Help me decide on my first grail pen! :-)

[ArtfullyInked]

1 hour ago, camelsuspicious said:

There are a few Onoto Magna fans on here - and there's a good reason why.  Gorgeous and substantial pens with a nice big juicy nib - but in the chased Ebonite, it's just so classy and timeless.

Thanks very much for your recommendations!  You’ve definitely given me more good choices to consider here.  I too love ebonite pens, and I agree that the Onoto Heritage is beautiful.  Is the feed in this pen ebonite as well?  I couldn’t find anything in their description.  

[ArtfullyInked]

59 minutes ago, Lam1 said:

 

I'm a huge fan of M1000s. But extra-fine nibs may be a problem with them.

Their nibs are very soft and wet, the two things combined make their extra-fine nibs... not very extra-fine (one of mine has an EF).

 

Now, the suggestions to try to go to a show or store and try the pens is a really good one.

I would add, find the pen that you like and fits well your hand, because any nib can be made very smooth - even EFs.

Then, consider sending your pen to get adjusted by a nibmeister and you'l have the the best pen possible. 

 

Thank you for your thoughts.  I’m thinking that a pen show (or 2!) may very well be in my future!  (And, it’s a good excuse for a trip 😄) Do you have an M800 in an EF as well?  If so, would you say that the EF better approximates a true EF in the 800 as compared to the 1000?

 

[ArtfullyInked]

1 hour ago, dms525 said:

I am extremely fond of guilloché/chased pens, especially ebonite ones. I have a couple of Onoto Magnas as well as one of the C-S Marlboroughs mentioned above. Both are very classy. Their nibs are stiff and smooth. If you like the size of your Nahvular's, the Pelikan M800 should suit you. The M1000 is oversized. People either love or hate the nib. It's very soft but not springy. You have to try it to know how you like it, I'd say.

 

Another line to consider is Leonardo Officina Italiana. Leonardo has produced a number of pens with a variety of guilloché patterns. Some are ebonite and others resin. Their nibs are excellent, both the gold and steel ones. They also have many gorgeous materials that are not chased. 

 

Here are a couple chased examples.

 

 

 

Good luck with your hunt!

 

David

Hi David, 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your pens.  Both look to be attractive pens from the photos, but that red one is just STUNNING!!  So distinctive, too; it’s too bad (imo) that ebonite seems to be disappearing.  I look forward to exploring Leonardo Officina Italiana. (So wish I’d been into pens when I was in Italy last!)

 

Yes, I very much enjoy the feel of my Nahvalurs, so thanks for the comparison info.  That’s kind of what I had guessed, based on reviews and whatnot, and it’s good to see it confirmed.

 

Thanks again, and happy writing!
 

 

[ArtfullyInked]

53 minutes ago, OCArt said:

If you'd like to try out the M800 size there is a Chinese 'copy' called Admik M800 available on aliexpress. The Hongdian N12 is also very close in size and both are very good piston filled pens. 

Wow—great idea, and so much less expensive than traveling to a shop somewhere that has an M800—thanks for the tip!  

[dms525]

13 hours ago, ArtfullyInked said:

Thank you for your thoughts.  I’m thinking that a pen show (or 2!) may very well be in my future!  (And, it’s a good excuse for a trip 😄) Do you have an M800 in an EF as well?  If so, would you say that the EF better approximates a true EF in the 800 as compared to the 1000?

 

 

I can't compare the M800 and M1000 EF nibs, but you should be aware that European nibs in general and Pelikan nibs in particular are broader than nibs with the same designation on Japanese pens. I have F and EF M800 nibs. Neither is nearly as fine as a F nib on a Pilot or Sailor pen. 

 

Again, the only way to establish your personal preference is by personal experience.

 

David

[boilermaker1975]

I have 5 Pelikan M800s. I love them and use them all the time. But my favorite pen is my Onoto Magna ebonite.

 

I have never held a CS, but I am sure I will have one some day.

 

I also have never held, or tried, an M1000.

 

[Karmachanic]

Over time you'll buy 20 and still feel itchy.

[Wahl]

   For my hand, I prefer the M800

[ArtfullyInked]

12 hours ago, dms525 said:

 

I can't compare the M800 and M1000 EF nibs, but you should be aware that European nibs in general and Pelikan nibs in particular are broader than nibs with the same designation on Japanese pens. I have F and EF M800 nibs. Neither is nearly as fine as a F nib on a Pilot or Sailor pen. 

 

Again, the only way to establish your personal preference is by personal experience.

 

David

Thanks for your reply, and yes, I suspect this is exactly why we end up with loads of pens.  But that’s what makes it fun.  I suppose that if someone handed us the perfect pen on Day 1 that simply could never be improved upon, boredom would set in fairly quickly.  (But at least we’d have an exceptional writing experience as well as more money in the bank 😄)

[ArtfullyInked]

5 hours ago, boilermaker1975 said:

I have 5 Pelikan M800s. I love them and use them all the time. But my favorite pen is my Onoto Magna ebonite.

 

 

Beautiful pen!  May I ask: What about the Onoto Magna ebonite makes it your favorite?  

[ArtfullyInked]

1 hour ago, Wahl said:

   For my hand, I prefer the M800

Hi, and thanks for your thoughts.

[ArtfullyInked]

2 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

Over time you'll buy 20 and still feel itchy.

