What Should My Second Fountain Pen Be?

[Snoutmol]

I have been using a Charcoal Lamy Safari fine nib, and I've been using Lamy Blue (a cartridge came with the pen) and Noodler's black ink, and I really like using it. It has inspired me to relearn cursive. I've realized that I love fountain pens. Now I want to buy another pen!

 

I like the modern design pens, not the old ones. I think the Lamy Safari looks and feels really nice. But I have some issues with it: First, I don't like the indentations that are supposed to help you hold the pen correctly - I hold the pen at a different (hooked) grip that makes those indentations kind of annoying. Second, I don't like the cap (I do prefer a cap over a click pen, however): the cap is bulky and I am not proud of how the pen looks when capped. Also, my hands are big, and when I put the cap on the back of the pen while writing, it gets in the way, so I have to just remove the cap entirely and put it somewhere, where hopefully it doesn't get lost. One plus to the cap though is that I really appreciate the strong clip. Also, although I am okay with the ABS plastic - it's sturdy and light - I think it would be cool to explore pens made out of other materials like aluminum. ONE MORE THING - I would really like a pen with a nib that's really smooth. Oh, and my budget is <$100 (that's all the money I have on Amazon), and I kind of have to purchase from Amazon.

 

Thank you for reading, and I would appreciate any help and suggestions!

[PAKMAN]

The Pilot Metro may be a good choice for a second pen.

[Notgatherox]

Since you like Lamy, consider a Studio? Swappable nibs, can swop the Safari nib onto the Studio too.

 

 

~Epic

[Snoutmol]

Thanks, I think a Lamy Studio would be a good choice. I'm not sure about the Pilot Metro though - that ones is really cheap, and I'm looking for an upgrade not a downgrade.

 

I have one concern though: since the Lamy Studio has the same nib as the Lamy Safari, wouldn't I be getting almost the same writing experience? I mean, I guess not really; they have two different pen bodies. But I don't know. Maybe.

[larnivon]

I'm not sure about the Pilot Metro though - that ones is really cheap, and I'm looking for an upgrade not a downgrade.

 

 

Personally, I like writing with my Pilot Metropolitan/Cocoon more than with my Lamy Safari. For the price, you can't really go wrong to try it.

 

Another option would be a TWSBI 580, although it isn't a metal body.

[OCArt]

Dr. SBRE Brown has a video on choosing a second fountain pen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5F-iwatQVQ

[zchen]

My opinion is for the 2nd pen it should be a different from the 1st as possible. Different filler, different nib size or material etc.

Faber Castell Loom - metal body pen w/ reputable smooth nib

TWSBI Eco - for the piston filler under $100

TWSBI Vac-700 - for the under $100 vaccum filler

Pilot Custom 74/91/Platinum 3776 Cenutry/Sailor Promenade - for the gold nib under $100.

Karas Kustom INK - for the machined metal body pen.

Edited October 27, 2015 by zchen

[jabberwock11]

The Jinhao X750 is an amazing pen for an amazing price (less than $6). I absolutely love mine and use it all of the time. It is also easy to swap out nibs, so if you are interested in a stub, italic, or flex nib you can easily purchase a Jinhao X750, a nice nib, and still have plenty left over in your budget.

 

Jinhao X750 (Amazon Prime with free 2 day shipping):

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JN9E99C/ref=twister_B00M1ZAVWE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51MC0f0pe2L._SX522_.jpg

Edited October 27, 2015 by jabberwock11

[ac12]

The perceived smoothness of a pen is dependent on 4 variables, any one of which can change a smooth writer into a scratchy writer.

These variables are: the pen, the ink, the paper and you the writer.

 

Pen:

- If the nib is out of alignment, this will give you a scratchy writing experience. In my experience 80% of my scratchy nibs were fixed simply by aligning the tines.

- In general, the Finer the nib the scratchier it will feel. This is because the Finer/smaller tipping will follow the texture of the surface of the paper.

- In general wider nibs are smoother than narrow nibs. This is because the wide nib goes over the surface texture of the paper, rather than fall into the texture as finer nibs do. But the ink line will be wider.

- The pen needs to flow enough ink to adequately lubricate the nib. The ink will act as a lubricant for the nib, making it write smoother.

- The Finer the nib the harder it is to make the tipping smooth.

- The quality of the tipping will affect how smooth the pen writes.

- The profile of the tipping. I have some older pens where the tipping is shaped like a wedge or cylinder, vs. a ball. Those non-ball shaped tippings are more difficult to get a smooth writing experience.

- In my limited experience, my Japanese and Chinese nibs are smoother than my western nibs. But I do not have enough variety of experience with different manufacturers to make that a general statement.

 

Ink:

- Ink acts as a lubricant, between the nib and the paper. Not enough ink flow, and you have more friction/drag and that will feel scratchy.

- Fine nibs need the ink lubrication more than wider nibs, as the smaller nib has less surface area to float on the ink, and will penetrate the ink layer easier.

- Certain inks smoothen out the nib more than others. But in my experience it is not always consistant that ink A will smoothen out a pen better than ink B.

 

Paper:

- The finer the nib, the more critical it is to use a SMOOTH HARD paper, so there is little to no surface texture to bump/snag the nib.

- I have used paper that I will NOT use a Fine nib on, as it feels too scratchy. But the same paper is just fine with a Medium nib.

 

Writer:

- The harder you press down on the pen, the more friction/drag is created at the nib/paper interface, and the scratchier the pen will write. You need to write with a light hand.

 

note1 - The pens wetness or ink flow is a combined effect of both the pen and the ink.

note2 - There is NO STANDARD for a nib size. Each manufacturer defines their own scale, and may even change that scale over time. However, in general, the Asian nibs (Chinese and Japanese) of a given size are narrower than the similarly marked Western nibs. Example a Pilot M nib is similar to a Lamy F nib. And there are exceptions to this general statement.

