I Am Thinking Of Getting My First Legit Fountain Pen

[hypro999]

apparently I am only 13 (and probably one of the youngest members) and I want to get a fountain pen in about a year or so I can have It be to costly.here are some things that I am interested in:

1. X750 Vertrag Fountain Pen by Bulow®

2. X450 Kurve Vanilla Fountain Pen by Bulow®

3. (http://www.amazon.com/X450-QUINATE-Midnight-Scintillio-Fountain/dp/B002F5CKEC/ref=pd_sbs_op_5) there are 5 fountain pens here

 

What would you say, don't comment about the budget, and tell me if they are good for their price. I have about a year to think about it

[tomgartin]

I'm not sure how the Bulow pens do as far as consistent quality, but you might also consider the

as a first pen. I've been using a Pilot 78G and from what I understand, the Metropolitan is even better. Your first time out you really need a reliable pen. Trust me on that one.

Welcome to FPN. Spend some time poking around the reviews area and you might discover some more pens that are worth considering. Whatever you end up choosing, please be sure to take some photos and post a review to let us know how it works for you.

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: added link to a video review for Pilot Metropolitan

Edited December 12, 2012 by tomgartin

[rhodialover]

apparently I am only 13 (and probably one of the youngest members) and I want to get a fountain pen in about a year or so I can have It be to costly.here are some things that I am interested in:

1. X750 Vertrag Fountain Pen by Bulow®

2. X450 Kurve Vanilla Fountain Pen by Bulow®

3. (http://www.amazon.com/X450-QUINATE-Midnight-Scintillio-Fountain/dp/B002F5CKEC/ref=pd_sbs_op_5) there are 5 fountain pens here

 

What would you say, don't comment about the budget, and tell me if they are good for their price. I have about a year to think about it

 

I am 14 and one of the youngest members too, but I do have several pens of that price range and I can tell you this, spending $50

on a starter pen can make or break the FP experience for you. I remember my first FP was a Lamy safari (Look for one of those and see if you can't find some video reviews of it). IF you want a REAL pen you are going to have to spend more than what is in your current budget. $50 when I started back in June of this year at first seemed obscene but I tell you it is worth every penny. If that seems like waaayyyyyyyy to much, the only advice I can give your wallet is to turn away and never look back. My second FP was a TWSBI Diamond 540 that I got from Brian Goulet (no affl.) for $50, this is probably where you want to start out. The reason I recommend a more expensive pen is that if you do end up buying a $14 Bulow it will most likely leak and cause a fuss. Not all FP's do this and too many people think that all FP's do this and thus are turned off by it. If you want to try a pen for just some pocket change (not a real FP, but a good one to experiment with) you could buy a $3.95 Platinum Preppy from Goulet and for $2 extra have them convert it to an eyedropper for you. As for ink I would go and try getting a sample vial of a color you like from Goulet, these are about $1.25 a pop. ( Can you tell that I like Goulet? ) I highly suggest that you look at Mr.Goulets' series of FP 101 videos on Youtube

to acquaint yourself more with FP's. I also suggest that you have a good look at Brian's List of useful knowledge here:http://www.gouletpens.com/Fountain_of_Knowledge_s/1130.htm . Once you have done that I would try to make a decision from there as to what you would want to buy. My number one bit of advice to you is to look at all the reviews of pens that you can find. As to some other cheap pens I have and would highly recommend the Noodlers Ahab and the aforementioned Platinum preppy.

Remember that using a FP is 1/3 pen 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink. All of these factors must be taken into account when making a purchase .

Edited December 12, 2012 by rhodialover

[iamchum]

I mean, as first pens go, these Jinhao made pens are pretty nice, but they're quite chunky. You sure you can use them comfortably? For that sort of price I always point people towards either a Lamy safari or a TWSBI 540.

 

enjoy your time here!

[Edwaroth]

It's nice to see young people thinking and speaking of fountain pens! One hears so much about writing dying.

[iamchum]

apparently I am only 13 (and probably one of the youngest members) and I want to get a fountain pen in about a year or so I can have It be to costly.here are some things that I am interested in:

1. X750 Vertrag Fountain Pen by Bulow®

2. X450 Kurve Vanilla Fountain Pen by Bulow®

3. (http://www.amazon.co...ref=pd_sbs_op_5) there are 5 fountain pens here

 

What would you say, don't comment about the budget, and tell me if they are good for their price. I have about a year to think about it

 

