Help Me Decide Between These 10 Pens.

[rhodialover]

So I've decided to buy myself a birthday pen, but my dilemma is choosing what pen. So I've decided to enlist the help of the FPN board members and base my decision upon your recommendation's. I've narrowed it down between 10 pens of which to choose from. They are as follows;

 

Pilot Custom 742 SFM Black ~$163

Sailor 1911 Full Size Black w/ Silver trim FM ~$163

Platinum 3776 Chatres Blue F ~$84

*Delta Dolce Vita PISTON F ~$350*

Franklin Christoph Model 19 '1901' Kings Gold Bands .9mm MM Custom stub ~$195

Aurora 88 Large Silver trim Fine ~$350

**OMAS Arte Italiana Noir Milord (331 made in each size) ~$395**

*Stipula Etruria Rainbow Blue w/ T-Flex nib ~$230*

Any combination of Edison pen e.g Huron Grande or Pearl in Lucite or Cobalt Flake or Molten Ores or .......

Franklin Christoph Model 66 Stabillis .9mm MM custom Stub ~$169.50

 

I just can't decide between these pens! I want them all! But alas I cannot afford that. In terms of pens I already own, I have an Edison Collier in silver marble, a Sailor 1911m clear and gold (These two happen to be my favorite pens, despite the massive size differences),Pelikan M600 EF in blue, a Montblanc 144 Black/Gold M-B, a TWSBI Diamond 540 EF, and a TWSBI Vac 700 EF in blue.

I think I have plenty of blue and EF pens for now, and my goal up to now is to diversify my pen collection. I really like the OMAS.

I really wanted an Italian pen, so the Delta, OMAS, and Stipula seem to be the most likely options for now.

FYI: It will be my 15th birthday, so I want to make it a good and memorable pen.

 

(* indicates pens I will most likely purchase at the time of this post, subject to change)

 

EDIT: I should mention that the purchase date is later in August

Edited July 21, 2013 by rhodialover

[georges zaslavsky]

The Omas and the Stipula offer the best nibs out of the box. I would suggest to check the Omas Ogiva 557s older model which is for sale by Sanpei https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/classifieds/item/20745-fs-10-lots-omas-sheaffer-parker-montblanc-etc/ It is an outstanding pen for the price and you will love the nib. The stip eritruria rainbow is also outstanding value for money.

[athar201]

hi

 

i would say aurora 88 would be a better choice and you would have a large pen in your collection

[tarheel1]

I would probably go for the Aurora 88 also if you were wanting Italian, but I like the black torpedo shape.

[Edwaroth]

Personally, I am enthralled by the Platinum in Chartres Bleu...and I usually don't care for translucent. One I'm going to have a F-C 1901. That's my two sheckles.

[RMN]

That Stipula has the T flex nib, not a gold nib. Now you either love or hate the T-flex. I would try it out first before you decide on that. I personally love the gold nibs and the steel nibs, but I am not fond of my T-flex. As I am not able to write using pressure changes, I have no use for the flex, and the pen becomes just a scratchy F nib to me. I prefer a M or a .9 or1.1 italic....

 

 

D.ick

[Runnin_Ute]

What kind of a budget are your parents willing to spring for? Do they normally spring for $400 items for your birthday? The fact a not yet 15 year old is seriously considering a $400 pen is something I would be concerned about without the answer to the above questions.

 

I do not have experience with any of these models.

[rhodialover]

What kind of a budget are your parents willing to spring for? Do they normally spring for $400 items for your birthday? The fact a not yet 15 year old is seriously considering a $400 pen is something I would be concerned about without the answer to the above questions.

 

I do not have experience with any of these models.

They are not the ones buying said pen(s). I am. They flat out refused, so I decided that I wanted a pen bad enough that I could work for it. The max that they ever went for was a Pelikan M600, which was $300, which is more than fine by me. They are, however completely fine with me paying for it. It should be said that I have had to work for said pen and it is my money and so therefore it is my decision to spend it on what I want. (Imagine all the junk that a normal 15 year-old would normally buy) I win or I lose,period. I see my pens as useful tools and I want them to be useful to me. They are not 'bling' that I tote around to look good. I like fountain pens, I like using them, and I enjoy knowing that I can use them for years and years to come. Many people I know think I'm nuts for even owning a $50 TWSBI, but I can justify it. So can many others on this board.

