Brands You Will Never Buy From

[ethernautrix]

I guess I am too optimistic and open to being pleasantly surprised to say "never."

[TSherbs]

My issue is size, shape, and material. I can't stand anything too thin and metallic. Silver needles are not for me!

[JonDoh]

For me it's any of the Chinese brands. Although they're cheap, everyone I've bought has been garbage and had to be tossed.

Sorry to hear that, The QC is really spotty, but I have found more good writers than not.

 

Having said that, I'm (trying) to steer clear of them, not so much because they don't write well, but because the finish on the barrel fails so badly. The gold on my X750 is wearing in a very un-even matter. I'm going to take a buffer and see if I can just remove it and polish it to a silver color. Seriously, I could do better plating with some scrap and a 6V battery!

 

 

Perhaps I should have elaborated. I've bought a number of them to use personally and to give as gifts. Regardless of the brand the caps won't stay posted when you write, ink refuses to flow through the converter or cartridge no matter how many times you clean it, soak it or adjust the nib and as you pointed out the plating is consistently defective. If I want something really cheap I find the disposable BIC fountain pens to be much higher quality than any of the Chinese brands. Although these BIcs don't look as good as some of the Chinese pens, writing and performance is everything.

Edited December 9, 2012 by JonDoh

[Sailor Kenshin]

Maybe you got fakes. It happens.

[mAnuscript69]

I will never buy a Montblanc pen even if I could afford them, just like how I would never buy any Gucci/LV/Armani product.

[Crosby]

I'll probably avoid Noodler's from now on. Purchased two Ahab's because I like the style of the pen but neither would work for any length of time out of the box before drying up. One of them has improved slightly after an hour of "tinkering" but the other... I just can't get it to write. I can take the odd fault but not writing?!?!

[OcalaFlGuy]

The closest I'd come to a whole brand would be MB. Even there I'd have to qualify it with, "none of the classic torpedo shaped MB pens". It isn't beyond the realm of possibility I could own another MB than those. You could probably toss the same shape Sailors in there too. Though I feel more amiable towards Sailor than MB, that's not the issue here, the pen shape is.

 

I wouldn't buy another Waterman Kultur. They were the lessor quality (no they AREN'T the same) model of the Phileas, the school pen edition. As such they are fine but the caps don't seal well enough for a pen that isn't used every single day. The Kultur nib also isn't as nice as the Phileas which I have 2 of already. The Phileas is another whole positive story.

 

As I'm often the one pouring the gas on the Sonnet to be burned at the stake I'll have to also add it but believe it or not with a qualifying maybe. It's not entirely impossible I might not have another some day but Very unlikely. First, IMO Parker is on Mescaline with the pricing of their high shelf modern pens. There's No Way I'd pay retail for a new Sonnet no matter how good it was. There are a couple finishes I might buy used but I would need to know the seller or see original authorized dealer paperwork. You might as well just set your money on fire to buy a used Sonnet otherwise.

 

That's about it for me but there's also a reason for that.

 

I tend to learn Everything I can about a pen before I buy one. I am usually only going to really be interested in pens that are known to be decent performers with no habitual bad manners. It is not uncommon for me to really want a certain pen and then find out something out about it that takes it off the list. An example being the Parker 65 with it's impossible to find nib and insane way the nib is mounted. Doing your homework not only steers you away from systemic problem children but empowers you with knowledge if you decide to go for a certain model pen.

 

Bruce in Ocala, FL

.

[pajaro]

Not delighted with the MB torpedo-shaped pens? Well, that's perfectly valid, not buying something you don't like the looks of. Can't say I am delighted with their look myself, but the 144s function much like a Parker 51, pull-off cap, section unscrews and uses a piston-filling converter, sort of similar functionality. Don't like the bigger ones. Too pompous.

 

Actually, I don't think I will buy any more new pens from any manufacturer, because I have enough pens and don't need any more.

 

Our bank recently did a rebranding. Color going from burgundy to bright red. So, I am at my desk and this guy who collects pens asks if the two burgundy pens (Montblanc 144s) in my pocket are bank give-aways of the old color. When I told him they are personal MBs he seemed at a loss. Didn't recognize the bird dropping on the cap. So much for their value as pocket jewelry. Styles change and a MB in every pocket seems to have gone out of style. I am happy with that, but I need buy no more of them.

