I love all the standard sizes but EF/F is my go to for notes & using on any paper (though Noodlers black is the only ink I have that will work on any paper without bleeding). M is good for headlines or a statement & B I almost solely use in my journal. Haven't experimented with any other nibs yet
Love this video!! It is fun to see what pens are everyones' every day carry. I would love to see everyones' else every day carry as well like Rachel, Drew, every other Goulet team member. It would be fun!
Hi Brian, when I first started using and purchasing fountain pens, your store was the 1st and foremost online fountain store I would use. I may not frequent your store as much now, but your company has been the gold standard by which I judge (intentionally or not) every other online fountain pen store. Your videos have remained helpful, informative, fun, and have a professional quality not always seen on UA-cam. Thank you sincerely, for all that you, your family and your team at Goulet Pens have given to us, fountain pens users over the many years. May this year bring you success, happiness, and joy. God Bless you all. 👍😎😇🙏.
For me, my every day carry pen is the Montblanc 149 Calligraphy Flex pen. The nib is so dreamy, smooth, responsive, wet, and flexy. I got it in February 2020, just as the global pandemic hit, and I got layed off work too. Through 2020 when all the craziness happened around the world, this pen gave me a little joy through the darkness. I found a new job, and things kept getting better, and this pen was there through all those times. So it's also very sentimental too in that regards. It was a great companion and comforter though those dark times, and it is an incredible writer too, to boot. I will never part with this pen.
The three that I always carry and use are: 1. Pilot Kakuno (medium) - I have this one with my passport Traveler's Notebook, so I use it all the time. Though I really wish it had a clip, but the size is perfect. 2. Pilot Custom 823 (broad) - This one is in a leather sleeve and lives in my purse. If I want to show off my fountain pens, this is the one that I use, and it's just a joy to write with: 3. LAMY Explorer (medium) - I had a layover in Munich, and I was wandering through the airport with tons of time to kill, and I saw a LAMY display in the airport! How cool is that?! So I stopped in and got one because I HAD to have a cool "this is my airport pen that I bought in Germany" pen. I use it all the time with my bullet journal.
I have many pens at various price points including well-known gold nibed models, but I use the only one that doesn’t hard start or skip: the Platinum Preppy. It makes me sad that the others can’t live up to the $7 pen, but it’s the truth.
It's wild, isn't it? My platinum pens always work flawlessly. Although I did discover that the feeds on the Plaisirs are surprisingly fragile, when I broke one while cleaning it. Fortunately you can just swap in the feed and nib from a Preppy.
I have plenty that are as good, but I will say it's silly to me how many more expensive pens are not as reliable as some of the cheapies. A pen should write. This shouldn't be controversial, and yet.
@@karidru5272 Yeah, right? I love my rather extensive collection, but I just look at them while I write with my Preppy. It’s the secret no one will say 🥲
All my fountain pens are desk pens, but I always have two Platinum Plaisirs inked up, one black with Platinum Carbon Black ink, and one green with Noodler's Hunter Green. Those are both waterproof inks, but I have no issues with them thanks to that magic Platinum slip n seal cap!
Oooh. How I've missed these! I fell off of watching these, well, because when I watch these presentations, I buy a pen. (So, well played, gentlemen. Well played.) Great reviews, as per usual and I've been eyeing that pocket pen for ages. All metal pens are very attractive to me and I don't own anything that is all polished brass. I have a dip pen in brass but that's it. I miss the Goulet family but living in my means is the watch word for the near future.
The 3 pens I carry the most: 1. Twsbi eco m- I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It's such a reliable pen. 2. Kaweco sport f- another one with a huge amount of ink, I can take one anywhere without worrying about it. 3. Lamy studio ef black- I love the black nib. This pen is great for on the fly jotting. I also paired it perfectly with a matching ink.
Well done Brian! Thank you for the journey; I've been along the whole time. You and your team and the channel helped me through the loss of my parents, pups, and 8 serious surgeries.. love that Sailor! Thanks for everything! Frank in Colorado
I have some nice pens, but I’m surprised at how much I grab my TWSBI Vac Mini. For the price and quality, I don’t worry about dents and dings, and it writes extremely well. With that said, I tend to carry my Pelikan m2/400 pens or my sailor ProGear slims the most because they are such a handy size!
I tend to reach for my TWSBI Vac Mini a lot too! It once sat for several months, nearly a year! I had not put it away with the rest of my pens and had sort of forgotten about it. It still started right up! It's a great little pen.
**chef's kiss** on the 'Traveler's Company Brass Fountain Pen' - I usually have other pens rotating in and out of my EDC pen case, but the Traveler's is always there.
I've been rocking a medium pilot vanishing point in black for the last 4-5 months. So much so that it's basically replaced all my other pens. Love it so much.
