Modern Tiny/mini Fountain Pens

[Jennings]

I was wondering what the smallest fountain pens in current production are. I love CS Dinkie pens, and the really tiny Wahl with the cap ring rather than clip that I have, and got to wondering whether the modern makes had forgotten these tiny but useful items. Everything now seem fairly large as at the minimum they all cater for universal cartridges.

[Uncle Red]

There's that Chinese "Bullet Pen" that uses a built in squeeze filler. xFountainpens.com has them.

[richardandtracy]

There is a Guider Mini ED pen. I got one for my wife. It's about 1.5" long capped. Can be seen on the Home Page here: http://www.guiderpen.com/index.html

 

Also there is this if you want to go really small:

http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104501&org=NSF

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[jar]

There are the Modern Dinkies as well as the Yard-O-Led pocket pens.

[WayTooManyHobbies]

Don't forget the Kaweco Liliput. It's about as small as possible and still hold an international cartridge, and the anodized Aluminum construction is quite sturdy.

[jimhughes]

Kaweco Sport and Stipula Passporto are 2 modern mini pens. jetpens, gouletpens. and isellpens has the Kaweco line. Fountain Pen Hospital and Fahrneys, et alia has the Passporto. If you prefer something a bit more custom John Brady, jebspens.com does a hand made PFP Personal Fountain Pen, about the size of the Passporto. Jeb's has a #5 Meister Nib, uses short cartridges, a unique mini converter design or is ED filled, barrel end is threaded to accept the cap being screwed on. Mine came in this week. Beautiful work, perfect pocket size. Usual disclaimers apply, no affiliation, just a 4 time satisfied client. It's in my jeans currently. Jim

[mongrelnomad]

I did a review of my four mini pens. Check it out here.

 

Further time and usage has only increased my love and respect for the tiny Sailor.

[pienaar]

I still think this is really something. I just do not have the money for it.

 

http://www.jebspens.com/fp_custom/pfp/cats-eye/pfp_cats-eye_uncap_lg.jpg

 

http://www.jebspens.com/fp_custom/pfp/cats-eye/pfp_cats-eye_post_lg.jpg

 

 

 

http://www.jebspens.com/fp_custom/pfp.htm

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

I'm all over little pens. I use them unposted. They fit the best in my hand.

 

Pelikan M300

Aurora Optima Mini

CS Dinkie (cartridge only)

Sailor Professional gear slim mini (You can modify a converter nicely to fit if you have time and good tools)

Omas Princess (These are so pretty. These are my favorite small pen of this size. I sadly no longer have any. I sold mine to a dear friend)

Omas Dama (Omas does not make this pen or the Princess anymore)

Montblanc Mozart (cartridge only)

Delta Dolcevita Mini (cartridge only)

Japanese long short pens (I never post these either.)

 

Small but not so small

Waterman Ici et Là (My favorite Waterman pen. I have one. These are out of production and hard to find. The second version takes a converter. The first doesn't)

 

Dillon

[PenandDesign]

How about the ever-evolving and currently-elusive Pilot Petit1? I saw those at the DC Show for $1 each (edit: for clarification, they're normally $3.30 each). I didn't purchase any though, and I'm kind of regretting that now!

Edited September 3, 2012 by PenandDesign

[Sailor Kenshin]

Am I the only one who's heard of the Diplomat Butterfly? The side of your middle finger, but much slimmer. Proprietary cart. I really should take a photo and post it next to the Petit.

[outbackpengeek]

There's that Chinese "Bullet Pen" that uses a built in squeeze filler. xFountainpens.com has them.

 

I have one of these...a 'Jinhao Pocket Missile'. I purchased it from ebay for under $5 shipped, and if you buy 10, you can get them for around $2 each! I'm perfectly happy with it, lives in my wallet.

[lemanfan]

Otho Tasche is thin and small.

 

Bexley Jitterbug is short.

 

Sailor Sapporo Mini?

 

[aderoy]

Off the top of my head (also in collection...) https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/default/embarrassed_smile.gif

• Nakaya Piccolo ?
  
• Stipula 22 (have two that write perfectly) or the Passport version.
  
