What is your favourite pen brand?

[Bill]

Okay, I can't help this...please forgive me.

 

To paraphrase one of the late John Denver's songs:

 

I'd no more love just one kind of pen,

Than drink only one kind of wine.

 

Bill

[saturation]

Variety is the spice of life!

I find the Pilot Vanishing Point near ideal writer, although I'm not too a big fan of its looks.

 

Reason being its an excellent writer in all papers I encounter, quick to use, almost never skips, easy to maintain, keeps my fingers clean, one hand motion with the retractable nib keeps the nib safe from accidental nib damage, its o-ring sealed brass case takes abuse very well [drops, splashes with fluids] and lacquered finish is easy to wipe clean. As we slowly progress towards eliminating paper at work, I still do at least 20 pages of text daily by FP, double spaced.

 

I prefer the classic fountain pen when I'm on a leisure pace, and therein a lot of pens fit the bill.

[chainwhip]

I'm somewhat of a n00b13 to FP's, so I've been in more of a "discovery" mode... I suppose that's really shorthand for "I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I LIKE BEST" (yet).

 

 

Really though, at this point, I think I'm partial to Italian celluloid pens but my Sheaffer and Lamy's are always wonderful... In terms of size, I like thicker/bigger pens - they seem to fit my hand better.

[chrisb]

I voted MB. My favorite pen is my 149 in B that I've used (and abused) for the last 10 years. An excellent, excellent pen.

 

I've used some others over the years, Lamy Safari, Rotring, Waterman Phileas to name a few. Never cared for any of them. The Safari is too scratchy (sounds like I'm sanding something when I write). I own 2 of them too (one form the mid '90s and the other was bought a few months ago). The nib just does nothing for me. The Phileas is too small in my hand, and the Rotring (I forget which), just wasn't my speed.

 

I just started trying out a Monte Verde Invincia as a knock-around FP and is a great writer. Good weight in the hand and well balanced. Inexpensive too (I think I paid $40 for it). I just wish it came in B instead of M.

[TMann]

As of today...

 

...my favorite brand is Pelikan, though on many other days it would probably be Parker or Sheaffer .

 

TMann

[solaris]

Voted Sheaffer.

[chainwhip]

As of now, TIBALDI

 

 

My Stipula's are a close 2nd though.

Edited April 10, 2006 by chainwhip

[kissing]

There is something about Parker that tingles my heart

 

My trusted brand

[RyanL27]

Since this has made it's way back to life, I'll finally weigh in. Not quite sure how this one got past me in the first place.

 

My overall favorite pen brand is definitely Pelikan. I love both their modern and vintage pens - moderns for their incredible reliability and vintages for those great flexy nibs. Charpak's customer service is the best in Pendom IMHO, and Pelikan is wholly devoted to the piston filler, which I appreciate.

 

That said, I wouldn't say that my favorite pen is a Pelikan...although I do own more of them than any other brand.

[mike1]

I love my Sheaffer's. Have more of them than any other brand. Next I have Esterbrooks. Sheaffers, no matter which one or what age, starts first time every time. Love that Triumpf nib.

[Onion]

I love my Pelikans! But I have a soft spot for Parker 51's.

[Apollo]

It's very hard for me to pick one favorite brand, but my top 3 are:

 

Parker - Gotta love the brand that spawned the legendary "51"

Sailor - In my opinion, they produce best and smoothest nibs on the planet.

Lamy - The Energizer bunny of pens. They keep going and going. Superb, no nonsense writers that will never let you down.

[Dawn]

I cant pin it down to one brand because I have lots of pens of different brands and love them all for different reasons

 

My favourite pen is my Mentmore Autoflow, its the best writer and its so smooth and always starts straight away no matter how long I put it down on my desk for without the cap on. Its chunky too, I like chunky pens.

 

I am thinking of getting a modern mentmore to see how they compare to the vintage ones. If its as good as the old ones it will be well worth the investment.

 

Dawn

Edited July 5, 2006 by Dawn

[The Man]

Loud and proud, adding my vote (no surprise) the Cross contingent.

 

The craftsmanship is there, I like the shape and size of the pen, I like that most of Cross's pens are metal, I like how what I have from Cross isn't brassing, I like how the fountains work every time. My first gift pen was not a Cross pen; I bought my first Cross pen [!].

 

Great name, great tradition, great value, and I can't get enough of this chrome Cross Apogee!!!!

 

I could go into more detail, but, I'll just leave it as: I. Like. Cross.

