In need of an everyday pen...

[-Paolo-]

The prices seem a lot higher though...

[Vaiar]

Before you decide on the Lamy, try a Parker Frontier with a fine nib as well. It is my school pen (in med school) and I prefer it over the Lamy (+it is cheaper and has a nicer grip section). :-)

[Jared]

Paulo,

 

If you'd like a really X-fine line, with an inexpensive pen, and you live in Canada, then I'd recommend that you go to your local Daiso store and get a $2 Sailor fountain pen. Great writer, and the best value for the money, in my opinion. Very common at the Daiso stores here in Japan. See photos below.

 

In my opinion, if your Sheaffer is too broad, then most of the other pens recommended to you may also be too broad.

 

Jared

 

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h13/jgrimmer/Sailor-3-1.jpg

 

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h13/jgrimmer/Sailor-11.jpg

 

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h13/jgrimmer/Sailor-1.jpg

[sonia_simone]

Someone tell Norman Haase he should sell those! I would buy a few.

[Jared]

Take a look at the Marketplace:

 

Sailors, etc. For Sale

 

Jared

[hunter186]

I can't wait to go to class today (never thought I'd be saying that) because of the sweet little Pilot 78g that I just got. Its a Japanese F, and definately an XF by US standards. Super smooth though. I believe HisNibs just got some in (here). Isellpens also carries them.

 

No affiliation with either.

 

I do love my Safari, but I find the M nib too broad when taking notes. I'd like to try a F or XF safari.

 

*ed. to fix bad link

Edited February 26, 2007 by hunter186

[Maja]

Hi Paolo!

I'm from the Vancouver area, too, and I second Boutique du Stylo's website, if you want to buy from an online Canadian seller and thus avoid Canada Customs. It's one of the few online pen shops in Canada who sell a wide variety of fountain pens (I've been looking for years )

 

Cheers,

~Maja

[lisa]

QUOTE (bernardo @ Feb 26 2007, 03:29 AM)

Get yourself a Pelikan Future. You'll not regret it; it's a great writer and very cheap.

Or a Pelikano, if your righthanded (lefthanded doesn't come in fine). I believe they both(Future and Pelikano) have the same nib. Great pens! I used one all through highschool.

 

About the Parker Frontier. Also good pen but the fine is very close to medium even for modern day fines that run broader.

 

I can also recommend a Waterman Phileas. You can still find them on ebay new.

 

About the waterman Kultur, many say it's the same as the Phileas but less fancy looking. Could be for the one with medium nib, but the fine nib is NOT the same as the Phileas fine. It runs much thinner and is scratchy. I wouldn't recommend it for a schoolpen.

[-Paolo-]

Well, Boutique du stylo only takes credit cards, and I only have paypal.

The bank wont let apply for credit for another year, so I only have paypal for the time being.

 

I will upload a writing sample in hopes that it will aid in some suggestions...

 

I also have no experience with Canadian Customs fees, although I have heard they are quite hefty. I dont know what they charge when ordering items from the states...

[-Paolo-]

Link to my sample

[jonro]

The Pelikano is a very nice student's pen or everyday casual pen. The only difference between the left and right-handed versions is the placement of a little finger "bullseye" on the barrel. The left-handed version doesn't come with a fine nib. The Pelikano has a 40+ year history behind it, although the design has changed a bit during that time.

[lisa]

Your handwriting is very easy to read. I like the look from the Javelin medium with your writing, but you say you'd prefer a finer line.

Granted, you write quite small, I think you should look into pens that have nibs described as a true fine. the ones I recommended all have modern fines that run on the broad side of fine. I don't own a Lamy but my guess is that you'd want a XF if you decide on a Safari.

[James]

QUOTE (-Paolo- @ Feb 26 2007, 07:35 PM)

I also have no experience with Canadian Customs fees, although I have heard they are quite hefty.  I dont know what they charge when ordering items from the states...

Typically, GST, PST and duty are not anywhere as much as the customs broker fees that you are charged if your order is shipped to Canada via one of the large courier companies. Typically broker fees are about $50, no matter how expensive the shipped goods.

 

Seems that most orders sent to Canada from the US via the US Postal Service avoid customs charges - although I'm not sure why.

 

Jim

[lisa]

QUOTE (jonro @ Feb 27 2007, 02:14 AM)

The Pelikano is a very nice student's pen or everyday casual pen. The only difference between the left and right-handed versions is the placement of a little finger "bullseye" on the barrel. The left-handed version doesn't come with a fine nib. The Pelikano has a 40+ year history behind it, although the design has changed a bit during that time.

The lefthanded one has a different nib I believe. I'm not sure but I think it's one that can write from more angles. Because lefthanders can hold their pen strange because of some sort of philosophy like that. I was browsing Amazon.de (germany) and there they also sell a righthanded pelikano with a 'beginners nib' (translated freely)Wouldn't be surprised if that's the same nib as the one in the lefthanded pelikano.

[Cloud]

Buy a raw ebonite pen from winedoc, out of your budget, but ho! how so worth it. You only need to bring one pen, it will wrtie all day and it a super smooth writer, and also not too flashy.

 

If not,

pear tree company

richardspens

look at the marketplace on this forum for a used pen at a better price then new! It's like a car why pay depreciation, when someone else can do it?

