What Are The Best Clear Demonstrator Pens Ever Made?

[Megaloblatta]

I became disillusioned with TWSBI when my Diamond 540 developed numerous cracks in various places. The final indignity was when the cap split in half above the chromed band right in the middle of an important meeting at work… TWSBI with its excellent customer service replaced all the broken parts of the pen - and it is now a 540/580 hybrid. I get attached to objects such as fountain pens, and not being convinced that the cracking issue is solved (even the 580 has this issue, although to a much lesser extent), I decided to try and find another clear demonstrator pen of higher quality. After extensive research on this Forum and elsewhere I decided to buy a Pilot Custom 92… It arrived a week ago and I must say I am rather disappointed: the nib is much scratchier than the TWSBI Schmidt nib, I don't like its appearance as much as the TWSBI, there is excess silicone grease smeared in the barrel above the piston, and the pen simply feels of lower quality (though it almost certainly isn't) - the plastic is thinner and the pen is lighter and more 'plasticky'. I guess I will try to smooth the nib, and who knows, I may get to like the pen more with time… What I wanted to ask readers on this Forum is what in your opinion are the best ever, most beautiful and highest quality piston filling clear demonstrator pens ever made? I would prefer to have one machined out of resin, rather than injection moulded, but I guess all of these will be very costly… Please indicate the price bracket e.g. less than $100, $100 - $200, $200 - $300 and $300 and above (i.e. unaffordable for me!). Also don't restrict the suggestions to pens currently in production - older pens are also of interest. Thanks!

[Davros]

I'm a fan of the textured acrylic demonstrators made by for Asa Pens (under 100) or Franklin-Christoph (165). I believe both are made out of turned material and not injection molded. The Franklin-Christoph Intrinsic Smoke and Ice is just a gorgeous pen all round, and mine write very well. (I do ask them to open the nib up for extra wetness.) They also have a desk pen that is just lovely.

 

I know there's definitely lovely expensive options from Visconti and others, but I try to keep those a bit off my radar.

[jar]

There are the Montblanc Skeleton fountain pens and they run from about $10,000 and on up.

[LuckyKate]

I don't like demonstrators as a rule, but I really like my Twsbi mini. I think it's very very pretty and I love the 1.1 nib. The piston holds a lot of ink (I don't at all see the point of a demonstrator with a converter). The only demonstrator I like besides the Twsbi is the Pelikan 800 which is too heavy and too expensive.

 

I figure if my Twsbi mini breaks I can buy 15 more for the price of the Pelikan. And I love having a relatively inexpensive pen that I like so much. The Twsbi just seems like an unbeatable value for money to me. I will probably buy the 580 too.

 

P.S. I also have a Pelikan 250 amber demonstrator which was the only pen I used--and quite heavily-- for almost ten years. If you are looking for indestructible, that might be it. I never much cared for the way it looked though and find it less comfortable than the Twsbi mini. Though the balance is good, I find it just a little too thin. And overall it's just less pretty than the Twsbi mini.

Edited September 25, 2015 by LuckyKate

[SirVival]

Take a look at the CONID bulkfillers, depending on size etc. they range from 300 to almost 1000.

[torstar]

Sailor Pro Gear and 1911 have been very good for my life.

[Cordovian]

I really like my Delta Dolcevita IT Demonstrator. It's an oversize that writes really nice. You can find them in the $200 - $300 range if you look around enough.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/XwYAAMXQuTNTO~-O/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

[deepak23]

Try the Airmail/ Wality 69T. Truly the best value for money. The caps come in swirled colors and its great fun to match the ink to the color. Available from ASA and FPR...

Edited September 25, 2015 by deepak23

[Megaloblatta]

Thanks very much for your suggestions. I guess the Conid bulkfiller demonstrator pens come closest to what I ideally would like - but unfortunately the price of them is too high for me . Several of the suggestions didn't fit in with what I'm looking for - I want a clear (not coloured) demonstrator which is a piston-filler, with metal parts silver in colour, and of a similar size and weight to the TWSBI 580 *except* it must be made of better quality plastic (ideally machined not injection moulded). If TWSBI switched to a better quality plastic (and I believe better plastics do exist) then I would probably have my ideal pen!

[benbot517]

I know what you mean. The 580 was the perfect size, but its cracking on me left me cold. Platinum makes a demo of the Cool that gets good reviews.

[Mastiff]

I'm surprised that Pelikan m1005 hasn't been mentioned here!

[Bklyn]

There are the Montblanc Skeleton fountain pens and they run from about $10,000 and on up.

Ouch

[Bklyn]

I really like my Delta Dolcevita IT Demonstrator. It's an oversize that writes really nice. You can find them in the $200 - $300 range if you look around enough.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzY4WDEwMjQ=/z/XwYAAMXQuTNTO~-O/$_57.JPG?rt=nc

Oh My. Love it.

[Lam1]

I'm surprised that Pelikan m1005 hasn't been mentioned here!

Me too. And there is also the M805, which is in current production (both have rhodium trim).

Edited September 27, 2015 by Lam1

[Dutchess]

Visconti Opera Crystal

[FOUR X FOUR]

I really like the Visconti opera Crystal.

[FeuBleu]

Loving my Pilot 823 and Franklin-Christoph Stabilis 65. Just beautiful pens and both look amazing full of ink (FC as eyedropper).

[rdh]

There are vintage demonstrators made by companies, like Parker, so their salesmen could show people how the pen worked. Of course, these are collector items and not really meant to be used.

 

I am not a fan of clear demonstrators, but I do have models of pens that come as a clear demonstrator. Pilot Custom 823 is really an awesome pen (ca. $220). The plastic on my amber model is distinctly different from the plastic on the Custom 74, which is also available in clear (ca. $85). I also really like my Prera (ca. $40), but it is not the clear demonstrator version. Prices are including shipping from Japan to US.

 

Dave

[Tasmith]

Really like my Pelikan M200 Clear Demonstrator. I paid just over $100 a couple of years ago when it was on sale. Currently have it inked up with Akkerman Royal Blue.

 

[Precise]

I am an engineer and design many plastic parts. I can't think of any reason to prefer machined plastic over injection molded plastic, which has been gate-trimmed after molding.

 

Acrylic resin (molded or machined) is far more brittle and breakable than polycarbonate. But I don't know of any pens that claim to be made of polycarbonate. There is also a clear resin called Tritan, which is about as tough as polycarbonate. I don't think I could tell the difference between these three resins just by looking at them. The difference in material cost between any of these three resins is less than five cents.

 

Alan