A Quiver of Pens (Fountain Pen Reviews)
Last Updated: 5 July 2024
Happiness is a good pen, smooth paper, the right ink, and time to
write. It has become zenlike to me, practically a meditative
experience. Computers do not provide the same experience, and never
will.
In 1989 I began writing regularly in a journal. That same year, it
occurred to me that the experience would be even nicer if I were to
use a fountain pen. I think it's kind of like saying, "hey you know,
I should try crack cocaine." First I had one pen, then I had two,
then I had many. Turns out they each provide a unique experience and
contribute unique sensations to the zen experience of putting your
thoughts on paper through ink.
Here are some reflections on the many, lovely writing instruments that
have brought me pleasure over the years.
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Cross Century
My very first fountain pen experience, begun Christmas of 1989. When
I requested a fountain pen for Christmas, my folks chose Cross, the
brand they themselves used. It was my exposure to smooth writing and
the feel of something fancy and substantial in your hand, not a cheap
plastic disposable. I used it happily enough for about a year,
getting used to changing cartridges and waiting for the ink to flow,
etc. A brave new world! One day it slipped from my pocket on the
snow-caked walk between classes, and was gone. Off I went to choose a
new pen, and I'm still choosing, again and again.
Positives: Slim, modern/classy, and unpretentious, with a metal barrel
that set me on the path to experiencing pleasure from a pen that felt
special.
Negatives: In retrospective with dozens of pens to compare it to, the
Cross is somewhat unremarkable, even plain, despite a gold nib (I
think).
Verdict: I've never been tempted by another Cross Pen.
Having lost the Cross, I withdrew from my hard-earned savings for a
replacement, settling on a Parker, one of few in my limited
price-range that nonetheless had a gold nib, which I already
recognized as important to the writing experience. This one came from
Fahrneys of Washington DC, who would continue selling me pens for the
next few decades.
Positives: Brass barrel with lacquer coating was gorgeous and
beautiful and intriguing, with a nice weight. The nib wrote
beautifully, and my first converter allowed me to start experimenting
with bottled ink: I started with Pelikan South Seas Blue, a bright
turqouise color that bewitched on yellow legal pads. It has a now
relatively hard-to-find 18k nib that's soft like butter.
Negatives: I experienced several feed issues, possibly the result of
poor cleaning practice or possibly manufacturing trouble. I wound up
sending it back for (free) service several times. I use it less these
days because I've shifted from fine to medium nibs, and thicker
diameter pens that are more comfortable in my aging hands.
Verdict: Still one of my best pens and in daily usage 34 years later.
Purchased at the university bookstore on a whim, this cheapo pen came
on what they called a bubble card or blister pack, and probably only
cost $6 or so. It was a fun experiment and an introduction to
Sheaffer, and it was cool to see the level of the ink cartridge
through the transparent pen body. But when I sent the Parker off for
servicing just as I flew overseas for my first adventure, suddenly I
was left only with the Sheaffer, which became my main pen for a
serious adventure. It holds a dear spot in my heart for that reason,
although it also wrote very well.
Positives: Great ink flow and writing experience despite having a
steel nib. I have a sweet spot for Sheaffers ever since.
Negatives: Cheap, lightweight plastic (obviously) and a steel nib, but
worth every dollar of the six or so I paid for it.
Verdict: Not a daily usage pen for me, as it is cheap. But every time
I get one out and write with it I'm reminded it's a keeper. Even
bought a third one - they are great travel pens.
I spotted it in a book store in Jakarta and thought it was worth a
try. Medium, steel nib if I recall, and a dark blue body. Simple,
unassuming, a decent travel pen I made good use of through the rest of
my stay in Indonesia. I really don't remember what happened to it
after the trip though.
Positives: Good travel pen, lightweight, not expensive, and a decent
nib. I recall the ink flow was wet and nice.
Negatives: Not many, considering the price, though the Sheaffer
Student had the better feed and nib overall.
Verdict: Lost somehow, but I bought Vectors again when I spent a few
years in rural Nicaragua - a solid travel pen.
Back from Indonesia and settling into a new life as a civil engineer,
getting back on my feet emotionally and financially, I decided to
splurge. Did anyone really need a second fountain pen? Seemed
ridiculous, absurd, a superfluous and scandalous bit of excess. But
the Pelikans looked so nice and the 14K gold nib seemed smooth and
amazing. Bought this – the lowest cost model they sell, an
entry level pen – but made sure to choose a medium nib to
differentiate it from the Parker fine point - a fine attempt at
justification that would set me on a pathway to repeat for the ensuing
decades: if the pens are different, you can buy them both, yes?
Positives: Spectacular nib, and my first piston-filler was fun and
interesting. This pen has served me well over nearly thirty years and
I reach for it when I want a smooth nib and a thick body while not
drawing too much attention. I signed my wedding vows and license with
this pen. I still use it on a regular basis, and happily.