I am 14 and one of the youngest members too, but I do have several pens of that price range and I can tell you this, spending $50

on a starter pen can make or break the FP experience for you. I remember my first FP was a Lamy safari (Look for one of those and see if you can't find some video reviews of it). IF you want a REAL pen you are going to have to spend more than what is in your current budget. $50 when I started back in June of this year at first seemed obscene but I tell you it is worth every penny. If that seems like waaayyyyyyyy to much, the only advice I can give your wallet is to turn away and never look back. My second FP was a TWSBI Diamond 540 that I got from Brian Goulet (no affl.) for $50, this is probably where you want to start out. The reason I recommend a more expensive pen is that if you do end up buying a $14 Bulow it will most likely leak and cause a fuss. Not all FP's do this and too many people think that all FP's do this and thus are turned off by it. If you want to try a pen for just some pocket change (not a real FP, but a good one to experiment with) you could buy a $3.95 Platinum Preppy from Goulet and for $2 extra have them convert it to an eyedropper for you. As for ink I would go and try getting a sample vial of a color you like from Goulet, these are about $1.25 a pop. ( Can you tell that I like Goulet? ) I highly suggest that you look at Mr.Goulets' series of FP 101 videos on Youtube

to acquaint yourself more with FP's. I also suggest that you have a good look at Brian's List of useful knowledge here:http://www.gouletpens.com/Fountain_of_Knowledge_s/1130.htm . Once you have done that I would try to make a decision from there as to what you would want to buy. My number one bit of advice to you is to look at all the reviews of pens that you can find. As to some other cheap pens I have and would highly recommend the Noodlers Ahab and the aforementioned Platinum preppy.

Remember that using a FP is 1/3 pen 1/3 paper and 1/3 ink. All of these factors must be taken into account when making a purchase .

 

^ this kid is awesome

[kpyeoman]

I'd definitely recommend a Sheaffer 100, Prelude or 300. Sheaffer makes excellent pens -- nice writing nibs and substantial feeling pens (metal bodies, not plastic). These pens will also come with a converter to provide you with opportunities to try out different bottled inks. If you want to go the cartridge route, Sheaffer cartridges are readily available at Staples or Office Depot for convenience.

 

Welcome to the Network and let us know which pen you end up choosing!

[Laura N]

I think you can get a very nice pen for under $50, even under $30.

 

Pilot and Sailor both make nice starter pens in your price range. Then there is the Lamy Safari. And the Kaweco Sport. Sheaffer is a good recommendation, too. I like that you are taking your time. If you see something you like, run a google search and read some reviews. FPN has a nice review section of its own. My last recommendation is the FPN classifieds: there are some excellent sellers of lower-priced vintage pens that have been restored. If you look, usually on the weekend, you will see some nice vintage Esterbrooks, Sheaffers and Parkers come through for less than $50. Esterbrooks also are available at Anderson Pens.

[TimGirdler]

apparently I am only 13 (and probably one of the youngest members) and I want to get a fountain pen in about a year or so I can have It be to costly.here are some things that I am interested in:

1. X750 Vertrag Fountain Pen by Bulow®

2. X450 Kurve Vanilla Fountain Pen by Bulow®

3. (http://www.amazon.co...ref=pd_sbs_op_5) there are 5 fountain pens here

 

What would you say, don't comment about the budget, and tell me if they are good for their price. I have about a year to think about it

 

I have both pens (I bought them about a year ago). I GREATLY prefer the X750. The size, i think, is much better. All of the "Bulow" pens are heavy. The "Bulow" pens are re-branded Jinhao (Chinese) pens. The nibs are unremarkable.

 

I believe there may be better pens in your price range.

 

Though I don't own the fountain pen version of this pen, the Parker IM seems like a really good, solid pen. See here for an example on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Fountain-Black-Barrel-Gold/dp/B0038MICIE. There are many different permutations of the Parker IM, and it will likely be more comfortable and reliable than the Bulow pens. That said, I really enjoy using my X750; it's not a bad pen. I don't use it much any more, however. You could, of course, go with something like a Parker Vector (the pen that started me in fountain pens). There are plenty of cheaper fountain pens that are vintage. Perhaps you could consider a Parker 45? The 45 would be slightly more than the Bulow or the IM.

 

Since I'm a nib-guy, I have to say this: Don't skimp on the nib. You can have a great-looking, economically savvy pen and if the nib is no good, the pen is no good.

 

If you'd like, please contact me through my website or by private message. I'll help make sure your pen writes properly...and you'll only have to pay shipping.

 

Tim

[airborne18th]

It's nice to see young people thinking and speaking of fountain pens! One hears so much about writing dying.

 

I agree. Thought I will say that I am finding fp's show up more in office supply retailers where I would normally just see a calligraphy set.

