Battle Of The Holy Grails

[Calabria]

I wonder if a grail pen has to be big.

 

My grail pen (for this year) was a red M800 (no longer available), with a NOS EF nib (ca. 1990-95). Got that abroad and am very happy; can't imagine a more beautiful or better writing pen.

[jameswatts]

Aurora 88. Pilot Custom 823. Trust me.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Just curious about this. Who would win the battle of the HOLY GRAIL or FLAGSHIP Pens?[/size]

.) Visconti Homosapiens/Divina[/size]

.) Montblanc Meisterstuck 149[/size]

.) Pelikan M1000[/size]

.) Sailor King of Pen[/size]

.) Anything from Nakaya[/size]

Give me your take on these pens and if you have other suggestions, please chime in. Who knows, maybe one day I would have on of these (At least I hope so).[/size]

[/size]

I'd have to give it to Homo Sapiens. Dark ages, over the 149. I give the edge to the Homo Sapiens because it doesn't scratch and will outlast the 149.

[ksm]

Aurora 88. Pilot Custom 823. Trust me.

You are talking about "writer's" pen. Pens mentioned above are "status symbols" :-)

 

I find Aurora 88 Big the most comfortable pen to hold in my collection (if only its nib performed on the level I would need no other "writing" pen).

[ItwasLuck]

From my limited experience, I would expand your Visconti choices to the Opera Master LE series, and not the new ones but the old ones that have the 18K nibs. I've included a picture of my "Holy Grail Pen" or 'GOAT' pen. Same goes for the MB, go for the older vintage ones that use celluloid instead of "precious resin". I haven't used a Nakaya or Sailor KoP before but their nibs are amazing but I believe they are C/C so I would stray away from that because a pen should at least have a piston filler to be considered a "Holy Grail"! Pelikans are great but I wouldn't consider them Holy Grails, they are way too utilitarian to be considered a Grail pen.

 

So if I were you go with a Visconti Kakadu/Australis/Wall Street LE (if you can find one) or similar Opera Master LE that uses celluloid for it's 'piston' knob and section. They look best without the normal metal section and knob, definitely makes them light enough to use as a daily writer if you wanted to as well. Go with one of those or a MB 139, these are definitely Holy Grail level pens.

 

Hope that helps! Also don't limit yourself to the Visconti HS/Divinas, they are great sure but not that special. If you really like the HS, then go for the HS Crystal That pen is simply a work of art, as most of Visconti's acrylic/celluloid 'acryloide' pens are. They have an amazing amount of depth to them, pictures really don't do it justice, you have to see these pens in person to really how amazing they look.

 

For example, just take a look at Nibsmith's review on the HS Crystal, notice how the pen looks in the video, then pause the video when the still pictures are shown, notice how different it looks!

Another example, take a look at the picture I took of the Kakadu, if you look at most pictures of the pen it'll seem black to you, I turned on flash to show how the pen is actually a subtle blue.

Edited November 8, 2016 by ItwasLuck

[Namo]

Hello,

 

 

Pelikan M1000 is a classical piston filler with a really huge capacity.

I beg to differ. It seems that a lot of people think that because it's a piston filler, therefore it has a "huge ink capacity". This is simply not true. First, some brands are using a kind of captive converter. For example, my beloved Marlen Aleph barely holds 1ml (a converter is about.7ml, but a long cartridge is more that that!).

 

As for the Pelikan m1000: I guess it does not hold more that 1.3ml (Francis from Conid pens did a systematic measurement, there is thread somewhere), which is jot bad, but certainly not "huge". An old m1000 may ho!d more inks since Pelikan seems to have "standardized" it's production relatively recently. A Lamy 2000 hold about the same. A vintage Lamy 27 (a pen about the size of a Parker 51) holds about 1.6ml of my memory serves me well. A vintage Pelikan 400nn holds about 1.7ml...

 

So piston filler does not imply "huge ink capacity" and sometimes not even a bigger ink capacity than a standard c/c filler.

 

I add this comment not knowing if ink capacity is important to you, but since you are looking for a grail pen, I thought it might be important to you.

Edited November 11, 2016 by Namo

[PAKMAN]

Of the ones you mention, and I've had many of them, the Visconti Divina would be my pick.

