Safari Like Pen With Better Grip?

[InkyPoetess]

I love everything about my matte Safari except the grip. It is too narrow and I dislike the cutouts. I was hoping it would grow on me, but it's been almost a year and it's still uncomfortable. Any recommendations for something similar without the narrow triangle grip?

 

Specifically:

• Durability/knockabout pen (a must).
• Not slippery
• Postable
• 17g (0.6oz) weight, posted (similar range preferred). Metros are too heavy for my taste at 26g (0.9oz).
• Easy to clean
• USD$30 or less including converter if CC

 

Thanks!

Edited March 17, 2018 by InkyPoetess

[Mech-for-i]

Any nib preference ?

[almoore]

Hi

 

Maybe a TWSBI Eco (regular not T version) might be what your looking for, dependent upon your budget the 580 might also be a good choice.

 

I've also found the Wing Sung 3008 a nice everyday pen, not expensive so I have a few with different colours in them.

 

Al

[tvradio]

Platinum Preppy ($3) is 13g with cap. F or M nib. The Platinum Plaisir ($14) (Preppy nib, interchangeable parts with Preppy, but made of aluminum) weighs 19g with cap. I have the Ice White model and I fins the section to be grippy plastic but the body itself is unfortunately pretty damn slippery when handling. I have them in both F and M and they're quite smooth writers, and the brand's patented dual 'Slip and Seal' cap means the nib retains moisture so that it's always been able to write the instant I've uncapped it.

 

Sections are blessedly thicker than a Metropolitan's.

 

The pens don't come with converters, which go for another $7-8. Interestingly, you can also purchase a Platinum cartridge adapter ($2 @ JetPens, $5 @ AndersonPens) which lets you use standard short international cartridge inks (or a short intl converter).

 

If you like the Metro's steel nib (I lurve mine) but want a wider section you might look into another Pilot. A Pilot 78G+ goes on ebay for $16-$23, and a higher-end Pilot Lucina sells for $45.

Edited March 17, 2018 by tvradio

[InkyPoetess]

Euro EF or Japanese F.

Any nib preference ?

[InkyPoetess]

O

 

Platinum Preppy ($3) is 13g with cap. F or M nib. The Platinum Plaisir ($14) (Preppy nib, interchangeable parts with Preppy, but made of aluminum) weighs 19g with cap. I have the Ice White model and I fins the section to be grippy plastic but the body itself is unfortunately pretty damn slippery when handling. I have them in both F and M and they're quite smooth writers, and the brand's patented dual 'Slip and Seal' cap means the nib retains moisture so that it's always been able to write the instant I've uncapped it.

 

Sections are blessedly thicker than a Metropolitan's.

 

The pens don't come with converters, which go for another $7-8. Interestingly, you can also purchase a Platinum cartridge adapter ($2 @ JetPens, $5 @ AndersonPens) which lets you use standard short international cartridge inks (or a short intl converter).

 

If you like the Metro's steel nib (I lurve mine) but want a wider section you might look into another Pilot. A Pilot 78G+ goes on ebay for $16-$23, and a higher-end Pilot Lucina sells for $45.

Oooh, I had forgotten about the Plaisir! My first pen was a Preppy, which I bought to figure out if I liked writing with FPs on the daily. I quite liked the feel of it and probably would have stuck with that, except that I am quite rough on my pens for a number of reasons and I wasn't sure that plastic would hold up. In the end, I think I went with the Safari because of the swappable nibs and wanting to be able to switch between EF for novel writing and B for book signings while on tour, which I still prefer, so maybe the Safari will just become my "tour pen" and I'll get something new for my EDC/Knockabout.

[InkyPoetess]

How does the Kakuno grip compare to the Metro and Safari? I seem to recall the only thing I disliked about the Metro was the weight, so if the Kakuno has the same grip, only lighter, that might work. It's a kids' pen, though so is the grip the same as the Safari? Is the grip fatter?

[gryphon1911]

Check out the Kaweco Perkeo. It is a standard #6 nib, so you can swap out the medium with whatever else you want.

 

The TWSBI Eco are great. I have 3 and love them. Being piston fillers, they write forever...and I say this with mine that are medium, broad and 1.1mm stub.

 

If you work a fine or extra fine, those should last you on a full fill for a very long time.

 

Platinum Preppy's are nice, but if you want something a little more business look into the Platinum Plasiar.

[tvradio]

O

 

Oooh, I had forgotten about the Plaisir! My first pen was a Preppy, which I bought to figure out if I liked writing with FPs on the daily. I quite liked the feel of it and probably would have stuck with that, except that I am quite rough on my pens for a number of reasons and I wasn't sure that plastic would hold up. In the end, I think I went with the Safari because of the swappable nibs and wanting to be able to switch between EF for novel writing and B for book signings while on tour, which I still prefer, so maybe the Safari will just become my "tour pen" and I'll get something new for my EDC/Knockabout.

