Advice Wanted On Cheap Pen For Work. Ef, Preferably Demonstrator.

[Cyclopentadiene]

Hi all,

 

Backstory:

I've recently changed job location and gave away the pens I had to my colleagues. Now I need another pen at my new location and thought it a good idea to try a fountain pen in the lab. But which one?!?

 

Needs:

- The pen really needs to have an extra fine nib and be able to take some pressure.

- Preferably by a C/C filler.... never thought that I'd say that, but the contained environment that I work in means that things go into the lab... and not out. A cart filling pen is just going to make things a whole lot easier.

- The pen needs to be cheap too, no higher than £20, what's that... $25 or so. I'm normally careful with my pens but damage to the nib and barrel is quite possible and my budget is shockingly low at the moment.

- A demonstrator would be good, or any other barrel colour that would show up contamination...

 

Any brands that would meet these needs? The obvious choice would be for a Lamy Vista, but I'm open to suggestions!

 

Thanks for the help,

Badger

[Cerbervs]

Pilot 78G?

[cbaytan]

IMO you are describing Lamy Vista.

[MBFan]

+1 for the Lamy Vista

[Nate_Emmi]

A LAMY Vista sounds like your best bet, but a Noodler's Ahab might work also. it's got a piston fill system, but the piston can be removed so it can be used as an eyedropper.

[cbaytan]

A LAMY Vista sounds like your best bet, but a Noodler's Ahab might work also. it's got a piston fill system, but the piston can be removed so it can be used as an eyedropper.

Please excuse my interference but Ahab nibs are certainly not EF.

[MyriamV]

+1 for the Lamy Vista. I have one, love it, use it every day. I'm planning to get another one.

[Cyclopentadiene]

Pilot 78G?

 

Hmm... that's an interesting suggestion. I've had good experience with Pilot before...

 

 

A LAMY Vista sounds like your best bet, but a Noodler's Ahab might work also. it's got a piston fill system, but the piston can be removed so it can be used as an eyedropper.

 

I've had an Ahab before, last year. My only issue was that it had a habit of leaking, other than that a very good option. Thanks!

 

Please excuse my interference but Ahab nibs are certainly not EF.

 

Without pressure I've found the Ahab to give quite fine lines, as thin as my TWSBI EF. Just my opinion though...

 

 

 

I'll have another search around and see about the 78G and review what I thought of my Ahab. Thanks for the thoughts folks!

 

Edited as I can't spell...

Edited September 14, 2013 by Cyclopentadiene

[enriquitorl]

You are describing my Nemosyne Singularity pen: Demonstrator, EF nib and C/C filler.

[51ISH]

I haven't tried one yet, but as it happens I'm looking for a similar thing at the moment - how about a Pilot Penmanship?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pilot-FP-50R-Penmanship-Extra-Fine-nib-Fountain-Pen-7-Black-Ink-Cartridges-CR-/221265679015?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33847652a7#ht_4999wt_1091

 

 

Not ideal if you have to carry it in your pocket, but if you are using it in the lab.....???

 

Nibs are reported to be very good for an ef nib

[CapeClear]

You'll get a cheap 78G from Stationery Art, they have very reasonable shipping to our part of the world. A Pilot Penmanship with an EF nib is a good choice too, too EF for me but might suit you.

[Cyclopentadiene]

You are describing my Nemosyne Singularity pen: Demonstrator, EF nib and C/C filler.

 

I've looked at the singularity earlier today.... I'd heard of the paper from that brand, but never a pen! There's something missing about that particular pen that I can't quite put my finger on. Not to mention I've no idea how I'd source one to the U.K. from a reputable dealer.

 

 

I haven't tried one yet, but as it happens I'm looking for a similar thing at the moment - how about a Pilot Penmanship?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pilot-FP-50R-Penmanship-Extra-Fine-nib-Fountain-Pen-7-Black-Ink-Cartridges-CR-/221265679015?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33847652a7#ht_4999wt_1091

 

 

Not ideal if you have to carry it in your pocket, but if you are using it in the lab.....???

 

Nibs are reported to be very good for an ef nib

 

By chance I was just looking at the Cult Pens site in the U.K., one of my favourite online sites and they had the penmanship in stock. I've heard excellent things about the fine nibs on that pen, just as you've said.

 

You'll get a cheap 78G from Stationery Art, they have very reasonable shipping to our part of the world. A Pilot Penmanship with an EF nib is a good choice too, too EF for me but might suit you.

 

I've used Stationery Art in Hong Kong before. Excellent service, simply brilliant in fact when I purchased a Pilot Vanishing point a few months ago. Sadly I've decided the 78G doesn't quite fit the bill though, shame as I enjoyed receiving packages with lots of Hong Kong stamps on

 

 

I've now decided that I'm going to try a variety of what I would loosely call "disposable" pens;

- The Pilot VPen

- The Pilot Penmanship

- Platinum Preppy

 

I'll let you know how they perform against each other with their own brand ink. Maybe I'll put a review style comparison up before they go to their inevitable doom...

 

Please do let me know if there's any other suggestions you folks have floating about in the ether.

 

Cheers,

Badger

[enriquitorl]

 

I've looked at the singularity earlier today.... I'd heard of the paper from that brand, but never a pen! There's something missing about that particular pen that I can't quite put my finger on. Not to mention I've no idea how I'd source one to the U.K. from a reputable dealer.

