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Congrats on the new pen sir!
Congrats on the new pen sir!
Manifold nibs are very stiff nibs that can be used with carbon copies without suffering damage from being pressed too hard. Most big pen companies made them -- I've got some tough steel Esterbrook nibs and a few rigid German Durchschreibefeder (marked D) nibs on my Pelikans. They can, of course, be used in normal writing but don't expect any "give" or flex that many people like in a fountain pen.I know you weren’t asking me, but I do not, and would love to learn!
Not exactly, but there is a page on the site that explains how to fill using different methods. It will be a learning process! I would be interested in learning what kind of nib that is. Thanks!Congrats! You do know what a manifold nib is, right?
That is great info, Nemo, thank you! I jumped in blindly, wanting to try something old, like the razors. I am excited to try it and to interact with others more here. Worse case, I don't care for it and I find it a better home than sitting a drawer here!Manifold nibs are very stiff nibs that can be used with carbon copies without suffering damage from being pressed too hard. Most big pen companies made them -- I've got some tough steel Esterbrook nibs and a few rigid German Durchschreibefeder (marked D) nibs on my Pelikans. They can, of course, be used in normal writing but don't expect any "give" or flex that many people like in a fountain pen.
Not that it makes a difference to the central point, but the nib on the 580 is not a #6 size. It is a larger #5 nib. It is the same with the Precision fountain pen.Yes, the Eco has a #5 nib and the 580 has a #6. The only difference is the size. Physical size, that is. The size of the writing is the same. Often larger nibs will be softer and write with a little more bounce, but Jowo nibs are notoriously stiff, so that's not the case here.
You're right that the 580 has a number 5 nib. However, a "standard" modern number 6 nib is larger than the number 5. thewritingdesk.co.uk describes the Vac 700 as using the larger (emphasis added) number 6 nib.Not that it makes a difference to the central point, but the nib on the 580 is not a #6 size. It is a larger #5 nib. It is the same with the Precision fountain pen.
That is great info, Nemo, thank you! I jumped in blindly, wanting to try something old, like the razors. I am excited to try it and to interact with others more here. Worse case, I don't care for it and I find it a better home than sitting a drawer here!
I stand corrected. Thank you sir.Not that it makes a difference to the central point, but the nib on the 580 is not a #6 size. It is a larger #5 nib. It is the same with the Precision fountain pen.
In terms of new pens, I would tend to agree. Lots of great pens at the $20-$40 range, and you probably don't notice much of an improvement at the $50-$100 range so why spend so much more. You need to get into the more expensive pens to really notice a difference.$50-$100 is infamously a "dead spot" in the fountain pen market.
Doc, what would be your top recommendations for vintage or second hand for sub $100?In terms of new pens, I would tend to agree. Lots of great pens at the $20-$40 range, and you probably don't notice much of an improvement at the $50-$100 range so why spend so much more. You need to get into the more expensive pens to really notice a difference.
Of course, vintage pens bought second hand can be a totally different thing!
I used to sell guitars, and they have a lot in common with fountain pens. People would look at a £200 guitar, then point to a £400 guitar in the same range and brand, and ask if it was twice as good. Being honest, I would say No. The £400 guitar was made using more attractive wood grain, OR it was assembled by someone more experienced, OR better machine heads and saddle.I am thoroughly enjoying my newly acquired hobby, and am considering acquiring a more expensive fountain pen, maybe or I might just stay content where I am currently. This may be my last, or it may not. Who knows
So my question(s) what would be your recommendation for a pen in the $50-$75 range? What makes it better than pens in the $15-$30 range? Is it even worth it? Not yet ready to drop $150-$200 on a pen. Someday, maybe. Not there yet though.
I’m having lots of fun with my less expensive pens. I completely understand the ymmv and all, and would appreciate hearing your experience comparing the less expensive to a bit more expensive pens!
For reference here’s what I currently have:
Thanks so much for sharing your experience and recommendations!!
