We need to start talking about fountain pens more. I am a big fan of those bexley pens, anyone else?
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We need to start talking about fountain pens more. I am a big fan of those bexley pens, anyone else?
I like the Bexley pens but can't drop the 250.00 on one at this point. I have looked at the steel nibed Simplicity and the Fun Time but really want the Americana or Poseidon. I figure if Richard Binder sells the Simplicity it must be OK. I will probily save for the gold nib pen. Let me know what you think on the steel nib pens Mitch.
Don
I like the simplicity's the steel nibs are okay, but ideally you should save for the gold nib becuase the are just night and day from eachoter, but the poseidon is a solid pen.
I have a simplicity in black and silver I picked up from Dennis (ofParkville pen) over at FPN early 07. He had a special run of these made at that time. Very nice, simple lines, and reliable. Their steel nibs are pretty good, but, although I have no gold nibbed Bexleys, I agree it is hard to compare steel to gold nibs in general.
So, the gold nib is "worth it"? Unlike the higher prices often seen on stainless razors?Quote:
Originally Posted by RayG
I'm still hesitating to buy the Waterman Carene, but I'm close...:confused:
Jordan
Gold nibs are softer, more flexible and springy, and usually smoother than their steel counterparts. That being said, some nibmeisters do wonders with steel - I have difficulty distinguishing between identical cursive italics nibs from Richard Binder, in steel and gold for some of my pelikans.
If you are looking for your first fountain pen, I would not say it was necessary to cough up the $$ - there are plenty of vintage pens (most of the old pens have gold nibs) professionally restored. I would also keep an eye on the BST forum at FPN and the Pentrace Green Board.
If you were to get a new one, I'd get it from Richard or John Mottishaw as they check and tweak the nib to their standard before sending it to you. A steel nibbed Pelikan 200 from Richard would be a really nice, comparatively inexpensive way to start.
Funny how the same people are into the same hobbies. I bought a vintage Aurora 88 from a member on the green board, and over a year later, he sold me a Boker here. :)
If you have not seen it, FPN has quite an extensive database of reviews. Be prepared for a new AD though. :D
I'm a college student, so cash for the finer things in life (besides my books, razors, and booze) is limited. However, I've always been fascinated with how distinguishing even a cheap fountain pen can be. I use those cheap Hero pens from China. I go through pens so quickly, mostly by loosing them that I would just kick myself if I lost an old Parker, much less a Waterman, or, dare say, a classic Mont Blanc!
I recently bought a 10 pack of Hero pens off of eBay for only about 10 dollars, shipping included. Granted, that's the cheapest I've bought a pack of them, but the first two I've pulled out write excellent!
I have four Fps at the moment. One is a vintage Schaeffer given to me when I started high school from my father. It has the most beautiful nib for writing I have ever used, but then I have had over 25 years to get it there I suppose. Just had it serviced, and was told that the rubber bladder (it is an older type squeeze filler) will last longer with blue ink. So I have Waterman ink in it.
I also have an older Parker Sonnet (the one with the thin trim around the cap). Not a bad pen, but I feel the nib is a bit scratchy.
I also use a Waterman (sorry, do not know the model) that my wife gave me a while back. It also writes very well.
Finally, I have a Mont Blanc Starwalker in black resin and platinum, medium nib. Nice pen, but no nicer to write with than the Schaeffer. Takes cartridges, and Mont Blanc do not make a converter to fit it, although apparently the Monteverde converters will fit well enough to allow cleaning when needed.
My father collects stationary and FPs. Some really old ones too - the type with the little lever on the side that you use to refill, for example. Most still work.
James.
I am a very firm believer that straightrazor users and fountain pen users go very well together, better than standard knife collectors due to the prices of straight razors. I have been an avid pen collector for all of my life. I probably started collecting pens before anyone else lol. For those who know who I am I smile and say thank you. For those of you who don't know I appologise and hope to meet you at a pen show or razor event.
But I have always loved fountain pens, and razors just took ahold so freely. I have always loved the feeling of a rzor shave and the only thing that compares is a smooth pen.