100 Dollar Budget, Help, I'm Drowning!

[sirgilbert357]

This is going to be long, so thanks in advance to those who actually read it all, LOL...

 

OK, so I'm new here and I've been lurking and researching - a lot. I'm drowning in options and information. I've figured some stuff out and narrowed down what I like and what I want -- which aren't always lining up. I need your help...

 

All I have is a Vector in Med nib right now, which I haven't used in YEARS. Found it again while moving. Got some Parker cartridges from OfficeMax tonight and came home and promptly wrote 2 - 3 pages...its heavenly -- and its just a Parker Vector for crying out loud. I have a deluxe twist piston converter coming for my Parker Vector and a buddy of mine has an unopened bottle of ink (he called it Namiki's Iroshizuku in black) he's going to give me. But, I want more...no, NEED more...

 

I will allocate a 100 dollar budget towards a small spending spree of sorts, but I need help knowing what to pick. Here's what a want out of my future pen and the ones I'm considering:

 

-Durable design. I want to be able to carry it every day and have it last.

-Piston filler. Either a twist style or a vac. Not planning to use cartridges at all...

-Screw cap; postable is highly preferred.

-Classic design. Not really a fan of the Lamy 2000, Kaweco Alsport, Pilot Metropolitan, etc. I'll get to what I DO like in a bit...

-Capacity. Is it too much to ask for at least 1ml? I can compromise on this if I have to...

-Nib. I really like the bold line my Vector in med nib writes. Any time I use a ballpoint, I prefer a 1.0 point, and for rollerballs, I prefer .7 (which tend to write more like a 1.0 in my opinion, but what do I know? So, I would say med nib, but then I know an Eastern med nib is more like a Western fine...so, what do I do if I pick out an Eastern pen, want it to write like a "Western medium", but don't want a stub "B" nib? Read on to see the pens I've picked out, maybe this won't be an issue after all...

-Not too heavy. Lighter is better for this pen. Later, I may get into some heavier FP's, but for now, I think I should stick with light resin body pens as opposed to lacquered metal, etc...

 

Wow. I'm a picky SOB, huh? Ah, but I've been researching, so here's what I've come up with that I THINK fits the list above...for the most part.

 

-TWSBI Vac700. Negatives are that its not available in solid black, which is what I'm leaning towards. But its so dang cool to watch it fill, and see the guts. Seems like the cracking issues have mostly been fixed. How do the nib sizes run? This is technically an "Eastern" nib right?

 

-TWSBI 580. An option, but I prefer the Vac 700 over this. Am I missing something? Anyone have a preference for this over the Vac, and if so, why?

 

-Parker Sonnet in all stainless steel with chrome trim. Should be very durable as far as the finish goes. Has a great classy look. I'd get it in black if I thought it would hold up just was well as the stainless steel. Downsides are no screw cap and I'm not sure if it comes with a converter. Worried it might be a little too heavy. Don't know if the Parker converter I have coming for the Vector will fit the Sonnet.

 

-Waterman Hemisphere. Also in stainless steel. Love how they did the brushing of the steel. But it only comes in fine nib...unless I go for the blue lacquer; that's like the only one I found that can be had in med nib for some reason. Might be too thin?

 

Way over budget but, what I REALLY like right now: Pelikan M200, M205; Platinum 3776; Namiki Falcon in soft Med nib.

 

Those are gorgeous. But I feel like i need to pay my dues so to speak with some more entry level options.

 

So you know what I'm looking at, you know what I like the looks of, and you know what qualities I'm looking for. Anyone got any feedback on the pens I've picked out or can you recommend something I haven't thought of yet (please don't say Pilot 78, lol).

Edited September 20, 2014 by sirgilbert357

[mooshi]

The Pelikan M205 is half price currently at Pen Chalet if you wanna swing the whole budget at it ($97.50). I've got one and it's great.

 

Is that a "no" to cartridges AND converters?

 

How about eyedropper pens?

Edited September 20, 2014 by mooshi

[Notgatherox]

The TWSBI 580 would be my recommendation. But it's 40g (IIRC) and a little heavy.

 

On the other hand, my Pelikan M200 is light, at 14g.

 

The Platinum 3776 is a c&c pen, no?

