Looking for a goto everyday pen.

[Matthew Lee 1959]

I am looking for a quality everyday writer.  I am looking for something with a fine nib that writes smooth on various paper, especially #24 bond laser/inkjet paper.  I like a screw cap, either a piston, or a converter fill.  I need to stay under $150.  I would like something that looks nice, but performance is most important.

 

I have a TWISBI Eco that is nice but it is very dry and scratchy, on the other hand I like seeing how much ink I have and how much ink it holds.  I also have Monteverde Prima, but it dries out very quickly and I have to push the ink by turning the fill plunger on the converter to get ink flowing.  This happens after about a paragraph.

 

I use Noodler’s Black for it’s permanence.  I was using Pelikan until I had a notebook get wet in the rain and suddenly I had a blank page all over again.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Arkanabar]

OK, you like the TWSBI ECO for being a demonstrator and (presumably) a piston filler.  Some questions:

 

How wide is the nib?

Would you like it better if it was slimmer/had more girth?  Shorter/longer?  Heavier/lighter?  A different section shape or profile?  A broader/finer nib?  What do you like about it?  What would you change, besides the dry and scratchy nib (btw, there are youtube videos on correcting those sorts of issues)?

 

And all the same questions regarding your Monteverde Prima.  And any other favorite pens, whether FPs or not.

 

Knowing these things will help us avoid recommending pens you won't like.  Without this information, this will quickly become yet another "What's your favorite EDC pen?" thread.

[Arkanabar]

I don't actually own any of the following pens, but they're all very popular, and within your price range.

 

Pilot Custom 74 Custom Heritage 92, Platinum Century 3776, Lamy 2000.  These are all fairly popular as "first gold nib pens," and they're all within your price range.  Of these, I've only ever held a Lamy 2000.  On the first such occasion, the cap retention prongs bothered my thumb mightily.  The second time, I'd largely broken myself of having my grip choked up almost to the point, and it was not an issue.

[Matthew Lee 1959]

My handwriting tends to be small so I like a fine nib.  My biggest complaint about the twisbi is that it writes scratchy and isn't very wet, so the writing tends to be grey rather than black.  My other complaint is just that the piston seems a bit loose.  I like the feel and balance of the pen and I like it's size.  It holds a lot of ink and since it is a demonstrator it's easy to see how much ink I have left.  I like holding pens a bit higher on the barrel rather than down closer to the nib.

 

I do have some disposable uniball pens, I like the dark line and smooth writing, but I don't like the cheap clip, or small barrel.

 

I like the looks of the Prima, when it is writing it gives me a good wet, dark line.  It seems the drying issue is something in the Prima pens which is why I tried the Eco.  I'm looking for something that can handle long writing sessions.  With my vision, I'm not about to try to fix nib issues, I'll have to send it off to be worked on.  (I almost need a flood lamp to be able to write by hand and I am sitting two feet away from a 32" monitor as I type this.)

 

I don't want to bore everyone with a sad tale, I'm in a situation where I need to kick my writing into a higher gear and some things are better handwritten.

[ENewton]

If you prefer fine nibs and smoothness is a key criterion for your daily writer, Pilot is a good brand to investigate.

[Matthew Lee 1959]

Is there any particular Pilot pen I should look at?

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

I also have Monteverde Prima, but it dries out very quickly and I have to push the ink by turning the fill plunger on the converter to get ink flowing.

 

Not likely to happen with a screw-capped Pilot Custom pen.

 

42 minutes ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

My handwriting tends to be small so I like a fine nib.

 

Pilot's 14-K gold F nibs will, in all likelihood, be plenty fine enough for most people's small handwriting. Whether you want the nib to be that precise, and the line to be so narrow, is a different question.

 

 

45 minutes ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

I'm looking for something that can handle long writing sessions.

 

The question would be whether you can handle long writing sessions, not whether the Pilot pen can. In my experience, the construction of Pilot Custom pens are more than robust enough, and while I'm completely uninterested in trying or commenting on Noodler's Black ink, there is no problem with ink starvation or inconsistent flow using permanent inks such as Sailor Kiwaguro or Platinum Carbon Black in a (CON-50, CON-70 or CON-B) converter-filled Pilot Custom.

 

The other likes you mentioned are so subjective, I'm not going to try to compare a Pilot Custom 74 or Custom Heritage 91/92 with pens you want to use as a frame of reference. To check out the looks of the Custom range, you can visit Pilot's web site; notwithstanding that the text is in Japanese, the thumbnail images do say ‘CUSTOM’ (but you may have to look closely). I have no experience with the Custom NS, and wouldn't suggest that as a candidate as it's the only model in the Custom line that doesn't come fitted with a gold nib and it isn't that much cheaper for it. Texture and weight balance is something you need to try for yourself.

