I'm in the market for a nice pen, and was hoping someone here might have some suggestions. I've held, although never written with, a Rotring 600 old style and loved the way it felt. Sadly, they are a bit out of my price range at the moment. What else is out there that might have a similar feel but be under $100?
Solid Pen
- Thread starter JohnYaddy
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I am assuming you are interested in a fountain pen. A Waterman (I've seen some at the $100 level) or the Pelikan 200 comes to mind. There are some Chinese reproductions of the Parker that have fairly good reviews.
....Oh, I almost forgot the Parker Sonnet. I think they can be had for about a "C note".......
....Oh, I almost forgot the Parker Sonnet. I think they can be had for about a "C note".......
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If you like the Rotring 600 fountain pen, but have a budget of <$100 the easiest thing to do would be to get the Levenger L-Tech. Other than some small differences they are basically the same pen:
Levenger L-Tech Fountain Pen
Levenger L-Tech Fountain Pen
You could find a vintage Parker 51 for under $100. Check out www.fountainpennetwork.com for more good ideas. Good luck!
You may also like the Rotring Initial : http://www.montgomerypens.com/product_detail.asp?product_id=3352
I've found them much more reasonably priced on eBay.
I've found them much more reasonably priced on eBay.
Another vote for the Parker 51!
There are many good fountain pens for the price you mention, but if you really want a Rotring 600 I say, start saving. It won't take you long. The 600 can be had for about $200.00. I have found that one is never satisfied with settling for less. For example, I have always wanted a Rolex Submariner but could never justify the price. In the mean time I spent thousands of dollars purchasing lesser watches, Omegas, Bulova, Tag Heuer....you name it. But I still did not have the Rolex and still wanted one, so I would have been better off just going for the watch I wanted to begin with. So get to work saving up to get what you want, and when you get it, you will be happy. You can do it!
+ 1 on the "51"
Another vote for the Parker 51. You can pick up an aerometric at a reasonable price, and it will be your everyday pen for a long, long time. I use my grandfather's vacumatic every now and then, and it's nearly 70 years old.
jbird
+ 2 on the Parker 51 (or a Lamy 2000). Check these threads:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155366
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=116098
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155366
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=116098
I just happened to think, you love the Rotring 600. That's one HEAVY pen. Is that what you like about it? If so, you may not like the Parker 51 and other vintage pens, since they were much lighter in the hand. On the other hand, a lighter pen like the Parker 51 is in my opinion much prefereable to something like the Rotring, since it doesn't tire you out after writing just a couple of paragraphs. I have a few Rotring 600s (fountain pens and ballpoints), and I never use the FPs for that very reason (plus the fact that even with the ones with gold nibs, they have no flex whatsoever; it's like writing with a nail). I do like the Rotring 600 ballpoints, especially the old style ones, and they take the Parker gel refills, which is great. They are much lighter than the fountain pens.
For real use as a writing instrument without tiring you out, however, nothing beats a Parker 51.
That's how I interpreted his post and the reason I suggested the Rotring Initial. I love my Parker 51s, I have three that I use every day, but they aren't heavy pens like the Rotring 600.
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It is in fact the heft that I love about the Rotring. And I'm not settled on it being a fountain; I'd probably be just as happy with a rollerball, a bit less so if it were a ballpoint. The Parker 51's get great reviews, but I'm afraid I don't love the style, and I understand they're a good deal lighter than what I'm looking for. The Rotring Initial isn't quite my cup of tea either, as it's just a bit space-agey. Nice suggestions, though. I have looked into the Levenger suggestion, and it looks like it's more along the lines of the Rotring. I'll stay on the hunt on eBay! Thanks for all the help. B&B never disappoints.
Hard to go wrong with a Pelikan 200 also.
I was going to recommend a 51, but it doesn't sound like you're interested. For what it's worth, I've carried a 51 for the better part of ten years now and I still love them.
In addition to the Rotring, you might want to hunt down one of the Waterman Le Man models. The barrel and cap are turned from solid brass, then plated and lacquered. They have a substantial feel and are excellent pens. Caran d'Ache and Yard-O-Led also make solid metal, and substantial, fountain pens.
Most of these won't be in your current budget, but they are worth saving for.
In addition to the Rotring, you might want to hunt down one of the Waterman Le Man models. The barrel and cap are turned from solid brass, then plated and lacquered. They have a substantial feel and are excellent pens. Caran d'Ache and Yard-O-Led also make solid metal, and substantial, fountain pens.
