The Best Of The Worst

[raffaele]

Best: Parker Vacumatic. I just love writing with this thing.

Worst: Lamy Al-Star. Even after sending it immediately to Lamy for repair, it never wrote consistently. It was a soul-less, skipping nib, in an uncomfortable section, attached to a body that chipped and scraped easily. Disappointing!

 

does i worth to send a lamy to a reparation service? they are so cheap.... -_-

[fiberdrunk]

Best: Rotring ArtPen 1.1 mm nib

Worst: Hero 266 (only paid $1 for it, so can't complain too much!)

[ToasterPastry]

 

Worst:

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/pilot_610_2.jpg

 

I have a few pens that I have disliked. But the model I dislike the most is the Pilot Vanishing Point. Why? As opposed to earlier designs from the 60s and 70s, the newer models are heavy, and are uncomfortable to hold. I have owned two, both had flow problems with their existing nibs. The only saving grace was a Binder-stub nib I acquired that makes it much more enjoyable to write with. For a first time pen purchase, I would never recommend this pen in any color.

 

 

Why are you saying so?? it hurts me veeeeeery much....i want to buy a pilot capless....but you can't say it works bad....pleeeease!!!

 

Well, it is my opinion. But you can spend $150 and see for yourself.

[sexauerw]

Worst:

{Picture deleted for brevity, Bill}

 

I have a few pens that I have disliked. But the model I dislike the most is the Pilot Vanishing Point. Why? As opposed to earlier designs from the 60s and 70s, the newer models are heavy, and are uncomfortable to hold. I have owned two, both had flow problems with their existing nibs. The only saving grace was a Binder-stub nib I acquired that makes it much more enjoyable to write with. For a first time pen purchase, I would never recommend this pen in any color.

 

 

Why are you saying so?? it hurts me veeeeeery much....i want to buy a pilot capless....but you can't say it works bad....pleeeease!!!

 

Well, it is my opinion. But you can spend $150 and see for yourself.

I have two VPs, both of which I like very much. But --- both have oblique cursive italic nibs. These nibs allow me to hold the pen so that the clip falls between my finger and my thumb and I can write very comfortably. With a normal round nib my forefinger falls on top of the clip and is not so comfortable. YMMV.

[pmsalty]

Best, a Sheaffer Admiral I picked up in an antique store for $2.50 which I re-sacked. It has a soft nib which is a pleasure to write with.

The worst a Hero 616 which is a very dry writer and no matter what I have done is is very difficult to write with.

PMS

[TofuKat]

My best that I've tried are a Parker 51 demi and a Lamy 2k. Wow. Sooo nice compared to what I actually own!

 

Out of the pens I own, I suppose my Esterbrook pocket pen is my "best"...though it isn't exactly what I'm after. I'll have to wait for next year's pen show to just finally buy the a 51.

 

My worst...eh, a no name junker and a Preppie that doesn't write well. Oh, and an EF Al-Star that's just alright.

 

Basically, I have nothing good in my collection! lol. I'm a student (aka poor!), so I make my existing junkers write a little better by choosing better inks.

[kwinana]

My best: Lamy Dialog 3 . The nib is exceptionally smooth and it looks interesting. Another best is my Pilot Knight. What an amazing pen for the price!

 

My worst: Caran d'Ache Madison fine point lacquered blue. Always had a scratchy nib and now cannot be persuaded to write at all; totally clogged for some reason. It is relegated to the "must be repaired sometime in the future" drawer. The same goes for my Parker 75 Matt black. Scratchy nib from day 1. After adjustment by Parker it was returned worse than before I sent it away. Hopeless!