 

 

I think you are confusing Mnemosyne notebooks by Maruman with the Nemosyne pen brand. I bought mine in xfountainpens.com, and they ship over to EU.

 

Now that you mention it, a preppy also fits the bill, and since you'll be using it in a lab setting, you could refill the cartridge using a syringe or a pipette.

I'm glad you found your solution!

[merlinsfv]

I concur with those who suggested the Nemosyne Singularity. It comes in a demonstrator with an EF German nib, and its less than $20. I've had mine for a couple of years without any problem.

[wallylynn]

I was about to suggest the preppy as well but you beat me to it.

 

Know that you remove the paint from the varsity v-pen. It isn't clear, but it is translucent.

[welch]

- Lamy Safari, if you like the grip.

 

- Parker 45 from EBay. Search EBay for the right nib, or go to Jean-Michel Levertowski. The 45 is fundamentally a better pen than the Safari. Have been cheap on EBay...nobody collects them.

[GabrielleDuVent]

A little more expensive, but may survive nuclear event: Lamy Vista

 

Cheap as dirt, but won't survive jostling on the Central Line around 5 PM, let alone nuclear event: Platinum Preppy

 

May run a little higher than Lamy, but comes in different colours as a demonstrator: Monteverde Artista, Waterman Kultur

 

I've used Vista in organic chemistry laboratory, and it's still intact (and almost scratchless!). The only problem is that my lab records aren't er, spotless, and the ink has clearly reacted with [insert chemical name here]; some pages look as if I've ran chromatography on the pages.

 

You want to be very, very selective about ink choices; most inks don't survive water and alcohol very well, let alone frequently used solvents. I eventually gave up and started using Sakura Micron instead for lab.

 

78G does not take pressure very well (22k gold nib), and due to its very fine point, it picks up fibre from sub-standard paper like it's hungry.

[Cyclopentadiene]

 

I think you are confusing Mnemosyne notebooks by Maruman with the Nemosyne pen brand. I bought mine in xfountainpens.com, and they ship over to EU.

 

Now that you mention it, a preppy also fits the bill, and since you'll be using it in a lab setting, you could refill the cartridge using a syringe or a pipette.

I'm glad you found your solution!

 

My apologies for that! I'll have to have another look, particularly at the mentioned website...

Still haven't quite decided yet. Budget is ever so tight so I've got to think carefully, but will let you know ASAP

 

A little more expensive, but may survive nuclear event: Lamy Vista

 

Cheap as dirt, but won't survive jostling on the Central Line around 5 PM, let alone nuclear event: Platinum Preppy

 

May run a little higher than Lamy, but comes in different colours as a demonstrator: Monteverde Artista, Waterman Kultur

 

I've used Vista in organic chemistry laboratory, and it's still intact (and almost scratchless!). The only problem is that my lab records aren't er, spotless, and the ink has clearly reacted with [insert chemical name here]; some pages look as if I've ran chromatography on the pages.

 

You want to be very, very selective about ink choices; most inks don't survive water and alcohol very well, let alone frequently used solvents. I eventually gave up and started using Sakura Micron instead for lab.

 

78G does not take pressure very well (22k gold nib), and due to its very fine point, it picks up fibre from sub-standard paper like it's hungry.

 

I've found that EF Lamy Vista/Safari nibs (I assume they're interchangeable) are rather hard to source in the U.K (had a brief search on my usual websites earlier. Unfortunate as it was sounding oh so nice

 

The preppy does sound like a good option. The free eye-dropper I got with a Noodler's big bottle last year was very good indeed for a free fine nib.

 

With regards to inks it'll be a difficult decision. Wonder if I could refill up a cartridge with Noodler's x-feather at home then somehow seal it up for the journey to work... hmmm. Will have a look at Private reserve carts which I can just about source in the U.K. but that would bump the price quite a bit...

 

 

Decisions, Decisions!

 

Thanks for the help!

Badger

[sumgaikid]

 

My apologies for that! I'll have to have another look, particularly at the mentioned website...

Still haven't quite decided yet. Budget is ever so tight so I've got to think carefully, but will let you know ASAP

 

 

I've found that EF Lamy Vista/Safari nibs (I assume they're interchangeable) are rather hard to source in the U.K (had a brief search on my usual websites earlier. Unfortunate as it was sounding oh so nice

 

The preppy does sound like a good option. The free eye-dropper I got with a Noodler's big bottle last year was very good indeed for a free fine nib.

 

With regards to inks it'll be a difficult decision. Wonder if I could refill up a cartridge with Noodler's x-feather at home then somehow seal it up for the journey to work... hmmm. Will have a look at Private reserve carts which I can just about source in the U.K. but that would bump the price quite a bit...

 

 

Decisions, Decisions!

 

Thanks for the help!

Badger

 

I would agree with a Lamy Safari as a choice, but despite the nib sourcing

problem,there's maybe 1% difference between the Safari and the Vista. They're

basically the same pen;different skin. The nibs are interchangeable--they just

slide right off the feed(they stay snugly on it).

 

For the price you're wanting to spend,you can't go wrong with either the

Safari or the Vista.

 

 

 

John

[Mesu]

Lamy Safari /Vista EFs are closer to F than EF. If you are looking for a true EF nib, Pilot would be a better choice.

 

Safari/Vista nibs are drier than Pilots'. If you like your pens to lay a wet line (a must for EF nibs), you can tweak the nib+feed of Safari or you can use a Pilot 78G straight out of the box