Most of these won't be in your current budget, but they are worth saving for.
I would try to find the old style Rotring 600 ballpoint, if I were you, which is much nicer than the later style (which was called the "Newton"). The nice thing about the Rotring ballpoints is that they will take Parker gel refills. The Parker gels are fabulous writers, way better than roller balls or any ballpoint I've ever used. Absolutely smooth, dries instantly, and won't smudge. Comes in black, blue, green and purple. The black is the deepest true black of any gel refill I've seen.
You can find the Rotring old style ballpoints on eBay, but sometimes the prices are out of sight. The Newton models are more reasonable. The Newton model I like is the one with the "lava" finish, which feels very nice in the hand.
Here's a little write up on that Levenger I recommended earlier: FPN: Levenger L-Tech Review.
If you aren't looking specifically for a fountain pen, I would really recommend looking for the 600 old style ballpoints rather than the rollerball. The reason for this was mentioned earlier, that it can accept the Parker Gel refills, which results in a writer that undoubtedly gets a compliment every time I let someone use it. I purchased mine from the eBay vendor "streetfair" about 2-3 years ago. He/she still has a matte black one listed in your budget at $99.
This was after I dropped it off the very top of a three story roof onto a driveway. You should have seen the divot left in the concrete!
If you aren't looking specifically for a fountain pen, I would really recommend looking for the 600 old style ballpoints rather than the rollerball. The reason for this was mentioned earlier, that it can accept the Parker Gel refills, which results in a writer that undoubtedly gets a compliment every time I let someone use it. I purchased mine from the eBay vendor "streetfair" about 2-3 years ago. He/she still has a matte black one listed in your budget at $99.
This was after I dropped it off the very top of a three story roof onto a driveway. You should have seen the divot left in the concrete!
I have a rotring (koh-i-noor) pencil. I dropped it on my foot, embedded it to the bone!
But if you drop it onto a hard surface, the small tip will bend or break. The Achilles heel of an otherwise near perfect design.
My daily pen now is a model marketed as a self-defense tool. It is solid aluminum (they make SS versions if you want heavy), takes fisher or zebra ballpoint refills, but has a screwcap like a rollarball. www.mil-tac.com but there are many others at lower pricepoints.
But if you drop it onto a hard surface, the small tip will bend or break. The Achilles heel of an otherwise near perfect design.
My daily pen now is a model marketed as a self-defense tool. It is solid aluminum (they make SS versions if you want heavy), takes fisher or zebra ballpoint refills, but has a screwcap like a rollarball. www.mil-tac.com but there are many others at lower pricepoints.
Get yourself Pilot, model Knight. Veeery smooth nib, its nib writes so fine line, it glides over paper like a butter over a hot teflon. There are better nibs, yes, but they are hard to find in your price range.
Pilot Knight has a wonderful nib. You may like the ergonomics of the pen since the pen is approximatelly as thick as the R600 you felt it fit your fingers.
But, who knows... you may be happy happy with Pilot 78G, or Pilot Lucina. Here I propose Pilot's broad nib since their nibs tend to write thiner lines compared to American and typical Europan.
You never regret purchasing Pilot's nib and their pens. Very high quality control too, no issues reported. The only thing that may put you off is their proprietary cartridge, which is also not a problem, it is avalable everywhere just like a "standardized" Pelikan cartridge. Or just use a converter.
Pilot Knight has a wonderful nib. You may like the ergonomics of the pen since the pen is approximatelly as thick as the R600 you felt it fit your fingers.
But, who knows... you may be happy happy with Pilot 78G, or Pilot Lucina. Here I propose Pilot's broad nib since their nibs tend to write thiner lines compared to American and typical Europan.
You never regret purchasing Pilot's nib and their pens. Very high quality control too, no issues reported. The only thing that may put you off is their proprietary cartridge, which is also not a problem, it is avalable everywhere just like a "standardized" Pelikan cartridge. Or just use a converter.
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I have always loved Pilot fountain pens. I have a few MYUs and Murexes from the early 1970s, as well as the Vanishing Points and the pocket-size pens. In fact my everyday writer is their reissue of the MYU/Murex, called the M90:
I even love the disposable Pilot fountain pens.
That said, the only Pilot I've been disappointed with is the Knight. Maybe I just got a bad example, but mine does not flow well at all, and it skips. I also don't like the way the pen is balanced in my hand. YMMV, as they say.
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