Best "cheap" Gold Nib Pen?

[Abner C. Kemp]

Hello all,

 

I am fairly new to fountain pens. Awhile back I was playing around with a friends fountain pen when I realized how much it improved my penmanship. Since then, I bought a Lamy Safari Med. and have also been using some sort of a Waterman pen (not sure of the quality of these) my father gave me awhile back. I was hoping to buy a gold nibbed pen for everyday usage. In other words, I want something sturdy and easy to fill and also something rather conservative looking. The key is that it is at some semblance of a decent price point ($75-$200).

 

I do not write in cursive and only print using these pens. I love the Lamy but I have found it to be a bit dry/scratchy at times and it has a tendency to want to write a bit too large. The Lamy dries fast and it doesn't bleed. I also really like the Waterman.. the nib seems more responsive and it writes cleaner. The only issue is that it tends to bleed a bit which keeps it from being an everyday pen in my mind… especially since I primarily use the pen for writing notes. Your thoughts/comments would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!!!!

[Scycotic]

Before getting a new pen you might want to try a different ink and see if it still bleeds/feathers with the Waterman. Every ink+pen+paper combination is different.

[5370H55V]

I've been looking for a cheap gold nib pen also, and so far the cheapest I could find seem to be the Hero 100 and the Platinum 14k Standard, both of which would have a finer line width than the lamy. If you don't mind used or restored vintage pens, there are some great deals there too.

[Bigsurprise]

The first gold nib I purchased was the Lamy Studio replacement 14K nib to fit on my Al-Star. It is $85 for the nib alone. It is just plug and play.

 

Here is the link: http://www.lamyusa.com/buyreplace_fountain_studio.php

Edited December 7, 2013 by Bigsurprise

[c4bb0ose]

I would venture a guess as to the paper you are using is the culprit here, it certainly sounds like it does since most watermans I have come across have been wetter writers. A true test would be to buy some watermans ink and give that a whirl ont he paper you currently use, if that bleeds through and feathers, the paper is not great.

[elderberry]

As for your gold nib question I would suggest going for used or new old stock pens. They don't need to be vintage ones but maybe models from the 60s to 80s. Also second hand modern pens sometimes pop up for a fraction of the retail price and if you choose to resell them you won't lose a lot of money, if anything at all.

[WirsPlm]

This thread has a lot of options: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/255418-help-me-find-the-worlds-cheapest-14ct-solid-gold-nibbed-pen/

[Aurko]

I don't know about cheap, but maybe you could look for a Sailor 1911 Standard. Sailor makes amazingly smooth nibs, good flow and they generally work great out of the box, though I've had one that had misaligned tines; It was a quick fix and wrote like a dream. I think on FPH and nibs.com they sell for about 150 but several sellers on ebay sell them for about 100 dollars. However, most of these are sellers in Japan and as such, your shipment may take a few weeks to arrive. For faster service, go with nibs.com or FPH.

 

If you want to avoid bleeding and feathering, finer nibs do tend to work better on most papers (but once again, you may want to try better paper before devoting yourself to a more expensive pen).

 

Sailor is known for smooth fine nibs, and the 1911 Standard (1911M, 1911 Profit, alternate names for the same pen) or Professional Gear Standard (same nib, different body design) are my favourite nibs of all time.

 

I tend to like fine lines, but I know that Sailor offerings on the broader end of the spectrum tend to be wonderfully smooth as well.

[Inkling13]

I would caution you on going for the gold... it's not the gold that matters, it's the tip of tipping on end of the nib that makes the smoothness of the nib. As for the feel and spring of a nib, a steel nib can be a bit flexible, and a gold nib can be made as hard as a nail. Material doesn't dictate how the pen writes. Some may say that with gold nibs, since the material is more expensive, the manufacture takes more care in making them, and thus you have a better nib, but that is hardly a rule. Steel and gold can be wonderful writers in any aspect. Take a looker here: http://edisonpen.com/page.cfm/In-Praise-of-Steel-Nibs

[Mathemagician]

sounds like you described a lamy 2000 as far as price and everyday-penness. Or nos pens work really well, but they are considerably smalller generally. Plus the 2000 holds a ton of ink and is very conservative looking

[Sailor Kenshin]

Hello all,

 

I am fairly new to fountain pens. Awhile back I was playing around with a friends fountain pen when I realized how much it improved my penmanship. Since then, I bought a Lamy Safari Med. and have also been using some sort of a Waterman pen (not sure of the quality of these) my father gave me awhile back. I was hoping to buy a gold nibbed pen for everyday usage. In other words, I want something sturdy and easy to fill and also something rather conservative looking. The key is that it is at some semblance of a decent price point ($75-$200).

 

I do not write in cursive and only print using these pens. I love the Lamy but I have found it to be a bit dry/scratchy at times and it has a tendency to want to write a bit too large. The Lamy dries fast and it doesn't bleed. I also really like the Waterman.. the nib seems more responsive and it writes cleaner. The only issue is that it tends to bleed a bit which keeps it from being an everyday pen in my mind especially since I primarily use the pen for writing notes. Your thoughts/comments would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks!!!!!!

Welcome aboard.

 

I don't think it's the pen. I agree that it's the ink and paper. I would not necessarily jump right to gold...rather explore the pen/ink/paper combo.

 

What inks are you currently using? What model Waterman pen, and what nib?

 

A Safari with M nib will write on the fat side. New nibs are available for under $15 and can be swapped with just some clear tape.

[Azura]

My first gold nib pen is pelikan m400 white, for some reason it is lost, I bought a m600 white then, both wonderful writers. for your scope, I highly recommend you try hero 100, I won't say it is a cheap choice, it is a wise choice as a starter gold nib pen. Or maybe you can try your luck for a vintage pen, not recommend, for although one may admire the story behind a vintage pen, the writing style of its former owners may be different from you, so it may not the best choice for a starter. Anyway good luck,and when you decide to buy yourself a second gold nib pen, try pelikan.