Decent Capacity First Gold Nib Fountain Pen?

[PranitSingh]

Hey there, I am using a Lamy Safari Medium and a Pilot Metropolitan Fine as my daily pens in my high school and am looking for a next level pen for myself that I particularly want to be in Gold nib (I have talked about why I need a gold nib in my introduction topic https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326436-help-for-next-level-fountain-pen-in-gold-nib/?do=findComment&comment=3904231). Now I want the pen to have a huge ink capacity as I want to start writing with Fountain Pens in my mid term and final examinations as well. Right Now I am considering Lamy 2000 for $185 (INR.12000) and Pelikan M600 for $295 (INR.19000) as these are some of the few piston filled options that I have which I can buy from my local pen store in New Delhi. Others are used Vintage pens like Sheaffer Imperial V Triumph Lifetime for $178 (INR.11550).

Edited August 22, 2017 by PranitSingh

[Driften]

The Pelikan and Lamy are both nice pens. I really like my Lamy 2000 but for some reason I find the pen harder to hold then other pens. Not sure why! I don't have the m600 but I have a Pelikan m200 and a m215 and they are really nice pens. I think you should go to the local pen store and see what feels good to you.

[akrohn2010]

A Pilot Custom 74/91/92 would be worth considering - the 92 is a piston filler, and the 74/91 take Pilot's CON-70 which is high capacity.

 

I got my CH91 for $85USD plus shipping when I imported from Japan - plus had the option to get a soft nib.

 

L2K is definitely a good option - I don't own one but its on my list and is one of Brian Goulet's "lifetime" fountain pens.

 

Good luck!

~AK

[tinta]

I do not know what you consider to be a "decent capacity", but for my purposes Sailor's 1911 Standard pens hold enough ink.

These affordably priced pens are available in a variety of quality 14K gold nib sizes & body colours.

Like this basic black:

:https://www.nibs.com/pens/sailor/sailor-1911-mid-size-black-gold

[PranitSingh]

  On 8/22/2017 at 4:38 PM, AK-47 said:

I got my CH91 for $85USD plus shipping when I imported from Japan - plus had the option to get a soft nib.

 

Where did you get yours from? I was was considering to buy a Custom 823 with the vac filler which has a super ink capacity but could not manage to find one in my country. So I could buy it from a Japanese website only if it is reliable enough. Also, what are your thoughts on the Pelikan M600? Have you used a Pelikan before? Edited August 22, 2017 by PranitSingh

[TheRealMikeDr]

I can't speak to pens that have large capacities as that's never been an issue for me. That said - if you truly do have a need for a lot of ink at any given time I would recommend that you simply fill up every morning before you leave the house and always take a backup pen, fully inked, so you can keep writing should your primary pen run dry. And of course a pen with a fine nib will run through less ink than a broad nib etc etc.

 

And also - not to talk you out of it - but there really is no true "experience" of using a gold nib vs a steel nib from my usage. Each nib has it's own character and feel which isn't necessarily related to the materials it's made of. Also note - the actual part of the nib that touches the paper (the tipping) isn't gold on a gold nib. I enjoy gold nibs purely for the aesthetics (and I'm a bit of a snob ) - not for the writing characteristics.

Edited August 22, 2017 by TheRealMikeDr

[PranitSingh]

  On 8/22/2017 at 3:49 PM, Driften said:

The Pelikan and Lamy are both nice pens. I really like my Lamy 2000 but for some reason I find the pen harder to hold then other pens. Not sure why! I don't have the m600 but I have a Pelikan m200 and a m215 and they are really nice pens. I think you should go to the local pen store and see what feels good to you.

Did you have any issues getting used to the L2K's sweet spot other than the holding issue? Also, is there any difference you feel between writing with gold nibs compared to the steel nibs on your Pelikan M200 and M215? If given the option, would you buy a Lamy 2000 or spend the extra money on the M600?

Edited August 22, 2017 by PranitSingh

[PranitSingh]

  On 8/22/2017 at 5:22 PM, TheRealMikeDr said:

I can't speak to pens that have large capacities as that's never been an issue for me. That said - if you truly do have a need for a lot of ink at any given time I would recommend that you simply fill up every morning before you leave the house and always take a backup pen, fully inked, so you can keep writing should your primary pen run dry. And of course a pen with a fine nib will run through less ink than a broad nib etc etc.

 

And also - not to talk you out of it - but there really is no true "experience" of using a gold nib vs a steel nib from my usage. Each nib has it's own character and feel which isn't necessarily related to the materials it's made of. Also note - the actual part of the nib that touches the paper (the tipping) isn't gold on a gold nib. I enjoy gold nibs purely for the aesthetics (and I'm a bit of a snob ) - not for the writing characteristics.

That said, do you find any difference between steel, gold and titanium nibs (any sort of feedback or springiness of the tines)? Also, I have heard some nibs have an iridium point on their nibs for the added smoothness.