 

EDIT: I should also ask what you guys think about price vs. quality and performance of the listed pens.

Edited July 22, 2013 by rhodialover

[Runnin_Ute]

They are not the ones buying said pen(s). I am. They flat out refused, so I decided that I wanted a pen bad enough that I could work for it. The max that they ever went for was a Pelikan M600, which was $300, which is more than fine by me. They are, however completely fine with me paying for it. It should be said that I have had to work for said pen and it is my money and so therefore it is my decision to spend it on what I want. (Imagine all the junk that a normal 15 year-old would normally buy) I win or I lose,period. I see my pens as useful tools and I want them to be useful to me. They are not 'bling' that I tote around to look good. I like fountain pens, I like using them, and I enjoy knowing that I can use them for years and years to come. Many people I know think I'm nuts for even owning a $50 TWSBI, but I can justify it. So can many others on this board.

 

EDIT: I should also ask what you guys think about price vs. quality and performance of the listed pens.

Good for you.

 

The fact you have had to work to earn the funds for said pen makes it mean that much more. I was actually hoping that would be the case, as opposed to the alternative. You know how hard you had to work to earn the money for that pen that cost $xxx and will be more likely to take care of it than if it were just handed to you. I hope whichever pen you choose is one that you will enjoy and cherish for a long time. And maybe even pass on someday.

 

And the people think you are nuts for spending $50 (or more) on a pen? It never goes away. My first nice rollerball was a Waterman Hemisphere. (used more in the last month than in the previous decade due to frustrations with refills-even factory ones. Took replacing with a Pilot G-2 gel refill to get it to work consistently.) I have had a variety of nice Parker ballpoints over the years, although my favorite (and the only nice pen I have ever lost) was a Made in UK Parker 45 Flighter bp. I was seriously bummed when I lost it and couldn't find a replacement a few years ago. My first fountain pens were a Lamy Al Star and a Waterman Phileas. Still giving me great mileage even after as much as 12-15 years.

[KevinP]

I have 2 of the pens on your list; the OMAS Milord Noir with an EF 'extra-flessible' nib and the Stipula Etruria Rainbow Blue with a M t-flex nib. I also use to own the Sailor 1911 full size with a F nib but sold it. There is nothing wrong with the pen but I just like flex so am selling my non-flex pens.

 

I got my Stipula from Bryant at Pentime who modified the nib and/or feed, I'm not sure what he did exactly but it writes beautifully. It doesn't take too much pressure for me to get line variation and the feed does a surprisingly good job of keeping up with ink demand. In terms of line variation and ink flow, it really holds it's own against my vintage flex pens. I really like the pen but I'm not sure I would recommend you buying without trying (whereas the OMAS I would). Aside from the very springy/soft titanium nib, it's a rather substantial pen in terms of weight and size.

 

The OMAS is a really, really nice pen. In terms of fit and finish you really do feel like you've treated yourself when you pick up the pen. I love the size, weight and look of the pen and would absolutely buy this pen again. The 'extra-flessible' nib is really soft and the feed does a good job keeping up when I push it. It's a great nib but doesn't blow me away in any particular way.

 

Although it's not Italian, I would recommend a Namiki Falcon. The 'bouncy' feel of the nib is really unique and a F or SEF nib will give you some line variation. I own the red metal bodied one and to be honest I'm not crazy about the look but love the weight and feel.

[rhodialover]

Based upon the replies I've received, I'm going to narrow it down a bit.

 

1. OMAS

2. Stipula

3. Aurora 88 ( I'm getting this the OMAS and the Delta from Bryant)

4. 3776

5. Delta

 

I'm leaning towards the OMAS and Stipula. The Delta I looked at at the ATL Pen show this year and may eventually buy it from there.

On the OMAS, I don't really want a flexy nib, but I do want it to be soft. If I decided to go with flex I'd pick up something from Mottishaw or BInder. (I bought and had the Edison tuned by Binder at the show, and the Sailor was a gift bought from Mottishaw)

If I went with the Stipula route, I should have enough left over to get the 3776 as well. But I'd much rather have quality vs quantity.

[sethk]

One more endorsement of the OMAS, based primarily on looks, as I've never used one.

