Need Help Deciding On My Next Pen. (Pelikan? Sailor? Franklin-Christoph?)

[AMarkAbove]

I know there are many topics on this site asking to compare pens and help with purchase decisions. This is another of those topics. I am currently struggling with deciding between a Sailor Pro Gear Slim Earth with a Zoom nib, a Franklin-Christoph Model 31 Omnis with a Broad steel (which I may swap to a Masuyama Broad Stub later), or a Pelikan M200 with an upgraded M400 nib in either fine or medium. These will all run me pretty much the same amount of money so that doesn't factor in.

 

I already has a M205 that lives in the pen loop of my Traveler's Notebook. It gets used almost everyday for quick notes and bullet journaling. It would be nice to have another pen to swap out with it occasionally and I have this fear of stretching the pen loop and the Pelikan no longer fitting snugly (maybe this is a crazy fear. I don't know)

 

I have never tried a Sailor nib and from everything I've heard I really must. The uniqueness of the Zoom nib really intrigues me, especially as a lefty who occasionally writes at weird angles.

 

The Model 31 would be my second Franklin Christoph, but I haven't found much in the way of reviews of the 31 so I'm a bit hesitant. I'm sure its just as fantastic as my 45 but of the three pens I'm considering its the only with a steel nib.

 

Any and all suggestions are welcomed.

Edited May 17, 2017 by AMarkAbove

[Bo Bo Olson]

Your 215 is a 'true' regular flex nib...it lays a good clean line....is 1/2 a width narrower than the fat and blobby modern 400/600 nibs. Which are 'butter smooth' if that is all you want.

 

I don't know anything about Japanese nibs....but have the thought that they are semi-nails....and the so called 'soft' nibs are 'true' regular flex nibs.I chase German pens, and have no interest in real skinny nibs. Euro F is normally as narrow as I want, unless I'm editing, then a Euro EF does just fine.

 

You have to decide if you want a nail or semi-nail nib in Japanese.

The Falcon is 'Springy' like the MB or the very, very nice Lamy Imporium. Those are nibs that has good tine bend, but only 2 X tine spread.

 

There is Pilot nibs with half moons cut out to give semi-flex...I don't know if it really matches that or not.

 

It is IMO a major mistake to get rid of the better 200's nib for a fat blobby modern gold M400's nib. The '82-97 gold nib is as good as the 200....not better....as good.

I really think the gold plated nib is over expensive. Especially if new.

You could see about buying a used '80-97 M400 nib instead. That is a bling move only.

 

What you want to upgrade your 200 do so with is a '50s-65 era 400's semi-flex nib with the 4 rill/comb feed. The semi-flex 140's nib will fit but will look dorky in it is too small.

Edited May 16, 2017 by Bo Bo Olson

[AMarkAbove]

Your 215 is a 'true' regular flex nib...it lays a good clean line....is 1/2 a width narrower than the fat and blobby modern 400/600 nibs. Which are 'butter smooth' if that is all you want.

 

I don't know anything about Japanese nibs....but have the thought that they are semi-nails....and the so called 'soft' nibs are 'true' regular flex nibs.I chase German pens, and have no interest in real skinny nibs. Euro F is normally as narrow as I want, unless I'm editing, then a Euro EF does just fine.

 

You have to decide if you want a nail or semi-nail nib in Japanese.

The Falcon is 'Springy' like the MB or the very, very nice Lamy Imporium. Those are nibs that has good tine bend, but only 2 X tine spread.

 

There is Pilot nibs with half moons cut out to give semi-flex...I don't know if it really matches that or not.

 

It is IMO a major mistake to get rid of the better 200's nib for a fat blobby modern gold M400's nib. The '82-97 gold nib is as good as the 200....not better....as good.

I really think the gold plated nib is over expensive. Especially if new.

You could see about buying a used '80-97 M400 nib instead. That is a bling move only.

 

What you want to upgrade your 200 do so with is a '50s-65 era 400's semi-flex nib with the 4 rill/comb feed. The semi-flex 140's nib will fit but will look dorky in it is too small.

