Official Fountain Pen Aficionados Thread

[dieworkwear]

That Omas Arco is pretty sweet.

 

[Rugger]

I sold off most of my collection, but here's a small select few of the small collection that remains. **posts 12 pens**.

What was your collection, and what's a small collection to you if 12 pieces of just glimpse of what's left?

 

[Shaunm88]

I sold off most of my collection, but here's a small select few of the small collection that remains. **posts 12 pens**.

What was your collection, and what's a small collection to you if 12 pieces of just glimpse of what's left?

I had over a 100 pens at one stage. Just found I didn’t use them and couldn’t imagine myself using them in any situation.

Example was I had most of the Pelican M800 special editions, say 10 of them. Once I got the Gold Raden Limited edition if I ever wanted a M800 I kept using that one.

I also had over 100 inks but tried to keep it under 20. I think I’m at 25 inks bottles now

 

[Mark from Plano]

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

 

[clothingfun]

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

Hello there sir and I hope you are well. I honestly know nothing about fountain pens so I can't be of help with specifics. However, I have a Dubrovnik style chess set made by two brothers who have a small business called "NOJ" and the quality is outstanding. I mean just excellent.

They also make fountain pens:

GENTLEMEN fountain pen

www.noj.si

In fact, if I'm not mistaken, pens were their primary business for years before getting into making chess sets. Once again, I have no firsthand experience with their pens. However, if they are of the same quality as their chess sets then they are probably great.

Interesting topic. Whatever you purchase it would be interesting to hear an update and review.

 

[taxgenius]

I wish I had a reason to write something important.

 

[heldentenor]

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

Pelikan M800 or a Visconti Homo Sapiens.

 

[dieworkwear]

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

By dress pen, do you mean something that will feel at home with tailored clothing?

I have a couple of St. Dupont pens (the two top ones here) that I sometimes use when I'm in tailored clothing.

The brown one is kind of heavy; the gold-colored one is a bit lighter. Both have a softer nib than the red Nakaya pen at the bottom, but I wouldn't consider them springy -- certainly not flex. My only complaint is that I've veered away from metal body pens in the last couple of years. Too heavy.

I've thought about getting a Sailor 1911 or Pro Gear to use with tailoring, but don't own one. I like the idea of Sailor pens and Seiko watches worn with tailoring for a kind of 1960s salaryman vibe.

I've been using my Pilot 823 so much (medium nib), I haven't reached for anything else. I wish the body design was better, but the nib is just so enjoyable to use.

 

[rollerkilt]

Have you already gone down the time sink holes that are FPGeeks and Fountain Pen Network?

What are these Waterman pens that have worn out? That is not supposed to happen. Are the old pens not dressy, or too fragile for daily use?

2. Is there a pen show near you coming back later this year or early next year? Depending on whether you count the admission, travel, and lodging against the $500, you might get a lot of pen there. Also depends whether you bring cash and stick to that amount, because there are lots of pens.

1. How plain is soporific? Like are Sailor, Platinum, Nakaya, and Pilot pens without trim rings or cap bands, just clips, too little? Nakaya might be over the budget nowawdays. Is sterling silver too much? Is Pelikan boring or dressy?

3 & 4/ Why 18k? 14k is usually considered better for flex. 18k is soft, but 14k is thought to spring back better.

There are only so many new flexible pens, and I can't remember if any aren't cartridge pens, except for hunting down a Pilot Custom 823 with a FA (falcon) nib swap from that one store in Japan or however that was. Or just get Pilot Custom 742 or 743 if you like converters. Pilot and Platinum do soft nibs if you just want cushy and not so much line variation. The Platinum 3776 Century black diamond color is nice, translucent darkest grey with rhodium trim.

I'd say, if you want flex and don't mind or do like self fillers, go with old pens.

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

 

[Steve Smith]

It's all a matter of taste, but IMO vintage pens are much more interesting and are of much higher quality than modern pens. You will not wear out a vintage Sheaffer or Parker pen. I have a couple of oversize Sheaffer's lever fillers, one from the '20s and one from the 30's, which still operate perfectly. The 14KT nibs are about as flexible as a nail, though.

