Top Five Fountain Pens (If Viewed Purely As A Writing Instrument)

[MG66]

Pilot 823

Pilot Falcon

Bexley Prometheus

Franklin-Christoph 19

Pelikan Go

Edited October 13, 2018 by MG66

[4lex]

From the functionality point of view,I'd pick up:

1. Parker 51 Aerometric

2. Pilot AM 82G

3. Lamy Safari

4. Sheaffer Imperial 440

5. Pelikan M200

 

Thank You.

This is a very reasonable list. All very good and practical pens.

[challer61]

Conid Kingsize with gold nib

Aurora Optima

Sailor 1911 Full

Pelikan M8xx

Pelikan M2xx

[P25B]

Sheaffer PFM with Stub nib - smooth, reliable, comfortable

TWSBI 580 Diamond with 1.1mm stub nib - absolutely love the style, reliability and nib.

Parker 61 with stub nib. - Great for a smaller size of font and looks fabulous

(I do like a stub nib...)

Parker 25B (obviously... I would like to find an italic nib for it... anyone??? - Absolutely bullet proof (unless you throw it at something, then the finish is going to take a hammering... but it'll still work, almost guaranteed...)

The first four tripped off the tongue/fingers - the last one is taking a little more thought...

...

hmmm

Sheaffer Targa 1001x, never let me down and another fine looking instrument!

[friedrichwild]

mine are

1) pilot custom legance (namiki impressions) Fine nib (smooth and extremely precise. what i call the perfect writer)

2) pelikan souveran m400 brown tortoise Medium nib (buttery smooth)

3) parker 45 flighter Italic fine nib (unique writing experience with this special nib)

4) lamy 2000 Broad nib (buttery smooth, wet with a unique "matt like" feedback)

5) waterman 12 bchr full flex eef nib (unique wrting experience, great line variation and great response)

 

honorable mentions: pilot metal falcon sef, parker 61 flighter IB, pilot elite F, jinhao 992 F, Montblanc 146 F, Pelikan m400 OB, parker vector

Edited November 12, 2018 by fpgreeks

[GreyPix]

In no particular order:

 

1) Conid Bulkfiller;

2) Wing Sung 601/618 (Same pen with different filling system);

3) Diplomat Aero;

4) Conway Stewart Churchill;

5) Waterman Carene.

Edited November 12, 2018 by GreyPix

[GreyPix]

And now my wife's choice.

 

Again, in no particular order:

 

1) Sailor Pro Gear Starburst Galaxy;

2) Pelikan M1000 Raden Starlight;

3) Wing Sung 3008;

4) Waterman Carene Imperial Purple;

5) Omas Ogiva Alba Purple.

[Mongoosey]

I honestly have to put a Ranga in here, and whichever one suits your choice.

 

I think Ebonite is one of the best materials for long writing sessions and out of the choices for Ebonite I think Ranga makes some of the more comfortable sections and sizes. It can fit any #6 size nib so if the Jowo is too stiff I can pop in a Bock.

 

I've tried many of the pens mentioned, and I shelved them keeping in use my Customized Model 3 Ranga (shortened) I didn't expect to like so much and which works great when Eyedropppered.

[Honeybadgers]

give me one pen to live with for the rest of my life, it'd probably be a lamy 2000. Gimme a second, it'd be my flex nib TWSBI. Third? FA nib pilot 823. Fourth, visconti homo sapiens. Fifth is kind of up in the air.

[AAAndrew]

1. The one you have with you

2. That has enough ink

3. With ink of the right color

4. That you enjoy writing with

5. And works for the paper in front of you.

[GreyPix]

My daughter's five:

 

1) 1945 Wal-Eversharp, 14Kt fine flex;

2) Wing Sung 601 with steel Fude nib;

3) Parker 21, medium steel nib;

4) Jinhao Bronze Dragon with medium steel nib;

5) Lamy AL-star with broad steel nib.

[goodpens]

1. Parker 51, aerometric. Mine has required zero-maintenance. Smooth, great ergonomics, doesn't dry out.

 

2. Lamy Safari/Vista. I've had 3 Safaris, but my reason for choosing them would likely also apply to the Al-Star. These are reliably the only pens that don't leak/burp when I drive up and down in altitude, which is part of my daily drive. Changes of 2000+ft in each direction make many of my pens leak and, therefore, the writing experience is either messier or limited to a stationary location.

 

3. Esterbrook, J-series. Workhorse, easy to maintain, great nib options.

 

4. Sheaffer touchdowns with deluxe (inlaid upturned gold) nibs. Very enjoyable writing, easy to fill, don't dry out, super smooth.