I'm sorry, I don't really understand. My M205 is an EF steel nib. I definitely wouldn't say its a semi-flex. I also am not really after a flex right now. I like a bit of spring, but I wouldn't say full on flex. As a lefty making more push lines than pull lines I sometimes find flexible nibs to be far more difficult than stubs and italics. I am also looking for a something smooth and juicy. Edited May 16, 2017 by AMarkAbove

[Calabria]

I like Sailor. The Zoom, from what I've heard, is quite broad. I have the Naginata Togi, and while it's a beautiful nib, it's too broad for me. I would say that the Pro Gear with F nib is one of my preferred pens - I keep one inked at all times. It's comfortable in the hand, and the nib is beautiful to look at and write with ... slight "toothy" feel, and the tip adjusts a bit to the hand with use (it's 21K, so will give a bit.)

 

I think the M200 line is overpriced. If I liked the size (it's a bit small for my hand), I'd get a M405 Stresemann EF from a European online store, which should be about the same price as a Sailor Pro Gear.

 

Enjoy!

[Bo Bo Olson]

'True' regular flex is what the springy 200/215's nibs are.

 

Semi-flex is vintage '50-65 nibs that will fit, your 200/215 and any newer 400s you buy....even fit your 600's. I had a vintage semi-flex B in my 605....

 

Then being a lefty a modern '98-now semi-nail 400's nib would do you ok....

I think they are blobby, and don't write with as clean a line as the 'true' regular flex 200 or '82-97 M400's.

 

I say 'true' regular flex in once most companies had such pens as regular issue......now because of jack hammer Ball Point Barbarians turning regular flex into pretzels, the companies on the whole have gone over to regular issue of semi-nail and nails to save repair costs.

The 200 is one of the few 'true' regular flex nibs left.

[Calabria]

PS From what you say about your writing, the Pelikan is probably a good choice for you as Pelikan designs their nibs with both right and left handers in mind (round tip).

 

Sailor nibs can be a bit sharp. I'd go with M for you, actually. Maybe somebody else can talk about the Zoom.

[Bo Bo Olson]

That is the blobby 400 nib, not the 200's for 'round' tip. The 200 is not so round....more the semi-vintage nib.

In the OP didn't state he was lefty, I added semi-flex as the best Pelikan nibs....at least for righties.

 

True regular flex is a bit drier, there for a bit better than semi-flex with shading inks. Semi-flex needs a better paper & ink match for shading, in the tines move easier so is wetter.

[AMarkAbove]

That is the blobby 400 nib, not the 200's for 'round' tip. The 200 is not so round....more the semi-vintage nib.

In the OP didn't state he was lefty, I added semi-flex as the best Pelikan nibs....at least for righties.

 

True regular flex is a bit drier, there for a bit better than semi-flex with shading inks. Semi-flex needs a better paper & ink match for shading, in the tines move easier so is wetter.

My M205 doesn't seem any less round tipped than my Lamys or my Pilots. It also is one of my stiffer steel nibs for that matter. Are you speaking of vintage 200 nibs or is mine just different?

 

And for the record I did mention I am a lefty in the OP in the Sailor paragraph, but it was probably easy to miss.

[FarmBoy]

Get a Waterman 20 ripple.

[Sailor Kenshin]

My M205 doesn't seem any less round tipped than my Lamys or my Pilots. It also is one of my stiffer steel nibs for that matter. Are you speaking of vintage 200 nibs or is mine just different?

And for the record I did mention I am a lefty in the OP in the Sailor paragraph, but it was probably easy to miss.

 

I am a southpaw overwriter, with a 1911 that has a Zoom nib. The nib has an enormous amount of tipping. It writes a wet, fat line, which forces me to adjust the size of my hand. I find it works best with lighter, shading inks, and it's said that you can get good line variation from it, but I guess that's beyond my skill level.

[Bluey]

If you've already got a Pelikan, getting another one is a waste. And they're overpriced.

