Recommendations, Please.

[siovale]

Hello everyone,

 

As a neophyte, I am now the proud owner of a Sailor Pro Gear with a broad (medium) 1911 21k gold nib and a Waterman Exception Night and Day with a broad 18k gold nib. I love them both, but I think the Waterman is absolute heaven and my preferred one of the two. (Perhaps, because it was the more expensive (?), although I'm sure that more expensive doesn't always mean better ).

 

When I write, I want the smoothest nib possible with great ink flow, and like to use only vibrant coloured inks, hence my predilection for Pilot's Iroshizuku inks. Montreal seems to be very limited in the number of pen shops one or two, and we are down to one really good shop for Rhodia or Apica Premium C.D. notebooks. (That I know of, at least). *sigh*

Obviously, I have been bitten by the fountain pen bug and am contemplating the purchase of a new pen that would fit into the CA$300 to CA$600 range. I love the anticipation as much as the ownership of these beautiful instruments. At this time, I'm not interested in vintage pens, only those that are presently available from the brands that exist on the market.

 

So, I would be really, really grateful if you, who have all the experience that I am presently lacking, would be so kind as to give me your recommendations for fountain pens that fit my fountain pen dreams. Pens that I will have fun trying out, if I can find them. Of course, if the pen is beautiful, too, that would be an added bonus. )))

 

Thank you kindly.

[WateryFlow]

 

When I write, I want the smoothest nib possible with great ink flow, and like to use only vibrant coloured inks, hence my predilection for Pilot's Iroshizuku inks. Montreal seems to be very limited in the number of pen shops one or two, and we are down to one really good shop for Rhodia or Apica Premium C.D. notebooks. (That I know of, at least). *sigh*

You really don't have to spend anything like that amount you've stated there - at that price you're just buying a gold nib (more than 14k gold is normally a waste because it's way too malleable, and for what you want any gold nib is a waste of money because it has nothing to do with smoothness or flow), a brand name, and some expensive materials on the barrel. Sorry to be a kiljoy

 

At the lower price points the focus is more likely to be on it's ability to write well

 

You could try something like a Pilot Elite 95s or a Pelikan m200. Both look stylish and the E95s looks very unique

Edited January 9, 2015 by WateryFlow

[siovale]

You really don't have to spend anything like that amount you've stated there - at that price you're just buying a gold nib (more than 14k gold is normally a waste because it's way too malleable, and for what you want any gold nib is a waste of money), a brand name, and some expensive materials on the barrel.

 

At the lower price points the focus is more likely to be on it's ability to write well

 

If you're not interested in the lower end pens which will be mmore than enough for what you want, you could try something like a Pilot Elite 95s or a Pelikan m200

 

Thank you so much for your honesty. )) I really, really appreciate it. I am definitely more interested in pens that write properly than anything else, especially that write really smoothly. Could you suggest some lower priced pens that would fit the bill for me and that I could go and try out? Thank you.

[WateryFlow]

 

Thank you so much for your honesty. )) I really, really appreciate it. I am definitely more interested in pens that write properly than anything else, especially that write really smoothly. Could you suggest some lower priced pens that would fit the bill for me and that I could go and try out? Thank you.

Sure. The smoothest gushing writer I have is the Jinhao 3000, but I doubt it's your style. Then there's the Jinhao 650 rosewood which is my second fave for smooth writing experience.

Edited January 9, 2015 by WateryFlow

[j.a.j.]

In my somewhat limited experience Sailor pens have a small golden spot and are quite demanding about the angle you hold the pen. However on the golden spot it should be very very smooth if on tune. Have you thought about sending the pen to a Nibmeister for tuning?

 

It might be good idea to use first a few different cheaper pens for some time before buying more expensive ones. You get more feel what kind of pens you prefer (size, weight, shape, nib type, nib stiffens etc.). I myself ended buying quite many small to medium sized fountain pens before i found out that large sized worked best for me..

 

Faber Castell makes some really nice relatively medium to heavy pens (Basic, Loom, Ondoro and E-motion) that out of the box have very smooth nibs. They all have their peculiarities (some think that Loom is a bit slippery, Basic's back heavy) but the nibs are amazing.

 

Of the more inexpensive pens Pilot Metropolitan and Prera both are nice and you can use the nibs from Penmanship and 78G so you can switch between EF, F, M and stub nibs easily. Both are sized about the same as Pelikan M205 which is also a nice pen although maybe a bit overpriced in my opinion.