[wiglaf]

Since my Sailor is presently in rotation, it is my favorite; I think next up is a Visconti VG; then a Pelikan 1000- actually, I can't wait to return to my Safari-

Rotation is a form of self-discipline for me; something my wife says is long overdue (I remeber Harry Truman)-

 

Tony

[marklavar]

Interesting results. Three brands account for 50% of the responses: Pelikan, Parker and Sheaffer.

 

Personally, I don't think I have a favourite brand as such, because I like several. I guess Waterman is pretty high in my list, as I have three of their pens (Edson, Exception and Man 100). I also have two Parker Duofolds, a Sailor King, an MB 149, a Pilot Custom Sterling Silver and several Italian pens of different brands.

 

I guess if someone held a gun to my head and asked me which pens I would keep at any cost, out of my collection, I would say the Watermans, the Duofolds and my trusty MB 149.

 

Japanese pens are nice writers, but rather dull looking, Italian pens are also great writers and look beautiful, but there is a problem with reliability. As for Pelikan, it's just a boring brand with boring pens - does nothing for me. Cross and Sheaffer are also unexciting.

Edited July 15, 2006 by marklavar

[handlebar]

Visconti,Visconti,Visconti---All in that order!!!!

 

Handlebar

[kbjoran]

On two occasions I've mentioned little-known but great pen brands and I've realized that most of the folks on this Fountain Pen Network are dedicated to the mainstream pen 'manufacturers'. There are craftsmen in the U.S. and other countries whom have dedicated themselves to developing great pens (based on weight and ink flow) but no one ever responds to the "Have you tried..." challenges. We all know Omas (I have two), Lamy (I have none), and Namiki (I have one), et al, but there are SO many new craftsmen out there offering stiff to flex nibs and great weighted pens (for those who appreciate the weight of the pen). I am all for supporting the old craftsmen (collectors) but I also know that there are treasures to be found under every rock (Elysee and Xezo). I have a few of the new-names in the fountain pen market and can tell you that they are not even worth the $10.00 price tag. Elysee is no longer being manufactured but Xezo is. Xezo has a great weight balance for those of us looking for such. The FPN has the public interest to not only laude the old but to welcome the new. FPs are not the norm but they can be advanced to the preferred. (Every time I sign a new contract, I provide my client with a new FP and, yes, they are most assuredly impressed.) The FPN should be set to meet the challenges of advancing the future of the FP so that all interested can achieve a fair education in the FINE ART OF PENMANSHIP UTILIZING THE FOUNTAIN PEN. We all know that the art of penmanship may be dieing but we all have the opportunity to keep it alive.

[amh210]

On two occasions I've mentioned little-known but great pen brands and I've realized that most of the folks on this Fountain Pen Network are dedicated to the mainstream pen 'manufacturers'. There are craftsmen in the U.S. and other countries whom have dedicated themselves to developing great pens (based on weight and ink flow) but no one ever responds to the "Have you tried..." challenges. We all know Omas (I have two), Lamy (I have none), and Namiki (I have one), et al, but there are SO many new craftsmen out there offering stiff to flex nibs and great weighted pens (for those who appreciate the weight of the pen). I am all for supporting the old craftsmen (collectors) but I also know that there are treasures to be found under every rock (Elysee and Xezo). I have a few of the new-names in the fountain pen market and can tell you that they are not even worth the $10.00 price tag. Elysee is no longer being manufactured but Xezo is. Xezo has a great weight balance for those of us looking for such. The FPN has the public interest to not only laude the old but to welcome the new. FPs are not the norm but they can be advanced to the preferred. (Every time I sign a new contract, I provide my client with a new FP and, yes, they are most assuredly impressed.) The FPN should be set to meet the challenges of advancing the future of the FP so that all interested can achieve a fair education in the FINE ART OF PENMANSHIP UTILIZING THE FOUNTAIN PEN. We all know that the art of penmanship may be dieing but we all have the opportunity to keep it alive.

I don't speak for FPN in any sort of official capacity, but as a member I absolutely encourage you to post photos and reviews of new pens that you find worthy. I'm sure that some of us will be appropriately convinced and will try a new brand if we find the value proposition to be compelling.

 

FPN is no more than the sum of it's posts and you are welcome to lead the charge to the brave new world of small, lesser-known brands, fine craftsman, and good value.

 

Andy

[wdyasq]

FPN is no more than the sum of it's posts and you are welcome to lead the charge to the brave new world of small, lesser-known brands, fine craftsman, and good value.

I hate to agree with folks ... But I must agree with Andy.

 

Ron