Wide grip, smooth nib...suggestions?

[Lloyd]

I love my MB149...except it's fragility & replacement cost. So, I'm looking for a pen to use outside the house with the following characteristics:

-wide at the grip. At least as wide as a MB146

-light and balanced

-new or vintage is irrelevant

-SMOOOOOTH nib, Approximately fine, like an Estie's 9556

-less than $200

-durable

-black or near black in color

I tried a Densho but, alas, Kevin & I couldn't get one compatible with me.

I'm considering the Sailor 1911. Any other suggestions? The recent Lamy 2000 rave has me intrigued but it looks too narrow in the photos.

[goodyear]

What was it about the Densho? Because a Takumi would have been my suggestion...

[meanwhile]

I don't like the "bunny ears" that retain the clip on the 2000, but I'm in a minority, and I wouldn't call it a narrow pen. Pen shape and your grip affects felt width a lot in my experience - my main pen is a Densho, but my #2 is a thin model Snorkel which feels excellent in my hand, although the theoretically wider 51 feels too "narrow" for me. So I'd strongly consider trying a 2000 in your hand.

 

However, there is a pen that I think might suit you even better. It's wide, light, has a great nib, and reeks of JFK era cool - the Sheaffer PFM. $200 should be a good one - I managed to get a NOS one for that price, but I was lucky.

 

Or you could get a Touchdown filling Imperial - they're a little narrower than the PFM, but still wide.

 

Oh - I you think you might want to write posted, then get a resin rather than metal capped PFM, otherwise you might be defeating the objective of getting a *light* pen! The resin caps look great, with huge metal bands, and they offset the especially stylish metal clips nicely, whereas they tend to disappear against the metal caps.

 

Compared to a 1911, the PFM is probably lighter and has a more capacious and efficient filler. Nibwise, vintage Sheaffer and modern Sailors are both considered exemplary - and of course you can always get any pen you buy tweaked by a nibmeister to a state of utter perfection.

Edited March 13, 2007 by meanwhile

[meanwhile]

You might also ask people here who have bought the Pilot 823 about that pen and where to buy it. Pilot have just as good a reputation for nibs as Sailor, and the 823 is much more interesting pen and skips the 1911's drawback of a low capacity cc filler for a state of the art modern vac fill. See

 

http://www.stylophilesonline.com/01-06/01823.htm

 

And:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=12771

 

I don't think you could buy a new one for $200, but I think a 1911 will cost you more than that too. Wait... Ok, you can get one for $230 on ebay from a seller people here seem to like. Check carefully about nib sizes - a Japanese "fine" can be an XF.

Edited March 13, 2007 by meanwhile

[Longwriter]

I am new to the group, but would note that I recently got a Danitrio Cum Laude with a medium nib, and it is a fantastic writing pen. I believe it is as wide as the MB 149, but lighter and very well balanced. The nib on my pen was smooth, with the slightest hint of flex. I would go so far as to say the best writing experience I have had, and this covers Visconti Van Gogh, Aurora Ipsylon, Waterman Leman, Pelikan 600 and a number of cheaper pens. Best of luck.

Regards.

[meanwhile]

I really wish I hadn't reminded myself of the existence of the 823. I had sworn not to buy any more pens, except for the sort of vintage pens I'm content just to look at, as I hardly use any other pen except the Densho. (Which may change when and if I decide to give up the PFM's NOS-ness.) But the 823 is very hard to resist.

Edited March 13, 2007 by meanwhile

[Lloyd]

Since it's less expensive, any thoughts on the custon 742 (with a SF or SFM nib )? I think it has the same dimensions as the 823 but is a converter fill with a smaller nib.

[Lloyd]

QUOTE (meanwhile @ Mar 13 2007, 04:23 PM)

... $200 should be a good one - I managed to get a NOS one for that price, but I was lucky.

I'll give you $215 for it!

[johnr55]

You might consider a Sheaffer Legacy--you can still get them on EBay NOS. It's chunky like the PFM and substantial, and mine is smooth as butter on glass.

[wspohn]

Well the obvious answer is the MB 146. nice writing pen, available in the $200 range if you have a good hunting instinct (I just picked up a nice on in Bordeaux for that) and not fragile that I know of.

 

Otherwise, I think the Sailor 1911 full size is your best bet in terms of size, weight and good nib.

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (Lloyd @ Mar 13 2007, 11:25 PM)

QUOTE (meanwhile @ Mar 13 2007, 04:23 PM) ... $200 should be a good one - I managed to get a NOS one for that price, but I was lucky. I'll give you $215 for it! I've already been offered more... And I suspect that anyone who saw it in person would bid even more again - it's a silver-palladium and blue PFM 1. The colour combination is ideal for the pen - blue "reveals" the contours in a way that black doesn't and the silver-and-blue scheme suits the classic but high tech nature of the pen - posted it looks like a Syd Mead (the guy who designed Blade Runner) starship. Really, if you get a chance at a good PFM in blue, it's worth taking!   My plan is too cache it until I either decide to sell it or I get tired enough of the Densho to have room for a new pen. At which point it may become a stub or cursive italic.

