Pens Everyone Seems To Love That You Hate

[tonybelding]

In terms of style, the 1930s ultra-stodgy looks of Pelikans and Mont Blancs leave me cold.

 

However, when it comes to true disappointment, I am forced to single out TWSBI. I've had four of these pens, a couple of the piston-filling Diamond 530 and a couple of the Vac 700. What really irks me is that I like so many things about them, and they are frustratingly close to being the Right Thing for me. The Vac 700 in particularly is a very charismatic pen. But . . . They break. And break. And break. And break. It's not just one weak part, either. They break in different places and different ways.

 

I'm not some kind of ham-fisted goon. I have a large pen collection, and none of my other pens have ever spontaneously fractured like the TWSBIs. And thus, I have reluctantly been compelled to reject them.

[cellmatrix]

 

The Preppy could have gone one of three different ways and I would have had zero problems with it.

 

1) It could go the Varsity route and be a truly disposable pen by filling a sealed barrel with ink. This would be less convenient, but no one would expect to reuse the pen and everyone would understand that the cheapness was largely due to its disposable nature.

 

2) It could have been able to use international cartridges/converters and thereby allowed just about anyone to pop in any cartridge or converter and continue to use the pen without any real additional cost. They could then market the pen as an inexpensive, student friendly pen without a peep from anyone. This is what Sheaffer did with the Sheaffer VFM.

 

3) It could be marketed as what it really is: a $9 pen of questionable quality.

1) Converting preppies to eyedroppers is as easy as placing a little silicone grease on the threads, or if you wanted to spend a few extra cents, use a #5 O ring.

 

2) its so easy to refill the cartridges from a bottle of ink using either a thin plastic pipette or a syringe.

3) If you google the price on preppy fountain pens, they don't sell for $9, they cost $3 to $5

Edited November 26, 2015 by cellmatrix

[inkstainedruth]

Parker P45/P51/P61, I just don't get the appeal, aesthetically or writing experience (they keep rotating in my grip).

 

(Puts helmet on and crouches behind sandbags ).

No need to hide in a bunker. Just send them all to me!

I have three 45s (all with different nibs), two 61s (both capillary fillers) and six 51s (two 51Vacs and 4 Aerometrics) -- along with a 21 (which sadly got a crack in the hood), a 51 Special, and a 41. I think the one I paid the most for was actually the first 61. Paid more for that one than even the Plummer Demi (which was not minty but is a great writer and I think has an M nib on it) and just used it this morning for my morning journal.

I actually like the look and feel of hooded nibs because you don't have to worry about any sort of step-down from the barrel to the section. And yeah, the sweet spot on 45s is small -- but when you hit it?

Yes, flushing them is kinda a PITA sometimes, but that's okay. If I want to change inks a lot, I'll use a c/c pen. Or (better yet) a piston filler.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Sailor Kenshin]

Keep in mind that this is not a bunch of people ganging up on the Preppy, this is one person (me) expressing his reasons for why he dislikes a pen that most other folks enjoy. You do not have to agree with it, I am not asking you to, I am just expressing an opinion and the reasons behind that opinion. In my opinion, a pen marketed as a reasonably priced reusable $2 pen should either be reusable at a reasonable price relative to the initial cost, or it should be marketed as something other than a $2 pen. In the US the converter for the Preppy averages at about $7, or more than three times the cost of the pen, so for a Preppy to really be a reusable it will cost $9+, not $2. I could spend a few dollars more and get a Pilot Metro (which also uses a proprietary converter, but is also metal rather than disposable quality plastic, and supplied with the converter tight off the bat).

 

The Preppy could have gone one of three different ways and I would have had zero problems with it. 1) It could go the Varsity route and be a truly disposable pen by filling a sealed barrel with ink. This would be less convenient, but no one would expect to reuse the pen and everyone would understand that the cheapness was largely due to its disposable nature. 2) It could have been able to use international cartridges/converters and thereby allowed just about anyone to pop in any cartridge or converter and continue to use the pen without any real additional cost. They could then market the pen as an inexpensive, student friendly pen without a peep from anyone. This is what Sheaffer did with the Sheaffer VFM. 3) It could be marketed as what it really is: a $9 pen of questionable quality.