I suspect you are correct! 👍 

[dms525]

1 hour ago, ArtfullyInked said:

Thanks for your reply, and yes, I suspect this is exactly why we end up with loads of pens.  But that’s what makes it fun.  I suppose that if someone handed us the perfect pen on Day 1 that simply could never be improved upon, boredom would set in fairly quickly.  (But at least we’d have an exceptional writing experience as well as more money in the bank 😄)

The perfect pen cannot claim that designation in perpetuity. Tastes change regarding aesthetics. Preferences change for nib widths and other characteristics. The pen that is perfect as an everyday carry may not be perfect for long writing sessions. The nib you prefer for To Do lists may be different than the one preferred for writing postal letters. If you are an artist, the pen preferred for drawing may not be right for calligraphy.

 

I'm sure your get the point. (No pun intended.)

 

David

[boilermaker1975]

37 minutes ago, ArtfullyInked said:

 

Beautiful pen!  May I ask: What about the Onoto Magna ebonite makes it your favorite?  

 

I like how the Magna looks. When I first saw Pelikans I didn't think I would ever own one. Then I bought a black with gold trim M800 because of a black friday doorbuster sale and I am growing to like their looks as I now own 5!

 

I like how the Onoto feels when I  hold it, maybe because of the slight texture and ebonite.

 

I have been serious into fountain pens for a little over a  year. I only got my first nice fountain pen, an Onoto Scholar last May. So I probably don't feel the nuances like long-time FP users but I just like the feel writing with my Onotos (Magna, Faraday, and Pi) a little better.

[ArtfullyInked]

6 hours ago, dms525 said:

The perfect pen cannot claim that designation in perpetuity. Tastes change regarding aesthetics. Preferences change for nib widths and other characteristics. The pen that is perfect as an everyday carry may not be perfect for long writing sessions. The nib you prefer for To Do lists may be different than the one preferred for writing postal letters. If you are an artist, the pen preferred for drawing may not be right for calligraphy.

 

I'm sure your get the point. (No pun intended.)

 

David

Touché 😄

[zmija]

To be honest, Pelikan M1000 nib, even EF, makes very wide wet line. This is not a pen for quick notes, nor for tiny precise writing.

[ArtfullyInked]

5 hours ago, boilermaker1975 said:

 

I like how the Magna looks. When I first saw Pelikans I didn't think I would ever own one. Then I bought a black with gold trim M800 because of a black friday doorbuster sale and I am growing to like their looks as I now own 5!

 

I like how the Onoto feels when I  hold it, maybe because of the slight texture and ebonite.

 

I have been serious into fountain pens for a little over a  year. I only got my first nice fountain pen, an Onoto Scholar last May. So I probably don't feel the nuances like long-time FP users but I just like the feel writing with my Onotos (Magna, Faraday, and Pi) a little better.

Thanks for your answer.  I’m suspecting I may like Onoto pens too, as I’m already a fan of ebonite pens.  I’ve only been into pens for a couple of years myself and don’t own but a very few, so will be trying to learn as much as I can here.  Lucky us, I suppose—we have so much territory to explore!  Have you been to a pen show yet?  I haven’t but am probably going to try to make that happen this year.  

 

[ArtfullyInked]

45 minutes ago, zmija said:

To be honest, Pelikan M1000 nib, even EF, makes very wide wet line. This is not a pen for quick notes, nor for tiny precise writing.

Thanks for your input.  

[Lam1]

23 hours ago, ArtfullyInked said:

Thank you for your thoughts.  I’m thinking that a pen show (or 2!) may very well be in my future!  (And, it’s a good excuse for a trip 😄) Do you have an M800 in an EF as well?  If so, would you say that the EF better approximates a true EF in the 800 as compared to the 1000?

 

 

Yes, I do have an M800 in EF (or two, or... 😂).

Does it write a true EF? It depends. If the standard is the western EF, then yes. If the standard is Japanese EF, then no.

Typically my M800 EFs write, with Edelstein inks, a hair thicker than a Pilot F with Iroshizuko inks (I mention the inks because that is important to compare the width). The M1000 EF is significantly thicker than that.

 

Don't take me wrong, the M1000 is a fantastic pen, and probably my favorite overall pen - followed closely by the M800 and, frankly any other Pelikan (that's why I have a... a "decent" number of them). But if a Japanese EF is what you're looking for, the M1000 is not that pen. On the contrary, it is a pen to write deliberately and enjoy the copious amounts of ink flowing into a good quality paper.

 

I also second the Leonardo suggestions - they are wonderful pens. Although, I do not have an EF to say how it writes. My 3 Leonardos have 1.1 mm stubs and I love them.

 

At the end of the day, I suspect that, as the name of your thread says, this is going to be just the first of a long line of great pens. Particularly if you allow us here at FPN to enable you. 😂

 

 

[Penguincollector]

   Adding my voice to the chorus; Pelikans in general are really wet and broad for their stated size. I have an M800 ground to a needlepoint, and it is still a super wet nib. I have to choose dry inks for it to really have narrow lines. This is another good reason to get to a show: I modify most of my pens, and I have brought pens that I have been thinking about buying at shows to my nibmeister friends’ tables and they give me feedback on whether they would work for me or not. I often buy pens from Kirk at the Pen Realm table and he customizes them for me at my show appointment. I’m sure there are other folks at your local show that can do the same.