Negatives: For its size, it's somewhat light, and over the years the
gold plating has begun to erode from the clip and the decorative
bands. But that's about it - the nib remains spectacular.
Verdict: Still in regular/heavy usage and one of my best pens. Still
find myself looking at higher end models (M400, M600), so stay tuned.
A lovely and thoughtful Christmas gift as I entered the Peace Corps
and began a new adventure. It was unexpected and unresearched but a
hell of a good gift. Gold nib, brass body with a nice heft. I used it
intensely for many years and the nib was pure pleasure, 14k gold. In
hindsight, I recall it came with a bold nib that didn't work for me at
all; changing it to a fine suited me better and gave many years of
pleasure. Might go back and get a medium now. Positives: The nib is
excellent, and the pen has a nice weight.
Negatives: A bit narrow diameter now that as I age I seem to prefer
bigger writing instruments. But twenty years ago it was perfect.
Verdict:I don't use it much any more, but that seems to be a
combination of the narrower body and fine nib, two things I have
gotten away from. I wouldn't part with this pen though.
No pictures seem to exist of this bad boy. It was an experiment, a
cheap pen I thought might be good for traveling and of no great
consequence if I were to lose it. Its defining feature was a little
roller on the end of the clip that helped ease it into your shirt
pocket I suppose, and a long, showy nib that wrote terribly.
Positives: I honestly can't think of any. It was a fun experiment from
a company whose "Torpedo"mechanical pens and rollerballs are now a
huge phenomon, and rightly so.
Negatives: Possibly the worst writer I ever owned. I gave it away when
I had a chance.
Verdict: Moved it on.
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Parker Vector Calligraphy Set
Prepping for a two-year stay in Nicaragua where I planned to do a lot
of writing but couldn't bring anything too showy, yet needed a pen I'd
be happy to write with, I thought back to the Vector I'd used in
Indonesia and it seemed perfect.
Astonishingly, in addition to the regular one there was a model for
calligraphy that came with three, varying-width italic nibs. The
middle one was just perfect for journal writing. These two pens were
officially "travel pens" but they were far more than that, and the
italic one in particular was a good friend for years. Somewhere, I
found converters that allowed me to use bottle ink in addition to
cartridges.
Positives: Not expensive, not too showy, an italic nib in three
widths. A decent writer, and the simple piston adaptor allowed me to
use bottled ink the whole time I traveled rather than worry about
cartridges.
Negatives: Thin, by the standards I use today. Light. Neither of
these things bothered me twenty-five years ago, but I'd struggle to
use them today.
Verdict: Spectacular travel italic, though the regular nib wasn't
great. Wouldn't buy these again - I think - but I still catch myself
looking at them.
I was living in Italy, where the shop windows were filled with things
I loved, and there was no dearth of clever writing instruments. I
chose this as a birthday present.
Positives: A good size, and the click from putting the cap back on was
so satisfying I remember it to this moment. Its weight was pleasant
– not too heavy or ostentatious, but solid enough to feel like a
high class experience.
Negatives: Steel nib, that took more pressure than I'd have liked and
ultimately made it uncomfortable to write with for too long. I
eventually gave this pen away when it seemed time to pare down the
collection. I'd be tempted to try it with a gold nib though, because
the rest of this pen was pretty nice.
Verdict: Moved it on; needed to be a better writer.
We were passing through Paris on the way to a long stay in West Africa
that would eventually become ten full years. Browsing the shops in the
lovely Saint Germain neighborhood, a pen shop drew me in, where I was
transfixed by a tray of these beautiful pens in gorgeous colors. This
one, some kind of color like a mango, drew me to it. The pen had a
stiff, steel nib, and so wasn't the best writer I've ever owned. But
the cap screwed on when posting, which was interesting, and the clip
was tight as a drum in a shirt pocket. Lastly, the pen was only full
length with the cap posted; otherwise it was a shorter travel size,
which made it interesting for trips. I lost it in a fancy hotel in
Budapest some years later.
Just thought to look it up again and to my surprise, found a shop in
Louisiana that sells it. Testament to the comfort of that nib though,
I'm probably going to pass.
Positives: Beautiful colors, and a nice weight in the hand. Screw-on
cap when posted was interesting.
Negatives: Travel size made it short; nib was a bit stiff
Verdict: Fun while it lasted, but wouldn't buy it again due to the
steel nib.
Bought this after a lovely trip to Morocco, where Arabic calligraphy
had seduced me and I was eager to write in italic. As I went through
the Fahrney's Catalog, this Pelikan stood out. It's one of my best
writers to this day. (Interestingly, Fahrneys clearly noted in my
customer profile that I like italic nibs, because I received
specialized catalogs showcasing them for many years afterwards. Hey,
they weren't wrong about me!)
Negatives: Seems a little light to me these days, and of course not as
luxurious as higher end models in the Pelikan series. That's about
it.
Verdict: One of my best writers and remains in constant usage 16 years
later.
