What's Your "grail Pen"

[ReconNinja95]

I've come across the term "Grail Pen" all over this site with a dream that I too may one day find a pen that will trump all my other pens. What was your "Grail Pen" whether it be a Franken Pen or a Mint, a Vintage or a Modern, any pen will do. Also what made it so good? Was it the buttery nib or the feel of it when it writes? Pictures would be nice too! Thanks for advising a noob on how your grail pen came to be!

Edited September 2, 2011 by ReconNinja95

[raging.dragon]

I prefere variety, so for me there's no such thing as a single grail pen.

[jar]

They are pens. No pen can make my life complete. They are just pens.

[Tennessee Dave]

I have no idea whether or not such a thing exists.

Edited September 1, 2011 by Tennessee Dave

[raging.dragon]

They are pens. No pen can make my life complete. They are just pens.

 

True. Very true. Things can give us pleasure, but they cannot make our lives complete.

[mgutman]

I think a grail pen is one we are saving up for, or hope to someday afford. While we may envision it as the trump pen, it probably does not render ones other pens obsolete, and ultimately will become one in a series of grail pens.

 

Those who hang out on FPN usually acquire quite a few pens

[andybiotic]

I have different categories of grails, because no one pen can satisfy all aspects.

 

Modern Grail Pen: Visconti Divina Proporzione. :puddle: :puddle: (5 drooling puddle icons)

 

Vintage Grail Pen (for now): Wahl Eversharp Doric Full size facetted green web barrel with a no.7 or higher (preferably #10) adjustable superflex nib. :puddle: (3 puddles)

 

Grail nib: 0.1mm super needle point or 0.3mm cursive italic + wet noodle that is capable of writing at least 3mm thick lines with less than 170g pressure. :puddle: :puddle: (5 puddles)

 

I am not as excited about the Doric as I used to be... I just couldn't think of another vintage pen I want more at the moment...

Edited September 2, 2011 by andybiotic

[ReconNinja95]

Hmm i should change the "trump" thing. Also everyone has their own "grail" though their will always be a better one.

[DrPJM1]

For me. it would have to be a vintage Sheaffer OS Balance Demonstrator with music nib. Sheaffer demonstrators are difficult to find, harder to find for the Balance pens, hardest for OS size, and I have never been able to even know about a music nib except on a 1930's advertisement. My chances are not very good, but I'll keep looking. I am an eternal optimist.

[Yuki Onitsura]

I don't think any one pen will make my life (or even my collection, for that matter) complete. For me, a grail pen is just the next "must have" pen that I need to save up for. At the present moment, this is probably a Visconti Knights Templari (image belongs to Bryant Greer from pentime.com)

 

http://www.pentime.com/admin/wp-content/files_mf/1302473465IMG_50671.JPG

 

Yuki

[jgrasty]

Can't say the pen completes me, but the Pelikan M101N I have on order completes my collection.

 

For now. :roflmho:

[RainbowBright]

I don't think any one pen will make my life (or even my collection, for that matter) complete. For me, a grail pen is just the next "must have" pen that I need to save up for. At the present moment, this is probably a Visconti Knights Templari (image belongs to Bryant Greer from pentime.com)

 

http://www.pentime.com/admin/wp-content/files_mf/1302473465IMG_50671.JPG

 

Yuki

 

A 3 thousand dollar pen would be my "I just won the lottery pen"

Gorgeous, though.

[PAKMAN]

The idea of a Grail pen is very different for different folks.

 

Sometimes it's that pen that if I ever won the lottery I would buy.

Sometimes it's a factor of beauty

Sometimes it's a factor of coolness

Sometimes it's a factor of technical complexity

 

Usually it is not the end all pen that keeps you from buying any other.

 

In fact many grail pens end up on the shelf or sold because they just aren't as wonderful as envisioned from afar.

 

I've bought many pens that, at one time or another, were my grail pen and some of them have been since sold. I think the answer is different for each of us. Just have fun and dream big.

 

PS: Grail pens are many times more likely obtainable if you decide that they don't have to be brand new at full retail!

[Koshy]

I agree that there cannot be 'one 'grail pen that would cure me of my desire to collect pens. For me, it means only the "next must buy". Needs, as Abraham Maslow said are a heirarchy. When one is satisfied, the next comes up and so on. As of now, I think it is a Nakaya Briar. :puddle: :puddle:

[ExcaliburZ]

A Twsbi 530 modified for a larger ink capacity using a Pelikan M400 EF nib. I have not bought another fountain pen since.

[Delphideo]

My grail pen is a Kaweco Sport with a piston filler. I know some of the vintage ones are out there. Somewhere...

[APHK]

Hard to say: I have some expensive pens that I value but do not use much and then there are some cheaper pens that I love using.

 

In my case, MB 149 vs Pilot 823.

[JefferyS]

If it were based on my experience alone, the answer would be the Homo sapiens, hands down.  Nib, feel, costruction, ink volume put it at the top. But I'm one of the blessed who didn't get a defective specimen. That being the case, finding a first runner up is difficult. I'll have to go with Aurora Optima tied with Pelikan M805. I am not ignoring Edison; there are too many models for me too comment on any one of them. They are worthy of a level alonside the Aurora and Pelikan when the model is comparable.<br /><br />For Visconti to have shipped pens that leak ink, won't fill, skip, and have free-spinning metal bands should result in one or more employees being let go. Any company is as good as its reputation, and Toyota has made that painfully apparent, with a huge loss of confidence.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Jeffery Smith

[79spitfire]

Weelll, mine was a Pilot VP in blue carboneque, but after acquiring one I discovered I was afraid to take it to work :bonk: Gorgeous pen, binderized nib and all!

 

My current "grail" would be a large vintage Waterman's in red ripple with a nice flexy nib. The trick is HOW I acquire it is important. I need to find it in the wild, needing restoration. Matching pencil and box (preferably the "treasure chest" box) coaxing it back to life and then writing with it is.. :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

 

The whole enchilada.... for me!

 

I could likely sell/save and plunk down the change required, but the hunt is on! http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk11/79spitfire/m1605.gif

[jgrasty]

Weelll, mine was a Pilot VP in blue carboneque, but after acquiring one I discovered I was afraid to take it to work :bonk: Gorgeous pen, binderized nib and all!

 

My current "grail" would be a large vintage Waterman's in red ripple with a nice flexy nib. The trick is HOW I acquire it is important. I need to find it in the wild, needing restoration. Matching pencil and box (preferably the "treasure chest" box) coaxing it back to life and then writing with it is.. :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

 

The whole enchilada.... for me!

 

I could likely sell/save and plunk down the change required, but the hunt is on! http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk11/79spitfire/m1605.gif

 

A noble quest. Godspeed!