The Best Fountain Pen Ever Made?

[luvgolfing]

Dear Friends,

 

I am a fairly new collector. I have been collecting pens for approximately 5 years now. I own Sheaffers, Parkers, Lamy, Waterman, Cross, Pelican, Pilot and Sailor fountain pens. Of all my pens my favorite and possibly the best fountain pen of all times is the Sheaffer Snorkel for many reasons.

 

What do you consider the best pen ever made?

 

[ProfMS]

No one can tell because it is impossible to test all the pens ever made.

[luvgolfing]

That is true. However, we all have our favorites, don't we?

[pennut]

I would vote for the Parker 51. Always dependable, beautiful, and valued by many.

[luvgolfing]

Excellent addition is the Parker 51. It is on many peoples list.

[Shaporama]

Dear Friends,

 

I am a fairly new collector. I have been collecting pens for approximately 5 years now. I own Sheaffers, Parkers, Lamy, Waterman, Cross, Pelican, Pilot and Sailor fountain pens. Of all my pens my favorite and possibly the best fountain pen of all times is the Sheaffer Snorkel for many reasons.

 

What do you consider the best pen ever made?

 

You have not given us any reason why you believe the snorkel ( which Snorkel?) is the best pen ever. Do you wish to inspire some interesting and intelligent discussion or are you merely interested in voicing your own opinion? Also why post this in the Sheaffer forum if you care for an objective discussion of all pens?

[luvgolfing]

Forget I asked the question.

I posted something in a general forum last time and I got yelled at. So I posted somewhere more specific this time and I still get yelled at. What a bunch of uptight people we have here. That will teach me to post again.

I am merely interested in other opinions. No agenda here.

[gweimer1]

I love lots of different pens, for different reasons. I do love the Sheaffer nibs on paper, and I find that a Statesman with a Triumph nib is probably my favorite from them.

 

However....

My Parker 51 is probably my best writing pen

My Esterbrooks are probably my favorites

I have a Waterman Lady Patricia that is just an outstanding pen all around

My Conway Stewart 57 is really smooth.

My Sheaffer Sovereign II is a close second to the Statesman.

 

...you get the picture.

[ProfMS]

The question should have been: which is your favorite pen and why? The answer depends not only on the pen (comfort, aesthetics), but also on how it writes, which in turn depends on how it was tuned (flow, smoothness, etc). It isn't a matter of being yelled at, but a demand on you to be even more specific on your questions. Otherwise, other people's opinions are not very relevant.

[thoppen]

So, to make it a bit more objective: wat are the criteria that make a good fountain pen? The pen that meets these criteria the best, would make the best fountain pen, wouldn't it?

 

I have already read: dependable (objective), beautiful (subjective), valued by many (objective), writing quality (subjective).

 

What other criteria do you value in a fountain pen?

[bsenn]

So, to make it a bit more objective: wat are the criteria that make a good fountain pen? The pen that meets these criteria the best, would make the best fountain pen, wouldn't it?

 

I have already read: dependable (objective), beautiful (subjective), valued by many (objective), writing quality (subjective).

 

What other criteria do you value in a fountain pen?

How about fit or feel or balance in the hand? For example, my silver Parker 75 looks good, writes well, always starts, and is a popular pen. However, the triangular grip feels a bit small for me so I don't use it for long writing sessions.

 

On the other hand, my 61 flighter does look good, feel good, writes smoothly, and starts well. I don't know about "valued by many" though.

 

Brian

[ThomasB]

The PFM of course!

[jar]

What is the best golf club?

 

What is the best hole on a golf course?

 

What is the best golf ball?

 

What is the best golf ...?

[Sasha Royale]

Which breed is the smartest dog ?

What color is the cutest baby ?

Nine posts and you want to start a fight in the family !

Shame, shame, shame !

Hey, administrator ! Is there a probationary status for trouble makers ?

 

(BTW : It's the Parker 51 Areo.)

[luvgolfing]

Before I started collecting I read this post on this network. It had great influence on me. I started working my way down the list. I was honestly interested in others opinions so I can expand my collection beyond this particular list. I thought it would be fun. It turned out not to be fun. Really? Trying to start a fight in the family? come on. Just have fun with it.

