3 In 1 Fountain Pens Under 50 Usd ?

[HartGummi]

Most commericals pens do not arrive ready to be used as eyedroppers. Conversion is a possibility but sealing and ink flow problems often plague the converted pens. A lot of cartrifge pens also do not have feeds capable of buffering large amount of ink in the reservoir.

 

Can any users recommend me beginner pens (below 50 USD) that have the ability to accomodate a converter, cartridge or ink straight from the tank?

 

I already have ebonite eyedropper pens and also one made by Pilot. It would be good to know of a few more commercial eyedroppers.

 

[corniche]

Hi HartGummi,

 

You may want to check out the Platinum Prefounte - its basically a Preppy wearing a polo shirt and khakis. But it's well within your budget - only $10 USD and it has Platinum's outstanding Slip and Seal cap - so the nib doesn't dry out for several months - even if you don't use it. 👍

 

 

- Sean

[Karmachanic]

ASA has Ebonite and acrylic pens that are within your budget, as does FPR.

[HartGummi]

You may want to check out the Platinum Prefounte - its basically a Preppy wearing a polo shirt and khakis.

I thought Prefounte is literally like the Preppy. I checked the Amazon page, it says cartridge/converter (not direct filling).

Edited October 13, 2020 by HartGummi

[corniche]

I thought Prefounte is literally like the Preppy. I checked the Amazon page, it says cartridge/converter (not direct filling).

Hi HartGummi,

 

Don't pay TOO much credence to what Amazon says; they know fountain pens like I know brain surgery.

 

https://youtu.be/ARX1KuAyBFw

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

- Sean

[OCArt]

I'll second the Prefonte, in fact I have one as an eyedropper now and the only adaption I made was to grease the threads where the two sections meet. The Prefonte has a very fine nib (for me,) if you want other nib sizes look into vintage Sheaffer No Nonsense pens. They have an abundance of nibs available as they were often sold as a calligraphy set. Very good writers and very dependable pens.

Most commericals pens do not arrive ready to be used as eyedroppers. Conversion is a possibility but sealing and ink flow problems often plague the converted pens. A lot of cartrifge pens also do not have feeds capable of buffering large amount of ink in the reservoir.

 

Can any users recommend me beginner pens (below 50 USD) that have the ability to accomodate a converter, cartridge or ink straight from the tank?

 

I already have ebonite eyedropper pens and also one made by Pilot. It would be good to know of a few more commercial eyedroppers.

 

[A Smug Dill]

(On my phone at the moment; too hard to search for links to my previous posts and provide or embed them...)

 

PenBBS 308. Different acrylics/designs = different prices. Most, if not all, are priced under USD 50.

 

Fine Writing International's Planets series. Not normally priced under USD 50 (but only a little over), sometimes discounted. The Mercury in that series was (and probably still is) being offered for less than USD 31 in EndlessPens's Hop Drop promotion when I looked a few days ago.

 

Both are designed to be eyedropper-filled, factory-fitted with O-rings in the right places, etc.

[TitoThePencilPimp]

Most commericals pens do not arrive ready to be used as eyedroppers. Conversion is a possibility but sealing and ink flow problems often plague the converted pens. A lot of cartrifge pens also do not have feeds capable of buffering large amount of ink in the reservoir.

 

Can any users recommend me beginner pens (below 50 USD) that have the ability to accomodate a converter, cartridge or ink straight from the tank?

 

I already have ebonite eyedropper pens and also one made by Pilot. It would be good to know of a few more commercial eyedroppers.

 

 

I think Kaweco sport is what you are looking for? I still use it, and have much "nicer" pens. It has been going strong for $10 years now. Theres also esterbrook j. which could be found for $20-$35 restored. Its a vacuum filler. You can also save a bit ($80 to $100 New, or $70ish used) for a Pelikan m200 in a standard color.

[inkstainedruth]

I would have also suggested a Kaweco Sport -- with the caveat that I have heard not so good things about their converters. But you'd have to get one of the plastic body ones, rather than the metal body ones, if you're going to convert one to eyedropper fill, because over the long haul the inks can react badly with the metal (which I believe is brass).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[WLSpec]

Some that come to mind from me:

 

I'll second ASA pens - they have some really nice clear acrylic and ebonite options

Lower price Rangas

I'll also second Fine Writing International

Kaweco Sport (though, as was mentioned, the converters have a bad reputation) - I've also heard that Kaweco Sports have a tendency to burp when ED'd, but I have had a Sport Cognac ED'd for a couple months now and haven't experienced any issues.

