What is your favourite pen brand?

[Guest Denis Richard]

I'm a bit astonished that Waterman does not do better...

[wimg]

I'm a bit astonished that Waterman does not do better...

Not to worry, Denis, I voted Waterman (well, Stipula wasn't even on the list, wasn't it)

Warm regards, Wim

[Guest Denis Richard]

I was writing with both my Serenite and my Liaison today. I think what puts Waterman at the very top for me is the consistent quality of their line. All Watermans I have tried had a irreprochable finish for the price point, and extremely consistent flow, neither wet nor dry.

 

No other brand has ever given me that impression of control of their product.

[Stylo]

I am not all that crazy about Waterman. I have four, a Phileas, two Expert IIs, and a Liaison. They all seem on the dry side. While my Expert IIs have both medium nibs, they write somewhat differently, and they both have tine slits that are way off center. The nibs tips look visually somewhat different too. I don't know, I am starting to think that perhaps buying pens at super sales increases your chances of getting duds and QC rejects.

 

In any case, modern Watermans seem tuned for people who are used to writing with ball points, i.e. writing with pressure. For me, part of the joy of writing with a FP is not to have to exert any pressure on the writing tip. It's like writing with a brush, but with a little more fedback

 

But then again, four measly samples do not make any statistics So for the purpose of generalization, my impression of my four Watermans counts for close to nothing

[Guest Denis Richard]

Watermans do tend to run more dry than Parkers or Sheaffers for example. I find that Pelikan also are drier. The nibs are firm, but I doubt that they are made for BP users. Remember that the US market must be an infinetesimal peanut for them. Their main market are people who have used FP most of their life, school kids and professionals. I would guess that nibs are firm to be sturdy and last. The flow : take a factory Waterman with Waterman ink, and you almost never have to use blotter or wait for the ink to dry before flipping your page. They are designed for daily use. At least, that's my guess

[Stylo]

The flow : take a factory Waterman with Waterman ink, and you almost never have to use blotter or wait for the ink to dry before flipping your page. They are designed for daily use. At least, that's my guess

Come on Denis, have you already forgotten the sacred school ritual of blowing a few times on each page of a Clairefontaine notebook before turning it?

 

But all your points are very valid. Come to think of it, I do go through phases. I often like being able to put a little pressure on a pen to create some line width variation, and perhaps also to write in a "deliberate" fashion. But other times, I just want to let the pen glide on the paper on its own, so that I just have to "steer" it I think a super wet pen does that but it also leaves little room for line variation, unless it is fairly flexible, in which case the thick line sections may be quite three-dimensional and take forever to dry Right now, I am still feeling weak from the nasty flu-like virus I got two weeks ago, so I am in the lazy-let-it-glide mood

 

By the way, you just reminded me that I need to consider a Sheaffer Legacy Heritage one of these days

 

[edited for typos]

Edited January 5, 2006 by Stylo

[Guest Denis Richard]

Come on Denis, have you already forgotten the sacred school ritual of blowing a few times on each page of a Clairefontaine notebook before turning it?

...but not if you used Super Conquérant...

[Stylo]

...but not if you used Super Conquérant...

I don't remember using any, but a quick search seems to indicate they might be even thicker and more vellum-glossy than Clairefontaine. So did you mean you didn't have to blow to dry the ink, or that trying to dry it by blowing was just futile and you needed to use a blotter?

[Guest Denis Richard]

Super Conquérant is (at least was...) heavier, but not as smooth as Clairefontaine. It was pretty good paper actually, may be even better than Clairefontaine in school environment because of that extra absorption. But it does not have that luscious feeling that Clairefontaine has

[Gatorade]

What about the choice of the new generation! Rotring! I love the color, the metal feel, the designs! Those nibs are bullet proof as well. I use one daily and haven't had a problem. Of the classics I must put in a vote for MB. I know some people think they are uppity and pompus but I think they are like a black tie ocassion. Tight, sharp and elegant.

[rtaylor61]

My opinion is a bit jaded...I have three Watermans, one Hero and a Rotring Core. The Hero was an ebay purchase for about $3 bucks! I have a Pilot, Pelikan and a Lamy on my short list.

 

Randy

Edited January 24, 2006 by rtaylor61

[_EL_]

This site really needs a system that allows people to make multiple choices on these polls. I had to vote Omas now Sailor doesn't make bad pens either, or Pelikan, or waterman, or ...

 

E.

[sleek_lover]

Yah, the results look about right, given the poll roster doesn't include all possible pen makers that pop up in user hands.

 

I can't vote for the same reasons a lot of folks can't vote...first, there is no allowance for multiple choice and second, there is a dearth of pen makers that I use and love...to whit...Filacao, Esterbrook, Majestic, Calibri, Acme, Tryphon, SPW, Hero...the list is just too damn long.

 

So, boys and girls, I would love to play, but I just can't bring myself to choose on marque over any other.

 

It is sort of like asking which one of the house dachshunds I love better, Chloe, my beautiful red standard female or Jayke, my tweenie blank and tan. I refuse to make the selection. I love'em both. They both cuddle great and want belly-rubs and demand to be petted and are great clowns. And dachshunds are like pens and potato chips...you can't have just one...

 

Bill

[southpaw]

Right now I'd have to say it's changed to . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STIPULA

 

(I can hear Wim cheering all the way across the big pond )

[wimg]

Right now I'd have to say it's changed to . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STIPULA

 

(I can hear Wim cheering all the way across the big pond    )

Resistance is futile....

 

And a natural progression, obviously

 

Warmest regards, Wim

[M. Stuart]

I voted Parker, but it's a close call between Parker and Sheaffer. Almost all of my pens are vintage pens. (The exceptions are my Lamy 2000 and my Sheaffer Legacy 1. They've been making the Lamy 2000 for so long that it almost ought to qualify as vintage, and of course the Legacy looks like a PFM.) If I could only keep pens from one maker, it would be my beat-up 1936 double-jewel Vacumatic and my "51"s that tip the scales in favor of Parker. On the other hand, Sherrell's sending me a PFM V this week, so that could change!

[Bill Smith]

For me Pelikan, then vintage Parker, Aurora, Omas, Delta, Sheaffer, then down the line.

 

Bill

[DrPJM1]

I just can't pick one. :bonk:

[poxy51]

I have always been a Parker fan, both vintage and current models.

[Stylo]

Variety is the spice of life!

 

In any case, we tend to change our opinions about certain brands. I used to like Watermans, then I thought jeez, some of the ones I have aren't that great, but after some very minor tweaking and trying a couple of different inks, I love my Watermans again