About carrying multiple pens, I don't think that's a very good idea for my situation (You can read more about it here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326592-how-do-i-carry-my-fountain-pens-to-school/?do=findComment&comment=3906139). So I would really like to carry that one pen, which has a fairly nice capacity that would not run dry throughout my day of scribbling hundreds of notes in school.

[Driften]

  On 8/22/2017 at 5:24 PM, PranitSingh said:

Did you have any issues getting used to the L2K's sweet spot other than the holding issue? Also, is there any difference you feel between writing with gold nibs compared to the steel nibs on your Pelikan M200 and M215? If given the option, would you buy a Lamy 2000 or spend the extra money on the M600?

 

I have the Lamy 2000 in F and have had zero sweet spot issues. It writes very nice and I actually really like it. I am just drawn more to my pens that have normal sections. The steel nibs on the M20x series are very nice and many people like them better then the M400 gold nibs. The M215 has a metal body and is a little nicer then the M200 to write with, but they are somewhat of a small pen. I have no problem writing with them unposted or posted, but like a little thicker pens better which the M600 would be. If you want gold I think its better to skip over the M400 to the M600 or M800 if you had that sort of money. But there is nothing really wrong with a Lamy 2000, if the pen fits you. My Pelikan's don't dry out as easy but if you are using the pen every day that does not matter.

[Driften]

  On 8/22/2017 at 5:33 PM, PranitSingh said:

That said, do you find any difference between steel, gold and titanium nibs (any sort of feedback or springiness of the tines)? Also, I have heard some nibs have an iridium point on their nibs for the added smoothness.

About carrying multiple pens, I don't think that's a very good idea for my situation (You can read more about it here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326592-how-do-i-carry-my-fountain-pens-to-school/?do=findComment&comment=3906139). So I would really like to carry that one pen, which has a fairly nice capacity that would not run dry throughout my day of scribbling hundreds of notes in school.

 

All pens have an iridium alloy on the tips. The body of a gold nib is not hard enough to actually use for the contact surface. Only some steel stub nibs don't have any tipping material. The smoothness is really related to the polishing of the tipping materials and not related to the body of the nib. Other factors such as how much spring is in a nib is a function of body hardness and design. For example many say the steel M200 nibs are less hard and have more spring then the gold M400 nibs.

 

Feedback is based off many factors and some brands tend to have more feedback then others. For example some Sailor and Platinum pens are said to have more of a pencil like feeling. But ink and paper selection also play a part in things.

 

Don't over think. Since you have a local store go check things out for your self. Don't treat this like its the last pen you will ever buy, things just don't work out that way. I expect if you like the feel of those two pens in hand at some point you will buy the one you don't select this time. Both are very high quality and good choices.

 

You might also look at a Pilot 92 if the store has them. Its a nice gold nib pen in lots of nib choices that is piston filled. It should also be a lot less money then the M600. It might be similar to the Lamy 2000 in price...

[TheRealMikeDr]

  On 8/22/2017 at 5:33 PM, PranitSingh said:

That said, do you find any difference between steel, gold and titanium nibs (any sort of feedback or springiness of the tines)? Also, I have heard some nibs have an iridium point on their nibs for the added smoothness.

About carrying multiple pens, I don't think that's a very good idea for my situation (You can read more about it here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/326592-how-do-i-carry-my-fountain-pens-to-school/?do=findComment&comment=3906139). So I would really like to carry that one pen, which has a fairly nice capacity that would not run dry throughout my day of scribbling hundreds of notes in school.

 

Feedback - no. Feedback generally is a feature of the following things:

1) nib (the size - a fine will have more feedback than a medium in general; the alignment - if the tines aren't perfectly aligned you can get some feedback)

2) type of paper you're using

3) type of ink

4) person using the pen

 

Springiness - yes. That said - springiness can also be a feature of the design/shape of the nib as much as the materials. I have a Visconti nib made out of Palladium that has a wonderful little bounce to it. I also have a Lamy Imporium with a gold nib that has a little bounce - while my Lamy 2000 with a gold nib is an absolute nail. My Sailor nibs are 21K gold and don't feel any different than an 18K nib on a Montblanc from my touch. There's really no statement I can think of that would categorically differentiate between the various materials. Lately I've become a big fan of writing with steel JoWo nibs - wonderful writers from my experience and absolute nails.

 

The one major difference between nib materials is should you need to tweak them. Steel nibs are less malleable than gold nibs. You have to be VERY careful tweaking a palladium nib as they're very soft.

[sidthecat]

You might want to look at John Mottishaw's site at nibs.com. He sells Sailor pens with a variety of interesting nibs.

 

Obviously, the best thing you can do is find somewhere with a lot of pens and try them.

[Mister5]

I suspect the Imperial won't have as near as large as capacity than the Lamy 2000 or the Pelikan, though it is a beautiful pen.