 

5. Pilot Varsity. Great all-purpose; no-fuss. Probably tied with the Platinum Preppy.

Edited November 13, 2018 by goodpens

[manolo]

1. Parker 51, aerometric. Mine has required zero-maintenance. Smooth, great ergonomics, doesn't dry out.

 

2. Lamy Safari/Vista. I've had 3 Safaris, but my reason for choosing them would likely also apply to the Al-Star. These are reliably the only pens that don't leak/burp when I drive up and down in altitude, which is part of my daily drive. Changes of 2000+ft in each direction make many of my pens leak and, therefore, the writing experience is either messier or limited to a stationary location.

 

3. Esterbrook, J-series. Workhorse, easy to maintain, great nib options.

 

4. Sheaffer touchdowns with deluxe (inlaid upturned gold) nibs. Very enjoyable writing, easy to fill, don't dry out, super smooth.

 

5. Pilot Varsity. Great all-purpose; no-fuss. Probably tied with the Platinum Preppy.

 

Very sensible list, considering the "as a writing instrument" reason.

I would add the Pelikan 140 (or the 50's Pel 400, but the 140 was cheaper and functionality is the same), also with great nib options.

And not totally sure about which model of Sheaffer no include in the list. A humble 330 would also fit.

[SpecTP]

My top 5 are (in no particular order):

 

1. MB149

2. MB146

3. GvFC Classic

4. Conid Kingsize Bulkfiller w/Ti nib

5. Pilot VP

 

And I rate these on the basis that they handle any inks that I use and write consistently every time. They are my EDC rotation.

[Scylax]

It's an interesting question because it steps beyond personal preferences. I've been thinking about this for a few days and my thoughts so far in no particular order are:

 

Lamy Safari - not a pen I use because I don't like the grip, but the tough material, price, choice of nibs and changeable nibs make it a great first pen and a likely keeper longer term. It's a big contrast to that other 'starter pen' the Parker Vector which is very light, feels quite flimsy, and doesn't have the easily available nib options.

 

Conid Bulkfiller - going to the other end of the spectrum, I personally use the kingsize because I prefer bigger pens, but I'd say the regular would be hard to beat - ink capacity, quality, easily changeable nibs which could be of a great many materials and varieties, and comfort of use make it an easy choice for me. If I could only own one pen I'd probably choose this, since the number 8 nibs of the KS are harder to replace with the same level of variety.

 

Pilot decimo - the ultimate note-taking pen - great choice of line widths, convenient for school or meeting note-taking, metal body, replaceable nib units, not too big or heavy to slip in a pencil case - altogether a super pen!

 

TWSBI ECO - I made this choice with some serious reservations, since I've had some issues with TWSBI pens and I don't see the ECO as totally immune to them, but the filling mechanism, price, and nib choice make me think it's worth the punt since the price does still make it replaceable if the worst comes to the worst - not cheap by any means, but not a life-changing amount of money.

 

Visconti Homo Sapiens bronze, steel or dark oversize - I know many won't agree with this since the QC control can apparently be questionable but there are 5 in my family and all are great writers. Whilst we can say problems should never happen, most retailers make swapping a new pen easy enough if there's an issue. And this to me is such a writer's pen - great size, durable, ink capacity is acceptable, and that nib... that's what gets me every time.

 

Honourable mention would definitely be a Mont Blanc 146 or 149 - a mont blanc nib I tried is the only thing that feels at least as good to write with as the Homo Sapiens.

[goodpens]

 

Very sensible list, considering the "as a writing instrument" reason.

I would add the Pelikan 140 (or the 50's Pel 400, but the 140 was cheaper and functionality is the same), also with great nib options.

And not totally sure about which model of Sheaffer no include in the list. A humble 330 would also fit.

 

Thanks. Now, based on your suggestion, I want a Pelikan 140. I shouldn't be adding anything to my wishlist, but ...

[GreyPix]

However, if every one of my pens had to go and I was left with just ONE then it would have to be my Conid Bulkfiller with the

medium titanium nib that was made a stub.

 

For me, it is the perfect writing instrument.

[sandy101]

And now my wife's choice.

 

Again, in no particular order:

 

1) Sailor Pro Gear Starburst Galaxy;

 

 

Those Sailor pro-gears are lovely pens.

[Sasha Royale]

Parker 51

LAMY 2000

Waterman Hemisphere

Scheaffer School pen, with a medium nib

HERO 266 (if you can find a good one)

[GreyPix]

 

Those Sailor pro-gears are lovely pens.

 

My wife's current favourite pen to write with although a wee bit small for my large 'mitts' unless posted but then again I don't like posting pens.