=====================================================================
Retro Desk Set
I was signing a lot of bureaucratic paperwork and thought a desk set
would be fun. Retro51 made a single deskpen set that was selling
well, but a little research turned up an older model that had both
rollerball and fountain pen. Turned out to be a good purchase and a
fun pen. The bold nib was "Iridium" and really, really soft and
comfortable. I've searched for iridium nibs since then since they are
absolutely a step up from steel. I moved it on when I changed jobs and
did too little paper-signing to make a desk pen worth the space it
occupied in my little work area.
Positives: Great nib, fun, useful
Negatives: Not surprisingly, it would dry out if you didn't use it
frequently enough.
Verdict: Finally sold it. Don't really need a desk pen anymore. I
miss that iridium nib though.
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Chilton Golden Quill
Fahrneys was promoting this interesting pen at a discount, so I went
for it. It remains to this day one of the pens I keep most in
rotation.
Positives: Iridium nib, pretty darned smooth. A smooth writer, and
really comfortable for long term writing. The wider barrel is a good
weight - not too heavy, but substantial in the hand. I'd still be
tempted to pick up a second one of these. The silver, iridium nib
really catches the sun and I'm tempted to say it's my best non-gold
nib.
Negatives: Dries out if it remains uncapped for too long - probably
consequence of the thinner section in the feed. The engraved logo is a
negative, in my opinion: at a minimum the letters ought to have been
oriented in the other direction. The biggest design flaw is that
you've got to use this pen unposted, no question about it: with the
cap posted, the pen is a little top-heavy and slightly awkward.
Verdict: Still in semi-frequent usage and I almost bought another one.
I'd been reading a lot about the flexible nib. I'd once learned
copperplate, using dip pens, and the idea of being able to write
similarly with a fountain pen was appealing. The Namiki, Pilot, and
Sailor pens are all Japanese in origin and share similar features of
fabrication. The Namiki as almost the perfect shape and weight, and a
screw-on cap that makes it a good choice for travel. The nib I chose
– soft fine (SF) – was a bit too springy for me. Several
times I considered selling it, but turns out it's perfect for my
Leuchtturm daily journal, where fine nibs and close, careful writing
matters. Now I love it again.
Positives: Good weight and balance, possibly the perfect size. Gold
nib. Good for small letters and short entries, like in a calendar.
Negatives: The SF nib is springy and annoys me for longer sessions.
Verdict: Still in usage. Perfect for some books/writing tasks.
A splurge, but a low-cost impulse buy that worked out great. I was in
the mood to try out Sheaffer again. I bought it and the Preira
(below) together, thinking the more expensive Preira would be the
better pen. Instead, the Sheaffer 100 was a surprise win and a great
writer.
For not much money you get a brass barrel that's heavier than you'd
think and once you've used it a while, plastic pens start to feel
cheap in comparison. A good travel pen because of cost, but it writes
well too despite the nib being steel.
Positives: Inexpensive but well made; good nib; a nice weight.
Negatives: Narrower in diameter than the pens I seem to prefer these
days. Not the best pen for really long writing sessions, but I used
it frequently at work with great success and pleasure
What a cool-looking pen. Metal body, sleek, with an interesting taper
that makes the whole thing look like a rocket. It wasn't expensive
and it was unlike any other fountain pen I'd ever considered, so I
went for it. ... and was disappointed. Great to look at, but not
great to write with, so I moved it on.
Positives: Sleek, modern styling, and an interesting, hooded nib. A
nice weight, and not expensive.
Negatives: The cap doesn't post properly because the tail of the pen's
taper doesn't give it anything to grip properly to (did no one test
this?). So the cap wobbles. Secondly, the cool flat section where you
put your fingers makes it a little awkward to hold. But the wobbly
cap when posted was a deal-killer for me, and I moved this pen onward.
Verdict: Sold it and don't miss it (though I'm tempted by the
ballpoint).
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Pilot Preira
A decent every day carry pen and maybe a good starter pen for
newbies. It turns out to be a shorter pen, not a full five inches in
length. I liked the splash of color, top of the cap. But there wasn't
much special about this pen. I finally cracked it somehow when
carrying it in a pocket, and I tossed it unceremoniously. About a
decade ago I went back and bought two more for fun, a CM (narrow
italic) nib and a fine nib. Used them for a while and then moved them
on. The transparency allowed you to see the ink flowing into and
through the feed, which was enjoyable. One important point about the
CM nib is that at 0.8mm wide, it's not quite as broad as a full 1.1
stub. That matters, as you can use it a lot more often for casual
writing. But you've got to watch the angle of the pen as you write,
as it could easily catch on upstrokes. On good paper, no worries. I
really wish other companies would create calligraphic nibs at this
width.
Positives: Good enough nib in Fine and CM (cursive medium). Plain
steel. The single best click in the cap I've ever experienced. Hard
to describe, but it's extraordinarly satisfying and many, many people
have told me they agree.