[Paganini]

Another good inexpensive eyedropperable pen is the Jinhao 992. They even already have an O-ring installed where the section screws onto the barrel. The only thing you need to do to them to convert them is make sure the finial at the end of the barrel is sealed. By default it is just popped in there and held by friction, so you need to paint the inside with lacquer, or glue it in with super-glue or something along those lines.

 

I suppose you could do the same thing to a Monza, which is basically the same pen. I feel like my Monza is a bit sturdier than the 992s, which have been known to have some cracking issues.

 

- N

[corniche]

Kaweco Sport (though, as was mentioned, the converters have a bad reputation) - I've also heard that Kaweco Sports have a tendency to burp when ED'd, but I have had a Sport Cognac ED'd for a couple months now and haven't experienced any issues.

Hi WL,

 

Thanks for this information; their reputation for burping ink is why I didn't recommend them. Perhaps it's not the problem it seemed to be.

 

 

- Sean

[TitoThePencilPimp]

Hi WL,

 

Thanks for this information; their reputation for burping ink is why I didn't recommend them. Perhaps it's not the problem it seemed to be.

 

 

- Sean

 

I have not had any issues, and before Covid, I would take 2 busses and ride 2 trains to get to school almost everyday with no issues. I think the problem with burping maybe do to users not applying the silicon grease correctly, or not replacing it. You can also put an O ring on it, to further prevent this issue. But I am not sure what size O ring fits. There is one guy on here, maybe ThePenguin?? who sales Kaweco Sports with Orings installed.

Edited October 14, 2020 by TitoThePencilPimp

[Mech-for-i]

PenBBS 308 / 323 / 491 is what I would recommend these days. Ranga, Gama, ASA all had 3 in 1 offerings , price varies so you will had to check per your locale.

[HartGummi]

I have a Preppy. Now I just need to find an appropriate O-Ring that fits.

[corniche]

I have a Preppy. Now I just need to find an appropriate O-Ring that fits.

Hi HG,

 

If you live in the States, Goulet, Pen Chalet and I think JetPens sells both the rings and the grease.

 

If you do not have easy access to those stores; near as my tired eyes can tell, they're 8mm in diameter and about 1.5 mm in girth - you should be able to that in any good hardware store - the grease has to be PURE silicone, diving shops is the best place to find the grease outside of the internet.

 

 

- Sean

[corniche]

 

I have not had any issues, and before Covid, I would take 2 busses and ride 2 trains to get to school almost everyday with no issues. I think the problem with burping maybe do to users not applying the silicon grease correctly, or not replacing it. You can also put an O ring on it, to further prevent this issue. But I am not sure what size O ring fits. There is one guy on here, maybe ThePenguin?? who sales Kaweco Sports with Orings installed.

Thanks, Tito. 👍

 

- Sean

[Paganini]

I just ran across the Moonman C1 while poking around on Amazon and was reminded of this thread. The C1 hits 100% on all of your criteria. Pretty neat looking pen, too!

 

- N

[mhguda]

One of my recent purchases from Ranga had a bonus Click with, instead of their normal eyedropper-filled, the same pen but with a plastic feed and a slider-converter. Otherwise, as far as I can make out, it's the same pen as the numerous Click eyedroppers they sent before. Those I just fill with ink, if they blurp I dab a bit of silicone grease on the threads, and they are fine. I liked the novelty of the converter Click so that one I am using as is, but I have used other cheap school pens without their cartridge or converter, mostly with a little silicone grease on the threads, and no problem. Just need to make sure the barrel is indeed water-tight (although in a pinch a drop of glue may seal a hole in the barrel). Most of these I did because the cartridges or converters were proprietary and unavailable to me. Bruynzeel, Schneider, Top Point, Sheaffer school pen... it's restored many of these to life!

[Honeybadgers]

PenBBS + a JoWo #6 nib of your choice, IMO.

 

Or a JoWo nibbed ranga. Might be tight on the budget, but ebonite and a very high fit and finish is hard to beat.

Edited October 21, 2020 by Honeybadgers