[SUNIL GARG]

The modern Parker Duofolds and the Sheaffer Legacy Heritage (inlaid nib) line are (in my opinion) still nice pens. However, aside from these top of the line models, their current products don't appeal to me.

 

I fully agree with you. I have both, Sheaffer Legacy & the Parker Duofold; look great, write great. Mont Blanc has problems with it's 'precious resin' black-line pens that have probably reached mythical proportions, but MB nibs give good competition to the Japanese & the Italians. That's why after

suffering MB's "precious resin" three times over I chose MB Starwalker Metal Rubber, finally.

As for Lamy, those who disagree perhaps should care to understand Lamy's strict functional design rules. Perhaps, no other pen co. of the world follows it's OWN Rules so religiously. If I were forced to sell all my pens for whatever reasons, say financial, I would still like to keep one whatever model from LAMY.

Recently, I bought a Pilot Custom 845. What a pen. What a..pennnn...

[Tlav14]

When my pen "addiction" was at it height, I scoured the internet and beyond in search of Krone LEs. After trying my best to love the 10 that I have, I can't get comfortable using them; but they are beautiful to look at. The best, and useable, Krone I HAD was the "Fiction" which I mistakenly sold. If anyone can find one for me, I'll give you my first born!

[ReverendPen]

Never say never. I never thought I would buy Pilot pens until after I was given a VP as a gift. I now have a Metropolitan and am looking at others. I will probably never get new Parkers or Sheaffers. Unless they come out with something nice and reasonably priced but I doubt it. I am not all too fond of the Sonnet or my Prelude. And I won't buy the real $$$$ ones like MB OR Visconti or Krone. I just can't see spending the $ on those. But I would spend $$ on vintage pens like Parker duo folds and the like. Honestly I get more joy out of vintage pens (pre 1970's) yeah that's what I define as vintage.

[georges zaslavsky]

Hasn't changed since that time but I will add post 2007 made Sheaffers, Elie Bleu, Marlen, Conway Stewart and TWSBI

 

I have bought the cs churchill and like the Conway Stewart Brand, I will buy another Conway Stewart in the nearest future

[Firepoint]

I don't have a brand preference or aversion, but there are several characteristics of pens that I will likely avoid.

 

First, I will likely never buy another converter / cartridge pen again. I have several Lamy Safari and Vistas and while they are affordable and write reasonably well, I can't be bothered to use a converter again. Small volumes of ink, leaks, limited colour choices, and cartridges that dry up too quickly are undesirable to me.

 

I will not likely buy another pen (fountain or rollerball) with a really thin tapered body. Something like a zebra 301 rollerball or the cross arrow pens i find are too tiny for my hands and that I work so hard to hold them that my hands ache from using such styles. I have several Pelikan m205s and TWSBI Vac 700s which I find a much more desirable size to handle.

 

Finally, I will likely never BUY a pen worth more than $300. Seriously, it's a pen and I write stuff with it. That being said, I would sell my soul for a MB Hitchcock pen in Red. Something about the look of that swirl makes my head spin. I would also include my first born if they threw in a bottle of that Hitchcock red ink as well if anyone is listening 'up' or 'down' there.

[Sandy Fry]

The only reason I would consider not buying a pen from a particular manufacturer would be...poor customer service. So far, there are no manufacturers I would not buy from. I have modern and vintage pens from various manufacturers and they all do the same thing...put ink on paper. Yes, I know...it is all about the nib...however, I am not going to say I will never buy another pen from a certain manufacturer just because the pen is "ugly" or other people bash the quality. If I like it..I will buy it. if it needs to get repaired and the customer service is poor then, and only then, would I consider not buying another one of their pens.

 

Each to their own...a pen is a pen is a pen.

 

David

[UK Mike]

Very interesting thoughts expressed here and so much is down to personal taste. I never say NEVER, but at the moment, based on what is available there are a few manufacturers that I have no current desire to buy from.

