New Pen For A College Student

[Dakota_Wise]

Hi guys, I'm hoping this is in the right place. I start school in August for BioChem, and I'm looking for a reliable pen to get me through college. I'm willing to spend up to 80$, although that's a bit flexible. Over the past year I've used the Pilot Varsity, and I finally want to take the plunge on my first real pen. I'd rather avoid the Lamy Safari, just because of how ugly they look. Also, what's the best websites to be buying these pens that you are suggesting? Thanks!

[Notgatherox]

Try a TWSBI Diamond 580. Demo so you can see the ink level, and piston filler for a higher ink capacity that reduces your need to keep refilling it.

 

If you don't like demos, go for the TWSBI Classic.

 

TWSBI backs their pens for life so if you have an issue, you're covered.

 

 

EDIT: Check out Goulet Pens. No affiliation.

 

 

~Epic

Edited July 5, 2015 by Lord Epic

[ScienceChick]

The Pilot Metropolitan is a great workhorse and can be had for $15. I also like the Platinum Balance and TWSBI 580s but it's potentially less hardy than the Metro. There's an aluminum version that might be a better choice for you. Others will chime in with their favorites so get ready.

 

Some reliable sellers are Goulet Pens, isellpens.com (Todd Nussbaum), Jet Pens, Vanness Pens and Anderson's. And don't forget Amazon.

 

Enjoy the hunt!

[Dakota_Wise]

Try a TWSBI Diamond 580. Demo so you can see the ink level, and piston filler for a higher ink capacity that reduces your need to keep refilling it.

 

If you don't like demos, go for the TWSBI Classic.

 

TWSBI backs their pens for life so if you have an issue, you're covered.

 

 

EDIT: Check out Goulet Pens. No affiliation.

 

 

~Epic

 

 

The Pilot Metropolitan is a great workhorse and can be had for $15. I also like the Platinum Balance and TWSBI 580s but it's potentially less hardy than the Metro. There's an aluminum version that might be a better choice for you. Others will chime in with their favorites so get ready.

 

Some reliable sellers are Goulet Pens, isellpens.com (Todd Nussbaum), Jet Pens, Vanness Pens and Anderson's. And don't forget Amazon.

 

Enjoy the hunt!

I really like the look of the TWSBI Classic. What Nib option would you suggest? I'm guessing that I would also have to order Ink at the same time?

[ScienceChick]

Yep, you're going to need ink I'll leave recommendations for good ink to use in crappy notebooks (what most college students use) to folks who know more about that.

 

How have the Varsity nibs worked for you? Do you like the line they write and do they keep up with you when you're writing quickly? I see a lot of folks recommending F nibs for use in school notebooks because it, in conjunction with the ink, minimizes feathering. Does feathering bother you? I know I'm answering your question with more questions but the nib choice is personal and a lot about what you're going to do with the nib. Tell us more!

[Freddy]

Hi guys, I'm hoping this is in the right place. I start school in August for BioChem, and I'm looking for a reliable pen to get me through college. I'm willing to spend up to 80$, although that's a bit flexible. Over the past year I've used the Pilot Varsity, and I finally want to take the plunge on my first real pen. I'd rather avoid the Lamy Safari, just because of how ugly they look. Also, what's the best websites to be buying these pens that you are suggesting? Thanks!

 

Hija....Welcome Aboard! Pull up a chair..relax..put your feet up..

and enjoy your time here. For your consideration..a Parker "51"

aerometric filler..which can be had in a variety of colors and is

bullet - proof. This pen with an extra-fine or fine nib will serve you

well during your academic career and beyond.................................

Whatever you choose..please let us know........................................

 

Fred

listenin' to ----Up On The Roof ---- The Drifters

[Notgatherox]

 

 

I really like the look of the TWSBI Classic. What Nib option would you suggest? I'm guessing that I would also have to order Ink at the same time?

 

I would say a F or EF for school. School paper isn't the best so a finer nib will prevent issues like feathering and long dry time.

Plus, it'll help you conserve ink!

 

Yup, ink too! I'm a paranoid person so my daily inks are waterproof (Noodler's Black and Liberty Elysium). You may or may not want to follow my choice, it's really up to you!

 

 

~Epic

[Dakota_Wise]

So I ordered the TWSBI Classic with a fine nib, and a bottle of Noodler's Bad Black Moccasin. If only I didn't have to wait for shipping . Thanks for the help everyone!

[Sasha Royale]

My choice for college in 1967, and for five years after, was the Parker 45. It was reliable and easily maintained. The ink cartridge held a lot of ink. I carried spare cartridges in a candy tin. (Altoids, but Vela-mint also works.) It is lightweight in the shirt pocket. In those days, the new price was $5.95. Today, $35 is reasonable. Forty years later, it is a Parker 45 that travels daily in my pocket. (Refill the cartridges.)

 

In 2015, Parker 45 is still a good choice. I would be comfortable with a TWSBI or a LAMY Safari/Al-star/Vista.

 

The Pilot Varsity is a good "back-up" pen. They can be refilled several times.

 

I would choose a "bulletproof" ink. No one would believe what can be spilled on college notes.

[ThirdeYe]

 

Hija....Welcome Aboard! Pull up a chair..relax..put your feet up..

and enjoy your time here. For your consideration..a Parker "51"

aerometric filler..which can be had in a variety of colors and is

bullet - proof. This pen with an extra-fine or fine nib will serve you

well during your academic career and beyond.................................

