Best Skinny Fountain Pen

[Lyutsin21]

In your judgment, what is the best fountain pen that:

-is skinny. I am thinking of a grip section that is the same diameter or as a typical wood-case pencil or if there is no such thing, something only slightly fatter.

-is Not disposable

-has a rather fine nib, something that will let me write small in a calendar book that has thick pages that tends to make a fountain pen come out bolder than some papers

-can be filled with bottled ink.

-is perhaps lightweight.

-and I think longer in length, close to 6 inches or more, makes for a more elegant pen, but if you know a good pen that is shorter, feel free to mention it. Right now my only pen is a Ohto F-Lapa fountain pen that cost me $16.50 US dollars and claims to have a fine nib but writes slightly too boldly for the calendar book I have.

[pokermind]

sounds like my Reform 1745. Slightly wider than a wooden pencil, and posted, it measures 5-3/4 inches.

[mbradley]

You might take a look at a pen sold by Paradise Pens called the Padrino Contour.

Michael

[jar]

For what you describe look first to the companies that make the finest pencils, Caran d'Ache and Faber Castell/Graf von Faber Castell. Next look at the Yard-O-Led pens. Then there are the great Parker pens, the "75", "95", the Waterman Preface, Gentleman, Laureat, the ST Dupont Classique and Gatsby, the Aurora Marco Polo, Hastil, Montblanc VIP (actually an Aurora) Slimline, Noblese ...

[tomgartin]

Kaweco Liliput on all counts except bottled ink (but you could refill the cartridge with a syringe--my preferred method)

 

Also, you might find some good ideas in this thread: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/237388-having-trouble-finding-a-pen-i-like

[bbwriter]

Pilot 78g fine point, $9.99 with free shipping on ebay. The fine nib is really fine. The grip area is 5/16. My wood pencil is 9/32...1/32 smaller than Pilot 78g.

Edited February 2, 2013 by bbwriter

[two2tone]

Cross Century

[Keyless Works]

Caran d'Ache Ecridor is the only skinny fountain pen I like to use. It is essentially the shape of a wood pencil but quite a bit heavier.

I have a Caran d'ache Hexagonal which is also skinny and much more expensive; it sits in the drawer until I forget how uncomfortable it is to use.

Edited February 2, 2013 by Keyless Works

[Florida Blue]

I've aways enjoyed my Parker Rialto which I think is an underrated pen. It was originally called the 88 and was essentially a really fancy Parker Vector with a lacquered brass barrel and cap and gold plated trim with a more detailed arrow clip. They had some fancier versions called the "Corinth" that were shaped like a Greek column and were either all gold or silver plated.

 

The suggestion for a Cross Century is another good one. The Century II is also one you should take a look at.

[Koyote]

Sheaffer Targa slim. Not very desirable and hence cheap on eBay, often NOS. Make sure you get it with a converter, as they are scarce.

[PAKMAN]

Parker 45 might do the trick!

[Sasha Royale]

Since cartridges can be refilled with a syringe, all fountain pens can use bottle ink.

 

Extended sessions, with a "skinny" pen, cramps my hand. However, the very thin

Reform 1745 is light and portable.

 

Do let us know what you decide.

[mrcharlie]

If you don't care about being "current production", a Parker 45 is good, a Sheaffer Cartridge Pen is good (my favorite), but XF nibs for either are not the easiest to find (but exist in both cases). Both take a converter, but I normally refill carts with a syringe.

 

Platinum/Sailor/Pilot all make inexpensive "desk pens" that have a cap so they can be carried around; they are all relatively long, and Japanese XF. I've found a review that mentions the Sailor recycled materials desk pen taking the converter, so I'd bet the slightly more expensive one does too, and online sources say the Platinum Carbon desk pen will use the Platinum converter. In the US you have to get them from a gray market importer like the Jet Pens website.

 

Speerbob has NOS (70s or 80s) low end Pilot Elites with F and XF nibs; the F costs a few dollars more but both are less than $30 shipped. Comes with a squeeze converter. About 4 3/4" long capped but right about 6" posted. Mine is XF and has a very springy to semi-flex nib, although I generally don't flex it. Felt kind of scratchy when first inked, but it is smooth enough after just a little break-in. You kind of have to expect that with an XF, especially a Japanese XF which is a little smaller than western XFs. The pen is about 10 mm wide at the widest point, and tapers to about 8 mm where I typically grip it.

 

Can't believe I almost forgot about the NOS Pilot Elite. It is almost perfect for your requirements.

Edited February 2, 2013 by mrcharlie

[J.R.]

You also might look at the small Noodler's Nib Creaper. The section on that pen is significantly smaller than my Pilot Metro. It's 5 3/4" posted, and is piston fill.

The Guanleming 978 Account is very small, approaching the same diameter of a wooden pencil. Extremely fine line, and writes for about a month on one fill. It's also 5 3/4", posted.

 

Take Care,

J.R.

[dickydotcom]

Sheaffer Targa slim. Not very desirable and hence cheap on eBay, often NOS. Make sure you get it with a converter, as they are scarce.

+1 on the targa slimline.

Dick D

[mirosc]

Sheaffer Targa slim.

 

+1

comes in a lot of lovely designs and has a very smooth nib.

[fphilipp]

If you can find it: the Sheaffer TRZ. Used to be my favourite pen a long time ago. I cannot compare to many of the other pens mentioned above, except for the Reform. The Sheaffer is certainly in another class. (The Reform has as its main advantage that it is poston filler.)

[Big Cheese]

Lamy's Logo, CP1, Econ and Linea models are pretty thin pens. They are quite long posted.

 

BR,

 

Laurens

[whitedot]

The Cross Spire comes to mind.

[UK Mike]

One of the problems of thin pens is sometimes finding a converter to fit where one is not included. Quite often the ferrule fails to go into the barrel.

 

In International sizes, Faber Castell sell a slim one for the Ambition range and Monteverde sell a short one.