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Not Sure If Fountain Pens Are For Me – Can’T Find A Good Writer


Danny Kaffee

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I am new back into the world of fountain pens. From 1999-2003 I collected a number of Parkers (several Duofolds, 51’s, Sonnet’s) but then sold nearly everything off by 2003. I still have a Sonnet FP and three 51’s from that time.

 

Recently I decided to get back into the fountain pen world. I’m an attorney and write frequently and I love the look and nostalgia of a good fountain pen. But here’s my problem—I can’t find a FP that writes smoothly and reliably.

 

Here’s what I have (some purchased recently) and why they don’t work for me:

 

Parker IM – Medium nib. Fairly smooth but appears to have a case of baby’s bottom (it’s a hard starter)

Parker Sonnet – Medium nib. Feels scratchy.

Platinum Balance – Medium nib. Feels scratchy.

Pilot Metropolitan – Fine nib. Feels scratchy. (Ordered medium nib but received fine. Have returned and expect a replacement to be sent).

All of the 51’s – Feel scratchy.

 

Here’s the kicker—I have a Pilot Varsity FP that cost $3-$4 and it’s the best writer of the bunch. But I don’t like its cheap and non-traditional look.

 

Does anyone have advice as to what I can get that will feel smooth with a medium nib that’s around $100 or less? BTW – I prefer traditional looking FP’s. I’m not looking for something like a Lamy Safari or most of the TWSBI’s.

 

I’d also like to add that I don’t think it’s my writing style. I have a pretty light grip and pressure, and, as stated above, the Pilot Varsity feels pretty good. Perhaps I should get a tune up kit and polish the nibs so they feel a bit smoother? I’m perplexed.

Edited by Danny Kaffee
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Hello Danny..

Have you considered a Pelikan? I think the new Cafe Creme m200 would look nice in your setting.

If the m200 is too small .. you can certainly move up to m600 to m1000. Best of luck in your quest 😉

"And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.". Matthew 4:19

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Buy a nicely restored Esterbrook J with a new (NOS) medium nib. Classic look, confortable, reliable and smooth. You'll expend much less than the $100 you're supposed to.

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Hello Danny..

Have you considered a Pelikan? I think the new Cafe Creme m200 would look nice in your setting.

If the m200 is too small .. you can certainly move up to m600 to m1000. Best of luck in your quest

Pelikan is an excellent advice....

 

Also German, diplomat is excellent I have 2 excellence A pens...

 

Steel nibs are very smoooooooth

Das leben ist wie ein Perpetuum Mobile mit ein Mangel..... Immer im Bewegung jedoch nicht unendlich. (life is like a troubled Perpetuum Mobile ever moving but not for ever)

Tricked throughout the centuries...

For centuries people had been tricked by kings & "religion-alism"

In the 20th century people got tricked by communism

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Parson's Italix Essential from Mr Pen will sort you out. Get the medium (non-italic) nib and that'll work for you. Classical, and writes well. if you are outside of the EU, you will get the VAT back, which will lessen the postage charges.

 

If that's not your bag, the Platinum Century will work well - go for the medium nib and if your budget will take it, the Diplomat pens make nice writers, but they have "nice" prices. Also the Visconti Rembrandt is a nice pen, and comes with a range of beautiful colours - Italian flair - and it writes well.

 

I have found my Parkers to be very fussy about the ink they take - so much so that in some cases I just use the Parker Cartridges, as some of my J Herbin & Diamine inks just don't flow.

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Out of that many scratchy pens, surely some of them (likely all) just need tine alignment. A 10X or 15X loupe and a few minutes with a thumbnail would have them writing smoothly. Poor tine alignment, even in new pens, is so common it is not even worth comment. If you find pens in the wild, it almost a sure thing.

 

Have you given the hard starter a good try? Sometimes these will just come to you after you write with them a lot for a few days.

Can a calculator understand a cash register?

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Have you given the hard starter a good try? Sometimes these will just come to you after you write with them a lot for a few days.

 

I have not. I'm probably going to give this one the most use and see if it resolves itself through use.

 

Thanks to everyone for the replies so far. I'd really like this to work.

Edited by Danny Kaffee
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A pilot of any kind: Like a VP. A 912 would look specially elegant and is a smooth writer. You have a choice of many nibs.

 

I would not disregard the idea of a J model Esterbrook in GRAY, it would look very nice! buy restored!

 

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i82/anangeli/PENS/ESTER/ESTERGREY_zps7251f846.jpg

Edited by Oldtimer
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You can always hide a slightly inferior nib by getting a pen that write much wetter (But then you get into the problem of ink running out quickly. Just fill more often and buy more ink!)

 

If you write large, like me, a broad nib may be better -- since the pressure is distributed over more area, you'll feel less scratchiness.

 

Try out a Pilot or Pelikan broad, I would say

Visconti Homo Sapiens; Lamy 2000; Unicomp Endurapro keyboard.

 

Free your mind -- go write

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Out of that many scratchy pens, surely some of them (likely all) just need tine alignment. A 10X or 15X loupe and a few minutes with a thumbnail would have them writing smoothly. Poor tine alignment, even in new pens, is so common it is not even worth comment. If you find pens in the wild, it almost a sure thing.

