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These retractable Luoshi branded fountain pens proved irresistible to me. They have a Lamy Safari sort of profile, and are made of velvety-feeling something or other. Unlike the Pilot Capless, Moonman A1, and others, the layout is like most non-retractables; nib and clip being at opposite ends. Ain't they cute? View the sets here. Pros: Five pens for less than three bucks each. (Even cheeper now than when I bought them at about $16 for the set.) Set is nicely boxed. Comes in a few color variations. Each has its own converter, so you can use whatever ink you like. Each comes with a cap for when the pen's not in use. Comes with box of cartridges. And extra nibs. Have I mentioned, they're cute? Cons: Pale violet ink cartridges (a whole box, included) write a measly, thin line, but stain, and are almost impossible to clean. Due to the unique layout, pens themselves are a little hard to clean, and dry out fast, sometimes even with the cap. A lot depends on the ink. Conclusion: I've been using a couple of these for a month now. If you're curious, or fond of cute, check them out.

If you're into fountain pens, chances are you know who Kanwrite is. They're the largest nib manufacturer in India and their models like the desire and heritage have garnered critical acclaim all over the world. They also (allegedly) make some of Noodler's pens as well. But that's not all the models they make. They make some pretty good inexpensive pens as well... some of which are a good choice for students and beginners who would like to start their fountain pen journey. Today I'm going to look at Kanwrite's cheapest offering, the Apex. A simple eyedropper pen that can be found at about ₹60 - 100/- INR(less than $1-2 USD) in India. And for the TL;DR of it, it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. So, let's crack on... Design and Build This is the cheapest pen that Kanwrite offers, and you can tell... not necessarily on the build quality, but you can tell why they chose to go with an eyedropper for this, you're basically paying for the nib, feed and a plastic housing. But beauty lies in simplicity... right? For the minimal amount of materials used the pen looks and feels solid. Even though it's at the bottom of the barrel compared to other Kanwrites, ink it up and it has the same amount of character and appeal as other fountain pens. They have various tints for the plastic, but I went for the demonstrator look because, well... I'm a sucker for those. The pen is made of the same plastic that is called a "celluloid derivative" by Mr.Nathan Tardif himself, and yes... it has the smell, but not that much compared to other pens that I have that's made of the same material(lookin' at you... Kanwrite PC converter). and yes... it can handle drops like a ballpoint... I accidentally dropped it back side down about 3ft from the ground, and aside from a temporary ink fountain that covered my floor with purple ink, the pen wrote as soon as I picked it up and put It on paper(probably because the fall helped prime the feed even more). The cap is a simple screw in cap that takes around 2 turns to open/close. and the clip is sufficiently tight yet easy to clip into even thick fabrics. it also has Kanwrite stamped on it, alongside the heat embossed Kanwrite logo in the barrel. Overall for a ₹60/- pen, it looks distinctive, and that's good in my books. The only issue is that the pen has minor flashing marks on the inside of the section, probably due to not properly trimming the injection molded parts, but other than that, a solid pen that is well built. As for size, well... it's a small pen... From left to right: Kanwrite Relik Jinhao X450 Airmail/Wality 71JB(cartridge converter system) Kanwrite Desire Kanwrite Apex Nib, Feed and Writing Experience Kanwrite is a company Known for their nibs, so it shouldn't be a surprise that this one will also be a good nib, right? Well, we'll get to that in a bit. Let's first take a look at the nib, shall we? The nib is a Kanwrite No.00 stell nib in fine. The same nib that is used in the Relik and perhaps even the same size as in the Airmail 77 and Camlin 47. It's a tiny fella, and couple that with an ebonite feed that is sufficiently finned, and you can rest assure that reliability will be a strong suit of this pen... and it is. I have never run into any dry out issues even when left uncapped for the better part of an hour. So suffice to say, it's a reliable writer. Talking about how it feels while writing, well, the pen is a small guy. But even for me, a guy with a hand the shape of a kayak(slim and long...) writing it unposted was fine, but I'd still recommend posting it as then it's in my opinion a perfect size for writing with. Talking about writing, and well... It writes just like a Kanwrite. Very smooth for the most part with a hint of a feedback. It's less than you get while writing with a pencil but you feel that you are writing. This is with TNPL 70gsm copier paper though. Move on to a better paper like a Classmate or Rhodia, and the nib just glides... honestly, as much as the Airmail 69T that I shoehorned a Kanwrite No.35 nib into(Check that one out here). And I'm baffled that you can get this writing experience out of a pen that costs around the same as a ghee roast in a restaurant. Now the pen is an eyedropper and does take around 2ml of ink. And like most eyedroppers it does burp, but when the barrel is so low that you are not refilling the pen out of pure ignorance and laziness. So, refill it when the ink gets to about 1/8th mark, which'll last you more than 2-3 ballpoints. Plus, everything is friction fit, so it is easy to clean. Before getting into the conclusion here's a writing sample of this pen. Conclusion and Final verdict Honestly, there isn't much to say about it, if you have a Kanwrite PC, Saloon, Relik or any of the lower end ones, the experience is somewhat similar. and for just 60 rupees, you can't go wrong. Like I said in the beginning it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. It is a cheap and effective gateway drug into the world of fountain pen. couple this with a ₹25/- bottle of bril blue, and you're pretty much set for at least half a year, or more. Thanks for reading my write up and I'll see you around...

