Battle Of The Full-Sizers...

[mongrelnomad]

Well, it appears I have finally got around to my third and final comparative review after the Battle of the Minis and Battle of the Giants. Blame it on the end of the first holiday with the new baby and the need to empty my head and steady my shaking hands after a week of non-stop alertness. It's taken a while, and for that I must hang my head - this one's been daunting due to the scale of it all. I wasn't sure how to begin let alone finish.

 

These pens cut to the very core of my preferences. They are the old oversize, the future small, and present full-size. I know them, you know them, everybody knows them, for they pretty much personify fountain pen-dom down the ages. The 146 size. The Paragon size. The M800 size. They are the definitive fountain pens, and if you haven't the hands of the BFG or Matilda, these will be the pens for you.

 

And there are many of them. I don't pretend to own them all. The modern Parker Duofold is notable by its absence, and you'll find no modern Schaeffers, Watermans or Crosses in my stable. But of the many I do own, I often own more than one. Three Sailor 1911s - an F-nibbed Realo, a Cross Concord Emperor nibbed Creatures of the Deep LE and a Saibi Togi XXXF Pro Gear. Two old style Omas Paragons. Three Omas 360s - a Lucens LE, a Black Ebony and a red Vintage LE. Two Lamy 2000s. Two MB 146s - one 1970s resin, one modern solitaire silver. Two Pelikan M800s with who knows how many nibs. A load of full-size LEs. The list just goes on and on and on.

 

Which begged the question: what should I include? Vintage NOS pens like the P51? Or how about esoteric special editions like the Visconti Copernicus? Where I own multiples, should I include the most expensive or the cheapest? The rarest or the most common? Every question led to another until I finally settled on some sort of system and by exclusion, inclusion.

 

My methodology was: all pens must be available today and represent, wherever possible, the most utilitarian of their respective ranges. Perhaps some of those other rejected models will inform the test somehow, but that's my story and I'm sticking with it…

 

And so, without further ado, allow me to introduce the pens:

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010629.jpg

 

They are, left to right:

 

Pelikan M800 - Green - Shimon Dana F-Italic

Pelikan M600 - Green - 1950s 400nn EF

MB 146 - 1970s black - Oxonian M stub

Sailor Realo - Black - F

Pilot Custom 823 - Smoke - F

Lamy 2000 - Black - Oxonian EF Italic

Omas Paragon 80th LE - Burkina/Ruthenium - EF Extra Flessible

Omas NEW Milord - Brown Arco Celluloid - Mottishaw 14k XXF Full-flex

Aurora 88 - Black Demo - F

Omas 360 - Red Vintage LE - Mottishaw F stub

Conway Stewart Wellington - No idea what resin - EF

Nakaya Decapod - Heki Tamenuri - Soft Mottishaw CI-M

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010630.jpg

 

 

A quick note on the Paragon - many will probably be kicking and screaming at its inclusion. After all, it's a discontinued model, right? Well, yes and no. Officially, it's gone from the Omas rosta, but in these post-LVMH days, Omas seems intent to plunder its history daily, pumping out LE after LE after LE, many of which are old style Paragons. The result is that you can pick up a brand new, 'limited edition' Paragon in almost any finish from one of the usual suspects, if not for the same as a current Milord, then for very little more.

 

First Impressions:

 

Well, what a group: nine manufacturers in four countries on two continents. And the first thing that strikes you is how easy it is to determine who comes from where. Yes, the cliches abound, but the truth is that in even the most overused stereotype there is a seed of truth.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010635.jpg

 

The Germans are austere, severe, teutonic. They take themselves seriously and wear their hearts beneath a perfectly polished scowl. If one studies the MB and the Pelikans, the only sign of frivolity one can find is the Pelikan beak hidden in the green pair's clips. That is not to say that the detailing is not exquisite, for it is. From the Montblanc's engraved triple rings on the cap and inlaid snowflake to the Pelikans' striation, they are beautifully considered. And the Lamy? Well, it's a bit plain-Jane in this company. But remember that it is by far the cheapest pen of our assembly, and the clean iconic lines mean that although it does not stand out, it doesn't disappear.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010632.jpg

 

