Jump to content

Pens Meant For Serious Daily Writing


mlj.1.137

Recommended Posts

Hello:

 

I am trying to get away from constantly using a computer for my work and I am trying to incorporate fountain pens more and more into my daily routine beyond just journaling and letter writing.

 

So, I am looking for a fountain pen (or pens) that people think are capable of doing some serious writing (several thousand words a day), while still being comfortable to use for those prolonged periods.

 

If anyone has some recommendations as to likely candidate pens, I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

 

Thanks and all the best,

 

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 93
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • mlj.1.137

    6

  • Tom Aquinas

    5

  • jar

    4

  • MrInkwell

    3

I would assume it would depend on the fit of your pen to your hand, ink choice, paper choice, nib size.

 

My one suggestion is that you get something with a high capacity filler--a TWSBI 580 or a Mini have piston fillers and they can more than handle several thousand words a day (if your nib is an XF-F especially). They are also not so expensive. LAMY 2000s are also piston filled--although I could never enjoy the XF or F nibs on those. The sweet spots were VERY small. And the M I have is nice and smooth but it writes like a broad (need to get that one retipped!) I also have a Pelikan M205 which has a great nib and nice size ink capacity. Those are light pens and very comfortable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please provide a little more information regarding your preferences including, but not limited to, the following:

Price Range

Material Type

Filling System

Line Width

Hand Size

Deodorant can't fix ugly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This could be any pen that you feel is comfortable to write with.

Yes, this is the answer. I have a variety of pens that I will cheerfully write dry in one session, from vintage Conway Stewarts, through Parker 25s and 51s to Pelikan M600 and modern Onoto Magnas. I have an old hand an wrist injury, so what suits me one day s wrong the next.

 

Comfort is the over-riding factor. Unless taking the notes in an all day meeting, I'm not fussed about ink capacity because pens can be filled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been through this question, looking for a daily writer that would allow me three-four writing session without any pain or discomfort.

 

I don't have a universal answer, but I've found several pens that were doing nice for me. Right now, I've myabe three pens that can work as a daily heavy writer:

 

- Lamy 2000m (with a markolon cap). Heavy, well balanced with the makrolon cap, decent ink capacity, great B nib, and long enough when posted;

- Watemran Man 100: almost the perfect pen, but for the c/c filling system - and the fact I can't get it to write more than two pages in a row... but the pen is long enough not posted, and when posted offers a nice very long pen, acting almost as a desk pen, and the blance is still very good. The Waterman nib (a subish M) is just incerdibly good;

- Custom Cigar made by Ken Cavers, with a Waterman super sixx OBB nib. I use it as a ED filler, so hudge ink capacity. The pen is very long (think of the Nakaya Long Cigar) with a long grip section.

 

Of the three, the L2Km is the one I like that sees most writing since I like its weight.

 

So, I think you should answer some questions before:

 

- What kind of section do I need? (long/short, step/no step, strait/curvy, fat/thin; do screwing threads bother you or not...). The section thing is very important IMHO;

- How long do I need the pen to be? I like the pen to be very long, and if I can use it posted and not posted, this is the best (the L2Km does not fill this item, the Man 100, or even my Visconti Voyager, is nice in taht regard);

- What kind of weight do I need? I had to change my grip last summer. Before that, I loved light pens, but since this change, I discorvered that I like heavier pen. My favorite was a Danitrio Densho, now it a thiner but heavier L2Km.

These questions concern the ergonomic of the pen and they are really, really important if you mean to write for some serious hours.

Then:

- How important is the filling system? Do I need a high ink capacity or not? Do I need to have a large choice of ink or not. Personnaly, I c/c fillers really bother me (except myabe for the Pilot CON70) since I alway have flow troubles; and I really hat to refill when writing. The piston filler of the L2Km, with a B nib, allwos me for about 15 pages, and this is the minimum I can deal with. So, a ED filler is really nice, as is a vac filler.

Finally:

- What kind of nib do you like? EEF or OBB? Nailish or flexish? Feedback or buttersmooth (control over comfort)? Note that all these questions can receive a "steel" or a "gold" (or Paladium...) answer. Personnaly, I love a nib with some softness, even with some flex, it gives me an impression of comfort. I've come to prefer B or even BB nibs with a stubish line ove F or EF nibs, but I can do with M nibs. Some kind of control is nice esp. when using high quaity Japanese papers, but this is not an absolute necessity.