 

There are, of course, plenty of good pens at or below US$150 that will write smoothly and not easily dry out when capped. Sailor, Pelikan, Aurora, Fine Writing International, etc. If you only need one pen, then you can either choose to constrain your search to one narrow range (e.g. Pilot Custom) in which you probably can't go wrong with the writing performance and cap seal effectiveness and then get on with writing, or cast as wide a net and take as much time as you need to try to get the ‘best’ pen for your budget, and select between ten or so shortlisted candidates — any of which would tick the boxes — after reviewing several dozen makes and models in the market today.

[pearlfox]

For demonstrator screw-cap pens that write well at $150 or less, I'd add Pelikan M200, and Sailor Pro Gear, Pro Gear Slim, and 1911 to the list.

 

[corniche]

Hi Matthew, 

 

While it misses many of your requirements; the Esterbrook Estie is fast becoming my favorite in the 35 odd years I've been using fountain pens.  I have six and all but one has been a perfect writer straight out of the box. 👍

 

- Sean 

[sgphototn]

Since no one else has mentioned this, might I suggest looking at Indian ebonites with JoWo nib units. Very affordable, well-made, 3-in-1 ink reservoirs, JoWo nibs are excellent and available in a wide variety of grinds and easily switched.

 

I suggest Ranga and Lotus. Look at their websites.

 

If you want a heavier pen made from metal, check out the Italix brand from Mr. Pen. Also well-made, and the widest variety of affordable nibs on the market. Price-wise, another great value compared to 'name' brands.

 

Good luck.

 

 

 

 

[txomsy]

I would second a Pelikan m200. Never had one, but I understand it is excellent and ticks all your marks.

 

[tde44x]

My TWSBI 580 Rose Gold II with a stub (1.1) nib is beautifully smooth. I use it regularly on HP24 with Diamine Ancient Copper.

[Karmachanic]

Look at the brands that have been mentioned, and get the one that floats your boat. What's best for me may not work for you. Lamy, Pilot, Pelikan, Sailor, Platinum ............

 

Some love Lamy, others would never buy one.

 

What shape do you like?

Metal or plastic section?

Bling or Traditional?

Piston or Convertor?

Screw in nib or Friction Fit?

And so on.

 

At the end of the day it's up to you. Go for it.

[ENewton]

8 hours ago, pearlfox said:

For demonstrator screw-cap pens that write well at $150 or less, I'd add Pelikan M200, and Sailor Pro Gear, Pro Gear Slim, and 1911 to the list.

 

 

I would have recommended Sailor most heartily had the original poster not specifically cited smoothness as a desired attribute.  

[Matthew Lee 1959]

I haven't disappeared, I've been sitting back watching everyone's replies.  When I need advice on a subject I don't know much about, I like to let the experts talk amongst themselves while I listen.  I appreciate all the input and it is starting to give me some direction.  I am more of an accidental collector, as I can put together money I buy a pen looking for the one that performs in a way I like and draws a little attention in public.  As far as dismantling a pen, it scares me to death, so other than putting in the converter when I first got my Prima, I haven't even attempted it. 

 

I mentioned the ink because I know enough to know that can also be a factor.  Early on when I first started using fountain pens I was using Pelikan 4001.  I was an o-t-r truck driver and use steno books for all my load information including directions.  It was raining when I went in to the shipper and by the time I got inside, I was looking at a blank sheet of paper where once had been all of my load information.  All it took were a few rain drops and you couldn't tell the rain from my tears.  (Thought some of you might enjoy the story.) 

[txomsy]

I can fully sympathize. That's why I favor overwhelmingly permanent inks over non-permanent ones, although I must say, lately, sheen inks are gaining again a spot in my heart.

[AL01]

 

 Vintage or modern?

[Matthew Lee 1959]

I was thinking modern, but I'm open to vintage.  Speaking of vintage, I have a Parker button filler that needs the sac reglued and probably a new pressure bar.  I'm not sure where to send it.  Fountain pen hospital, maybe?

 

Life has really changed since I lost my wife and I gave up on writing and a lot of other things until a few months ago.  Now I'm having to refocus and I'm finding I need to write by hand for physical reasons as well as more esoteric ones.  It helps with fine motor skills.

 

 

[warblerick]

I highly recommend the Kaweco Dia 2. It is a solid well built writer that never fails to start, has a well made converter, brass lining to the barrel, posts well, looks great with a vintage looking clip, great feel in the hand. My only wish is that it came in more colors, but you can't have everything.

[Switala]

I am suspicious to indicate, because I like these pens a lot, for great reasons they are among my favorites for everyday life.

I suggest a Pelikan M 200, like the one in the photo or another model among so many that the brand offers in this price range.

Regards