At the other end of scale (surprise surprise), it's the Italians. Sensuous and full of glorious details, they're a riot embellishments and zany details. No black resin here: they vary from the Omas celluloids with their lush, deep warmth and sparkly glow to the matt black of every piece of furniture on the Aurora, even the 18k nib. The Burkina especially deserves special mention - yes, even over and above the Arco - for the pattern seems to slip in and out of the material. Sometimes opaque, sometimes translucent, It is truly mesmerising and, in my opinion, a triumph.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010636.jpg

 

Somewhere in the middle, straddling both sides, are the Japanese. While on first acquaintance the Pilot and Sailor seem to mimic the Germans - the MB especially - the Nakaya furrows a more Italian path but without the histrionics. It is a deeply delightful pen, and gob-smacking beautiful, but it holds its charms far closer to its chest in a manner which will become clear as the test progresses.

 

And the lone Englishman? Well, I still think that CS produces the most beautiful acrylics, and this Wellington demonstrates that beautifully. I still don't know what the colour is (the code - 635/023, doesn't seem to exist on the forum's database), but the depth of the overlapping flakes is unparalleled and glimmers and glows in the light. It is also the only pen with a solid gold hallmarked cap-ring, and the shape - initially a staid, old-skool flat-top - develops more curves and unsual forms the more you look at it, with the slight bulge of the cap and the cone at the end of the barrel. Perhaps of all the pens, it best personifies the seriousness business of frivolity.

 

Build Quality:

 

It's probably no surprise that the lowly Lamy will come off worst here. By far the cheapest pen here, it shows. Not that there is anything wrong with the Maklaron finish, but it lacks a little something - heft, smoothness of piston, perhaps the lack of elegance in the abrupt shift to the steel section.

 

The rest are more difficult to quantify for each have their strengths and weaknesses, depending on your priorities. Is fit-and-finish your fetish? If that's the case, the clear winners are the Japanese trio. The Sailor and Pilot have absolutely no play to their parts and have been left inked for weeks and sometimes months and have both written immediately upon uncapping without a murmur of complaint. But, if perceived quality is what you're after, they'll fall far down the list as the plastics they use, though no doubt unimpeachable, are slightly shinier and smoother than the Germans. They feel cheap though they are doubtless not. And the Nakaya? Well, how anything completely hand made (from the ebonite body to the layers of urushi lacquer) can be so perfectly executed is beyond me, because in every way, this pen is absolutely without flaw.

 

The Pelikans and the MB feel more like quality instruments in the hand (blame the added weight versus the Pilot and Sailor and the slightly more textured, matt plastics for that), though they fall far behind in actually fit. The Pelikans have visible seam-lines all over the shop and there's a very pronounced step to the binde. The MB's cap has a slight wobble to it even when fully closed.

 

The Italians, for the most part, are what you'd expect. Beautiful materials, (relatively) shoddily put together. Or the Omas at least. The more attention you pay, the more you notice evidence of half-assedness in the way they're produced. The cap-rings already seem a little flimsy and loose, the ruthenium nib on the Burkina is already starting to flake after only two fills and the piston's lever doesn't seem to perfectly line up on any of them. The inside of the Burkina's cap isn't polished and the 360… no I take it back, the 360 seems just fine. Fine, but not FINE like the Aurora, for this demonstrator puts the Germans to shame and even rivals the Japanese so well is it made. The piston functions beautifully, the cap fits tightly. The nib lines up perfectly with the clip when closed and all the coating, whatever it is, is flawless. Well done Aurora!

 

And the Wellington? Well… I've had quite a few issues with CS's fit and finish. I have six of their pens and only two have been flawless from the factory. This is one of those. It feels heavy, thus scoring highly in the perceived quality stakes, and that resin with its ultra-glossy gleam screams that it's a quality item. I love it, and it comes only slightly below the Aurora (and way below the Nakaya) in this test.

 

Comfort:

 

Now, finally, we can leave the national stereotypes at the door! Or can we? I'll do them in reverse order - least comfortable to most comfortable:

 

1. Pelikan M800. Why do I have two of these if I hate them so? Fat, ungainly and back-heavy, the situation only gets worse when posted. The balance is all wrong and though it's not THAT heavy, I can never seem to use it for more than a page or two before tossing it away in disgust.