I don't know a lot about the F-C, and with the apparent lack of reviews you could probably try reviews of other F-Cs. Other F-Cs will obviously share similar writing nib characteristics.

Go for the Sailor, not least for the sake of variety, but if you're looking for something smooth and juicy then the Sailor zoom is perfection.

The zoom nib is an interesting experience and allows for differences in writing style when called upon, so long as your normal style is extra broad(they are VERY broad). Pelikan nibs are ho-hum.

 

Also as a lefty, Sailors tend towards the drier side which will suit you better.

Edited May 17, 2017 by Bluey

[sirgilbert357]

'True' regular flex is what the springy 200/215's nibs are.

 

Semi-flex is vintage '50-65 nibs that will fit, your 200/215 and any newer 400s you buy....even fit your 600's. I had a vintage semi-flex B in my 605....

 

Then being a lefty a modern '98-now semi-nail 400's nib would do you ok....

I think they are blobby, and don't write with as clean a line as the 'true' regular flex 200 or '82-97 M400's.

 

I say 'true' regular flex in once most companies had such pens as regular issue......now because of jack hammer Ball Point Barbarians turning regular flex into pretzels, the companies on the whole have gone over to regular issue of semi-nail and nails to save repair costs.

The 200 is one of the few 'true' regular flex nibs left.

 

 

I disagree with Bo Bo that flex nibs went away due to "ball point barbarians"...Flex nib production started dying out (for various reasons) a decade or two before the mid 1950's - early 60's when ball point sales really took off. Parker's Jotter might have had something to do with that. The ballpoint might have been the final nail in the flex nib coffin though...

 

Anyway, I would agree with Bo Bo that a modern M400 nib would be a good fit if you go with the M200 (with an M400 nib) as your choice for this next pen. But I'd think it will cost you almost as much as just buying an M400, right? Look at European vendors for the best prices on Pelikans. The gold M400 nibs *do* write a bit thicker of a line than the steel M200 ones, and they are also wetter, keep in mind (usually bad for lefties). But you already have an M205, so if variety is important to you, maybe get one of the other pens on your list.

 

Out of your choices, I would pick the Sailor over the Franklin Christoph. I'm not a lefty, so I have no idea what your writing experience is like...I also don't know anything about the real world writing characteristics of the zoom nibs or how suitable such a nib would be for your style of writing, but the Sailor is a very limited edition. And I would snap one up while you can and try it out. If it doesn't work for you, the F-C model 31 will likely still be around. And you'd probably lose very little money reselling the Sailor if you just wait a bit until they are sold out everywhere. It might even appreciate a bit if you keep it "minty fresh". Anyway, food for thought...

 

Let us know what you pick and how you like it. Other lefties out there will appreciate your contribution. Oh, and remember: pics or it didn't happen!

Edited May 17, 2017 by sirgilbert357

[AMarkAbove]

I disagree with Bo Bo that flex nibs went away due to "ball point barbarians"...Flex nib production started dying out (for various reasons) a decade or two before the mid 1950's - early 60's when ball point sales really took off. Parker's Jotter might have had something to do with that. The ballpoint might have been the final nail in the flex nib coffin though...

 

Anyway, I would agree with Bo Bo that a modern M400 nib would be a good fit if you go with the M200 (with an M400 nib) as your choice for this next pen. But I'd think it will cost you almost as much as just buying an M400, right? Look at European vendors for the best prices on Pelikans. The gold M400 nibs *do* write a bit thicker of a line than the steel M200 ones, and they are also wetter, keep in mind (usually bad for lefties). But you already have an M205, so if variety is important to you, maybe get one of the other pens on your list.

 

Out of your choices, I would pick the Sailor over the Franklin Christoph. I'm not a lefty, so I have no idea what your writing experience is like...I also don't know anything about the real world writing characteristics of the zoom nibs or how suitable such a nib would be for your style of writing, but the Sailor is a very limited edition. And I would snap one up while you can and try it out. If it doesn't work for you, the F-C model 31 will likely still be around. And you'd probably lose very little money reselling the Sailor if you just wait a bit until they are sold out everywhere. It might even appreciate a bit if you keep it "minty fresh". Anyway, food for thought...

