Selecting a First Fountain Pen: Some Options
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2024
- Some fountain pens that make for good starter pens, I think.
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I'm glad that you showed the Parker Vector. I had one in college that I used semester after semester. I took detailed notes in lectures, so I filled reams of paper over the time I had that pen and used it almost exclusively. If you want flash, the Vector lacks it entirely, but it is a true workhorse. VERY good starter pen!
Dude, the move to the desk with bookshelves and 'stuff' was a good move. :)
thank you for taking the time to make this video. I am not a fountain pen collector, but I am looking for a couple of pens to use on a daily basis and this was very helpful.
Great info! Thanks for the info and all of your videos! I am new to the fountain pen game and looking forward to getting started!
Got a TWSBI Eco for my first fountain pen loved it and got a Twsbi Vac 700R and a Lamy 2000.
Great v.2 on selecting the first pen. I like your reasons (ie, for the Vector) for a pen's making the list. A very nice deep dive into this subject.
Thank you for making this video for newcomers. I personally have some experience with fountain pens. But it is really great you did this for people who are interested but less exposed to the pen world. Keep up the good job!
Thank you!
My first fountain pen was Luxor nova, but then i bought Parker Vector and mine was really smoth. I still use it at university as it is really hard to get ink on your hands with it.
Just an Update on the Pilot Metropolitan, and cartridges, the European version the MR now takes International standard convertors or cartridges, or at least the last five I've bought in the UK do
Many Thanks for this info, I just bought a pack of pilot cartridges and now know why they don't fit
Started with the Sheaffer VFM. After this video, considering the Metropolitan, Jinhao X450 and Safari.
Thanks for the info and writing samples!
I started out with a pilot metropolitan, and some others I just got a monte verde impressa and I love even more than the metro! A must buy.
I started with the same pens. Pilot Metro to Monteverde Impress to a TWSBI 580 now. Looking to move up to either a Pelikan m400 or Sailor Pro Gear or 1911.
+pinkpandamiranda Mine started chipping away after a month. I kept it in an Aston Leather Pen Sleeve.
My Impressa (Black/Red) also chipped. It is still a good pen, but it now lives on my desk at home and doesn't travel to work with me.
You are my favourite reviewer of fountain pens as you are unbiased and give your personal opinion. I would like more emphasis on the level of feedback and smoothness in the reviews.
Fantastic Video Stephen. Very Cool Writing. Keep up the great work. Nick.
I ended up getting an ahab as well my second pen because of the first version of these videos and one of them is my daily work pen. these are great also
My first pen was a Parker Urban Matte Black in a kit with a bottle of ink. The nib is a bit small and can't be changed out but came with a converter. It was $39. I still really like the design of the pen and it writes well. And since it was a "kit", everything came with it....mostly converter and bottle of ink.
I would recommend the kit to most people just starting out if you want to spend that much. On the cheaper end is of course the Jinhao X450. About $15 for the pen with converter and a bottle of ink from Amazon will have you set up for writing for a long, long time.
This was a really good review of options for someone just starting out with an interest in trying out a fountain pen. Many of these inexpensive pens write just as well as the much more expensive - $50+ pens. And a number of the inexpensive pens come in very nice designs...Jinhao has a huge assortment - bit heavy but all metal.
For about $35, the Shaeffer 100 is a really beautiful pen and is sized similar to a ballpoint pen.
Lot of great options for anyone starting out. it's almost difficult to buy a bad pen these days...most write pretty solidly.
Lol, THIS IS MY LIST..... Setting the record straight. Love it!😂🙌🏾
i bought the kaweco sport thanks to you. it is a nice pen thank you very much!!!
Extremely informative and detailed introduction video. thank you once again.
Thank you, I appreciate it!
Great video, Stephen :)
I have a SS Parker Vector with a fine nib which is much smoother than my Lamy Safari one (also in fine). All Parker FP I have (5 pens) are really smooth but they all are made in the last decade, according to the date code.
my first fountain pen was Parker Vector which i now hate because it is scratchy nibs. After getting pilot MR (same as metropolitan in US) i got hooked. now i am slowing adding my collections, starting off with inexpensive fountain first. thank you for the options you have put up.
You're welcome!
