Pens For Small Hands?

[senzen]

2) a fabulous daily writer.

Fabulous = comfortable to hold; Beautiful to look at; Smooth, not-scratchy, fine-point nib, Easy to fill; Easy to clean.

 

 

 

Take a look at the Parker 75, the great classic and more expensive is the ciselé, but there are many finishes: milleraies, barleycorn, thuya, black, flamme. Small but comfortable, great nib, many sizes of nibs available, great looking pen, reliable.

[amk]

I have small hands (and arthritic ones) and find that there are two big variables that affect my writing comfort, length and weight - because a pen that's too long *and* too heavy demands that I hold on to it, whereas a light pen or a short pen will balance better. I actually avoid pens that are too thin, so I'm only looking for low values for two of the three dimensions.

 

Pens I find comfortable: Pelikan M200, which comes within your budget and offers you an upgrade to a gold nib some time if you have more budget to splurge. Pelikan M400 of course for those with more money or less self-discipline.

 

Platinum 3776. Very nice pens all round, crisper, and finer nibs than Pelikan.

 

Kaweco Sport - really a 'pocket' pen but fun to write with every day, too.

 

Waterman 'lady' series (lady Charlotte, Anastasia, Elsa, Patricia, Agathe) - these 1980s (I think) pens are tiny, and have remarkably nice nibs. Usually sell for EUR 70-150 but I've occasionally struck lucky on eBay and actually found one at a car boot sale for two euros! Some are lacquered metal, some are made out of stocks of vintage galalith. They're adorable. You *need* small hands to use these. Lumberjacks need not apply :-)

 

Vintage ringtops are fun. Apart from first tier manufacturers, they're not much collected and seem to sell cheaply compared to other pens. If you're handy, and can resac pens and tweak nibs, you could build a really nice collection for relatively little.

 

I also find Parker 51s and 45s comfortable to use and **indestructible** :-)

[como]

I knew this was coming.

If you want to go the vintage route, look at ringtops. They are generally on the small side and usually priced a bit lower than full-sized pens.
You’ll have to compete with me, of course.

[como]

Here are a few different small pens, left to right: 1. "The UNIQUE Pen" Junior model, ca 1950s; 2. Delta Dolcevita Mini, ca 2004; 3. Conway Stewart No. 15, ca 1950s. From the three, my favorite is the Delta Dolcevita Mini: It's the most beautiful to me (I know, subjective). The section is actually not thin so it's not as tiring to write with as the pens with very thin sections. But it's the most expensive among the three, but it's not too bad. The other two are well within your budget. Vintage nibs are a bit softer to write with.

[como]

Forgot to mention that the vintage Conway Stewart Dinkie 550 model has many different attractive patterns, very small pens well within your budget too. I find their nibs nice to write with, despite being very small. They were meant to be gentlemen's vest pocket pens.

[sansenri]

"My fiancée has small hands — and has to shop in the kids section when looking for gloves that fit her". Tell me about it! My hands are just over 6 1/2 inches from heel to middle finger tip, and gloves always seem to be either flapping on the ends of my fingers or decorated with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Or hot pink. :-(

 

What did they do back in the day when kids learned to write with fountain pens in primary school? Were there smaller school pens, or did the kids just learn to handle full sized ones?

That's a good point, actually

 

kids learned to write with school pens which were quite popular when fountain pens were compulsory.

School pens were small to medium size.

A tipical school pen was the Pelikan 120 (I learned to write on that one), but there were many others Reform, Sheaffer, etc.

The 120 is approx the size of the M200, so mid to small. A nice pen still today.

[como]

Here is the fountain pen model mandatory for the Swiss public schools (fourth graders and up): Pelikano. It has to be this one. These pens are actually bigger than my vintage pens, and fit most adult hands very well. They are comfortable to hold and excellent writers, no problems at all (or we have been lucky!). The green one is even for left handed writers. Notice the ribbed rubber section on where the index finger will go for left handed person. A perfect pen for 20 Swiss Francs (same in dollars) and I am sure even cheaper in Germany!