 

Last thing: I think one should think about functionality first. But nce you know what you need, that does not rule out expensive pens (the Densho I did use was a 700$ pen, the L2Km is around 300$, the DrGortex was around 150$; I am not sure there was a lot of options fillng my "needs"), but it does not mean the pen has to be expensive...

 

Good luck! (and sorry for spelling msitakes)

amonjak.com

post-21880-0-68964400-1403173058.jpg

free 70 pages graphic novel. Enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would go with my MB 149, M nib. The size, heft, ergonomics, ink flow, smoothness, capacity is just about ideal for me. I think its a very personal thing, and when you finally find The One, you will know instinctively :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on shifting more of your work to hand-writing. I believe you will see a real benefit.

As to which pens are capable of the task, most vintage pens were designed for this kind of writing. Not much of anyone collected them as art objects in the 1940s or '50s. An obvious example would be the Parker 51, which may be the most utilitarian fountain pen design in history. But views differ. I would be skeptical of modern pens that have been designed for their bling, or to exploit their brand name. There aren't that many intensive fountain-pen users out there now, so new pens aren't always designed for serious writing.

Two other factors will be important, as you suggest. One is comfort, and you can only determine that by trying a bunch of pens. I strongly suggest either a pen show or a local pen club. You can't find the right pen for your hand and style by comparing measurements.

The other factor is love. Once in a while a pen will push just the right buttons for you, and you will find excuses to write with it. That is purely an emotional thing, but it is very important in the long run. And again, it's a personal experience, not a matter of categories or figures.

But be aware that with intensive writing, your hand may change--in particular, your touch may get much lighter, and your way of holding the pen consequently more delicate. For thousands of words a day, you don't want to carry any unnecessary muscle tension. Also, you may find that your aesthetic preferences change over time. So the perfect pen today may not be the perfect pen in a few years.

Go try some pens, and enjoy!

ron

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ten years of serious writing, and here are my favorites, in priority:

 

MB 149

YOL Grand

Omas Paragon / Milord

Pel M1000

 

There are a few others, but these are the primaries.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to a store and try some. That's the only way to know.

 

Wider nibs like M are smoother than smaller nibs such as XF.

 

A triangular grip (like a Safari) may or may not be comfortable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd recon any of the Montlbanc Writers Edition pens for everyday writing. They are a good size in the hand and there is a weight and design to suit most people.

My Collection: Montblanc Writers Edition: Hemingway, Christie, Wilde, Voltaire, Dumas, Dostoevsky, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dickens, Fitzgerald (set), Verne, Kafka, Cervantes, Woolf, Faulkner, Shaw, Mann, Twain, Collodi, Swift, Balzac, Defoe, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery, Homer & Kipling. Montblanc Einstein (3,000) FP. Montblanc Heritage 1912 Resin FP. Montblanc Starwalker Resin: FP/BP/MP. Montblanc Traveller FP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whatever feels good in your hand.

 

There are 3 common factors; the pen, the ink and the paper.

To that I add a 4th, the writer.

 

You may also need to work on your writing.

I am restarting into FPs after being away for a couple decades. In my writing practice, I have been writing almost as much as I did in college, and my hand does not HURT like it used to. So a proper "light" grip on the pen and posture will aid in you being able to write for a longer time.

 

Going back to #2 (ink) and #3 (paper).

I like a smooth paper with ink to match. That just makes writing easier to do. The pen glides over the paper.

I found that writing with ink that flows well, but not be runny that it feathers or pools on the paper.

I need to write on nice smooth paper so that the pen does not feel scratchy. I don't get irritated as I do when I write on scratchy paper.

The problem here is you need to use GOOD writing paper, which most office supply cabinets do not have. Note that GOOD paper does not mean EXPENSIVE paper. And there are many discussion on finding GOOD FP friendly and affordable paper.

 

As for #1, the pen.

I have small hands, so most of the larger pens are uncomfortable for me to write with. Whereas someone with larger hands would have problems with my "slimline" pens. This is why I said "whatever feels good in your hand." The pen has to fit YOU, not me, or someone else, YOU.

 

Another part of the pen is the nib. And that factors into the 3 common factors. I like a F tip. But most of my F tip pens need SMOOTH paper to write on. If the paper is not smooth, the tip scratches and snags on the paper, making for an unpleasant writing session.

 

So, here is my list of pens that I can write for hours with:

  • Parker 51 and the similar Parker 21
  • Parker 45
  • Parker 75
  • Parker 180 and the similar Parker CLASSIC
  • Parker Arrow and the similar Parker 95
  • Baoer 100 (unposted)
  • Baoer 388

 

I used the Parker 45, 75 and 180 extensively in college where I DID write for hours.