My daily carry is a Pilot Vanishing Point. Great writer, not too expensive but it looked nice. Plus when I get a bit fidgety, I can click it a bunch of times.
I carry 6 pens. But the three that always make the list are:- 1. Pilot Vanishing Point - F nib - Bought from Goulet pens actually 2. Lamy Safari Lilac - F nib 3. Diplomat Magnum - Medium nib I keep switching the other 3. Sometimes if I feel brave, The pilot E95s comes out in my bag (Feel very protective of that one actually. Don't know why).
1. You are the only person in the world to call a KOP EDC! Until I get one, that is. Given the ridiculous price, it won't be till the SF Pen Show, as I won't waste that much money without first taking it for a test write. 2. Thanks for talking about a pen you don't actually sell. I know that is hard for you. 3. The only pen I actually write with is my Pilot Elite , and that only for book annotations. (I draw with the others) I wish I could find a red ink for it that was sufficiently dry so that it never feathered on cheap paperback paper. Pelikan 4000 Brilliant Red is the best I've used, but I wish I could go even drier.
Due to my current profession, I've been travelling a lot by air. Therefore, the pens I always carry more often than not are smaller pens that can seal the reservoir. I've been carrying 3 Opus 88 minis loaded with black (takesumi), blue (kon-peki), and a fun color right now with Robert Oster Tea time. THe ones I use in my office at work is the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and a sailor pro gear.
Brian, I'm always excited to see new videos from you and Drew. I have learned so much from them. My go to every day carry pen is my Pilot Vanishing Point white/black EF. I work in retail and need a quick reliable pen that I'm not concerned with losing the cap. The Vanishing Point works great for me. It is not flashy, so I'm not worried someone will try to take it; but still impresses my customers when they use it to complete paperwork. I have recommended Goulet Pens to many of my customers. I love the pencasts. 🖋 Turkey Hammock!!! 🦃
Lamy 2000 Fine Pilot Elite 95S Medium Pilot VP Fine New pens I like to use daily: Visconti Michelangelo Medium Leonardo Momento Magico ElasticFine Pineider Avatar UR Medium
Here are my 3 every day carry pens: 1. TWSBI Eco Clear (F) inked with Colorverse SM1 for note-taking and stays with my notebook at all time 2. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Prussian Blue (M) inked with De Atramentis Document Ink Black for drawing 3. Kaweco AL Sport Iguana Blue (EF) inked with Vinta Aegean [Armada 1944] for bullet journal and diary
Though I gravitate towards vintage pens, I am with Brian about fine nibs. Generally they work with other than fountain pen friendly paper and even the more than perfectly behaved inks (I have a few, in spite of trying for the best behaved inks.) If I had to pick 3 EDC pens, an Esterbrook J, a Wahl-Eversharp Skyline (of course vintage. The vintage Skyline is superior to the more modern one) and either a vintage Sheaffer (1920s-50s) or a Parker Challenger from 1937. All pens that have stood the test of time.
Hey Brian ! There are my 3 every day carry pens 🖊️ : 1 : Pilot vanishing point (capless in France 🇫🇷) mate black medium nib 2 : Kaweco Dia 2 black and chrome broad nib 3 : Waterman Expert 3 black and gold medium nib Love these pens, very reliable. A bientôt 😊
My EDC pens are 1. Pilot Vanishing Point EF - quick notes 2. Kaweco Brass Sport 2.3mm - highlighter 3. Faber-Castell Ondoro - inked with Platinum Carbon Black, for planning 4. Lamy Imporium EF - inked with R&K Dokumentus Black, for signing 5. Ondoro Mechanical Pencil 6. Ondoro Ballpoint Pen 🙂 I'm considering a Lamy 2k set to alternate with Ondoro, but I'm not sure if the EF nib will suit my taste given that I find Imporium's to be on the thick side.
Still using my first, Waterman Expert, after over 15 years, but recently changed nib from M to F. I also like to carry my Lamy Logo, great functional design and no worries about cosmetic damage.
My top 3 1. Pilot Prera, Fine, with Sailor Seiboku ink. (highly water resistant, bleed resistant) 2. Pilot Kakuna, Fine, with Platinum Carbon Black Ink (I work as a wastewater plant operator. water resistant, bleed resistant) 3. And my 3 current favorite thirds, in a separate leather case, Pilot VP Medium with kon peki, Platinum Procyon Fine with kon peki, and Taccia Spectrum medium with Colorverse Gravity Wave. I hated the grooved metal section so much on my 580 ALR Prussian Blue that I gave the pen away at a pen show when I couldn't sell it to anyone.
