Number One Priority

[Orpilorp]

It should be a Parker 51.

 

Thanks Pajaro, now you're talking my language.

 

I feel any collection should have a focus, for example, Italian pens, or third tier pens, or Esterbrooks, or pens with flexible nibs, or Parker 51s. Of course there will always be space in the drawer for some pens which are outside the collection's main theme, but if any collection (even stamps, postcards, bicycles, etc.) isn't focused, then the collection will still be disordered no matter how well it is displayed.

 

And if a collection focuses on, let's say, pens no more than 4" when capped, it makes shoping at pen shows and club meetings so much easier. Whatever the focus may be, within that scope there are always many variables to make the hunt interesting and fun and never ending.

[TheRealMikeDr]

Number 1 for me has to be the nib - i.e., the way it writes. If it writes too wide or too thin then I won't use it and therefore it's not a worthwhile purchase. For me a pen is a tool first and foremost.

 

Number 2 would then be the aesthetics - I need to find the pen pleasing to look at if I'm going to want to own it.

[Baenlynn]

1.) Reliability - How consistently does it write? How likely is it to burp/creep/leak? Will it work consistently on a wide variety of papers? How long can I leave it sitting unattended? How easy is it to disassemble and/or clean? What variety of inks can I use in it?

 

2.) Aesthetics - It has to wow me in terms of colour, shape, and/or overall design. Is it a style/brand I haven't tried before? Does it have a feature I haven't played with before? How wet/dry does it write? What's engraved on the nib?

 

3.) Robustness - What would happen to it if I were to drop it while moving at a dead run and it tumbled along the ground? How will the finish and surface details stand the test of time? What is the quality of the converter/nib/feed etc? How is it capped/uncapped/posted? How does it all fit together? How snug is the feed/converter fit?

[Blue_Moon]

Several have said that you can't limit the pen to one characteristic. I disagree, and let me explain it another way. Let's say I already own the pen. What one factor could keep me from using it regularly? For me, I may still use it if it's not the best looking pen, or if it was too cheap/too expensive, whether or not it could "take a licking and keep on ticking, or it didn't feel the best in my hand. It would be important to me, but I may still use it if it was difficult to clean. (Now, if it was all of these, I definitely wouldn't use it.) However, if everything else was perfect (ergonomics, easy to clean, gorgeous pen, etc.), but it had hard starts or skips, I would send it to a nibmeister. If I still had difficulty after getting it back, I'd NEVER use it. That's how I came up with my top priority in a pen.

[jar]

Several have said that you can't limit the pen to one characteristic. I disagree, and let me explain it another way. Let's say I already own the pen. What one factor could keep me from using it regularly? For me, I may still use it if it's not the best looking pen, or if it was too cheap/too expensive, whether or not it could "take a licking and keep on ticking, or it didn't feel the best in my hand. It would be important to me, but I may still use it if it was difficult to clean. (Now, if it was all of these, I definitely wouldn't use it.) However, if everything else was perfect (ergonomics, easy to clean, gorgeous pen, etc.), but it had hard starts or skips, I would send it to a nibmeister. If I still had difficulty after getting it back, I'd NEVER use it. That's how I came up with my top priority in a pen.

But I could make the same argument about aesthetics or weight or size or smell or any other characteristics. It doesn't matter how nicely a Visconti writes that "bridge" clip is simply a deal killer. If the ergonomics of a pen makes my hand cramp it does not matter how nice the nib is, it will not get used.

[BillZ]

I would say that my #1 priority is how the pen feels in my hand combined with how it writes. I buy pens to b used as writing instruments so all else is second place. Since I buy almost all of my pens from Dromgoole's in Houston's Rice Village I get to ink the pen before I buy it.

[corgicoupe]

When considering the purchase of a pen, old or new, the first thing one sees is the outside. (I agree with jar about the Visconti.) If it doesn't appeal to me in design, I'll not bother to see how it writes; in fact, I won't even pick it up to see how it feels. It might write better than any pen I have ever written with, but if I don't like the look and feel of it, why acquire it? So, I guess my priorities are sequential.

[williamisthe1]

I'm kind of new to fountain pens so I don't really know what I'm looking for just yet. Now I'm just trying different brands, nib sizes to see what I like most.

[gryphon1911]

#1 feel in the hand

#2 smooth nib

#3 reliable writing

#4 looks

[ethernautrix]

For me, aesthetics first. The nib can always be modified to suit my needs or desire. Second is filling mechanism. I prefer c/c above all. I'll use piston-fillers if the pen appeals to me.

 

I'm not an aesthetic or c/c purist. I'll use "ugly" old pen with a fabulous nib, but that's hardly ever my first choice.

[rwilsonedn]

First for me has to be price. If I can't afford a pen, I won't buy it. That rules out many wonderful pens that I envy but will never have. Second is curiosity. I already have an embarrassing number of pens that look great and write well, so now I only buy a pen if I am curious about it.

ron

[corgicoupe]

First for me has to be price. If I can't afford a pen, I won't buy it. That rules out many wonderful pens that I envy but will never have. ron

Why didn't I think of including that very important criterion?

