Lightweight Pens?

[sotto2]

I have an old M+K Pelikan 120. It has a beautiful gold semi-flex extra fine nib. I love it, and have been looking around for something similar. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I discovered that the steel nib on the 2nd Pelikan M215 I recently picked up (F nib) is very similar to the old Pelikan 120 nib, just slightly broader. It's an excellent nib, and better than most of the gold nibs on my more expensive pens.

Edited March 29, 2014 by sotto2

[setriode]

Apart from being light, the Pelikan 200 has a very narrow section/grip. The steel nib is outstanding and with my large hands I easily use it unposted. I have bought some (somehow I ended up with 7) for as little as 38 Euro on the bay.

[AndrewC]

 

The Pelikan M200 is a steel nib, at the price point where one begins to see gold nibs (a bit over $100). Is it worth the money? Or would a steel Pelikan nib behave just as well as any other nib -- steel or gold -- out there?

Although a steel nib, I actually prefer the M200 steel nibs to the M400 (same size) gold nibs. I find the steel nibs to have a little flex, or sometimes a lot of flex, whereas I find the gold nibs in that size usually are nails. I have several M200s, and am very happy with them. I consider them my "field pen". BTW, you if you don't mind used, you could post a WTB here and on other pen boards, let people know what you want and a ballpark price and you might get a hit.

[mhm802]

Another vote for the Pel M200. And if you're considering older pens, Esterbrooks are worth a look (SJs are the smaller ones)

[georgeb]

Laban Mento

 

Gate City Belmont

[artibasos]

You're really tempting me with your descriptions of the Pelikan. I have been tempted by pens with a little bit of flex -- that is, enough to be visible in writing, but not so much as to be a bad everyday writer (e.g. the Namiki Falcon).

 

I don't have the ready cash at the moment for another pen purchase at the moment, but when I do, I'll definitely place a WTB.

 

I have an old M+K Pelikan 120. It has a beautiful gold semi-flex fine nib. I love it, and have been looking around for something similar. I was pleasantly surprised yesterday when I discovered that the steel nib on the 2nd Pelikan M215 I recently picked up (F nib) is very similar to the old Pelikan 120 nib, just slightly broader. It's an excellent nib, and better than most of the gold nibs on my more expensive pens.

 

Do you think the Pelikan 120 would be an option for me? I know that in general, the larger the model number, the larger the pen, so possibly a 120 would be small and/or light? (And looking at eBay, it hits a very nice price point -- $80.)

[mikeschu]

Two lightweight pens that I have in my collection are the Sailor HighAce Neo and the Diplomat Magnum Soft Touch.

 

If you want a Japanese fine nib, the Sailor is a very light pen, and it's also one that you won't fret too much about if you lose it. I think it weighed something like 11g and most of that was in the cap; I can weigh it for you to get a more accurate number.

 

If you want a German starter pen that is a little bit more money, the Diplomat is a pretty decent pen for $25 and it takes standard international cartridges. It's mostly plastic, and I think it only weighed in at 13 or 14g.

[hot cocoa]

Pilot Prera

Sailor High Ace Neo

Kaweco Sport

 

Any of these are perfectly lightweight for achy hands. I computer way too much, so repetitive stress makes these lighter pens my go-tos.

[cjr]

+1 for the Pelikan M200. Easily found for under $120.

 

If you want a really cheap version of an M200, check out Noodler's Konrad. Those can be had for $20. Spring for an extra $15 Goulet (JoWo) nib, and you've got a really nice piston-filler daily writer that is very light. The Konrad is a bit larger than the M200, more the size of an M400.

[setriode]

The Ahab has a rather thick section though.

[WirsPlm]

You're really tempting me with your descriptions of the Pelikan. I have been tempted by pens with a little bit of flex -- that is, enough to be visible in writing, but not so much as to be a bad everyday writer (e.g. the Namiki Falcon).

 

I don't have the ready cash at the moment for another pen purchase at the moment, but when I do, I'll definitely place a WTB.

 

 

Do you think the Pelikan 120 would be an option for me? I know that in general, the larger the model number, the larger the pen, so possibly a 120 would be small and/or light? (And looking at eBay, it hits a very nice price point -- $80.)

One problem with Pelikans is that they're almost all piston fillers so that means cleaning them out is longer and more fiddly (need to suck lots of water in and out of the pen to get them clean), the Pilot 78G is a cartridge/converter filler that is easy to clean and requires much less fiddling so if you have hand problems it might be better. Some people really like piston fillers but I find them generally more annoying than they're worth.

[artibasos]

Piston fillers are fine -- the TWSBI I have is a piston filler, and it wasn't too bad. If I tried multiple inks in a row and was repeatedly cleaning it, sure, my hands started to protest, but I'm OK otherwise. I can do small amounts of painful activitiy -- e.g. dealing with a piston -- it's the extended use that bothers me. I will sit down and write four or five pages at a time, and that takes a toll on me.

