Your Best Cheap Pen?

[mm1624124]

Dollar 717i I wish had bought more of them!

Noodler's creaper A take-off of the Dollar; a scratchy nib but nice once I used the FPN brown paper bag trick. Again, wish I had bought more.

Pilot 78G Fine nibs and a little on the dry side but perfect for math work or finicky papers.

 

I have 4 of my cheapies inked up and performing flawlessly.

[enitsirhc]

13 pieces Parker 25 flighter with broad nib - 9-10 USD each

 

Edited July 19, 2012 by enitsirhc

[tspin46]

My Waterman Phileas purchased at Office Max in an after Christmas sale in 2007 with converter, bottle of ink and six vari-color cartridges for $9.95. This was the pen that got me back to fountain pens after fifty years of ball points.

[Alejo]

Kaweco Ice Sport.

[DanF]

I recently picked up a hand full of NOS Cross Solo's recently (discontinued some years ago), $19.95, great Sailor made nibs, and a nice chunky section. Very pleased. Still available in limited nib widths from Pensandgifts.net

 

Dan

 

 

 

[dragon666]

I don't know if the foliowing are in the cheap category, but I reckon they are such good value for money.

 

Kaweco Sport Ice - eyedropper converted ($20). Pretty good pen for the money in my opinion. Tiny, so needs to be posted both for length and weight. Converted easily. A touch of silicon grease and voila >2 mL reservoir of ink. I really like using it.

 

The next best value and double the price is the TWSBI 540 ($55 + postage) - I have three, one in each colour. For the pen quality and function, it is also right up there for "Bang for your Buck". It is also my smoothest nib out of the box. Probably my most used fountain pen in my collection. Not quite a $5 pen but you get what you pay for. Still amazing value for money despite being $55 i think.

Edited July 20, 2012 by dragon666

[Zanshin]

Baoer 388. As cheap as chips and it doesn't take much work to get them nice and smooth and flowing freely.

 

As good as the Pilot 78G is, it could do with just a little bit more weight, which the Baoer 388 has without going to the extremes of a Jinhao X450.

[DAVE9500]

My cheapest pen and a great writer is my pilot 78G ($10) fine nib. Second to that is my platinum preppy (free with ink) fine nib. Both surprisingly smooth writers for the price.

 

Dave

[Xeros]

I love my Lamy Safari!

[EP Tech]

The sweetest 15 dollar I have is the Nemosine Black Marble, converted to eyedropper. I believe it has a Schmidt nib, fine.

[richardandtracy]

Having tried a Baoer 388 & Kaigelu 356, I'd say the two qualify as the 'Best Cheap Pen', with the Kaigelu just shading it in terms of performance.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[czanguine]

I can never go wrong with my Pilot Birdie.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Hey guys, im just curious to hear about some of your best 'cheap pens'. i dont want to limit cheap for everyone, as some serious collectors may have pens they would classify as cheap, which others would call expensive. in YOUR opinion of cheap, what would you say the best pen you own is?

 

thanks guys

 

 

There are so many it is tough to choose! But the ones I use most often:

 

Platinum Preppy - under $5 (fun, ever-ready, transparent, many colors)

Hero 616 - under $10 (old reliable!)

ALL Guanleming's $5 specials: demonstrator, accountant, fude

 

Hero 1026 - under $20 (wet-writing, black and silver, impressive looker)

 

Those are just a few of my faves.

[kpyeoman]

Stainless Sheaffer Javelin with a medium nib.

[Frontier]

Hero 616! Paid $12 for 10 of them.

 

After a little tweaking they are quite a good pen.

[doggonecarl]

I love my budget pen purchases...

 

I've seen one vote for the Rotring Surf. I second that. I'm amazed at how well this entry-level pen writes and how often it finds its way back into my FP rotation. My Parker Jotter Flighter is awesome, as is my five-dollar Kaweco Sport Ice.

 

As of late, I'm becoming quite impressed with the fine-nibbed Sailor Clear Candy.

 

My most recent "cheap" pen buy was the Noodler's Nib Creeper flex pen. The jury is still out, but my inital reaction has been positive.

[womyn]

Parker Frontier

[nana_kathy]

Either a Pilot 78g in fine or broad, or a Reform 1745.

 

 

+1 on these pens.. both are great.. i would add a Rotring Surf... the nib is buttery smooth and I paid less than $10 for it shipped.

[minimax447]

I would have said the Pilot 78g which is very good for £6.15 but The Kaigelu 356 for £.37 (both delivered) beats it on solidity, quality, looks, finish and smoothness by a very long way.

[lemanfan]

All depends on your definition of cheap...

 

best pen for less than a McDonalds meal: The Jinhao X450.

 

best pen for less than a night on the town: The Italix Parsons's Essential.