Best Piston Filling Pen

[Freddy]

Consider the following PIF's....

Top: Pelikan M200 Amber Transparent

From Left..

Pelikan M215 Tradition Blue Striped Binde..

Camlin 47..

Lamy Edition 2000 Stainless Steel..

Pelikan P1 Rolled Gold Cap Bordeaux..

Pelikan 140 Black Green..

Montblanc 3-42 Black..

Omas 630 Black Clear Barrel..

Omas Milord Midnight Blue..

Pelikan 400 Brown Tortoise..

Bottom: Pelikan M250 Bordeaux.

 

 

Fred

[lovemy51]

i would suggest Pelikan M2xx, Bexley Corona and/or Lamy 2K

[parnesh]

All suggestion here are very nice ones. I think the issue for you may be that getting the pen with the right size. The TWSBI might have have "spoiled" you (like it did me) for smaller and lighter pens. For example the comparable pelikan is an m800.

 

My suggestions would be to try something different:

1) Vinatge Aurora 88. Great pens!

2) Vinatge Pelikans : any of the ones Bo Bo said. try a 140 or 400 or a 400NN (I have one on the way hopefully).

3) Vintage MB: Have seen many but don't have one so get other experts advise here.

 

Or something similar:

4) Bexley Corona

5) Lamy 2000 : If you like piston fillers and workhorse pens you will end up getting one eventually so might as well start now.

6) Pelikan m215 : Heavier than the m200. Small compared to TWSBI though.

 

I have 1,5 and 6 + the TWSBI is you want a comparison.

[silverfish]

Personally I would like a pen that could be filled from a syringe (I've forgotten what they are called) and hold a lot of ink. That sort of pen usually (I understand) has no moving parts to go wrong except for the easy replacement of a seal every few years.

[Albert26]

Easy, Pelikan pistons are the smoothest and most reliable, and among my favorite nibs, too! I think everyone will agree that you can not go wrong with a Pelikan.

[mitto]

Vintage Pelikan 140, 400 and 400NN.

[Tasmith]

Pelikan, they are not the cheapest piston fillers but still relatively affordable in the M2xx series. They are dependable and write great.

 

Recommend TWSBI second. Have the Eco and really like it and is less than $30.

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Put me down for Pelikan as well. I've got a flock of 'em in my breast pocket. 4 M200s (3 crown-top and a dome-top) and an old dome-top M150. Built like tanks, and while a major overhaul (e.g., a leaky piston seal) is probably best left to the pros, a simple nib change-out is a bare-hands no-brainer.

 

Face it: if it's possible to put enough mileage on a pen to wear out the nib, then the rest of the pen is pretty durable.

[Mercian]

I also recommend Pelikan.

Start with an M2xx.

You will want to 'work up' to the more-expensive Souverän lines of pens later on :-D

 

One of their big plus-points for me is that Pelikan nib/feed units simply unscrew.

This means that you can switch nibs in and out easily if you would like to change line-width (or put a nib from an M4xx or M6xx in), but also that it is really easy to clean the nib, feed, and ink chamber, and easy to re-lubricate the piston.

This enables you to take advantage of the fun capabilities offered by 'high-maintenance' inks such as iron-galls with less worry about potential cleaning problems :-)

 

I believe - although I may well be wrong - that this can not be done with a LAMY 2000, or with the Montblanc piston fillers.

[Mister5]

Where in the world can you get a Montblanc for under $300-400? I've seen them used for as low as $350 or so. For a 149. But that's used. I realize some people have no qualms with used pens, but I come from a world where people don't take care of their stuff, and I'd rather not inherit other people's problems. Therefore, I always buy new. Only exception was the Esterbrook I bought on ebay for $10. But I've never even used it.

 

If I can get a Montblanc for under $200, I'd be willing to give it a try, but something tells me anyone that paid $1000+ for a pen is going to want as much as they can back on that and only people who have no clue what they have will offer prices as low as you're suggesting.