This is funny because I always thought my EDC pens would be cheaper pens that I could "not worry about". Turns out I now carry a Homo Sapiens Dark Age, a Custom 743, and a Sailor Pro-fit Light. Now, if I get the Montegrappa Dante pen, I'll surely not carry it around every day...right?
Brian, my 1911’s cap band says: King of Pen, no “s”… how ‘bout yours…. Well, the entire embossed numbers and words say: “SAILOR THE KING OF PEN 1911” (… still, no “s”). Just curious if Sailor makes different pens or that the cap bands have different wordings…
Pilot Custom Urushi, vermillion with a Broad nib. I fill it with Sheaffer Inferno Red, and It goes to school every day with me to grade papers. No, it doesn't make grading papers a joy, but I do enjoy the tactile quality of the urushi, and the large size feels comfortable in my hand. In June I clean it and give it the summer off, and in August I know it will be ready to go again. (Me, too, LOL)
I’m with you on the first two. I think if I had to pick a third, I’d go with the Stipula Passaporto Superleggera which fits great in the “secret pocket” in my Levi’s, holds a ton of ink, is reasonably priced and nice to write with.
My "desert island" pen is the Pilot Custom 823 in fine point. I like the generous ink capacity, the second small ink reservoir near the nib, and the balance. Also, since it's Japanese fine point, I generally don't have to worry about feathering or bleeding through paper. My second choice is the Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight with an extra fine point. Again, the generous ink capacity and the second ink reservoir are wonderful and I like the balance and heft of the pen. The only thing that, for me, takes away from it, is that the ink flow is a little heavy and that causes bleed-through when I'm writing in a Moleskine notebook. I don't have that problem when writing in a Rhodia.
Just wondering, do you ever judge a pen by the writing you can do with it, as opposed to how it looks and feels? Eg, if you wrote out something with all your favourites, could you tell which pen wrote which line?
Lamy 2000 was my first fountain pen. It’s perfect in every sense as an every day carry pen. I have it loaded up with J Herbin Poussire de Lune and I use it to write in my journal.
I kinda understand the channel is a mean to promote the business, so thank you for your big heart to actually still mentioning the pen you don’t carry. I myself is a firm believer that apart of earning an income from working, there are also part of blessings that are up to God’s discretion. So who knows, this might open up a door to something new? I first learned about fountain pens through your videos. But since I live in Indonesia, it’s a bit too costly to buy from Goulet. So I got my first and second fountain pen from a small online shop in Indonesia. A preppy and TWSBI eco. Played your videos at least 3 times just to ink my TWSBI. I have my 3rd and fourth fountain pen from Itoya, Japan. 2 Kakunos. Until the time I can buy my dream pens and inks (waiting for my friend to hand carry them to Indonesia) from you, please know that at the very least you have blessed another small fountain pen shop in my country by sending me to their path. Your videos are also a blessing for me. Thanks to you and your team, I had a great time with affordable yet amazing 4 pens. I carry them everywhere every day. Loved the Diamine chocolate brown you guys recommended too. Love the pencast, I listen to them while working. Sincerely praying for God to bless you and team a hundred fold, and may the stealth purple will still be in stock when I finally get a chance to buy it.
My three are: Pilot Capless matt black Lamy Al-Star in black Diplomat Aero in that iconic orange colour. I have many other nice pens but those three are just absolute workhorses.
I have four that I end up taking pretty much everywhere. Two Pilot Vanishing Points, one Fine, one Extra Fine, and two Pilot Preras, one Fine, one Extra Fine. The two Preras are attached to my planner, the F with a red ink of some sort, the EF with a brown or black usually. The VPs are floaters but pretty much always in my pocket and I try to keep relatively professional looking inks in them (currently Lie de The and Poussiere de Lune). The F is my favorite writer of all the pens I own, super smooth with just a bit of feedback. The EF is actually the primary pen I use with my planner (the EF Prera is the alt-color/backup).
The three pens that I use on a daily basis are: 1. The Edison Premiere in Cappuccino. (Medium) -I've been eyeing this pen ever since I first saw Brian's first "Seven Pens To Last A Lifetime" video. So you can say this is my own grail pen. Inked with Noodler's Polar Brown. 2. Twsbi Diamond 580 White Rose Gold II (Medium)-Who isn't a fan of Twsbi?! The white compliments every ink color imaginable! I have mine inked with Noodler's Golden Brown, but at the timing of replying to this video I need to refill my pen. But this is the only pen I don't put in a pen case. I keep it separately in the case it comes in. 3. Lamy Al-Star Petrol (Extra-Fine)- I like how this is an entry-level pen but for everyone, no matter if they're a novice or an expert to the pen game. I keep each pen-save for the White RG 580-in my pen case. I have it inked with Private Reserve Blue Suede. Normally, I like medium/broad nibs, but I'm branching out. But for Japanese nibs, I'm going with Broad or Medium. I don't like writing with a nail. Sorry.
