What are your favorite "Timex" pens?

[tomandeva]

Which pens are your favorite "Timex" pens; that is, pens that:

 

- are inexpensive (let's say readily available for under $30)

- are extremely reliable

- don't require delicate handling

 

My nominations are: the Esterbrook J/LJ/SJ (vintage) and the Rotring Core (modern)

 

What are yoru nominations?

[tburke0]

The sheaffer school pen.

 

My son has one that's been thru the washer and dryer in his pants pocket. Still writes like a champ! And washable blue scrip really is washable! There was not a trace of ink anywhere in the pen or in the clothes...

 

Tom

[Betty]

Hero 100 pen... $23.99, and does a darn good job writing!

[Velma]

Hero 329, but even more than that, the Pelikan Future -- mine has been through various adventures, including being dropped more than once, and keeps working with no skips or problems, and starts up immediately after a week. If it had an extra fine nib, I'd think about marrying it.

[Bryan]

For sure, the Lamy 2000. A solid pens!

 

Bryan

[Bryan]

For sure, the Lamy 2000. A solid pens!

 

(oops) this is not under $30.00.

 

Bryan

[Claes]

Pilot Birdie, of course!

 

Have fun!

Claes in Lund, Sweden

[Slush99]

The Core. Of course. And my Waterman Phileas. Starts up every time. Cost 25$.

[southpaw]

Lamy Safari and AL-Star.

[Sidney]

A Platinum Workhorse Senior. Writes really smooth and starts every time the nib touches paper. I bought one and got one free for $50, which comes to $25 per pen.

[TMann]

1. Parker Reflex

2. Waterman Phileas (can be found for less than $30)

3. Lamy Safari/Al-star

 

TMann

[JeffTL]

I'll second the Reflex. They have their quirks (deposition of ink on hood, and my father can attest to the tendency to dry if unused), but they work especially well for a $7.50 pen.

[aircraft_electrician]

For me it would be my Hero 329 that puts up with the rigors of my job as an aircraft maintainer every day, and never fails to write the first time. Aside from that, my Pihleas fits the bill nicely, as do most of my user grade vintage pens. I rarely pay more than $30 for a user grade pen, and most of them were top dollar pens in their day, so they write beautifully.

 

Tom

[Bill D]

My Hero 100, even though I paid more for it than you can find it for these days.

 

Bill

[Glenn-SC]

LAMY Safari/Vista/Alstar

[FrankB]

I have found the little Pelikan "Pelikano Junior" to be a very durable pen. At perhaps under $50, Diplomat makes some very rugged pens, though, sadly, they are not available in the US.

 

For overall durability, I think the Waterman "Edson" has a lot going for it. It costs more than $30, I understand. Yet, I must comment that the three I have are durable beyond any of my reasonable expectations. I have admittedly not shot any of them with bullets, nor have I run over them with an M1A1 main battle tank. Otherwise, they have taken abuse and performed wonderfully.

[Mike]

Rotring Rivette. Mine's been run over by cars. (Don't!) try that with an Esterbrook!

[randyholhut]

Esterbrook Js and Sheaffer No-Nonsense and steel capped School pens. They always write and you never have to fiddle with them.

 

Cores and Javelins are tough, but I find them hard to start. Reflexes are too inconsistent. The Hero pens are cheap, but I find them to be not quite sturdy enough (unless its a 100 Flighter).

 

The best pen for reliability, I've found, is the Parker 51, but it can be tough finding a user for $30 and under.

 

If you have to go cheap, Js and NNs are the way to go.

[Larry T]

Sheaffer school pen and Hero 616. Both of these get used daily at work and the only time they quit writing is when I forget to refill them. The Sheaffer survived a thirty foot fall from my pocket onto a cement floor without breaking. My cellphone wasn't quite that durable. :blink:

 

Larry

[RichardS]

In this order ...

 

1. Lamy Vista

2. Waterman Phileas

2. Rotring Core