 

"There can be little doubt - especially among American collectors - that the best fountain pens (in my considered opinion) are as follows:

1921 Parker Duofold (U.S.A.) Era of the great fountain pen arrives
1924 Sheaffer Flattop (U.S.A.) Competition for greatness is joined
1929 Sheaffer Balance (U.S.A.) Step towards a streamlined future
1933 Parker Vacumatic (U.S.A.) Parker competes for the future
1941 Parker 51 Vacumatic (U.S.A.) Modern design comes of age
1948 Parker 51 Aerometric (U.S.A.) One of the best pens ever
1952 Sheaffer Snorkel (U.S.A.) Best pen ever race is joined
1956 Parker 61 (U.S.A.) Capillary filling arrives
1959 Sheaffer PFM (U.S.A.) Pen for Men lives for 10 years
1960 Sheaffer Imperial (U.S.A.) smaller PFM style - drops snorkel
1962 Parker VP (U.S.A.) the precursor to the 75
1963 Parker 75 (made in U.S.A. then in France) one of the greatest for 30 years
1966 Lamy 2000 (made in Germany) innovation at the highest level- still around
1976 Sheaffer Targa (U.S.A.) Great inlaid nib lives on in many finishes
1984 Parker Premier (made in France) 75 for the elite
1984 Sheaffer Connaisseaurs (made in U.S.A.and England) remake of classic
1991 Sheaffer Crest (made in U.S.A.) rebirth of the conical nib
1984 Waterman Le Man (made in France) Waterman produces a classic
1993 Cross Townsend (made in ?) Cross delivers a heavyweight
1993 Parker Sonnet (made in France) The Parker tradition is reborn in France
1995 Sheaffer Legacy (U.S.A.) Rebirth of PFM with a more correct name
2004 Cross Verve (made in ?) Incredible futuristic styling

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/19669-the-best/"

[abw9259]

The one on the right!

 

 

From my limited experience Wahl's write the smoothest however there is a special place in my heart for vac-fill Sheaffer's with military clips. As for new pens I've never been disappointed by anything made by Pilot.

Edited December 27, 2014 by abw9259

[Joe in Seattle]

Parker 75 would get my vote. It cost $30 when I was in high school and took me 50 years to finally buy one - for $150, still good value, iconic design, squeeze bar converter has wonderfully even flow.

 

Luv Golf - don't let them work you. If they don't care to answer the question in the spirit in which you asked it just skip over their answers. This is a place to share the fun of pens and inks, at least I hope so.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, lessee.

I like the Snorkels I have (even the Statesman with the EF nib, once I found ink that behaved better in it) -- and probably have the most "fun" fill system; the *easiest* fill system -- assuming I can actually get it to work now that the pen is fully flushed -- would be the Parker 61 capillary filler. My Pelikan m400 has the best nib -- wet, expressive and slightly flexy; but the nib on a Morrison ringtop is also very nice and wet (and it's the most beautiful pen I own). My all-out favorite is probably my Plum 1 Aero demi; but the ebonite Konrad is nicely balanced and has a bit of flex. And the Vac Major likely holds the most ink -- great for long writing sessions.

Oh, you want me to pick just *one*?

Well, truthfully -- sorry, but IMO the 51 beats out the Snorkel because it's *just* enough bigger around to be comfortable but not heavy. And every element was designed to be functional -- the hood, the body material, the fill system. A company that brings out what was in its day a fairly expensive pen -- and still managed to sell something like 12 MILLION of them (before they stopped counting) must have been doing something right.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[luvgolfing]

I should have done this in my original post but here are the reasons I believe the Sheaffer Snorkel (especially Valiant, Setinels, Crest, Triumph and of course the Masterpiece) are the best pen ever made

1. It feels extremely balance in my hands.

2. I love the triumph nib.

3. It has a very complicated filling mechanism yet it will work for decades. (The other day I bought a 1st year snorkel that hasn't been restored and it still works more than 60 years later). If it does need restoration the restoration is fairly easy.

4. I think their design is beautiful.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

The Onoto Aviator, one of the most beautiful pens ever made with a nib that is soooo smooth.