I've figured out that the Pen and Gear brand notebooks sold exclusively at Walmart are fountain pen friendly! They aren't quite up there with Tomoe or Rhodia or Clairefontaine in terms of quality, but I've basically never experienced feathering with this paper, with the ONLY exception being feathering along a single paper fiber, which hardly qualifies as feathering, and I've used this paper with dip pens and fountain pen ink (for calligraphy). I can only speak for the spiral notebooks with a colored plastic cover, but I've been using these notebooks for years and the quality remains the same and consistent. You wouldn't be able to tell by feel of the paper but it's actually pretty amazing with a variety of inks. And the PRICE! Last time I bought any it was about $1 a standard sized notebook. If you want proof, check out my Insta @pen.meets.ink! And it shows a pretty good amount of sheen, if you care about that too. Just wanted to let people know since it's easier to get your hands on these notebooks when back to school season starts, and it's GREAT if you're still in school

Don't know if you guys have noticed this. Posted on Bobby which is arguably our favorite Chinese based fountain pen seller: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxymyYNj_hV/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet Specs are still unknown, probably a standard #5 nib, available with the shut-off valves etc. What caught my eyes is the caption which if true, then the price will be less than $10. Hopefully at that price I'm not getting a limp acrylic.

A quick search on the forums didn't reveal an easy answer to this question. I recently saw a post in which someone indicated that a "cheap" fountain pen was any pen less than $100. This seems relative to me given that any pen that is more than $25 would be an expensive pen for me currently. Question: What criteria do you use to establish whether or not a fountain pen is cheap/inexpensive?

Hi all, today I was in my local branch of the UK chain of discount stores ‘Home Bargains’. I chanced to walk past their stationery section, where my eye lit upon a sales pack that contained a cartridge-fill fountain pen and two cartridges, for the price of 59p For those of you who do not live in the UK, that bricks-and-mortar store price of £0.59 includes my country's sales tax of 20%. At today's exchange rate, £0.59 = 0.69€ = $0.77. As a ‘purchasing power’ comparison, at the time of typing this the price of a 2-pint bottle of whole milk in my local supermarket is 80p. The ‘huge’ investment outlay gets you a "MADE IN CHINA" transparent plastic pen that has a completely-unmarked nib (which I assume is steel and ‘medium’), and also two cartridges of ink that the packaging describes as black. The cartridges are slightly shorter than standard ‘Short International’ cartridges (I measured them at 34mm long, whereas an SIC is 38mm long), but their nipples look like they might be the same size as those on a SIC. The pen's grip section looks as though it might be slightly too-small for my paws (I am 6'1" tall), but I am certainly curious enough about it to ‘risk’ the sum of 59p to find out Bon; after I have run some dish-cleaning water through it to remove any manufacturing residue, I shall run one of its cartridges through it, and then some Waterman ‘Serenity Blue’ for comparison, and a SIC of ‘WH Smith’ branded black ink too. Once I have collected and collated all this ‘data’, I shall post a review of it on the relevant board here. After all, I wouldn't want to inadvertently be the cause of any FPN user ‘wasting’ their hard-earned 59p on one of these if it turns out that the thing doesn't write very well Cheers, M. [Repeatedly edited to correct FFE's ]