 

Have you given the hard starter a good try? Sometimes these will just come to you after you write with them a lot for a few days.

This is sound advice. You seem to have some nice pens in the Sonnet, the 51s and the Balance, the IM isn't bad and the Metro is also quite decent. I would start with tine alignment. I've followed this advice myself and I've gotten my scratchy nibs to perform as they should. Loupes and mylar sheets (if required) are a good way to go. I would really give this a go before spending a lot of money on a new pen. It also depends on the paper you are using - that might also be an issue. Good luck!

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This is sound advice. You seem to have some nice pens in the Sonnet, the 51s and the Balance, the IM isn't bad and the Metro is also quite decent. I would start with tine alignment. I've followed this advice myself and I've gotten my scratchy nibs to perform as they should. Loupes and mylar sheets (if required) are a good way to go. I would really give this a go before spending a lot of money on a new pen. It also depends on the paper you are using - that might also be an issue. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the advice. My inclination is to try a tune up on the pens first. But a Pelikan M200 looks very nice as well.

 

As for paper, I use my law firm's legal pads. The paper is of pretty good quality. However, I need to find something that works with these legal pads since that's what I will be writing on the most.

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As for paper, I use my law firm's legal pads. The paper is of pretty good quality. However, I need to find something that works with these legal pads since that's what I will be writing on the most.

 

I am also a solicitor and I change pens every week at least and have never had any of my pens cause any problem writing on standard legal pads. Perhaps you have just had outrageously bad luck in finding more than one badly set up nibs. Binder will give you a guarantee and will take the pen back if it doesn't write smoothly.

Bill Spohn

Vancouver BC

"Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence"

 

Robert Fripp

https://www.rhodoworld.com/fountain-pens.html

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My advice will only take you part of the way to finding the right fountain pen for you, if there is one. You have a collection of pens that are not satisfactory, but can tell you something about your preferences regarding size, weight, balance, and girth. I think the ergonomics of a pen are almost as important as the nib. For instance, several people have recommended Pelikans. I have an m400 that has been living at a nib guy's house for six months. Even if it writes in the way it should have from day 1, the pen's design has what for me are several less than desirable features -- a screw cap, piston filler, and threads that get in the way of how I hold the pen. On the other hand, I love the weight and balance. Compare those features to the Sonnet's. For some people, the features I don't care for are either desirable or unimportant. The question is, what works best for you? Perhaps the pens you have in stock at least can help you to narrow your choices.

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I'd go with the Pelikan, and I'd buy it from Richard Binder after you discuss your preferences. If he can't give you a butter smooth nib of the sort likely to please you, no one can!

 

I visited his website. It looks like he's closing down operations. :(

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My advice will only take you part of the way to finding the right fountain pen for you, if there is one. You have a collection of pens that are not satisfactory, but can tell you something about your preferences regarding size, weight, balance, and girth. I think the ergonomics of a pen are almost as important as the nib. For instance, several people have recommended Pelikans. I have an m400 that has been living at a nib guy's house for six months. Even if it writes in the way it should have from day 1, the pen's design has what for me are several less than desirable features -- a screw cap, piston filler, and threads that get in the way of how I hold the pen. On the other hand, I love the weight and balance. Compare those features to the Sonnet's. For some people, the features I don't care for are either desirable or unimportant. The question is, what works best for you? Perhaps the pens you have in stock at least can help you to narrow your choices.

 

Good advice. I know what I like best in terms of feel in my hand--it's the Platinum Balance. Comfortable where my hand goes on it, not too heavy, and in black and gold it looks like what I want my FP to look like, and I prefer a FP that does not have a screw cap. Just need to get the feel down.

Edited by Danny Kaffee
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I visited his website. It looks like he's closing down operations. :(

 

He is - but still offers remaining nibs, I believe. That's why I said to get in touch with him. If he is absolutely out of stock on a particular Pelikan, I believe you can still buy a nib and source the pen elsewhere.

Bill Spohn

Vancouver BC

"Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence"

 

Robert Fripp

https://www.rhodoworld.com/fountain-pens.html

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Also German, diplomat is excellent I have 2 excellence A pens...

 

Steel nibs are very smoooooooth

 

I really like the Excellence, bought one week ago and I am really enjoying using it, it feels great in the hand.

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He is - but still offers remaining nibs, I believe. That's why I said to get in touch with him. If he is absolutely out of stock on a particular Pelikan, I believe you can still buy a nib and source the pen elsewhere.

He also directs you to another site that seems to do what he did with nibs - I imagine they write just as well too.

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Have you slipped back into holding them like a ball point before the big knuckle and not behind it like a fountain pen?

Perhaps explaining why your '51's are now scratchy.

 

I Like the true regular flex steel nib with a bit of spring to it of a Pelikan 200 which is in your range.

Many of the modern nibs are now semi-nail than regular flex...the reason why I said true regular flex.

I rate the clean line, better than the modern 400/600's blobby semi-nail gold nibs. They are 'butter smooth'....and look for used ones....could luck out with price of a 400 near $100.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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