- Lamy Safari multiple nibs for it (F, M, 1.9)
- Pilot Metro F
- Pilot Kakuno M
- Platinum Preppy F 0.3
- Platinum Preppy M 0.5
Don't forget reliability and longevity. I've had $5 and $10 pens that wrote great right after I inked 'em up. But soon the nib comes loose or the cap cracks or doesn't catch threads, or section leaks in the shirt pocket. I rely on my pens like folks from early and mid 20th century and don't want something that dries up after a few hours and won't write. Inconvenient as well as embarrassing.I used to sell guitars, and they have a lot in common with fountain pens. People would look at a £200 guitar, then point to a £400 guitar in the same range and brand, and ask if it was twice as good. Being honest, I would say No. The £400 guitar was made using more attractive wood grain, OR it was assembled by someone more experienced, OR better machine heads and saddle.
The law of diminishing returns. I have pens which cost £1 or £2, and they are nice, and write nicely. I have £15 pens which are twice as nice in every detail. You will get little extra by spending only twice or three times as much. Slightly more attractive, perhaps.
Doc, what would be your top recommendations for vintage or second hand for sub $100?
Doc, what would be your top recommendations for vintage or second hand for sub $100?
I appreciate you sharing your experience and insight!I used to sell guitars, and they have a lot in common with fountain pens. People would look at a £200 guitar, then point to a £400 guitar in the same range and brand, and ask if it was twice as good. Being honest, I would say No. The £400 guitar was made using more attractive wood grain, OR it was assembled by someone more experienced, OR better machine heads and saddle.
The law of diminishing returns. I have pens which cost £1 or £2, and they are nice, and write nicely. I have £15 pens which are twice as nice in every detail. You will get little extra by spending only twice or three times as much. Slightly more attractive, perhaps.
If you go for the Platinum Plaisir you'll find it uses the same nib as your Preppy. It is, in fact, the same pen but with an aluminium cap and barrel instead of plastic. You can swap them. Buy what you wish, but the greatest value is in the zone you're in now.
Sounds like when something goes wrong with a FP it can really go wrong! Good to know so I can be on the lookout/aware of some shortcomings at times. Thanks for the insight Doug!Don't forget reliability and longevity. I've had $5 and $10 pens that wrote great right after I inked 'em up. But soon the nib comes loose or the cap cracks or doesn't catch threads, or section leaks in the shirt pocket. I rely on my pens like folks from early and mid 20th century and don't want something that dries up after a few hours and won't write. Inconvenient as well as embarrassing.
Thank you kindly for sharing your insight! I’m considering a couple that have been recommended to me already, the Parker 51 and Sheaffer Imperial. I got a feeling I’ll end up with the parker at some point for sure!I stopped buying Chinese pens for this reason. Sure they are ridiculously cheap, but you get what you pay for. They dry out, corrode, leak, break, etc.
As for vintage, a well-restored vintage pen will likely outlast a lot of the lower and mid-tier pens made today, and even some of the higher tier ones with notorious QC issues (cough Visconti). I'm confident that my P51s will be writing for my grandchildren long after the Custom 823 has cracked...
If you want to go vintage, and I would encourage you to, don't worry so much about a model or make, but focus on who you are buying it from. You want something sold by a reputable pen restorer who will ensure that you get a well functioning writing instrument that will work as intended. There are a number of those people in the US and Europe whose work you can trust.
From there, you can look at their inventory and see what strikes a chord with you. Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with Parker or Sheaffer; both have models well within your budget.
Thanks Doc! I appreciate you laying out your thought process there. That’ll help me avoid paying a premium. I’m thinking I’ll just be on the lookout for a good user-grade in looks that writes really well. Might toss up a WTB ad on the BST, see if someone has one collecting dust that they’d like to move on.I am not "into" vintage pens like some others, so I don't really know what's "a good bet" or a top recommendation. I guess I could take the easy answer and say "one in good condition that is inexpensive", but that says everything and nothing.
My suggestion would be to find those vintage pens that you like, and then see what the "going price" for a decent one is.
One thought, though ... avoid paying for the "collector characteristics". Collectors will pay extra for "mint", for "in the box", for that special colour that they only made in 1944 for six months ... and that bumps the price up for "collectability" reasons rather than "pen quality" reasons. You don't need that.