 

I do not have first hand experience with many of the other brands and models, so I cannot comment on them.

 

I also have another wrinkle to throw in.

DESK PENS.

I find that I prefer writing with the longer desk pens than standard fountain pens.

I feel that the longer tail somehow affects the pens handling differently than a posted cap.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me, the central detail here is the girth. A wide one gives me enough pen for my hand. So the suggester MB 149 seems to be the one to go for. I do not have a MB 149. But i do have a Parsson's Essential, the which has a cigar shape and it is made of brass. With this pen, perfetly smooth, i can write for long periods. Mind you it is a cc, so you ought to have an ink bottle at hand (i do not see a problem on this), or you could make it an eye-dropper.

Mr Pen has stated he has had several made like this since time ago and has never had a problem. If this is the case, few pens will give you more mileage per barril of ink. The nib is polished inox, so fear little -a heads first drop, God forbides it. A wet cursive italic, over .8 with noodler's black or tanzanite will take you where you want to go... and back.

Its price makes it easy to consider it, giving it a try.

A Fountain Pen is never just a Fountain Pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every pen made before 1972.

 

Almost every pen made after 1972.

LOL. I love your responses to this type of thread.

 

I love your responses. I go for the expensive pen option which is clearly not realistic and you go for the blantently obvious.

 

The question is so open ended. We know nothing about price range, the type of people (weight, design, nib size, filing mechanism and many more variables). You ask 100 people and you will get close to 100 answers.

 

If fountain pens were not designed to write, they would not exist. Therefore any pen that meets your individual requirements will suffice. The question I would have asked would have related to nib size.

My Collection: Montblanc Writers Edition: Hemingway, Christie, Wilde, Voltaire, Dumas, Dostoevsky, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dickens, Fitzgerald (set), Verne, Kafka, Cervantes, Woolf, Faulkner, Shaw, Mann, Twain, Collodi, Swift, Balzac, Defoe, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery, Homer & Kipling. Montblanc Einstein (3,000) FP. Montblanc Heritage 1912 Resin FP. Montblanc Starwalker Resin: FP/BP/MP. Montblanc Traveller FP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post a reply to my inquiry and I must apologize for the open-endedness of the question. I typed it in haste and didn't include sufficient detail. However, I'd like to provide that now and maybe it will help.

 

Here are my preferences for a fountain pen (based on my experiences so far):

 

Weight: on the heavier side (for some reason, a little extra heft seems to stabilize my writing)

 

Balance: evenly distributed

 

Length: between 6 and 6.5 inches (posted)

 

Diameter: ~1/2" (if I had to choose, I'd go larger so my hand doesn't cramp, which tends to happen with smaller diameter pens)

 

Ink system: converter or piston fill (slight advantage to piston)

 

Nib Size: based on my handwriting, I tend to favor a fine to medium nib (though I do enjoy the look and feel of a broad nib if I modify my writing to accommodate it)

 

Nib Flexibility: sufficient to have some line variation (not a true flex but with a bit of spring)

 

Nib Smoothness: very smooth on most papers but a little bit of feedback isn't a deal-killer

 

Price: since this is meant as a dedicated writing tool, I'm willing to spend up to $600 (which I suppose would cover up through some of the higher-end Pelikans, Viscontis, and the like)

 

As for papers, I tend to use Rhodia, Clairefontaine, and Crane (plus regular Hammermill copy paper) with Waterman, Diamine, and Pilot inks.

 

I hope that this information helps.

 

Best,

 

Michael

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might try a Montblanc 146. I especially like the 80's models with the monotone nib and ebonite feed. Mine is very comfortable for long writing sessions.

" Gladly would he learn and gladly teach" G. Chaucer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of pens fit your criteria. You might be willing to go for a custom pen.

 

It's not a piston filler, but the new Edison Menlo, a "pump filler" similar to the Parker's vacumatic system, might fulfild your needs. The beauty of it is that you can ask for customization, like an extended pen, the shape of the section and so on, and have the nib to your likeness. May I add that Edison's pens are extremely well done?

 

And there are other pen makers that could do the work.

 

I can't help but noticing that what you are discribing is a maatch for a Lamy 2000...

amonjak.com

post-21880-0-68964400-1403173058.jpg

free 70 pages graphic novel. Enjoy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...