[jonro]

QUOTE (lisa @ Feb 27 2007, 01:28 AM)

QUOTE (jonro @ Feb 27 2007, 02:14 AM) The Pelikano is a very nice student's pen or everyday casual pen. The only difference between the left and right-handed versions is the placement of a little finger "bullseye" on the barrel. The left-handed version doesn't come with a fine nib. The Pelikano has a 40+ year history behind it, although the design has changed a bit during that time. The lefthanded one has a different nib I believe. I'm not sure but I think it's one that can write from more angles. Because lefthanders can hold their pen strange because of some sort of philosophy like that. I was browsing Amazon.de (germany) and there they also sell a righthanded pelikano with a 'beginners nib' (translated freely)Wouldn't be surprised if that's the same nib as the one in the lefthanded pelikano. My information about the Pelikano's nib came from James Partridge, who said,"The left-handed nib is really a little of a misnomer. There is nothing different about this nib than on the other Pelikanos. The difference is in the way the nib is oriented in relation to the pen barrel. Remember that Pelikanos are student pens, and they're designed to teach new fountain pen users the proper way to hold the pen. Each Pelikano has a small "bulls-eye" on the barrel of the pen to serve as a target for your finger. On the right-handed pens, this target sits in the center of the nib. On the left-handed pens, the target is slightly off-center, so the nib is rotated in your hand. For a left-hander, the theory is that this will position the nib correctly on the paper when you write. If you already hold the pen correctly, then the position of the bulls-eye won't matter."   Anyway, I'm left-handed and I use the fine, right-handed version of the Pelikano, and find it quite comfortable.

[Maja]

I've never been charged PST by Canada Customs for my parcels/packages delivered by Canada Post... and I've been ordering pretty regularly for the last 4 years.

When they do charge duties, they will always charge a processing fee $5.00/$8.00 and they will always charge the GST. Very rarely will I get charged duties imposed on the item. Just my experience..... When buying something overseas, I always calculate how much I *might* be charged by the government and/or the company delivering the item and then decide whether to buy from a Canadian online dealer or a brick and mortar (B&M for short)--ie. retail---store.

 

As for your original question, Paolo (sorry I neglected to answer it)....A Lamy Safari would make a great everyday pen because of its durability. The Sheaffer Javelin is nice but I prefer the Lamy steel nibs. I have a Cross ATX and it's a nice pen but it had some "start up" issues, so it's not the first pen I would grab to jot something down quickly....

[lisa]

QUOTE (jonro @ Feb 27 2007, 05:30 AM)

QUOTE (lisa @ Feb 27 2007, 01:28 AM) QUOTE (jonro @ Feb 27 2007, 02:14 AM) The Pelikano is a very nice student's pen or everyday casual pen. The only difference between the left and right-handed versions is the placement of a little finger "bullseye" on the barrel. The left-handed version doesn't come with a fine nib. The Pelikano has a 40+ year history behind it, although the design has changed a bit during that time. The lefthanded one has a different nib I believe. I'm not sure but I think it's one that can write from more angles. Because lefthanders can hold their pen strange because of some sort of philosophy like that. I was browsing Amazon.de (germany) and there they also sell a righthanded pelikano with a 'beginners nib' (translated freely)Wouldn't be surprised if that's the same nib as the one in the lefthanded pelikano. My information about the Pelikano's nib came from James Partridge, who said,"The left-handed nib is really a little of a misnomer. There is nothing different about this nib than on the other Pelikanos. The difference is in the way the nib is oriented in relation to the pen barrel. Remember that Pelikanos are student pens, and they're designed to teach new fountain pen users the proper way to hold the pen. Each Pelikano has a small "bulls-eye" on the barrel of the pen to serve as a target for your finger. On the right-handed pens, this target sits in the center of the nib. On the left-handed pens, the target is slightly off-center, so the nib is rotated in your hand. For a left-hander, the theory is that this will position the nib correctly on the paper when you write. If you already hold the pen correctly, then the position of the bulls-eye won't matter."   Anyway, I'm left-handed and I use the fine, right-handed version of the Pelikano, and find it quite comfortable. I got my info from Dillo. QUOTE The Pelikano Left-handed--I have two. Has a KMF nib. The nib is Medium-fine (So Pelikan told me) and has a ball-shaped tip. .......... The K points are for smooth writing in all directions. They are made primarily for left-handers and anyone who is learning how to write with a fountain pen. I happen to use one every now and then. They are very smooth. Dillon This made sence to me because I've got an old pelikan schoolpen that has no ergonomic grip for left or righthanders but it does have a lefthanded nib.   Is the 'bulls-eye' of the righthanded really in the middle? I remember my sister having a pelikano (older model) with the "bulls-eye" just a bit to the right, just as much as mine was to the left. I've only seen the current righthanded model from pictures but it does look to me that it's still this way.

[-Paolo-]

So, in my search for an everyday pen...

 

I've upped to a Lamy 2000 XF...

 

I think I just went from an everyday pen to just a nice pen...

[Dave Johannsen]

QUOTE (-Paolo- @ Feb 25 2007, 01:29 PM)

I'm looking for a fine nib for everyday use. I'm currently using a Shaeffer Javelin Medium, and I find that it leaves a really thick line.

I asked this question recently when I resumed my graduate work. The solution that I arrived at (thanks to Daniel Kirchheimer) was an Esterbrook J with a 9550 nib (you can see the Esterbrook nib chart here: http://www.snyderfamily.com/current/estienibs.htm). The Esties are a very low cost solution and are a nice pen. For me, getting an extra fine (the 9550) for my work is a really great option. Poking around on ebay will likely land you one of these pens for under $20.

 

 

Dave