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (wspohn @ Mar 13 2007, 11:41 PM)

Well the obvious answer is the MB 146. nice writing pen, available in the $200 range if you have a good hunting instinct (I just picked up a nice on in Bordeaux for that) and not fragile that I know of.

Modern MB's are notorious for exploding into expensive "precious shrapnel" when dropped. Nice fillers, great nibs, but at the opposite end of the pen world to Lamy 2Ks, Targas, and Rotring 600s.

[wspohn]

QUOTE (meanwhile @ Mar 13 2007, 05:23 PM)

Modern MB's are notorious for exploding into expensive "precious shrapnel" when dropped. Nice fillers, great nibs, but at the opposite end of the pen world to Lamy 2Ks, Targas, and Rotring 600s.

I think that at least part of this reputation is myth. I haven't experienced it on pens I have had.

 

Can anyone that has dropped a MB 146/149 pipe up - did it die or live?

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (Lloyd @ Mar 13 2007, 11:23 PM)

Since it's less expensive, any thoughts on the custon 742 (with a SF or SFM nib )? I think it has the same dimensions as the 823 but is a converter fill with a smaller nib.

The word is, if it's a Pilot, it will have a great nib. Do be careful of the source and pen history though - some Japanese pens sold on ebay are ex shop demo models, which can have very badly treated nibs. Look at the seller reputation, mail him or her about the pen, and ask here.

 

You might want to take a look at this pen as well. It seems like it should fit your bill and could be a bargain.

 

With $200 to spend, though, I don't see how you can resist the 823! Pens with extra large ink supplies are very hard to give up once you're used to them... Converters - bah!

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (wspohn @ Mar 14 2007, 12:30 AM)

QUOTE (meanwhile @ Mar 13 2007, 05:23 PM) Modern MB's are notorious for exploding into expensive "precious shrapnel" when dropped. Nice fillers, great nibs, but at the opposite end of the pen world to Lamy 2Ks, Targas, and Rotring 600s. I think that at least part of this reputation is myth. I haven't experienced it on pens I have had.   Can anyone that has dropped a MB 146/149 pipe up - did it die or live? I've seen sufficient first hand accounts to convince me of the fragility of modern 146s and 149s. As for the fact you've not one go yet - well, if they were so awful that every user could expect to experience the Big Bang, I don't think they'd be in business.   In this case the OP is specifically looking for an at least averagely robust pen, so I think it's reasonable that a brand with a reputation for less than average robustness should be discounted.

[psfred]

Sheaffer Imperial with inlaid nib, second choice would be a Parker "51" any style except post 48 Demi (too slender).

 

They are a bit wider than a Sheaffer TM -- I notice the difference and prefer the TM -- but not a cigar pen.

 

Unless the cap is off and they go nib down or you step on them, both pens will survive and drop, and even nib down isn't terminal most of the time (I've rescued a few). I've fixed an Imperial that appears to have been stepped on, too -- scarred section and cracked barrel.

 

The Sheaffer in particular will be very smooth and silky.

 

For really tough, get an Esterbrook in celluloid, but the nib won't be particularly smooth unless you get really lucky.

 

Peter

Edited March 14, 2007 by psfred

[Lloyd]

I have a P51 and several Esties (J, LJ and Dollar). They're all nice but too narrow for this application.

 

The 823 looks great but where can I get one for less than $200? Ujuku has the 742 for $173+shipping and either the 823 or 743 for $259.50+shipping.

 

Where can I find a very dependable PFM for <$200?

[FrankB]

I really enjoy writing with my 149 and 146's, but I only use them at home. Yes, I have seen a 146 shatter like glass on being dropped. For that reason, I won't carry mine out and about.

 

For a work pen, I think a Densho would be very good. A Legacy in whatever variant is a nice writing pen. I think one can get a Duofold Centennial in plain black for around $200, and Centennials are among my favorite all purpose pens. And a Sheaffer Balance 2 is not a small pen. They are actually about Centennial size and I find them comfortable writers.

 

Of course, one could always get a used 146 with the intention of using it until it self desctructs.

[meanwhile]

QUOTE (Lloyd @ Mar 14 2007, 04:38 AM)

I have a P51 and several Esties (J, LJ and Dollar). They're all nice but too narrow for this application. The 823 looks great but where can I get one for less than $200? Ujuku has the 742 for $173+shipping and either the 823 or 743 for $259.50+shipping. Where can I find a very dependable PFM for <$200?

If you want a PFM and can wait, the marketplace here is a good place to buy them. I've seen user grade pens for go $150. Otherwise try ebay - don't buy from Thai sellers, and check seller reputation and exact condition carefully.

[georges zaslavsky]

what about a vintage vacumatic?