 

If you want to try big & heavy pens the Jinhao 159 is a good choice although you might end up with a bad specimen. Mr Pen's Italix pen's have some of the smoothest stubs you can have for their price. They are all heavy, some medium sized and some quite large.

 

Indian pen companies make some really nice light ebonite pens. From Asapens and Ranga (contact user mpkandan for the latter) you get nice small to huge sized ebonite pens with German JoWo nib units which allow for c/c use & easy switching of nibs if you get, for example from Goulet Pens, a set of different #6 nibs.

Edited January 9, 2015 by j.a.j.

[siovale]

Sure. The smoothest gushing writer I have is the Jinhao 3000, but I doubt it's your style. Then there's the Jinhao 650 rosewood which is my second fave for smooth writing experience.

 

Not my style, aesthetically do you mean? The pens are beautiful to look at and if they write smoothly, I'll order one right now. Would AliExpress be a good place, or should I get it from Amazon?

[siovale]

In my somewhat limited experience Sailor pens have a small golden spot and are quite demanding about the angle you hold the pen. However on the golden spot it should be very very smooth if on tune. HAve you thought about sending the pen to a Nibmeister for tuning.

 

It might be good idea to use first a few different cheaper pens for some time before buying more expensive ones. You get more feel what kind of pens you prefer (size, weight, shape, nib type, nib stiffens etc.). I myself ended buying quite many small to medium sized fountain pens before i found out that large sized worked best for me..

 

Faber Castell makes some really nice relatively medium to heavy pens (Basic, Loom, Ondoro and E-motion) that out of the box have very smooth nibs. They all have their peculiarities (some think that Loom is a bit slippery, Basic's back heavy) but the nibs are amazing.

 

Of the more inexpensive pens Pilot Metropolitan and Prera both are nice and you can use the nibs from Penmanship and 78G so you can switch between EF, F, M and stub nibs easily. Both are sized about the same as Pelikan M205 which is also a nice pen although maybe a bit overpriced in my opinion.

 

If you want to try big & heavy pens the Jinhao 159 is a good choice although you might end up with a bad specimen. Mr Pen's Italix pen's have some of the smoothest stubs you can have for their price. They are all heavy, some medium sized and some quite large.

 

Indians make some really nice light ebonite pens. From Asapens and Ranga (contact user mpkandan for the latter) you get nice small to huge sized ebonite pens with German JoWo nib units which allow for c/c use & easy switching of nibs if you get, for example from Goulet Pens, a set of different #6 nibs.

 

Thank you for your feedback. As I said, I love my Waterman, but it was expensive. I like the weight and I also seem to prefer a larger sized pen. I'm going to have to ask, here, if someone knows of a nibmeister in Montreal. Searching on Google gave me nothing. The Mr. Pen's pens look really good. I'm looking right now at the Parson's Essential. They have this pen with a gold nib, too, but is it worth the difference in price?

 

Faber Castel will be easier for me to find here. I'll look into their pens, especially the ones you suggested.

[WateryFlow]

 

Not my style, aesthetically do you mean? The pens are beautiful to look at and if they write smoothly, I'll order one right now. Would AliExpress be a good place, or should I get it from Amazon?

Yes sorry, thats what I meant - aesthetically. It's a bit over the top for most but I think it has a certain charm to it . It's also very heavy because it's made of brass. I buy pens from ebay but Amazon and AliExpress should be ok too.

Edited January 9, 2015 by WateryFlow

[siovale]

Yes sorry, thats what I meant - aesthetically. It's a bit over the top for most but I think it has a certain charm to it . It's also very heavy because it's made of brass. I buy pens from ebay but Amazon and AliExpress should be ok too.

 

Thank you for getting back to me. I could try ebay. I think it does have a certain charm. I like heavy. The Waterman is much heavier than the Sailor. Besides, I like fancy looking pens. Really fancy pens usually cost thousands of dollars which is beyond my means. I'm really surprised, though, that a gold nib doesn't affect the smoothness of a pen. Really surprised. I would have thought it would have made all the difference...

[j.a.j.]

There are some very nice heavy pens to be had for less than thousands. Yard-O-Led, Graf Von Faber Castell, St. Dupont and Visconti for example make some really nice ones.