[Bibliophage]

Lanbitou makes some pocket/purse pens that are VERY tiny. They're aerometric fillers only. When posted, they're skinny, and around the normal length of a pen.

 

Also the Wing Sung 3007, Delike Element, and the Pilot Petite1 (if you like expensive cartridges)

 

There's even one that looks like a cigarette on E-Bay right now for a buck fifty. I'm thinking about grabbing one, just because

 

If you want to try one of the Lanbitou's, drop me a PM. I have a small pile I picked up several years ago.

 

(The Cigarette pen is apparently a Luoshi 385B)

Edited November 1, 2019 by Bibliophage

[Bibliophage]

Miniature pens -

 

[minddance]

kaweco sport unposted is quite small. If you enjoy 'rougher' nibs, Sailor 14k pro gear is quite small unposted. Pelikan m200 or m300, which is smaller?

 

I am not sure if small hands want short pens or a thin grip.

[Inky-Republic]

Hi,

 

Always difficult to be objective when you can't actually get your mitts on a pen and try before you buy.

 

For vintage you might certainly consider a Conway Stewart. There are plenty advertised on UK e-bay at very affordable prices and in general, the smaller the Conway Stewart, the cheaper prices they go for. I guess the Dinky model is the one everyone points to as being petite (and it really is) however you could also go for something slightly larger such as the model 70/75 (essentially the 70 & 75 are the same pen, but the 70 was made for export). I currently have a model 70 which I use for writing comments on technical drawings and is is indeed a fine writer (see photo) .The CS nibs were very nice and smooth, with just the right amount of flow (in my opinion). An excellent database of CS pen statistics is also available here: http://conwaystewart.wesonline.org.uk/csbook/cslist.htm. Plenty of fine nib examples are available.

 

For modern compact pens, look at the Japanese offerings. Sailor is my preferred brand and offers pens in a variety of sizes and finishes. Be aware however that Japanese nibs are indeed very fine and that a medium Sailor nib is pretty much the equivalent of a fine nib anywhere else.

The Japanese pen websites usually present a decent amount of data in their advertising, so considering either of the above options gives you some scope for pre-purchase research.

 

You probably have too many opinions at this point, but I hope the above helps at least a little.

 

 

[amk]

+1 for vintage Conway Stewarts. They have marvellous nibs and they are not all that expensive, with the exception of a few rarities (herringbone, floral).

 

You might also look at Burnham - some super smallish pens in really gorgeous celluloids. Burnham hasn't traditionally been much of a collector focus so again, inexpensive. Many come with gold nibs. I have a couple of darlings in bright blue marbled celluloid, really nice pens to use.

[A Smug Dill]

The Pilot Elite 95S with the deep red barrel is, in my opinion, gorgeous and has an awesome gold nib to boot. I have one with an EF nib, which my fiancée liked so much she took from me for a while (when I carelessly "offered" it), but I couldn't bear to part with it after all so I bought her one of her own -- with an F nib so that it's distinguishable from mine. I've written with her as well, and the nibs in either width are just superb.

[Beechwood]

Here is the fountain pen model mandatory for the Swiss public schools (fourth graders and up): Pelikano. It has to be this one. These pens are actually bigger than my vintage pens, and fit most adult hands very well. They are comfortable to hold and excellent writers, no problems at all (or we have been lucky!). The green one is even for left handed writers. Notice the ribbed rubber section on where the index finger will go for left handed person. A perfect pen for 20 Swiss Francs (same in dollars) and I am sure even cheaper in Germany!

 

 

HI Como

 

I hope that the OP will not object too much if I ask about the Pelikano and its use for left handers. I thought for a moment that this would mean an oblique nib with a slope similar in shape to your right foot. I have looked on the Pelikan site and they say

 

'The writing of letters consists of a pulling movement. A left-handed person on the other hand uses a pushing movement.'

 

I havent heard of this concept before, I am struggling to thing that it is correct, can anyone confirm?

