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Advice For My Next Pen?


lmboyer

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Hey all, I'm still somewhat new to the world of fountain pens but I've been using them daily for the last year. First one was a Medium Lamy safari that I still use the most today and I love everything about it in terms of wetness and thickness. Also have a medium Pilot metropolitan that I think is a little thin in the thickness of line for my taste, and finally I got an Ensso Piuma as well recently in Aluminum and medium nib. Writes more similarly to the lamy with a little more tooth and less wetness which I don't mind either.

 

Anyway I'm looking for one step up for a nice pen, preferably under or around $120. Gold nib would be nice but I'm just looking for something that is even more fun to write with. I think something a little more flexible in the nib to allow for variation in thickness would be cool but I'm not sure what that would be. I was looking at the Pelikan M200 and Platinum Century so far, uncertain if one of those would be good, wet, flexible pens or enjoyable anyway. Was leaning towards the platinum for being cheaper but came here for insight on these two or other suggestions entirely. Using various noodlers inks.

 

Thanks

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Hi,

 

Kindly consider a Pilot Custom 74 with one of their 'soft' nibs.

 

I have one with a Soft Fine-Mdium (SFM) which is adorable.

 

The nib is most certainly NOT flexi, nor is it a nail, but is responsive to changes in writing pressure. Best used with a finger-over tripod grip.

 

Bye,

S1

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

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If you go to German Ebay, and find a seller who takes Paypal, and will ship outside of Germany, a a '60's Geha 790 is the best buy for semi-flex. Costing E-50-70. (less if you get lucky. It is a standard sized pen like a 400.) It 'must' have the 3 rings on the cap jewel. (Do not buy the cartridge pens in no cartridges now made fit.)

https://imgur.com/FcMRU9x

https://imgur.com/WotaRYp

Sorry about the hunt and peck....but the com won't accept it as it had photobucket.

Torpedo shape was very IN, the MB 146/9, Swan, Geha, 400nn & 140.

 

The 140 is a great medium-small pen that posts to standard width. My first semi-flex was a 140 OB. :puddle: . Costs E90-100.

The German semi-flex pens of that era, '50-70 were all stubs so you get great line variation.

German Oblique of era (not Lamy) are great. I suggest an OB in it is easier to use than an OM or OF as new to oblique. It is a writing nib, in the nibs of that era are 1/2 a width narrower than modern German pens. My 140 OB, my first semi-flex was so.... :puddle: .

 

Geha is at least as good as Pelikan.....two posters I respect claim Geha nibs are a tad better....steel or gold....and I tested my hand full of Geha 790/760's and a matching handful of Pelikan 400/400nn and the Geha nibs were a slight, slight tad better. Nothing you need to worry about as noobie.

Edited by Bo Bo Olson

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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I think the traditional "next level" step up to your first gold nib usually falls to the Platinum Century 3776 or the Pilot Custom 74. Both can be had at well under $100 USD if you shop smart and aren't in any big hurry.

 

I've got both pens and they're both excellent values and very nice pens. Regarding the nibs - I have a soft fine medium (SFM) nib on my 74 which (as noted previously) isn't a flex nib by any means but has some bounce and offers a little line variation which may fit the bill for you - that would be my recommendation.

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The Pelikan M200 is a great next step up. But if you're looking to test out a flex pen and stay in the price range, maybe get both a Noodler's Ahab or Konrad AND either the Custom 74 or Platinum Century 3776 (or any of the other recommendations - as long as you stay in the price range)?

 

The Noodlers you can take apart and tinker with, which can be kind of fun - or aggravating - and test how you like using a flex pen, while the others are the workhorses.

Inked: Aurora Optima EF (Pelikan Tanzanite); Franklin Christoph Pocket 20 Needlepoint (Sailor Kiwa Guro); Sheaffers PFM I Reporter/Fine (Diamine Oxblood); Franklin Christoph 02 Medium Stub (Aurora Black); Platinum Plaisir Gunmetal EF (Platinum Brown); Platinum Preppy M (Platinum Blue-Black). Leaded: Palomino Blackwing 602; Lamy Scribble 0.7 (Pentel Ain Stein 2B); Uni Kuru Toga Roulette 0.5 (Uni Kuru Toga HB); Parker 51 Plum 0.9 (Pilot Neox HB)

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While we're talking about Japanese pens with soft nibs, does anyone have an opinion on the Pilot/Namiki Falcon (I think those are the same pen)?

Edited by SoulSamurai
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Id second the recommendation for a Pilot Custom 74 (or 91/92) with a soft nib - probably soft fine medium (SFM) or soft medium (SM) in your case.

