If you could only have one pen

[bemon]

My answer is cliche, but theres a lot of fact to back up the L2K in medium as my choice.

 

-carries a decent amount of ink

-flies under the radar as an expensive pen, but is still impressively designed.

-Durable

-Light enough to work with for hours

-Easy to clean/Disassemble

 

I dont realky have anything else in my collection under mwets all that criteria.

[Arkanabar]

ANY pen? Probably an ebonite Konrad with a 0.8mm Nemosine stub nib, as long as I could be sure it wouldn't have the drying problems my Pequod's Smoke Konrad has (it dries out after sitting, capped, for three or four hours, horizontal on the desk).

 

Any of MY pens? uuuurrk.... probably my Prera CM. I can't keep myself in caps for the M200 & M400, and it's the next nicest pen I own.

[EBGBs]

I think this thread is fun, not cruel! If nothing else it makes you think about what you enjoy in your writing experience.

 

I’m surprised to see so few Montblanc mentioned here. My one pen would be one; my Jonathan Swift, M nib. For many reasons:

- I love smooth wet writing, and this one gives just that. Buttery smooth.

- Its design; ornate without being over the top; simply black and silver but not plain or boring. I like its heaviness (I can’t quite enjoy having a plastic Safari in hand I’m afraid), and how it feels precious but not fragile or high maintenance (hello fingerprints on metallic pens)

- It was my first ‘proper’ fountain pen, when starting the hobby, so it means a lot to me.

- And… it comes with a free toy; its cap! I don’t think you can post it, so you may just leave it on the table, but it would be a shame. I like to keep holding this unlikely piece of capping psychadelia when I write.

 

(random image found somewhere via google)

 

It’s nice to see this topic has come alive, asleep and back across 10 years.

It would also be fun to see if the folks who posted 10 years back have changed their minds on their one pen

[pajaro]

Parker 51 aerometric, midnight blue, smooth fine.

[aggoo]

I would have said a St Dupont Olympio, but having recently followed the crowd and bought my first Pelikan M800 with early, soft 18C nib, I'm ashamed to say, it's the one pen I would have.

[chromantic]

Tough call. Definitely a Pelikan, probably a black/burgundy M150 with an F or EF nib, although I might go with the M405 Stresemann.

[praxim]

From my collection I could offer a small set of pens from which you could choose one on my behalf, and I would be satisfied.

 

The pens involved would be a modern 88 (large satin black & rose gold) and a vintage Aurora 88P (I am surprised no-one has mentioned Auroras yet), an S T Dupont Line D Atelier in purple lacquer, the Pelikan M800 (just a plain green stripe) or a Lamy 2000 makrolon.

 

While a pack of others press closely behind (I have trouble explaining why the Aurora Mare is not there except I have listed two Auroras already), these are practical pens any of which will do the job comfortably, all day and day after day.

 

I would have a particular Waterman 52, one of my 0552 pens, in the list for its writing quality and comfort except that I would then need another pen because, unlike all the ones I have short listed, there is no easy way of knowing how much ink is left.

 

Yep, I copped out.

[mulrich]

Assuming I could only have one pen ever again, so I needed something I knew would outlive me, I would might go with an ST Dupont Line D. I only recently discovered the brand but the nibs write well (technically I could swap nibs but I think doing so is against the OP's rules), a c/c system isn't sexy but will also never break, the style is enduring, and are very functional.

 

I'm not sure an ST Dupont is even my favorite pen (it's definitely high on the list) but I think a c/c system eliminates many longterm maintenance problems. Only concern might be the snap cap; I don't have any evidence suggesting the cap isn't durable but it might not hold-up as well as a screw cap.

[DrDebG]

I love each one of my pens for different reasons. But if I had only one pen, it would have to be my Franklin Christoph Panther (prototype brown tortoiseshell acrylic) with the Masuyama 14K medium cursive italic semi-flex nib. It is not only a beautiful pen, it writes like a dream.

[minddance]

Pelikan M800/805 probably Fine nib. Changeable nib, good flow, piston, good girth.

[sandy101]

MontBlanc William Shakespeare Medium nib.

 

Beautiful, and finely balanced - it'll write for days with a fill, and keep me inspired whilst doing so.

 

It is also very easy to carry - no leaks!

 

(And yes, not all pens travel equally).

[Runnin_Ute]

Right now, I would have to say probably my Pelikan 140 fine nib. Yes, it's that good. Just enough flex for some line variation too.

[jchch1950]

Mont Blanc 149 broad nib.

[bemon]

Tough call. Definitely a Pelikan, probably a black/burgundy M150 with an F or EF nib, although I might go with the M405 Stresemann.

I want to love any of my Pelikans, but I find the nibs too inconsistent. My daily carry M600 is too rough. Ive got an M400 thats TOO wet. I didnt know that could even be a thing. Ive got another 400 thats bone dry, and two additional 600s for which performance varies.

 

These are expensive pens, why dont they ride like an 80s era Fleetwood?

Edited November 15, 2017 by bemon

[Bo Bo Olson]

A medium-long 400nn...OF maxi-semi-flex nib....holds a lot more ink that it should, has very good balance. I do have one. After a couple of years of 'testing' found the 400nn just a slight tad better balanced than the 400.

[Nosferatualso]

Excellent question. Edison Nouveau with 1.1 Goulet italic nib

[MercianScribe]

Only one pen out of the pens I have now? My Granny's Blackbird with her initials on. I don't particularly like the way it writes, but... obvious reasons, plus I can imagine it was the pen with which she wrote a family famed love letter to my Grandpa!

 

Only one pen out of all the pens in the world... A Zerollo: they're cool, and you get two nibs!

[bromfieldpenshop]

Sheaffer Snorkel...I know. I like that it's quirky :-)

[robert1962]

If I could only have one pen? My "last" pen? I would want it to last a long time, be durable, require minimal service and write consistently in a variety of situations. Its not my favorite pen, but I have an old Waterman 75. For those not familiar, this is a screw cap eyedropper made of THICK hard rubber. No moving parts. Mine has a medium manifold nib that you could use to open a tin can. It can land nib down. This pen will outlive all who read this post. I'm sorry if I am sounding apocalyptic, but only one pen?!

 

Bob

[Bookman]

Easy. Edison Collier Persimmon Swirl Acrylic outfitted with an FPR flex nib.

 

 

 

If I could choose a pen not my own, I would choose this one (I might have to climb into the Wayback Machine to get it):

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by Bookman