), consider the Kaweco Sport instead.

[Icywolfe]

What about the Platinum Preppy? It's like using a pen with unlimited ink supply.

[LamyOne]

Hello Abduir,

 

I have six Safaris/Al-Stars and they are all great pens. I know the Safari including a converter is really pushing your budget beyond the limit, but I think it would be the best choice in the LONG run.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Best regards,

 

Chris

[bsenn]

Parker 45, plenty on eBay under $25. Might even catch a flighter for that.

 

Light, sturdy, cart or converter, ability to change nibs easily.

 

I also second the Jinhao 599. Get one of each color for the cost of a Safari.

 

Brian

[KBeezie]

How about a Jinhao 599 (Safari Clone) or a Hero 616. I got lucky an have a couple of 616's that are very good for a $10-$15 fountain pen.

 

The Hero 616 are $2-3 pens, and the 599 typically won't sell for more than 7$ (can get them down to $2-3 overseas with free shipping) unless being resold domestically. If you paid much more than $6 for a single Hero 616 or more than $10-12 for a 3-pack you got ripped off.

 

I have the Jinhao 599 and in a batch of about 10 of them only two ever really worked decently for me, but even those two would eventually become hard-starters and need a real good flushing to get working again compared to most of my other pens. The two that worked best for me were different from the other 8, one had a hooded EF nib, and other was the 1st generation with a crimped lamy-look-alike nib, the rest were 2nd generation with the traditional looking open nibs.

 

I don't mind the 599s, but I don't really consider them a 'work horse' especially after one of the two's converters decided to completely dump the Caran d'Ache electric orange ink right out the back of the converter (where the piston knob is)... which is working again after I disassembled it completely and silicone greased the thing, but not a fun experience when you want something that works every time and it's not atypical for that brand (which I've gotten into the habit of treating like a pen that needs repair/tweaking before using for the first time).

 

I had one Hero 616 but it worked alright once I adjusted the nib and did a little smoothing on some micro-mesh. If I used it regularly it would keep flowing, but if I didn't use it for about 2 days it took a while just to get it flowing again, and I don't care for pens with those permanently built in silicone sacs, always a pain to fill completely.

Edited August 22, 2014 by KBeezie

[Bookman]

I'm looking for a everyday work horse FP that's under $25, light and comes with a fine nib. The current front runner is a Lamy Safari. I already own a pilot metropolitan with a medium nib. Do you guys have any other suggestions?

 

Not to put too fine a point on it, I would suggest another Pilot Metropolitan, only this time get an F nib. At $15 apiece, splurge! Get two or three.

Edited August 22, 2014 by Bookman

[Venemo]

I use a Parker Jotter fountain pen (the stainless steel version) as a daily workhorse. It's cheap, does the job quite well and also looks more elegant than a plastic pen.

[Tom Traubert]

I'm really into my cheaper pens atm.

 

I currently rate the following highly:

 

Lamy Safari - I have the 2013 neon yellow with a 1.1 stub. It'll make any ink look great and the converter is one of the best.

 

Jinhao X750 - cost me £3.99 and is just superb. Such a fat, wet line.

 

Pilot MR - great nib, looks cool.

 

Parker IM Premium - a much maligned pen around these parts. I only bought it because it was on offer (£13) and it's superb! The matte black is gorgeous, it's smooth and consistent and I even like the weird thin nib - it makes me feel nostalgic for my schoolboy Vectors.

 

Platinum Preppy/Plaisir - the Plaisir is a Preppy with an aluminium body. Mine actually has the nib/feed from a Preppy because the original nib was rubbish. The nib units are identical though, so it feels legit. Nice smooth line and I love the coloured nib. My Plaisir is green - I might get a red one. I have two Preppys - a yellow fine and a blue medium. Fun little pens. Credit is due to Platinum fir making an adapter that allows you to use international standard cartridges.