Please Advise: Every Day Writer For 70.00 Or Less?

[MTHALL720]

I have been interested in fountain pens for a long time now but for awhile I gave up since so many of my pens in my price range have done nothing but frustrate me, with a few notable exceptions (TWSBI classic, Lamy Safari, and a TWSBI Eco being the

exceptions). I have owned about 25 pens so far and traded or sold most.

 

My wish list of features:

Medium or Broad nib

Full size

Converter or Eyedroper

Doesn't dry out quickly (no hard starts or skipping even if not use for a week or two)

Fairly wet writer

Works fine with Noodler's or Diamine ink

Can handle regular notebook paper like stuff printed in Brazil or Vietnam (past experience has been good)

Smooth writer that can glide with little or no feedback

Can post well

 

I am fine with used as well as new.

 

Pens I am thinking of include Penbbs 456, Conklin Duragraph, Faber Castell Loom, Pilot 74, Platinum procyon.

 

I realize a lot of people here are working with high end pens, but I am content to stick with my budget and troll the shallow end of the pen gene pool.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

[sidthecat]

I like the Pilot Prera...sturdy, reasonable nib, holds a good quantity of ink. The Demonstrators are pretty attractive, too.

[samasry]

 

Pens I am thinking of include Penbbs 456, Conklin Duragraph, Faber Castell Loom, Pilot 74, Platinum procyon.

 

I realize a lot of people here are working with high end pens, but I am content to stick with my budget and troll the shallow end of the pen gene pool.

 

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Is the Pilot 74 within the budget? If yes, then it is a very good pen.

 

Is the objective to re-create another 20 pen collection, or just couple of good/great daily writers?

 

The reason I am asking, is that for the price of 20 Lamy Safari you can get 2 or 3 Sailor 1911 L 21K pens that could be your daily work horse and probably you would not need anymore.

 

On a day to day basis, I only use one or two pens max, and the 1911L are a joy to use and you never look back.

[sandy101]

Lamy Aion is a very nice, full sized writer, with a broad grip. It posts.

 

The Loom is a good one - very nice steel nib. Doesn't dry out .

 

Cross Century 2 - despigned to post - slimmer grip than the previous 2 - but a nice, reliable writer.

 

If you want to go vintage - the Parker 51 is a possibility - if the sac is not for you, a Parker 45 will work.

 

The Pilot 74/Platinum #3776 might fit your budget too. I've never had a bad Japanese fountain pen.

[PaganArcher]

I greatly enjoy my Pilot Custom 74 and Platinum Procyon. Both are currently beside my Lamy 2000 for EDC.

[SoulSamurai]

Medium or Broad nib

...

Fairly wet writer

...

Can handle regular notebook paper like stuff printed in Brazil or Vietnam

The aspects of a pen that determine how well it handles lower quality paper is mainly how broad and wet a line it puts down. Basically the more ink it puts down the more likely you are to have problems. So if you want a pen that writes well on cheaper papers you might need something finer and drier.

 

Of course that's the pen; a huge factor is actually the ink. Some inks just work better on cheaper papers than others. Ultimately your writing experience depends on the pen, the paper, and the ink.

 

But that's a different discussion. For now just know that you might have mildly contradictory requirements here. If you want pen that puts down a broad wet line, you might just have to buy quality paper to use it on. Or maybe not, again the ink is a big factor. I just want you to have realistic expectations.

[YPwalt]

I also always prefer to post.

 

Agree with Aion and Loom...might also suggest Conklin All-American as well as Rosetta Magellan. For just slightly more, have always been pleased with my Kaweco DIA 2.

 

My personal experience with the Duragraph has been that (partly because the cap doesn't post very deeply) it always feels "too long" in my hand when posted - as much as I WANT ot like it, I never seem to be able to..... of course YMMV.

 

A couple of low end options that seem to ALWAYS write-no matter how long they've been sitting - are my Pelikano UP and a Schneider ID

[MTHALL720]

Thanks everyone. I mostly want to settle down to just a few good writers

[DrDebG]

You have had good experiences with Lamy, so I might suggest a Lamy Studio or the Lamy Aion. For some the downside is they have a metal section and for people with "moister" hands, the pen can slip. I am not one of those so both the Studio and the Aion have worked well for me. The nibs are what you would except them to be. And they are fairly trouble free. They are also metal bodies which will hold up well with every day use.

[MHBru]

+2 on Lamy Aion

[peroride]

I can't believe I'm saying this but I've been enjoying the Conklin All-American a recent acquisition to test their new revamp of the omni-flex nib. I like the balance, threaded converter, chatoyance (PenChalet limited Edition) spring clip and over-all performance.

 

Not flex for me, more naily but outputs line variation with my junky diluted Noodler's 54th Massachusetts + other blue inks mix

 

I got lucky with a good and wet flow feed but that may be the ink

 

YMMV some comparison videos:

 

https://youtu.be/zEu7m0Pin0w

 

https://youtu.be/GHynXjzVIiw

[A Smug Dill]

I can't tell you if the Nemosine Fission dries out in two weeks when capped and unused, but I know the (also metal-bodied, but smaller) Nemosine Singularity doesn't. You can get a c/c-filled Nemosine Fission right now for US$15 with your choice of nib, and I'm sure they can be tuned wet. For US$70 you can get four of those – with Medium, Broad, 0.6mm Stub and 0.8mm Stub respectively – get them shipped to you free, and still have US$10 left over. The caps are designed to post on the Nemosine Fission; the tail end of the barrel is threaded to keep the cap as securely posted as possible.

 

Or you an try a (Taiwanese brand) Fine Writing International 'The Planets' series pen. Spring-loaded inner cap to prevent ink drying out, your choice of Medium, Broad or Stub nib, c/c-filled but also equipped with an O-ring for using the pen eye-droppered.

[corgicoupe]

I would suggest a pen that rarely gets mentioned: the Retro 51 Tornado. Accepts cartridge or piston converter, carries a Schmidt nib that can be changed by ordering direct from Kenro, and is long enough to not require posting.

[TSherbs]

Perhaps you should tell us the 20 or so pens in this range that did not satisfy you. This sounds like most of them.

[welch]

Parker 45, which can be gotten for about $35 in the ordinary colors. Get a gold medium nib for about $25 or $30, or two steel nibs. Use the extra money for two bottles of Diamine ink.

[Maurizio]

Platinum 3776 medium

Pilot Custom 74 medium

 

Both of these are priced around $95.00 but as you’re aware, they’re both excellent pens.

 

In your price range:

 

Pilot Lucina - this is a great underrated pen, get a medium or a broad

Platinum Balance - get a medium

[JohnUphill]

Catch a Levenger True Writer on sale,Classic, not Select.

[SoulSamurai]

You have had good experiences with Lamy, so I might suggest a Lamy Studio or the Lamy Aion. For some the downside is they have a metal section and for people with "moister" hands, the pen can slip. I am not one of those so both the Studio and the Aion have worked well for me. The nibs are what you would except them to be. And they are fairly trouble free. They are also metal bodies which will hold up well with every day use.

I believe the Aion has a plastic section.

[sandy101]

No, it is aluminium. The grip has been treated/coated so that it feels like plastic, but beneath it is aluminium.

[CoolBreeze]

I have 5 Looms and the medium nib versions will meet your criteria. They are my wettest writers. The feed slit is wider than other pens that I have at the this price point making them wet. The medium nibs are all smooth. The fine nibs are not as smooth.