Hello, I was wondering if there were some dependable brands that provided cheap fountain pens for beginners but also had a screw on cap. I wanted to introduce my cousin to fountain pens, but i have yet to find an inexpensive screw on cap pen. As always thank you for reading, Sincerely, The Beginner

I bought these pens on a whim @ $10.99 on Amazon because I wanted to try piston-fill fountain pens. I bought the Extra Fine (EF) but they write more like a Fine (F). They aren't the prettiest pens you'll own, but they write beautifully and have a HUGE ink resevoir. I honestly can't even predict how long it can go without being refilled. They come in a nice box and are suitable for gifting. They are currently $8.99 and Prime Day on Amazon is coming up on the 16th. BTW, I've discovered that Prime Day lasts 36 hours, not 24. At this price, I highly recommend these pens by Yakura. They won't replace your favorite Waterman, but they're excellent for the price. Use my link and it makes a donation to the Big Cat Rescue, a sanctuary for big cats formerly abused or kept as pets. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D66W29Z/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3G6PCMUR76G3T&psc=1

I'm looking for a reliable daily writer, an inexpensive - let's say under $50 - fountain pen with a section that's 10.5mm-12.4mm in width. As I continue to learn more about fountain pens I find that I like thicker sections. My favorite nib still has to be on my Metropolitan M, but the 8.4mm section (acccording to the GouletPens site) is so narrow it's painful for me two write more than a half page with it, so had to I clean it out & put it away. My main writers are a bunch of F and M Preppy and Plaisirs, and a M Kakuno. Their 10mm sections' widths are just about the minimum I can write with for long periods, but I'd love something a bit thicker. (I'mfine with light pens though, and I prefer to write unposted.) My favorite-feeling pen I've used is the Jinhao 159, which GouletPens notes has a 12.4mm section. But I've had terrible, repeated issues with all my Jinhaos drying out and hard-starting (using various inks), as well as occasional feed problems with two different replacement Jowo B nibs. If I could get a Jinhao 159 that didn't dry out I'd be in heaven, but the pen's design (and the cheap plastic feeds, which sometimes reseat the nibs after continued use) are design issues that I don't think can be avoided. From my research one possible pen option I came across that's close to my needs might be Monteverde's Giant Sequoia, which is a bit outside my budget, and bigger/heavier than I'm used to. Azizah's review says the section is 10.8mm which might could work well for me. Are there any decent thicker-grip pens I should consider in my price range?

Hello again to all my FPN friends, After acquiring too many inks and far too many pens, I thought it was time to turn this obsession toward papers in order to round out the experience. I just received a blank notebook in the mail from a Chinese stationary company called Kinbor (www.kinbor.net/). They seem like a Chinese version of Midori and offer very similar products (at much lower prices, of course). Here's an article about the company that has nice photos of their products. I'm thoroughly impressed with the paper in this A5 notebook. Although this paper is 80gsm and quite sturdy, it's also very supple and floppy like Tomoe River paper. The sewn binding is better than most I've seen; the journal will lie open completely flat regardless of what page you open to. The paper texture is much smoother than Midori paper but not slick like Rhodia and Clairfontaine, again reminiscent of Tomoe River. I've only tested a couple inks with really wet pens so far but there has not been any bleed through or even show through, although a little feathering in same cases. It is advertised to be fountain pen friendly (see picture below). These journals are currently offered in A6 and A5 with the options of blank, dot grid, graph, a blank/dot grid/graph combination, 7mm lined, lined with red side rule, thick sketchbook paper, and a calendar/planner combination. They come with either white or brown covers. I'm in no way affiliated with the company, but I thought I'd ask about these journals because this is the first Chinese paper I've ever tried that has actually blown me away. That's saying a lot because I live in China and have tried lots of papers over the past few years, most of them being quite unfriendly to fountain pens and often unbearable toothy as well. I'll try to post a review once I spend more time with this journal and run in through some tests.