 

[rollerkilt]

Balances? I can't remember whether flat tops used OS as a size designation. I'm using a black OS with radius clip but flattop style section, all gold nib, and flat feed. But somehow that wasn't wrong, at least with black ones. Nail, but smooth, and it would take a drop to misalign it. My jade OS is really early, has a similar section, feed, and nib, but the pen has long clip and long pointy tail end. The red veined one has humped clip, transparent section, and two tone nib.

For softer nibs I should use the non Lifetime ones. And I have a handful of petite sized ones I should wear with vests. I need more watch chains, and swivels or rings. Right now I'm using a desk set that is 40s Touchdown era plastic, but in lever filler with open Feathertouch 5 nib.

I used a Waterman 0512 1/2 SF (gold filled, skinny, small nib on normal length, lever filler) for only one fill so far because it's too wet with the ink I used and I have to see if dry ink works well. That might be officially antique by now. I recently got my first retractable safety in a 42 1/2 V. It needs seals, but after that, I'd use it, at home, carefully.

It's all a matter of taste, but IMO vintage pens are much more interesting and are of much higher quality than modern pens. You will not wear out a vintage Sheaffer or Parker pen. I have a couple of oversize Sheaffer's lever fillers, one from the '20s and one from the 30's, which still operate perfectly. The 14KT nibs are about as flexible as a nail, though.

 

[dieworkwear]

I also find vintage pens to be much more interesting, but I've also found them to be a bit more finicky. Many will have their own individual "character," and I've had some slowly leak over time. If someone wanted a "dress pen" to use with tailored clothing, I'd be careful about buying vintage. If you have a collection of vintage pens, you may find that some are suitable for carrying out and about. But if you're buying a vintage pen and later find that it's somewhat leaky, it may be dangerous to carry around in an expensive tailored jacket. I've sent leaky pens to Mike Masuyama. Some have been fixed, while others were not. For the ones that couldn't be fixed, I was told it was just part of the pen's "character."

 

[pasadena man]

Help me pick a great fountain pen. I love fountain pens, have used them for years and know a little, but feel lost in picking one. My history is with Watermans (I’ve worn out a few) and have an ok collection of antique FPs. What I want is a daily dress pen. Here are my initial thoughts:
1. Sophisticated styling, elegant, but not soporific.
2. Prefer to stay under $500 but might stretch a bit for something special.
3. 18k nib
4. I like a little more flexible nib although I have no illusions with my ability to capably wield it.

Happy to answer questions if I’ve missed anything.

Go!

I went through this drill a year ago and ended up with a Pelikan M 600.
-It is one of the top choices of the hard corps aficionados at the Fountain Pen Network as a DCP
-I find the ergonomics good, the aesthetics great, and it is a free flowing, wet, writer
-The brand is, to me, a sort of under the radar alternative to Mount Blanc; quality, but not one that might elicit negative reactions
-A initially liked the M 800, but I prefer a posted pen, and the M 600 was the max size I was comfortable with for longer sessions
-I like the feel of posted writing, but more important, unposted pens always end up rolling off the desk for me. Not something I want with a 14 k nib

 

[taxgenius]

I know this thread is for fountain pens but is there any love for ball point pens? I’m not into this world so I am wondering, are ball point pens considered boring or unsophisticated?

I am considering getting myself a nice pen that is also practical, which to me means ball point. I’d probably get the one I posted earlier as it comes in both fountain and ball point.

 

[dieworkwear]

I know this thread is for fountain pens but is there any love for ball point pens? I’m not into this world so I am wondering, are ball point pens considered boring or unsophisticated?

I am considering getting myself a nice pen that is also practical, which to me means ball point. I’d probably get the one I posted earlier as it comes in both fountain and ball point.

I don't know about unsophisticated, but it's fairly straightforward. There are certainly better and worse ballpoints out there. But I think some of the things that attract me to fountain pens are:

1. The ability to play with different nibs, inks, and filling systems (the hassle is part of the charm)
2. The different writing experience (fountain pens often flow more smoothly and don't require as much pressure to write)
3. Depending on the nib, the ability to do "flex" writing

Ballpoints have none of those advantages. I like some of Pilot and Lamy's ballpoints, but struggle to pay more than $20 or so. I suppose if you keep one in your jacket pocket and want to look fancy, you can get a nicer pen (many fountain pen companies will have ballpoint options, such as St. Dupont, Montblanc, and Caran D'Ache). They'll definitely write nicer than a Pilot V7, and they certainly look nicer, too. I just struggle with the idea of paying so much money for a ballpoint.