[como]

Exercise me for not sticking to the original topic, but just to answer your question: That's what they say, but I can't tell the difference. It's definitely not a right foot oblique. All I can say is that the L pen writes very well in all directions when I write with my left hand. It also writes very well with my right hand. I can almost say the same with the A pen (which they marked as the basic model for right handed students). Under the loupe I can't tell the difference in tipping either. Bit of a myth... but very usable, and better than some of the expensive pens that didn't write properly out of the box.

 

 

HI Como

 

I hope that the OP will not object too much if I ask about the Pelikano and its use for left handers. I thought for a moment that this would mean an oblique nib with a slope similar in shape to your right foot. I have looked on the Pelikan site and they say

 

'The writing of letters consists of a pulling movement. A left-handed person on the other hand uses a pushing movement.'

 

I havent heard of this concept before, I am struggling to thing that it is correct, can anyone confirm?

[Beechwood]

Exercise me for not sticking to the original topic, but just to answer your question: That's what they say, but I can't tell the difference. It's definitely not a right foot oblique. All I can say is that the L pen writes very well in all directions when I write with my left hand. It also writes very well with my right hand. I can almost say the same with the A pen (which they marked as the basic model for right handed students). Under the loupe I can't tell the difference in tipping either. Bit of a myth... but very usable, and better than some of the expensive pens that didn't write properly out of the box.

 

 

Thanks Como, appreciated. I must admit I like the Pelikan junior range, i havent used the Pelikano but the Twist is a clever piece of pen engineering, a fun pen that works well.

 

Sorry to the OP for the diversion, i was just curious as to how a pen could be targetted at left handers without a specialist nib

[melissa59]

No apologies necessary for the diversion. Personally, I think diversions are great learning experiences -- except when fueled by arguments.

 

I think amk hit the nail on the head with the word BALANCE. I was given a thin Cross ballpoint but never use it because I find it hard to grip. Then again, I don't want to write with a fat cigar of a pen either. As far as weight goes, it's only an issue if it affects the top heaviness of the pen. Unfortunately, it's hard to judge the balance of a pen by a photo.

 

@Beechwood, I am curious as to why you steer clear of Japanese pens. Is it because you don't like extra fine nibs? Or is there another reason?

 

I prefer my Safari fine (F) or Esterbrook fine (9556) nib for most writing. Though I do use a Safari M nib with the Noodler's Midway Blue ink. For a daily writer, I want a pen that writes AT LEAST as thin as the Safari F or Esterbrook 9556. If I can get a tad thinner line without a lot of scratchiness, I think I'd prefer it. I really wish I could try the Sailor F and M and Pelikan F and EF nibs to see which I'd like best.

 

'I also like that it is a tiny piece of history.' Not many people on here get this concept, for me it is not that a pen is old, it is the fact that 60+ years ago someone was working in a factory producing a pen, not knowing whether it would last 6 months or 6 years and here we are, 60 years later, and you are still holding and using that pen, however humble that pen might be, it is still around.

 

Great minds think alike. I like to browse eBay and imagine who owned the pen and how they used it. For example, I always see the beautiful blue vacumatics and think of a man who used it to sign documents or contracts. The gold overlay Mabie Todd pens bring to mind an older woman (my age!) signing cards or writing letters to loved ones. The Shaeffer Snorkel reminds me of my mother, who worked on that pen in a factory in Fort Madison for a short time right out of high school, before marrying my dad.

[A Smug Dill]

As far as weight goes, it's only an issue if it affects the top heaviness of the pen. Unfortunately, it's hard to judge the balance of a pen by a photo.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/339940-delike-new-moon-3-metal-body/?p=4235589

[Beechwood]

 

@Beechwood, I am curious as to why you steer clear of Japanese pens. Is it because you don't like extra fine nibs? Or is there another reason?

 

Great minds think alike. I like to browse eBay and imagine who owned the pen and how they used it. For example, I always see the beautiful blue vacumatics and think of a man who used it to sign documents or contracts. The gold overlay Mabie Todd pens bring to mind an older woman (my age!) signing cards or writing letters to loved ones. The Shaeffer Snorkel reminds me of my mother, who worked on that pen in a factory in Fort Madison for a short time right out of high school, before marrying my dad.

