The Worst Pen Ever

[pajaro]

Sheaffer Snorkel and Wearever.

 

Snorkel is annoying to restore. You might as well determine the projected sac life and then restore at half that interval, to make sure you don't have to peel numerous pieces of a perished sac off of the inner surface of the sac protector. The disassembly to get to the point where you can scrape the fragments of sac off of the inside of the sac protector is no piece of cake either. All the hassle so you can see the gee whiz tube protrude and retract. I know a lot of people like these, so go ahead and explain away my arguments as blather if you want to. Frankly I like the Touchdown and the Touchdown with Tip Dip nib much better, and the resac is much easier.

 

Wearever must have had a long term contract with one of the crummiest sac makers in the known universe. The several that I bought back in the day all leaked like a sieve in less than a month. I did get one in a bunch of donor pens a few years back. The barrel was shaped like a banana. Perished sac, of course. Dustbin.

[inkstainedruth]

They're like snowflakes: every Konrad has its own unique issues.

Mine have mostly been good. One of the resin ones doesn't post (some sort of obstruction in the cap). But the pen itself writes just fine, although much drier than my other Konrads, and I'd buy another resin one in a heartbeat.

My worst pen is probably the Parker Urban. The first one got sent back under warranty (twice). The first time I tried to install a twist converter and it broke. The second time, the replacement (slide) converter they sent me got stuck in the barrel. So, after I had a few choice words (including using the phrase that they should be concerned about the mouthy American broad on an internationally read pen forum) to the person in France I'd dealt with the first time Parker sent me a Priority mail box. Then, after a few weeks, sent a new (?) pen with a cryptic work order saying "barrel defective". Only the new pen has some sort of leak in the nib unit at the collar, above the top of the nib. I've flushed and soaked it till I want to scream (because there can't be THAT much ink in the nib unit at this point, right? ) and then stuck the pen in a zipper case, where it's sat for maybe 2 years, and is now out of warranty. My Vectors aren't NEARLY this bad -- even the red one with the F nib, which writes dry. My (probably counterfeit) Hero 616 has a scratchy nib but otherwise isn't as bad -- and that's effectively a $2 pen. My *Wearever* isn't that bad (it's got a fun stubby nib on it). Even the Arnold I paid too much for isn't that bad....

The Urban? I think I should just toss it in the trash for the junker it is.... Even the precessors to my first Vector (a pair of Parker Reflexes where the rubber on the grip disintegrated) didn't get thrown out -- I put them into a "Pick a Prize" raffle about number of years ago, IIRC. But the Urban? Even before the pen got replaced I was considering painting pink polka dots on it with nail polish to liven things up, once the warranty ran out....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[georgeb]

Cross Bailey. Bought it long before I knew about Jinhao or I would never have bought it. It is the only pen, Chinese or otherwise, that I have not been able to coax at least marginal performance out of. The nib either is starved or burping and it makes a truly appaling noise, rather like stray cats in the summertime.

Mine is like that too.

[pajaro]

Well, with a stubby nib and a feed, you can dip it and probably write a page.

[markofp]

Conklin All-American

 

The pen wouldn't write at all from new, after a bit of work on the nib it writes temperamentally... It's as though the nib was fashioned from old tin cans. I hate this pen, my most regretful purchase ever.

 

I don't hate it, but the Conklin All-American Sleeve Filler has been nothing but tsuris for me since I got it. The fine-point was a misshapen disaster that Mark Baccus was able to whip into some semblance of write-ability for me, but it still skips. Shame, it is such a perfect size and weight for me, and I like the way it looks very much.

[oneill]

I am delighted NOT A Jinhao/Baoer anywhere that I can see,Trust Me. Oneill

[Waltz For Zizi]

A Zebra something pen. My second fountain pen, bought because the nib looked exactly like the nib on my firs fountain pen (a parker vector premium) which I really liked, and like to this day. The pen was a nightmare. Even though I was in college and had very little money back then, in 30 minutes after trying the pen, I threw it in the garbage. Worst pen ever.

[mitto]

Chinese pens. All of them.

[ReadyFireAim]

Pilot Custom 912 FA w/ Mottishaw Spencerian modification.

It would shred everything I ever tried it on.

