Looking for a goto everyday pen.

[langere]

The only problem I have with Pelikan is that I find I can not take it around while keeping it in my pocket, since all of my Pelikans have a bad habit of loosening caps.  I have stained a number of pockets that way, when the body falls from the cap and the nib is free to ink up my clothes.

 

Erick

[Switala]

5 minutes ago, langere said:

O único problema que tenho com o Pelikan é que acho que não posso pegá-lo enquanto o mantenho no bolso, já que todos os meus Pelikans têm o péssimo hábito de soltar as tampas. Eu manchei vários bolsos dessa forma, quando o corpo cai da tampa e a ponta fica livre para pintar minhas roupas.

 

Erick

Hello Erick, it is not a common problem for these pens. Maybe with some sensitivity, adjust the torque you use to close. I only painted a pocket in 20 years of Pelikan, with a Level 5, which had a very simple problem. I found out after flooding the pocket with 4 ml of ink, luckily washable ink.

[langere]

Obrigado, Switala!

 

Erick

[maclink]

On 1/14/2021 at 11:43 PM, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

I was just going by their description of the pen.  Goulet lists it as a demonstrator.  I bought it because I like the looks in the photo, it's a great price and over the years I have seen a lot of recommendations for the M200 and 205.  It did look like the body might be a bit translucent, but frankly I didn't even notice they say it's a demonstrator until after I ordered it.  I ordered the fine nib since anything broader looks like ink blobs with my writing.  Now I have to wait like a kid at Christmas.  Nothing like buying my own birthday present.

Let us know how you get on with it.

 

Someone had already recommended a Platinum 3776.  I have 4 of them and highly recommend the medium nib.   Their medium nib writes like a western fine.  It writes smoothly and the ink flow just right, IMO.  I really enjoy writing precisely with their medium nibs.  The writing experience is great and special to Platinum nibs, I find.  I also have a Platinum soft-fine and was surprised at how fine a line it puts down.  It is really fine although, mind you, the flex is quite good.  I wouldn't recommend their fine nibs unless you write really small and love the tight precision in exchange for the feedback/'scratchiness'.

 

Sailor is not the same as Platinum in nib size-performance.  Although Japanese, Sailor medium nibs, to me, though fantastic, write more like Western mediums!  I really love a Sailor medium nib and highly recommend trying one.  OTOH, I made the 'mistake' of getting a Sailor with a fine nib.  The jump in size is too much, IMO.  Definitely not what you would expect after using a Sailor medium nib.  The fine nib on my Sailor 1911S puts down an even finer line than my Platinum 3776 S/F.   Way too much feedback for me as well, unless you really need that thin line.  I think it more appropriate for Chinese characters etc.

[sansenri]

On 1/14/2021 at 11:37 PM, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Goulet has a Pelikan M200 gold marbled demonstrator on sale, so I decided to order it.  I may eventually add one of the other suggestions people have made as well.  I am trying to start a new ministry which might give me an excuse to dress up a bit and carrying a nice pen would add a bit of pizzazz.  Sometimes people ask special speakers to sign their Bible, doing it with a nice fountain pen is a little more classy than a disposable ballpoint.

 

I am also trying something else, I have ordered sugar cane based paper.  I have journals that use this paper and my Eco does well on it.  The only bad part is that the ink tends to bleed through a bit.  I wish I could have found it in #24 instead of #20.  I might try to get a bit adventurous and try some different ink colors as well.  I admit that even when writing, I tend to be too serious and afraid to get out of my comfort zone.

 

I am enjoying all of the posts and I am learning about what pen brands to trust.  I'm sure this won't be my last pen purchase. 

 

I think you made a very good choice. If I had to recommend a quality everyday writer I'd have no doubts about mentioning a Pelikan M200 as first choice. M200s are extremely reliable pens and that is what you need from an EDC.

One issue for some can be that the pen is slightly on the small side, but that can usually be easily overcome by using the pen posted. As regards the cap coming unscrewed in the pocket, it's rare on M200s, vintage 140s are more prone to that, but in any case, to save your best suit, when carrying the pen in the pocket use a pen holder, it does not need to be anything fancy, one of those soft leather (or even faux leather) slip cases used also for glasses will be just fine.