 

2. Sailor 1911 Realo. No idea why this pen's so bad. Objectively, it's not much different to the MB, but perhaps it's the narrower more tapered section, the slightly shorter barrel or the lower weight, but I just don't find this pen comfortable for long. My fingers feel pinched and quickly suffer from cramp.

 

3. Omas Paragon. Too short with a too-narrow section and threads that rub against my fingers. A pen only good for short writing bursts.

 

4. Lamy 2000. Nothing wrong with the old lady, but the nubbins for the cap on the section interfere with my fingers and its taper causes a strange grip and after a while, cramp.

 

4. Pelikan M600. My preferred bird here due to its more even weight distribution and balanced proportions, but too narrow and short a section to play with the big boys.

 

5. Omas Milord. Lovely size, weight, section - everything really except a cap that doesn't happily post and throws the weight off. (Probably not an issue if you don't like to post your pens).

 

6 = A cop out, I know, but I really can't decide between the 360, the Aurora, the CS, the MB and the Nakaya. They are all very different pens - some light (Nakaya), some heavy (CS); some long (Omas), some short (MB). But all seem to fit my hand magnificently. I don't usually like heavy pens, but the CS's weight is so evenly distributed that the nib appears to float weightlessly across the paper. The Nakaya is a feather and disappears in use, while the MB and Aurora fit snuggly and cause little fatigue with their long, ridged sections. Then there is the 360, a truly unique proposition and, though odd to look at is exceptionally comfortable, the three sides falling between the thumb and fingers completely naturally. It doesn't post well, but somehow it's never bothered me on this specific pen. There's a reason I own three of them I guess.

 

Nib:

 

As if it wasn't difficult till now! Some of these are among my favourite writers, some are not. Some have from-the-factory nibs, some have been lovingly massaged by nibmeisters on three continents. And some… well, we'll get there in a minute.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010648.jpg

 

 

So, it's a dirty fight, and because of this in some cases I shall draw from experiences with other pens in the same lines to draw conclusions. This can massively alter results, for instance in the case of the Nakaya. Whilst the Mottishaw cursive italic flexible medium is a wonder - smooth and sharp, full of feedback with a great bouncy ride - the other Nakaya flexible nib I have - an F direct from Japan - sends me into a coma every time I use it.

 

Similarly, though the Pelikan nibs I have are exceptional both - Shimon Dana's strange up-turned italic F especially - every single modern Pelikan nib from the factory has been yawn-inducingly dull. And I've had almost everything from an EF to a BB. BUT, and this is a big but, it is wonderful to be able to chop and change at will, as well as being able to choose from fifty years' worth of nibs which simply screw into a completely new pen. If I were buying a Pelikan, I'd factor in a few hundred dollars extra to get a vintage nib (and pay extra for one of the Originals of their Time series, but that's another story entirely).

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010638.jpg

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010647.jpg

 

If there's any consistency to be found, it's surprisingly in the shape of Conway Stewart. I have four CS EF nibs, and they are all fantastic: smooth with a touch of feedback and solid, clean lines.

 

The Sailor and Pilot, though 21k and 14k respectively, could have come off the same production line. RAZOR fine and with very very narrow sweet spots, they are difficult to work with but rewarding if treated right. The Sailor is marginally the better of the two, but it's very very close.

 

The Aurora's surprisingly similar to the two Japanese. Hard as a nail, it leaves a very very very fine line for a European F. There's touch of feedback but it is smooth sailing and a very impressive result. It's slightly surreal too to see a jet black line spout from a jet black nib!

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010642.jpg

 

And the Omas… oh, the Omas. I have lots of Omas. And there's absolutely no consistency to them whatsoever. They're all wonderful and all very different, from the old dry Fs to the modern wet Fs, from the modern needle-fine EFs to the gushing vintage EFs. And the vintage EFs that are dry as a bone. The Paragon's EF Extra Flessible, however, is a disaster. It's a fire hydrant and simply can't keep itself under control. Some will say this is the 'flessible' nib's nature, but I will point you to Mr. Mottishaw's work on the Milord's nib. THIS is a flexible nib - made from a 14k Portico - and with it's instant snap-back and controlled flow, it's eminently usable, something the standard pen isn't. It's so bad that I've asked Bryant Greer to source me a ruthenium non-flex EF from the factory (something John Mottishaw couldn't do). I can't wait for it to be fitted as I may actually start to use this pen as intended. As the 360's nib too is wonderful - smooth and wet and sharp yet forgiving - I think the moral is to buy from a nibmeister and tell him what you want. But… then again, the 360 and the Paragon were both bought from John... so...