 

kwinana

 

www.penspaperandink.blogspot.com

[kwinana]

As much as I have moved beyond FPN, there are topics like this that make me realize the importance of such an internet bulletin board. For example someone mentioned awhile back that the John Holland Jewel fountain pen was the most beautiful pen ever produced, and someone else (LedZepGirl) said the W-E Doric was the most beautiful one. I now own 6 John Hollands and 3 Dorics, and I'm always looking for more. To the subject at hand:

 

Best:

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/IMG_1830.jpg

 

The Moore 94-A (1941-1946). Why? I own three of these pens, and they all are in heavy rotation. As opposed to the Parker 51, the Moore 94-A has a nib that also cuts through carbon paper, but it offers a lot more character in daily writing. That's not to say I don't like the Parker 51. I have acquired one recently that has made me a believer. Honorable mentions go to the Parker 21 (the best pen performance for the price), and the Pelikan M215 (a perfectly built modern pen).

 

Worst:

 

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn130/ToasterPastryphoto/pilot_610_2.jpg

 

I have a few pens that I have disliked. But the model I dislike the most is the Pilot Vanishing Point. Why? As opposed to earlier designs from the 60s and 70s, the newer models are heavy, and are uncomfortable to hold. I have owned two, both had flow problems with their existing nibs. The only saving grace was a Binder-stub nib I acquired that makes it much more enjoyable to write with. For a first time pen purchase, I would never recommend this pen in any color.

 

 

Why are you saying so?? it hurts me veeeeeery much....i want to buy a pilot capless....but you can't say it works bad....pleeeease!!!

 

 

 

 

 

My Pilot capless Medium is one of my smoothest writers, however, unfortunately, the Medium nib is too broad and the fine is scratchy and too fine! Can't win!

 

kwinana

 

www.penspaperandink.blogspot.com

[MadAmos]

Best writing feel:

#1 Visconti Homo Sapiens, Wall Street LE, Opera Master (currently visiting Mike for a flow adjustment)

 

Best as in get the most daily use:

Pilot Vanishing Point by a landslide, I have 9 (two more on order) and there is not time in the past 4-5 years that I have not had at least one in use. I particularly like my Diamond Silver Fermo (F)

 

Best Value:

TWSBI, I have two (So far) and they both have been reliable and I feel that they provide a fantastic pen for the price.

 

Best customer service:

Bryant, he always goes all out and it is a pleasure to buy from him knowing that there is no worry in the transaction, a close second to Pam Braun and Todd.

 

Worst:

This one I pondered on and for feel I decided that my Pilot Elite EF is one I just don't connect with.

For least use I went with my Hero 850 it just is not 1/4 of the pen that my M90 is. I also have a few 80's Parker Vectors that I found just feel cheap and they plastic on most has cracked, I just have not bothered to toss them.

[impossiblebird]

Best: Pelikan M250 (M) when I wasnt a light pen; Waterman Exception (OF) when I want a heavy.

 

Worst: Platignum No5; the nib's super smooth, the pen itself I don't have a problem with, but the cap loses its snap, and its ability to stay on the pen, in no time flat. A common complaint, apparently; and a stupid, unnecessary, design flaw, IMO, which makes me :mad: :bonk: !

[sjs]

This thread drives home that every company can make a lemon, no matter the price. Some make more than others, mind you. But it's always a risk when buying a pen.

[pen2paper]

Also drives home that every hand is different..

-and, Good News! the bad fit for You, may be just Perfect for Another!

-sales, and tradesies might be just the idea to remedy a wrong fit : D

[79spitfire]

The best: Curently Pilot VP M nib, from Richard Binder

 

The Worst: a "Pen and Ink" branded Chinese sketching pen, started off smooth then it turned scratchy and dry.No amount of adjusting will straiten it out!

[fpman]

Best pen - hmm, probably my Sheaffer Touchdown with a Triumph nib. Definitely a user-grade pen but one that I love to write with.

 

Worst - a tie between a later Sheaffer Touchdown with an open M1 nib and a vintage Wearever cartridge filler. The former had the scratchiest and nearly the most unpleasant nib I've ever run into; never could figure out why, even under the loop, no matter how many times I adjusted it. The latter also had an unpleasantly scratchy nib, with a section that cracked after I used it once and a cartridge that leaked all over the place.