 

[Matthew Lee 1959]

Thank you for all the advice and insight as I choose my new pen.  I've attached a photo and a sample of my writing with my new Pelikan M200.  Hopefully I did everything right and the images will look like they should.  Even though the description said it was a demonstrator.  I wouldn't really consider it to be one in normal light.  It does write well on normal bond paper, but I have been using sugar cane paper that I bought and then did my own lines for lined writing paper.  I was surprised at how light weight it is.  Not a bad thing, just an observation.  It's a lot lighter and smaller than my ECO.  I like that it writes easily.  Now I just need to find a good black ink that writes black instead of grey and doesn't run at the sight of a little water.  My daughter is a huge Harry Potter fan and thinks I should have ink colors for all the houses and an official Emerald Green as a Hogwarts letter writing color.

 

I do like Goulet Pens, the personal touch is nice.  

[Switala]

14 minutes ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Obrigado por todos os conselhos e percepções ao escolher minha nova caneta. Anexei uma foto e uma amostra da minha escrita com meu novo Pelikan M200. Espero ter feito tudo certo e as imagens ficarão como deveriam. Mesmo que a descrição dissesse que era um manifestante. Eu realmente não consideraria que fosse um em luz normal. Escreve bem em papel sulfite normal, mas tenho usado papel de cana-de-açúcar que comprei e depois fiz minhas próprias linhas para papel pautado. Fiquei surpreso com o quão leve é. Não é uma coisa ruim, apenas uma observação. É muito mais leve e menor que o meu ECO. Gosto que escreve facilmente. Agora eu só preciso encontrar uma boa tinta preta que escreva preto em vez de cinza e não escorra ao ver um pouco de água.

 

Eu gosto de canetas Goulet, o toque pessoal é legal.  

Congratulations on your purchase.

I wish you much joy with your new Pelikan.

Regards.

[A Smug Dill]

3 hours ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Now I just need to find a good black ink that writes black instead of grey and doesn't run at the sight of a little water.

 

Platinum Carbon Black. No other black ink I've tried would pass that test, if the success criteria is not merely remaining black and legible after a splash or soak.

[txomsy]

Great pen and lovely writing. Now, time to go to the inks sub-forum and search the black ink reviews.

[maclink]

11 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Platinum Carbon Black. No other black ink I've tried would pass that test, if the success criteria is not merely remaining black and legible after a splash or soak.

I have the Sailor Carbon Black using here and it’s very nice. It’s waterproof too. Ran some text under a tap last night and was impressed. Nice and black.  I’m using it in a Platinum 3776 with medium nib. The flow is very steady and moderate. Very nice for semi-cheap stationary that’s used at work for record keeping. 

 

I’m sure Platinum Carbon will be very similar. I’ll be using this ink normally without all the recommended fortnightly flushing etc. Push it to it’s limits as it were. 

[A Smug Dill]

25 minutes ago, maclink said:

I have the Sailor Carbon Black using here and it’s very nice. It’s waterproof too.

 

You mean Sailor Kiwaguro? No, it is not waterproof; see the testing I did (to which I gave a hyperlink earlier, in the text your quoted).

[Matthew Lee 1959]

7 hours ago, txomsy said:

Great pen and lovely writing. Now, time to go to the inks sub-forum and search the black ink reviews.

It's been a long time since anyone complimented me on my handwriting, thank-you.  I have to say, the more I use this pen, the more I am falling in love with it.  It is handling all types of paper very well.  My journal is #16 sugar cane, my normal writing paper is #20 sugar cane.  It handled the paper in my steno book when I made my shopping list, it handles notecards and did fine on Wal-mart's store brand #24 bond paper.

 

Is it just me, or do different pens affect how a person writes?  It seems like the weight, balance, size and nib response is changing how I physically move the pen.  Does the pen choose the writer, rather than the writer choosing the pen? (Sorry, daughter is a huge Potter fan.)

[A Smug Dill]

10 minutes ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Is it just me, or do different pens affect how a person writes?

 

Sure. A user isn't likely to write with a Italic- or Stub-nibbed pen in exactly the same technique, movements and rhythm he does an oblique-cut Broad-nibbed pen, which will be different again from using a round-tipped Extra Fine-nibbed pen.

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

 

Is it just me, or do different pens affect how a person writes?  It seems like the weight, balance, size and nib response is changing how I physically move the pen.  Does the pen choose the writer, rather than the writer choosing the pen? (Sorry, daughter is a huge Potter fan.)

 

For me; yes. Also rather than holding all pens the same way, I let the pen decide how it should be held. When changing pens it may take a paragraph or two to adjust, depending upon the pen.

[MuddyWaters]

More and more I am choosing pens based on how legible my handwriting is with them. The pen body and nib feedback definitely affects this. 