 

Maybe I should leave that advice for the Lamy. For now it writes wonderfully after Oxonian's work. You shoulda seen it before - it sprayed ink like a BB despite being a smooth and soft touch. Now it's a completely altered beast: cuts super-fine and super hard and takes no prisoners… mwahahaha!

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010646.jpg

 

Which leaves the Montblanc the winner by quite a margin, with the Nakaya a runner-up. Now, this isn't exactly fair. The 146's nib is a 14k nib from the 1970s and though I have another 146 with an 18k EF and numerous LEs with the 146-size nib in varying widths, none of the more modern nibs come anywhere close to this. It is soft, forgiving, wet with great feedback and no tooth. I would (and will) say that Oxonian worked wonders when stubbing, but the nib was amazing to start with. Damn the scourge of 18k!

 

Filling system:

 

At the count we've got piston fillers, one plunger vacuum filler and two cartridge converter pens.

 

Piston fillers: Sailor 1911 Realo, Lamy 2000, Pelikan M800 and M600, Montblanc 146, Omas NEW Milord and OLD Paragon, Omas 360, Aurora 88

Vacuum filler: Pilot Custom 823

Cartridge/Converter: Nakaya Decapod, Conway Stewart Wellington

 

Firstly, the losers - you guessed it, it's the Nakaya and the CS. Boring, boring, boring c/c and I don't think I need to say any more. Except I will, because the Nakaya's had a few moments when the ink stops flowing to the feed and I think it may be something to do with the converter, or so I've heard. It also uses a proprietary Platinum cartridge which comes in a very very dull collection of colourzzzzzzzzzzzz. You can use international cartridges with the optional adapters, but to attach them and watch this stumpy little cartridge balanced on a delicate spindly insecure piece of plastic ensures that you'll return to the converter soon enough. So much for dull but worthy! CS? Works perfectly, takes international cartridges. 'Nuff said.

 

All the piston fillers are smooth filling, easy to clean and wonderfully engineered; except the Paragon which is sticky and brittle and every time I fill it or wash it I'm terrified it'll be for the last time. Actually, all the Omas are noticeably less confidence-inspiring than the others, with only the Lamy straddling the heroes and the potential zeroes of the test. The Omas are also the only pens without an ink window to view levels - all except the 360 which, being a demonstrator, is one big ol' ink window all of its own. It's funny then to see quite how tiny the ink reservoir is in relation to the size of the pen. This will bust the myth of piston-fillers holding more than c/cs once and for all!

 

There's little to differentiate the Pelikans, MB, Sailor and Aurora - all fill smoothly and with a movement which is like butter pulled through silk. Yummy. And all have ink windows of varying efficacy - it's obvious that the Pelikans with their visualated barrels and the demo Aurora would be far more practical, but even the Sailor and MB's narrow bands have never caught me inkless and unawares. The Aurora's piston is ingenious though and warrants a special metnion: designed to push every last drop of ink out into the feed when opened, it could prove to be the make-or-break for those out of ink (or those with ocd about leaving ink in the barrel).

 

So why then do I find the Pilot so much more appealing? I love vacuum fillers. I now have four if you include the Fountainbel bulk filler due to arrive in the coming days, and they are the most ingenious, simple and efficient filling system I've ever encountered. For anyone who's never seen a Custom 823 I'd advise to you grab one and inspect it up close. That whole barrel is a reservoir. It is huge. And the ritual of filling is addictive, so lovely is the feeling of pulling and pushing and watching the level of your ink bottle drop so dramatically. Yes, there is the extra stage of loosening the blind cap to break the seal and let the ink flow before you can write, but this is part of that delicious ritual. That, and there is no need to worry about an explosion aboard an aeroplane, or in bouncing maltreated bags. (Looking at you nearly ALL my pens!) Home run Pilot!

