Heavy Pens or Light Pens?

[aderoy]

Since I never post my pens there may be a small advantage to the weight. Namiki VP or lower is what I find the best. The sections girth does matter more.

 

Lamy CP1 is too small in diameter for long writing, Caran d'Ache Leman is a heavy pen, but the section girth helps to offset. CS Dandy, Sailor 1911 (old style), Pelikan 800, Stipula Nuda, OMAS 360 and CLEO SKRIBENT Ebonite being the lighter pens.

 

So my vote would be lighter, non posted of course.

[omasfan]

I saw a few people mention they don't consider the weight when buying a pen and I'm with them. But, I do like a heavy pen though just because it feels better balanced to me. I write with a Montegrappa Extra which pretty much could be considered a ton weight compared to a lot of the pens I own.

 

You're right. It is a heavy pen and yet feels pleasant. I don't know how they did it but it sure feels comfy in one's hands.

[andyk]

With me it isn't so much the weight but the balance of the pen, I usually write with the cap posted and it is surprising how the balance of some pens (and my ablity to write with them) is affected by leaving the cap off, a well balanced pen can feel quite light when you are writing.

 

Andy

[Bennington1967]

I use both light and heavy pens, so weight isn't a factor for me at all. However, if a pen is light, I like it to be big - llike a Sailor KoP or a CS Churchill. I cannot stand pens that are both light and small! The heaviest pen I own is a mighty 80g in weight - but it's well balanced when uncapped, as a lot of the weight is in the cap. I never post pens.

[Ink Stained Wretch]

I've yet to find a pen that's too light, and I'm not currently writing things at enough length to worry about too heavy, but I certainly would have trouble with too thin. My sole objection to the Waterman Hemisphere is that the section verges on too slender (likewise, traveling back in time, the Waterman 12-- the Phileas breaks the cycle). While on the subject, I should say that the Wality 69L I just got is colossal but feathery light, so if you like a large but light pen, it's a good bet.

Yes, too-thin fountain pens can be a pain, literally. Too thin is worse than too heavy for me. Arthritis is creeping up on me and all.

[Bennington1967]

I prefer heavy pens, but the thing that tires me the most is writing with thin pens like Pelikan 20x, Cross Century and Waterman Hemisphere. I end up with cramp in no time. The nicest pens to write with are the Lamy 2000, Pelikan 805 and Danitrio Densho from my collection. So I use the small pens for signatures or short notes.

 

 

I tend to agree. The thinnest pens I have are: a Dunhill Sidecar Sterling L.E., which, being solid silver, offsets the thin barrel with its heft, and a Parker Duofold Accession, which is International sized but full gold plated brass, so again nice and hefty. I used to have a Cross Townsend in gold fill, but the metal on the barrel was too thin to add any heft, so I ended up selling it.

 

 

[Catsmelt]

Count me in as preferring light pens.

 

I recently purchased a Pilot Knight and it is just too heavy for me to use comfortably. Such a shame, because the nib writes so well.

[PigRatAndGoat]

I like pens on the heavier end of the spectrum. I like a solid quality feeling that only weight can give me.

PS: Nice picture Catsmelt

[Ghost Plane]

Heavy for me. Yard O Led Grand Victorian is perfection. But I need a perfect floater of a nib as I let the pen's weight do the work for me.

[KROWN]

I must admit I am unsure. My uncertaintly has arisen since I bought a CS Churchill, big but surprisingly light to the feel. Previously I would have equated comfort with heft and weight. My W'man Edson was my favourite for a long time, and I still prefer a pen with weight, but I'm now prepared to consider a lighter pen. The truth is that the Churchill is such a beautiful writer I was surprised and prepared to "forgive" its lightness. :hmm1: My favourite pens now are my Omas Paragons, new editions at 48 and 51 gms respectively. Not light by any means.

 

The second thing I'm curious about following this post is whether to post or not. I note from the FPN lots of folks don't post. May I ask those of you who don't, what do you do with the cap? I'm sorry but how do you not knock it off the desk or lose it, or stop it rolling into the Salsa or being swallowed by the small Terrier we all seem to have.... Ok Ok, maybe that isn't a problem for everyone, but it is aserious question. I've always posted, one because I like the look of the pen posted and second for the reason my question points to, namely I lack the imagination to know how within the boundaries of the law to cope with an unposted cap!

[KCat]

Light and the section must fit within a very limited range. The M200 smallest I can use comfortably for a long period of time. The M600 is the largest in diameter that I can use for a long period of time. The Sapporo *slim* Mini is perfect for me being just about smack dab between the 200 and 600 in terms of section diameter.

 

Still, there is one heavy pen I can use very comfortably for as long as I need to - the Namike VP/Capless. I can only figure that 1) the tapering barrel allows me to find the right fit for my grip and 2) the pen is superbly balanced overall. Nothing else this heavy has ever been comfortable for me. I don't even post most of my pens, even though my Pelikans remain nicely balanced when posted.

 

Much as I love the idea of having the classic Pelikan 800, I imagine I would rarely use it. I have 3 or 4 pens that don't fit my rather stringent requirements but they are so lovely otherwise that I can't give them up. One example is my Namiki Falcon. The section is far too "fat" but the nib is fun and it is one of the few blue Falcons out there.