 

Let us know what you pick and how you like it. Other lefties out there will appreciate your contribution. Oh, and remember: pics or it didn't happen!

Surprisingly, if you order from oversees the cost of a M200 and an upgraded nib seems to be significantly cheaper than a M405. Maybe I'm just not looking at the right places but the 400s don't seem to be as discounted as the rest of the Pelikan line compared to US prices.

 

I have decided on the Sailor and have placed the order with La Couronne du Comte because they had a price I simply couldn't pass up. I'll post pics as soon as it arrives. And if I know myself I'll be ordering one of the others (most likely the FC) sooner rather than later.

[Bo Bo Olson]

200 is 'normal' round...as it has been since the '80's.

The 82-97 M400 has a nib as good, in gold. Both are a 'true' regular flex....a springy nib with a nice ride.

 

The '98-now M400, the one with the ring by the piston cap....has a big blobby fat semi-nail nib with a ball top and bottom/thick pointed double ball...., so Ball Point Barbarians who refuse to learn how to hold a fountain pen can continue to write like it was a ball point.....and made stiffer, semi-nail and more Barbarian proof.

 

Your 200 writes with a cleaner line, in it is not fat and blobby.

[Calabria]

I'm just going to disagree with Bobo. All this talk about "flex" is certainly interesting to aficionados of old pens, but I find the new Pelikan EF nibs are very nice writers. "Blobby" is just name-calling, and doesn't even apply to EF nibs - I got some very good ones on M6xx pens that write as fine as Japanese F nibs, but smoother.

 

I'm also going to disagree with the M2xx + M400 nib theory. It sounds good (hey, save a buck!), but in my experience the M2xx body is just not made with the same attention to detail as the Souveran line. I'm not even sure that it's made from the same material. So, yes, you'd save some money, but it's comparing apples and oranges.

 

You can get the M405 at a decent price from European online stores - check out some reviews. Here's a good one on the tortoise M400:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CuWRTqSUOi8

You'll also get "more pen" than the Sailor ProGear slim which is rather smallish.

 

Finally, getting a pen because it's a LE is not always a good idea. If you write a lot, get the pen that fits your hand, your writing style, and preferred ink supply (cartridge/bottle). If you miss this LE, never worry, there will be others (all the time).

 

Cheers,

Derek

[ac12]

Parker 51 or Vacumatic.

[FPSymphony]

I would go with the Sailor. Sailor also makes a 1911L for lefties (whatever that means), but you don't get the same color or nib options, and it's a little bigger than the PGS. However, all Sailors (except the Realo) use Sailor's proprietary convertors which hold just a minuscule amount of ink, which I can imagine won't last too long with some of their broader nibs such as the zoom.

 

Parker 51 or Vacumatic.

The 51 would be a good choice. They're bulletproof and have stiff, smooth nibs, if not necessarily juicy. Rather sizable ink capacity too.

[AMarkAbove]

Well, the Sailor arrived today. It only took a week to get from the Netherlands to California. I must say impressed. And photos don't really do it justice. I also bought a bottle of Kobe #51 that I had been waiting for something new to ink up with. Glorious.

[sirgilbert357]

The extra decoration on the cap lip is a nice touch for a LE. How do you like the nib? Looks VERY broad for a Japanese nib, LOL. Gorgeous pen, I hope you like it!

[AMarkAbove]

The extra decoration on the cap lip is a nice touch for a LE. How do you like the nib? Looks VERY broad for a Japanese nib, LOL. Gorgeous pen, I hope you like it!

It is quite broad for a Japanese nib but I was purposefully writing at a very shallow angle to test the Zoom. My normal writing angle is higher and makes it more of Medium. It's super smooth and just floats across the paper at any angle, though that may be as much a characteristic of the KOBE ink as it is of the pen. It's also a bit on the drier side for such a thick stroke which is very helpful for this left hander. I imagine I'll be playing with it for some time and it'll even see some duty as my everyday workhorse.