Dan R

I purchased a Pelikan M800 off eBay for $435AUD. The stores in my neck of the woods charged around $900. Paid about the same for a Visconti Wall St.
Regarding my upper limit, I suppose it would be around $1000 for a Mont Blanc 149. But I've manged to hold off until now. While I consider Mont Blanc to be the Levi's/RayBan of the fountain pen world, I've always had a soft spot for the 149.
I love the re-edition Mandarin Yellow Parker Duofold, but the retail price is positively obscene.
With a dozen fountain pens, these days, I'm happy to go as high as $350-$450, but I'd have a hard time justifying any more than that.

I've never gone above $200-250, but I'm very interested in a Nakaya urushi model, which would be $550. That's probably my limit. I only have about 5 or 6 pens, and can't see expanding much (as opposed to watches), because I simply don't write enough to justify it.

I write alot @ wrk, so I wouldn't mind spending 250-300 for a nice pen but I never have nor will I.
I'm happy w/ my Faber Castell 65.00 pen.I have been looking lately for a nice pen, but I can't see spending 2-3 hundred $$ because my Owner is a klepto pen stealer.

Sorry about your owner.

I have made some observations on fountain pens. If you can spend between 100 and 200 USD, you can get a Japanese FP with a great gold nib. That number would be under 100 USD for vintage Japanese. Above 200 USD, you are getting a nicer body.

So it seems to depend if you are looking for a writer as opposed to a writer and statement. I usuallly go for a writer, but from time to time, will do a statement.

I'll amend to say you do not need a gold nib. I have several fine steel nibs. But it looks nice!

Dan

Originally Posted by Dan R

Sorry about your owner.

I have made some observations on fountain pens. If you can spend between 100 and 200 USD, you can get a Japanese FP with a great gold nib. That number would be under 100 USD for vintage Japanese. Above 200 USD, you are getting a nicer body.

So it seems to depend if you are looking for a writer as opposed to a writer and statement. I usuallly go for a writer, but from time to time, will do a statement.

I'll amend to say you do not need a gold nib. I have several fine steel nibs. But it looks nice!

Dan

Nice article. I'm pretty-much used to writing with rollerballs, but I've been thinking about getting a decent fountain pen. I just really don't know too much about them.

What would you suggest for around a couple hundred bucks, probably grey market? I like some of the less-expensive Montegrappa pens, but not sure if there's a better option out there. For example, many people say that Montblancs are not the best value. Thanks.

Oh, and I'd probably start with a fine point, but I also know that the stroke thickness can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

I have a Montblanc, but I bought it before East and West Germany were just Germany. The older models are fine IMO.

Lately, I have been dabbling in Japanese and have not been disappointed. If you want one that is close to airtight when capped, I would look at the Platinum 3776 series. If you want a slightly different nib design, the Namiki Falcon (resin) is worth considering. If you want a very different look, the Pilot Vanishing Point is rather cool.

All have gold nibs and most models are well under $200.

On the vintage side, there are several Parker vacumatics and Sheaffer touchdown models that are nice, but that requires knowing more about them to make sure you get a good deal.

Cheers,

Dan

Pens are tools in my trade.
On a building survey, it has to be quick drying, smudge free, preferably water resistant when dry and of fine line.
To this end, I use a 0.4 Japanese gel pen.
When I am outside and it gets a little wet, I go to a ballpoint as it writes better in drizzle.

On a building site when we are setting out plans and whatever, it's fat marker time.

In the office when i am reviewing drawings, notes are scribbled on with red and green ball-points.

So pens form a very big part of my life but purely as tools but while I write a lot by hand, I don't write and so a fountain pen never feels like it has a place in my life.

On the other hand, I am a prolific pencil wielder and would happily spend on drawing implements.

Originally Posted by Hayseed Brown

Nice article. I'm pretty-much used to writing with rollerballs, but I've been thinking about getting a decent fountain pen. I just really don't know too much about them.

What would you suggest for around a couple hundred bucks, probably grey market? I like some of the less-expensive Montegrappa pens, but not sure if there's a better option out there. For example, many people say that Montblancs are not the best value. Thanks.