 

If I see a cheap $2 disposable fountain pen, I think, 'Neat, a disposable fountain pen. It comes with a bunch of ink, so I can use it like a Bic with a nice nib.' I know what I am getting for my $2 and I am fine with that. If, on the other hand, I see a $2 pen that is of disposable quality materials being marketed as a cheap, but reusable, pen then I expect it to be just that. If the Preppy was marketed as a $9 pen, then I would never have looked twice at it, because in my opinion it is not worth $9. Yes, other pens use proprietary converters/cartridges, but they are also not marketed as super cheap pens, many of them come with the converters that are necessary for continued use, and their converters do not cost three times the price of the pen.

 

These are my opinions and I do wish to force them on anyone else, but I do want my reasons to be clear and reasonably understood. If you think that the Preppy is a good deal, then great, more power to you. I do not agree, and I know that I am probably in the minority...hence the posting to a thread in which folks discuss pens that they dislike, but that most other people enjoy.

I get that...but you still got a deal on the converters!

[dogpoet]

 

Keep in mind that this is not a bunch of people ganging up on the Preppy, this is one person (me) expressing his reasons for why he dislikes a pen that most other folks enjoy. You do not have to agree with it, I am not asking you to, I am just expressing an opinion and the reasons behind that opinion. In my opinion, a pen marketed as a reasonably priced reusable $2 pen should either be reusable at a reasonable price relative to the initial cost, or it should be marketed as something other than a $2 pen. In the US the converter for the Preppy averages at about $7, or more than three times the cost of the pen, so for a Preppy to really be a reusable it will cost $9+, not $2. I could spend a few dollars more and get a Pilot Metro (which also uses a proprietary converter, but is also metal rather than disposable quality plastic, and supplied with the converter tight off the bat).

 

The Preppy could have gone one of three different ways and I would have had zero problems with it. 1) It could go the Varsity route and be a truly disposable pen by filling a sealed barrel with ink. This would be less convenient, but no one would expect to reuse the pen and everyone would understand that the cheapness was largely due to its disposable nature. 2) It could have been able to use international cartridges/converters and thereby allowed just about anyone to pop in any cartridge or converter and continue to use the pen without any real additional cost. They could then market the pen as an inexpensive, student friendly pen without a peep from anyone. This is what Sheaffer did with the Sheaffer VFM. 3) It could be marketed as what it really is: a $9 pen of questionable quality.

 

If I see a cheap $2 disposable fountain pen, I think, 'Neat, a disposable fountain pen. It comes with a bunch of ink, so I can use it like a Bic with a nice nib.' I know what I am getting for my $2 and I am fine with that. If, on the other hand, I see a $2 pen that is of disposable quality materials being marketed as a cheap, but reusable, pen then I expect it to be just that. If the Preppy was marketed as a $9 pen, then I would never have looked twice at it, because in my opinion it is not worth $9. Yes, other pens use proprietary converters/cartridges, but they are also not marketed as super cheap pens, many of them come with the converters that are necessary for continued use, and their converters do not cost three times the price of the pen.

 

These are my opinions and I do wish to force them on anyone else, but I do want my reasons to be clear and reasonably understood. If you think that the Preppy is a good deal, then great, more power to you. I do not agree, and I know that I am probably in the minority...hence the posting to a thread in which folks discuss pens that they dislike, but that most other people enjoy.

No problem, but I do have a few "but..."s with your quite reasonable objections.

[TSherbs]

No need to hide in a bunker. Just send them all to me!

I have three 45s (all with different nibs), two 61s (both capillary fillers) and six 51s (two 51Vacs and 4 Aerometrics) -- along with a 21 (which sadly got a crack in the hood), a 51 Special, and a 41. I think the one I paid the most for was actually the first 61. Paid more for that one than even the Plummer Demi (which was not minty but is a great writer and I think has an M nib on it) and just used it this morning for my morning journal.

I actually like the look and feel of hooded nibs because you don't have to worry about any sort of step-down from the barrel to the section. And yeah, the sweet spot on 45s is small -- but when you hit it?

Yes, flushing them is kinda a PITA sometimes, but that's okay. If I want to change inks a lot, I'll use a c/c pen. Or (better yet) a piston filler.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

I'd like a P51 some day. They are beautiful to me, and I like my other cheap hooded nibs just fine.

