My 80's Slim Ones

[stesil]

I know most of the FPN's members would not agree, but I like slim fountain pens from the 80's (but I also like the big pens ).

 

I think that in the fight against the BP rising, at the time, they produced quite good pens.

 

I found that almost all of them where quite good daily users that could also be easily carried around (i.e. they could all fit in filofax agenda), nice writers with good gold nibs that in some case also tried to explore new designs. They can all be fitted with cartridge or converter.

 

In addition they were not so expensive at the time and still can found at very good prices.

 

So, like it or not, here is my collection:

 

 

From the left (as my writing is quite bad):

 

Aurora Hastil

Caran D'Ache Madison

Lamy CP1 (not an actual '80 issue, but undestand was designed around that time)

Montblanc Slimline (my first FP when I got a job - the second after the Pelikano at school)

Omas Rinascimento

PaperMate Dinasty

Parker 95

Pelikan Signum P560

Sheaffer Targa Slim

Waterman Executive

 

 

Making a very quick comparison, I think the best one is the Sheaffer. Is one of the lightest in terms of weight and the nib is probably the best both in terms of performance and style.

 

After I put at the same level the MB, the Aurora and the Parker. All are quite sturdy and seem to handle quite well any mishandling from daily use. The Nibs have all a "unique" design and perform quite well.

 

Third place is for the Caran d'Ache and the Omas. Both are in solid silver, so in a league in their own, but not extremely flashy. The Omas has a more peculiar nib, while the CdA has more standard design.

 

The Pelikan seems a de-luxe edition of the Lamy CP1 (it's impressive how similar the clips and the nibs are) but has a nice springy nib, the only from the batch.

 

The Lamy and the PaperMate I put also in the same league: both are good inexpensive pens, ideal for students and people with a low budget that want reliable pens.

 

The Waterman I left on purpose as the last comment. When I bought it I felt something wrong: while the nib was excellent the section seemed was missing something and I could not get any converter or cartridge to properly fit.

 

Then I recently bought an "Esclusive" (basically the same pen with a different pen and different finish of the cap rings) and I confirmed my doubts: the Executive is definitely broken. Although it was too late for this post.

Edited March 12, 2012 by stesil

[hari317]

Hi thanks for sharing! I like the slim pens made in the 70s too. The Aurora Kona, Pilot birdie, and maybe the Sheaffer TRZ/fashion deserve a honorable mention.

 

Best

Hari

Edited March 12, 2012 by hari317

[nxn96]

You might want to look into a Parker 180, which in addition to a very thin profile, had a unique nib design. The nib was somewhat "daggar-like" in profile, and by simply turning it 180 degrees, you got a different nib width (thus the name 180). The look of the nib seems to be a love it or hate it matter, depending on one's own taste, but 180's tend to be nice writers.

 

Sheaffer also had a thin profile series called the "Stylist". Much like the 180 (not sure which one came first, but I think it was the Stylist), it also featured a nib design that if rotated, produced a different "line".

 

In my experience, Stylists are harder to come by, as I think the 180 had a longer production span in the Parker line than did the Stylist in the Sheaffer line. However, it seems to me that Stylists go for less on eBay than do 180's. As I think the 180 line was a more premium pen for Parker than was the Stylist line for Sheaffer, I don't think there are as many folks out there looking for Stylists as for 180's. As it happens, I've got a Stainless version of both the 180 and Stylist. While the Stylist is a bit more appealing to my eye, there is a definite difference in the build quality that favors the Parker.

 

Hope this adds to your interest.

Edited March 12, 2012 by nxn96

[Ernst Bitterman]

Making a very quick comparison, I think the best one is the Sheaffer. Is one of the lightest in terms of weight and the nib is probably the best both in terms of performance and style.

 

There's a statement to gladden the heart. The main reason I don't like pens of that era too much is that so many of them are far too heavy to be held comfortably.

 

I'm going to be using my Parker 180 tomorrow (its turn has come), and it does avoid the over-weight issue. It is extremely slim, and does offer a very interesting semi-martial aspect in use. It appeared about ten years after the Stylist, and is a rather grander pen; the Stylist was meant to match the Parker 45, while it looks like the 180 was meant as a counter to the the more fasionable end of the Targa line.

[impossiblebird]

I have the sterling silver Hastil, and like it a lot; the nib's great, and the weight isn't out of kilter with the width (I assume the silver is significantly lighter than the stainless steel version, which can only be a good thing). I use an Exclusive (if that's the one with the waffle section) for the pleasure of using its oblique nib, though I'd prefer it to be a tad lighter.

 

I don't know when the Reform 1745 started production, but its lightness makes it a pleasure to use.

[peterpen53]

Probably in the early 80's I went for the slim pens too. I still have a MB Slimline from that period, seemingly in the same dark colour as you have. I also have my father's Cd'A Madison, yours is probably the first I see in someone else's possession. Some 20 years laterI completely turned over to bigger, thicker pens, though and I hardly ever use the slim ones anymore.

 

 

Cheers,

Peter

[OakIris]

The only pen I have that you mention is the Sheaffer Targa 1000s. At first it felt way too slim for me, but it writes soooo nicely and smoothly that I quickly came to appreciate it very much.