[Harlequin]

Although I'm older than you, I'm in the same boat. I just started with FPs this month actually and am looking for something under $50 (well under, lol). I have been watching reviews on YouTube of various pens, all by the same guy. You can find them by searching for sbreborwn- he is the one that does them. He may even be a member here, since he replied to onwe of my comments with advice to check this site. Without having had the chance to test any of these yet, some of the ones I thought I'd like to look into are: an Italix Parson's Essential, a Noodler's piston-filler, and a TWSBI Diamond 540. I don't know if a Noodler's piston filler is available still, I've had a hard time trying to find one even online, of course, that may just be a "nickname" and not the proper name, but I'm not sure.

[hypro999]

It's been several years since I've started this topic back in 2012. At the time, I was just a kid fascinated by fountain pens, but lacked the knowledge and finances to actually buy and maintain them. Over the years this changed, and now that I'm at the end of my university days, I thought it would be nice to summarize what pens I've purchased since then - just to bring things back around full-circle.

 

My journey started with some extremely simple, introductory level stuff. The very first fountain pen I remember ever using was the Pilot Varsity - a disposable "fountain pen" that came prefilled in a fixed set of colors (though I don't think we can really call it a fountain pen because of it's ink delivery mechanism).

 

Then after moving to India it got a whole lot easier to explore the world of fountain pens. India has tons of brick-and-mortar stationary shops all over the place meaning that I could just cross the street and start looking at some pens. Plus stationary generally costed less. These two factors were invaluable to getting started as a kid. The first real fountain pens I ever bought were the Reynolds Ink Pen and the Reynolds Grippy - two half-a-buck eyedropper style fountain pens which wrote a whole lot better than you'd expect for that price. The first ink I ever used was an extremely cheap one: Camlin Royal Blue. 60 ml for 20 INR (and at the time the exchange rate was something like 55 INR == 1 USD). In due time, I upgraded to the Parker Beta (F) and the Parker Vector (F) with Parker Quink Blue ink. Still elementary fountain pens and inks - I know. But it's progress nonetheless.

 

After that, the first major fountain pen I got was the Parker Frontier (F) (as with all other Parker pens in India, it was, and I think still is, manufactured by Luxor on behalf of Parker). I coupled it with Private Reserve Midnight Blue which is an absolutely beautiful ink (ironically the ink cost more than then pen). The pen itself had some issues with it's nib, but after about a year or so of tweaking the nib myself, I got it to be beautifully smooth. Having to "nibmeister" the pen myself to get it to write nicely and then finally making it work makes the pen all the more valuable to me.

 

Then I got the Lamy Safari (M) with Waterman Serenity Blue ink. A year later, I got the Sheaffer 100 (M) with Sheaffer Skrip Blue ink. Sadly ,shortly after this I started becoming less active on FPN.

 

Then I visited a special brick-and-mortar store called The Deccan Pen Store and purchased the Deccan Advocate (F) in brown ebonite (this blog covers the green ebonite version quite well). This pen is quite unique in the sense that it's not widely available yet it's absolutely magnificent - a rare gem. It's a large pen with a large nib which makes it feel quite grand (plus it fit well in my rather large hands). A year latter I revisited the store and bought a Jinhao x450 (M) but gave it away a few months afterwards that to a junior at high school as a gift before leaving for college.

 

While at uni, things were too fast paced for me to spare time to use fountain pens. One day my Deccan Advocate had an ink-burp accident right before a lecture that made me just give up for a while (it was my fault cause the pen shook too much in my backpack). Given the nature of my major (computer science), I kinda stopped using paper and pens altogether. If I ever had to take notes, I stuck to low maintenance rollerball and ballpoint pens. Recently I've started using my good old fountain pens once again for some small note taking here and there and was reminded of this place (the Fountain Pen Network) so I rea-activated my account and started looking though my old posts and whatnot.

 

And... that about brings things to the present day (at least as of writing this).

 

It's been a blast so far and I want to thank everyone who's helped me out in getting started.

[carola]

Love the thread to come around like that!

[langere]

This is wonderful! Thanks for cicling back and let us know what happened.

 

Glad you're willing to take up again this passion -

 

Erick

[amk]

I really enjoyed reading this. I'm glad you are back to enjoying your fountain pens, particularly the Deccan Advocate - a really marvellous pen. (Even if it does burp.)

Edited September 3, 2020 by amk

[corniche]

It's been several years since I've started this topic back in 2012. At the time, I was just a kid fascinated by fountain pens, but lacked the knowledge and finances to actually buy and maintain them. Over the years this changed, and now that I'm at the end of my university days, I thought it would be nice to summarize what pens I've purchased since then - just to bring things back around full-circle.

 

My journey started with some extremely simple, introductory level stuff. The very first fountain pen I remember ever using was the Pilot Varsity - a disposable "fountain pen" that came prefilled in a fixed set of colors (though I don't think we can really call it a fountain pen because of it's ink delivery mechanism).

