Bottom Heavy Fountain Pens?

[flatline]

All the pens I've tried thus far have their center of balance near or above the center of the pen, even without the cap posted.

 

Are there any pens that, at least when unposted, are balanced closer to writing end?

 

--flatline

[dragos.mocanu]

I too hate bottom heavy fountain pens (that's why I couldn't enjoy my Parker 45 Flighter and will give it to my sister as a gift). I tend to hold my pens with the barrel resting atop the knuckle of my forefinger (somewhat like holding a calligraphy pen), so if the balance of the pen is above the center, it really annoys me. My daily writers include Esterbrooks (J or Dollar), Parkers ("51" or 45 classic-plastic body) and a Lamy Safari, and I find them nicely balanced for my writing style.

Edited August 10, 2013 by dragos.mocanu

[RMN]

Yes, the Lamy Dialog 3 comes to mind.

 

But it is rather strange at first writing that way.

 

 

I never post my pens because I don't like the drag of the cap on the tail.

Most pens seem well enough balanced for me without the cap posted.

 

D.ick

[jar]

A picture of how you are holding your pen, your budget and what pens you've tried would help.

[humsin]

I'm thinking Graf von Faber-Castells

[flatline]

I've attached a picture of how I hold my Pilot Metropolitan and Safari. As you can see, I have a very loose grip where the pen rests against my ring and middle fingers with my thumb and index finger against the pen a short distance up the barrel. The top half of the pen lays against my hand slightly more than 4 inches from the tip.

 

I haven't had experience with a great many fountain pens (yet). The pens I own are the Safari, Metropolitan, Penmanship, and Plumix. Oh, and some Varsities. Of these, only the Metropolitan weighs enough for the pen's center of mass to make a difference.

 

Based on my experience with drafting pencils, I know that if the pencil has enough mass to matter, then the closer the center of mass is to the tip, the better. I'm assuming the same will hold true for fountain pens. I've already discovered that no matter the pen, posting makes the pen less comfortable to use for me.

 

I'm not generally interested in spending more than, say, $40 for a pen, but if I find something that I'm convinced is what I want, I might go as high as $150.

 

I hope that's the kind of information you are looking for.

 

--flatline

[Edwaroth]

If you are indeed looking for a bottom heavy pen, that is with the center of gravity close to the writing end, I would suggest you look at the Lamy 2000.

[penrivers]

I was reading days ago in this site something concerning this post. This person said that never under any circumstance post the cap.

That bit of wit... at first I tought he was wrong. but now after a second and third and eight tought , I think he is absolutely right. Nobady obligues me to cap, is it necesary? absolutely necesary to ad that complication to the pleasure of writing?. The fact is that it is the cause of the translation of the gravity center to the upside

afecting the equilibrum in your writing and worst you are conscient of that, I think it is necesary to cap only when you racapitulate and think in your paragraph while writing, and doing it just for the sake that ink evaporate even in nibs. Resumeeng, I tought it was a matter of ettiquette but no, there are many good reasons to hold the section or barrel with no cap.

Edited August 12, 2013 by penrivers

[NedC]

The Tombow Zoom 505fp 'Havanna' has a light but sturdy aluminum body and cap, the cap is relatively light compared to the pen and posts deeply and securely the section is made from a very substantial chrome plated metal, probably brass or a zinc alloy, and is sheathed in rubber. I'm not too fond of heavy pens but I really like the balance on this pen, Terrific steel nib too, very much like those on Faber-Castell pens.

[RMN]

Well, your grip is not the most ideal, the pen should really have it's weight in the web between your thumb and index finger.

It should also rest on your middle finger with the thumb and index lightly on top guiding it. (tripod grip)

 

The way you hold it now is more like a ballpoint with a firm grip of the fingers to give the pressure needed to roll the ink on the paper. But a good FP does not need that.

The way you hold the pen all the weight is above your holding point. But if you rest the pen in the web of your hand the weight disposition is totally different.

 

Do a search for "tripod grip" for the best position. Actually, the flat sides of that Lamy Safari should be your guide. Rest the base flat on your third finger and rest your thumb and index on the two top flat sides.

 

D.ick

[flatline]

Whether or not my grip is sub-optimal, it is the grip that I use. I've tried the tripod and, for reasons that seem valid to me, I abandoned it.

 

--flatline

[jar]

Whether or not my grip is sub-optimal, it is the grip that I use. I've tried the tripod and, for reasons that seem valid to me, I abandoned it.

 

--flatline

 

K. We understand that.

 

But the folk that design fountain pens don't design them to be held like that. Since your grip is so unusual it is really hard to suggest a pen you might like.

[flatline]

 

K. We understand that.

 

But the folk that design fountain pens don't design them to be held like that. Since your grip is so unusual it is really hard to suggest a pen you might like.

 

Hmm...I didn't realize that my non-standard grip would make all that much of a difference beyond its intolerance of top heavy writing instruments. My grip is compatible with the Safari's edged section because my ring finger, middle finger, and thumb make a triangle much like the tripod grip, except that my thumb is maybe a centemeter further up the barrel.

 

My most comfortable drafing pencil is the Pilot S10. It has a large metal grip (with much knurling) and the top is thin plastic. The width of the grip is ideal for the way I hold a pencil, and the thin plastic top half means the center of mass is significantly off-center towards the writing end.

 

I like a bottom heavy pencil because then I don't have to add any downward pressure to make it write, the pencil's own weight does that for me. All I need to do is move the tip across the paper. I realize that a fountain pen should require no downward pressure at all and so as long as the center of mass is forward of the web between my thumb and index finger, everything should work fine, but I find that if the center of mass isn't convincingly foward of the web, then instead of having a loose grip, I tend to clamp down on it with my thumb, index, and middle fingers. I had the exact same experience when experimenting with the tripod grip, but that might be because the whole issue is all in my head and not dependent on my grip at all, I suppose.

 

I'll have to give it some thought.

 

--flatline

[Digduck]

Parker premiers are bottom heavy pens with a substantial section. They are quite pricey though.