Disappointing pen?

[Mr5x5]

Anyone have a pen that they really were looking forward to and then were less than impressed with?

I've wanted a Metropolitan since early in the year after reading all the good comments. However, for once in my life I did the smart thing and waited to see it before ordering. The brick-and-mortar in the big city got in their supply last week and when I was up I had the chance to check them out. Glad I did. I found it heavier than I like and the large difference in size between the barrel and section was annoying. The edge hit my thumb in just the wrong place. I really wanted to like this pen too; good quality, inexpensive, and attractive. I had a Plumix nib all ready to swap into it and say I finally had found my pen but it just isn't for me.

Back to Ahab purgatory for me (another disappointing pen).

 

[cursethis]

The aforementioned Ahab was a pretty big disappointment for me, mainly because I only saw the positive reviews and not nearly enough of the negative ones. I threw it in my pen box, never to see the light of day again... for the moment. I decided to get a Goulet broad nib, so we'll see how it goes whenever it arrives. I'm expecting it to write wetter than a rainstorm though.

The only other slight regret I have is getting my Richard Binder custom nib in crisp italic instead of cursive italic. It's fun and all... but it's not really a nib you want to write any significant amount with.

 

[syngent]

I bought a sheaffer imperial off of the bay, I think for about 10 bucks more I could have got a NOS one, and the one I got had a nib that was to bent for me to do anything with, I was disappointed. specially since fixing it would cost the same as buying a NOS one

 

[the_edski]

I can't wait for Owen to see this thread....

Personally, I was disappointed with a Sheaffer VFM that I bought when I was a NIB noob last year. Looking back on it, it was a bad purchase, it was cartridge only and I was already big into bottled inks and very finicky for a leftie. Luckily, I was able to send it as a companion item on one of James's PIF's to Chris (KcHighLife) and he seemed to like it last I heard.

 

[cursethis]

Oh wait... I just remembered my real disappointing pen that I bought but had a mental block on.

I got a Waterman pen from like the 70s or 80s with a "Dura-Flex" nib off of eBay. I put the nib to paper and... crack. The nib got a crack in it that's causing one of the tines to hang. I have no idea what model the pen is, nor can I find any info on whatever the hell a Waterman Dura-Flex nib is. So, I have no idea how to replace the nib. It's currently hanging out with my Ahab.

 

[ChefJohnBoy-ardee]

I got a 78g in BB to replace a lost 78g in B. The BB is just too dry. I could tweak the feed but I have enough other pens to occupy my time. I later found the 78g in B so it all became moot anyways.

 

[Hex]

I just got my 1st Edison, a 2013 Morgan LE, and I have not inked it as of yet.
I was a bit disappointed in the weight because I had thought it would be a bit heavier plus I was expecting it to be a bit more garish. It's a little bland.
However, those complaints will all disappear if it performs well.

 

[Slivovitz]

I'll stick to describing problems with current production pens. A vintage one is also sometimes more trouble than it's worth, but I figure that's just the chance you take.

• Pelikan Future. Cap won't stay posted, and it's very short without it. The "fine" nib is more like a broad, basically unusable in small notebooks. Pelikan makes many good pens; my M205 is an example of that. The Future is a counter-example.
• Kaigelu #316. A very attractive pen, but I haven't got time to go into everything that's wrong with it as a writing instrument. $20 down the drain.
• Sheaffer 100. Actually this is a good pen on its own terms, but the medium nib is very broad, not practical for normal use.
• Pilot Plumix. Not a fan of the stub nib on this.
• Zebra V-301. It only cost $3.99, but it was a completely wasted $3.99.
• Schrade Tactical pen. This has swappable sections to switch between being a rollerball and a fountain pen. The rollerball is actually okay, and that's how I'm keeping it. The fountain pen is a very poor writer. Perhaps some nib and feed tweakage would fix it, but it doesn't seem worth the effort.

What all these have in common is that they're cheap pens. I've gotten some excellent cheap pens as well, of course, but I've never had a major problem with one that cost me $60 or more.

 

[Cartier]

Well that is a bummer Mr5x5.

I am new to fountain pens as I recently stumbled into The Nib.

I received my Pilot Metropolitan yesterday and absolutely adore it. My opinion isn't worth very much as this is my first pen. Someday I will be able to better understand the intricacies of a fine pen but for now the Metro works great!

I hope your next purchase is more satisfying.

 

[Mr5x5]

Well that is a bummer Mr5x5.

I am new to fountain pens as I recently stumbled into The Nib.

I received my Pilot Metropolitan yesterday and absolutely adore it. My opinion isn't worth very much as this is my first pen. Someday I will be able to better understand the intricacies of a fine pen but for now the Metro works great!

I hope your next purchase is more satisfying.

On behalf of my family and I, Thank You for your service! Welcome to the Nib; I'm glad you like the pen. If you want to try a stub nib in it PM me and I will send you the one from my Plumix. I really like the nib but the Plumix was one of most uncomfortable pen I have held. My search for a pen that works for me goes back to the opening days of The Nib so this is nothing new for me, I just had high hopes for it.

 

[oc_in_fw]

Both Ahabs that I owned- fantastically beautiful, fantastically crap.

 

[bassopotamus]

I've had terrible luck with noodler's pens across the board. I had two of his ebonites (they were among the first he marketed), and they wrote and felt great, but puked ink. Bad. I also had one of the early flex nib pens, and it just isn't a winner either.

 

[jzuzphreek]

Both Ahabs that I owned- fantastically beautiful, fantastically crap.

But didn't they just smell great!?

I haven't had a disappointing pen yet. From my first Varsity on up to my restore project Duofold.

Unless you count the Zebra. The Zebra was terrible.

 

[luvmysuper]

Unless you count the Zebra. The Zebra was terrible.

Yep. Like writing on sandpaper with a nail file.

 

[syngent]

My chinese pens were great cause they were my first and I didn't know any better, then the nice finish to my first Jinhao started to peal off cause it was a sticker, and my Hero blew up with a bad converter and gave the famous mohawk, and I got my first Pelikan, from there I research my pens before I buy them, and when people say stay away I generally do

I dont get disappointing pens any more as I've played it pretty safe

 

[jzuzphreek]

Yep. Like writing on sandpaper with a nail file.

The problem was more the feed. The problem was that... it didn't feed. ever. I'm sure someone has a humorous video of a guy in the University of New Orleans business department computer lab banging a Zebra on the desk.

 

[wherndon]

I was a bit disappointed in Dad's Parker that I had restored (after I dropped it on the concrete floor, it landed right on the nib), fortunately I was able to fix it.

 

[oc_in_fw]

But didn't they just smell great!?

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I liked the smell of them.

 

[jzuzphreek]

Maybe I'm a weirdo, but I liked the smell of them.

I agree. They smell like... a mechanic's shop maybe? Very manly.

 

[SweetOne69]

Since I've gotten a couple of true piston filler pens (Pelikan M215 & Lamy 2000), I'm actually disappoint with all of my cartridge/converter FPs.