First Dip In Gold Nibs

[Mart]

Hi everyone,

 

I have many fountain pens, but all are steel nibs. I am just about to buy my first gold nib. I've been doing a lot of reading.

My budget is around 175$ (let's say 150 to 200$). I would like suggestions as to what would be your top 3 choices in that price range.

 

Thank you.

 

Martine

[SujiCorp12345]

Sailor Pro Gear Slim- has 14K nib (~$185)

Pilot Vanishing Point- has 18K nib (~$150)

Lamy 2000- has 14K nib (~$160)

[balson]

for gold nibs its way cheaper to go vintage. you can get a vintage sheaffer with a 14k nib restored for as low as $30. in your budget it would not be hard to find a good restored vintage pen from any of the top makers. its hard to make a reccomendation withouth knowing what types of pens you like currently but parker 51's are a popular recommendation for a first vintage pen

[FoszFay]

Sailor 1911 Large (21k) - $170

Sailir 1911 Standard (21k) - $125

Sailor 1911 Standard (14k) - $100

 

All prices are from Engeika website, (you need an account to see and buy from it).

 

If you get any from him, I recommend picking up a bottle or two or Iroshizuku; only $13.50 each.

 

Tom.

[RudyR]

Platinum New Century. Best "out of the box" nibs out there. And the slip and seal cap does work. Nib dry out is keep in check.

[Baric]

Platinum 3776 Century, approx. $170

Waterman Charleston, approx. $175

Sailor Sapporo Sky Special Edition, approx. $200

 

Been thinking about the Sailor myself, I've always wanted a demonstrator, and I like the style, plus the well regarded Sailor nibs.

[tarheel1]

I got my sailor 1911 large, pilot 912, and platinum president all for under 200 each.

[Icywolfe]

PTL-5000 50 USD 14k

Wancher Painted PTL 5000 45 USD. 14k

Pilot VP 140 USD

[Keyless Works]

Can you tell us more about your preferences? What pens do you have now?

 

If you are willing to buy your pen new on eBay from a Japanese seller the Pilot Custom 742 will be hard to beat. They come in the widest range of nibs. Another good choice would be a Platinum President or a Platinum 3776 (under $100).

[TimTheZaj]

Pilot custom 742 fa ~$160

Sheaffer targa nos on ebay ~80-200

Platinum 3776 ~$90 on amazon

Sailor 1911

[ScienceChick]

for gold nibs its way cheaper to go vintage. you can get a vintage sheaffer with a 14k nib restored for as low as $30. in your budget it would not be hard to find a good restored vintage pen from any of the top makers. its hard to make a reccomendation withouth knowing what types of pens you like currently but parker 51's are a popular recommendation for a first vintage pen

Or a lovely Parker 45 for even less. +1 for vintage

[Lou Erickson]

My first gold nib was vintage. The next was a Lamy 2000, which I very much enjoy. I don't think you'd go wrong with the Pilots mentioned either.

 

OTOH, I don't think the gold nib makes that much difference. So get a pen that you like overall, rather than just one to have gold.

 

(Vintage Aurora 88? So very nice. Pelikan M400 or M600? Not sure you can swing that in your budget.)

[FoszFay]

I think you need to try a gold nib. There is a difference. I'm not sure how some people can't feel the difference. Does it not feel softer? I write with a light hand, but I can still feel the nib 'cushion' my writing.

 

Tom.

Edited September 14, 2014 by FoszFay

[zchen]

Modern

Lamy 2000

Pilot Custom 74 or Heritage 91, if preferring piston then Heritage 92.

Platinum 3776 Century

 

For the japanese pens, much cheaper to get from ebay, amazon, or rakuten dealers in japan.

 

Vintage

Sheaffer Targa or Imperial (cartridge version) will have minimum restoration effort involved.

[Algester]

modern regardless of shippin rates

Pilot Celemo 50 USD SRP in Japan could be 30-40 USD from engaika

Pilot Custom 70 USD SRP in Japan could be 50-60 USD from engaika

Platinum Standard PTL-5000 50 USD SRP in Japan again same price as Celemo

Pilot Custom 74, Stella 90, Elite 90, Cavalier, Custom 98, Custom Hertage 91, Custom Heritage 92, Platinum 3776 Century, Sailor Promenade, Platinum Standard PTL-10000 are about 100 USD SRP in Japan the Custom Heritage 91, Custom 74, Platinum 3776 Century when in black has some soft nib selections which gives it a semi-flex writing experience SF,SM, SFM are the soft nibs and can be acquired from Engaika at a lower price good luck on your selection. SERIOUSLY HOW THE HELL DOES JAPAN DO IT! <- I guess I can still attribute it to them that they take stationary goods a bit too seriously

if were going to use the conversion rate of 100 yen = 1 USD which is more or less the probable frequent case

Lamy Accent, Lamy 2000 some where 180 ish USD

Edited September 14, 2014 by Algester

[Icywolfe]

modern regardless of shippin rates

Pilot Celemo 50 USD SRP in Japan could be 30-40 USD from engaika

Pilot Custom 70 USD SRP in Japan could be 50-60 USD from engaika

Platinum Standard PTL-5000 50 USD SRP in Japan again same price as Celemo

Pilot Custom 74, Stella 90, Elite 90, Cavalier, Custom 98, Custom Hertage 91, Custom Heritage 92, Platinum 3776 Century, Sailor Promenade, Platinum Standard PTL-10000 are about 100 USD SRP in Japan the Custom Heritage 91, Custom 74, Platinum 3776 Century when in black has some soft nib selections which gives it a semi-flex writing experience SF,SM, SFM are the soft nibs and can be acquired from Engaika at a lower price good luck on your selection. SERIOUSLY HOW THE HELL DOES JAPAN DO IT! <- I guess I can still attribute it to them that they take stationary goods a bit too seriously

if were going to use the conversion rate of 100 yen = 1 USD which is more or less the probable frequent case

Lamy Accent, Lamy 2000 some where 180 ish USD

I think it's their refined manufacturing so less time to manufacture each pen. Also better perfection of the nib making so less QC'ing is needed.