[PAKMAN]

I like an odd mix. For larger pens I prefer that they be on the lighter side and for skinny pens I prefer them to be heavier. A big Edson is too heavy but a Pelikan 800 is a nice weight. A Parker Vector is too light but a Yard-o-Led Viceroy is just right.

[pmsalty]

I tend toward a slightly heavier pen. My favorites are my brass or steel bodied pens. Currently the pens I use the most are a Waterman Expert II, a Duke Esteem and a Hero 156. These are my carry pens. I also frequently use an Esterbrook J, a Sheaffer Balance and a Wing Sung 237. The longest I have written in about one hour straight with several of the above pens and I really didn't now much difference. The heavier just seem to feel better in my hand.

Different strokes for different folks, as with most things.

PMS

[krz]

I use both heavy and light pens.

 

Light-old Waterman Ideal Vest pens, Sheaffer Tuckaways.

 

Heavy-big Sheaffer Vac. Valiant, an old brass Torpedo type pen, and a no-name heavy aluminum pen.

 

What affects the comfort of my writing hand the most is thickness. My hand cramps easier with a thin pen, and I tend to like shortish pens 4 1/2" to 4 3/4" tall. The Sheaffer Radite flat top is a little heavier than usual but the fat Jr. size is a joy for me to use.

[encremental]

A few posters have mentioned their dislike of narrow pens, and until a couple of months ago, I would have agreed with them. Then an odd thing happened.

 

On a whim, I ordered a Pilot Birdie, which is thin, tiny and light (also very cheap!). I've found it a very useful and fun pen - and a superb writer. - easily as nice as a Safari. I did wonder about its diameter though, which is very small for a pen, until I held it end on and compared it to an ordinary wooden pencil. Exactly the same.

 

Of couse it then struck me that I have happily used pencils for extended periods for most of my life never feeling the need to buy chunky trainer pencils. Furthermore, as someone who once had delusions of being an illustrator, I have worked with watercolour brushes for up to six hours at a stretch - and the diameter of a no 6 sable has got to be far less than even a pencil .... Therefore, for me at least, a lot of the thin pen angst was in my head and was more to do with what a pen 'should' be like. When I realised that , the diameter of the Birdie has never bothered me (and when posted the length is fine too). This of course means that there are even more pens to buy, so I'm now thinking of getting a Lamy cp1

 

John

[zenshrink]

My brass body Duponts are fine. I have a Sailor Gaudi which is all brass and I find it too heavy to write comfortably with. Anyone interested? It is what I would call mint though I've written with it quite limitedly.

 

Also nib length I find an issue on some pens. If the nib is too long I have trouble controlling the pen.

[Wizergig]

The lighter smaller pens give me more control, and allow me to write longer periods of time. Case in point. Sailor 1911 Stearling Silver vs 1911m. I love the Silver pen but it is only good for very short writings, or a signature. My writing is not as neat with the larger heavier pen. I would not have guessed this when I first started into fountain pens. I seemed to be drawn (through appearance only) to mid size pens with heft. I have compared my writing directly to one another within this brand that I have determined what I write best. But man that Stearling Silver pen looks nice.

[Oxpen]

I write as a large part of my profession. Sometimes I write for several hours a day with fountain pens (before typing up on lap-top). I like large pens but not particularly heavy pens. I always write with the pen capped. The heaviest pen I have is probably the Platinum Plated Graf Von Faber Castell but it never gets used as it feels too heavy & unbalanced. My heaviest pen which does get regularly used is a wonderful Dunhill AD2000 carbon fibre - but this seems so perfectly balanced that I am unaware of weight. The pens that get the most use are generally vintage Parker Duofold Big Reds or similar - large, well-balanced, but not overly heavy.

 

Oxpen

Edited October 13, 2007 by Oxpen

[CharlieB]

Heavy for me. Yard O Led Grand Victorian is perfection. But I need a perfect floater of a nib as I let the pen's weight do the work for me.

 

I totally agree with Ghost Plane. Yard O Led Grand Victorian is the perfect size and weight for me. I also like my Dupont Orpheos, my Conway Stewart Icon and Drake, and my Classic Pens CP5 Modern. I find that the weight of the pen slows down my writing to the point that the writing improves. I don't write for long periods at a time, using a word processor for most lengthy compositions, so I've never gotten to the point where the heavy pen made my hand tired.

 

My favorite light pens tend to be ones with a large size, such as the Conway Stewart Churchill. I always post a light pen to gain maximum weight and to improve the balance.

[KCat]

Of couse it then struck me that I have happily used pencils for extended periods for most of my life never feeling the need to buy chunky trainer pencils.

John

 

You're fortunate in that regard.

 

I have hated wooden pencils since childhood. My finger developed a callous from pencils that to this day will ache at times if I use too narrow a writing instrument. OTOH, a fat pen will tire the muscles in my hand. It may be a matter of "relarnin'" a better grip but at 43 years old I think it's safe to say I won't ever do that.

 

When mechanical pencils with decent-sized grips started showing up, I became a seriously happy camper. It needn't be fat like a Dr. Grip, just fatter than that annoying #2 pencil from H***.

 

Paintbrushes are even more difficult for me to handle and I buy dip pens with soft grips so I don't end up losing my mind and using it to hurt someone.

 

I am not an artist.