Negatives: I'm not sure it wrote any better than the $10 Shaeffer
Student pens I bought before and after. The short length of the barrel
was an issue for me. Expensive for the build quality.
Verdict: I've bought three and sold three. Fun but wouldn't buy
again.
The single most expensive pen I ever bought, and I bought it twice: I
recall vaguely hyperventilating at Fahrneys the first time as I handed
over my credit card, hoping I'd seal the deal before second thoughts
about the price overwhelmed me.The integrated Sheaffer nib replicates
several decades of different models that used this design.
My first one was a heavy, bold, cigar of a pen with a bold nib, and
felt fancy, luxury, executive. Unfortunately, it didn't write well.
It suffered endless dry starts; I could never be sure the first stroke
of my first letter would emerge. After years of fussing with it, I
sold it. Two years later I gave it another chance, and bought a
medium. Horrifically, it wrote //exactly// the same as its
predecessor. So much for blaming it on the bold nib. Out it
went. Too bad, it was gorgeous and looked and felt great.
Positives: Sheaffer. The integrated nib was really eye catching. It
felt important and substantial in the hand. Not sure you'd write your
manuscript with something this heavy, but you would certainly seal a
deal, sign a marriage license, put your name on something important
and consequential.
Negatives: Oddly, I never got this pen to write well, and I can't
abide a pen that doesn't start laying down ink the instant nib touches
paper. (Far less expensive pens manage this just fine).
Verdict: Sold and would not buy another one, though it is gorgeous.
Found myself wondering about Waterman again and decided to reward
myself one month when I was given a raise at work. Good pen, with the
best clicking cap in my collection. I'd bought it with a medium steel
nib, and there's no question it was steel not gold, but it was still
pretty comfortable for writing at work. One day strange ink leaks led
me to discover I'd somehow cracked the plastic around the nib –
a hairline fracture but that's all it takes – and ink was
getting all over everything. I found a reseller of nib units and
decided to try out the fine nib. Similar to the medium, and pretty
darned good. The body is brass with a nice lacquer finish and a
bright steel cap that looks classy. The Waterman ink cartridges are
of a high quality with nice, bright colors too. I wound up buying
both a medium and a fine nib, and have no regrets with either - they
are well balanced, spectacular writers and top participants in the
current rotation of pens. Also bought a custom stub nib (which I
don't like as much). Positives: Great clicky cap; good writer; a good
travel pen with a classy look without being ridiculously expensive.
White! In a world with few white pens.
Negatives:Steel nib, not gold, so a little (but not too) stiff.
Verdict: Potentially my best pens and they remain in regular usage.
=====================================================================
Lamy Safari AL
I'd lost my Sheaffer 100 travel pen on a trip to Africa, and it seemed
like a sign from God that I should give a try one of those cool Lamys
they seem to sell in the airport bookshops worldwide. So I picked up
a blue Lamy Safari AL. The AL stands for aluminum. Cool, fun pen,
very low key, very low stress. The nib was nothing special though, so
I really don't understand the community of people endlessly collecting
them and chatting about them. The nib also turned me off of the
higher price Lamy Studio, an otherwise wonderful-looking pen with a
really cool design aesthetic – it's the same, plain, steel nib.
Positives: German engineering. The bubble cut-out that lets you see
how much ink remains is a cool innovation. Not meant to be fancy,
meant to be quotidian. Nice, broad diameter means it's far more
comfortable in my aging hand than other, low-cost fountain pens. A
modern take on a traditional instrument, how German.
Negatives: The nib is simply nothing special to write home about.
Good enough for jotting notes at work; not good enough for any writing
of any length. The lightweight body really feels too light to me. The
upturn in the end of the clip makes is a little strange to clip on
some notebooks etc. (but is nice in shirts). The triangular shaped
section doesn't match where I put my fingers, so I didn't enjoy the
way it felt in my fingers.
Verdict: Sold. I sure love the new Petrol color, but not enough to buy
one again. Pilot Procyon takes its place.
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Esterbrook J series green
I wanted green pens, and this one came fully restored, which made it a
good experiment. Plus, those vintage pens tended to write pretty
well. No major regrets with this pen: I had my fun and moved it on.
Turns out vintage is not really my thing (and these lever fillers use
a rubber sac, which makes it hard to know when the ink is about to run
out. Modern tech has improved on this design in important ways).
Positives: It's an Esterbrook J series, so there are dozens and dozens
of nibs out there of all types. This one writes pretty well over all,
and it's wet and lovely. The green looks beautiful in the light.
Negatives: Too small a diameter pen for my tastes these days, and
really somewhat lightweight by the standards of other pens I use.
This was also a reminder of why we moved away from internal ink
sacks/levers to replaceable cartridges: with this pen, you're writing
and suddenly you are out of ink. Cartridges were certainly an
improvement.