 

I was totally surprised at how smooth my Pilot Metro was, using Waterman ink. It was smoother than many of my more expensive pens.

 

You can get some pretty good pens for less or about $100. I recall seeing a Platinum 3776 for about $75 and a Pelikan M200 for about $110.

Edited October 27, 2015 by ac12

[AlanO]

The Jinhao X750 is an amazing pen for an amazing price (less than $6). I absolutely love mine and use it all of the time. It is also easy to swap out nibs, so if you are interested in a stub, italic, or flex nib you can easily purchase a Jinhao X750, a nice nib, and still have plenty left over in your budget.

 

I just got one on eBay direct from China to the UK, for only £1.89 ($2.90) including shipping - it took a month to get here, but at that price I'm happy!

 

I've only had it a few days, but "amazing" is how I'd describe it too. It's chunky with some weight, seems to be well made, and the nib that comes with it is very smooth. I showed it to my old mum, and she assumed I'd bought myself an expensive pen. Oh, and it's very different to a Lamy Safari, so there's a nice contrast in experience too.

 

I really can't get my head round the economics of making and selling these so cheap, but it's the kind of thing you could buy to keep you going while you decide what your next pen will be

 

Alan

[ac12]

The Lamy Studio is a HEAVY pen compared to the Safari. The weight knocked it off my list.

[helm10101]

Hello,

I bought my first fountain pen about a month ago, and it's a Pilot Cocoon medium nib.

I think it's the same as the Metropolitan.

I can really tell you that, from all the types of pens, for me this one is the most fun and comfortable to write with. I also get the prettiest hand writing using it .

 

My next pen will be a Pilot Metropolitan with a fine nib. I'd like to try a less thick nib that spills less ink , (but it's still great nontheless)

And the Metropolitan has some nice animal collection I want to get

Edited October 28, 2015 by helm10101

[Snoutmol]

I might get a Jinhao X750 just for the heck of it. Thank you for the suggestion. But I will have to get my Amazon cart up to $35 to get the free shipping first . . .

 

Thank you for pointing that out; I don't want a pen that's too heavy.

 

I really like the way that that Pilot Cacoon looks. But since it's your only fountain pen, I don't think you are qualified to say it's the best! Still, it seems like a really nice pen, and I think that may be my next one. I am actually interested in the prospect you suggested that it "spills a lot of ink." Wet is good.

 

So, to fill up my Amazon cart, I think I might get the Jinhao X750, the Pilot Cacoon, and a bottle of Diamine Denim; oh, and a preorder for the paperback of "Superintelligence".

 

​I haven't reached a final decision yet though, and I am still open and happy to receive any more suggestions. I still have to look into the list provided by zchen and the video provided by OCArt. Thanks y'all!

[FOUR X FOUR]

I was gonna say the L D 3 but that's a heavy pen

[Notgatherox]

Thanks, I think a Lamy Studio would be a good choice. I'm not sure about the Pilot Metro though - that ones is really cheap, and I'm looking for an upgrade not a downgrade.

 

I have one concern though: since the Lamy Studio has the same nib as the Lamy Safari, wouldn't I be getting almost the same writing experience? I mean, I guess not really; they have two different pen bodies. But I don't know. Maybe.

 

I suggested the Studio based on what you posted - it has a metal body, no triangular indentation, has a nicer cap etc.

 

But yes, weight might be an issue - body alone weighs 22g, compared to 10g for a Safari.

 

Perhaps consider an Asian brand, several options have been posted above.

 

Whatever you get, enjoy it

 

 

 

~Epic

[Algester]

modern design... Lamy or Tombow one though there are more "design" oriented writing instruments out there but from top of my mind these are the ones that are known for for being design oriented

if Lamy I choose

CP1, Logo (thin pens you may not like them)

Tombow

101 Zoom

 

Non standard but "modern"

Faber-Castell

Loom, Ondoro and E-motion

Staedtler

Lignum

[Snoutmol]

 

I suggested the Studio based on what you posted - it has a metal body, no triangular indentation, has a nicer cap etc.

 

But yes, weight might be an issue - body alone weighs 22g, compared to 10g for a Safari.

 

Perhaps consider an Asian brand, several options have been posted above.

 

Whatever you get, enjoy it

 

 

 

~Epic

 

I decided that I would be fine with a little more weight. The reason was that I read a few reviews, and also sometimes I like to press maybe a little hard, and the weight could just help with that . . . I was seriously considering buying the thing.

 

But my one deterrent now is that it does NOT have a good cap. I have read multiple reviews about the cap shaking and also sometimes failing to click onto the pen. I wish that it didn't have this problem, because otherwise the Lamy Studio would be perfect for me. I don't want to pay $60 for a pen that has those issues with its cap though.

 

I like the way that the Safari writes and everything, so a Studio would be great because it doesn't have the triangular indentations. The cap though

[ac12]

Apparently one of the problems with the Studio is that the cap clicks onto a ring on the front of the section. If that ring gets loose, the cap is loose. If the ring unscrews all the way, the cap can't secure onto the pen. But the fix is easy, just make sure that the ring is not loose, and if it is loose, just screw it back down.

[dogpoet]

If you think the Pilot Metropolitan might be a bit cheap after the Lamy Safari, maybe a Pilot Prera instead? It's a bit pricier, and presumably the next model up. It's a more classical looking beast, which might not suit if you're after modernist designs, though.

 

I'd second the vote for the Tombow Zoom 101 (which is a great looking pen), and suggest The silver and black (and so slightly less toyish looking) model of the Pelikan Twist as well.

[Steven]

Scrape up a few extra bucks and get a Pilot Vanishing Point with a fine nib. You will have no regrets.