 

 

~Epic

[sirgilbert357]

The Pelikan M205 is half price currently at Pen Chalet if you wanna swing the whole budget at it ($97.50). I've got one and it's great.

 

Is that a "no" to cartridges AND converters?

 

How about eyedropper pens?

 

Uh, I'm fine with converters...I think? I just want to be able to use bottled ink and would prefer the twist piston style converter as opposed to the cheaper slide kind or the bag (bladder, aeromatic, whatever they're called) kind. No cartridges for me, thats all I meant...

 

Eyedroppers...hmmm. I'd like to try it. Maybe I'll get a Preppy and do the conversion. But that would just be a fun beater pen to mess around with...

 

Edit: oh and I would love to buy this right now (especially if the M205 is on sale!), but I have to sell some stuff first. I have a deal with my wife on this, LOL.

Edited September 20, 2014 by sirgilbert357

[inkeverywhere]

Do yourself a favour, take the time to go to a local reputable pen dealer and pick up the actual pens you are considering and feel for yourself what they are like in hand. Where I shop for new FPs (Brisbane, Australia) they will allow me to dip test the nib and write with it.

 

You will get hundreds of differing opinions on how you should spend your money, all of which are based on the author's personal preferences, none of which are necessarily wrong, but maybe an opinion that does not suit you. A great example of this being, I am a Lamy fan and would recomend that brand however you have said in your post you are not.

 

I have bought many a FP online line based on what I have read, all positive, but have been disappointed with how it feels or writes when I actually use it.

[sirgilbert357]

The TWSBI 580 would be my recommendation. But it's 40g (IIRC) and a little heavy.

 

On the other hand, my Pelikan M200 is light, at 14g.

 

The Platinum 3776 is a c&c pen, no?

 

 

~Epic

 

OK, so why the TWSBI 580 and not the Vac 700? Tell me what drives your preference for the 580. And yeah, 40g might be a little porky...lol.

 

Not sure what C&C means?

[risingsun]

I recommend going with a Pelikan M205. Great entry level Pelikan, with a solid bloodline. If you're not going to consider the Lamy 2000, the M205 (or M200) is the next best thing in that price range, in my opinion.

 

The other option is to consider watching for a used Namiki Falcon... They show up in the $100 range, lightly used, with some regularity on the FPN classifieds.

[sirgilbert357]

Do yourself a favour, take the time to go to a local reputable pen dealer and pick up the actual pens you are considering and feel for yourself what they are like in hand. Where I shop for new FPs (Brisbane, Australia) they will allow me to dip test the nib and write with it.

 

You will get hundreds of differing opinions on how you should spend your money, all of which are based on the author's personal preferences, none of which are necessarily wrong, but maybe an opinion that does not suit you. A great example of this being, I am a Lamy fan and would recomend that brand however you have said in your post you are not.

 

I have bought many a FP online line based on what I have read, all positive, but have been disappointed with how it feels or writes when I actually use it.

 

I would love to, but I have no idea where I could go locally to see any of these. I'm in Dallas, TX...I know there is a pen show coming soon, but I doubt I'll be able to make it...

[sirgilbert357]

I recommend going with a Pelikan M205. Great entry level Pelikan, with a solid bloodline. If you're not going to consider the Lamy 2000, the M205 (or M200) is the next best thing in that price range, in my opinion.

 

The other option is to consider watching for a used Namiki Falcon... They show up in the $100 range, lightly used, with some regularity on the FPN classifieds.

 

Yeah, I just can't do the Lamy...its just not attractive to me (sorry everyone who loves them). Good info, I'll keep an eye out in the classifieds too...

[tinysnail]

Add me to the list of those recommending the Pelikan M200/M205. Light pens, comfortable in my hands, great ink capacity, smooth piston mechanism, easy to clean, interchangeable nibs. Win-win-win-win, etc. in my books.

[Notgatherox]

 

OK, so why the TWSBI 580 and not the Vac 700? Tell me what drives your preference for the 580. And yeah, 40g might be a little porky...lol.

 

Not sure what C&C means?

 

Cartridge converter pen.

 

Because it's a easier fill for the 580, and there's a safety shut off feature on the 700 that makes it write dry after a couple of pages, then you'll have to unscrew to lift the feature up.

 

More ink = if it spills more trouble!