[shawndp]

I think you have some excellent suggestions mentioned - I have the Sailor 1911 Large 21K and a Progear Slim 14K, Platinum 3776 14K, a couple of Vanishing points from Pilot and a 743 on the way - Japanese pens are mind-numbingly good. The 3776 specially was a tip off from a friend and I bought one and was totally impressed. I once stood in Paradise Pen contemplating buying a Conkin crescent filler but all the time thinking, If I buy this, I could be buying a 3776... If people here use the Metro as the benchmark for an entry level pen, then I use the Platinum as the yardstick for mid-level ones - and this is coming from a Waterman fanboy.... Don't get swept up in the Vintage craze - it may be right for some people but it can be hit and miss - the modern Japanese pens work right out of the box, consistently and reliably every time. The one they call Engeika is a great source - his website has most every model including the JDM ones we don't see here... There are a couple of other ebay sellers I have been lucky with too - good luck!

[PabloAU]

I think you need to try a gold nib. There is a difference. I'm not sure how some people can't feel the difference. Does it not feel softer? I write with a light hand, but I can still feel the nib 'cushion' my writing.

 

Tom.

^This. While not all gold nibs are created equal (likewise for steel), the vast majority of my gold nibs feel more "cushioned" than the vast majority of my steel nibs.

 

As for my recommendation, I'll add another vote for the Pilot Custom 742 or Pilot Custom Heritage 912, depending on your shape preferences. Remember that as they're intended primarily for the Japanese market, these pens may write finer than you're used to. Western EF = Pilot F, western F = Pilot FM, Mediums are close enough to be comparable IME.

[tonybelding]

I think you need to try a gold nib. There is a difference. I'm not sure how some people can't feel the difference. Does it not feel softer? I write with a light hand, but I can still feel the nib 'cushion' my writing.

 

Some gold nibs are hard as a nail. The one on my Hero 200A fits that category. It feels just like steel. Or, for that matter, just like a rollerball. I've also heard most 14K gold nibs from Bock and Jowo are "boring", which I assume means very firm. (I haven't tried them.) Even some of my vintage Parkers and Sheaffers have "manifold" type gold nibs that are nails.

 

Some modern 18K gold nibs are "soft". They feel sort of mushy, flabby, imprecise, almost brush-like. I don't like that. It seems like some people do like it, for some reason. I've never encountered a vintage nib with that feeling, although I'm sure some must be out there.

 

Many vintage gold nibs and a few modern ones (like my Lamy 2000) have a little bit of spring or flex that feels good to me, and it also can provide a bit of subtle line variation and expression. However, there are also a few steel nibs that can do this. I got a Baoer 388 for $5 that obviously has a steel nib, and it has a slight flex to it, so it's not something inherently magical about gold alloy.

 

If you just want to try out a nib that is not a flex nib as such, but is also not a nail and feels a bit different from the typical steel nail/rollerball feeling, then my suggestion would be either a Lamy 2000 or a semi-vintage Sheaffer Imperial or Targa. Imperials are pretty affordable and often found in good condition these days on eBay, and the cartridge-filling ones usually don't need any restoration. (And the touchdown fillers are also easy to restore.)

[Mart]

Can you tell us more about your preferences? What pens do you have now?

 

If you are willing to buy your pen new on eBay from a Japanese seller the Pilot Custom 742 will be hard to beat. They come in the widest range of nibs. Another good choice would be a Platinum President or a Platinum 3776 (under $100).

 

Yes Keyless. You are right. That would help you out in pointing me in the right direction.

I have

 

- Elysée medium nib from Germany (this was my first pen, 25 years ago)

- Waterman Expert II, medium (amazing writer but a bit broad)

- Lamy Safari medium (very good writer but a bit stiff for my taste)

- Rotring Art Pen 1.1 (a bit toothy but does the job, obviously not an everyday writer)

- Pilot Prera Medium (By far my favorite. What a great writer. Never had any skipping or dry start, every ink I tried in it performed amazingly well)

- Pilot Prera Fine (I like the fine lines, but can be quite dry depending on ink and paper, so definitely not as enjoyable as the medium. A bit toothy)

 

I'm looking for the same easiness as the Pilot Prera with maybe a bit more spring. If I could get some variation without adding pressure, it would be bonus. So basically I want a problem free, smooth everyday writer.

 

So my two favorites are the Waterman and the Prera Medium if we're talking good writers. Then I prefer the finer lines of the Prera. I was thinking of maybe getting an FM nib if I go with a Japanese brand.

 

If I had 300 or 400$ to put in the pen (which I don't), I would probably look into Omas or Pelikan. One of these days...

Edited September 14, 2014 by Mart