This low-cost Pelikan with its Olivine ink (ink of the year, 2018) was
hard to get off my mind, so I bought it. The ink was an instant hit,
probably my best shade. The pen however, despite being a Pelikan, was
clearly made lower cost by use of a steel nib I never liked. I tried
a fine nib and then I tried a medium nib. No dice. The fine was too
springy, and the medium felt like my other gold-nibbed Pelikans but
harder. There's no disguising a steel nib; it's a simple as that. I
finally decided to do away with it. The styling was lovely though:
the modern Pelikan cap ends are gorgeous, and this green worked really
well with the silver bits.
I did relent eighteen months later, and purchase the ink again.
Pelikan Olivine is one of the nicest shades of dark green ink I've
ever encountered (and I have several).
Positives: It's a Pelikan, and the piston fill was lovely. The new
piston-fill mechanism is designed to let you see all of your ink
supply, which I guess is what the new generation likes. (It's a lot of
ink, actually – I tend to get bored far sooner than this thing
would empty).
A splurge. As I bought the Pelikan M205, I went momentarily insane and
bought another green pen, just for fun. The experiment lasted about a
week before I found another home for it and never looked back. Maybe
it's a fun, low-cost entry pen for people trying out their first
fountain pen, but it had no value to me and it was immediately clear
I'd never use it.
Positives: Really not many. Somewhat inexpensive, and somewhat cool
looking.
Negatives: A terrible, scratchy, steel nib and far finer than you'd
expect. Apparently you have to choose one nib wider when you're
purchasing these Pilots.
It was clear Sheaffer nibs worked well for me. I was told the 300
uses the same nib as the 100, which I'd quite enjoyed, and this was a
wider barreled pen. I found it on discount on Ebay, so I paid less
than $50 for it. This was quite a surprise, but it was one of my top
pens for years. They put all the fanciness into the cap, which is
heavy and provides the weight and balance. The pen, unposted, is
somewhat light and plasticy. With the cap posted, it feels quite a
bit heavier and fancy. The nib is great, quite possibly the only
steel nib I not only tolerate but actually enjoy. If I had to choose
a single pen to carry on an extended tour, this could quite possibly
be the one. It's that good. Of course it takes Sheaffer cartridges
too. There's a cool shininess in the body that makes it catch the
sun. I bought a second one however and learned something important:
the first models like mine are acrylic (plastic) and therefore a
decent weight. All later models use a steel body, and it's simply too
heavy a pen.
Positives: Spectacular nib for steel, really enjoyable. A low stress
pen that writes amazingly well at a low price. I'd be tempted to get
another one of these to make sure I'm not caught without. It's a
comfortable writer without inducing stress if you lose or break your
fancy pen with the gold nib and high price tag, which makes it even
easier to use frequently.
Negatives: For the acrylic model, you've got to post the cap or the
weight is off and the lightweight body feels somewhat cheap. With the
cap on, it feels fancy. For the metal body, you've got to leave the
cap off or it's too heavy. In hindsight they appear to have repurposed
a component they had in bulk, and did not do the engineering necessary
to adjust balance and weight correctly.
Verdict: Decent enough to hang onto, and a reasonable travel pen.
This pen was like your hot/sexy girlfriend who's kind of annoying to
be around. Gorgeous colors and styling, and a pretty nib in length
and shape. But it never won me over as a writer, and I tried bold,
medium, fine, Gena (journaler, a medium stub) and 1.1 stub nibs. So I
tried. Turns out it's just a Jowo #6 nib, which you can get on a pen
that costs 20% of an Estie. And it just didn't have the workmanship
(say, blending metallic and acrylic components) that justified either
the price or the luxury mood. Finally in a fit of pique I sold it,
and no regrets.
Positives: Gorgeous to look at, and the colors really do capture the
shades of a pine forest, which is exactly what I wanted. I have never
seen another pen whose greens do that. The cap is unique in that
there's a little spring pressure as you place it over the nib, which
gives it a slightly more secure feeling. The Gena nib is the only
thing I miss.
Negatives: The nib is a bog standard steel Jowo#6, available on $20
pens that write equivalently, and the bold in particular is pretty
stiff. And once you note it writes kind of average, you notice it's
pretty expensive for the plastic workmanship it brings.
Verdict: Sold, and would only really look at an Estie with a gold nib
these days.
Wasn't so sure about buying a vintage pen, but this one had been
professionally restored by an artisan/craftsman, and the price was
decent. The Valiant dates to about 1949 – I grow dizzy thinking
about whose hands this thing passed through and what it's seen. I was
interested in the gold nib, and newly convinced that I was a Sheaffer
man (it's confirmed, I am). What a cool pen, what a cool nib, what a
cool design.
Positives: Gold nib that stays wet, and the interesting bent-nib
design is only now being copied again. It really is a pleasure to
write with. A year after purchase I considered moving it on: took it
out, inked it, wrote for a few days. Nope, this pen stays. Also, the
cap screws on, but the thread is well thought out, and it goes from
tightly capped to off in exactly a quarter of one turn.
