Decent fountain pens

[t1grm]

Well we’ve done expensive watches and tellys to death on PH and I guess this will provoke the same reaction among some but anyway here goes…

I’m in the market for a decent fountain pen to replace the Parker (Don’t know the model but has gold nib and clip with a swirl lacquered finish) that my parents bought me about 12 years ago and has finally given up the ghost (has to be stripped and cleaned every cartridge change).

My budget is up to 200 quid. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what I want. It needs to be slim – don’t like these fat barrelled ones, should be able to be used with cartridges or filled from a bottle (bottle filling is nice and traditional but not always practical on client site ). I don’t want anything garish with too much gold or silver. Ideally a dark lacquer finish would be good. Oh, I’d also like a new one – not really interested in buying an antique pen.

So far I’ve seen the Parker Duofold International in black:

www.penbox.co.uk/images/par14.jpg

And the Cross Townsend in black:

www.suitcase.com/B2002CrossTownsend576.php

Any others I should be looking at? Would I get a good MountBlanc for that sort of money? What are Sheaffer (sp?) and Faber Castell like? I’ve always seen them as a bit more mainstream.

[mybrainhurts]

Can't beat a Bic.....

[Lois]

It's a flippin pen...what do you want to spend £200 on one for?!

Can find a very good one in smiths for a fiver. Buy that and give me the difference!

[thebluemonkey]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Style and workmanship. It's the difference between a Patek and a Casio.

[Ballistic Banana]

But if your a Doctor it doesnt make you write any clearer. prehaps thats where the NHS are going wrong, they shouldnt be buying them Bics.

BB

[danwebster]

Its a very personal thing, much like an expensive watch or expensive clothes in my opinion. If its not your thing then you'll never 'get'it.

Caran D'ache also do some nice writing instruments (as they call them) although I don't know how much they are.

www.carandache.ch/products/writing/varius/index.lbl

[Lois]

thebluemonkey said:

anonymous said: [redacted] Style and workmanship. It's the difference between a Patek and a Casio.

At the end of the day it's still just a pen and still writes the same!

[MJK 24]

Well I'm not in the £200 category but I've got a stainless steel Parker Frontier that cost £20 and it writes beautifully!

It's not very 'showy' to look at though.

[KingRichard]

can't beat a cross... but get a rollerball for about £45-50 it'll serve you well.

IMO parkers aren't all that good, and don't hold their ink well, Usually end up with ink all over my collar as I have a habit of holding my pen and phone in the one hand

[g4ry13]

I wouldn't spend £200 on a pen, unless it was really special - definitely wouldn't spend it on a Mont Blanc.

I use a Cross and a Lamy. There's a nice cross for about £60 with a gold nib, which i'd recommend as it writes very smoothly.

Edit: Just found a link century model in matt black here

>> Edited by g4ry13 on Saturday 15th January 23:11

>> Edited by g4ry13 on Saturday 15th January 23:12

[Lois]

My favourite pen is a Bently one. It has a lovely fine nib for clear writing and it stylish in brushed silver with a wavey silver 'clip bit'.
Had several comments from people at work who have said its a nice pen and they all seem to like the look of the clip when I have on my top.

Best thing...IT WAS FREE!

[t1grm]

thebluemonkey said:

anonymous said: [redacted] Style and workmanship. It's the difference between a Patek and a Casio.

Exactly! Or the difference between a Ferrari and a Mondeo.

[thebluemonkey]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

And the difference between a DB9 and a 205 gti is ? They both take you from A to B the same.

[t1grm]

danwebster said:

Its a very personal thing, much like an expensive watch or expensive clothes in my opinion. If its not your thing then you'll never 'get'it. Caran D'ache also do some nice writing instruments (as they call them) although I don't know how much they are. www.carandache.ch/products/writing/varius/index.lbl

Interesting... I thought they just did colouring pencils I’ll take a look.

[Lois]

cars are different and should not be compared to a pen. The person reading the writing is not going to know you've spent £200 or been given a freebie! It's not going to make them want to respond positively either...where as a car is totally different!

[stumartin]

Cross. The top end Parker's are quite reasonable but because of their low end crap have a bit of a pikey image IMO.

Cross are excellent pens, and should cost you far less than £200. I have a set that looks broadly similar to the one in your link, you won't be disappointed.

[Ballistic Banana]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

well they do .. but they dont... both completely differences of getting from A to B.

I imagine some feel it must be the same with a pen, getting from one side of the page to the other.. although many of the internals are probably made by the same company.

BB

[t1grm]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

What’s the person reading the writing got to do with it? I buy a nice pen because of the feeling of quality and workmanship and it’s a nicer experience to write with. Not so the person reading the letter can enjoy it more. In the same way I buy a sports car for the quality and workmanship and driving experience and not for what the people I drive past think of it.

[KingRichard]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Yeah, but its the image you put across (pardon the pun) when its in your hand as well...

For example, would it look more professional if an estate agent signed their contract with a nice shiny chrome pen... or a chewed bic with 'Bodjit and Leggit builders' written down the side?

[Lois]

If it's all about image then you can still get something shiney for under a tenner!