 

Pilot's Vanishing point is very convenient pen. Visconti makes fancier retractable pen but it is not as well engineered and it's nib dries more easily.

[siovale]

There are some very nice heavy pens to be had for less than thousands. Yard-O-Led, Graf Von Faber Castell, St. Dupont and Visconti for example make some really nice ones.

 

Pilot's Vanishing point is very convenient pen. Visconti makes fancier retractable pen but it is not as well engineered and it's nib dries more easily.

 

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will see where I can try these out.

[WateryFlow]

 

Thank you for getting back to me. I could try ebay. I think it does have a certain charm. I like heavy. The Waterman is much heavier than the Sailor. Besides, I like fancy looking pens. Really fancy pens usually cost thousands of dollars which is beyond my means. I'm really surprised, though, that a gold nib doesn't affect the smoothness of a pen. Really surprised. I would have thought it would have made all the difference...

It's just the tipping that affects the smoothness - the actual nib material has nothing to do it.

 

In decades previously, gold was sought out over steel because it meant it would last longer and because gold nibs were more likely to be of higher quality for the simple reason that you paid more. Steel in those days was nothing like as good as it is now, so in 2015 there isn't really any difference except for price. Of course, some people like to have a gold nib in the same way that people like to have a super expensive car that they never use - ie it's nice to own

Edited January 9, 2015 by WateryFlow

[PAKMAN]

I think the Pilot Justus 95 may be just the pen you are looking for.

[Arkanabar]

HisNibs.com (no affiliation) has a whackload of nice, modestly priced Chinese pens, often of solid brass construction, with aesthetics varying from restrained to astonishingly gaudy. The owner doesn't ship a pen without making sure that the nib tipping is properly aligned and free from serious defects like baby bottom.

[siovale]

I think the Pilot Justus 95 may be just the pen you are looking for.

Looks very similar to my Sailor, Pakman.

[siovale]

HisNibs.com (no affiliation) has a whackload of nice, modestly priced Chinese pens, often of solid brass construction, with aesthetics varying from restrained to astonishingly gaudy. The owner doesn't ship a pen without making sure that the nib tipping is properly aligned and free from serious defects like baby bottom.

Thank you, Arkanabar, I will visit HisNibs.com, especially in light of what WateryFlow says about gold nibs not being any better than good tipping.

[siovale]

So, other than being able to drive a Rolls Royce instead of a cheaper car, when it comes to writing implements, why buy pens that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars?

 

*baffled*

[Stu L]

 

The Mr. Pen's pens look really good. I'm looking right now at the Parson's Essential. They have this pen with a gold nib, too, but is it worth the difference in price?

 

The best mid range pen Ive ever tried. Beautifully smooth and a delight to hold. I only have the steel nib sadly, but as they're hand finished, I doubt you can go wrong with either.

 

Best bet is to spend some time working out what you like on a pen. That way you end up with something you adore

[Buzz_130]

The Japanese companies make some of the smoothest nibs today. Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum still make their own nibs, and each company has their own "feel." if you find that your Sailor Pro Gear nib isn't your favorite, it's going to be a tough search finding one that meets your expectations.

 

The modern pens that match my Japanese pens are actually bought from online stores run by nibmeisters who tune each nib before it leaves the shop. I have a Pelikan M805 tuned by Richard Binder that is a true pleasure to use. It's a great weight, a piston-filler renown for holding lots of ink, and an attractive nib. I also have an Onoto Winston Churchill from Mr. Binder that writes with a rich, wet line. In fact, I ended up asking for a smaller nib than the 18k M that I bought with the pen. I bought a steel Onoto nib in F from Mr. Binder, and I doubt you would be able to tell the difference in the gold vs. steel until you saw the width of the line on the paper. Unfortunately, Mr. Binder is no longer selling new pens (although you can readily find him at pen shows with is wife Barbara as they manage a long line of people waiting for him to work on their nibs).

 

If you are really looking for that perfect touch of nib to paper, I recommend looking at pen stores run by nibmeisters. I can honestly say there's a difference.

 

Buzz

[Parker51]

If you are going to spend the money, I suggest you take a look at Edison Pens. They will make a custom pen for you to your specifications in the material, color, filling mechanism and nib of your choice. And it will write smoothly, or they will fix the problem.. If you meet with them in person, they will tune the nib to your writing style and position directly. They are not very far away from you, just one Province and State away in Ohio, near Cleveland, about a 45 minute flight.