 

In the main these are companies where the products are Over-hyped, underperforming pens. I have a "thing" about this. Too many pens have a following that frankly they do not deserve. I always try a number of examples before condemning them as a brand but the following will have to come up with something special to get back on my favourites list.

 

1. TWSBI - sorry guys, overhyped, potentially fragile, average writers with generic nibs.

2. Montblanc - arrogant, average, overpriced. "King's New Clothes" syndrome.

3. Parker - downhill all the way since the 1970s (or earlier). I have Baoer 388s that are much better pens than the Sonnet.

4. Sheaffer (the non-inlaid nib pens are remarkably below-average performers and the inlaid nib ones are increasingly overpriced)

5. Lamy Safari - others in the range are just so much better value and the Safari/Al Star grip is just horrible for me.

 

The ones I WILL buy without hesitation are:

1. Visconti

2. Platinum

3. Sailor

4. Pilot

5. Italix

6. ST Dupont

7. Graf von Faber Castell

 

The Japanese pens are wonderful writers (once you get used to how they grade their nibs). The standard of finish is superb, the nibs elegant and smooth, the consistency of performance is commendable and the value as a luxury pen is considerable.

 

Visconti - I never had a moments trouble with any Viscontis, the nibs have been smooth and the feeds generous. No quality problems (pens since 2011). They are also remarkably GOOD value for money in Europe so I don't understand the remarks about steel nib pens at $500. The highest price steel nib pen in the range is currently the van Gogh/Salvador Dali - that can be bought from Spain for around £135. The Rembrandt is similarly equipped for £70. The converters where used, are standard Schmidt - so I can't see how their converters can be any smaller than any others.

 

Italix just do what the best brands do, at a bargain price. Maybe not the most stylish or the biggest range - but truly excellent writers.

 

BUT, its all personal so no offence to those who will defend the brands I don't like. That is what makes this community so diverse and makes fountain pens so fascinating.

[proton007]

I don't think there are any brands I'll 'never' consider.

 

But there are a few that I'd say I won't buy any current models from. Parker, Waterman and Sheaffer. They seem to be relying on their past image, and I seriously don't know whats their target segment of the market.

Edited July 18, 2013 by proton007

[J Jordan]

I have not had the chance to use many different brands... yet! But, I won't be buying any Noodler's pens for a while.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I don't feel any strong brand aversions. I can imagine saying I'd never buy a particular brand again, after one or more bad experiences with them, but I don't have any current resolutions of that kind. Although I'd think long and hard before getting another TWSBI.

 

There are brands that I would not buy from now because they currently don't offer anything I want. Apart from the characteristics of the pen itself, there are luxury brands that I will not consider because of strong prejudices about how much a pen should cost. This is very subjective of course. To some people it's ridiculous that I've spent over $100 on a pen, and even more so that it's happened more than once. I started out being unwilling even to spend $20. At some point, though, everybody's sense of absurdity kicks in. When a manufacturer's line starts at around $400-$500 and heads up from there, I won't be buying from them. It doesn't matter if a $500 pen is 5.376 times better than my $93 Pelikan in every way; I simply will not spend that much for a pen, and it's not a matter of whether I have the money to spare.

 

On the other hand, if such brands come out with more affordable pens for the hoi polloi, and they seem to be good quality, then there's no reason to rule them out.

[Denpen]

Here's the kicker.....I've been doing the "fountain pen thing" for just a few years and I have yet to meet a fountain pen I didn't find at least a couple of things good about it. My "ignorant bliss" period continues and I hope it doesn't go away for a while. My collection covers many different brands (Montegrappa, MB, Perchin, Visconti, Marlen, Dunhill, Delta, and a few others) and for crying out loud....I like them all! It's like being at a party and nobody wants you there, but you're having so much fun you don't even care. Customer care would be the gorilla in the room for me. So far MB and Pelikan have been great....with Pelikan customer service being simply amazing...at least for me.

[Tom Aquinas]

A bad experience can sour you from a brand, but I like to buy from B&M outlets where I know I can get service at first point and if need be sent away. I agree with Denpen, service is the crucial factor.