Cheep Big Nibs

[surprise123]

I know those words don't usually correlate with each other, but anyway, I recently came into some money from music gigs (approx. $150) and I want to get a nice pen. I want to be able to use this pen out of the house, so I want to buy something less than $80. I really love big nibs, big, oversize pens. I just like writing with oversize pens for no reason with my smaller hands. It just feels natural. Preferably, this pen is a more classic design with a big open (gold?) nib. I also like vintage oversize pens but getting one of those is out of the question. Ink capacity is not at the top of my list, but nib performance certainly is. I'm looking towards some Japanese manufacturers like Pilot and Platinum, but those pens (Custom 74, 3776 Century) are only available under $100 on eBay. Should I encounter nib problems, I'd rather buy from an authorized seller.

 

I want to get a classic pen I can take with me places because my bang-around Parker 51 looks like a ballpoint, and gets treated like a ballpoint by many. I asked Jeremy Schonfield to sign my program and he used the pen sideways. It still wrote, miraculously.

[KellyMcJ]

I'm not sure you can get big pens with gold nibs for under $100-$150 new. Used sure, but buying used is a crapshoot.

 

I'd suggest carrying a different pen for others to use (as many of us do) because people have no idea what to do with a fountain pen- someone asked to try my Sailor (and the nib is big and eye catching there) and the proceeded to try to write with it upside down. There's always that person who came to a meeting unprepared and wants to use my pen, and I carry a rollerball (I have a box of them in my locker to give away) for those people.

 

So having a big nib is not going to save your pen from confusion and mistreatment by others, I'm sorry to say.

 

Your best bet is to get a decent rollerball if you want a nice pen for OTHERS to use, and splurge on a mid-range Pilot or Sailor or Platinum ($150-200 unless you shop on eBay) for your own use.

[surprise123]

Size wise, how much smaller is a #5 Pilot than a regular #6 nib?

[KellyMcJ]

Are Pilot nibs physically smaller? I have #5 and #6 nibs here but not a #5 pilot, unless that's what's in my metropolitan.

[surprise123]

From what I previously saw, the Metropolitan nib is slightly smaller than the Pilot #5. I'm debating between the fancy scrollwork of the Pilot and the larger nib of the Platinum 3776.

[surprise123]

Does anyone here have experience with the Platinum Ultra Extra Fine nib? I write on cheap copy paper daily that my Pilot Metropolitan EF struggles with so I can't get enough of fine nibs. Apparently, Platinum/Nakaya are the only ones who dare go to 0.1mm lines on their UEF nibs.

[KellyMcJ]

From what I previously saw, the Metropolitan nib is slightly smaller than the Pilot #5. I'm debating between the fancy scrollwork of the Pilot and the larger nib of the Platinum 3776.

 

I'd go for the fancy scrollwork if aesthetics are the only consideration, but that's just me.

 

Does anyone here have experience with the Platinum Ultra Extra Fine nib? I write on cheap copy paper daily that my Pilot Metropolitan EF struggles with so I can't get enough of fine nibs. Apparently, Platinum/Nakaya are the only ones who dare go to 0.1mm lines on their UEF nibs.

 

I definitely have my eye on one of those...but if you have issues with cheap copy paper, I would check out the ink you're using too. I use a Sailor F nib daily...it's a wet writer compared to many and definitely broader than the UEF and probably broader than the Pilot Metro EF- I use nanopigment ink and it hasn't failed me once. I don't have any control over the copy paper that I use and its quality is all over the place.

[surprise123]

I've only used two inks in my life: Waterman Black and Waterman Blue-Black (variations). I stick to those because I frequently use vintage rubber sac pens.

[Carrau]

How about the Jinhao 159? It’s as big as the MB149, and with the money you save you can buy a better nib for if you think it needs one, or if you want a nib other than the Jinhao Medium that it has. Several people on FPN have switched it out with Goulet nibs (no connection to them or any other commercial interest), it comes in several colors including Black, Green, Yellow, Orange, Red, and it gets a very favorable review from SBRE Brown, and he does a ”shootout” comparison with MB149. (see review video links below).

[surprise123]

I never really liked the Jinhao pens (doesn't look original, if they designed their own stuff I would buy it.) I think I might go buy a Platinum 3776 because of the large, finer gold nib. I like needlepoint fine nibs and the Jinhao 159 Herrjaeger showed me just didn't cut it. I might still get it because it's dirt cheap, and uses a #6 nib which I will switch out for a Speedball nib to hand to people who think all fountain pens are wet noodles. Hey, it's cheap uber flex. I understand the Pilot #5 nibs aren't the biggest, and only Platinum/Nakaya grind nibs to 0.1 mm lines. That's the pen I want.

[minddance]

Big and Cheap nib = Jinhao 159. There is probably no bigger at this price.

[surprise123]

I decided to hold back on buying the Japanese pen and bought the Jinhao 159 in black with gold trim. I doubt it's actually gold plated but I also bought a 10-pack of Zebra G nibs to... heheheh... experiment. Now that I think of it, I may rip off the ugly clip from the Jinhao (did it before!) because I just hate that design. If they removed the shield I would have bought it LONG ago. In addition to the Zebra G nibs (flexible dip nibs) I may purchase a Bock Goulet nib in black to put on the pen. That is, only if the nib it comes with is beyond writability.

 

I'll have a clipless uber flex oversize pen made from $10! I couldn't be happier. I know I can make the dip nibs fit because I have spare #6 feeds made of ebonite in my pen drawer.

 

Now just to find the right diameter washer to go on the new clipless finial...

[KellyMcJ]

I stay away from the 159 because of that clip. It's hideous! I do however have 2 x750s with upgraded nibs and converters and I love them.

[two2tone]

If you want a "Cheep" big nib, I suggest something bird-like such as a Pelikan M1000.

 

If you want a "Cheap" big nib, then the Jinhao 159 is the way to go.

 

 

[Mech-for-i]

I got a couple of ballpoint and a multi pen that I carry around, if someone ask me for a pen that's what I hand them .. big or small, it does not matter , majority of people jus do not had the skill to handle a fountain pen these days, and instead of trying to educate them ( and without the time to do it ) might as well hand them something they know how to use.

 

As for over sized pen most nominal Asian models are unlikely to be so. at best one can term them full size but hardly over sized. You will have to go for the top end model to see anything like that. The Jinhao more an exception and its only oversized as far as weight and girth goes, length vise its more just a nominal one ( mid size in fact )

[minddance]

Well, I have Jinhao 159 but stay away from it, it has not been inked for the longest time. The performance is subpar and does not seal inks properly.

 

But since this thread is a question on big+cheap nib, I can only give my reply, not that I endorse/enjoy Jinhao in any way

[Karmachanic]

There's a thread about replacing the 159 clip with a 750 clip. It requires a bit of modification. I'm mobile at present and disinclined to do the search.

[wspohn]

If you want a "Cheep" big nib, I suggest something bird-like such as a Pelikan M1000.

 

 

 

 

http://derbyimages.woot.com/cakalusa/Cheap_Cheep-tokprx-d.jpg

[minddance]

My bad, I did not see the word cheep.

 

Indeed, get a Pelikan m1000. You will be happy in birdland

[surprise123]

As a student, a Pelikan M1000 is about just as unreachable as a Waterman 20.