I have fallen into $100.00 -- kind of like drawing a "Community Chest" card in Monopoly. Anyway, I'm thinking about the Waterman Charleston, as I like the weight -- not heavy, but solid -- the size as well, not big, and the buttery nib with lots of sweet spots. Still, there's a lot of extra bling on that pen that I don't necessarily need to have. Tell the truth, I find most pleasing to eye and hand a simple 78G -- the torpedo style, simple lines, the size of the section, etc. Would like something a little more solid feeling, though -- like the Charleston -- and with a nice buttery nib, lots of sweet spot -- also like the Charleston.

So, can folks over here recommend an option "from the East"? Simple black torpedo, minimal bling, and the other stuff described above....

Thanks for your time!

Best to all...

Yes! A Sailor 1911M would work. It's about $100, at least with reputable sellers on Ebay and it's a great pen - precise and well crafted. Classy looking too, either red, blue, or black. Classic torpedo shape. I highly recommend it.

Erick

The Pilot Custom 74 is a better pen, I believe.

It's difficult to choose between the Pilot Custom 74 and Sailor 1911M. Both are excellent pens. I think the Pilot is slightly lighter.

Prefer the clip on the Sailor 1911M though...the Pilot's clip has a ball on the end that is functional but can snag on thicker material.

My opinion is the Sailor Standard Profit (1911M) is more aesthetically pleasing with the additional intrinsic gold banding, beautifully etched nib, and better looking clip. Although the fountain pen writes wetter compared to it's rivals but suffers scratchiness when the pen is reversed. While the Pilot Custom 74 is plain and simple in design, the manufacturer has the reputation of producing a gold nib that is buttery smooth, and writes immediately without fault. Shame you can't the merge the best attributes of both pens. If I had to choose one pen for it's performance then my preference would be the Pilot Custom 74.

If you are looking for a slightly heavier, longer but a tad thinner fountain pen that is solidly built due to it's brass body construction then the Pilot Grance could be a viable alternative.

Here's my rationale for choosing the 74:
The Sailor nibs have been inconsistent lately, as several other people have also noted. The sweet spot is smaller and unforgiving on two 1911M's I bought recently, although one of them wasn't too bad. They were tuned for a 45-degree angle, whereas my Pilot Custom 74 may be best at a higher angle, but is smooth over all. The fit and finish are of similar quality on the two pens. I do like the shape and balance of the 1911M. The 74 is a little longer but still well-balanced. Finally, the Custom 74 takes the Con-70 converter, which has a larger capacity and is much cooler in design. The Custom 74 tends to be slightly more expensive, but you can often get one for a good price on eBay.

Both are excellent pens but are basically MB 147 look-a-likes. I would get a Sailor Sapporo (Professional Gear Slim), which has more unique character. The nib is just as good as the 1911.



All in all though, I don't think you'll be disappointed if you get any of the pens mentioned.