 

It was like trying to write with an X-Acto knife.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Bordeaux146

[Lamyrada]

A Zebra something pen. My second fountain pen, bought because the nib looked exactly like the nib on my firs fountain pen (a parker vector premium) which I really liked, and like to this day. The pen was a nightmare. Even though I was in college and had very little money back then, in 30 minutes after trying the pen, I threw it in the garbage. Worst pen ever.

I know which you mean. Never wrote well, I bought one while abroad , yikes!

[minddance]

Jinhao. ALL of them. Poor ink flow. And dries up my precious inks.

 

Pilot 78G. Way too dry and section too slender. It is a feed thing, opened tines but ink still does not want to leave the pen.

 

Pilot 92 broad. Poor ink flow. Poorly finished/unfinished nib.

 

Lamy safari/al-star medium: too dry. AND scratchy ootb. Maybe a lemon. Ended up with 1.1mm on all my lamys. And all write different. Lamy, please check your QC.

 

TWSBI Eco Broad. Ink vommited from section. Gosh. I hv never encountered this in any of my pens.

[Misfit]

Right now my Zebra V301 Fountain Pen is missing. It is in a pouch I got when I bought the Lamy Al-Star Coffee special edition from amazon.co.uk.

 

I can’t replace the Lamy pouch because they never ship that way in the US. I miss the Zebra pen, though I know I can replace it. Say what you will about Zebra Fountain pen, but it wrote every time even after weeks of neglect.

[ian1964]

I can't seem to love my Lamy 2000 (F). I've given it a good try, and I really can't get myself to like it.

 

Oh, I thought I was the only person in the world who hates ( I know hate is a strong world!) this pen. Bought the metal Mk2 version with a broad nib. There is nothing I like about it and I really want to like it, It has the awful "baby bottom" and the design just makes my hand ache something awful. I know I should sell it but I keep coming back hoping I will eventually like it

[minddance]

 

Oh, I thought I was the only person in the world who hates ( I know hate is a strong world!) this pen. Bought the metal Mk2 version with a broad nib. There is nothing I like about it and I really want to like it, It has the awful "baby bottom" and the design just makes my hand ache something awful. I know I should sell it but I keep coming back hoping I will eventually like it

I find Lamy2000 an acquired taste and not for everyone. I hate that taper towards the nib and towards the piston. For me, it certainly has to be posted to or it won't write. My hand is rarely comfortable with it.

[RockingLR]

This has been a really fun forum to read. It really goes to show that everyone has unique tastes and what one person loves another person hates. I like how personal these pens are, though the process of finding what we each individually love can be an issue it's a wonderful journey. I think the only pen I didn't like so far was my Waterman 52V. It was fun to flex but overall just to small in length and width to really be a joy to write with....though nothing I've tried yet has bordered on hate. I'm sure someday I'll find one.

Edit: Had no idea this forum was so long and my previous post I quoted was long ago answered.

 

 

Edited December 28, 2017 by RockingLR

[GoldenNibs]

Waterman Taperites. Poor inkflow, nib is way too fine, usually picks up the paper as you write, and the pull off cap is very loose fitting. The open nib counterparts are much better in every aspect. However, I do like that the Taperite is a semi hooded nib and has some line variation to it.

[Ink_Chick]

It's the pen I couldn't afford, so it must be crummy & I saved myself the hassle, smart as I am....

Thanks for the laugh!

[Ink_Chick]

Cross Bailey. Bought it long before I knew about Jinhao or I would never have bought it. It is the only pen, Chinese or otherwise, that I have not been able to coax at least marginal performance out of. The nib either is starved or burping and it makes a truly appaling noise, rather like stray cats in the summertime.

Interesting, my Cross Bailey writes smoothly and is quite enjoyable.

[Ink_Chick]

Have to say my least favorite pen (hate is too strong) was the Noodler’s Ahab. After reading reviews about it being flexy, and thanks to my noobiness, I tried a pungent, clear demonstrator. Back to the reviews to figure out how to get rid of the smell. Finally gave it to my niece, who was wanting to fountain pens.

[flipper_gv]

Aurora88 and Delta with fusion nibs

 

Aurora 88 as a worst ever? I really have trouble wrapping my head around this one.