Hi everyone, Does anybody know of a brand of not too expensive paper (for a student) that is FP friendly and that comes in notebooks and/or loose leaf and/or pads that is easy to find in Canada (through places like Amazon or Staples). So far I have had to resort to buying Hilroy notebooks but they are very inconsistent so I'm looking to upgrade to something better for my everyday writing without breaking the bank on something like Rhodia or Clairefontaine. Thank you all very much in advance!

A while back, I purchased a fountain pen called the Indus from Fountain Pen Revolution. With that pen, you get an integrated, piston-filler (capable of full disassembly) with a very smooth steel nib with ebonite feed. However, that pen had some quirks (like a wiggly clip, a weird smell, and a very skinny grip) that made it less than perfect, even at that price point. I still like and use my Indus, mainly because of its most excellent nib, but I don't love it as much as I could. For those who don't know, Fountain Pen Revolution (hereafter FPR) is a brand dedicated to low-cost fountain pens, all of which are manufactured in India. India produces some excellent pens--evidenced by the fact that some well-known brands (Stipula and Esterbrook come to mind) rebrand and price-up lesser-known Indian brands for the US fountain pen market. FPR is run by Kevin Theimann, a wonderfully friendly chap who is likely to send you a personal email thanking you for making an order. He's good people, and I'm hoping he succeeds with this business model. After getting my Indus, and perusing some other models on the FPR site, I was intrigued enough to try again. This time, I went for the "Himalaya" model: A thicker pen than the Indus, with a push-pull piston converter (think Noodler's Neponset), and the same #5.5 steel nib and a larger ebonite feed. I chose the Indigo Blue acrylic finish. When I opened the pen, all I could say was "Wow." The blue acrylic is simply stunning, with deep chatoyance and multiple swirls of color. I have two other pens with similar finish: a Levenger True Writer Classic and a Retro 1951 Tornado, and the Himalaya is more beautiful than either of those. The pen is of medium length and width, I’d say; almost the perfect size. I have large hands, and it fits me perfectly. I’d wager smaller hands would find it just as comfortable. The screw cap can be removed in one full rotation, and posts securely with an almost undetectable click. Posted, the pen measures just about 6 inches, which to my mind is just about the perfect length for writing. The grip section is nicely tapered with a flare at the nib end to keep your fingers from sliding off onto the nib. I’d almost wish the nib were larger, but the way this nib writes I can’t complain about that. The pen’s converter works perfectly. It screws into the section and there was already some silicone grease on the threads to ensure a good seal. I’ll make a note to replenish that from time to time. I inked it with Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki to match the pen’s aesthetic, and did a quick writing test. Again, wow. This pen writes. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning the nib slips across the paper as if it were made of ice, I give it a solid 8.5. My Waterman Expert 3 medium is a 9, and my TWSBI Diamond 580 broad is a 9.5. The Himalaya is a very smooth writer, and it’s already destined for my regular EDC rotation. I keep coming back to the price of this thing, but I can’t ignore it. I can’t think of another pen under $30 that looks and writes as well as this one. And don’t give me Lamy Safari and Pilot Metropolitan, those pens are good and all, but *yawn*. This is a beautiful pen with character, one that you won’t be afraid to take to the boardroom, and also one you won’t be too afraid of losing. If you haven’t yet checked out FPR, I recommend you do so today: the site is www.fountainpenrevolution.com.

TWSBI nib units, that is. I have an italic and a fine, just lying there pathetically, and no bodies to host them. They are from the 540 series, I believe....so, what inexpensive and easily attainable not-metal pen bodies (besides Noodler's Ahab) will these fit? Thanks for your suggestions!

