Xxf Nib

[flyingfox]

What year and nib material is that Pilot Elite (since they got so many "Elite" out there)

[KBeezie]

 

 

Nope, couldn't tell ya.

 

I got this Elite with an Extra-Fine nib on the way to me (probably get it monday), made around late 70s, to early 80s.

 

http://www.speerbob.com/ebay/elite2.jpg

http://www.speerbob.com/ebay/elite1.jpg

 

Which if course is simply listed as "Elite" Model. And from what I understand they have Elites down in the cheap range with steel nibs all the way up into a couple hundred dollar range with 21K gold nibs, but nothing to distinguish them model # wise.

[Nate_Emmi]

Update: the Noodler's Konrad is one of my favorite pens, body style wise, and I've decided and ordered a Pilot Prera in F nib. Will post more when I get the pen in my hands and get some writing experience in. Thanks for all the suggestions!

[fledermaus89]

Just to give you a bit of an idea...

 

 

 

In comparison with the Konrad...

 

 

View from above...

 

 

 

 

unrelated to the original post, but if that pen is a reference to Guangzhou tower, does that mean the tower was designed after Serenite?

[Water Ouzel]

After three years of using fountain pens, I'm searching high and low for my ideal pen. In order of importance, I'd like it to have 1) An EF/F (by Japanese standards, 0.35 or less) nib that is FIRM, like a nail, and smooth as can be. 2) A body size comparable to the Noodler's Konrad or Pelikan M200. 3) Ideally a Piston filling system, C/C is tolerable. 4) Less than $100USD. The Pelikan M200 is so very close, but it still writes a bit wide for me. I was looking at the Sailor Young Profit or Sailor 3776 Century, based off the reputation of the company. Any other pens that I should take a look at?

Well, there's always vintage. Like a Sheaffer Imperial III Touchdown XF short Triumph nib, the which my wife got from Peyton Street pens. It's XF and a nail. Just a tiny bit of tweaking, and it works great.

 

http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/sheaffer/imperials/sheaffer-imperial-ii-deluxe-fountain-pen-short-triumph-nib-touchdown-fill-new-old-stock.html

 

I'm thinking of getting one for me now.

[KBeezie]

Figured I'd add a more recent write sample. At the very top is a Pilot Elite with an EF Nib, but the Platinum, Touchdown and MB225 are the finest line ones I currently have.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/paper/rhodia/n16_may15_t.jpg

(linked to a 996x1280 version)

 

Also Nibs.Com has a Tipping Guide here. Showing Platinum's XXF to be 0.1mm, and Sailor's Sabi-Togi to be 0.1mm as the smallest (though I'm sure there's some bloody expensive nibs out there that can do less than 0.1mm)

Far as the Japanese companies go, it seems to go

Platinum -> Pilot -> Sailor

 

from smallest to largest of the Big 3 Japanese companies.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Sailors make the fat nibs, buy Pilot.

Send your fat EF or western XXF nib off to be made into a baby spiderweb writer, by a nibmaster.

 

You of course can never use a shading ink....so do look for the loudest ink you can find.

Going to need to buy the smoothest paper you can find.

[DanF]

If you buy from Japan, you can get a Custom 74, or Custom 91 for about $90 including shipping. A step up from the Prera, with a Pilot #5 Gold nib.

 

Dan

[KBeezie]

Retired the Black Eel from the Platinum. Seems finer now with the Tsutsuji.

 

Also noticed even though the seller [Engeika/Wancher Limited] listed it as 'Fine', the nib says 極細 which is extra-fine, mine was won for $51 (shipping was free), but I've seen the auctions go for as low as $35 sometimes. To get a Platinum PTL-5000 straight out seems to be 50-80 USD in some places.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/wancher_makie/tsutsuji_t.jpg

 

Though I noticed over at Rakuten you can get either the black or red one for 53 USD.

 

http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/gift-kingdom/cabinet/14images04/gift13007957.jpg?_ex=128x128http://thumbnail.image.rakuten.co.jp/@0_mall/gift-kingdom/cabinet/14images04/gift13007958.jpg?_ex=128x128

http://global.rakuten.com/en/search?tl=210246&k=PTL-5000

Edited May 15, 2014 by KBeezie

[AAAndrew]

Keep your eyes open for vintage as well. If you can get to a pen show, that's ideal so you can test out the pen. I have a couple of Sheaffers that are needle fine, and yet smooth. I also have an Esterbrook 9550 nib that I have on a red SJ that can write incredibly small. These very small nibs were often used by accountants and others writing in they tiny spaces in giant ledgers, or for editing. Pretty common in old pens.

 

The challenge with vintage is trying it out before you buy. A pen show would also allow you the opportunity to get the nib tweaked by an expert. So, $40 for a pen, another $30-40 for nib tweaking and you're way under, you have a nib you really like, and a cool looking vintage pen.

 

Good luck!

[johnsi02]

Franklin-Cristoph Model 27 Collegia with a steel Matsuyama needlepoint is 85 dollars. Not sure what the line width is exactly, but someone on here can probably post a writing example. I don't have one, but by all accounts it is a lot of pen for the money.

JS

[inkstainedruth]

KBeezie -- thanks for posting the stroke chart. I think that will be incredibly useful (at least as long as I use the same ink or inks as a control).

I knew there was all sorts of good info on Richard Binder's site, but it didn't occur to me to look for something like that on it. This will also help convert my husband to FPs, I think, because he's Mr. Fine Point BIC, if I can show him how fine a line he can get (I'm hoping that one of the Estie EF nibs I got on Ebay will be fine enough for him once I resac the red J for him).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mwpannell]

Franklin-Cristoph Model 27 Collegia with a steel Matsuyama needlepoint is 85 dollars. Not sure what the line width is exactly, but someone on here can probably post a writing example. I don't have one, but by all accounts it is a lot of pen for the money.

JS

I love my Franklin-Christoph Model 65. It's a pleasure to write with. F-C's site lists a Masuyama ground needlepoint as .25-.3mm and standard EFs as 45-5mm. I've considered myself a fine nib fanatic, but recently selected an EF steel over a needlepoint and have been ecstatic. I think I did get the finer end of the EF spectrum, but the nib may be the smoothest I own, very fine and writes silkily wet without being so wet it overwrites the nib width.

 

I can't measure exact line widths, but I can show a writing example from F-C's test pens, though I hope the poor illustration doesn't do more harm than good. It was quickly done at a pen show a while back then hastily tossed in a bag and is a bit nasty, through no fault of pens, ink or paper. Just poor folding and handling at the time.To my surprise, I liked the EF even better than the needlepoint.

 

F-Cs are always a whole lot of pen for the money and the 27 would definitely be a whole lot of pen/nib for the money no matter what way you go.

[Serafinachantal]

Update: the Noodler's Konrad is one of my favorite pens, body style wise, and I've decided and ordered a Pilot Prera in F nib. Will post more when I get the pen in my hands and get some writing experience in. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

You will not regret it the Prera is a great pen IMHO.

[dashboi666]

wonders what the OP ended up getting

my first pens were from Sailor and Platinum just cus of the SEF and EFs...

I'd bring my usual stationery and paper to try out the pens actually.. so no nasty surprises..

thats of course assuming there's a brick and mortar shop possible