Hi guys,

First I'd like to say how happy I am that I found this board because I've always been a little interested in fountain pens. I am a college student and I would love to buy a fountain pen to use in my moleskin journal that I write in. So far, I have been using the pilot g-2 07 blue ink. I love the writing of that ball point pen and also how resistant the ink is to water. I have picked up a pack of the pilot varsity fountain pens and have been writing here and ther with them, but I don't like how most of the ink washes off once water hits the paper. I would like to get a beginner fountain pen around $50.00-75.00 would be where I would like to keep it to. I plan on using a black or blue form of Noodler's ink (I would probably like a piston type filling mechanism too) which I have read is basically permament once it adhears and dries. One thing though, I am left handed I'm not sure if that has any factor in choosing a pen but it crossed my mind because anyone who is left handed usually has had pen graphite or ink on the side of their hand after writing for awhile in classes such as math or writing an in class essay in english.

Thanks,
Dennis

Hi Crusher,

Pelikan Go! and Level are excellent piston fillers. An upgrade would be a Pelikan M200, which you can purchase with different nibs.

Another possibility is finding a vintage Parker "51" or "51" Special. They are aerometric fillers, very reliable and versatile.

Welcome to the addiction!

Alejandro

I've gotten a number of people hooked on fountain pens by handing them a Lamy Safari. The Safaris are a very firm nib though and this bothers some people.

Another pen you should really take a good look at is the Namiki Vanishing Point. I have one, my husband has one and I'm thinking of buying a third. They're very, very cool looking, the nibs have a bit of spring for easy writing and they just wig people out when you pull them out, click the point out and write with a fountain pen that looks like it should be a ball-point.

My real reccomendation would be to take a field trip to a reputable brick-and-mortar pen shop, try out some pens in person and find out what feels good in your hand.

If you post your location, I'm sure one of us could help you find a shop not too far away.

Failing that (like if you're in the middle of Nebraska or something) you might think about hitting one the next time you go on a trip somewhere.

I'm afraid most of us now plan trips where we 'just happen' to be in the vicinity of a pen shop. . .

My husband has only now started to notice this. . . "Where did this pen shop come from?"

Concur with Alejandro. Also, Waterman makes some wonderful entry-level pens too (Phileas or Kultur). There's some wonderful folks on here...keep looking in FPN's 'marketplace' because there's been several reasonably priced pens released.

I've had good luck on the 'bay as well when I first started experimenting with fountain pens. I didn't want to spend too much (or too little) so I could decide whether I wanted to pursue a higher priced pen.

I agree ... something about journalling and fountain pens that go very naturally together.

Look at the ink reviews....there's several recommendations for (relatively) quick-drying inks.

Welcome Dennis.

Paul

For a college student, you might not want a fancy expensive pen. I'd go with something more work-horse-y... The 20-30 price range is great, especially if you hound Ebay. I like the Duke line for that price point

In terms of ink, the Noodler's Black is purported to be the best, a few others are somewhat waterproof (And bleach-proof & UV-proof, if you care), but if you want a blue you'll have to go to Pendemonium's exclusive Legal Lapis, or Swisher Pens' exclusive (there are a few blues....). The Swisher exclusive Noodler's inks are supposed to dry faster, so maybe that's the way to go for you, since you're a lefty. I'm sure there are left-hand threads on here, use the search function, and feel free to re-start a topic, or begin a new one...

I would also figure out what nib size you like. I found out very quickly that I don't want anything wider than a Fine. (Non-Asian pens, by the way, are the only ones where a "fine" is actually fine (they're like Western Extra-fines... a Western "fine" is sometimes wider than medium ballpoints!)

I say: save your money by not buying an expensive pen. Instead buy two different pens, and buy two different inks. You'll be happy to learn that having pens that "do different things" makes writing with FPs so much more fun. It's when you get multiple inks and multiple pens, and try different combinations that it gets REALLY fun!!!

Enjoy!

I live in southern california in riverside county, another way of looking at it is I live by Ontario International Airport. I would love to find a pen shop if any of you know one around me and I could try all the different recommendations you guys have given me and find what works for me . If there isn't one I will take all the recomendations and do some research online.

Thanks again,
Dennis

Based on what you've said, a Pelikan M200 with a fine nib would be great. They super reliable, piston fillers, and not too flashy to attract too much attention.

