A True Extra Fine Writer

[rplatt]

I am looking for a true extra fine nib on a fountain pen that is reliable and available for $50 or less...

 

I have been using a LAMY Al-Star with an EF nib and it seems almost like a Medium to me...

 

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

Regards-

Rich

[dashboi666]

I am looking for a true extra fine nib on a fountain pen that is reliable and available for $50 or less...

 

I have been using a LAMY Al-Star with an EF nib and it seems almost like a Medium to me...

 

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

Regards-

Rich

 

I have a Sailor Sapporo EF that is really fine! but i think a pilot prera's F nib will do just as well... cost abt $30

 

no pun intended! :bunny01:

Edited January 17, 2008 by dashboi666

[LouisA]

I am looking for a true extra fine nib on a fountain pen that is reliable and available for $50 or less...

 

I have been using a LAMY Al-Star with an EF nib and it seems almost like a Medium to me...

 

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

Regards-

Rich

 

Well I have two Extra Fine nibs that my ATF but they blow right past your $50.00 or less. One is a Waterman Le Man 200 with an extra fine nib and the other is a Nakaya Piccolo with a Fine which is the same as a Western Extra Fine. The problem is the $50.00. All the Extra Fine I know of cost way more. I guess it is the workmanship required to produce a smooth writing extra fine.

 

[gylyf]

Welcome to FPN, Rich. As dashboi suggested, you'll probably have to go Japanese (a cheap Pilot) or Chinese (Hero, etc) at that price, though you could also try to go vintage.

Good luck,

David

Edited January 17, 2008 by cellulophile

[jmkeuning]

I do not have an Al-Star, but my Lamy 2000 also runs wide.

 

However, I think the nib on the Safari is very close to an XF.

 

 

BUT - for the money, the Cross Solo XF is a GREAT nib.

 

Coolpenz is selling one right here, it's number 24. It has gotten good reviews here. The nib is GREAT, I think it was made by Pilot or Namiki.

 

snap it up!

[hari317]

I am looking for a true extra fine nib on a fountain pen that is reliable and available for $50 or less...

 

True EF points can be generally found on Japanese brands like Pilot and Sailor. If small pens are OK with you then the Pilot Birdie comes to mind. Birdie is available in F,M and B. The Birdie F usually corresponds to European EF. My oldest Birdie is now ~20 years young and is still going strong...

 

Regards,

Hari

 

 

[greencobra]

I have a Lamy Studio with an extra fine. It is an extra fine. But I'm learning not all nibs are made alike.

[Clancy]

You might consider a Pilot 78G with a fine nib, which is really like a western XF. I just got one from HisNibs.com and am quite satisfied....and around $30 shipped. Check out: http://www.hisnibs.com/pilot_pens.htm

I've no affilitation with HisNibs, just a satisfied customer.

 

Good luck

 

PS - These Pilots are fantastic writers and a real bargain (IMHO).

[jsonewald]

If you watch eBay auctions carefully, you can find NOS Japanese pens from the 70's and 80's with F nibs in your price range. I have Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum models. All are reliable and definitely finer than my AL-Star with an EF.

[aggiegrads]

I have been using a LAMY Al-Star with an EF nib and it seems almost like a Medium to me...

What paper are you using? I have a couple of pens that I thought were total gushers until I used them on good paper.

 

I use a Lamy Safari EF on Rhodia and it lays down a very fine line.

 

Take my opinion with a grain of salt - I'm new around here, too.

 

-Steven

[FrankB]

I agree that you will probably have to look into Japanese or Chinese pens for the moment. I have not had a great deal of luck with Chinese pens, but I do have a Hero 700 and a Duke "War Bonnet" with good F nibs that write like EF's. Both were very affordable and under your budget.

[cmeisenzahl]

I think the Chinese Hero pens have very fine nibs, check out the Parker 51 repros.

[churl]

I have a Sailor Sapporo EF that is really fine! but i think a pilot prera's F nib will do just as well... cost abt $30

I agree about the Prera fine nib. It's easily EF in Western nibs. And it's cheap. And it's a really nice pen.

I also have a Sailor Sapporo F, and although most Japanese fines run like Western EF, the Sailor nib is a little generous. Although well out of your $30 price range.

 

[KCat]

My Sailor and Prera Fines are EFs. The Prera is an excellent pen for the price, IMO.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=29759

 

Actually, IMO, the Prera Fine and my Sailor Sapporo mini fines write as XXFs but I have a light touch. This is when compared with Richad Binder's XXXF (needlepoint)

 

Amazing to me how both of these companies can make such fine nibs yet keep them incredibly smooth.

 

 

Edited January 17, 2008 by KCat

[dashboi666]

1 more brand comes to mind - sheaffer

 

i should think the sheaffer prelude's XF nibs will do the trick nicely - it is almost as fine as my Sailor's EF.. I also have a prelude in F, and it runs a really thin line too..

 

if you don't mind the plastic grip sections and not picky about the pen color, you should be able to find one with a decent pricetag, maybe even within the $50 budget! I would say the chrome finish one is classy looking and a good knock about pen!

 

Go wild!

[savarez]

People have said good things about the Hero 237-1 accountant's pen. I've been meaning to try one.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=39655

 

[Ged]

Pilot Prera/78G in F will give you a western XF, Japanese "pocket pens" from the 70's available on ebay and on The Marketplace every now and then are around $30. The only downside to the pocket pens is they usually take cartridges, in the case of Platinum, cartridges are hard to find outside Japan. On the flipside, being cartridge pens means you generally don't have to worry about having the pen serviced because of a broken filling system.

 

IMO the 78G or Prera will make you happy... I have a 78G (nib and feed of the Prera are the same) and with one fill it just writes and writes. AFAIK their quality control is pretty good so you can buy and use without having to worry if something is going to be broke when it arrives!

 

PS: Namiki is a brand belonging to Pilot. Once upon a time Namiki was the brand, then it was renamed Pilot, which then reserructed their Namiki badge for 'higher tier' pens sold internationally.

Edited January 17, 2008 by Ged

[garyc]

I do not have an Al-Star, but my Lamy 2000 also runs wide.

 

However, I think the nib on the Safari is very close to an XF.

 

 

BUT - for the money, the Cross Solo XF is a GREAT nib.

 

Coolpenz is selling one right here, it's number 24. It has gotten good reviews here. The nib is GREAT, I think it was made by Pilot or Namiki.

 

snap it up!

I second that: that Cross Solo is truly a bargain. I have the Cross Solo (4 of 'em!) and the other Pilots mentioned here: 78G (M) and Prera ( 2 Fs and M), plus a Lucina F (which is more a more upmarket pen than the Prera). I believe the Cross Solo nib is identical to that on the Pilot Lucina. The Solo XF will be even finer than these Pilots Fs, which are already quite fine. I actually prefer the medium on these Pilot nibs, they are fine enough for me and just a little smoother.

 

Also, to my eye the 78G and Prera nibs are very similar, but not identical - the 78G nib is looks narrower and slightly longer, the feed is also a slightly different pattern but with similar slots. In any event, all these Pilots and the Solo are excellent writers. You need at least one of each!

[Lloyd]

For $10 + $2 for shipping, the XXXF nibbed Hero 237-1 is a heck of a pen.

[wspohn]

Just picked up a Platinum President with a UEF (ultra extra fine) nib and it is truly what I like, short of custom XXXX nibs.