Pens That Unexpectedly Grow On You

[requiescat]

So I have to admit, when I bought a Binder artist's nib for my Pelikan M200 demonstrator a few years ago, I kicked myself shortly after receiving it--very fine line, sure, but I'm used to the wet noodle on my beautiful silky Waterman 52V, and the fussiness and feedback on the Binder nib didn't seem like it suited me. I'd originally thought about using it to ink art, except it turned out I'd rather use Japanese dip pens for that.

 

I put away the Binder artist's nib for a while and recently came back to it, and am surprised to find myself appreciating it a lot more precisely because it's so different from my Waterman. Right now I have the pen inked up with Iroshizuku Kon-peki and I'm really enjoying the delicacy of the experience.

 

What are your experiences with pens that unexpectedly grew on you?

[Bo Bo Olson]

MB 234 1/2 Deluxe ('52-55 only) semi-flex KOB, has a Waverly sort of tip instead of the regular K=kugal/ball on the far side of the nib, and flat under as is normal for some German pens of the era.

 

Being a 'noobi' then never saw a MB pen that looked anything like that ugly thing.

Didn't want it anyway, but it was in a lot in a live auction with the 400nn I wanted.

 

A standard sized pen, as are most of mine. Agreeable girth, and the brass piston parts that give it some back weighting was a +.

It was so odd looking....until I got the Lambrou book didn't know about the pre-war 139, which this is a more refined version. Is different than the regular 234 1/2 in it has the Meisterstuck clip and a single thick cap band instead of two smaller ones, and a regular clip. The 1 1/2 tier pen for them who wanted their 139, instead of the new 1950 junk.

 

It is my #1 pen, one with perfect balance. My top three best balanced pens are all different. This one is back heavy, my medium-long thin Geha 725 is different as is my P-75.

 

Some times what it is makes a difference. It was an MB, did have a real fancy clip, and had already moved in to my top pens in spite of being UGLY odd looking, in I liked how it wrote. The looks grew on me....it at least has more class than those Sheaffer New Balance Clones, the 146-9.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/IMAG0115-1-1-1-1.jpghttp://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/SAM_0410.jpg

Edited August 26, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[The Blue Knight]

I like you have an M200 which I was very unimpressed with as it skipped and was too fine. I started fiddling with it and started flexing the tines and thought I had done it too far as it know wrote like a blobby medium. I was pretty annoyed as I thought I had ruined the nib and ended up leaving the pen for 2 months however a few days ago I started playing with it again and finally got it to write how I wanted. It has a nice springy fine nib which has a little feedback.

[Baric]

Levenger Argento - A limited edition fountain pen made for Levenger by Stipula. It's a beautiful pen with a wonderfully smooth 14kt nib and sterling silver furniture, and it worked like a dream for the first few days. But if it sat overnight, it would dry out and require a dunking in water to start writing again. I tried all manner of things to get it stay wet longer, but I finally gave up in frustration and put it away. Fast forward 10+ years, I'm getting back into fountain pens and after a bunch of research and learning, I pull the Argento out and after fiddling a bit and giving it a through cleaning, it now works beautifully. As long as the cap is on snugly, it will stay wet for several weeks (haven't tried it any longer).

 

So it went from a exciting new acquisition, to a pen I hated, and then back to a pen I really enjoyed using, over the space of about 10 years.

 

Moral of this story is the first thing you do with a new fountain pen (or new to you) is give it a thorough flushing and cleaning. No exceptions.

 

http://home.comcast.net/~baric/images/Levenger_Argento.jpg

Edited August 26, 2014 by Baric

[firebug]

The pen that has grown on me.

 

My Pelikan grey marbled M 205.

 

When it reached me, I found it to be diminutive to the extent of looking upon it as a malnourished third world kid.

 

I washed it and inked it, and put it to paper. It exhibited certain amount of scratchiness, but in a good nice way. It was light enough for me to write faster, the nib was just about wide enough to give legible beautiful handwriting. It had that friction that is required between a tyre and road to ensure that the car doesn't skid. But smooth enough yet not to offer unnecessary resistance.

 

It is, price wise, the cheapest in my stable and yet dearer to me than a lot of other instruments. It's grown on me, like the other half does in an arranged marriage. The acquaintance has changed into bonding strong enough for me to continue with it life long till either it passes away or I do.

 

That's it.... The story has begun, and begun well.... I hope it'll continue to eternity....LOL

[shawndp]

Firebug - I too have a similar tale with my M205 - it wasn't what I expected when I got the pen and using the horrid Wancher ink in green just made for a miserable writing experience. I almost regretted making the purchase but a recent FP-meltdown has led me to revisit the pens I have and I figured I would start with one that really gets my goat and give it a second chance. Flushed and refilled with Aurora Blue I am basking in the joy that the smooth wet broad nib brings on Rhodia. I usually don't pocket-carry the same pen on consecutive days, but this is the exception. I am still not crazy about what you so eloquently describe as "malnourished" but boy does it write! Here's to the Pelikans that rock our worlds!!!!

[mrchan]

My Pelikan M800 brown Tortoiseshell. Enjoyed it somewhat for a while, the pelikan nib was alright..put it away for a good while and came back to it almost a year later to find out that I really like the way the pen writes after trying a different ink in it! What an unusual feeling.

[carlos.q]

The pen that unexpectedly grew on me? This one is easy: my 1980's MB 146 with fine nib.

I bought this pen on impulse and regretted it as soon as I received it. I put it back in its box and planned on selling it. A few months later I took it out and tried it with MB Royal blue and liked it... a bit. Filled it with MB Irish green and was blown away.

To make a long story short, it has become my desk pen. I still find it too large for EDC.

[ac12]

Baoer 388

I did not expect much from a pen that cost $6, and in a 6 pack $3.50 each.

And true to thought, it and most of the 388s that I bought needed to have the nib adjusted for proper ink flow.

But once adjusted, the M nib is a NICE writer. So much so that I keep it in regular use.