Negatives: The modern world of transparent converters and cartridges
really is superior to these opaque, complicated, vaccuum mechanisms.
I've learned to cope with it, but I'm never sure if I've got enough
ink, and it runs out without warning. It's also somewhat light by my
current standards.
Verdict: Sold, but good Lord that was a great nib. Vintage is not for
me.
Thinking back to my old Parker, what succeeded it was a long line of
Sonnets, a very successful pen that sold for over a decade. I'd never
had one, and remembering the heavy, professional feel, decided to try
one. I went first with a medium nib but found it somewhat thin by my
standards, so purchased an additional bold nib, which writes more like
others' mediums. Great pen, great nib. Turns out, it's no longer so
easy to buy a Parker Sonnet because this wildly popular pen has been a
target for Chinese trademark infringers for a long time now, and there
are hundreds and thousands of Parker Sonnets being sold for about $10
each. If that's a suspicious price, it should be - the real thing,
with a proper, gold nib, costs far more. Thing is, the imitations are
sometimes easy enough to spot but they are sometimes very, very good.
Worth it to be sure, though, as this is a great pen and a great nib,
and no regrets about buying it.
Positives: 14K nib. Or maybe 18K? Either way, it's soft and
beautiful, and comfortable. Brass body with a nice lacquer coating -
professional finish that reeks of quality.
Negatives: It's not easy to buy a Parker these days: the cheap
knock-offs from China are hard to distinguish, which makes for uneasy
purchasing. As noted, the nibs are a shade finer than comparable nibs
from other brands, not a negative but worth noting. This Sonnet stays
in rotation.
Verdict: Great pen in both medium and bold nibs, and one of my best
writers hands down.
My second foray into vintage Sheaffers. This one boasts that cool,
integrated nib I wanted again, but at a fraction of the cost of the
original Heritage I'd done away with. Decent pen! Sheaffer used this
cool, integrated nib over many models and at least a decade: you can
see it in the PFM, 330, 440, Imperial, Targa, and several other
variants. I bought this hoping I could get a smooth-writing
integrated nib but realized the lighter weight of the pen's body made
it feel noticeably less fancy. But it sure does write well.
Positives: It is an excellent writer, with nice flow.
Negatives: Extremely light. Surprisingly light, as though there were
a materials shortage during the war, or they were desperate to keep
the market price down. It's also got that thin coat of paint that
suggests it would scratch easily (hasn't scratched yet, but I'm wary).
Great travel pen though, and it uses standard Sheaffer cartridges,
which makes travel even easier still.
Verdict: Sold, but now I find myself looking at 440s and Imperials
with the steel cap. Sure did write well.
=====================================================================
Lamy 2000 (bold and medium)
I'd gone in to discuss the Lamy Studio, whose design I really liked.
But I was disappointed to learn it's basically the same steel nib as
the Lamy Safari, so nothing really that special. Then I learned that
Lamy's high end, gold nib fountain pen was the 2000. Reviews showed
writer after writer gushing about how good it felt, and classifying it
as one of their best pens. I was intrigued and came home with a bold
nib, just for a change in pace. But it was so smooth and buttery to
write with I went back about a year later and bought the medium nib
too. Probably one of my top three pens, off hand. Truly comfortable,
not flashy or ostentatious, and something really utilitarian about it
- how very German! This is the first time I ever liked a pen so much
I went back and bought another nib in the same model.
Positives: Great weight, balance, texture. Not too heavy, not too
light. The nib is superb: silky smooth, and wet enough but not too
wet.
Negatives: I really don't understand the design choice that left two
little metal bits exactly where you put your fingers. I understand
their purpose but somehow it seems like a design omission surprising
of German engineering.
Verdict: Quite probably the most comfortable writers I own. Even
thinking of buying another nib version. Excellent.
=====================================================================
Pilot Custom 912
Had never really paid attention to Pilot before, but I was told their
nibs are spectacular. Turns out, that's a fact. I first bought the
912 in a medium nib, and considered it probably my single best writer.
Then somehow it soured a bit on me - too springy? I'm actually not
sure. I sold it and bought a Music Nib instead, essentially a heavy
stub. That was interesting and novel but also not as comfortable as
other stubs. I'm on the fence with this pen. The gold nib is a plus,
and it looks like what you'd expect a luxury pen to look like. Well
balanced and not as expensive as the true luxury stuff.
Positives: Being able to try their different nibs was a real pleasure,
as there are so many. Decent weight and balance.
Negatives: Wasn't quite right for me and I'm honestly not sure why.
Verdict: Sold the medium and will sell the music nib. I think the
Special Edition is a better weight and balance for me. But I would
absolutely recommend this pen if someone asked me.