 

Anyone know the weight on the Merz and Krell Pelikan 120? It's less expensive than the M200, I'm good with vintage, and the description of a little bit of flex in the nib sounds very exciting.

[ac12]

If you are at home when you write, why not consider a dip pen.

Dip pens can be quite light, and the line variation you can get simply by changing the $2 nib.

1 holder and a dozen different nibs.

[penrivers]

Dont forget the obvious referent in lightness: Esterbrook J, and quality btw.

[sotto2]

You're really tempting me with your descriptions of the Pelikan. I have been tempted by pens with a little bit of flex -- that is, enough to be visible in writing, but not so much as to be a bad everyday writer (e.g. the Namiki Falcon).

 

I don't have the ready cash at the moment for another pen purchase at the moment, but when I do, I'll definitely place a WTB.

 

 

Do you think the Pelikan 120 would be an option for me? I know that in general, the larger the model number, the larger the pen, so possibly a 120 would be small and/or light? (And looking at eBay, it hits a very nice price point -- $80.)

Personally, I would just get an easier to find, new Pelikan 200, 205, or 215 to start. The ones I've seen and tested have had very nice steel nibs with a bit of flex. I would suggest a Fine nib. Always best to test the pen you're buying first if at all possible. The Pelikan 120 Extra Fine I just happened to stumble upon in an antique shop is a really wonderful pen--superb writer and excellent function. It would qualify as a "vintage" pen, though, and possibly subject to more functional issues as a result of its age. Buy wisely and carefully.

Edited March 29, 2014 by sotto2

[sotto2]

One problem with Pelikans is that they're almost all piston fillers so that means cleaning them out is longer and more fiddly (need to suck lots of water in and out of the pen to get them clean), the Pilot 78G is a cartridge/converter filler that is easy to clean and requires much less fiddling so if you have hand problems it might be better. Some people really like piston fillers but I find them generally more annoying than they're worth.

Actually, I find my Pelikan piston fillers extremely easy to clean and flush thanks to the fact that the nib/feed units can easily be unscrewed and removed. After doing so, just hold the pen under the faucet and flush it out. If the piston mechanism seems to be a little sticky, put a tiny bit of silicone grease on the inside of the barrel with a blunt toothpick or a Q-tip with some of the cotton removed so you don't gob up the threads where the nib/feed unit screws back into the barrel.

[dcwaites]

I would second the dip nibs. The handles are quite light, and you can get them in different sizes to suit your hand.

 

 

The two on the left are vintage holders (i.e. from the 1960s) and the one on the right that you can only see a little bit of is a current Tachikawa holder. As you can see, they can take modern (cheap) fountain pen nibs as well as traditional dip nibs as below.

 

 

As well, if you need, it shouldn't be too hard to get a holder custom turned to suit your needs.

 

Once you get set up with holder, nib and ink, you will find you need less pressure than you do with even a fountain pen. You only need to press hard if you want to do fancy calligraphy. Writing as below takes hardly any pressure at all.

 

 

That was with a M.Myers and Son Post Office pen nib (first on the left above). Other nibs will give you different line variation. The D.Leonardt's nib (second on the left) gives a line with no variation.

Edited March 29, 2014 by dcwaites

[displacermoose]

If you're open to doing a bit of fiddling, many Indian pens are very small and light. Fountainpenrevolution.com has a pretty good selection. I have an FPR guru, an Airmail 58c, and a Serwex 362. These are not fancy pens by any means, and they to take some tweaking, but one you have them tuned they are great writers. I got all three for $27, and will be ordering the airmail's big brother soon--the small version is too small for my tendinitis/arthritis combo. You might also consider some of the smaller Indian ebonite pens as ebonite is very light without feeling cheap.

[carlos.q]

Actually, I find my Pelikan piston fillers extremely easy to clean and flush thanks to the fact that the nib/feed units can easily be unscrewed and removed. After doing so, just hold the pen under the faucet and flush it out. If the piston mechanism seems to be a little sticky, put a tiny bit of silicone grease on the inside of the barrel with a blunt toothpick or a Q-tip with some of the cotton removed so you don't gob up the threads where the nib/feed unit screws back into the barrel.

+1

I find an Esterbrook or Parker 51 a lot harder to flush.

[tinta]

My hands are seriously small.

One reason that I have amassed five Sailor 1911-Ms is their small size, light weight & narrow grip section.

With its converter full of ink, my un-posted 1911-M seems almost weightless.

 

The Mid-size 1911, the old Sapporo & the new Pro Gear Slim II all weigh in under 20gr.

These pens have excellent quality 14K nibs & efficient feeds (though their converters are small capacity).

They are the least expensive Sailors with 14K gold nibs.