Hello, I'm brand new to this forum! I've always been fascinated by fountain pens, and have wanted to own and write with them. In recent years at college, I've picked up some disposable cheap Pilot Varsity pens to write with instead of ballpoints to get a feel for it and to tide me over until I can afford to get some real pens.

Now I've graduated, and my parents want to get me a pen as a graduation present, and have asked me to look around and find one I like. So I've been researching to find a fitting pen, one that I love the look of and that will serve me well. I started with MB, but after reading here and other places that their quality is not congruent with quality, and finding that all but their rather boring black pens are incredibly expensive, I've found two pens that I like the look of and would like some advice on which is the better choice.

The two pens are the Sailor 1911 Sterlin Silver and the Waterman Exception Night & Day Platinum. I like both of these pens for different reasons and I'm not sure which is a better choice.

Based on the reading I've done here and elsewhere the Sailor pens have exceptional quality nibs, and so the 1911 should be a great quality pen. I really like the sterling silver look finish on that shape pen, though how much care would be necessary to keep it looking decent is a concern. I don't intend to mistreat or neglect it, but since I haven't owned any other pens, or anything else made of silver either, I don't know just how much work it would be to keep it looking great, and if I might not somehow manage to damage it when figuring out how to care for it. My other concern is that while I have heard many good things about Sailor and the 1911's, I don't think I have any way to actually hold it and get a feel for it before buying it. I don't think that any U.S. retailers carry them, do they?

As for the Waterman, I like the shape of it in black with the platinum finish, it looks sleek and stlyish, but I'm not sure about the quality of the pen itself. I'm worried that like MB, the quality will not match the price. I'm also not positive about how the pen will feel in that shape, but I think I'll like it, and I plan to check one out in person this week, since unlike the Sailor, I can find it at a local retailer and get a feel for it myself.

And so, I'm hoping someone with experience with one or both of these pens can give me advice about which I should go with. Any and all insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

If you use something that's Sterling ALL the time, it won't need any additional care, really. We use our sterling silver flatware every day with no problems.

However, if you only use it occasionally, that's where you get into needing to keep it up.

I don't have any particular comments on the specific pens (not being familiar with them), so I'll just add: Welcome!

First, welcome.

Second, don't fall in with MB stuff. Most people that own them here and seriously use MB like them. I own two 146's, they work well and are quality pieces. And any contact I've had with the service center is first rate. So don't exclude them from your selection choices until you've explored them more.

I'd stay away from a sterling silver pen although the 1911 is a fine, reliable pen. High maintenence if you like a clean pen. I do myself. And your right, Sailor nibs are highly regarded by people. Paradise Pen had a press release last year that they were going to carry the Sailor line. I haven't seen any in the one near me but I haven't been in since September. Check their web site.

I like the Night and Day a lot but the black version is on my "To Get" list. I just don't like the look of alternating materials on the sides. I'd rather go with the textured look. Waterman is a fine choice too. Reliable, smooth nibs which I think write wider lines than they should. Their Med to me looks like a Bold. The N&D might be their flagship pen right now.

I think both pens enjoy a reputation of holding a fair amount of ink as well as being respected in the pen community. I've said before choosing a pen is a personal thing. If you like the Sterling Sailor, by all means get it, same holds for the Waterman. My take on this, I like the Sailor nibs better right now. I've owned both brands, a 1911, and although not a N&D, a Carene. Hopefully you'll find a retail store where you can handle both.

I don't have any Sailer Pens, but I have a lot of great info from the company from reviews and other memebers writing in. Waterman is a great company and has been for generations. If I was to pick off looks, I would pick the Waterman.
Sincerely, Classic......

I am not a big fan of the Sailor,I find there nibs to be very smooth but very spongy,they are very reliable and boring so I wouldnt recomend the Sailor but thats me.
I never tried the Waterman but I am sure it is a wonderful pen.I do think though that its a heavy pen.Writing everyday with a heavy pen is becoming after a while a pain and I am telling you that from experience.

Why wouldnt you try a Pelikan ?
The M800 is one of the BEST out there,its a reliable pen with a smooth piston filler,fantastic nibs that you can change when ever you want so all you need to do is buy other nibs instead of buying a whole new pen and it holds a lot of ink.

