Pens Everyone Seems To Love That You Hate

[LuckyKate]

I have an Aurora Optima. It works perfectly and is incredibly comfortable. But I find it too flashy and rarely use it. I prefer Pelikans and Nakayas. They are sober and workmanlike and simple.

[BillPorter]

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.

I truly have to admire your courage!

[jmccarty3]

Two more pens that didn't quite fit my needs: the Platinum Century 3776 Ultra Extra Fine and the Sailor Professional Gear with the Naginata Saibi-togi nib. When I bought these, I thought they would be great for filling out the tiny forms I used to use for medical records (now we are having to switch to computers). Both of these nibs require a very light touch, and I suspect they would be more suited to Japanese writing or art work. I will be selling these pens at one of the upcoming shows.

[eduardp]

1) The TWSBI - I have the 580 and the mini, terrible bad writers and the body... don't get me started.

 

2) The Parson's Essential - just a pen, not the highly regarded one here.

 

3) +1 for all hooded nibs. I have a NOS Parker 21 which is worse than a Chinese Hero. Never had the desire to try a 51 as much as it is considered by some as the Holy Grail of fps.

Edited May 24, 2015 by eduardp

[Frank C]

I have an Aurora Optima. It works perfectly and is incredibly comfortable. But I find it too flashy and rarely use it. I prefer Pelikans and Nakayas. They are sober and workmanlike and simple.

 

I love my Aurora 88s. I always found the Optimas to be too flashy as well. I would guess that they perform the same.

[PS104]

Hard to believe anyone could be disappointed in the "51"

It's almost like saying you don't like The Star Spangled Banner

[J85909266]

I was very disappointed with my Lamy Safari. Cap wouldn't stay on, and the nib felt awful. I love my Lamy 2K and Logo, however.

 

I also just don't care for the Kaweco Sport, at all.

 

The opposite, however, for the Pilot Metropolitan. It's a very boring looking pen that's hard to get excited about, but the nibs have been excellent, the pen body is comfortable and tough as nails and the value is kind of amazing.

[Trebster]

I've too many thoroughly negative experiences and associations with Pelikan to revisit any consideration of the brand.

[bardharlock]

Hard to believe anyone could be disappointed in the "51"

It's almost like saying you don't like The Star Spangled Banner

Well, to be completely fair, it is rather difficult to sing...

 

I also just don't care for the Kaweco Sport, at all.

I really want to try one to see what all of the fuss is about, but I can never pull the trigger on one. I'm not a fan of refilling cartridges. I don't fully trust eyedroppers. Any converter that fits will only hold a minuscule amount of ink. Finally, I know the nib will be too broad for my taste. I just can't see a use for it in my case. I own a couple of vintage Sailor pocket pens and even those don't see use.

Edited May 24, 2015 by bardharlock

[J85909266]

 

 

I really want to try one to see what all of the fuss is about, but I can never pull the trigger on one. I'm not a fan of refilling cartridges. I don't fully trust eyedroppers. Any converter that fits will only hold a minuscule amount of ink. Finally, I know the nib will be too broad for my taste. I just can't see a use for it in my case. I own a couple of vintage Sailor pocket pens and even those don't see use.

I bought one in Grey plastic. Honestly, it works great as an eyedropper, which is the only way I ever used it. Never leaked or burped or any of those eyedropper horror stories. It was an EF, and it was as fine as any other EF I've tried. It's finer than my Lamy 2000 in EF, and a little thicker than my fine Metropolitan.

 

The problem was that carrying a pocket pen just didn't work for me. It's too small, even posted, and it's uncomfortable in use. I actually loved the aesthetics, but not using it. The nib was also so rough compared to my Fine Metropolitan, so it sits uninked, unlikely to ever be used.

[visvamitra]

Pilot Vanishing Point - it's ugly. Sorry.

Pelikans M200, 400, 800, 1000 - I don't like the design. They're good writers, agree, but they just do nothing for me.

Parker 51 - call it bad luck, but two P51 that I've tried weren't good writers. After this experience I'm not that tempted to try another one.

[hjungmd]

All TWSBI PENS!

[J85909266]

All TWSBI PENS!

I'm curious. Is it that you had bad experiences with them cracking, or just personal taste?

[vkisvkis1]

Mont Blanc Starwalker with a M nib. The nib was so ordinary that I gave it away.

Edited May 24, 2015 by vkisvkis1

[line]

I wouldn't say I hate these pens, but my expectations were higher than these could give back to me:

1. The waterman expert medium nib is too too stiff and heavy for my taste. Maybe if I change the stiff nib to something softer...

2. and 3. Pilot custom 742 with FA nib and Pilot falcon. I love pilot pens,I have several different Pilots, but these two don't deliver enough ink to their beautiful nibs. After spending hours and hours reading about and modifying the feeds, they still don't feed enough. If only Pilot could design feeds that work with those soft nibs!

Edited May 24, 2015 by line

[blackcat99]

Lamy 2000, I have one, used it once and it has been in my pen 'cabinet' ever since... just can't get on with the section, very slippery

 

Mont Blanc tried one once, and it felt really plastiky and cheap.. horrible pens

[eeyore]

Lamy Safari. I just don't get the faxination with that pen. The one I have writes fine, but it skips a lot and does not write well on nice paper (I think the feed is too dry)

[hbdk]

Pilot MR - awful grip

 

P51 (it is a beautiful plane but an ugly pen) - hey you can't see the nib, is that a fountain pen? Found one in pristine condition for £2 in an antique store, smooth F nib, but the looks...and I wasn't impressed with the grip either.

 

Don't know how many people really love these, but my 2 Waterman Hemispheres were among the worst writers I ever tried, skipping, running dry, biting the paper. Had one of them fixed by Oxonian - not really worth it, but it has sentimental value, so...it is a very nice writer now.

[richardandtracy]

Lamy Vista

TWSBI 5x0

The above two because of the feel of the pen. I just don't like the feel of Polycarbonate.. I have not tried a Safari or Lamy 2000 or any other TWSBI, but suspect I'd dislike them for the same reason.

 

Stipula Etruria

The FPN special. The nib in its original state was worse than any cheap Chinese pen I have ever written with, and the worst of those was only fit for the bin. Seriously, this was worse than a pen that was thrown away because of how bad the nib was. The pen was not cheap. By the time I got it back, it wrote adequately and without sparkle, but I had no intention of using it, as any pleasure in the purchase had been replaced with a general loathing for the pen and the entire quality free brand. No luxury pen manufacturer should have ever let such a heap of junk out of their doors. In the case of expensive pens, a manufacturer only has one chance with me, and Stipula stuffed themselves (and me) royally with their one chance.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[Boller]

Neither am I emotionally attached to a brand nor to a fountain pen nor do I “hate” one or another model. Neither do I have a brand related Stockholm syndrome. If the pen does not fit my writing style or taste I don’t buy it. I don’t go for online reviews nor do I buy online. When I’m getting the urge for another pen, I’m going to the pen shop near by, trial what’s suitable, buy if I can effort it or save the funds until I can. This way I always made sure, I’m getting what I want and don’t have to waste any thoughts about pens I don’t like. So the answer is, I don’t know what pens I’m hating.