Help me choose a new fountain pen.

[Sullybob]

I am looking to get a new fountain pen. I have narrowed my choices down to three pens, a Pilot Vanishing Point, a Pelikan 215 or 205 demonstrator. I have read reviews of these pens at FPN. I have a Lamy that is just ok, I like the style of the pen but it doesn't write as nicely as I would like it to. I have a free pen that came with some Noodlers ink that is much nicer to write with then the Lamy.

Which ever pen I decide on I will order it from Richards pens, so I know that I'm not going to have any problems with the nib. I like a thinner line so I will be getting a fine nib, if that makes any difference.

If you were going to order one of these three pens, which one would you order and why? Is their another pen in a similar price range that I should be looking at?

I should probably tell you that I really like the looks of the Black Carbonesque Vanishing point.

Any insight to these pens would be greatly appreciated

 

[MaxP]

I cannot speak to the Vanishing Point, but I have two Pelikans and find them very satisfying and trouble free.

 

[Austin]

I've owned both Pelikan and the Vanishing point. I like the Pelikan better. Nevertheless, they are both solid pens and will not disappoint you.

 

[SilkySmooth]

For me, the Pelikans and Lamy pens need far less pressure to write with than the Namiki vanishing point. I have the first version Vanishing point. The Nib is very small compared to the other pens. The concept is cool, but I found that I was always trying to press down to get the ink to flow. I also tried various inks with the Namiki and found that the thinner inks worked better.

From my experience, if you're going to do a lot of writing, I'd steer away from the vanishing point. The bladder is very small compared to a Pelikan.

I think demonstrators are pretty cool because they show the ink, and you can get some really neat ink colors. The downside- prepare yourself for a fair amount of cleaning, especially the cap.

You also said that you would like a fine nib. If you order a Pelikan, you may want to order a size down since their nibs tend to run larger/bolder than most manufacturers. www.nibs.com will show you some examples. They also can do custom work to achieve the writing style you're looking for.

In any case, your pen purchase should depend on your intended use.

Happy writing.

 

[sigman]

I do not like the vanishing point. Do not remember anything remarkable about the other pens you have mentioned.

I settled on a sheaffer agio, very nice pen for the money i paid. All of $20.

 

[Sullybob]

Thanks guys. It seems that the Pelikan is favored over the vanishing point.

My intended use for the pen is to use it everyday. I may or may not use it in school to take notes with so the bladder size of the vanishing point could be an issue.

Why do demonstrators need the cap cleaned more then other pens?

 

[Bill Smith]

My suggestion, save up some more money and get the Pelikan M400. I have the Vanishing Point as well, it's a great pen but I think you are headed towards Pelikan in your decision making.

 

[Isaac]

I would recommend the Pelikan over the Vanishing Point. I find the ink capacity of the Vanishing Point to be very lacking personally.

 

[StylinLA]

I'm a fan of the Vanishing Point. I've also got a Waterman and an over the top pricey Tiffany that I got for my 20 years on the job.

The Waterman is a nice quality pen no doubt. But I like to carry a pen for work. It's hard to beat the ease of use which the click open Vanishing Point offers.
Pretty cumbersome to keep pulling the cap off the Waterman.

The Tiffany is nice, and probably has the finest quality nib. But it's a pain in the azz to load with ink and doesn't hold much. Very high maintenance.

It is a little tricky to get used to the way the pocket clip on the VP is positioned when turning pen around to write, but you'll get it.

There is also a "cool- a retractable fountain pen!" aspect to the VP.

I'm sure they're well designed, but I am anticipating an ink disaster of some kind though.

 

[Razor&Pens]

There is a lot to reply to in this thread. Both the Pelikans and the Vanishing Point (VP) are very nice pens. (Richard doesn't sell pens that do not perform or last up to his high standards.)

If you like really fine lines, Japanese nibs run fine, so a fine VP will be finer than a fine Pelikan, assuming you are not going to get one of Richard's custom nibs anyhow.

The Vanishing Point is a little quirkier in that the clip forces you to hold the pen a certain way. I have never had a problem with it but as some people do, it would be good if you could test drive one first. (You should *not* have to press down with it more than any other pen.

The VP will hold less ink than one of the Pelikans, but the VP can use a (proprietary Pilot) cartridge, which offers that kind of flexibility versus the larger capacity, but bottle-fill-only Pelikan. The VP is operates like a ballpoint thus it is one handed open/close and there is no cap to drop. The Pelikan is a traditional design.

The Pelikan demonstrators are the identical design to the non-demonstrators. If you're anal about the appearance, you might be bothered by any stray ink in the cap, under the inner cap, etc.

I have multiple Vanishing Points and Pelikans, both demonstrators and not. If the VP clip position is not a deal-breaker for you, they are both great pens and each offers pros & cons.

Wonderful dilema with which to be faced. (And say hello to Richard for me, and that I'll see him at the Philly show in a few weeks.)

-Tom

 

[Sullybob]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I have a lot to think about before making my final decision. Tough decision indeed.

 

[Torcams]

I just unwrapped (late xmas) a new Pelikan 215 today (black with lozenges). Got the pen from Richard and it looks fantastic and writes beautifully. First fill (besides by Richard) was with Waterman Florida Blue.

I did a bunch of lurking on FPN and browsing through various options before settling on this one.

 

[Cheech]

For daily use, I'd have to recommend the VP. This feels odd, because I am a huge fan of Pelikans, and generally prefer them over pretty much all other pens I own.

For me, the convenience of a retractable pen is fairly big. This may also depend on how you use your pens. I jot frequently through the day, and fairly regularly write a few paragraphs. Because of this, the ease of being able to pull the VP out of my pocket, click, and write; is a major factor.

Two things to be considered, which may make your decision process very easy:

1. The VP is a fairly thick pen.
2. As was mentioned earlier, the clip may or may not work with your writing style. I actually adjusted to the pen. At first, I was going to get rid of it. Then a friend suggested I give it a couple of days. Now, I love my VP.

It looks like you should have a Paradise Pen and a Colorado Pen nearby. I've been to the Paradise Pen in Las Vegas, and was really impressed by them. I'd say take the day and check out the VP. See how you like the feel and clip position. Heck, while you're there you can check out the Pelikan. Always better to make a decision after you've had them both in your hand.

 

[winkydink]

I <3 my Pilot Vanishing Point. It's the only FP I own that is always inked (Private Reserve Black Magic Blue).

Get one from RichardsPens.com and he'll tune (i.e., tweak) the nib for you so it's not as finicky about the position it needs to be held in.

 

[Bill Smith]

Now to defend the Pilot VP (I'm using mine today), I think it's performance depends on the ink. Use something that's on the thick side, it will not perform to your liking. I have Omas Blue in my VP this morning and the flow is great.

 

[WhosYerBob]

Pelikan has my vote. I've owned a bunch of them over the years and finally settled on an 805. One thing that few other pen makers can offer is your choice of user changeable nibs, including italic and customized nibs from the nibmeisters.

 

[Cheech]

Good point about the nibs. The VP nibs are easily changed, also. The set-up is a little different, but you're not stuck with the nib with which you ordered.

 

[Sullybob]

I knew the VP has a nib that is easily changed but I didn't know that that the Pelikan's nib was also changed easily. That makes the choice even tougher.

I should be able to hold a VP tomorrow and possibly a Pelikan also.

 

[D.Irving79]

conklin crescent filler

any eyedropper with a good nib

 

[Razor&Pens]

Another easy solution--Get both!

Why didn't I think of that sooner?