Dont rush into this and see what other pens you can consider.There are lots of factors you need to know before you buy a pen.
What size suit you ?
Do you like Piston fill,C/C eye drpper or any other kind of filler
Do you like heavy or light pen
Do you like flexible nibs or stiff nibs
You price range

Without knowing all the info buying a pen is like shooting in the dark and hoping to hit the target,it will be a shame to weist your parents money on a pen will not enjoy.

I would say that for a daily writer, a sterling pen might be a bit of a pain. I have a Dunhill ballpoint from the 70s that is very stylish, but it does tarnish easily and requires a regular swipe with a silver cloth...

Also, be sure you really like a super heavy pen for a daily writer...personally, both of these would be too heavy for me...

I don't see how you could go wrong with either the Sailor or the Waterman - both are excellent pens and give you high quality for the price you pay. As was mentioned, the one consideration about the Sailor, or any other metal pen, is the weight. An all metal fountain pen has a fair amount of metal in it compared to an all metal ballpoint which has much less. Any all metal fountain pen will be pretty hefty which can bother some people who use their pens for long periods.

Is there any way you can get to a good pen store to actually try these out?

I would also second the suggestion that you might also look at Pelikans - I think they rank right up there in terms of quality per dollar spent.

Well, as far as the Pelikans go, I looked into them, and frankly I just don't really like how any of them look. This will be a pen that I want to use and enjoy, but it will also be a graduation present from my parents, to display when not in use and all that. And so, I want it to be somewhat fancy and I want to like how it looks, and while I could see myself using the Pelikans, I don't particularly like their design or aesthetics. I did look at the M625 Sterling from Pelikan, but ultimately something about it didn't sit right with me, like the rest of the line.

As far as the other criteria, I'm not sure about some of them since besides the disposables I've never owned any other fountain pens, but I'll do my best to answer.

For size, I definitely don't want a pen that's too short or too thick, the little ones look somewhat stubby to me and I don't think I'd like that. A medium to long pen that's not too thick is what I'd like. I can't comment on piston fill versus C/C since I've used neither, I know the piston filled ones can hold more ink, which is nice but not crucial at all, and I think the idea of filling from an actual bottle of ink is, well, much cooler but I don't think it'd be a deal-breaker either way. As far as weight goes, I'd rather have a pen that's bit on the heavy side to one that's too light, I'd like it to feel substantial and have some heft, even if it's tiring in the long run I think I'd still prefer it to be somewhat heavy. The question of flexible to stiff nibs is another I'm not sure about, I'm not sure exactly how it impacts the way the pen writes, if I had to guess though, I'd say flexible, I think having some flexibility in the nib would probably be a good thing, but again, I'm really not sure.

As for price range, within $500 or so. That's quite a bit, and when I was first looking I was looking to keep it within $200 - $300, but my mom kept assuring me that being a graduation present she wants it to be what I want, and she's perfectly fine with about $500, so both of these pens fall within that, especially from online retailers.



This is one of my concerns about the Sailor, though overall I think I like the way it looks more, I don't think there's any place I can actually try one, whereas the Waterman I can try at a local store, and plan to in a couple of days, once it's past Christmas and all. An earlier post mentioned a place called Paradise Pen for the sailor, and while there is a store like that within 30 minutes of me, their online catalog makes no mention of carrying Sailor.

Montblancs are not as shocking as some people would have you believe, M'lord, so don't knock them off the list just yet.

Apart from that, perhaps you could have a look at Parker? Parker has always made decent, well-priced pens.

EDIT:

I've had a look at some of the other posts and here's a few of my thoughts, perhaps they'll help you in making up your mind.

With regards to pen-size, a "standard" size is between 5 - 6.5 inches long, capped. This should be big enough to fit into most hands. Pens of that size fit perfectly into my hands. I'm 5'6" & skinny. If you're a larger person with chunkier hands, then something a little larger will be what you'd want.

If weight isn't a problem for you, then go after metal pens, perhaps the Parker Sonnet in stainless steel? Some plastics can feel very light and rather uncomfortable in your hand, as a result. Also, they can give the annoying impression of shattering to pieces on a sneeze, so I can understand why you might like something heavier.

Yeah, filling from a bottle is cooler...if more time-consuming & potentially more messier. The bottle or inkwell should be nice and heavy, to prevent spills.

A flexible nib is made so that the tines spread or contract as you write, according to how much pressure you apply to the nib. Some semi-flex pens flex only a little bit, but other superflex/'wet noodle' nibs will spread open quite wide when you press down. I don't know about others, but if you're using this pen of yours for daily writing, I'd stick to something nice and low on the flex-scale. It'll provide some nice line-variations without posing the risk of the nib splitting in half or being 'sprung'.