[jar]

thanks for all replies. Now I am down to the 149 and a Nakaya

Just sold two 149s and will be selling another.

 

But did not sell any of these.

 

http://www.fototime.com/9DC7E14E4C5388D/medium800.jpg

[ItwasLuck]

Just sold two 149s and will be selling another.

 

But did not sell any of these.

 

http://www.fototime.com/9DC7E14E4C5388D/medium800.jpg

If the OP has decided between the 149 and Nakayas then he should definitely go with the Nakayas!

[ItwasLuck]

Of the ones you mention, and I've had many of them, the Visconti Divina would be my pick.

I second this, also the Visconti Opera Master LEs would be a great choice, definitely better than a 149! Ofc if he is picking a Nakaya that would be a pretty good choice as well.

[macaddicted]

If the OP has decided between the 149 and Nakayas then he should definitely go with the Nakayas!

+1. I much prefer my Danitrio (must be different) in just about every way. The modern 149 was boring to me. Perhaps a vintage 149 with a flexy nib?

 

 

Golly, I love spending other people's money.

[ItwasLuck]

+1. I much prefer my Danitrio (must be different) in just about every way. The modern 149 was boring to me. Perhaps a vintage 149 with a flexy nib?

 

 

Golly, I love spending other people's money.

Agreed lol, but recommending something actually worth buying is a kind gesture.

I did recommend him a MB 139, or a MB 149 with the 18C nib. So guess we agree on these two choices haha. 😎😎

[jar]

+1. I much prefer my Danitrio (must be different) in just about every way. The modern 149 was boring to me. Perhaps a vintage 149 with a flexy nib?

 

 

Golly, I love spending other people's money.

Danis are okay.

 

http://www.fototime.com/E642234FBABDB9E/medium800.jpg

[ItwasLuck]

Danis are okay.

 

http://www.fototime.com/E642234FBABDB9E/medium800.jpg

 

Nice collection you got there! If you ever do ever feel the need to sell one, let me know ahead of time. =D

[Aditkamath26]

If I were to buy one now, I am on to Nakaya Neo Standard in Aka Tamenuri, Montblanc 149 and a new member Delta Dolcevita Oversize vermeil

[jar]

If I were to buy one now, I am on to Nakaya Neo Standard in Aka Tamenuri, Montblanc 149 and a new member Delta Dolcevita Oversize vermeil

Be aware that the Nakaya Neo-Standard takes a brazzilion turns to cap or uncap.

 

http://www.fototime.com/0DEB9F0E2839376/medium800.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/EF8FDF016A98AF6/medium800.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/5BCE11B02971198/medium800.jpg

[ItwasLuck]

Be aware that the Nakaya Neo-Standard takes a brazzilion turns to cap or uncap.

 

http://www.fototime.com/0DEB9F0E2839376/medium800.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/EF8FDF016A98AF6/medium800.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/5BCE11B02971198/medium800.jpg

Wow Jar you sure have an amazing collection of pens! 😍😍 could you please share us your visconti collection!! :)

I honestly never liked the dolcevita but that one just changed my opinion on the pen!

Might I say, you sure take quite great care of your pens!! Mind sharing your secret? Any sort of polishing liquid that isn't harmful? Sorry for being a little off-topic.

[jar]

Wow Jar you sure have an amazing collection of pens! could you please share us your visconti collection!! :)

I honestly never liked the dolcevita but that one just changed my opinion on the pen!

Might I say, you sure take quite great care of your pens!! Mind sharing your secret? Any sort of polishing liquid that isn't harmful? Sorry for being a little off-topic.

My Visconti collection is...zero. Hate that Bridge clip.

[ItwasLuck]

My Visconti collection is...zero. Hate that Bridge clip.

Really?? I dunno I find it quite attractive though it is not functional or dependable at all. Your definitely not the only one that expresses that view! Thankfully for me it has yet to slip off. The one on my Kakadu is very tight, not springy at all. Still have to use two hands to operate the damn thing but the one hand trick is starting to work but it's a bit uncomfortable because of the amount of pressure you have to give it. Maybe recent Visconti clips are too springy I'm not sure. Quite interesting.

Edited November 15, 2016 by ItwasLuck

[Joe in Seattle]

Pelikan Toledo was, is my grail.