 

Hi Melissa

 

Not buying Japanese pens is a complicated story. My father was born in Singapore in 1935 and saw the treatment of his mother and younger brother at the hands of the Japanese, I could go into detail but it would not be appropriate for this forum.

 

A fountain pen, a watch, my safety razor and shaving brush, my car, all very personal long term use items they bring back memories in their use, in my case all of these items are made elsewhere.

 

Therefore as much as we like the history of pens that have a story to tell, perhaps have been gifted for a special day or have been owned by a notable person there is a downside. A member who is no longer with us was a good friend to me and I was very pleased to have given to him an all gold Parker 51 that had been bought by Martin Fox in Havana in 1954, Martin Fox had connections to Che Guevara and there is a photograph of him using a gold 51.

 

I also really dont have any use for extra fine nibs. I am sure that that the Japanese make other nibs but I havent looked into it.

 

Best wishes in your hunt for a good pen, one that is bought by the heart and not the brain.

 

G.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Estie LJ, lady J, is smaller than the DJ and the thin SJ.

The 140 is medium-small, the Geha 760 is the same size or the Osmia 62...those will have semi-flex*** stubbed nibs.

This Austrian made pen is what I call small.....actually tiny.

 

The 140 for @ E90-100 is a comfortable pen, that posts long...to standard size because of it's longer cap. The Geha 760 posts a bit shorter in it's cap is not quite as long.

Such pens the 140, 400, 400nn or 600 should be posted in there is where the balance lies. Pens of that era had to have superb balance or on bought another brand....back in the day of One Man, One Pen and buy new every 7-10 years.

 

....the 400NN is a standard width medium-large pen it is the same width as a 200/400. The 200/400 are standard sized pens........... ....not small ones....................oh, well I do have to forgive those born too late, to an era where Large pens are 'standard'......they are set in their ways.

 

***Semi-flex has nothing to do with 'flex' pens....in semi-almost is quite far from superflex.

 

You can write just as fast as with any other nib........those who say they have to write slower, are IMO abusing the nib by drawing calligraphy lettering ....forcing the nib past 3 X a light down stroke.

Regular flex, which you can find in the Esterbrook assortment is what a modern 200 will give you.

I've grown to really like the 200's springy nice ride, regular flex nib. I rave about them all the time.

 

The 200 will take a vintage '50-65 semi-flex stubbed nib.........but why not get a vintage 400 which is the exact same size and has that semi-flex nib. Look for tortoise, which is not more expensive on German Ebay than regular green stripped.

 

One could look at it so, regular flex....a nice springy ride.

Semi-flex could be seen as regular flex +,

Maxi-semi-flex as semi-flex +, or regular flex ++.

 

Osmia is the only pen that you can be sure you are getting a semi-flex; small diamond often with size number of the nib in the diamond. Maxi-semi-flex is a large diamond and Supra, or just Supra.

All other maxi-semi-flex nibs are luck of the draw.

 

The Osmia or Osmia-Faber-Castel are right now very affordable at @ E60 on German Ebay***.....a shocking low price, in a decade ago they were costing that or more....and in between much more.

You do have to find a German seller who takes paypal and will ship out of country.

Euro zone does bank wire transfer at the same cost as US checks......a US to Euro zone bank wire transfer costs $35.00.

Someone else's pitcher I stole to show what a Supra nib looks like.

 

I don't collect Kaweco, but the Dia is a smaller pen, medium small which was very, very in in Germany in the '50-60's.

Everyone had a pen that size (medium-small), Geha's flag ship was the 760, with the gold piston ring......when the 725 came in, the 760 lost that gold ring .....so of course I sigh cubed ended up with that non-flagship 760..............still a great pen.

 

***Standard sized Geha 790's go for @ E60+, the smaller 760 will set you back more at E80+. Of course the 790 is black and gold only, one can luck into 760's with some different colors.

If you luck into a fully stripped 780...buy it you can always swap it in for a couple 760's.

 

Those German vintage pens will be semi-flex and stubbed, in that was normal in that time, out side of Lamy, Tropen and Herlitz which were nails.