telenous
Well-known
Team Kaweco.
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W/NW Show me your nice fountain pens
- Thread starter coelacanth
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Travis L.
Registered Userino
I have several. My favorite isn't the most expensive, or rarest.
It's my old Montblanc 31, dating back to the mid 60's.
I think it looks as beautiful as it writes.
It's my old Montblanc 31, dating back to the mid 60's.
I think it looks as beautiful as it writes.
Travis L.
Registered Userino
I'm a lefty who gets by fine with a fountain pen. Italic, or any angled nib is out though.
rjbuzzclick
Well-known
Here are a couple of Sheaffer pens I picked up in my early teens (30+ years ago). They were cheap and I always figured that they were the equivalent of the Kodak camera they're pictured with. They seem scratchy to write with, and ink on my fingers was always a problem. Then again, maybe shaking around in my bag wasn't the best thing either which probably splattered ink all over the inside of the caps. I've always liked the idea of a fountain pen however, so I ask you folks with more knowledge on the subject, was my experience more likely due to crappy pens, crappy technique, or somewhere in between?
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telenous
Well-known
Difficult to say, many things can go wrong. Sometimes the pen design doesn't work very well, sometimes there's material fatigue or deformation from use or merely from the passage of time. I have pens with plastic barrels that have cracked, others that have shrunk over time and the change in form stresses the innards of the pen in a way that affects writing performance. Heavy use accelerates these problems. Thriftier pens are usually made with less costly materials and that's often the source of many problems. The nib is another matter, scratchiness is sometimes the result of poor alignment of the tines but that's something that can be worked on. A dry/reluctant feeder too. A few mentioned earlier some people who actually do work for the smoothening of a nib (the so-called nibmeisters) but basic nib maintenance is not too hard to do on your own.
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telenous
Well-known
That's probably my favourite pen. (I say that for a few pens though 😀)
The Lamy 2000 must be the marmite of the fountain pen world, you either love it or you hate it, I just fall in the "love" camp. It's probably the smoothest pen I've used, bear in mind though it lays a line that is a bit wider than usual (my Fine writes like a Medium, and the Extra Fine like a Fine) and that helps in the smoothness department.
The Lamy 2000 must be the marmite of the fountain pen world, you either love it or you hate it, I just fall in the "love" camp. It's probably the smoothest pen I've used, bear in mind though it lays a line that is a bit wider than usual (my Fine writes like a Medium, and the Extra Fine like a Fine) and that helps in the smoothness department.
rjbuzzclick
Well-known
Thanks for the response. I'll do some searching around and have another go with them.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
That's probably my favourite pen. (I say that for a few pens though 😀)
The Lamy 2000 must be the marmite of the fountain pen world, you either love it or you hate it, I just fall in the "love" camp. It's probably the smoothest pen I've used, bear in mind though it lays a line that is a bit wider than usual (my Fine writes like a Medium, and the Extra Fine like a Fine) and that helps in the smoothness department.
I got myself a "vintage" Lamy Safari (from the 80's per the seller based on the W. Germany imprint on the bottom end of the pen). And you're right, although it has a Fine nib, it writes like a Medium.
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Red is in!
porktaco
Well-known
those shaeffers are the first fountain pens i ever had. i probably had a half dozen by the time i was done. they're cartridge pens, right? for what they were, they were great. insanely cheap (like, $1?), durable enough not to wilt under a middle-schooler's gentle handling. i imagine they could splatter a lot from shaking in one's bag.
peterm1
Veteran
Robert Lai
Well-known
Peter - your handwriting seems very beautiful to me!
Ron - in response to your question, I usually accept any old nib. I only replace a nib if it is completely damaged beyond repair. Usually, for older nibs I may have to make adjustments, as they are sometimes out of alignment, etc. However, as you keep writing, the nib will eventually wear to your writing style. By trying various positions and seeing which position it writes best in, you can actually tell how the former owner held the pen while writing.