I purchased a Montblanc Meisterstuck 12 for $160. It was well cared for by a respected member of the boards. I think the M200/215 is superior but the MB 12/22/14/etc are good MBs that won't break the bank. Edited March 16, 2017 by Mister5

[Tom_Moritz]

Lamy 2000 is what I would suggest. Great pen, haven't put mine down since I bought it.

[Arkanabar]

Pelikan M200 or M205. These retail for around $100-140. My M200 is my first Pen of a Lifetime.

I agree with Bo Bo when he says the steel nibs in the M200 are better than the gold nibs in the M400.

Personally I would like a pen that could be filled from a syringe (I've forgotten what they are called) and hold a lot of ink. That sort of pen usually (I understand) has no moving parts to go wrong except for the easy replacement of a seal every few years.

silverfish, the kind of pen you're talking about is called an eyedropper pen. Buy a 4.5oz bottle of Noodler's Ink; as long as it isn't original Black, it's likely to contain an inexpensive ED or two. A number of Indian pens are eyedroppers, and a number of others are can be converted. ASA Pens sells a number of 3-in-one pens (ED and c/c), and Fountain Pen Revolution sells the Triveni and Triveni Jr. (both also ED and c/c), as well as the Himalaya (a syringe filler which can also be used as an ED). People regularly convert Noodler's Ahabs, Platinum Preppies, and Pilot Plumixes into eyedroppers with nothing but a slight dab of pure silicone grease (go to a dive shop, not a plumbing supply) and maybe an o-ring.

[pajaro]

I don't think the steel nibs are exactly better than the M400 gold nibs. The M200 nibs seem to be a bit narrower, and drier. They seem closer to EF and F widths than the M400 nibs, that seem wider for the size and wetter. Then again I have an 18K M4xx medium nib that is a bit fine. Overall I like the M200 nibs better, because the F and EF nibs are finer than M4xx.

 

The M200 and M205 are more cost effective. They last, and require no maintenance.

[chromantic]

I'm been quite pleased with my Pelikans. I'll plug the humble 150, a bit more compact than the 200 (slightly lower cost, too), nice for smaller hands. Only comes in basic black with gold trim now but some other colors can still be found on ebay; I've seen green/black, red/black and grey old style, red/black and grey/black new style.

[nakediggi]

Let’s revive this thread. Curious about the opinions given a couple new players: Conid with their Bulkfiller and Edison with their Pump Filler. Is Pelikan still the piston filler king?

[alanshutko]

Well, the Bulkfiller isn't a Piston, and neither is the Pump Filler. Might be worth a separate thread to discuss the merits of different integrated filling systems, which could also include vacuum fillers, etc.

[Jezza]

Lamy 20000 is a great pen, though Id skip the stainless steel and go straight for the black Makrolon version. It is a large pen, but light weight. The hooded nib is perfect for getting the most out of shallow ink bottles, and they are generally great writers. There is a reason these pens have been in constant production since the mid 60s with virtually no changes.

[AAAndrew]

I also enjoy the TWSBI's, though the original poster said he was looking for a higher-cost pen. Frankly, I've not found my other pens, including my Pelikan, significantly better. Though it's not a piston filler per se, I love my Vac Mini.

[sirgilbert357]

I've only found the Pilot Custom Heritage 92... which is $220 USD at Goulet's. So I'm doubtful I'd find that anywhere near $135.

 

Is there such a thing as a standard Custom 92? If so, where can one be acquired?

 

 

I love the Goulets for some things, but buying pens is not one of them. I have literally ALWAYS found a better deal on any pen I wanted elsewhere. I just don't even consider them for pens anymore...

[Weaveras]

Found this thread while pondering what I would get for a next pen. I have a Lamy 2000 that has been at the shop for a month waiting for a new nib from Germany because of me accidentally dropping it while uncapped. Not really thrilled with the overhead price of a new nib, nor the lack of availability. As one of my best writing pens, I quite miss it. At the same time, I'm seriously considering a TWSBI due to cost, and ease of repair. I've quite liked the gold nibs I own however, and would consider a Pilot Custom 92 except I can't imagine what would happen if I damaged that nib as well.