This was interesting... Your first one and also the video by Brian Goulet helped me decide my pen wish list... I've, sort of bought most of the models recommended except some that I felt were not appealing enough...
It would be very interesting to see your recommendations for the upper price range.... $50 - 150. .... Other sub $ 200 range as then it gets more fascinating... Materials, the brand, nib variations... I'm being very selfish as beyond $200... Well that's another ball game altogether....
Exactly what I needed!
Very nice selection!!!
Thankyou for your help I've just ordered my first ever jinhao x450 would have preferred the 750 but preferred the look of the 450 but thankyou bud
Glad this was useful!
I would say any Jinhao pen is often a good starter. Very cheap so there is no problem if you don't like it or break it. takes SI cartridges, comes with free converter, most are strippable for cleaning.
I'm finally moving onto a TWSBI Eco. I buy more bottles of ink than pens haha. (4 iroshizuku bottles, 1 lamy, and 3 Rohrer & Klinger) I had been using Pilot Metropolitans for the first 6 months, and then moved onto Lamy Safari/Vista. After a year I'm finally expanding into TWSBI. I'm probably also going to get the 580, but I'm not sure whether to get the AL version or the Rose Gold version.
Are you going to do a new second/third pen video as well?
Pen aesthetics play a large part in the choosing of the pen one really loves. Also if you like the TWSBI 580, shop around. I've seen their Diamond 580 Smoke Rose selling online for as little as £78.90, free shipping from The Writing Desk. TWSBI's Italic 1.1mm is slightly more at around £81.00
I would include Pilot 78G to the list. It is one of my favorite cheapies. It is available very cheaply from eBay. Unfortunately it is a very thin medium (like a western fine at most). Broad 78G is a stub, not for beginner but a good cheap source for a small stub to try out.
I'd love to see a similar list about the next price range, around $100.
as per me, the best fountain pen under $50 is pilot prera F nib with opaque body. buy con 20 converter along with it. together it comes around $40. works well on cheap office papers, portable size.
I have a Parker Vector, which I have only used a couple of times, for it is far too scratchy! Not only that, it is too thin and causes hand cramping.
the first I got was on an ap called wish/cute both have the same merchandise at similar prices. the one I got was a cartridge pen only and its been very nice to write with. couldn't have asked for a better introducer to the world of fountain pens.
being in the US they don't teach us about them or that they even exist.
Excellent 🖋 list👍🏼
I enjoyed your video, very awesome.
Hmm. I got a ton of fountain pens for presents- the 200$ + kind, with fancy gold nibs and whatnot... as for the cheap ones it seems like they're everywhere- I just recently got a decent fountain pen from promotional materials!
Very nice, thanks!
I just want a nice extra fine fountain pen... But that's just impossible to get in my country... Then, I have to get use to Medium nib sizes or maybe just don't use fountain pens at all...
Parker Vector was my first fountain pen!
You can adjust the TWSBI piston so that the seal goes right up against the rest of the mechanism in the back. just like how you can look for the sweet spot in the Pelikan M800 piston. The resulting ink capacity is something like 1.5+ mL
+Christopher Chen correction: 1.9mL
links are always much appreciated
I’ve used fountain pens for years. Didn’t even knew there were reviews in fountain pens! I just love any fountain pen though! 😉
Thanks for this review. Enjoyed it!
Thank you!
Writing samples: 22:48
Mr Brown, I think you also missed the Parker Reflex and Jotter pens. Waterman Kultur is another excellent blister pack pen widely available in Europe. Pelikan P series pens like the Culture and Future are cheap cartridge pens and very good writers.
Fantastic vid, thanks.
I'm glad this was useful!
I hv a franklin covey and its awesome
Personality I will only buy KarasKustoms pens indestructible and they use the boch nibs which write flawlessly, yes a bit pricey but the only reason you'll buy another one is because you want to.
thank you for a very interesting showcase. be well
First pen was a Lamy Safari which fell somewhere without me noticing and it made me traumatized for weeks (I had it for like a month) before I bought another one, this one I still have. After that I think I started collecting cheap Chinese pens for the heck of it and eventually got 3 Metropolitan which are amongst my favorite pens despite my Vanishing Point having a special place in my heart for being my first gold nib. I actually use the Metros more than the VP, so I agree that the Metropolitan is a very good starter pen.