 

Intangibles:

 

One of the consequences of such a large review is that each pen necessarily gets short shrift. A line here, maybe a paragraph there (for the very good and the very bad), and that's yer lot. When bundled into pre-ordained sections, so much can get lost. So here, now, I'll draw your attention to a few little details which make each pen special - especially good, or especially bad.

 

- Aurora 88 Demo: I cannot overstate how beautifully made this pen is. If I didn't know it was Italian, I'd have sworn it was German. Everything is perfect and slick and fits together without any gaps. The resulting detailing is exquisite, and the two-tone black on white (or clear) looks exactly like a negative sheet on a lightbox though a loupe (an analogy borrowed from another FPNer). There is no colour anywhere, only the LE number in stark red (complete with stylised "No.") on the top of the cap by the clip. I gather that the powder-coating is industrial in strength and it feels it, an innate roughness which inspires confidence that it will not start to flake and fall. Lovely.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010640.jpg

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010641.jpg

 

- Nakaya Decapod: I've had this pen for about two years now, and the finish only improves. It looks uneven but is perfectly smooth to the touch with brown and green layers which sink and dive into each other at every contour. It has lightened, but it has also become much more beautiful since day one. And, surprisingly considering its visual delicacy, the finish is tough as nails. It hasn't been mollycoddled and yet it remains perfect and blemish free. There is however one thing which irritates me: the mutliple threads mean that the facets do not always line up when the cap is returned.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010643.jpg

 

- Omas 360 Red Vintage LE: The cap is clip-on and seals very firmly. However, when I carry it in a pen case and attempt to pull it off from the top, I'll be left holding just the cap. The cap itself has a series of little ridges and "360" and the LE number pressed into the resin. As it doesn't post happily, I find myself rubbing these with my free fingertips. Very satisfying!

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010653.jpg

 

- Omas Paragon and Milord: I think the Milord is the better pen, but it just seems fat and flabby in comparison with its older cousin. Larger in every dimension, the proportions are just a little bit off and the new clip and bands lack the ornate elegance of the original's. The 'O' on the cap seems less than a logo (they really could have done better), and the facetted gold ring around the section seems completely unnecessary. I'm also in two minds about the Arco celluloid. Top-down, it is drool-worthy in extremis, the layers shimmering in the light in their browns, silver and gold. But from the side (where the dull layers are stacked forming thick lines), it's all a little… meh. Also, the pen suffers from Nakaya-itis with the threads (the Paragon does too, but this is not an issue with the crazy Burkina pattern) - 50% of the time, the facets will not line up.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010649.jpg

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010650.jpg

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010651.jpg

 

- Lamy 2000: What is it with exploding 2000s? I have owned this pen for coming up to 20 years, and on every other fill it'll explode all over my hand/pen case/bag (delete as appropriate). Yes, I remove a few drops after every fill, and yet it just does it over and over and over again. Bleaghhhhhh. And it's not just this pen: my other 2000 - M nibbed, two years old - does exactly the same thing! Bad Lamy! Bad!

 

- Pilot Custom 823: This is a pen which needs to be fondled, inspected up close. This is a demonstrator done right. From afar, it's just a black pen. Yawn. Hold it up to the light and everything is suddenly visible, from your ink level to that gorgeous mechanism to the intricacy of the cap. A beautiful pen. The nib is huge, somewhere midway between a 146 and a 149 and though the F is not my favourite, I'll have to decide what size I want for my Hakase - that company uses exactly the same nib. I don't think it'll be an F.

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010645.jpg

 

- Montblanc 146: This pen's had a strange gestation. I found it in my dad's drawer, long-forgotten, and it seemed like a Frenkenpen. He couldn't remember buying it, but the nib and feed didn't match the body. At some point it had been sent to MB and the whole body replaced. My dad said he'd never used it since the 'repair', and the piston was broken as well so I decided to have the pen repaired with original parts. Shimon Dana here in Israel did the repair and since then it's spent most of the time being written with or in my daughter's mouth - she's teething and this is her favourite toy to soothe the pains. The tiny tooth marks only make me love it so much more.

