Who makes the best pens today ?

[goodguy]

These 3 companies were at the forefront of the pen industry for many years.

Even though they are not any more I still see them as they are.

 

Looking at there FP pen range who do you think makes the best range of pens?

And the best quality ?

 

Even though I am first and foremost a Parker man I must admit that Waterman in my eyes has the biggest and best FP range of the three.

You have everything you look for starting from cheap all the way to expensive and all look very nice.

 

I think Parker and Sheaffer lack in what they offer today to the pen enthusiasts.

[wiglaf]

Dear Goodguy-

 

Let me be the first to salute you before you die under the mass of exceptions-

Let me be the first who also provides an exception: Sailor-

 

Tony

[saintsimon]

... Sailor ...

Yes and no: quality wise definitely yes, but Sailor is not yet a major global brand. They still have to learn marketing and selling outside the East Asian area. In Europe they are still almost unknown outside the forums, hardly available and have to develop an own, non-MB look. Of course in the US, they seem to have allready gathered some fine reputation. But most competiors are now based in Europe.

 

Edited October 17, 2006 by saintsimon

[goodguy]

No guys this is not a question about other makers ONLY the 3 in the questions.

I dont despute other makers makes VERY good pens I JUST want to know your thought about these 3 companies.

[kissing]

Well...

 

For me, although some of Parker's and Sheaffer's modern pens are quite good (such as the Sonnet, 100, Duofold, Valor, etc)...they also have a few which I feel are not-so-good

 

Waterman seems to be more consistent in the quality and feel of their pens. With their cheapest models being the Phileas and the Kultur, I think Waterman wins in terms of value for money.

[LapsangS]

I voted for Parker. It was a tough choice between Parker and Waterman, but all the Sheaffers I ever tried were total junk.

[KentK]

Of those three, Waterman. I'm curious, why didn't Pelikan make the cut?

 

Kent

[kissing]

Though Pelikans are popular amongst us FP users, it is virtually unknown to most non-FP consumers.

 

Parker is known to almost everyone..Sheaffer and Waterman are known to many judging from the non-FP people around me

 

Also, the most frequently bought pens at Brick and Mortar stores appear to be Parkers, Watermans and Sheaffers. Pelikans are only sold in the bigger pen stores and are often more expensive store-bought.

[NG-Huy]

If I have to choose between those three brands and giving ratio quality/design, I think Waterman would be first and Sheaffer second.

 

Waterman has great pens like Edson, Serenite and Exception but I must admit I love my Sheaffer Targa 1003 because of the nib smoothness and the material, it fits my hand very well!

[solaris]

Today:

Paker: Sonnet, 100, Duofold

Waterman: Edson, Exception, Charleston

Sheaffer: Valor and... Is the Legacy produced TODAY?

 

 

Is a tough one, but if the Legacy Heritage is produced today I'll take Sheaffer.... The inlaid nib is still a winner.

[klemenv]

Though Pelikans are popular amongst us FP users, it is virtually unknown to most non-FP consumers.

 

Parker is known to almost everyone..

Actually here in Europe, Pelikan has similar brand awerness as Parker does.

 

But the one that really impresed me with quality is Lamy.

Edited October 17, 2006 by klemenv

[meanwhile]

Actually here in Europe, Pelikan has similar brand awerness as Parker does.

Really? This certainly isn't the case in the UK. Pelikan's an obscure, Internet-only brand here.

[meanwhile]

I want for Waterman because of the excellence of the low priced Kultur/Phileas, and the innovation of the Edson.

[NG-Huy]

Really? This certainly isn't the case in the UK. Pelikan's an obscure, Internet-only brand here.

Same here in France. Parker is more renowned than Pelikan here.

[RSVP]

It's because all B&M retailers in the UK, and all the internet sellers I have come across so far, sell at (or very close to) retail.

 

Full retail on most Pelikans seems hard to justify at the best of times, more so to the uninitiated. I think the only reason they can do this in the UK and is precisely because there is little brand awareness ; hence they market at pricepoints approximating those of MB, in the hope of attracting their fellow German brand's perceived cache to the Souveran line.

[TallDarkStranger]

The only Waterman I ever owned that ever wrote consistently was a Phileas that I lost. I currently have two Hemispheres, and they both are junk. In contrast all the Sheaffers I ever bought (I currently have five, a balance, two imperials, a Javelin, and a fashion) wrote (and still write) wonderfully. My experience with parker is restricted to the Vectors and a Parker 45. Both were excellent. So Sheaffer and Parker easily beat out Waterman in my book.

 

Pelikans? Ah! Now we're talking.

[lisa]

I bought four FPs recently.

First waterman Apostrophe. skipped and was scratchy, needed replacement.

Second Waterman Audace. Skipped and stopped wrting every other line. Needed replacement. Still skips occasionally

Third Waterman Kultur. Amazingly it writes without skipping but the nib is very scratchy.

Fourth Parker Frontier. Smooth, doesn't skip, has rubber grip that actually makes it more comfortable. Something the Apostrophe wants to do too but somehow they've managed to achieve the opposite.

 

Never tried Sheaffer.

 

Sure the Waterman pens are great looking pens. And my 5 GBPs plastic Frontier is a simple pen in comparison but at least it writes like it's supposed to.

[WillAdams]

Hasn't Sheaffer production changed drastically w/ the closing of their mid-western plant?

 

How has that affected their quality?

 

William

[marklavar]

These 3 companies were at the forefront of the pen industry for many years.

Even though they are not any more I still see them as they are.

 

Looking at there FP pen range who do you think makes the best range of pens?

And the best quality ?

 

Even though I am first and foremost a Parker man I must admit that Waterman in my eyes has the biggest and best FP range of the three.

You have everything you look for starting from cheap all the way to expensive and all look very nice.

 

I think Parker and Sheaffer lack in what they offer today to the pen enthusiasts.

I voted Waterman. Modern Parkers are not really up to the mark, in my opinion. The Duofold Centennial is the only modern Parker I like, and even that one is becoming 'tired' after nearly 20 years on the market. What I would really love is an oversize Duofold (6" long) with a piston filler - now that would get my attention!!

 

Sheaffer is in even worse state than Parker. The new Valor is an interesting model, but for some unknown reason is only available in black. A sterling model would be nice. And the modern Legacy frankly looks cheap and ordinary; a nice writer but let down its looks.

 

Waterman is not perfect, but their recent models like the Edson and Exception are classy and sophisticated. I think Sanford has identified Waterman as a prestige brand and will invest more in it in the future. Those people who have complained about Waterman pens have only bought low-end pens; I suggest they try an Edson or an Exception and then decide!

Edited October 27, 2006 by marklavar

[marklavar]

Of those three, Waterman. I'm curious, why didn't Pelikan make the cut?

 

Kent

Pelikan is not a well known brand outside continental Europe. In the UK they are have zero visibility.

 

One brand not mentioned in Cross. Cross sells well in the UK and their pens have a good reputation.