Advice On Which Flagship Pen?

[KostyaKev]

I've had it with wasting time looking up pens and I plan to just spending all my pocket money to buy one pen and be done with it. (Yes I know I've said this before but... damn it...)

This will be my first pen that's over 300 dollars. Here are some of the pens I'm looking into:

1. Visconti Homo Sapiens

2. Pelikan 1000

3. Faber Castell Intuition Platino

4. Visconti Michelangelo (looks great too and cheaper than Homo Sapiens)

 

Or other pens around that 500-700 dollar range.

 

My thoughts: I just watched Brian Goulet's video on the Homo sapiens and just love it; however my favourite pen right now is a FC Ambition and wood pens are irresistible. The Pelikan is kinda just there to fill space...

 

At my local store, the Homo Sapiens is the cheapest (by 100 dollars) of the first 3.

 

I like smooooooth nibs, and beautiful nibs (who doesn't?)

 

I want a pen that will last for ages, or at least my PhD graduation (college freshman right now... so, 10 years?)

 

Any input? Thanks!

Edited February 4, 2016 by KostyaKev

[KostyaKev]

Used to be a fan of Japanese pens but my latest Sailor Realo was a disappointment... Don't like the way Pilot pens look, but perhaps I might consider a Platinum Izumo too? Except a lot of people feel like the president nib is not on par with the pen's price?

[zaddick]

MB 149. A classic pen, a beautiful nib, and weall within your range for a mint pen in the box if you buy from a place like FPN. I have 149s that are 60+ years old and still going strong.

 

You might look into Nakaya. You can get the nib customized and urushi is durable and will last a long time. It has a great feel in the hand.

[Lam1]

It really depends on what you want in the pen. I don't know the Michelangelo, but have the others you mention (although not the Platino, but an intuition terracota and an Elemento, which is the same style).

 

The nibs on the M1000 and HS are very soft, which means that they are a delight to use, but may not be appropriate for fast writing. The GvFC nibs are stiff (but very smooth).

 

The HS has the inconveniences that your cannot see the ink level or how much ink you managed to put in it, and it is a pain to clean.

 

The M1000 has the advantage of interchangeable nibs, and an excellent piston.

 

Another thing to consider is the size of the pen: M1000 > HS > Intuition.

 

The MB 149 is certainly an option, but I must say that personally I prefer the nibs and Pistons on the Pelikans. There is also the 146 which is a less expensive option.

 

Another pen to consider is the M800, which is a little smaller than the M1000 and about the same size as the HS. The nibs on the M800 are stiff.

 

Prisewise, if you buy from Europe it is possible to get the M1000 for around $400, probably the same or a little less for the HS and the Platino for about $230 or so.

 

In any case you can't go wrong with any of them. Good luck.

[ajlmarques]

I have the HS with a 1.3mm stub and it is an amazing pen. The lack of ink window doesn't bother me too much and it's a pen that, due to the materials, gives a completely different feeling from any resin pen I've used. The nib is very very smooth.

I don't own a M1000 but I have several M800/M805 and these are also some of my favorite pens. The nibs, although less springy than the HS, are a beauty to write with and I find them soft if compared with, for example, Pilot nibs. Have a look at the M805 Stresemann.

And yet another vote for the MB149. You can't really go wrong with it - mechanism, nib and resin are all perfect for me, but it is the least attractive just from the look of it, at least for me.

 

Not of much help, was I?

Edited February 4, 2016 by ajlmarques

[Bo Bo Olson]

It depends on the weight and size of the pens. A heavy or extra large clunky pen is a lot of hard work. But then again I find even the now normal Large pens to be ill balanced and clunky.

 

I prefer what I grew up with...back in the days when only the rich had a color TV; standard (Esterbrook DJ/400/P-75) or medium-large like a P-51. They have great balance posted. Much better than unposted or posted Large pens. They are light and nimble.

 

For me the sterling silver P-75 has perfect balance....and can be written with 'fast', in it has a semi-nail nib. For a 'metal' pen it is light. You can carry a cartridge should you run out of ink during class. But the airomatic (sp) is the way to fly. The well balanced P-51 has a nail.

 

I prefer the '50-60's medium-large semi-flex 146 over the more modern Large 146. I have a '70's model with a 'true' regular flex nib, which I think can be written with fast. The modern 146 has a 'Springy' nib, good tine bend but only @2X tine spread. I have a modern nibbed Woolf, which is the normal 'Springy' nib of a modern MB.