By the way, I think the Preppy comes with EF as well. Medium is 05, fine is 03 and EF is 02. I'm also pretty sure that Wonder Pens is a brick-and-mortar store in Canada and I think I've seen several Jinhao pens on their website.
I'm sorry to hear you lost your first pen.
Fascinating. I still have a Parker Vector (blue plastic body) from my school days; circa 1987! It still writes really nicely actually. (for such a cheap pen) By the way, have you ever done a video on "next level" pens? I.e. ones that aren't "starters" but aren't Montblanc 149 level either; maybe up to around $250. If not, would you consider doing such a video in the future?
ua-cam.com/video/m5F-iwatQVQ/v-deo.html
@@sbrebrown great, thank you. I'll take a look.
I personally prefer Parker Jotter over Vector model, it's similar but writes quite good for the price
I kind of always had a heart and feeling for these relatively economically priced , workhorse fountain pens despite the fact that I've own and use many high end ones. After all, its more akin to their intent to be a writing instrument. That said I kind of always left the like of Petit 1 and Preppy out of the consideration. Its not their performance but their build. For me, these kind of offering should really be termed Trial / Practice / Student pens. Its the workhorse part that they fail IMHO , by that I really mean their build , they just will not stand to more workhorse day to day grind and abuse. Interesting though the other Pilot student Pen actually do build much tougher , the Kaküno , and I have a couple of them , just was build that much better. Its basically the same Metropolitan writing bits with a nice smiley face and the barrel / cap that's build right. On the other hand Platinum take their Preppy pen bits and mate it to a full metal body in the form of the Praisir and it simply build much better and also styled so well for office and well anything outside of just being student ..
While I like the 580, I'm wondering why you didn't mention the TWSBI Eco. As a first pen, it's 28 USD pricepoint is quite favorable.
The Eco was not launched when I shot this video.
+sbrebrown I am definitely interested in your review of the Eco. I have the mini which I love and I find the Eco to be very close in writing experience. Would love to hear your thoughts.
+Andy Modell I like the TWISBI classic. I'm just not into clear demonstrator pens for some reason. I just don't find them aesthetically pleasing...but that's just me. Luckily, there are pens galore out there to choose from these days.
Hi Stephen,
I own a Jinhao X750 (exact same color like you). Now I wanted to buy one in another color because I like this pen a lot. Amazon offers them under the name "Gullor 750".
Q: is it the same pen or some copy?
Thank you
Many Chinese pen models are sold by various brands, so I think it's the same pen.
I started with the Pilot Metropolitan and I also have the Safari and a TWSBI Mini, all of which I enjoy very much. I recently bought a Faber-Castell Basic which is really interesting and has a *very* smooth steel nib.
Nice video! How come this one is unlisted?
This video shows some very personal feelings and opinions of Mr.Brown on these pens and therefore it would be better to show this video only to his followers....... As far as i'm concerned.
I found when ordering pens etc from websites such as Goulet Ink, the shipping and handling is very expensive and makes purchasing from them ridiculous! I live in Canada. It is very hard to find stores that sell fountain pens other than Staples and they only carry Cross pens such as the Adventura. Do you have any suggestions?
CAROLE FREEMAN Try one of the Ebay sellers from China.They're very good and many ship to Canada at a reasonable price.
www.ebay.com/itm/141255148045
eBay has a lot. Aren't there free international shipping products on them? I don't know how, can anyone help me please?
Jinhao x750 is too wet for me as I mostly use cheap notebook and copier paper for studying. I can't get any replacement nib in India. I have Loom in medium nib and I love the way it writes. It lays down so much saturated ink and yet it is usable in cheap papers. Even my metropolitan fine causes some bleeding using the same ink. I use waterman inks. Mainly blue and black. I have a few platinum preppies extrafine and I like them. My go to pen is loom. I absolutely adore that pen. The grip sometimes feel weird. Thinking of buying the basic.
#Arunabha lahiri. We actually have #6 size nibs (used in jinhao x750 and x450) in india. Go to ASA pens nd contact them.... They have schmidt and jowo #6 nibs which would work wonderfully in the jinhao...... Hope this helps
aniket chauhaan Thank you for the help, will surely check it out..
