Quest For A Schoolpen

[SmoutKa]

Thank you all for the good advise.

For the moment he uses the school-provided Bruynzeel - but after a lot of tinkering to smooth it out a bit and make it a lot wetter.

Mister postman is due to bring the Jinhao 599s - eventually.

 

Just one last point, that apparently didn't come across: He should leave his pen in school. It will never get home again. And the only ink available is international standard royal blue. So every pen with another way of filling disqualifies - regardless of it's redeeming qualities.

[SmoutKa]

Okay, the Jinhao 599s are in.

 

On the dark side: they come in far too dry. Especially if you start it up with just a cartridge.

After flushing and a bit of 'massage' to the tines with my thumbnail, things improve hugely!

 

A fine line, not too wet, not too dry. Perfect lines on absorbant papers like copiers (no feathering). I didn't know an F could be this smooth (but hey - there is a lot I don't know).

I can't get it to skip, even if I want to.

It is a surprisingly well built pen

Then of course, it has most of the good things the Lamy Safari is known for. Nice colours (I have red, black, white), simple but solid plastics. Good balance, for my hands even better when posted.

An ink window on a cartridge filler: a good thing!

There really isn't anything to dislike about it.

 

By the way: I found another suitable candidate the other day in a shop nearby. A Papermate 'mijn eerste vulpen' (=My first FP). Pen and six cartridges for around €2,-.

Surprisingly nice pen. http://www.nooitgedagt.nl/autoimg/1523429/210x210/ffffff/vulpen-papermate-incl-6-inktpatronen.jpg

How, why and when can they pick the Bruynzeels at school if simple gems like this are available?!?!

[a_m]

To the original question "I would like to give my son a proper FP." -

 

I would say for the beginners its best to use a triangular grip FP. The two that I would recommend (that I have also given to my daughter)- Lamy Safari (has clip), and Pilot Kakuno (is clipless). Safari has a more sharp triangle, while Kakuno has a more rounded one with smily nib and pleasing looks.

 

My personal experience - this grip forces the writer to have more proper & deliberate handwriting.

 

Another thing, I would say is dont give children fine nib. Best give medium nib. Beginners dont have patience with fine nibs.

 

(on flip side both these dont take international c/c)

Edited May 1, 2015 by anup