 

Then after moving to India it got a whole lot easier to explore the world of fountain pens. India has tons of brick-and-mortar stationary shops all over the place meaning that I could just cross the street and start looking at some pens. Plus stationary generally costed less. These two factors were invaluable to getting started as a kid. The first real fountain pens I ever bought were the Reynolds Ink Pen and the Reynolds Grippy - two half-a-buck eyedropper style fountain pens which wrote a whole lot better than you'd expect for that price. The first ink I ever used was an extremely cheap one: Camlin Royal Blue. 60 ml for 20 INR (and at the time the exchange rate was something like 55 INR == 1 USD). In due time, I upgraded to the Parker Beta (F) and the Parker Vector (F) with Parker Quink Blue ink. Still elementary fountain pens and inks - I know. But it's progress nonetheless.

 

After that, the first major fountain pen I got was the Parker Frontier (F) (as with all other Parker pens in India, it was, and I think still is, manufactured by Luxor on behalf of Parker). I coupled it with Private Reserve Midnight Blue which is an absolutely beautiful ink (ironically the ink cost more than then pen). The pen itself had some issues with it's nib, but after about a year or so of tweaking the nib myself, I got it to be beautifully smooth. Having to "nibmeister" the pen myself to get it to write nicely and then finally making it work makes the pen all the more valuable to me.

 

Then I got the Lamy Safari (M) with Waterman Serenity Blue ink. A year later, I got the Sheaffer 100 (M) with Sheaffer Skrip Blue ink. Sadly ,shortly after this I started becoming less active on FPN.

 

Then I visited a special brick-and-mortar store called The Deccan Pen Store and purchased the Deccan Advocate (F) in brown ebonite (this blog covers the green ebonite version quite well). This pen is quite unique in the sense that it's not widely available yet it's absolutely magnificent - a rare gem. It's a large pen with a large nib which makes it feel quite grand (plus it fit well in my rather large hands). A year latter I revisited the store and bought a Jinhao x450 (M) but gave it away a few months afterwards that to a junior at high school as a gift before leaving for college.

 

While at uni, things were too fast paced for me to spare time to use fountain pens. One day my Deccan Advocate had an ink-burp accident right before a lecture that made me just give up for a while (it was my fault cause the pen shook too much in my backpack). Given the nature of my major (computer science), I kinda stopped using paper and pens altogether. If I ever had to take notes, I stuck to low maintenance rollerball and ballpoint pens. Recently I've started using my good old fountain pens once again for some small note taking here and there and was reminded of this place (the Fountain Pen Network) so I rea-activated my account and started looking though my old posts and whatnot.

 

And... that about brings things to the present day (at least as of writing this).

 

It's been a blast so far and I want to thank everyone who's helped me out in getting started.

Hello Hypro,

 

Congratulations; you've come a long way on your fp journey and I'm glad to see you've stuck with it.

 

Now that you're getting ready for university; I'd like to take this opportunity to recommend your first "Lifetime Pen":

 

Modern: Pelikan M200/205

 

Vintage: Parker 51 Aerometric, (if you know/have access to a reliable vintage pen dealer/restorer).

 

Enjoy your journey in life, God bless you on your way.

 

 

- Sean

[wallylynn]

I really enjoyed the update story. I too write very, very little. Sometimes just one grocery list in a week. But I continue to every day carry an fp to use when I need it.

[hypro999]

Thanks for the kind words everyone, glad you liked the update! I'm personally quite happy to see that the community is still going strong.

 

 

Sean (corniche): I'm not getting ready for university, I'm almost done with it (currently in my final year).

wallylynn: Thanks for letting me know that there are other people who don't write much but still use a FP whenever they can - it's encouraging.

[Mangrove Jack]

I was in a similar situation to you. I wanted a " good" fountain pen as a 12 or 13 year old. My grandmother got me a Parker 45 made in USA which I treasured for some years and then forgot about.

About 30 years later I cleaned out this pen and am still using it to date. BTW I am 58 years old now, and have bought many fountain pens in my lifetime and this Parker 45 remains one of my favourite to use.

 

Fully agree with corniche. My most used pen is a Pelikan M200 and a Parker 51 comes a close second purely because it has a bolder nib than I require.

[carola]

As I am a gold nib junkie, I don´t have any Pelikan M200s but prefer the same size and similar looks M400s. They are great pens but not in the cheap range (let alone the bigger siblings M600, M800 and M1000). Fortunately though there are vintage Pelikan 400s (400 and 400NN) with spectacular nibs and often to be seen on Ebay or elsewhere under € 100,00 (at least in green or tortoise striped). Those are always worth a try.