Oh, and I'd probably start with a fine point, but I also know that the stroke thickness can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

I've been using fountain pens for a year or so now. I would suggest you consider, before you drop a couple hundred bucks, getting an inexpensive (say, $50 or so) model, just to see how you like it. Remember that in addition to the fountain pen behaving differently than a rollerball, you also have to clean it periodically, etc. Take a look at a brand like Lamy (my first fountain pen was a Lamy Al-Star, and I still use it, it writes very nicely), or some of the less expensive Pilots. I've found that cleaning and re-inking a pen is much like winding a manual watch--I enjoy the interaction, but YMMV.

i really like fountain pen's but i cant use them cos i'm lefthanded. When i write with them it's real messy cos i drag my hand trough the ink All i can do is buy ballpoints...

Originally Posted by I-B

i really like fountain pen's but i cant use them cos i'm lefthanded. When i write with them it's real messy cos i drag my hand trough the ink All i can do is buy ballpoints...

I'm a lefty (at least for writing), and don't have an issue because I am a major league over-writer (one of those guys with a huge hook, where my hand is well above where I'm writing)...

Originally Posted by mlcor

I've been using fountain pens for a year or so now. I would suggest you consider, before you drop a couple hundred bucks, getting an inexpensive (say, $50 or so) model, just to see how you like it. Remember that in addition to the fountain pen behaving differently than a rollerball, you also have to clean it periodically, etc. Take a look at a brand like Lamy (my first fountain pen was a Lamy Al-Star, and I still use it, it writes very nicely), or some of the less expensive Pilots. I've found that cleaning and re-inking a pen is much like winding a manual watch--I enjoy the interaction, but YMMV.

Yeah, you're probably right. I was looking at the Lamy Al-Star and Safari models (pretty much the same thing, I think). I don't think I'd mind the cleaning/re-inking too much.

Originally Posted by Hayseed Brown

Yeah, you're probably right. I was looking at the Lamy Al-Star and Safari models (pretty much the same thing, I think). I don't think I'd mind the cleaning/re-inking too much.

Be sure to look at TWSBI as well. Their Vac 700 is great value for a vacumatic fountain pen.



Dan

Originally Posted by drunken monkey

Pens are tools in my trade.
On a building survey, it has to be quick drying, smudge free, preferably water resistant when dry and of fine line.
To this end, I use a 0.4 Japanese gel pen.
When I am outside and it gets a little wet, I go to a ballpoint as it writes better in drizzle.

On a building site when we are setting out plans and whatever, it's fat marker time.

In the office when i am reviewing drawings, notes are scribbled on with red and green ball-points.

So pens form a very big part of my life but purely as tools but while I write a lot by hand, I don't write and so a fountain pen never feels like it has a place in my life.

On the other hand, I am a prolific pencil wielder and would happily spend on drawing implements.

I don'r discriminate. My favorite pencil is a Pentel Graphgear 1000.

Cheers,

Dan

Originally Posted by Dan R

Be sure to look at TWSBI as well. Their Vac 700 is great value for a vacumatic fountain pen.



Dan

Thanks for the suggestion, Dan, but I just ordered a Lamy Al-Star, converter, and some ink. Maybe I'll post some impressions, blog-style. It'll be my first fountain pen.

Originally Posted by Hayseed Brown

Thanks for the suggestion, Dan, but I just ordered a Lamy Al-Star, converter, and some ink. Maybe I'll post some impressions, blog-style. It'll be my first fountain pen.

Look forward to it!



Dan

Originally Posted by Hayseed Brown

Thanks for the suggestion, Dan, but I just ordered a Lamy Al-Star, converter, and some ink. Maybe I'll post some impressions, blog-style. It'll be my first fountain pen.

Excellent! The type of ink you use can make a big difference, too. I'm no expert but there are definite differences between brands, some wetter, some drier, etc. It's kind of fun to experiment. As a hobby, it's so much cheaper than watches. Ink is sort of the equivalent of straps for watches, but less expensive.