 

The other slim pen I have is the Parker Arrow. I know it is not as slim as the Targa 1000s so perhaps it does not qualify, but it is an 80's pen and is certainly slimmer than the other Parkers, etc., that I have. I realize that a lot of folks dismiss the Arrow as a mediocre pen, but I quite like it and it writes very smoothly. Thanks to a nib trade I did with grandpasmurf, I am using it with a bold nib, too - my first bold nib and I am liking it as well!

 

Holly

[asaha]

What a beautiful collection

 

Your view on slim pens is quite instructive. Thank you for sharing :roflmho:

Edited March 13, 2012 by asaha

[OcalaFlGuy]

If you really like thin pens you need to get a Cross Signature.

 

They are long discontinued but there are still NOS floating around (though mostly in XF and Broad.

 

It was Cross's flagship pen for a couple years and you can tell they went the extra mile with it. The way the cap solidly and smoothly slides on will make you go WoW. The open 18k nib had extra nice engraving on it and was made when Cross was making the best nibs. The came in Black GT, Gold w/Black stripes, all Gold plate and Burgundy. The Black is very classy looking. To me, it's not like the usual vintage Cross FP shape at all. I think new they listed for >$250.

 

I also agree, you have some very nice pens there.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

Edited March 13, 2012 by OcalaFlGuy

[raging.dragon]

I still have a Sheaffer TRZ given to me as a middle school (!) graduation present in the late 80's. I recall coveting what I now know to be a Targa; however, that was deemed to expensive. It's a solidly built pen with a smooth and reliable nib that shows only minor wear after having been used throughout high school.

 

Over time my tastes have changed and I now pretty much exclusively use oversized pens. Today a Sheaffer PFM or Legacy is one of the smallest pens I find comfortable.

[stesil]

If you really like thin pens you need to get a Cross Signature.

 

They are long discontinued but there are still NOS floating around (though mostly in XF and Broad.

 

.... I think new they listed for >$250.

 

 

 

I would love one, but here in Italy can be found only at ridicolus prices. I spotted one at € 220 (more than the original $ 250).

 

I don't why here in Italy Cross always had and still has a top tier reputation. Even used ones keep their price up.

[georges zaslavsky]

very nice collection of slim pens

Edited March 13, 2012 by georges zaslavsky

[OcalaFlGuy]

If you really like thin pens you need to get a Cross Signature.

 

They are long discontinued but there are still NOS floating around (though mostly in XF and Broad.

 

.... I think new they listed for >$250.

 

 

 

I would love one, but here in Italy can be found only at ridicolus prices. I spotted one at € 220 (more than the original $ 250).

 

I don't why here in Italy Cross always had and still has a top tier reputation. Even used ones keep their price up.

 

Try U.S.A. Fleabay if you can find a seller to ship to Italy.

 

There are some there at less than original list.

 

I think the less expensive ones will either have an XF or B nib. Those were the last that Cross USA had for these pens (all gone now I believe). Unless you are just looking for an XF it's alot easier and cheaper to have a B ground Down to whatever width (other than XF) you want than it is to have the XF retipped and ground larger.

(I think I got one of the last B's they had a couple years ago when I swapped out my NOS XF.)

 

If you get one and want to try for a nib swap I do have a email contact for the Cross UK, maybe they still have some Signature nibs left.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

[Eduardo]

I like very much the slim eighties... Like so much if they are stainless steel made... My slim eighties are:

 

Parker Classic Flighter GT

Reform Basic (i have a FP + BP + Pencil set)

Ballograf Serie 2000 Titanium

Platinum PE-500

 

Today, I bought a Pelikan Signum P560

 

The next goal is a Sheaffer Targa 1001 slim...

[jar]

Some slim pens that haven't been mentioned that I really like are:

 

Parker 75

ST Dupont Classique, Gatsby, Large Gatsby, Standard Montparnasse

Yard-o-Led Standard

Waterman Preface, Concord, Laureat, Gentleman

Sheaffer TM

[MCN]

Very nice collection! (My own preferences are similar. Even though I may not be very slim, I like pens that are )

[kalali]

+1 on the Parker 180. One of the nicest but least appreciated pens in the Parker family. I have two from the 80's and always keep one (gold-filled with xf/m nib) in my rotation.

[Beechwood]

Interesting theme to the collection and still lots more to consider. The Papermate brand has been forgotten by many but hard to beat in terms of modern manufacturing, good writing pens.

[rockydoggy]

+1 on the Papermate fp. I stumbled across a used one a few years ago and liked it so much that I now have it in 4-5 different finishes.

Other favorite 80s slim pens in my collection:

An inexpensive Senator with a lightweight metal body, white lacquer finish, and a matte black nib. I've had one for over 20 years and then chanced upon a NOS one at the recent LA pen show that I snapped up immediately.

Several Elysee fps, even one branded with the Univ. of Iowa insignia on the clip. I really enjoy the nibs on these pens. I just wish that the gold bands at the ends of the sections weren't so prone to corrosion.

A used Ronson that I got on eBay about a year ago. I suspect that it was made for Ronson by someone like Elysee or Reform.

[Ernst Bitterman]

A used Ronson that I got on eBay about a year ago. I suspect that it was made for Ronson by someone like Elysee or Reform.

 

I know that Scripto was bought by lighter-maker Tokai, and I thought I had a memory of Ronson somehow being involved in that conglomeration as well. If I'm right, that puts Ronson right up against a pen-maker, but as I'm in the first stage of a migraine, I may be conflating some facts and I can't put the mental energy into checking up.