Waterman Phileas Fountain Pen

[alxn88]

Hello!

I'd like to buy a Waterman Phileas fountain pen and I would like to know what other people think about this pen.

What do you think about it?

Please advise me.

With thanks,

Alexhttp://www.penlibrary.com/images/Waterman/Waterman_138_2.jpg

Edited June 26, 2011 by alxn88

[Taurean]

Hi Alex, welcome to FPN!

I don't own a Phileas myself, but I've handled it and it's a pretty nice pen.

If you explore the Review Index thread in the Review Forums, you will find a bunch of reviews, most if not all of which are full of praise for this pen.

[jjaberg]

That pen was my 2nd or 3rd acquistion when I first became interested in fountain pens several years ago - and it is still one of my favorites. At first it had a tendency to skip a bit but after working with it for a while (and filling it with Waterman ink) it developed into a very smooth performer. With a M nib it gives me the kind of sumptuous writing experience that is the reason I like to write with fountain pens. It is quite an attractive pen and I have gotten very favorable comments from colleagues at work (one assumed it was a Mont Blanc). Bottom line, I consider my Phileas to be one of the better value-for-the-money pens I own. It's advertised retail price when I purchased it was $85 but I bought it for about 50% of that. I understand that the line has been discontinued by Waterman and I have actually thought about picking up another one in a different finish while they are still avaiable new. As I have browsed about I find them for sale at quite varying prices, so you may want to shop around to be sure you are getting the best deal available. Good luck!

[Surfbits]

Hello!

I'd like to buy a Waterman Phileas fountain pen and I would like to know what other people think about this pen.

What do you think about it?

Please advise me.

With thanks,

Alexhttp://www.penlibrary.com/images/Waterman/Waterman_138_2.jpg

 

Love them! I have two and a Harley Davidson Flame pen (Same as the Phileas). I had a Pendleton Nib grind on one and it's now in my everyday rotation. The others are stored in safe keeping as backups. For a pen at that low cost, you will not be disappointed. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to answer.

[Monophoto]

It's a decent writer. Obviously not a great pen, but the price is right.

 

One thing to be aware of is that the nib sizes tend to be 'generous'. I bought a medium, and found that it was a bit too broad for my taste.

[bluemagister]

The Phileas was the second real fountain pen I ever bought and it is fantastic. At first, I thought the M nib was way too broad, but using a slightly drier ink makes that problem go away. The nib is smooth and the flow is wonderful. I got a Phileas on clearance for about $30 and I bought myself another one engraved with my future title for when I graduate. I figure that the best present I can give to my future self is from my past self.

[KCat]

The Phileas was the first FP I purchased in adulthood. It started the addiction. I think it's an excellent starter pen. I have since found I can't handle the thick section but it was a good way to figure out what I liked at a reasonable price and the nibs are typically very smooth and Out-of-the-box smooth as silk. They do run wide so a fine will usually have a fairly thick line. Ink makes a difference on that so it's not a huge concern, IMO.

 

I agree with Surfbits - I don't think you can go wrong with this pen. I disagree with Monophoto that it isn't a "great pen" but that's all subjective. I say that because you have decide what "great" is for you. For me "great" is a smooth writing pen that is comfortable in my hand and allows me to write for hours if need be. If that costs $30, great! Just because it doesn't have a special filling system or isn't made of an expensive material doesn't make it flawed, IMO. I find this pen "great" in that it is a great value for a well-made pen that holds up to a lot of abuse and has been the starting point for thousands of FP addicts around the world. I'm surprised to hear that WM is discontinuing this line.

[USMCMom]

I have several Phileas pens, as well as Kultur. They're great writers, have never stalled on me, skipped or hard to get started. Mine all start writing when the nib hits the paper. I like them!!

[jackb]

This is one of my favorite pens. Writes like a dream. Obviously a little cheaper looking than more expensive pens, it writes vey well.

[JonSzanto]

It was the first real fountain pen I bought, and that was about 25 years ago. It still writes very nicely, and is one I use on a regular basis. You'll have to find one on eBay, through a sale purchase here on FPN, or somewhere else, as they aren't made anymore. They don't get a lot of respect among the crowd that assumes $$$ = Quality, and people criticize the gaudy exterior colors and blingy trim, but if found at a decent price it is hard to find much better value in a pen. The nib sizes are generous, but my pen has never skipped, stalled, or felt rough. Ever.

 

Bottom line: it is a pen you can enjoy writing with.

[Lorna Reed]

I have three - EF,F & M. They have always been reliable and trouble free. Some people find them a little too 'blingy' but I like the look the nibs on all of mine are very smooth..

[writebyhand]

An "F" nib Phileas was my first fountain pen, but I don't recommend it. I felt the nib was poorly built and needed to be held at too low an angle in order to write smoothly.

 

There are a number of alternatives that I can recommend if you are interested.

[nm4]

The Phileas is a great pen for the money. It's conservatively styled but with a little flare. A bit of a Monet in that from a distance it appears to be a more expensive pen yet upon close inspection there are a few cheap details. The body material, for example, seems rather cheap.

 

As far as the writing experience, it has been all aces with my M-nib. One of the smoothest pens I own with generous ink flow. Additionally the nib is nicely styled. As others have mentioned the nibs widths are more generous than on most other pens.

 

If you're after a conservatively styled pen that writes well I don't think you can do much better for the money. Some of the chinese pens are cheaper but there is more variability in nib quality. The TWSBI 530 is a little more expensive but offers a piston filler and a demonstrator body style (although I don't think the nib is as smooth as the Waterman's).

 

Cheers,

NM

[PAKMAN]

I have the blue marbled looking one with a M nib. I think it is a great pen. I don't use mine much any more as I have so many other pens now and tend more toward a fine or extra fine nib for my current writing enjoyment.

[padams2359]

I have the FP with Med Nib and the mechanical pencil. It writes broad and well. Good starter pen. Very light in the hand. Not as heavy as Montverde Regatta, which is also a good starter pen. About the same price point.

[EMM]

Very sturdy feel and the nib design is quite appealing, I liked it so much that I bought the demo version as well.

[Journaleur]

I bought my Phileas about 5 or 6 years ago. I was very fortunate in that it was on sale as a closeout for about $15. Mine is a marbled green with a medium nib. I was and am very pleased with the pen and would use it on a regular basis, but for the fact that the nib is now a bit wide for my taste. I have moved from medium to fine nibs, and as others have commented, the M nib is a bit wide. I definitely would recommend it as an everyday pen.

 

Now that I think about it, I guess I have to search out a Fine nib, so I can put my Phineas back into regular rotation.

[The Scribbler]

I've received 3 Phileas pens as gifts (black with a fine nib and a green marble and red marble with medium nibs). In fact, my very first fountain pen was the black Phileas. I've used them off and on over the last 10 years or so.

 

I recently rotated the red one back into use and forgotten how much I enjoyed it. It is a smooth writer that is a pleasure to use. I recommend the Phileas as a great introduction to the wonderful world of fountain pens.

[Anne-Sophie]

I received my first, a blue marble, as a gift in 2000.

 

I bought one in a green pattern shortly after that.

 

In 08 or 09, I bought backups when I found them on sale after I found out on FPN that the line was discontinued. (stupid move on Waterman's part!)

 

I also have 2 Kultur.

 

I usually do not like pens with any gold on them but the Phileas spoke to me.

 

Their medium is the best!

[Denny]

I got once a Phileas as a gift, but I thought the M nib was too wide so I swapped it for a Sheaffer Prelude XF - and regret it since. Phileas is a very smooth, reliable pen. One I'd like to have on my desk and use it daily.