In India parker vector is of same price as jinhao 450
do you have any tips on preventing ink getting on hands besides obvious like wearing gloves
Kyle Climer Being careful? It's always a risk when using a fountain pen
Practice does it. If you're calm and you know what you're doing it won't happen as easily. I suspect sbrebrown doesn't mind spilling some ink though. Neither do I. :-P
What about left handers. Would owning a fountains pen be a bad thing as we'd smudge everything we write as our hand moves along?
I don't think so. There are many resources online for left-handers.
Parker vector fountain was my first fountain pen
my first pen was piers Cardin president fountain pen
i believe there's a new TWSBI ECO in around $35, same nib as the 580 :)
Its nib is smaller than the 580 actually. The same as the Mini and classic
+ethanlcm Goulet Pens and TWSBI themselves sell the pen for $28, actually. If you bought yours for $35, then you paid quite a lot for a pen of that price
17:42
Where can you find Lamy nibs for $5?
Goulet and Amazon has them for at least $10.
Have they gone up in price?
+Ram Laska Probably.
do this again dude
There is a European "counterpart" to the Pilot Metropolitan wich is named Pilot MR. The MR takes Standard International Cardriges.
No cross pen was included . To compensate for that he has included the cross ink. This balances things out.
Thanks. Nice to be current.
+Christopher McKellar Ah the great mysteries. How did UA-cam get my comment seven months ago when the video was published only yesterday?
Damn your handwriting is beautiful
AnotherFishyMuffin That's very kind of you.
I got a £5 fountain pen from wh smith
Lol same.
Like the ink-stained fingers!
hello sir I m harpreet from India Punjab . sir I see your all video but I need your help its my bad luck my luck fountain pens nib is break now I buy soo many nib but I do not now which type off nib I fit in that fp my classic old fountion helpp me plzzzzzzz
Which pen is it?
@@figoligeiro1477 it's flair ink pen nib size is bigger that's why this size nib not available in my country this pen was 10 year old
howcome every fountain pen reviewer gets their pens from ebay and not from amazon? i'm just curious.
Aditya C
Ebay is usually slightly cheaper than Amazon but not always
Pint of wine, no lightweight.
+WillEyedOney
I think its tea
Really? :)
+WIllEyedOney I think it is Coca Cola. :P
Robert Andersson how else are you gonna consume your alcohol without coke lol
Some new good options, introduced after sbrebrown made this video.
Jinhao 159
Jinhao 100 Centennial
Wing Sung 699 vacuum and 699 piston. Perhaps too complex pens for a "first" fountain pen, but very nice.
the petit1 is a really bad pen. i have two, attempted eyedropper on both with really heavy silicon grease, they still dry out and leak. the preppy eyedropper is way, way better way to go and is easily one of the best behaved eyedroppers money can buy.
for a cheap pilot similar to the preppy, get a pilot "fountain pen". it's only on Amazon, only has an ef nib, and comes with a cartridge, fits the con 20, 40, and 50 converters, ans costs 5 bucks with free prime shipping.
it's unique looking, comfortable, and ive turned on many people to pens with it, since its cheap and looks unique, not like a throwaway like the preppy
Hi, could you please elaborate on the exact name of the pen you are talking about?
popnsplat if you want a plastic pilot pen that isn't a metropolitan, I feel like the pilot kakuno is your best bet since it takes the con 70 converter. The pilot 78g looks the fanciest tho for cheap pilot pens
Your channel is were smart people are born
Please change the start up tone for God's sake.
shrimanth vishwasrao These are my videos. I use whatever music I like. If you don't like it, don't watch the videos.
I didn't say that I didn't like to watch your videos.
These simple fountains are veri ugly and they have a 'leak-look'...
The JINHAO are better and nice to write
capezyo they also dry out crazy quick
Jinhao sucks for beginners. Their pens are crazily inconsistent.
Jinhao are sooo inconsistent
Jinhaos aren't very beginner friendly imo, you need to know how to tune your nib before it writes well. Afaik, jinhao isn't really a fp company but a company producing machetes and stuff like that (though their pens are really popular), you might be better off with other Chinese manufacturers like hero and wing sung
you wasted 32 minutes of our lives...
That is so annoying that Stephen tied you to your chair for the whole video and made you watch it. He really should have let you quit the video after 15 minutes when you could tell that the video wasn’t what you were hoping to find regarding fountain pens.