 

I like semi-flex pens (3X tine spread) and have no problem at all writing fast with them. One gets a lighter hand over the years.

 

I have tried out the 149&1000 in the B&M and find them to be much too big. Perhaps too big for fast writing.

I don't think you should get the 1000 in the semi-flex nib is 18K and when bent stays that way. There were vintage 18K nibs that didn't have that problem. Nor do the normal 14 K semi-flex nibs.

 

I'd go for a 800 or 146, and try it in F, if too wide for you, you can swap in on an EF, in many like only skinny nibs. With the 800 later you can buy a wider nib. Not so with the 146. The 800 has more choice of styles.

 

If you wish to go medium-large, you can not beat one of the many 600 type pens of Pelikan, they are light and nimble and beautiful. It is a well balanced pen with decent girth.

There is a heavier 600 also. I'm not sure off the top of my head which ones they are...620?. I believe they don't post as well as the 600.

I have a 605, but will some day get one of the real pretty ones. There are only about 6 I really want.

The nib is semi-nail so you can write with it fast. I have a semi-flex B on mine from a '50's 400. So later you can upgrade that semi-nail nib to one with a bit of built in flair.

 

The 1000 & 149 are huge pens...not what I'd think of when thinking of note taking for school. So big they can't post...so you need three hands, one for the cap, one to hold the paper and one to write with. The same problem is there for Large pens...what are you going to do with the cap. And they do not have good balance....Period.

 

A posted 600 would be a great pen for school and the rest of your life. It is as I said, a light nimble, very well balanced pen posted, with nice girth.

Edited February 4, 2016 by Bo Bo Olson

[jar]

I don't have any Visconti pens and so cannot speak about them.

 

I do have several Graf von Faber Castell Intuitions including a Platino but far prefer the basic all resin versions. They seem to balance better.

 

I have about a half dozen or so Pelikan including a 1050 but they almost never get into rotation. Nice pens but simply not very exciting. Also I have had a couple experiences when one of my Pelikans has come uncapped while in my pocket.

 

In the price range you mention there are a whole bunch of pens I find exciting and giggle worthy when used.

 

Some suggestions; (kinda in order of how often they make it into rotation)

 

Sheaffer Legacy family: perfect size, can be used as cartridge filled which is perfect for use as a student.

It's easy to just have an heir and a spare cartridge in your pocket. Absolutely fabulous nibs.

http://www.fototime.com/0C659079ECE3EDF/large.jpg

ST Dupont Olympio/Orpheo standard or XL size: slip on of cap for convenience, cartridge/converter filled (heir & spare), maybe the smoothest nibs available on any pen being made today. Lots of different styles and models. The greatest attention to detail from any maker I know of.

http://www.fototime.com/5EC3B6AABA16B6B/large.jpg

A Nakaya: Here you can see the standard Portable Writer above a Piccolo. Nakaya is also C/C (h&s) but uses a proprietary cartridge. There is an adapter that will allow International standard cartridges/converters to be used ($1.00 US). The Urushi finish is near indestructible, non-slippery, looks and feels great in hand. Best used unposted. The piccolo is very short when used that way but surprisingly comfortable.

http://www.fototime.com/6D2FA537CEFE35C/large.jpg

I would take any one of the three options above over any of the ones you list, but remember, that is simply my tastes. You need to get the one that excites YOU.

[tonybelding]

The new Wahl-Eversharp Deco Band looks very impressive, though the price is a bit higher than the specified range. It's available in "rosewood" colored ebonite, too.

[Wahl]

Pelikan M800, one of my favorites in modern pens.

[KostyaKev]

I'm not a big fan of vintage pens, and even modern Sheaffers, Parkers and Waterman don't appeal to me... Leaning towards Homo Sapiens right now because its body looks gorgeous! But still exploring other options

[ac12]

I think you need to accept that your taste will change over time, as you change. So what you really like now, may not be what you really like in 10 years. My own taste has changed somewhat, to include pens that I would not have considered even 5 years ago. So I advise you not to go whole-hog. But if you have the $$$$ for it, go for it.

[Algester]

I wont be able to make a proper comment either

Plus I dont think Platino is GVfC's flagship either

Hey this coming from someone whose only flagship pen is the lamy 2000, but if you really fancy the HS design then I would openly suggest that you buy from a reputable source

Other than that I would say Pilot 845, Sailor KoP with a Nagahara nib (probably the most expensive of the 3 I named after more expensive than a Namiki Urushi type 50), Platinum Izumo are good choices either, find what you fancy and you know you will openly love for a long time

[Buzz_130]

Good luck in your academic endeavors! Your price range offers some exceptional pen options, and you've gotten some excellent advice.

