The Worst Pen Ever

[Soundsider]

Strangely enough, I've been lucky not to have had a real stinker, unless you count the Sheaffer school pens from grade school (circa 1965-66). We were taught to put in the cartridge and how to improve our cursive, but never given instruction on cleaning or adjustment. To add to the experience, we were given the cheapest possible yellow lined paper so the slower we wrote (trying to keep our ascenders and descenders uniform, like the examples posted above the blackboard), the more the ink would flow, wick, bleed, and blob.

 

Somehow the aversive method worked, 'cause we eventually learned...but not fond memories of those pens!

 

/Soundsider

[MrClegg]

The main reason I've never tried a 51 is because of the "quality" of the Parker's I've owned. I don't even have the heart to sell them because I'd hate others to suffer needlessly!

 

But the worst nibs I've ever experienced... one was in a Cross, a Century Classic(?), an XF that was so scratchy it was impossible to write without stopping to remove the paper from the nib, the second was in a Parker I.M, it was replaced FoC but it could not be used at all.

 

Craig

[tinta]

T'was a lovely maroon Sheaffer Imperial with an inlaid Medium nib.

The fat tapered section was as slippery as an eel.

My fingers kept sliding down as I tried to write.

But there were ink flow issues with both the bladder-type converter & the carts.

Not much ink landed on paper.

A nice design, though.

[..lol..]

My Waterman Kultur, F nib. It was scratchy as hell, so I regrided it and now is ok, but as noisy as a wooden pencil..

[SimonJamesLucas]

The Parker Sonnet, without a doubt. I think I've had rant about this one before but look at it like this. This is a painted metal snap top fountain pen, little different from those Chinese cheapies one can buy for a fiver on Fleabay. It's rather small and mine doesn't work properly either.

Parker seriously believe this should retail for £70 - £80 pounds for the black lacquer one with gold plated fittings. Oh come on Parker, you're flying a kite.

[sarai]

I only have one pen that's not a good writer, my Sonnet from Hell. That one is as much my own fault as anything. I knew enough at the time that I should not have bought that particular Sonnet but I did anyway.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl-learn first, then buy

 

 

I think I have its cousin...

My Sonnet is soo dry and just don't want to write.

[rhosygell]

Aurora Optima in red Auroloide. It wrote exceptionally well but dismantled itself within four months of purchase. The warranty such as it was stank. I have had a long rant about this particular instrument before.

[adallak]

Sheaffer 444X. Nice design, but the nib had a gap between the tines. No surprise the pen had ink flow problems and was a gusher. The replacement was scratchy. Upon inspection one tine appeared to be much shorter than the other. :mad:

Looks like Sheaffer QC's a joke. I was too frustrated to try another Sheaffer with an inlaid nib. On the other hand, my first Sheaffer, the No Nonsense is one of my best writers.

Edited November 6, 2011 by adallak

[guilhermejf]

A black/gold Crown Capricci with 'Iridium Point Germany'.

Crown is a company that puts their brand in terrible Chinese pens and sells them in Brazil. The displays in stores are beautiful, that's why it sells...

[The Royal Pen]

I just had a Sheaffer Skripsert --or whatever it's called. I do't often come upon American-made pens, so I decided to get it. It was vintage, but the antique shop had it on sale for $8, couldn't pass it! It looked good. The nib was beautiful! Though only a school pen, I thought it was beautiful! Brought it home, the ink wouldn't flow through. There was a hidden hole in the nib, not the breather hole, but as if someone had sropped a corrosive material on it. Though, the feed was also gummed up because some very unsmart person put Chinese ink into it.

 

Anyhow, I hate the Zebra Pens too. I am going to modify it, to make it better. Not as bad as some of your experiences though! Wow!

Edited November 6, 2011 by The Royal Pen

[ANM]

It was a no-name pen from Levenger that was similiar in looks to a Duofold. IIRC it was made it France.

[42N8TT]

A snakebit Parker 51 "Special Edition"...made a Pilot Varsity seem like a good call.

 

The common cracked barrel problem arrived early on, then the cartridge issues started. Burped ink when changed, then wouldn't feed. To cap it off (literally) the faux Empire cap tarnished soon after the barrel decided to part. After replacing the barrel, it went to the display case and has been a trouble-free dust-collector since. Thankfully, the real 51s I've acquired since then have been bulletproof.

 

Moral of the story: Insist on the genuine article-accept no substitutes.

[teeniebeenie6]

3 Levenger True Writers I bought a couple years ago off of the ebay outlet. I believe two of them were refurbished. They have been terrible writers for me. They look lovely but write awful. Thankfully they led me to this great community though! Now I have and love a pink Lamy Safari that writes beautifully!

[georges zaslavsky]

without a doubt the new omas 360 and the waterman edson

[Sailor Kenshin]

What is the absolute WORST, stupidest pen you've ever had in your possession?

 

I mean the crappiest, most non-usable FP. The hardest to start, the scratchiest nib. Whatever.

 

Now is thy chance to rant.

 

 

Years ago, long before I became a true user/collector, and just wanted a fountain pen to draw with, I bought one for two bucks at an art-supply store. It had a plastic turquoise body---and ugly turq, not a pretty one---no brand name, and leaked like a sieve and barfed up black ink all over my hands no matter what I did with it.

 

I have no idea why I even tried another fountain pen after that.

[L.Velvet]

Few years ago I've buyed a special Montblanc fountain pen on a business trip in Somalia, for less than 400 $ It was an 149 Pokémon Limited edition with plenty of little monster on it, the seller told me that it was a 23k plastic nib ! But the pen never write a line. Finally I suspect that it was not a 23 carats plastic, but 14 carats. Yeah Montblanc are crooks. SHAME ON THEM.

[stuartk]

Tie between a Noodler's flex nib and Noodler's rollerball that I got as a newbie. Both barely wrote. Eventually tossed them because they simply did not deserve to be tinkered with. Would rather spend the time enjoying real pens that actually work. (Apologies for being negative, but you asked...:roflmho: )

 

You should have saved the flex pen and put a vintage nib in it. They're actually pretty good, sturdy pens, and with a better nib they're well worth owning.

[stuartk]

Pelikan Souveran- Worst Pen Design Ever

 

Troll.

Edited November 21, 2011 by stuartk

[MidnightBlue]

I'm not going to bother 'cause I'll just get accused of bashing....AGAIN.....No free speech around here...I'm off to youtube. Thanks

[Ada]

Cross Apogee. A beautiful pen, but the XF nib writes like a wide F and is more scratchy than any true XF I own. To top it all off, the cap refuses to post securely -- every time I have tried, it has popped off while writing.