[MaxFrank]

Best: Hard one, out of my three best pens (pelikan m200, parker vacumatic and parker 51) the parker 51 writes like a dream and glides across the page, nib orientation can be a bit hard.

Worst: probably my TWSBI in ef, it just doesn't work for me. Don't be offended by this, I know what praise the TWSBI receives.

[yorkymama]

This whole pen thing has sure been a puzzlement to me.

 

My expensive pens, I pretty much have disliked for various reasons..Possibly I had my expectations way too high........

 

Cheap pens .....some wonderful... some very very bad. The really good ones surprised me because I had no high expectations going in so when they were really nice, I rejoiced!

 

Today,

 

I feel like a much neglected little lightweight plastic pen is my favorite writer. [Pilot 78G in Med. tho I do like my fine nibs] and the way it makes my handwriting look so nice. I also like my $3.00 Reform pens. I think I paid $12 for 4 of them. I did a little smoothing on them and those fine nibs are great little writers. Use them all the time but my Pilot is my fav. presently. I do have a Pilot Custom 823 and it is a lovely writer but a Broad nib, so I don't use it. Would be willing to swap for one with a fine nib.

 

Most disappointing pens ever for me, hands down, Sailor's with those high shoulders and small sweet spots. I had a Sailor Pro Gear broad nib......never really liked it and then I bought two cheaper Sailors. The last two made the Pro Gear seem like butter, but still, I sold it as soon as possible. I am left handed or left winged, so that maybe makes a difference. I never let my left hand hold me back from anything in life so why should a pen be any different?

 

It's all about what works for you. $$$ is not necessarily the deciding factor for me anymore. I proudly pull out my little Pilot and write away.....no scratchiness no headaches, nothing but clear o's and e's. Love the little critter. It's how I roll............ :roflmho: Still I hear a Nakaya is smooth so I am pondering.......

[drgoretex]

Best: Toss-up. Parker Vac Major with fine nib. LOVE it! And, an acrylic pen of my own with an inexpensive steel nib that was 'fine' (not) that I ground to a finer 'fine', and polished. Use it every day, can't get enough.

 

Worst: Of course, the occasional steel kit nib that sucks, but most can be tamed. But by far worst was a cheap chinese FP I picked up for an amazing price on eBay ($3.00 including shipping!). It was worth every...well, no it wasn't. It doesn't actually write, and I couldn't make it do so.

 

Ken

[pajaro]

My best pen ever is the Parker 51 aerometric I bought new in 1970. F-M nib, midnight blue and Lustraloy cap that is still a bit frosty. Pens stay nice if you treat them nicely. I have several other 51s, and the main difference is that I have had this one longest. They all write very well.

 

Almost as good as the 51 is my first Montblanc 144, a bordeaux one with medium nib bought new in 1983. It is a very nice pen.

 

I have used the midnight blue 51 and the MB 144 for a long time. I have tried and put away a lot of other pens.

 

Worst would be the cheap Wearevers that I bought in the 1950s, that leaked big time right out of the box. They soured me on lever-action pens. These were dime store pens, bought in a Woolworths.

[raffaele]

I think the best pen i've ever used is ad 1980's Montblanc 146....i've tried a lot of pens...but the MB is still the best...a real pleasure...

 

The worst the parker duofold....a nib stiffer than a ballpoint pen

[Penman222]

I have a few pens that could qualify as "best". A Parker "51" Aerometric (M), a Lamy 2000 (, and my latest Sheaffer Snorkel (M) are currently in rotation.

 

My worst pen was a SRX Galaxie Nebel (Nebel is the German word for fog and stellar nebula if anyone cares) Fountain Pen from XFountainpens. The ink would not flow, the nib was like a dull nail, and the paint chipped off on the first day. It was also pretty heavy and unpleasant to hold. The company has great web pages, but a pretty poor product IMHO. I threw the "nebel" in the trash and I have never looked back.