Just the facts. First Fountain Pen, for a street cop.

[lwt210]

Me: Old school is my school. I start each work day out with an 0500 shower and shave with a Gillette 195 Fatboy, badger brush, and uberlather of the day. That is followed up by hand grinding coffee beans for my morning cup. I like 1095 carbon steel pocket knives and take the time to keep them blistering sharp. I wear a Seiko Monster automatic time piece because I love the mechanical aspect of it. My favorite alarm clock is a wind up travel clock and I love vintage cast iron. Old ways are the best ways.

I've been riding the streets since the mid 1990s....so I've seen some things and have come to an age in my life where I appreciate the finer things in life....on a budget. Good whiskey, good chocolate, etc.

I was scratching out a routine, mundane report yesterday and looked down at the Papermate Flair I was using and thought "Now that seems a bit ordinary for use on duty". I love the way it prints as far as the size of the writing and others have commented on my handwriting with as well as the "darkness" of the ink. I want a pen that is elegant and not disposable. I want to enjoy writing enough to take my mind off of the depressing facts that I sometimes have to jot down.

So here is what I need. I need a fountain pen that can survive the day in and day out struggles of a metro street cop. Hot weather, cold weather, rough conditions......it might have to take some abuse. Leaks can't be tolerated. I detest writing tickets and only do so when there is no other option so that will be covered by my Fisher AG7 which has been a solid performer. This fountain pen will be for case reports, alarm cards, documentation reports, etc. This won't be used or expected to perform on any multi page/part documents.

I have searched these threads at length. I know the Lamy is huge for a starter pen as is the Pilot Metropolitan and 78g. The problem? I hate the way they look.

SO....I have my eye on this pen.......the Sheaffer 100 in brushed chrome and medium nib. I like bold print and figure the med nib is what will satisfy me. I can get this pen in the 33 dollar range and it comes with converter and the Skript cartridges although I am not interested in cartridges at this point.

This pen....to be specific.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sheaffer-10...456?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5654de2e58

I have read mostly positive things....good weight to it, writes well, etc. The only negative I could find was that it had a slippery handle and that posting could develop a ring around the pen. None of that concerns me.

If there is something else I should be considering, I would welcome all suggestions. I would like to keep the price below 50 but that is flexible. The Sheaffer Prelude also appeals to me but I prefer the 100 as it has that all metal "look" to it that will go well with my AG7.

Thoughts? Criticisms?

And a suggestion on a quick drying, well flowing, dark as a black hole ink is welcomed too. The documents that I will be filling out with this pen are kept for years and are considered sensitive to say the least. Robberies, rapes, assaults.....things of that nature and all reports are subject to media release.

Thanks in advance, sorry if it was too wordy, and hope that a live link to a BIN is kosher. If not, someone let me know and I will edit it.

Regards.

 

[wherndon]

I have no knowledge of that particular pen, but it looks like a good shirt pocket pen. Now, if you want a go anywhere, do anything pen, that you can stick in your pant's pocket/jeans pocket/shirt pocket... The Koweca Sport is a very versatile, go anywhere compact pen for everday use. There are several us that carry one everyday, everywhere, I don't think you will find a bad review.
IMHO
Thanks for your public service!
Bil

Edit: As for ink, the Parker Quink Black comes in a bottle, permanent, and avail at most office supply stores.

 

[wherndon]

Funny you mention all that, even though my job is the digital age, all my watches and clocks are all wind up, analog things.

 

[Doc4]

How much of a beating does this pen need to take? Will it be in your breast pocket while you are wrestling drug-addled maniacs to the ground?

 

[Jut]

+1 on the permanent black quink....as for the pen, i would suggest a true workhorse: lamy 2000 with a medium or fine nib. 2000's are built to last, are piston fillers, and have some of the best nibs out there. it is a bit over your budget, but this is a rugged and classy pen that i think will give you years of pleasure. (2000's are also kinda stealthy)

 

[lwt210]

How much of a beating does this pen need to take? Will it be in your breast pocket while you are wrestling drug-addled maniacs to the ground?

Yes.

Even though I am in my mid 40s, I still get out there and mix it up with those that are, shall we say, most likely to NOT succeed in life. In the last couple of weeks, I have been in three foot pursuits....one in a soaking downpour where the guy I was chasing fell off the railroad tracks we were running on and broke his leg and ankle. In a second one, I was searching wooded areas near the Tennessee river carrying my M4 looking for a felony suspect.

My Fisher AG7 has performed well and has only suffered a small dent.

Most of my gear has lasted for years and years as I maintain and take care of it. So I need a pen that will see use and the occasional bump into my patrol rifle or other equipment....not abuse. And no leaks.....that is pretty important to keep in mind. And if I do lose it in a chase, it won't break the bank to replace.

I have read that folks complain about the clip on the Sheaffer 100 being too stiff...which in my situation, is probably going to be a good thing. Pocket retention at a maximum level.