 

Keep in mind that Lamy 2000s tend to run wet so if you're planning to use this on an exam make sure you're pairing it with an appropriate ink so you're not going to have major bleed through. I'd suspect you are not going to have fountain pen friendly paper for your exam, but I could be wrong. My experience is with an extra fine Lamy 2000 and it writes like a medium even with dry ink. Can't speak as to a Pelikan M600 but my M200 fine is wet but still writes like a fine.

[ele]

Once a high school student with many of the same needs, I can't recommend a vintage Pelikan 400 enough. They hold far more than the 2k or even the m600, and I find they write with more character and feel better in the hand than either of those pens. If the section diameter is too small, however, those are excellent options as well.

Edited August 22, 2017 by ele

[hachikomustang]

Hi Capacity Pilot Custom converter with-70, is the best option. Be careful with the forgeries. Greetings

[Driften]

  On 8/23/2017 at 12:42 AM, hachikomustang said:

Hi Capacity Pilot Custom converter with-70, is the best option. Be careful with the forgeries. Greetings

 

I know I would rather use my Pilot 92 that is piston fill then my 74 or 91 that use the con-70, but if you want a converter fill then I can't think of one that holds more then a con-70.

[Mech-for-i]

Know that, I would suggest something totally different. I would not bother with the gold vs Steel nib debate as this had been well told. But its your requirement for a hugh capacity of ink ( and needing that not to fail in an exam I would assume ) that tricks it. Even the best of converters hold only that much ink. And the need calls for an ED ( Eye Dropper ) and luckily India had some of the best selection of ED locally made, and usually with standard no.5, no.6 or no.8 nib .. thus it would be very easy to have the shop order for a gold nib equipped or simply swap one yourself.

 

It might be a good idea to goto the local store(s) and ask around. And supporting local business is never a bad idea anyway

[akrohn2010]

  On 8/22/2017 at 5:19 PM, PranitSingh said:

Where did you get yours from? I was was considering to buy a Custom 823 with the vac filler which has a super ink capacity but could not manage to find one in my country ... Also, what are your thoughts on the Pelikan M600? Have you used a Pelikan before?

I bought mine from J-subculture. Their website is a bit confusing to navigate (at least to me) but their prices are good and the shipping was fast for overseas! (No affiliation, happy one-time customer only)

 

Here is a link to a Pilot Custom 823 from J-subculture for $217USD: http://shop.j-subculture.com/items/detail/E3D588D32A28645

 

EDIT: exchange rate equals approx. 14000 INR based on a quick google search (not including shipping)

 

I have not tried the 823 but based on what I have read it is a "step up" from the 74/91/92 family - it's supposedly a fantastic pen and maybe even a "grail" pen for some.

 

As for the M600, I have never owned or tried a Pelikan. I know many others here have, and enjoy them very much.

 

~AK

Edited August 23, 2017 by AK-47

[NPatil]

  On 8/23/2017 at 4:08 AM, Mech-for-i said:

Know that, I would suggest something totally different. I would not bother with the gold vs Steel nib debate as this had been well told. But its your requirement for a hugh capacity of ink ( and needing that not to fail in an exam I would assume ) that tricks it. Even the best of converters hold only that much ink. And the need calls for an ED ( Eye Dropper ) and luckily India had some of the best selection of ED locally made, and usually with standard no.5, no.6 or no.8 nib .. thus it would be very easy to have the shop order for a gold nib equipped or simply swap one yourself.

 

It might be a good idea to goto the local store(s) and ask around. And supporting local business is never a bad idea anyway

This, but with some additions.

Typical Indian ED pens will hold 2-4 ml of ink, depending on the model.

Get an Indian ED pen with a decent feed, preferably a Jowo/ Bock nib unit. The stock Indian ebonite feeds will cause your pen to burp towards the end of your ink capacity, making the usable ink volume less than the actual ink volume.

Fine / extra fine nibs should be dry enough to ensure poor quality paper doesn't blot a tonne of ink, plus they will make the already large ink capacity last way beyond what a human can practically write in a day.

 

Alternatively, any C/C pen is fine if you're willing to carry and switch a few cartridges. That gives you the highest writing ability among all other options, barring actually carrying a bottle of ink and filling on the fly.

[Driften]

NPatil bring up a good question..... PranitSingh how fast are you going though ink now? Are you using a cartridge or converter in your Lamy Safari? There is nothing to say a piston filler would hold more then the Lamy cartridge does. A Pelikan M800 which is a larger pen then the M600 only holds 1.2ml which is about the same an international long cartridge. I think a Lamy cartridge holds 1.56ml and Lamy converter 1.08ml. I could be wrong on the Lamy sizes. A Lamy 2000 holds about 1.4ml, which would put it 0.1 less then the cartridge but more then the converter.

 

To hold much more then a the longer cartridges you might have to go to a eyedropper fill or something like a TWSBI Vac 700r which will hold 2.37ml on a complete fill.