The cheapness of the Estie led me to this pen, thinking, could a $25
Chinese pen compare favorably? Short answer is: maybe. The plastics
and build quality were great, better than the Estie. But the piston
was finicky and the nib was bog-standard steel, which I don't
tolerate. I swapped in medium and fine nibs easily enough, and played
around with stubs and flex nibs bought at Goulet. The Majohn
sometimes struggled with ink flow through the feed, but it did confirm
for me the plastics you get in a pen costing more than $200 can be had
for a tenth of that.
Positives: For a measly $25, great pens. Can swap the nib for almost
any other #6 nib on the market. Great plastics. Nice weight in the
hand, and nice diameter now that I like thicker pens.
Negatives: Steel nib. Finicky piston. The cap threading is too tight:
it takes almost three full turns to put on the cap, which is a bit
much (the Sheaffer 330 takes a single quarter turn, which is better).
Verdict: Bought two and moved them both on. But I would definitely
look again at cheap Chinese pens - they can absolutely compete with
higher end stuff.
=====================================================================
Noodlers Konrad
Noodlers' Ahab is a vegetal resin pen with a legendarily bad
smell. The Konrad uses something different, and had no smell at all.
Having spent some time in the Marianas Islands, I of course had to go
for the Marianas design, which was beautiful and interesting, and very
evocative of the colors of a coral reef. Fun. The nib isn't as
flexible as you'd think by looking at it, though it does flex a bit.
I had my fun with it for a few days and then sold it onward with a
bottle of Iroshizuku Kon Peki, which matches it perfectly.
Positives: Not too heavy, decent balance, not too expensive, so a fun
starter pen or splurge.
Negatives: The piston didn't convince me it would work for too long,
and the steel nib was scratchy and not fun.
=====================================================================
Pilot Custom Heritage Special Edition
I first saw the SE and thought I was glad I'd bought the larger 912.
But slowly the SE began to feel more comfortable in my hand, and the
nib is excellent. The green one I bought filled the niche of the
Estie Evergreen (mostly) and it can due a darker blue-green like Tsuki
Yo well enough without any cognitive dissonance. I did find this pen
doesn't like other inks too much - had dry starts with Diamine for
example. With its own Iroshizuku ink it writes perfectly. Probably
one of my better pens these days - good for longer writing sessions.
They make a medium and a fine nib; I sure wish they would also sell a
stub, or even better, a 0.8mm stub like the Preras. That would be
nirvana.
Positives: Excellent writer, 14k gold nib.
Negatives: Slightly uncomfortably expensive for my liking, considering
it's mostly plastic.
Platinum makes three grades of pens: the Prefounte, the Plaisir, and
the Procyon (OK, and the Preppy, a common starter pen but a plastic
disposable). They all seem to use the same nib, so I opted for the
Procyon, which still wasn't too expensive, and got both fine and
medium points. Metal body - feels like aluminum to me. They are well
weighted and a nice, comfortable diameter. They compete favorably
with the Lamy Safari, at a similar price point and quality. Unlike
the Lamy though, they have round sections rather than triangular.
Positives: Great nibs, for steel - exactly what you'd expect from
Japan. Very technical feeling. Nice balance, not too heavy, and you
can use them posted or unposted. Great travel pens. The Platinum ink
cartridges are pretty fancy, with little steel balls that keep the ink
moving.
Negatives: Steel nibs, so not made for extended, trancelike zen
experiences. And the Platinum cartridges are proprietary, which
annoys. The caps screw on, so there are threads right where I put my
fingers, not ideal (still deciding if it's going to turn me off or
not).
My success with the Waterman Expert(s) made me think, wow, what could
this company do with a gold nib? Plus, the Carene has an interesting,
integrated nib reminiscent of the Sheaffer Heritages I'd sold. Turns
out, it's a great pen. Waterman pays careful attention to the things
that matter to me. The 14k gold nib is excellent and wet, the weight
is perfect, the barrel is a gorgeous lacquered brass/steel and feels
substantial and pleasant in the hand. Probably my most luxury pen,
but unlike the Sheaffer, I am guaranteed that the Carene will ink the
instant the nib touches paper, say to sign an autograph (or more
likely, a check).
Positives: Excellent in every way: weight, balance,
and the extraordinary 14k gold nib.
Negatives: The integrated nib is
no joke and can't be easily repaired, so use with care.
Verdict: Possibly my most professional/luxury pen, and in constant
rotation.
=====================================================================
TWSBI Diamond ALR 580, Eco, and Mini
Quite the name: AL for aluminum section, R for ridges. OK. The folks
at Reddit had nothing but good things to say about TWSBI, so I gave it
a try on a whim and ordered the Prussian Blue, quite the bewitching
color. And what a pen! Later I bought an Eco, and then a Mini. I'll
say this: TWSBI nibs are spectacular, absolutely spectacular. They
are steel, but they are smooth as silk, write effortlessly and
comfortably, and are nothing but pleasure. The stub is without any
question the best stub I've used on any pen ever. I bought an Eco
next, with a bold nib, just for fun. Just as good. I bought a medium
nib for the ALR (they're about $25 each and you can swap them in and
out, fun). Still decent. Finally, I bought a mini (piston filler)
with another stub nib. Still superb. Quite possibly the only steel
nib that I like as much as gold.
