I really like the idea of a retractable fountain pen after seeing the Pilot Vanishing Point. The catch is it is more than I want to pay for a fountain pen, at this point. Are there any good alternatives to the VP that cost less?

-Kenny

A ball point?











As far as I know the VP is the only modern pen of its' type that has a retracting point and probably the most reasonable of any retracting point pen, if there are vintage retracting point pens on the market.

Ron

Try searching for stypen on ebay. I believe Stypen has a retractable fountain pen. Stypen is a french brand that BIC purchased in 2004. Their pens look plasticky and inexpensive, but in my limited experience (one FP back in the 1990s) they are decent writers. It is wortha shot considering they are not too expensive.

I am guessing a Visconti Metropolis is out of the ball park then.

Oh man you beat me to it!! That is one sweet retractable nib pen!!

The Stypens mentioned are retractable nib but they still have a cap so it is not the style of a capless VP.

I too like the Vanishing Points, and I too cringe when I see them around the intarwebs for $130.

This probably won't help, but Pam Braun has some for under $90 I believe.

And another thing: go ahead and get yourself a few other fountain pens that are more affordable. You look at a Lamy Safari, and it's around $25, and you think "well sure it's a lot more than my G2, but it's a fountain pen."

Then you spring for something just a little bit more, but it's okay because you just spent $25 on a Safari, and this is a _________!!!

A couple more purchases like that, and you won't have a problem pulling the trigger on the VP.

You can thank me later.

CMaxx

You are right. Stypen Up has cap and its nib is retracted via twisiting the knob:

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/archive/jan03/02up.htm

Those same pens are also sold under name BIC Turn & Up. I have few of them and they suck because their caps breathe too much.

I have a Stypen Up and it has a smooth, very firm nib on the fine side of medium. The one warning I would give about these pens is that you should not take one to work along with a smallish piston-filler, say Pelikan 150. I did, and of course picked up the Pel and used the turning knob to extend the nib.

And a Stipula Da Vinci...

The Stypen Up looks like something I'd like to try out. Two questions: where to buy one and are converters available? I live in the Columbus, Ohio area and I'd be up for buying one at a store or online. Hopefully I'll have enough cash in the near future for a Vanishing Point.

-Kenny

Please let us know how you like it after a week or so of use ...

Ron

Yup. I did this. Had been using my Stypen Up and put it aside to switch to an M200. Turned the "nib" - blorp! Fortunately, the ink hit the notepad I was using.

I stopped using the Stypen. It was too much hassle to uncap & extend the nib. Plus, it was cartridge only and at the time I had no desire to refill carts. I heard that later models took a small converter but I don't know if that is true.

VP is the best for the cost. You can stumble on a used one now and then for under $80 though it's not easy.

It has a cap? Doesn't capping it kind of defeat the purpose of having a retractable nib? Is the VP the same way? Any place to check to see if the new Stypens take a converter or not?

-Kenny

I believe the Stypen is a safety pen. I know I read what that means somewhere, but I can't remember now. I think it has something to do with it not leaking... I myself pondered this question not too long ago, and I came to the conclusion the that VP is probably the retractable one to get if you don't want to spend too much, and why I'm not buying any more pen/ink till I can get a VP($20 a week allowance isn't all that much ) I do believe you can get a new VP on ebay for under $100, shipping included.