A stiff nib, on the other hand, will provide a nice, even line throughout your writing. Flex-nibs are fun to use for stuff like signatures and when you want your writing to look a little prettier than usual.

Did you look at the Parker Duofold Centenial ?
These are very striking pens and wonderful writer that I would highly recomend.

Did you check Visconti pens ?
The Van goch models are gorgeous

Dont be so fast to judge Mont Blanc pens.I bought the MB Virginia Woolf and I am totaly in love with this pen,its reliable and close to perfection the way it writes

Read my 2 reviews I made of the pen with pictures:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=47996
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=48153

Then there is the Pelikan Majesty,did you see this pen its amazing and a good candidate to be my next pen,Pam Brown is selling this gorgeous pen for a much better price then retail.

Here are some pictures of the pen:

http://www.penseller.com/pages/pelmajesty.htm

Another one is the STIPULA INFINITY LIMITED EDITION
What a unique design and striking pen with its vanishing nib.

Of course my favorite the Waterman Edson dont buy any pen without checking this pen out.

And the list goes on and on and on

I have no experience with Sailors. However I use 3 Yard O Led silver pens on a daily basis. Unless you're a fanatic about your pens, silver is easy to care for. I simply swipe mine off with a man's cotton handkerchief before putting it away for the night. One of my pens is literally decades old. Every few years or so I might give it a rub with some silver polish, but they're not maintenance problems if used. I like a heavy pen for long writing sessions and I do write a LOT every day by hand. So don't be afraid of silver. It warms in the hand, it's sturdy, a lot of the usage marks over the years polish out nicely. It's not just for display. I actually prefer silver pens in rough travel writing conditions because they're sturdy.

As for Waterman, I HAVE owned most of theirs except for this one. I gradually sold the others to concentrate on the Carenes. They are idiot proof right out of the box. The nibs are wet and generous. Have the c/c option means you can use bottled ink when you want, but if you need to pop the pen in a briefcase and actually use it outside an office, those cartridges are GREAT. Pop 'em in, pop 'em out with little loss of time and no mess. Waterman ink travels nicely and comes in enought business colors to suit. The other advantage of the brass body is survival. As you use and enjoy your present over the years, there will be times when you drop it, grab for it, scrape something against it. Waterman's finishes stand up pretty well to actual business use.

Don't feel like you have to spend the full amount your parents are offering. There are a lot of quality pens out there in the $200-$300 range. For under $500 you could get as fancy as a Yard O Led Grand from Pam Braun and that's a LOT of pen. Take your time and go for the one that makes you reach for it involuntarily when you see it.

Goodguy, thanks for the suggestions, the Majesty is bit out of my range, even from Pam Braun's site, the Parkers and Visconti pens are nice, I'll look into those some more. I looked at your reviews of the Virginia Woolf and I think I'd like more smooth pen to start with, rather than a grooved one like that, though with the waves and the shape of the pen it looks quite comfortable to hold.



Thanks for the advice on silver and the Waterman pens. I'm glad to have two confirmations here now that handling silver is not so bad.

I also agree that I certainly don't have to go up to the $500, I want a pen that I like above all, and right now I'm really leaning towards the Sailor which is $300 online and cheaper than the Waterman. There's something I really like about it, I just wish I could hold one and see how it feels. However, I'm going to have a look at the Waterman in person in a few days and see how it looks in person, as well as how it feels, so maybe once I've done that I'll decide I like that one more.

Go try the pens out at a brick and mortar and buy from there if possible. Sterling for a first pen *might* be too heavy for you if you're not used to it. I know guys who like sticks of lead as pens and I know guys who want them featherlight.

Hi and welcome

You have also good possibilities to find a vintage pen that may suit your needs for example a vacumatic or an aerometric filler from Parker. Those pens are easy to use, have smooth and have a great ink capacity.
Also, one of the best watermans ever produced and that I can only recommend you is the man 100. Very solid, great nib and great finish.
Also despinite I am not a sheaffer fanatic, I once tried a 1948 balance with a plunger fill and 1993 Sheaffer Legacy, which had good nibs.
In Italian firms, I would recommend you Omas and Montegrappa, which both make nice pens with excellent nibs. You can always find a used Omas at an interesting price.

good luck in your research

georges