 

- Sailor 1911 Realo: So much more than the 146 homage it initially appears to be. Everything is similar, but slightly askew. The ink window also lets you see the level without uncapping the pen - a convenient detail. Also available in burgundy like the old MB 146R, but not at extortionate prices on eBay!

 

- Conway Stewart Wellington: Like I said, I have no idea what colour this pen is. I love it though and would probably order a Churchill in it if I could find out the name. This is a very heavy pen - by far the heaviest in the assembled group, but it's fake weight: there's a brass sleeve in the barrel which adds heft, something I believe ONOTO do on their pens too on request. Like all CSs, the nib units can be unscrewed and replaced, and like most CSs, it uses the same sized nib. So if you have a collection, you can switch and change pretty much at will (I think only the Coronet presently uses the smaller nib).

 

Price:

 

I find that the best way to analyse a pen's worth, rather than its price, is in units of other pens. Step up Lamy 2000, for you will be our unit today. So, in units of Lamy 2000:

 

Omas OLD Paragon: 4.5 Lamy 2000s

NEW Milord: 4.5 Lamy 2000s

Aurora 88 Demo LE: 4.5 Lamy 2000s

Nakaya Decapod: 4.5 Lamy 2000s

Omas 360 Vintage LE: 4 Lamy 2000s

MB 146 (eBay, new): 3 Lamy 2000s

Pilot Custom 823: 3 Lamy 2000s

CS Wellington: 3 Lamy 2000s

Pelikan M800: 3 Lamy 2000s

CS Wellington: 3 Lamy 2000s

Pelikan M600: 2 Lamy 2000s

Sailor 1911 Realo: 2 Lamy 2000s

Lamy 2000: 1 Lamy 2000

 

Any pen here I don't think is worth it? We'll get to that.

 

 

Verdict:

 

I thought long and hard about how to finish this test. Though I may not love all the pens, I like them all, and that makes narrowing down to something vaguely resembling a winner even more difficult. So, I came up with a way of decoding my frazzle brain's signals.

 

At the present prices, I think I would buy them all again. None is so bad when taken in relation to the cost that it doesn't deserve a place in my pen case. However, what happens when we conduct a thought experiment and ratchet up the price? Would they still remain firmly ensconced in velour and leather?

 

At 125% of the market price, suddenly the group thins. Worthy they are, but both the Pelikans would be jettisoned. They are just too dull, too much like white goods. I don't love my washing machine and I don't love these pens, even with the wonderful nibs now attached to them. Also, I don't think the Lamy 2000 would be repurchased at the inflated price. It's a very very good pen and a design icon, but I think the Safari better sums up Lamy's soul than the 2000. Sorry.

 

So, time for another leap. At 150%, would any disappear?

 

Yes: the Sailor. It's a great pen, but something about it makes me like it, not love it. Maybe it's the too-shiny plastics or the 21k nib which seems to be beaten out by so many others in this group, and if we're honest, even its 14k siblings. The Milord too would take a walk down the plank. Nib aside, it's the least loveable of the Omas - like looking at your reflection after gaining a few kilos, it's lost that elegance of proportion and detailing which used to define the brand. A better pen than the Paragon, yes. A more loveable one? No.

 

The Nakaya too must go.It is already expensive for c/c pen, but at 150% the converter issues and the proprietary cartridges dictate it falls by the wayside despite its incredible beauty and wonderful nib. The CS too must be left here. This specific pen holds much sentimental value, having been bought for me by my 90 year old grandmother, but objectively, an acrylic c/c pen at 150% of the already high asking price wouldn't really get a look in. So, in the words of Lord Sugar: "with regret, you're fired".

 

Which leaves the Omas Paragon, the 360, the MB 146, the Pilot and the Aurora.

 

Time for another price hike. Any takers at 175%?

 

There are three casualties here. First to go is the 823. It's a truly brilliant pen, but suddenly so expensive, I can't help but notice its lack of pizzazz and that nib isn't nearly as friendly as it should be. The Aurora suddenly feels too monochrome, too serious. It's Italian without being Italian, while the Paragon, which has come this far on personality alone despite so many obvious flaws is now looking for a new home. Which leaves only two.