[de_pen_dent]

Another vote for the Aurora - it is one of my top writers. I'd also include a Visconti Homo Sapiens Midi in there. Either of those would be trophy pens and superb writers as well.

[da vinci]

I have a Stipula with a t-flex nib. As soon as i can find the box it is out the door! The Delta is ok, but mine is fairly average. Ymmv.

 

But on that basis i would go for either the Aurora or the Omas.

Edited July 22, 2013 by da vinci

[Gentleman]

Rhodialover -- give some additional thought to the Edison lineup. My collection is hardly vast, but it is diverse and (at least by measures established through considerable reading, particularly on this Site) fairly respectable -- and my Edison is one of my top favorites. I've watched Brian Gray at work, crafting his pens, and he is an exacting and artful craftsman. That they are essentially composed to your tastes and specifications add to their uniqueness -- not to mention that they are produced in the hometown of Thomas Edison.

[PatientType]

These are a wildly diverse list of pens. There are hand made pens, reliable production pens, arty pens, Also, some of the prices seem very reasonable while others strike me as quite high. Patience can pay off with fountain pens for those on limited budget.

I suppose that with the price points shown I'd get the Sailor 1911 Full Size if I wanted maximum value and a good writing experience. Were I to get a keep-it-forever fountain pen I'd buy an Edison Huron and put a solid gold, custom cursive italic nib on it.

 

I have the piston-fill Delta Dolce Vita Oro and it is one of my favorite pens. That's partially due to the bright orange color and sheen. Using it always seems to add to a good mood or diminish a sour one. The nib is smooth and the piston-filler is outstanding. When the piston reaches the end of its travel path, if you continue to turn the knob, the filler just clicks. Most other piston-fillers reach the end of the travel path and continuing to turn the know just applies torsion pressure on the pen mechanism. The Delta innovation is bound to reduce stress on the pen and extend the life of the mechanism.

[acolythe]

I have no FC pens but I have the rest on your list. I know its heresy but I am not that impressed with myOmas nibs. My 3776 never disappoints, the T flex nibs are not the best flowing although I really like Stipula as a brand. I have had some Sailors that did nto rite as well as advertised. My favorite pen on the list is the Delta Dolce Vita. Its gorgeous and its one of the best writing nibs out of the box other than Danitrio Denshos.

[rhodialover]

Wow. I never expected this many replies and I am grateful for the added opinions.

The reasoning behind the elimination of the Edison option is that I do have one, just not of the signature line, but rather of the production line. It is quite simply the best writer I've ever owned, but, it was bought from Richard Binder and tuned by him at a pen show. The pen next to the Edison in terms of writing quality is my Sailor 1911m which was bought and tuned by John Mottishaw. I am beginning to see much more use for Nibmeisters now. I may try Michael Masuyama next. The size of the Edison fits me perfectly, whereas the Sailor is the only pen that I must post to use. I have a Sailor, obviously, so I eliminated it upon that basis as well as the fact that I don't hear great things about the stock nibs. I really like the Platinum's color, but do have some worries about it's weight and size vs. that of the other options. The Vac 700 body weighs in at 19g and the Edison body (Both un-posted) at 20g. The Platinum weighs a mere 10g and with its length and the transparent color (posting could cause scratching of the translucent materiel) I don't think posting it to improve weight is a viable option. The OMAS and Stipula weigh more than the Aurora (OMAS is 27g, the Stipula is 36g,Aurora is 21g, still not bad). However after hearing about the issues with the T-Flex nib, I am beginning to worry about writing quality. If I was going to look for a titanium nib, just for the nib, I think OMAS has a Milord sized option for around $295, but only in Medium as is the case with the Stipula. Oh, I almost forgot, the Delta weighs in at a rather hefty 41g, and at twice that of my largest pen, I don't know how comfortable it is to use. Could anyone with a Delta tell me about weight distribution?

 

So with that, the list narrows.

 

1.OMAS

2.Delta

3.Stipula

4.Aurora 88

[Mr Ink]

My vote goes to the fabulous Aurora 88 (of which I have 2 lovely examples).

[Unky]

I would go with an Edison Beaumont in Bordeaux Flake or the new Pearlette in sapphire flake. Pilot is generally very consistent and you know what you are getting. I have no experience with the other pens on your list.