My Plaisir is the Medium .05 and it's a pretty smooth writer. Doesn't come in B though. The .03 Preppy/Plaisir is more of an EF/F.

 

FYI my B pen is a $3 Jinhao to which I swapped in a $15 German Jowo B nib. Writes big, and super smooth, would be great for signings. FYI for signings some people (like the current US President) use a rollerball pen with a felt tip refill, which can also write big and smooth.

[Chrissy]

Lamy Nexx uses Safari nibs but has a much better grip than the Safari

[SoulSamurai]

for book signings while on tour

 

If you're going to be signing things for people why not a nice stub to make your signature look more interesting? The Nemosine Singularity is a $20 pen that comes in a range of stubs, also I believe Lamy and Kaweco have some stub pens (the Kaweco Sport comes in a calligraphy kit for example). Or you could get a Pilot Parallel.

[catbert]

How does the Kakuno grip compare to the Metro and Safari? I seem to recall the only thing I disliked about the Metro was the weight, so if the Kakuno has the same grip, only lighter, that might work. It's a kids' pen, though so is the grip the same as the Safari? Is the grip fatter?

 

The Kakuno section is fatter than a Safari's. It has angled facets to facilitate a tripod grip but they are much less sharp or pronounced than those on the Safari.

 

An original Pilot 78G or the new 78G+ with a B or BB stub would make a good signature pen. (Chinese clones of the 78G - Wing Sung 659, Wing Sung 3001, etc. - all seem to have EF or F nibs.)

 

If you don't mind a rubberized and slightly contoured grip, a Pelikano Junior is a sturdy and surprisingly wet writer.

[Mech-for-i]

Kakuno, and Plaisir are good choice to had , both way more durable than the Preppy. Different feel though, As for something like Safari and had the possibility of swappable nib , then the Chinese Safari inspired piston filler like the Wing Sung 3009 ( provided you like the all demo styling ) perhaps quaify bes, the triangular grip goes , replaced by a no frill straight, slightly tapered circular profiled one. Can be had with F or EF , which would come out like Japanese FM, and just a tad thinner than Japanese F respectively

 

This is my WS 3009 with a retrofitted Hero 59 nib

Edited March 18, 2018 by Mech-for-i

[Torrilin]

The TWSBI eco might be a bit heavier than you like, but with an xf it writes forever. Probably longer than most ballpoints. While I don’t like heavy pens, I find it comfy to use unposted.

 

I haven’t used a Perkeo or a Kakuno. They’re on the to try list. I’ve got 2 Kaweco Sports, and they’re lovely light pens. The nibs aren’t consistently good out of the box the way TWSBI is, but they’re a very pocket friendly pen. Very disinclined to uncap in your pocket. If you can deal with a fussy nib I recommend them.

 

I haven’t tried a Lamy Nexx yet, but it’s also on my to try list because I have bunches of really nice Lamy nibs, and I don’t like to use my Safaris all that much compared to my pens with round grips. It’s a school pen like the ABC and the Safari, and it’s still quite light. Bit goofy looking, but a practical kind of goofy since it’d be easy to see in a dark bag.

[senzen]

I'd forgotten the Kakuno, I've only tried one, the nib was really smooth, and the grip was comfortable; the one thing I didn't like was the feeling of the plastic as I unscrewed the barrel from the section, probably easily fixed with a tiny bit of silicone grease. The new clear version looks spiffy, and they take the larger capacity con-70. You might need to plug some holes to mitigate evaporation.

[KLscribbler]

If you do decide on the TWSBI Eco, note that there are two versions of it now: the original Eco, and a newer version called the Eco T. If you dislike Safari-style triangular shaped grips, go for the normal Eco and avoid the Eco T - the latter has a triangular shaped grip, the former does not.

Edited March 18, 2018 by KLscribbler

[catbert]

I'd forgotten the Kakuno, I've only tried one, the nib was really smooth, and the grip was comfortable; the one thing I didn't like was the feeling of the plastic as I unscrewed the barrel from the section, probably easily fixed with a tiny bit of silicone grease. The new clear version looks spiffy, and they take the larger capacity con-70. You might need to plug some holes to mitigate evaporation.

 

There's an inner cap that seals the nib despite the holes in the outer cap. You would have to plug the holes in the barrel if you wanted to eyedropper the pen, though.

 

Incidentally, the Pelikano Junior, also aimed at children who might swallow things and choke, has holes in the barrel but not in the cap.