[TSherbs]

 

Keep in mind that this is not a bunch of people ganging up on the Preppy, this is one person (me) expressing his reasons for why he dislikes a pen that most other folks enjoy. ....

I agree with you entirely.

[jabberwock11]

 

1) Converting preppies to eyedroppers is as easy as placing a little silicone grease on the threads, or if you wanted to spend a few extra cents, use a #5 O ring.

 

2) its so easy to refill the cartridges from a bottle of ink using either a thin plastic pipette or a syringe.

3) If you google the price on preppy fountain pens, they don't sell for $9, they cost $3 to $5

 

 

1) I had already earlier stated that one of the reasons that I do not like the Preppy is because I had one converted to an eyedropper and it unscrewed on me.

 

2) It is easy to refill cartridges, but that is not the basis of the complaint.

 

3) Had you read the whole post you would have read this: "In the US the converter for the Preppy averages at about $7, or more than three times the cost of the pen, so for a Preppy to really be a reusable it will cost $9+, not $2. "

 

My original post was just me explaining why I dislike a pen that most people enjoy, which is the point of the thread. My follow up post was for clarification. This one was born out of extreme annoyance. I would not normally defend my OPINIONS so vehemently, but I felt as if I said something like: "I dislike pecan pie, here is why..." and then suddenly I was bombarded with people explaining why my feelings on the subject were entirely wrong.

 

I am assuming that some people really like the Preppy and felt the need to come to its defense. I get that, but no one is going to post in a thread like this if they can not voice their opposition to otherwise well liked pens...which, again, is the point of the thread.

 

 

No problem, but I do have a few "but..."s with your quite reasonable objections.

 

Heh, no worries. I'm sure that I like some pens/features that others really hate (I really like the grip section on the Lamy Safari, for example), everyone is entitled to an opinion.

[Rach31]

To get back on topic: I really dislike the Platinum Preppy. It writes well enough, but if you want to use it you either have to buy a proprietary converter that is not widely available and costs more than twice the price of the pen, or you have to use proprietary cartridges that have the same problems.

I may be a little bit biased because I had a Preppy converted to an eyedropper (so as to avoid the aforementioned problem) and it twisted open in my pocket, ruining a nice pair of khaki pants. In spite of my obvious bias, I still maintain that an inexpensive pen that requires relatively expensive parts for continued use defeats the purpose of the pen. This practice is how printer companies operate...

As Dogpoet & others mention, there is a converter. I refill cartridges with a syringe.

Jabberwock11 if you would like a platinum converter or adapter, PM me and I will send you them. I like the 02 Preppy for lesson planning but like I said, I have no use for the adapter or converter.

[cellmatrix]

 

1) I had already earlier stated that one of the reasons that I do not like the Preppy is because I had one converted to an eyedropper and it unscrewed on me.

 

2) It is easy to refill cartridges, but that is not the basis of the complaint.

 

3) Had you read the whole post you would have read this: "In the US the converter for the Preppy averages at about $7, or more than three times the cost of the pen, so for a Preppy to really be a reusable it will cost $9+, not $2. "

 

My original post was just me explaining why I dislike a pen that most people enjoy, which is the point of the thread. My follow up post was for clarification. This one was born out of extreme annoyance. I would not normally defend my OPINIONS so vehemently, but I felt as if I said something like: "I dislike pecan pie, here is why..." and then suddenly I was bombarded with people explaining why my feelings on the subject were entirely wrong.

 

I am assuming that some people really like the Preppy and felt the need to come to its defense. I get that, but no one is going to post in a thread like this if they can not voice their opposition to otherwise well liked pens...which, again, is the point of the thread.

sorry I had not read enough to appreciate where you got the $9 calculation from and the leakage sounds like a really frustrating experience. I totally get where you are coming from and respect your right to state your opinion on this pen. I am not a preppy fan boy by any means. I like the way they write, but the cap ALWAYS breaks at some point and by this token they should rightly be regarded as disposable pens, as you have mentioned.

[FountainPenCowgirl]

I want to love the Pilot Metropolitan, but the step down where the cap meet pen body hits my grip at an uncomfortable place. I simply can't use that one.

[httpmom]

"Hate" is too strong of a word. I don't like the Pelikan M200, Pilot Metropolitan, Kaweco Sport, Parker 51, and I've never met a Platinum anything that I've liked.