Positives: Without any doubt, the best stub nib I've ever used. It's
steel, but it's smooth and effortless and just glides. It is a
spectacular nib.
Negatives: The ALR 580 is longer than most, and the mini is shorter
(until you post the cap). Why not just make a normal pen? And I don't
like the plastic in the body, which reminds me of Lexan drinking cups
we used on picnics.
Verdict: I sold the ALR and Eco but kept the mini, which is my best
stub and in constant usage.
I was drawn to Conklin because they have a forest green that rivals
the Estie I'd sold. But consensus is that the newer models suffer in
build quality and the nibs can be terrible. So what caught my eye in
this older model (2007) was that it came from a previous generation of
pens, and boasted an iridium nib. I am drawn to iridium like moths to
a flame. This is my newest pen, but so far it appears to be one of my
absolute best writers. The medium nib is just slightly stubby, not so
that you'd notice it in ordinary usage, but there is unquestionable
variation between horizontal and vertical strokes. Nice ink flow.
Writes well, balance is good, not too heavy. Pretty.
Positives: Spectacular writer. I'm really happy with this one
Negatives The cap clip is unique, by which I mean a little funky. And
it takes more turns of the cap to open it than other pens.
Verdict: Still early days, but this promises to be a top ten in my
quiver, and I'm really enjoying writing with it.
=====================================================================
Pilot Metropolitan
I wanted the CM nib I'd experienced in the Prera, but in a full-size
and slightly fancier-feeling pen. And I was looking for a pair of
pens that would become my travel pens. I bought a M and a CM nib, and
set them to use. The exact same nibs as the Prera, so really pretty
good writers and the CM width is really great. I desperately wish
other pens would create something similar.
Positives: Inexpensive enough for travel without fear if they are
lost. Decent writers. Cool colors. Love that CM (medium
calligraphic) nib, basically a 0.8 stub.
<b>Negatives:</b> The oblong body means, just like the Sheaffer
Taranis, you can't reliably post the cap, such adisappointment and
ultimately the reason I moved them on.
This pen goes head to head with the Parker 51 for mid-century styling,
and the hooded nib has a just slightly stubby nature to it.
Originally, it had an internal bracket where you would mount one short
ink cartridge for use and a spare behind it. When one cartridge
emptied you could easily flip it and keep writing - very clever!
Modern versions have a converter for liquid ink, which I like
better. Ultimately, not a keeper
Positives: Very good looking, and I adore the look of the solid color
body with the shiny cap that extends half the length of the pen. It
really evokes the 1950s, a great decade.
Negatives: Simply impossible to keep the cap in place when posted; no
ridges, no click, nothing. The cap falls off all the time. And too
light if the cap isn't posted. Did no one test this? Nib was a bit
scratchy as it was steel rather than iridium.
This 1940s pen's style is fashionable again, so I'm seeing a
resurgence in 51 style. I inherited several Parker 51s that belonged
to my grandfather, but no matter how I fiddled with them, they never
wrote very well and therefore never won me over. I didn't even keep
them and now they're gone. I'd owned a men's and women's set (the
women's pen had a narrow diameter body, and were more delicately
styled, I suppose). In hindsight, kind of wish I'd kept them, but I
seriously doubt they'd have become a steady part of my quiver.
Positives: Retro.
Negatives: Did not write well.
=====================================================================
Faber Castell e-motion pencil
OK, not a fountain pen, but a fancy writing instrument, and I use it
every day. Again, saw it in shop windows in Bologna, Italy and was
smitten. At 1.4mm, the lead is broad to be sure and for some tasks
where small notes were required, it's just too wide (the Retro 51
mechanical pencil is a champ there, at 1.1mm lead). But for other
things it's really great, and I love the way it feels in the hand and
how softly the high quality lead marks. The cool wood grain slowly
takes on the mark of your hand as you use it over the years.
Positives: Excellent writer and I use pencil a lot more than I used to
as a result. Fits extremely comfortably in the hand. Very fun to
write with, and there's something nice about holding an instrument
made of wood.
* The forest green colors of the Estie (and the name: Evergreen. Sigh).
* The gorgeous, soft, gold nibs of the Parker 75/ Sonnet, and Pelikans
* The low-stress travelability of the Procyons
* The Estie Gena nib (a medium stub) or the Pilot Metro/Prera CM nib
* The ink flow of the TWSBI 1.1 stub, painting bold, soft strokes
* The great, soft gold nib of the Sheaffer Valiant
* The perfect weight and balance of the Lamy 2000s with any nib
* The classic styling of the Pilot 912
* The extraordinary and unique styling of the Waterman Carene
* The effortless pleasure of the Waterman Expert
* The satisfying click of the Prera cap clicking into place.