[maclink]

4 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

You mean Sailor Kiwaguro? No, it is not waterproof; see the testing I did (to which I gave a hyperlink earlier, in the text your quoted).

I did my own testing thanks and I’m more than happy with its water resistance/level of waterproofness.

 

I also just checked out your own 'linked' test.  Nicely done.  Great penmanship and I have to agree with your term description 'completely waterproof'.  Which asks the question of whether or not an ink can be waterproof and yet, not completely waterproof.  

 

I know it's semantics, but from a pragmatic standpoint and for my own document proofing purposes, all those inks passed the water test and I'd be happy to use them when I'm concerned about my document/s getting wet.

 

From a technical standpoint, we can see which are the completely waterproof for those looking for complete waterproofness and nothing less.

 

When I try other inks that really aren't waterproof in any way, it's a very different experience.  Some will completely disappear or disappear to the point of complete illegibility.

[A Smug Dill]

6 hours ago, maclink said:

I also just checked out your own 'linked' test.  Nicely done.  Great penmanship

 

Thank you very much!

 

6 hours ago, maclink said:

and I have to agree with your term description 'completely waterproof'.  Which asks the question of whether or not an ink can be waterproof and yet, not completely waterproof.

 

I think it can be, if what was completely waterproof becomes compromised over time through physical and/or chemical changes due to exposure to light, heat, oxygen or other substances. After all, waterproofing in other contexts can deteriorate, fail and/or require redoing every so many years.

 

6 hours ago, maclink said:

I know it's semantics, but from a pragmatic standpoint and for my own document proofing purposes,

 

There are ISO standards for qualifying and/or assessing pens or inks for documentary use. I can only guess that waterproofness is not any part of the requirements or even terminology therein; but I haven't actually ponied up the money to acquire a copy of those standards to review.

 

6 hours ago, maclink said:

From a technical standpoint, we can see which are the completely waterproof for those looking for complete waterproofness and nothing less.

 

Or, even from a practical standpoint and with requirements stated in ‘layman’ terms, as I've highlighted in an earlier reply, and I'll repeat the quote and highlighting here:

 

On 1/21/2021 at 8:24 AM, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Now I just need to find a good black ink that writes black instead of grey and doesn't run at the sight of a little water.

 

Whether writing done in black ink will run upon contact with water seems to be a boolean condition; it either runs (in a detectable manner, if you want to throw in the factor of fitness and sensitivity of ‘test equipment’ — which could include one's natural vision — for determining whether ink left on the pages run or not), or it doesn't. The stipulation had nothing to do with legibility of the text after wetting the page, or otherwise preservation of the information content of the written word, but purely a physical observation.

[Bo Bo Olson]

Pelikan marbled brown....mine has an EF in I use it for editing.

For $150 you should be able to get a spare nib in F to go with it.

I don't know how narrow you want your nib......but with that good paper, with an F you can use two toned shading ink.

With permission of Fritz.

Looks better in real life than the picture.

[Matthew Lee 1959]

1 hour ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

Pelikan marbled brown....mine has an EF in I use it for editing.

For $150 you should be able to get a spare nib in F to go with it.

I don't know how narrow you want your nib......but with that good paper, with an F you can use two toned shading ink.

With permission of Fritz.

Looks better in real life than the picture.

That pen looks like the one I just got only with a black cap instead of white.  When I get ready to add to my collection I will have to check it out.  What I meant about pens wasn't as much type of nib like italics vs stub.  I was referring to things like gold versus steel, size and weight of pen.

 

I think in addition to finding a good black ink, I'm playing with other colors just for fun.  For 15 years I had to use only black ink in my logbooks.  In fact everything had to be in black.  I bought a bottle of Waterman Harmonious Green.  This can get expensive fast, so I may try Goulet's samplers to see what I like, of course that's in addition to reading everyone on this forum.   

[A Smug Dill]

12 hours ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

Is it just me, or do different pens affect how a person writes?  It seems like the weight, balance, size and nib response is changing how I physically move the pen.

 

1 hour ago, Matthew Lee 1959 said:

What I meant about pens wasn't as much type of nib like italics vs stub.  I was referring to things like gold versus steel, size and weight of pen.

 

Well, a user certainly isn't going to handle or wield a Sailor Chalana fountain pen (with overall weight of <12g and barrel diameter of 6.4mm) in the same way to write, as he would a Sailor Arita 400th anniversary commemorative edition fountain pen (with overall weight of 76g and barrel diameter of 15mm).