The Parker 51 leaves me flat a well, but I wouldn't want to live with out my three Platinum 3776's. As for the PM, I find it's the biggest bang for the buck in the pen world.

[penwash]

No death threats please. Just remember my loss is your gain.

 

 

 

Parker 51. No, make that all hooded nib pens. Even if they are superb writers.

You, and the others who think like you do!

My heroes.

I don't get hooded nib, furthermore I can't believe that we ended up with a generation of hooded-nib pens because so many manufacturers were racing to compete with "the one"

 

 

Parker 51, or any other Parker. I just don't get why people love such bad pens...

I like other Parkers, just the hooded-nib ones that leave me cold (except maybe for Parker 45, I like it that the nib unit screws in and out for easy cleaning and switching).

I have a restored Parker Challenger that I just love.

 

 

But I also get lots of work ( W O R K ) done with good old fashioned round non-flex nibs and enjoy using them. Crazy right?

Absolutely, I haven't (yet) successfully draw a sketch using a stub or flexy nib.

 

 

Most vintage pens

I'd be interested to know why?

[FOUR X FOUR]

Hey Pen Wash, I've only just gotten into this hobby within the last few years. So everything I see is generally shiny and new. That's what I'm used to seeing. A lot of vintage pens I see have multi colored swirls of light and dark brown. I just don't like that color. I will say, I like the 51.o. Not closed minded towards them. I just haven't seen many the pat do it for me

[penwash]

Hey Pen Wash, I've only just gotten into this hobby within the last few years. So everything I see is generally shiny and new. That's what I'm used to seeing. A lot of vintage pens I see have multi colored swirls of light and dark brown. I just don't like that color. I will say, I like the 51.o. Not closed minded towards them. I just haven't seen many the pat do it for me

 

Ah, thank you for the explanation.

I totally get it.

 

I am also quite new to the hobby, so we have the same background (used to seeing modern pens). But after tinkering with it for a while, I came to love vintage pens. They seem to be better built than the modern ones (relative to their grade, of course), I started with Esterbrook J (still my favorite) and once I got my hands on a Waterman IDEAL flexible nib, that's it. I was hooked.

 

Lately I've been having a lot of fun with so-called "third-tier" brands. Some of them are junk, but even Parkers and Sheaffers have duds, but quite a few of these are nice pens.

[idazle]

Given the devastating effect of the hobby on my budget, I'm happy to have found that I seem to be inmune to some brand bugs. The following pens leave me completely cold:

 

• Pelikan pens vintage or new, they look to me as poor relatives of my Montblancs :-P
• Montblanc limited edition pens, which I find rather flashy, as well as kind of market manipulating devices.
• Italian pens such as Aurora or Omas.
• Conklin pens, which I recognise are worth collecting but for some reason love has nor aroused between us.

 

C

Edited November 28, 2015 by idazle

[cellardoor04]

Italian pens such as Aurora or Omas.

Totally agree with you - I drooled over the Arco Omas and Viscontis for a long time, until I tried them at my local store. I was completely put off by the nibs, and the way they wrote. Just not for me... I did not even want to bother sending them to get adjusted by a nibmeister.

 

I personally do not like Platinum anything either, including Nakaya. The bodies are beautiful, but I know I would never use them.

 

Thankfully there are so many other brands and styles to choose from. Something to suit everybody!

[ScienceChick]

Levenger True Writers. I've tried a few and none of them ever wrote well - if at all.

[Manalto]

• Pelikan pens vintage or new, they look to me as poor relatives of my Montblancs :-P

 

Huh. I think the opposite; the MB desperate to flaunt its status while the Pelikan is comfortable in its skin.

[carlos.q]

Parker 51 pens have left me unimpressed. I've tried F, M and B nibs and there is definitely no love. Don't get me wrong: I recognize the no-nonsense utilitarian design. But the tiny nail of a nib and the hard to clean aerometric filler means they usually do not get into rotation.

 

As far as semi-hooded nibs I like the vintage Aurora 88 and the Lamy 2000. Nicer nibs and piston fillers make all the difference... For me at least.

 

I know I am in the minority, but that's the great thing about fountain pens: there is something for everyone!!!