• Conway Stewart Dandy
  
• Montegrappa Piccola (not in collection (yet)
  

[Jennings]

Blimey! Thanks folks for the replies so far...a lot more, and much quicker, than I thought!!! That Jeb's pen is very cute, and similar in style to the Guider to my mind. I like the latter for the appointments, but the "yellow jacket" Jeb is really cool. It'd look even better with a cap band, clip and jewel buttons on either end. Oh dear, I'm getting carried away!!! The Stipula Passporto seems to be of a similar style too (a sort of mini oversize rounded design...reminds me of a beetle!). My only reservation with these pens from a style point of view is the bulk of the barrel when compared to the section. I tend to hold my pens a fair way down the section, often overlaping onto the barrel, so I wonder if I'll find the ridge a bit steep, especially on the Jeb's PFP maybe? I also wonder if they're too bulky in diameter...great pens in their own right (and they're already going on my Christmas list!), but I'd love a contender for my tiny Wahl which is much less than 1cm wide (from memory something like 5 to 7mm).

 

Mongrelnomad - Love the review! very thorough and well considered...how is the YOL improving with age though? I simply love the look of the Sailor (along the lines of the above pens)...oh dear, my Christmas list is growing!!!

 

I've been eyeing up the Kaweco Sport FP for some time...I like the more refined look to the style (I love the "early 20th century"/deco look). Is it as good as it looks, or does it just look good from a distance?! Also I'm thinking it's again larger than what I would truely call a tiny pen. Still on my want list though! The Lilliput looks ace and I like the fact it's trying to keep the size down...could be a contender for on the run at work, but again a little large for my micro award.

 

Uncle Red, which bullet pen did you mean? I had a quick look at xFountainpens.com and saw the X530 they have...loving that with the silver barrel etc! Can't see how big it is though...from the description I'm guessing a bit out of my mico class!

 

I do like the YOL and CS offerings...a little pricey from me currently, as I'd rather spend the big bucks on vintage pens but the YOD pens really to have it for me with their classy appearance. My favourite vintage brand are CS, but I do feel that the modern brand's price bracket target not only doesn't fit with what I can justify but also seems at odds to the original brand's objectives...that's just my personal feeling though!

 

Keep 'em coming...I'm really enjoying you folks opening my eyes to new pens!!!

 

Anyone tried one of those Bic "Turn & Up" pens? Not exactly micro, but certainly in the dinky and fun category like the above! Maybe we should start two classes here...truely micro (sub 1cm dia' and less than 3 inches in length perhaps? What do folks think?), and mini (erm...something compact but not as small as micro)?

[Jennings]

Crikey! I can't keep up! Haha!!! In the time it took me to check out all the first suggestions and write a reply I had six more replies

 

I'll get checking them out too...

[Uncle Red]

No, the X10

[alexander_k]

I've been testing a Delta Mini Trend lately and I'm favourably impressed. The medium nib is smooth and has a good flow. The cap screws securely on the barrel. Most importantly for people with larger hands, it's not a skinny pen.

[mongrelnomad]

 

Mongrelnomad - Love the review! very thorough and well considered...how is the YOL improving with age though? I simply love the look of the Sailor (along the lines of the above pens)...oh dear, my Christmas list is growing!!!

 

 

Thanks - glad you enjoyed it!

 

I must admit, it took a bit of work, but the YOL is now functioning as intended. I didn't send it back 'home', but instead sat with a nibmeister who cajoled and massaged it till the nib wrote properly. It's now very, very wet, but writes without skipping or hard-starting. I like it, and it is really, really beautiful. But...

 

The Sailor is still a much much better pen. It may not demonstrate the same level of intricacy, workmanship and detail, but it is an absolute corker of a pen. It is dangerously fit for purpose and has probably widened the gap over its peers since the review was written...

 

Good luck deciding (although we all know you'll end up with all the pens you mention - eventually!) :roflmho:

Edited September 4, 2012 by mongrelnomad

[mrcharlie]

Sheaffer Agio Compact is pretty short, about 4 inches capped and 5 posted, but it isn't where I'm living right now so I can't measure it. They made more interesting finishes in the recent past than they are making now; I got mine NOS (I think) from speerbob earlier this year.