Jump to content

Next Step After Pilot Metropolitan?


Kvothe_011

Recommended Posts

I recently got my first FP: a Pilot Metropolitan with a medium nib (plain black) and I'm starting to plan the next step. My criteria is as follows:

1) Affordable. I'd be comfortable in the $5-$35 range.

2) Quick drying. I'm a leftie so pens on the dry writer side is preffered.

3) Aesthetics. I'm not particularly a fan of the more modern designs such as the Lami Safari.

4) Nib size. I'm currently using a Pilot Medium, but I've heard from multiple people that a Pilot Medium is close to a Western Fine. So either fine or medium nib is good.

5) Feathering. As a student, I frequently write on cheap, absorbent paper so feathering makes my handwriting illegible.

 

I'm not necessarily confining myself to Pilot but other Pilot suggestions are more than welcome.

-Luis L.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 16
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • ncpenfan

    2

  • Ecriveur

    2

  • ParkerDuofold

    2

  • Kvothe_011

    1

Top Posters In This Topic

Do you like the shape and heft of the Metropolitan ? Is there something you would change ?

A Sheaffer NoNonsense is bigger and correctly priced.

A Parker 45 is classic, and within your budget range. It is my favorite.

#2 & #5 are more function of ink, rather than pen.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Try some inexpensive pens - jinhao, bauer, lamy, parker 45, shaeffer cartridge pens. You can try quite the variety with very littleexpense.

 

The ink is as important as the pen. Try noodlers black. It works well on inexpensive paper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might want to look for a restored Esterbrook, which will be a vintage pen, lever filler, and a nice little writer. Your price range will be very difficult to meet. I suppose another option is a less expensive Jin Hao or another Chinese pen. I only have one, and it is a good writer (my particular one was a gift, and is one of the very heavy, ornate Jin Hao pens; I don't recommend it as an EDC).

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self." Earnest Hemingway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Kvothe,

 

To echo previous posters; I'll be a little more specific and add:

 

Jinhao X-450 & 750

Kaigelu 316

Kaweco Sport?

AND

Faber-Castell Loom, but these have a rep as wet writers, (so do Parker 45's), so you may want to consider that.

 

Best of luck in your quest,

 

- Anthony

Edited by ParkerDuofold
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Twsbi Eco in fine or medium.

Interesting suggestion and a pen I haven't tried yet myself.... hmmmm.... :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting suggestion and a pen I haven't tried yet myself.... hmmmm.... :D

I would second the TWSBI Eco - a great pen with a huge ink capacity at a very affordable price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Platinum Plaisir or Balance? Just suggestions around your budget. I really just wanted to give a nod to a fellow Rothfuss fan.

"Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts." - Patrick Rothfuss

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello, I am also a student and I also like a small line and quick dry fountain pen and also dislike the modern design as Lamy too.

 

As I can think now, the inexpensive FP that I like to use at school are:

 

- Platinum Plaisir (cheap, good writer, easy to find a Preppy as spare nib and feed)

- Platinum Cool / Balance (Recommend)

- Kaweco Sport (F nib is like a M of asian nib, may be too wet for poor quality paper)

- TWSBI (I have 3 TWSBI FPs: Eco, Diamond Mini, VAC Mini, I think the EF and F nib is good for poor quality paper more the M)

 

I also love some vintage FP as Senator Windsor and Reform 1745.

 

Chinese has many good FPs in fine and extra fine line. Jinhao 15 is a good Extra Fine pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might I suggest that you move up a bit in price? The pens mentioned above are all great for their price, but if you can save some money to spend on a pen in the next category up, you might really appreciate it. :)

 

Erick

Using right now:

Visconti Voyager 30 "M" nib running Birmingham Streetcar

Jinhao 9019 "EF" nib running Birmingham Railroad Spike

Stipula Adagio "F" nib running Birmingham Violet Sea Snail

Sailor Profit "B" nib running Van Dieman's Night - Shooting Star

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Faber-Castell Loom probably has the smoothest nib in that price range. Kaweco Sport, TWSBI ECO & Schneider Base are also nice inexpensive pens.You should also consider using Pelikan 4001 ink as it will not only dry quickly but also prevent feathering on cheap, absorbent paper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Pilot Metro is really a terrific pen and a great value - congrats on your first pen!

 

That said - I don't think the next step is a pen in the $35 or less category - it's just more of the same really. Different nibs and different styles but still entry level type pens. There's nothing wrong with that at all - I have a number of them - in fact I just ordered another Pilot Metropolitan (Tiger White - medium nib) for my wife! But I would suggest continuing to use the Metro while saving some money. If you can get to the $80ish range you can get a gold nib and a much nicer pen that will really be a step up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...