 

I have the Visconti HS and got it for similar reasons as you list above. It's my least used pen, and I just can't find myself enjoying it. I find the filling system to be very inconsistent and unreliable. Without an ink window, I have no idea what my fill is. The nib is soft and extremely wet. The pen in a F puts down enough ink to bleed through Rhodia paper, and I've delegated this one to only my driest inks. The material is nice, and I like the cap system.

 

I bought a used MB149 from the 80s, and it is superior in every way to the HS. The nib is better, the piston is flawless, I have an ink window (that I don't need because it fills), and the material has a great feel in my hand. I do find the pen to be thick for my tastes, but I like the pen when it is in rotation.

 

For modern pens, my absolute favorite is my Nakaya. The pen is beautiful. The nib is amazing and has the perfect feedback for me. The balance is simply perfect, and for the long size, the pen is light. I like the width of this pen in my hand. However, this is not a pen that I take out of the house. We bought this pen in Japan, and I don't want it lost or damaged, so it's a dedicated journal writer for me.

 

For student use over the next decade, perhaps you would think more along the lines of "workhorse." A Pelikan like a 80X or 1000 could fit the bill. The Japanese Big 3 make some exceptional pens in the workhorse category that will last you a decade or more of faithful service. If you liked vi take, I could give you some excellent options as well, but the choice is ultimately yours.

 

Buzz

[katanankes]

With a 500ish budget, you could commission your own pen (with gold nib) to a company specializing in custom projects such as Edison, Newton Pens or Scriptorium Pens. That will make it your own pen and you will be less likely to get bored of it. Just an option to consider.

 

For a long time pen companion, a model enabling you to swap nibs easily would be a plus since over 10 years you might like to try different nib sizes...

[atc729]

I don't know anything about any of these pens or how they write, I'm just here to cast my vote (on looks alone). I would go with the Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Age. I think that pen looks so good, but it is too far out of my price range (for now). Good luck choosing!

[Sasha Royale]

Get a professionally restored Parker 51 Aero and a couple bottles of Quink.

"Eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart." Go in peace.

[arrScott]

A Michelangelo (with rose gold fittings) was my grail pen when I first got into fountain pens. I eventually bought one, and was at first hugely disappointed. I mean, beautiful pen, felt great in the hand, and I absolutely adore the magnetic cap closure. But the nib was mis-aligned from the get-go and so it tended to be a dry starter and a skippy writer. Took a while for me to get frustrated enough to take it in for nib adjustment. Since I did so, it has worked marvelously. A joy to look at and write with.

 

But for me, the problem with a grail pen is that I'm sort of frightened to actually use it. I've lost enough pens in my lifetime to hesitate to carry a truly valuable pen out of the house! So I tend to ink up my Michelangelo only when I know there is a ceremonial need, such as signing official church documents or closing on my mortgage. Other than that, though, I rarely use it much. (And possibly with good cause: I splurged on the current seasonal Edison Nouveau Premiere, and in less than a week after receiving it managed to lose it overboard from a sailboat in the Caribbean.)

[Lam1]

I have the Visconti HS and got it for similar reasons as you list above. It's my least used pen, and I just can't find myself enjoying it. I find the filling system to be very inconsistent and unreliable. Without an ink window, I have no idea what my fill is. The nib is soft and extremely wet. The pen in a F puts down enough ink to bleed through Rhodia paper, and I've delegated this one to only my driest inks. The material is nice, and I like the cap system.

 

Best description of the HS. The filling system is so unreliable that I only use it with inks that I don't really care much. So, if only hours after trying to fill the HS I am out and it runs out of ink, it is not a big deal. I wish it were reliable, because I really like the feel of the pen and the nib.

 

It is a very beautiful pen, but I never find myself really wanting to get it back in rotation.

[KostyaKev]

 

Best description of the HS. The filling system is so unreliable that I only use it with inks that I don't really care much. So, if only hours after trying to fill the HS I am out and it runs out of ink, it is not a big deal. I wish it were reliable, because I really like the feel of the pen and the nib.

 

It is a very beautiful pen, but I never find myself really wanting to get it back in rotation.

How does this even happen? a pen that expensive with a malfunctioning refilling mechanism? What?

[da vinci]

If you like wood pens have a look at Gimena. Some very well put together pens.