Edited June 17, 2016 by corgicoupe

[DustyR]

I'm mostly in agreement with Sandy above, but can probably reduce it to the line quality the nib provides and the feel of the pen in hand (girth & length), and they are 50/50 for me. Other factors I can adapt to. I have two Sailors with fine nibs that write wonderful, very thin, rich, wet lines, but one has too thin a barrel for my hands and the other is just a tad short (fine posted, but I don't like to have to post a pen cap). Despite the perfection of their lines, they don't get used as much as my larger, more comfortable pens.

[Calabria]

But I could make the same argument about aesthetics or weight or size or smell or any other characteristics. It doesn't matter how nicely a Visconti writes that "bridge" clip is simply a deal killer. If the ergonomics of a pen makes my hand cramp it does not matter how nice the nib is, it will not get used.

I agree with this. I can't stand the Visconti clip. Also, handcramping is a serious issue - the pen needs to fit my hand in a variety of situations (not just the desk). I like fine nibs with a bit of feedback, so all "buttery smooth" (or oily skidding) nibs are out for me. I'll put up with a CC if the pen meets these criteria (but I'll grumble).

[ac12]

There is no ONE specific item.

If the pen fails any one of a list of items, depending one the failure, it will get routed for repair, to the collection, to the parts box, or to be sold.

- fit; size, weight, balance

- condition, good or does restoration/repair/adjustment need to be done

- estimated cost of restoration/repair

- etc.

Edited June 16, 2016 by ac12

[ScienceChick]

1. Do I love the way it looks. That includes such deal-breakers as metal sections (with very few exceptions), clips I don't like the appearance of, significant step from section to barrel, etc.

2. Weight This means metal pens are almost always out of the running.

3. What nibs are available. Unless it's a brand that's known for wide-ish nibs, a F is a non-starter. Modifications, if desired, can go from there,

4. Filling. Piston or C/C, don't care. I have a number of vintage lever fillers and, unless I can remove the nib unit for cleaning (Estie, e.g.) it ain't happening. No button fillers, no pain-in-the-tuchis-to-clean pens.

5. Am I comfortable with the price. This lets out some pens I seriously covet. I would love to have a Pelikan Moonlight or Nakaya Galaxy, for example, but I just can't rationalize the cost.

 

Like any addict, there are always exceptions. I kept hearing how wonderful vintage Montblanc B and BB nibs are so, when I came across a 244 with a BB nib at a price I was okay with, I went for it. Is it a purty pen? Nah, it's a standard "boring" black fountain pen. But the nib was everything I had anticipated and more. I love that pen.

 

Interesting topic that made me think about what matters to me in a pen.

Edited June 16, 2016 by ScienceChick

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Some additional thoughts, after seeing what others have to say.

 

As I mentioned, aesthetics are definitely secondary for me, something to be considered, certainly, but only after thinking about how a pen writes.

 

But when I think about it, pens that write well (in my opinion) tend not to be ugly, or even moderately unattractive. The pens which I like most, based on how they feel in the hand, writing performance, and reliability, also tend to appeal to me for the minimalistic good taste of their appearance. Some examples are the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 and 91, Lamy 2000, and Montblanc Noblesse. Maybe it shouldn't be surprising that the makers who know the most about making a good writing instrument can be relied upon to make it good looking.

 

Of course, what actually does look good is a matter of opinion. I favor simplicity and minimal decoration, although I do like some vintage celluloids. Others may prefer more ornate designs and expensive materials. But buying a pen because of how it looks, and then going through a lot of hassle trying to make it write well seems to be putting the cart before the horse.

[Blue_Moon]

But buying a pen because of how it looks, and then going through a lot of hassle trying to make it write well seems to be putting the cart before the horse.

 

Couldn't have said it better.

[ethernautrix]

 

Couldn't have said it better.

Because I'm replying on my phone, the previously quoted comment won't copy, but I want to clarify about my own stance about the importance of aesthetics. If my Nakayas didn't write perfectly and I couldn't make them write properly, then I wouldn't have more Nakayas than any other brand.

 

Of course the pens have to work correctly (or fabulously), or what's the point? Luckily for me, I prefer c/c pens (point goes to Nakaya), the nibs are excellent (point goes to Nakaya), and the plain urushi finishes (the tamenuri)are exquisite to me, so it's a no-brainer. Well, the price is steep (point goes to Lamy Safari, TWSBI, and name your best-writing less-expensive pens).

 

My point is that all else being equal, my decision about which pen to buy rests on aesthetics. Sure, I have pens that aren't great beauties and that aren't c/c but have nibs I can't get on a Nakaya (for example, a red Pilot Falcon or a vintage no-name piston-filler with an irresistible steel flex nib), but I use my great beauties (some not even Nakaya) the most, because they write the best overall and are the most beautiful.

 

In about 30 years of writing with fountain pens, I finally learned that recalcitrant nibs can be fixed or transplanted. Can't fix beauty.

[Proto]

For me, simply a pen that works consistently and conveniently, and is fun to write with.