Ron - in response to your question, I usually accept any old nib. I only replace a nib if it is completely damaged beyond repair. Usually, for older nibs I may have to make adjustments, as they are sometimes out of alignment, etc. However, as you keep writing, the nib will eventually wear to your writing style. By trying various positions and seeing which position it writes best in, you can actually tell how the former owner held the pen while writing.
rjbuzzclick
Well-known
Yes, they're cartridge pens. I bought some refills a few years ago and the design of the cartridge had changed a little, but I could still find them. I don't remember what I paid for them, but probably in the $4-$8 range I expect. I had a third Shaeffer too that was more of a torpedo shape like some of the ones in this thread, but I've been unable to find it.
benji77
@R.F.F
Oh my word.
I finally found this thread after I bought myself my first fountain pen on 20 Oct, the Faber Castell Ambition in black classic resin. It was a spur of the moment purchase, as I was waiting for my flight....
Now, here I am, looking at all these wonderful looking pens...and they are all related.
We cannot have just one camera.
We cannot have just one lens.
So why would I just have one fountain pen?
Should I pull the trigger on the Pelikan M200?
I finally found this thread after I bought myself my first fountain pen on 20 Oct, the Faber Castell Ambition in black classic resin. It was a spur of the moment purchase, as I was waiting for my flight....
Now, here I am, looking at all these wonderful looking pens...and they are all related.
We cannot have just one camera.
We cannot have just one lens.
So why would I just have one fountain pen?
Should I pull the trigger on the Pelikan M200?
dave lackey
Veteran
benji77
@R.F.F
Google is terrible.
I found the Monteverde Mount Fuji (coz someone posted that lovely tiger design one for like AUD$25???!!! and I got intrigued...damn...I think I will need two more fountain pens.
I like the Pelikan M200 black/Green Marble...and then I see the Cafe Creme....OH MY GOODNESS...
I NEED TO SELL A CAMERA.
telenous
Well-known
I don't think you'll hear from anyone here that you shouldn't. 😀 The M200 is such a classic. Check also the M205 for chrome trims in place of the gold-plated ones. As classic but just a tad less flashy.
Incidentally, I also have a Faber-Castell f.p., in my case the Basic Anthracite - different model than "Ambition" but sharing the same nib unit. Fabulous writer, phenomenal nib. Low-cost too. Best-kept secret of fountain-pen world.
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benji77
@R.F.F
This endless lust is horrible.
I fell for the Monteverde Fuji, and now have my eyes on a Pelikan M200, but hopefully I hold out for a few more months.
After some reading, it seems that I have dug myself into a pit that deepens by itself. I see that these pens need a qualified hand to maintain through polishing if it gets scratchy/poor ink flow. How high are these 'maintenance' costs? I have enough cameras that cause burns in the pocket.
Also, where do we buy pen rests? I saw one posted here with the Nakaya pen, and that is superb! (dont know about the cost though).
This is a dangerous thread.
I fell for the Monteverde Fuji, and now have my eyes on a Pelikan M200, but hopefully I hold out for a few more months.
After some reading, it seems that I have dug myself into a pit that deepens by itself. I see that these pens need a qualified hand to maintain through polishing if it gets scratchy/poor ink flow. How high are these 'maintenance' costs? I have enough cameras that cause burns in the pocket.
Also, where do we buy pen rests? I saw one posted here with the Nakaya pen, and that is superb! (dont know about the cost though).
This is a dangerous thread.
Srono
Established
Hei Benj,
Have you visited the local stores (FookHing@Bras Basah, or Aesthetic Bay)? Try the all these pens to see if like the handling. They have all Nakaya, Pelikan, etc. on display.
Yes, M200 cafe creme is delicious when you pair with cafe color ink! 😀
hendriphile
Well-known
I've had my flock for a number of years without seeing this happen. Assuming you start out with a properly set-up sample, if you treat them reasonably, keep them reasonably clean (by which I mean-- don't baby or overclean them) they will last for years without having to send it to anybody. Sounds sort of like treating a Leica camera, doesn't it?