As a left, I know what you mean about the pencil/ink stains on the side of your hand. The Noodlers permanent grades I have tried thus far seem to dry fairly quickly on cheap filler paper, ink jet paper, etc. I currently have about a half dozen different colors of the waterproof Noodlers. All of mine have come from Swisher Pens (no affiliation, just a happy repeat customer). Their site for Noodlers permanent grades is http://www.swisherpens.com/catalog/bottled...ain-pen-ink.htm
They also have their own Noodlers Swishmix fast drying waterproof grades, and they are listed here
http://www.swisherpens.com/catalog/bottled...en-ink-3-oz.htm
As to the pen, I'd recommend contacting Pam as http://www.oscarbraunpens.com/ - great service and great prices. Usual disclaimer - no affiliation, just a happy repeat customer.

Let us know what you decide.

hi,
i'm a lefty too. i'm an underwriter. i prefer medium nibs. i am also able to use flex nibs. lefty overwriters have problems with flex nibs. as a stater pen buy a waterman phileas with a medium nib. it is a good looking and a good writting pens for us lefties. i found the duke's toothy (scratchy)-- i think it is because they are a fine nibbedpen and i have a heavy hand. you will be able to use a fine nibbed pen with practice--depending how you hold the pen and how light or heavy you press. good luck--have fun embarking on the quest for the perfect pen.

:bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1: :bunny1:

I'm a lefty overwriter.

A good reason for starting with a Pelikan 200 is that you can exchange nibs very easily, and quite cheaply. I'm not a lefty myself, but I observe from comments that choice of nib is even more individual for l-h writers than the right-handed.

The Moleskine journals are immensely attractive, but a lot of us *don't* use them because of problems with some inks -- the paper is rather iffy about how it reacts to FP ink. From my experience, and what I read, Noodler's black ink (or Chuck Swisher's variant) is likely to be your best bet. Also because of the ink issue, it might be good to start with a fine nib.

At the price range you're looking at, it's almost impossible to buy a bad pen, and if you can try before you buy, it's worth the price premium you'll pay over the best interthingie price, for at least the first pen. All the other recommendations are good, too, but I'd add my voice for including a Pelikan in the range of possibles (or even probables).

Good luck and have fun

Michael

I like Melnicki's point about getting more than one pen. If you put out a post in the marketplace asking for a used Pelikan 200 I'm sure you could get one at maybe half of the high end of your price range, and then you could afford to either purchase another pen, or get an extra nib for the Pelikan. Good luck!

You could also get a Lamy Safari or Vista and change nibs yourself from F, M, & B to Italics.

Whether my point of getting more than one pen is taken to heart or not, our eager FP-seeker will have more than one pen, like it or not!!!

Another good place to look is the "Marketplace" section of the Fountain Pen Network. You don't see too many lower cost pens here but when you do, they are typically good pens at a reasonable price. Ask questions of the seller. I have and have been satisfied with answers.

David

A good fountain pen for a student is the Pilot Varsity. Dirt cheap and disposable, but a great writer with a true medium nib, not a paintbrush like you often find with other brands. I used this through my college years and it never let me down.

Then, when you're in a job and earn some decent cash, you can go for the $500 pens.

Both Apollo and Joe Dinora have some nice, inexpensive pens for sale on the Marketplace section (as low as $20). I have bought from both of them and have been very happy.

I'm going to go with a Pelikan M200 with a medium nib (not sure which color yet) from http://www.pendemonium.com/pens_pelikan.htm and I'll probably add in a fine nib. Will I be able to change nibs w/o having the pen empty of ink? I'm also going to get a bottle of noodlers water proof black ink. I appreciate all of your replies there are so many pens to choose from! I'll probably end up buying more in the future lol.

Dennis

Great choice of pens Dennis. You can change the nibs without emptying the pen, but I'm sure you'll get ink on something in the process. I've never done it, but all you would need to do is point the nib skyward, unscrew it, screw in the other nib, and there you go. My inclination would be that it is probably better to just swap when the pen is empty, that way you don't have to wait on the ink to make its way into the feed of the new nib you just put on.

Just to add to what JRodriguez said, the instructions I've seen from people I trust say to hold the nib and rotate the body of the pen. So you *could* do that holding the pen vertical, but if I were to do it with a pen full of ink, I might choose to do it naked in the shower.

Michael

who seriously advises people not to try to imagine that

Lamy Safari..best $20 you'll ever spend

I recommend "Parker 45"; trust me, u won't be disappointed.



Simon