Hello, I'm fairly new to the world of fountain pens. I've picked up about 10 now, and I keep buying more and enjoying tinkering with them. I have purchased high priced pens for my g/f (high-priced for me), like the vanishing point and the Lamy 2000. For myself, though, I can not imagine spending that amount on a pen. Up to this point, I have been doing the frankenpen thing with Jinhao pens and Anderson / Edison / Goulet nibs. I went to the Dallas Pen Show, and I purchased a Franklin-Christoph nib assembly. I had to remove the nib and feed from the F-C section / collar. However, even as just the nib and the mismatched feed it is amazing. I would love to find an inexpensive pen body that will accept the Franklin-Christoph nib assembly. It's my understanding, that it is a common size; a jowo #6 screw-in unit. So far, the most humbly priced pen body I have found has been the MrPen's Parson's Essential at about $45, plus another $15 for shipping. Any help finding an inexpensive pen body that will take the entire screw-in jowo / Franklin-Christoph nib assembly would be appreciated. I apoligize in advance if I used any incorrect terminology. Thanks!

So I just received a Pilot Petit from Japan and I think it's a wonderful little inexpensive pen. it writes much finer than the Varsity that I tend to use on the go (because I once lost a good pen...). Even though it is short, it fits well in my hand and I think is a great pen to live with a checkbook, wallet, or small purse. No, it doesn't write like my Sailor, but if I lose it I won't be tearing myself up.

Hi Everyone, Last year a pen starting popping up for sale in China that looks like a legitimate reincarnation of the discontinued but beloved Pilot 78G. The interesting thing is that this new pen, the Pilot 78G+, seems to only be for sale in mainland China. At first I thought it was another knockoff like the Wing Sung 659, but then I saw this on the official Pilot website for China. Scroll down to see a detailed comparison of the 78G and 78G+. In short, the major differences are that the 78G+ comes in 2 new colors (bright blue and bright red) and an EF (0.28~0.3mm) nib is finally available. If these EF nibs are nice, this would mean no more having to put a Pilot Penmanship EF nib in a 78G body. Also, the CON-20 squeeze converter has been replaced by the new CON-40 piston style. Before I take the plunge and buy one of these new pens, I wanted to know....do any of you have one of these and how does it compare to the original 78G? http://www.pilotpen.com.cn/upload/fckimage/image/1(14).jpg http://www.pilotpen.com.cn/upload/fckimage/image/2(2).jpg

Hey everyone I'm wondering what nibs I should use for Sanskrit (Devanagari) and Tibetan scripts. Also, I am looking for cheap pens with said nib for a class I'll be teaching in September. The students will be required to write in Sanskrit in a notebook for homework. Ideally one that is an eye-dropper or converter. So I want a decent pen/nib for myself but need a cheap alternative for my students.

For some of my writing (journaling, mostly) I like sheen. However, the ink that I have with the most sheen is Bungbox 4B, which is quite dear ($$$.) What are some good options- color doesn't matter too much as long as it is on the darker end of the spectrum- for a good sheening ink on Tomoe River paper that is of a less expensive make? Thanks for your suggestions! greg

I bought pads from a Big Store, and they turned out to be paper towels with lines printed on them. Even so, I struggled doggedly to use them. But now I'm done, and I'm looking for something nice to write on, yet still inexpensive. Or even cheap! Does anyone know of a CHEAP, white, lined 8 1/2 x 11 top-bound pad? US sources only, please, readily available, and low-cost... as I already have pads from Levenger, Rhodia, Clairefontaine, and a few precious Staples Bagasse. And many thanks for your help!