 

[rickboone1]

Have you looked at the Schrade Tactical FP?

I would look at the Pilot vanishing point.

There used to be/ is a pen that uses the flair as a refill. I can't find it now, though. Seems may be it was a kickstarter project?

 

[rickboone1]

crap...now i want this.. http://www.littlegreenduckling.com/...ctical-Pen-with/A/B004QJJJOO.htm#.UW28k8qwDxc

id look for more options w flair. glad to see such a good pen gaining more popularity

 

[lwt210]

Tactical pens aren't my cup of tea.

I have plenty of things to use in that realm.

 

[syngent]

I beIieve the biggest problem with the sheaffer 100 is there is no converter for bottle ink use and they don't use standard carts so before you get the pen I would head to your local office store and see if they carry the replacement refills or you will be stuck buying refills online amd shipping will kill it for you

But Im going off memory of an old video review ill have a look when I get home to see if there is indeed an option for a converter for it

 

[Drybonz]

What about an AL Kaweco?

 

[rickboone1]

Tactical pens aren't my cup of tea.

I have plenty of things to use in that realm.

just good for durability, not for tactical stuff

 

[BigWill]

A Platinum Plaisir? Comes in different colors and nib sizes with optional converter. All aluminum body and a cap that (supposedly) will keep the pen nib wet for up to a year. I own one, though it is not my daily driver (too lightweight for me. I'm a clod).

 

[whavens]

First things first, thanks for what you do for the people of your community. Perhaps a Lamy is in your future. Not too expensive and nib changes are easily done by the user. Should make a servicible pen for you and you won't break the bank, if you have to replace it.

 

[lwt210]

I beIieve the biggest problem with the sheaffer 100 is there is no converter for bottle ink use and they don't use standard carts so before you get the pen I would head to your local office store and see if they carry the replacement refills or you will be stuck buying refills online amd shipping will kill it for you

But Im going off memory of an old video review ill have a look when I get home to see if there is indeed an option for a converter for it

It comes with a converter installed. I have read good things about it other than the slippery part above the nib.

Keep em coming, gents. Some of these brands I was not aware of. I have time. I won't be ordering until Friday/payday.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

Edit: On further searching, I find this Waterman quite pleasing to the eye.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterman-Hemi...66149042&sr=8-14&keywords=fountain+pen+chrome

 

[Drybonz]

Edit: On further searching, I find this Waterman quite pleasing to the eye.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterman-Hemi...66149042&sr=8-14&keywords=fountain+pen+chrome

I have the rollerball version of that Waterman. It looks quite nice. It felt a bit odd in my hand, at first, but I got used to it in a couple days and I do like it now.

 

[wherndon]

don't know about the pen, but Waterman makes great ink, not sure if it's permanent though, Of course they use international carts so you could stil use Quink Black.
You know sometimes you just have to TOFTT...
regards,
Bil

 

[cursethis]

I'm a big Waterman fan. IMHO you can't go wrong with one from a writing standpoint.

 

[Doc4]

Even though I am in my mid 40s, I still get out there and mix it up with those that are, shall we say, most likely to NOT succeed in life. In the last couple of weeks, I have been in three foot pursuits....one in a soaking downpour where the guy I was chasing fell off the railroad tracks we were running on and broke his leg and ankle. In a second one, I was searching wooded areas near the Tennessee river carrying my M4 looking for a felony suspect.

Most of my gear has lasted for years and years as I maintain and take care of it. So I need a pen that will see use and the occasional bump into my patrol rifle or other equipment....not abuse. And no leaks.....that is pretty important to keep in mind. And if I do lose it in a chase, it won't break the bank to replace.

I have read that folks complain about the clip on the Sheaffer 100 being too stiff...which in my situation, is probably going to be a good thing. Pocket retention at a maximum level.

Tactical pens aren't my cup of tea.

I have plenty of things to use in that realm.

I'd be thinking of the tactical pen not so much as a "tactical tool" but as something that is solid enough to resist being thumped into when preparing to advise someone of his Miranda rights.

But yeah, I "get" the dislike of the "tactical" aspect.

Quite frankly, I think the B&B "essential" pen would do a good job; it has a heavy metal body that (to my way of thinking ... I haven't tried it with mine ... but I do own one so speak from first-hand experience) could take more of a thumping than most other pens ... certainly more than a Lamy Safari.

Kaweco Sport would be my other suggestion ... maybe not your intended "look", but pretty durable plastic and small enough to be sturdy.

 

[lwt210]

I notice that Cross fountain pens aren't mentioned much. I like the Medalist but from what I have read, Cross quality is not what it used to be. Can anyone confirm that?

I like the Parker Sonnet too but that is above my price range.

http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Sonnet...&qid=1366162116&sr=8-2&keywords=parker+sonnet

But not that much above. I am the type to spend the extra if the quality is there.

Decisions decisions.

I did see that the Sheaffers (100 and Prelude) are both manufactured in China. I can't find where the Waterman is made and assume France.