I have been lurking around this forum for a while ever since I discovered fountain pens. Since being here I bought a Lamy studio, a Pilot 78g, a couple hero pens and lots of ink. I think it is time to upgrade to a nicer pen. Im going to be graduating from college in June and I want a pen to celebrate the day with and I need help finding the right pen for this occasion.

After lots of reading I have found out what I want in a pen, but the hard part is finding the right pen. I want:

1. A big, wide and heavy pen

2. Piston filler preferably

3. XF-F nibs

4. Under $250 new or used

5. Attractive design, art deco? something a little different than usual

Some pens I am considering: Visconti Opera Club Honey Almond but it doesnt have a piston unfortunately, a used Omas (could be too light), Pelikan 600 but i find the colors available a little boring, Sailor 1911 or pro gear no piston again.

The perfect pen would be a Pelikan Shanghai. Has everything I want and would be great to think about the time i studied abroad in Shanghai every time I write with it. Too bad this pen is so hard to find and I missed one selling in the marketplace .


So does anyone have any recommendations for any pens perfect for me? Or any advice on the pens I am considering. I am looking forward to seeing your responses. Thanks.

Pelikan nibs tend to run wide vs. the Japanese nibs, but there are nib-meisters who modify Pelikan nibs to make
them narrow. I don't consider the Shanghai (or the other 600s) to be big and heavy, though. There is a Sailor
1911 in sterling silver that would be in the heavy category, but you would need to find a good deal used. It's not
a piston filler, though.

Do you consider the 1911 big? Sounds dumb, but different people find different pens feel big in the
hand. Pelikan 800s I consider big, but the blue one I have does not feel heavy to me. The pens I find heavy
tend to be metal, and sterling gets pricey.

I do know an exception to the heavy sterling pens, though. It's the Rotring 600, which you would probably
need to find used, but unless there's some kind of a run on them it would come out under your price limit.
It is brass and aluminum, I believe, with a stiff stainless steel nib, available in EF, and the nib runs narrower
than Pelikan. It probably can double as a deadly weapon and keep on writing afterwards, but only if you
rinse it.

A good feature of Pelikan is that if you have reasonable manual dexterity, you can remove the nib unit (nib & feed
unscrew as one unit) with your fingers and swap nib units between pens. This can also help for cleaning, if
you keep a small dish in which to put the unit you have removed from the patient! The John Mottishaw site,
nibs.com explains which nib units interchange. I might be wrong, but I believe that the 400s and 600 are threaded
the same.

If you like your Lamy Studio, then a Lamy 2000 will not disappoint. I have both pens and I find the 2000 to be the better writer. It has a retro style, a nice weight, and a smooth/flexible nib. I will say though that my EF writes more like an F, but that's common among Lamy pens. Also, you'll stay well below your budget if you look in the right places.

Waterman Carene

The Sailor you mentioned is a very good pen....

I've heard some rumors that Sailor is going to release some piston fill pens later this year. Perhaps someone else could give you more information.

I have tried both the 600s and the 1911 and I find that they are both big enough, although not really heavy enough. I dont mind the lack of weight as much if the pen is a little wider.


I do like my studio, although my F nib is too wide for my tastes so I am planning to buy an xf nib soon for it. The 2000 is close to my ideal pen except for the style of the pen. I should consider this one more though.

The perfect pen for you is Pelikan M800 or M805.Its heavier then the M600 as it has a brass piston filler and not a plastic piston as the M600 has.What can I add on this wonderful pen that hasnt been said already ? Just get it,it will be the last pen you will ever need.

I like Goodguy's idea except that the Pelikan nibs really aren't very fine.

Erick

I'm planning on doing the same when I graduate from grad school in May. I currently have a Pelican m200 with a medium nib. I want to upgrade as a present to myself for making it, but I really don't know what to get. I went to my local pen store and it was ohh I like that one, and that one etc.
So what are some recommendations?

Andy

Aurora Talentum in burgundy resin--could easily be found new in the $250 range.

They can be. I have a fine on my Shanghai and it's runs true, but you are right, a lot of the time they write wide.

riceprince, you're right, the Shanghai is difficult to find, even more so with a fine nib. I found mine on eBay after an exhaustive search of a few months and the day it turned up, I think 2 or 3 showed up at the same time. Hold out for one if you can, this is the most beautiful pen in the city series and writes extremely well.

Pilot 823 demo ?

i will tell you what my father did when i graduated
but i don't know if it can be done now.
my father was a fountain pen freak in a big way.

he went to a second hand store
and bought me a dove gray parker 51 pen and pencil set with the original box
for 15 dollars.

it still works and i still use it
and i think that was before noah built the ark.

it has of course been cleaned and maintained by the gentleman at nibs.com

but seriously i would suggest that.
get a vintage pen if you can find one.