 

Theyre wet pens, high quality, and will give you some response to writing pressure and just a tad of line variation - a good way to see if thats something you like, but still enjoy the pen if you dont.

 

Buying direct from Japan will usually give you the best price - the soft nibs are generally only available on a few colors. I got a black CH91 SF for $80 on j-subculture (no affiliation).

 

Good luck!

~AK

Edited by AK-47

Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I found out long ago.

~C.S. Lewis

--------------

Current Rotation:

Edison Menlo <m italic>, Lamy 2000 <EF>, Wing Sung 601 <F>

Pilot VP <F>, Pilot Metropolitan <F>, Pilot Penmanship <EF>

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German semi-flex is from what I understand much better....than soft or in case of the regular non-modified Falcon which is a 'Springy 2 X tine spread only' pen.

I having a lot of semi-flex pens never had the urge to even try a soft Japanese nib. I also have regular flex nibs....which some say are what 'soft' means in Japanese pen....other talk mushy.

Neither regular flex nor semi-flex are even the slightest mushy.

 

Some of the modified Japanese pens are reputed to be semi-flex..............but again German Semi-flex is mostly stub nib, which makes a big difference,

 

Spend a bit of time researching. One gets a better pen....or one gets a pen that one understands what exactly it is.

Living in Germany....used Japanese pens were seldom on German Ebay. :rolleyes:

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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I would say the Platinum 3776 SF and Pilot Custom 74 SF/SFM are the best in your price range for what you want. Noodlers ink err or the wetter side so they will probably go quite well with both pens which err on the drier side.

Theyre wet pens

They don't tend to be wet. Quite the reverse. The Custom series seem to be uniformly dry, and drier than other Pilot pens. I guess there must be a reason.

Edited by Bluey
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So a few follow up questions before I do my final research and purchase:

 

With the Geha's, I'm seeing a lot more of them on eBay without numbers like 790 on the post on them that look similar to the 790, and many also only have one or two gold rings around them? I see like one with 3 rings and it's like $130. What's the significance of the different rings and would this matter or would they all be good? Especially since the model doesn't appear to be labeled? I understand they all are oblique. I don't want to go over medium I think bc I still want to write somewhat small but is a medium a good size or should I go down to fine since it's wider/oblique?

 

And the pilot seems nice but that clip... I don't like that at all 😂 So I might go with the platinum otherwise. Just debating between the M and SF nibs. I have experimented with some calligraphy nibs with oblique holders on the side so I sorta know how that works. Would the SF nib function as a workhorse for lots of everyday writing and notes as well? How would it compare with the medium regular nib? And what step up in terms of the writing feel from the lamy safari or pilot metropolitan would these be because maybe even just moving to the gold nib would be enough to have an even smoother and pleasant writing experience?

 

Thanks for all the advice guys

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For line variation, I suggest looking for a pen with a Cursive Italic (CI) nib.

With the CI nib, you get line variation, without the $$$ cost and learning how to write with a flex nib.

My current favorite is a Lamy joy with a 1.1 italic nib.

 

Flex writing is SLOW. You do not write flex fast, so NO, not for general note taking. I would use a dedicated pen for flex writing, and a different pen for daily use. However, some of the flex nibs are stiff enough to use as a regular daily use pen, if you have a light hand.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

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I came across a CI grind on a Parker 51 early in my pen journey, and it's the perfect pen for daily writing!

 

I also have a medium, soft fine medium, and soon to be two more fines grounds to CI, it's a lovely mix between some flair and daily fast writing!

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Are you guys saying that the soft nibs are equivalent to flex writers? I'm not looking for a pen to do flex writing specifically more just so that it is capable of that and some more line variation. I thought the SF nibs would still be suitable for everyday use?

 

I'm not interested in the Italic nibs as much. Not a fan of how they look. I like to be able to control the weight myself rather than use the little chiseled tip.

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I thought the SF nibs would still be suitable for everyday use?

 

 

Yes, they're perfectly suitable for everyday writing. I've heard some people on the forum(and elsewhere) claim that soft nibs such as the Falcon and other soft nibs are "not suitable for everyday writing". Poppycock, balderdash, etc. Anyone who says that has never used one.

 

In fact, I would consider soft nibs to be much more suitable for every day writing than non-soft nibs, especially for people who are more heavy handed as they make the changes in hand pressure less extreme and more constant as you're writing. They make writing more graceful, and they go with your flow.

 

Vintage flex nibs are much less suitable for every day writing, but modern Japanese soft nibs are perfect, as they're much less soft and hardly flex at all. They just give a nice comfortable ride - compare riding in a Bentley on the motorway compared to the number 10 bus down a bumpy country lane and you get the idea.

Edited by Bluey
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