 

 

And so…

 

200%…

 

Will either survive the final hurdle?

 

Let's look a little closer at the two final contender, for they could not be more different. The 146 is imbued with a huge amount of sentimental value, but I'm not letting that cloud my judgement. It has the best nib here, the best weight and the best balance. It is a no-nonsense workhorse of the highest order. The 360, on the other hand is fun and lively and different, but different with purpose. It is supremely comfortable, the nib is wonderful and it has the personality of the Paragon without the flaws.

 

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010658.jpg

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010656.jpg

 

It is a tough call, but at this level there can only be one winner, that that winner is….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

… the 146.

 

I didn't think it would end like this, I really didn't. So many pens, and yet the quiet one won. Now I look back, perhaps it was inevitable from the start. This pen has always been in my rotation and flicking through my notebook, it has seen a lot of use. Sure I'd rebuy it at 200% of the price. Heck, I'd buy it at 400%!

 

Would it have won were it a modern 18k pen rather than 14k? I don't think so. The modern nibs are good - very very good -but I don't think they're great. It's strange that despite my love for this pen, I have had no inkling to add a new resin 146 to the stable. That said, there's now an eBay alert for 14k EF-nibbed 146s added to my account.

 

So… Phew! There you have it! If you trust my opinion and want to get yourself the ultimate not-too-big not-too-small pen, find yourself a 14k nibbed MB 146! You won't be sorry!

 

 

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w432/penlovermn/R0010659.jpg

Edited July 17, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[hari317]

I enjoyed the analysis. Thanks!. Well done. I don't have most of the pens featured in your review so it was educational as well.

 

Some minor observations about your 146. The clip and cap are probably modern. Maybe the cap wobble is a result of mismatched parts? Your pen has the right nib and square feeder case. the 70s 146 nibs were marked 14C more often than not.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/201251-146-monotone-nibs-some-pictures/

 

Also an all original 14C nibbed 146 from the 70s is listed in the classifieds by yours truly if you are looking for one

 

Best

Hari

[mongrelnomad]

I enjoyed the analysis. Thanks!. Well done. I don't have most of the pens featured in your review so it was educational as well.

 

Some minor observations about your 146. The clip and cap are probably modern. Maybe the cap wobble is a result of mismatched parts? Your pen has the right nib and square feeder case. the 70s 146 nibs were marked 14C more often than not.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/201251-146-monotone-nibs-some-pictures/

 

Also an all original 14C nibbed 146 from the 70s is listed in the classifieds by yours truly if you are looking for one

 

Best

Hari

 

Thanks for the info Hari. Like I said, the pen has a murky history. My Dad can't remember buying it, but seems to recall it being in the 1970s. For all I (and he) know, it could be the early 1980s as well. Doesn't detract from what a wonderful pen it is.

 

As to your listing, I'm holding out for a NOS EF (though I may be tempted by a '50s celluloid EF too)

Edited July 16, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[stevlight]

Amazing assessment --thank you.

[mongrelnomad]

Amazing assessment --thank you.

 

Thanks! It was quite a handful, but I hope I got there in the end... :blink:

[goldiesdad]

Great review on some outstanding pens Thanks for such a thoughtful review ...

[Jonst]

Thanks for the very enjoyable review. Well done!

 

Enjoy your pens

 

Jon

[mongrelnomad]

Great review on some outstanding pens Thanks for such a thoughtful review ...

 

 

Thanks for the very enjoyable review. Well done!

 

Enjoy your pens

 

Jon

 

Thanks both of you. Glad you enjoyed it!

 

I'm going to edit the review to add links to my other two reviews as well - small, medium and large!

[jandrese]

Bravo! I have most of these pens, or their brethren. Wish I could get the 360 but my stupid lefty grip makes that impossible. The weird thing is I am pretty sure that I would have come to the same conclusion more or less. I might substitute a writers edition for the 146, or not. I'd want my Nakaya to win...etc. Our observations and preferences are so similar that I can't help but think we are related. Ever been to Iowa?

[mongrelnomad]

Bravo! I have most of these pens, or their brethren. Wish I could get the 360 but my stupid lefty grip makes that impossible. The weird thing is I am pretty sure that I would have come to the same conclusion more or less. I might substitute a writers edition for the 146, or not. I'd want my Nakaya to win...etc. Our observations and preferences are so similar that I can't help but think we are related. Ever been to Iowa?