Whatever you choose..please let us know........................................

 

Fred

listenin' to ----Up On The Roof ---- The Drifters

 

I'll second this recommendation. If I were able to go back in time, I'd use a Parker "51" for college as well. It writes well when uncapped for a bit and holds a fair amount of ink. It's also inconspicuous, so prying eyes may not be as likely to want to walk off with it.

[dylim1]

I'd suggest getting some ink samples to try before you start school in August. I found Noodler's Heart of Darkness, Noodler's 54th Massachusetts, and Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown to work well enough on cheap paper. Definitely find some finer nib pens to use to minimize feathering.

 

TWSBI Eco is coming out this month. Maybe you should wait until it comes out and see what other people say about it before getting it. Another suggestion would be Platinum Preppy. The nibs for Preppy are fine enough for cheap paper.

[ele]

I would go with either a Parker 51 Aero or a Sheafer Snorkel--both are made miles better than those TWSBIs, and are just as affordable.

Edited July 5, 2015 by ele

[BookCat]

The pics I've seen of the TWSBI Classic seem to show a huge step down. This doesn't bother some people, but I have a pen with this and it drives me mad.

 

My recommendation would be the Parker Frontier. It's a reliable, light pen (when unposted) and great for writing lots of notes. You'll have to send it to Parker to have a fine nib fitted.

[sandy101]

Parker 45 is a good recommendation - they are easy to maintain and offer the flexibility of cartridges or bottle fill. However, I must say they are a compromise - they are good pens if you can get one for less than £20, but above that and you can get much better nibs these days - and Parker's range of colours for cartridge pens is poor.

 

The Italix Parson's Essential is a lovely one too (from Mr Pen). I have one with a standard (non-italic nib) and it writer very well. It is a bit heavier (being brass) but it writes very well. Alternatively the Platinum #3776 just fits into your budget - and they are really nice pens - and lighter than the Parson's and the cartridges are good (and you also get the bottled ink option).

 

Faber Castell also offer a great range - the Loom has a wonderful nib.

 

So if you want to spend all your budget, I'd get the Platinum. If you want to spend half - the Faber Castell Basic (which has a more comfortable grip than the Loom), or the Parson's E (remember you get a discount on the sales tax if ordering from the USA). If you want to spend a quarter - get the P45.

 

That's my tuppence.

[ac12]

I used two Parker 45s with F nibs through college. They were a primary and backup pen. The old US Parker F is like a Lamy Safari XF, and probably similar to a TWSBI XF. The F nib, used less ink, and let me write/pack more notes on a line.

 

I would buy TWO pens, as I did, a primary and back up pens. When the primary pens runs out of ink or stops writing (for whatever reason), just switch to the backup pen. Then troubleshoot or refill the pen between classes or when you get home.

 

If later you choose to look at a Parker 51, I think the Fine nib is just right. IMHO, the XF would be too fine, unless you do a lot of tiny writing (like math equations with superscripts and subscripts). And the XF is more fussy about paper than the Fine. The P51 nib is the old US Parker nib size, so a F nib on a 51 is like a XF nib on a Lamy Safari.

[ancalagon]

You can get a Sheaffer 330 or 440 from peyton street pens for <$50.

 

I like R&K Salix as a notetaking ink. It's waterproof (mostly -- the blue component isn't, but it remains quite legible after being dunked in water) and it handles cheap paper quite well. There are other threads around asking about a good ink for cheap paper, and they're worth looking at for more details and suggestions.

 

A backup pen is worth having. I once had a pen stop working for me in the middle of a final exam. I had other pens with me, so it wasn't a problem. It might have been easy to fix or figure out the issue, but just pulling out another pen was faster.

 

The backup doesn't need to be expensive, and since you already have a Pilot Varsity, I'd recommend that. They can be refilled. My method was to hold it over the sink and pull out the nib with pliers (not something you'd do to any other nib, and you need to be aware that ink could spray all over), then rinse the nib/feed/body of the pen with water, then refill the body with an ink syringe, then push the nib back into the body.

[bijou3owl]

My Lamy Vista with an F nib got me through undergrad. Despite being a marine biology major (and thus prone to getting notes wet, at times), I used all sorts of ink colors.

 

For pens, I'd go with an eye-droppered Kaweco Sport, any TWSBI (I'm partial to the mini), or a Pilot Prera (which won't give you much in the way of ink capacity, which might be a good thing if you want to switch colors a lot).

 

Goulet Pens! And take advantage of Inksamplepalooza this month to try all sorts of inks!

[Dakota_Wise]

Is there any disadvantage to buying NOS?

[Frank C]

Is there any disadvantage to buying NOS?

 

Usually not. Sometimes the pens have some surface wear from being handled which is not a big deal. If a pen is old enough, the lubrication may have dried up, or an ink sac may have disintegrated.

 

If you are looking at the Sheaffers from Peyton Street Pens, they should be just fine. Peyton Street has a "no questions asked, money back guaranty" on their pens.

 

I see you use the California flag. Where do you live? I always recommend a trip to a pen store to look at a few pens and try some.

[Dakota_Wise]

Well I splurged. I bought myself a Parker 45 Fine nib, along with a converter and several different inks. I also have the TWSBI Classic coming as well. Thanks for the outstanding response. It looks like a great community I'm joining here

 

 

Edit: The P45 is from 1965. I'm not sure if years make a difference.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Dakota_Wise