 

 

~Epic

[sirgilbert357]

 

Cartridge converter pen.

 

Because it's a easier fill for the 580, and there's a safety shut off feature on the 700 that makes it write dry after a couple of pages, then you'll have to unscrew to lift the feature up.

 

More ink = if it spills more trouble!

 

 

~Epic

Is there not a way for the Vac to write constantly for more than just two pages? Anyway around that? I thought it could be "locked open" basically for continuos ink flow.

[Notgatherox]

Is there not a way for the Vac to write constantly for more than just two pages? Anyway around that? I thought it could be "locked open" basically for continuos ink flow.

 

There is a way, in fact two, around that. Either you unscrew, or remove the o ring. That increase possibility of spillage though.

 

 

~Epic

[Lou Erickson]

I just got one of the Pelikan M205's from Pen Chalet and think it's a really nice pen. You sound like you want a broad nib, and the light piston filler will make you smile.

 

If you can handle the pens, do so - that is a HUGE help.

 

Is the Vector too large or too small for you? The M205 is a little bigger, but not too much. I like the M205, but wouldn't want much smaller - the Vector is too narrow for me to write much with it. I have a number of sleek, attractive pens I feel that way about, sadly. They're great to carry, but not to write long form with.

[ac12]

Sonnet

Converter: The Sonnet will take a standard Parker screw piston converter.

Finish: None of the painted/lacquer finishes will stand up to wear like a stainless steel finish. There is a reason a bunch of us like the flighter finish, it is DURABLE.

Weight: I do not have the flighter Sonnet so I can't say for certain, but if it is made like the older flighters, the metal is thin, so it is not a HEAVY pen.

 

A vintage Parker 45 may fit your bill. You can probably buy 3 of them for $100. The P45 is also available in a flighter finish, but there are several versions of the P45 flighter. And the P45 also takes the screw converter. The nib on the P45 is user replaceable, so if you don't like the nib on the pen, you can unscrew the nib and replace it. The trick is finding a replacement nib, now that the pen is out of production.

 

But, the M200/205 at about $100 sounds like what you really want. So go for it...before the price goes up.

[FarmBoy]

Usual answer: Red Band 51 though it essentially meets none of your criteria.

 

At your price point you will need to look for a while but still doable.

Edited September 20, 2014 by FarmBoy

[pendexter]

I purchased a used Pilot Custom Heritage for $100. You can find them occasionally on the classifieds, or eBay/Craigslist. It fits all of your parameters:

 

-Durable design. I want to be able to carry it every day and have it last. (I have no problem carrying mine)

-Piston filler. Either a twist style or a vac. Not planning to use cartridges at all... (twist)

-Screw cap; postable is highly preferred. (screw, postable)

-Classic design. Not really a fan of the Lamy 2000, Kaweco Alsport, Pilot Metropolitan, etc. I'll get to what I DO like in a bit... (it's a classic demonstrator)

-Capacity. Is it too much to ask for at least 1ml? I can compromise on this if I have to... (1.5 ml)

-Nib. I really like the bold line my Vector in med nib writes. Any time I use a ballpoint, I prefer a 1.0 point, and for rollerballs, I prefer .7 (which tend to write more like a 1.0 in my opinion, but what do I know? So, I would say med nib, but then I know an Eastern med nib is more like a Western fine...so, what do I do if I pick out an Eastern pen, want it to write like a "Western medium", but don't want a stub "B" nib? Read on to see the pens I've picked out, maybe this won't be an issue after all... (get a broad)

-Not too heavy. Lighter is better for this pen. Later, I may get into some heavier FP's, but for now, I think I should stick with light resin body pens as opposed to lacquered metal, etc... (It's pretty light)

edit: broad, not bold :/

Edited September 20, 2014 by pendexter

[ac12]

Parker 51 Aerometric with a wet M nib.

- pull cap

- the aerometric is a squeeze fill mechanism, but the sack should last you your lifetime.

[prf5]

Check out the Aurora Ipsilon. Current prices for a new Epsilon on eBay range from about $75 to $125.

[FarmBoy]

Parker 51 Aerometric with a wet M nib.

- pull cap

- the aerometric is a squeeze fill mechanism, but the sack should last you your lifetime.

Doesn't meet many more of the criteria than my Red Band 51.

But a good second choice.