 

You never know... I always had a suspicion growing up that I was adopted :roflmho:

[watch_art]

That's got to be one of the best reviews I've ever seen. Thanks!

[ArchiMark]

Great review....

 

 

but am I the only one that feels a bit exhausted after going through the entire review....feels like I just ran a marathon or something like that....

 

Lots of good info to digest....

 

[mongrelnomad]

That's got to be one of the best reviews I've ever seen. Thanks!

 

 

:embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile: :embarrassed_smile:

 

Great review....

 

 

but am I the only one that feels a bit exhausted after going through the entire review....feels like I just ran a marathon or something like that....

 

Lots of good info to digest....

 

 

Sorry about that...

 

I wrote it last night after a mammoth 14 hours on the road while I waited for my daughter to fall asleep. This morning I added the photos and re-read it to correct the most pressing errors - couldn't believe how long it was! Guess my short-circuited brain was firing on cylinders I didn't know I possessed...

Edited July 16, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[Mags]

I enjoyed that review. I am getting use to writing with my OMAS 360 LE today and it is well an adjustment.... I find the triangular design so unique.

 

 

The Sailor and Pelikan's would have faired better in my estimation and I would edge out my MB 149 for the Pelikan as the nibs are changeable at home and I can be sure it is apart and clean. The Pelikan has form and function with a bold simplicity. I also like the pinstripes. Alas, I wear my pinstripe suites more than my solid blue and black ones too.

[jorgerp1]

Wonderful review and fantastic pics.

 

I like the inks and the handwriting too

[ArchiMark]

Great review....

 

 

but am I the only one that feels a bit exhausted after going through the entire review....feels like I just ran a marathon or something like that....

 

Lots of good info to digest....

 

 

Sorry about that...

 

I wrote it last night after a mammoth 14 hours on the road while I waited for my daughter to fall asleep. This morning I added the photos and re-read it to correct the most pressing errors - couldn't believe how long it was! Guess my short-circuited brain was firing on cylinders I didn't know I possessed...

 

No apology needed...hope you understood that I was joking.....

 

[mongrelnomad]

Wonderful review and fantastic pics.

 

I like the inks and the handwriting too

 

Thanks! (Although that's the first time anyone, myself included, has described my handwriting in positive terms... 'indecipherable' is the adjective most commonly ascribed, closely followed by "yeeeeewwwwwwwwww!".)

 

 

Great review....

 

 

but am I the only one that feels a bit exhausted after going through the entire review....feels like I just ran a marathon or something like that....

 

Lots of good info to digest....

 

 

Sorry about that...

 

I wrote it last night after a mammoth 14 hours on the road while I waited for my daughter to fall asleep. This morning I added the photos and re-read it to correct the most pressing errors - couldn't believe how long it was! Guess my short-circuited brain was firing on cylinders I didn't know I possessed...

 

No apology needed...hope you understood that I was joking.....

 

 

Absolutely!

Edited July 16, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[floydee1]

A great review of some heavy weights. The review seemed like a Grand National race of some sort - a credit to you in making it compulsive reading all the way.

 

I was backing the Aurora 88 (well I love that pen), I just didnt see that 146 come up from behind

 

As we got to the last two, I thought the 360 (you had a great specimen for review here) would win no doubt. But...

 

Seeing how you arrived at the conclusive winner makes sense. Congrats on the 146.

 

Some how I felt the Lamy was unfairly pitched for this race - carrying a wrong weight

If it was boxing I'd pitch (price) it as middleweight.

 

Very enjoyable review.

 

F

Edited July 16, 2012 by floydee1

[georges zaslavsky]

I have one MB 146 18c750 extra fine semi flex nibbed from 1986 and a MB 146 18c750 olblique flex nibbed from 1986 as well and both are outstanding pens

Edited July 16, 2012 by georges zaslavsky

[PenandDesign]

I could almost feel my heartbeat aloud as I read through the last paragraph! Fantastic review and conclusion!! Out of all three categories, which one winner would you choose?? The game continues!! :roflmho: