Which Fp To Gift To A Beginner?

[AMlines]

Thanks all for the further suggestions. "A Smug Dill" has already said what I was going to say, so I won't repeat myself. That said, these brands are all new to me, and in the future I'll keep an eye out for these as gifts or even for myself!

[Honeybadgers]

 

 

Eh, I think you're actually talking about the Sailor Profit Junior there. The Sailor Young Profit is a very different product line, and I'm getting that information from the horse's mouth, so to speak, and not relying on what some retailer in an English-speaking country may have decided to call a product (erroneously or otherwise).

 

 

You're right, thanks for the correction.

 

It was called the "sailor young profit junior skeleton demonstrator" on amazon when I bought it, so maybe just some translation error.

[artart]

How about the Diplomat Magnum? Does it perform as well as the Plaisir and Metropolitan? And isn't it a European company? So, if I want the Plaisir M equivalent I should get the Diplomat B?

 

the Diplomat Magnum has a triangular grip, like the Lamy Safari

[AMlines]

 

the Diplomat Magnum has a triangular grip, like the Lamy Safari

 

Oh, then it's definitely out as a beginner's first pen. Thanks for the tip!

[BaronWulfraed]

 

Oh, then it's definitely out as a beginner's first pen. Thanks for the tip!

 

This boggles my mind... The shaped section should train the user into a proper hold of the pen, and would seem better for a beginner than to let them develop a totally horrendous grip using a cylindrical section which could cause problems down the road if they desire to move to some of the specialized nibs (stubs/italics).

[AMlines]

 

This boggles my mind... The shaped section should train the user into a proper hold of the pen, and would seem better for a beginner than to let them develop a totally horrendous grip using a cylindrical section which could cause problems down the road if they desire to move to some of the specialized nibs (stubs/italics).

 

You have a point. Except, I wouldn't want to be "forced" to adopt a particular grip. The person I am gifting this pen to has written with FPs in school and I will tell them to be be careful with their grip.

[sidthecat]

Welcome to the world of enabling.

[Waltz For Zizi]

I'm a Lamy fan so I'm gonna recomend some Lamy.

Check out the lamy Cp1, or the slightly less expensive and newly reintroduced Lamy pur. Slim pens, round section.

Or maybe a Kaweco Student.

Or Parker Urban, but the older model, that is just out of production.

Or Faber Castell Loom/Basic.

[Mercury66]

Lamy Safari for me

[welch]

Parker 45. Plenty of them available on EBay, usually sold $15 - $30. Nib units unscrew, so an extra nib unit -- "like buying two different pens" -- for about $15. Rounded grip, c/c pen.

[ENewton]

I agree with the Parker 45, although I would try to buy one from a reputable restorer, rather than from EBay.

[Mech-for-i]

I totally agree with the Parker 45 , but first thing first you might want to check if the person might prefer something more robust ( metal ) or instead want something light to the hand ( acrylic , plastic ) this would sure sway the choice ; I am not sure about the price in your locale but PenBBS 308 / 323 would be a nice pen as a starter , but check the specifics

[gulfcoastgal]

Lamy Safari...!!!

For a while the prices were low but have at times doubled but I have given the Lamy Safari to

many many people knowing it is sorta industrial strength and likely to survive

I have given it to my hubs in many colors ,for bosses day ,for emotional support for colleagues and friends and as a token of friendship to friends who have moved away from DEEP in the HEART and a knitting friend

It is also the perfect birthday present

One was so excited she was going to use it to address wedding invitations w her purple ink

I gave cartridges fo three at work and now they are hooked and buy their own ink .. but since one guy only found black I brought him orange turquoise and green in a group of five pulled from my boxes

He was so excited to see the colors (!)

He and another guy at my work have gleefully said I LOVE this PEN about their present

I was happy to share the addiction

I did send one gal who loved orange a converter and a bottle of Lamy orange

along w her orange pen and box of cartridges

Now the prices is up I have not given any

[Honeybadgers]

 

Oh, then it's definitely out as a beginner's first pen. Thanks for the tip!

 

I disliked the magnum a lot. it was creaky and felt especially cheap.

 

Another idea is the delike alpha in aluminum. They're really well made, $15 or so, and a great everyday, durable pocket pen.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[Aysedasi]

I agree with the Parker 45, although I would try to buy one from a reputable restorer, rather than from EBay.

 

 

There are plenty of reputable dealers on Ebay. I've bought dozens of pens from eBay and have only had 1-2 'lemons' which were more down to my dislike of the pen rather than it's condition.

[Honeybadgers]

I'd always be careful around ebay until you know what warning signs to look for.

 

Right now there's a modern waterman for sale that the seller just genuinely didn't know had a totally trashed nib. he lists it as "nearly new, used once" when it had clearly been dropped and the nib was unsalvageable.

 

I also got burned on a parker vacumatic that the seller showed pictures of the pen with a good nib and feed, and then removed and swapped them for a nib with bilateral cracks at the breather and a badly chipped feed. Thankfully I was able to find a feed and Greg minuskin was able to save the nib, but it was about a $150 extra cost that I got screwed on.