Looking over the pens on my desk I realize that very few of them are expensive pens. Most of the pens that I use on a regular basis are actually pretty inexpensive (even with the price of an after market stub or italic nib factored in). This got me to thinking about why we so frequently equate price with quality. Is a $200 pen really worth ten times more than a $20 pen? When I look at how well my inexpensive pens perform, I have to admit that I have a hard time seeing the value in more expensive pens. So, let's see some love for those low cost pens! The ever-ready pens that fill out your pen cups, the workhorse pens that rattle around in your briefcases, the knock-around pens that you shove into your backpacks or pockets. What are your favorite pens under $30? The pens that inspired this post: --Jinhao X750 (frosted black with a Knox 1.1 nib) total cost: $15 --Pilot Metropolitan (silver zigzag with medium italic nib from a Pilot Plumix) total cost: $19.45 --TWSBI Eco (white with 1.1 nib) total cost: $28.99

The Jinhao 611 is one of the several pens that I bought from ebay. They came to me shipped in a padded brown envelope rather than "coffins" or boxes. If I remember correctly, I paid no more than $7 for each pen + shipping. I purchased 3 of them because I was attracted to the simple streamline shape. I wanted a pen that would be very comfortable for someone who uses mechanical pencils because they are so straight and plain. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1447577001__jinhao_611.jpg I liked the barrel colors that were shown in the picture of the ebay auction. One is a solid color in the red, rosy, cyan range, the others are a russet and a blue that appear to be acrylic with the depth of color that sometimes goes with that sort of plastic. All three are straight, uncharacterized barrels. They are .65oz/18.42g; 5 1/8 inches / 156.2 centimeters in length capped; 6 1/4 inches / 190.5 centimetrs posted; and .39 inches / 10 mm in diameter. The nib appears to be stainless steel. The ones that I have are fine nibs. They come with standard Jinhao converters. I had hoped that they would take international cartridges because I do not use fillers or bottled ink. I removed the plunger filler and inserted an international cartridge. It took a lot of fussing about with it to get anything to flow. The first thing I noticed was the tines of the nib were tight together. I had to use a syringe to pump water through it. It really didn't take any pressure to get the water to flow through it, just a quantity enough to fill the grip and the nib. When I finally did get the water to flow through it, the pen leaked from every possible joint. The grip is in 2 pieces and it leaked through where they are pressed together. After I got the ink flowing through it, I began to have hopes that it would work better, which it did for a short time. By the time I finished writing one full page, the pen was leaking from where the barrel threads on to the grip as well as from where the grip is pressed together. All together, I'd give the pen a 2. Perhaps it's a chance I took in buying these pens. It's possible that some are better perfomers than others. They are nice in appearance, and seemed at first impression to be of at least fair quality, but when put to the test they did not rise to the occasion. It is possible that using the filler is the answer. That remains to be seen.

I seem to have little problem identifying expensive pens but I am struggling to find inexpensive ones. I am looking for 2 or 3 inexpensive pens, (Under say, $40.00 each) that I can play with in terms of some inks that are said to be a bit high maintenance or will stain clear parts and I do not want to do it with a more expensive pen. I am open to any filling system but I suspect I will end up with a converter which is fine. Not to be picky but if possible, I would love the pen to be large and thick with a grip that will not feel skinny. (This might seem like a lot for which to ask but my guess is that if you can build a smaller and thinner pen like a MB 146 for under 40 bucks, you can make a thicker and larger pen like a MB 149 for the same dollars. A #6 nib to come with the pen would be lovely.) Any ideas on sites or specific pens I might explore would be just great. Thanks all...

I have to say, being a part of the fountain pen world has been excellent, and an "accidental" discovery can turn into a gold mine. For example, the Skilcraft Fountain Pen, in burgundy or blue. The burgundy nib, at least in my purchases, are a little more fine, than the blue. The blue, however, is a bit more of a "wet" writer. You can get them on Amazon or via http://www.blind-made.com/office-products/pens/skilcraft-executive-fountain-pen-and-ball-point-pen-set-7520-01-451-9188-burgundy-barrel-black-ink.html The burgundy comes with a ballpoint (I gave that to my wife, who loves a good ballpoint). I think the thin look gives it a little more of a business look. I have not heard any negative reactions to this pen from comments on FB, so apparently the quality is pretty much standard. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71%2B5X0doVZL._SX522_.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SaBPQEKpL._SY355_.jpg

I recently saw this pen on Amazon for $59 CAD. http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B007R9Z3UO/ref=pd_aw_sbs_4?pi=SS115&simLd=1 It does say imported straight from Japan though, and it's Amazon, so I trust it more than most other sites.