Fun vid. I got a Diamond 580ALR in Prussian Blue just a few months ago and it became an instant daily favorite. I love it so much that I got extra nib units for it. It's currently sporting a medium nib and it's loaded with Liberty's Elysium ink. It's a handsome, terrific performing, work-horse pen. I've had a Lamy 2000 for over 6 years now. It's probably my favorite EDC fountain pen. I wish I'd gotten it in a fine nib but I don't regret this purchase! It's currently loaded with Robert Oster "Great Southern Ocean" ink, passing for business-friendly black yet with a ton of character. I too would have a tough time choosing a third because I usually carry pens for specific purposes according to the day's planned activities. My two main haven't seemed to change in recent years; my Pilot Custom 823 Amber is my usual travelling companion and my mid-1940's Parker 51 Flighter is a daily favorite. I just rotated my 823 out. After nearly three years of constant service, it's resting now. My Flighter has also been in constant service for nearly three years. Always inked with Parker "Quink Blue-Black" because it just makes sense! Thanks for all of the great content and awesome customer service over the years. Write On!
Great to watch and hear all of it, Brian. That unique Sailor KoP Asian Way will now stay on my mind, 24/7. I really want one too. The Brass Traveler’s pen is also great and one I’d like to own and enjoy myself. Do you sell it? The Lamy 2000 must take a bow for being immovable from the list, even after more than a decade later today. The Visconti HS Bronze Age has my ringing endorsement as a top daily carry and use classic. Top video. The story about your experience in Japan is great to hear. If I were to do my list of Top 3 in this particular category I’d do two lists: one for modern pens, the other vintage. So, modern - Aurora 88, Sailor KoP, (ebonite), Visconti HS Bronze Age. vintage : Sheaffer PFM, Aurora 88, Waterman Commando
my absolute favourite pocket pen is my Pilot78g+EF blue/grey w silver trim which I’ve inked with Sailor yonaga(you should definitely carry this!:)and, in terms of what pen’s been inked for the longest time: my lovely Platinum 3776 EF in Chartres bleu w rhodium trim which I have inked with J Herbin Eclat de Saphir:)
Hi Brian, thanks for this great video. I especially love your personal story about that Japanese-only Sailor pen. The personal comments made this video even better. My three everyday carry pens are: 1. Lamy 2000 broad nib. It's just the smoothest, most reliable pen I own. 2. TWSBI Vac700R fine or broad nib. I got an extra nib from Goulet Pens so I can switch nibs when I want something different. 😁 3. Lamy Al-Star limited edition Petrol. I just love the colour, and I love to use aqua/teal inks in it.
The top three that I love to every day carry are 1) the Pilot Custom 74 with an EF nib, 2) the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR with a F nib that’s been tuned, and 3) a Lamy AL-Star with a F nib. Thanks, Brian… the Lamy 2000 is on my to-buy list.
I operate on a lesser budget than some, so my picks are on the more economical side. My top pen, and one I would choose if I had to pick only one to carry, is my Kaweco AL Sport in Rose Gold, usually with Noodler’s Australian Roses in Black Swan. It doesn’t have a large capacity, but I just love the feel of it in hand and how it works with my writing. My 2nd pick would be a TWSBI Eco-T in a M nib, often with Diamond Aurora Borealis inked up in it. (I prefer the triangular grip over the regular Eco - again because I have nicer writing output with it.) Last would be either the newer to my collection TWSBI Diamond Mini White Rose Gold V2, with some form of purple ink in it (e.g. J. Herbin Poussière de Lune) OR the humble, but still great Platium Prefount M nib in Night Sea - it writes really nicely, I like putting shimmer inks in it (like Diamond Enchanted Ocean), or lending it to someone briefly to write with (and, as an EA/paraprofessional, it’s been fun to share with some of my students who have never seen or used a FP before 🙂).
Im new to fountain pens but so far my everyday carry is a TWSBI Eco (the purple one that glows) Fine Nib. The capacity is great, It writes nicely, I love seeing the ink inside and its very comfortable in my hand which makes it nice for writing or drawing. Because I also use it for pen and wash drawing I have to ink it up with something waterproof so Ive got it full of Platinum Carbon Black which is the go to ink recommended in the art groups Im in.
Great video! I've had my eye on that Traveler's Company one for a while. I have tiny hands, and I'm a lefty lol, so unfortunately I'm kind of limited in pens that I can use. For me I've been carrying the Waterman Hemisphere L'Essence du Blue, a burgundy Pilot E95a, and a Monteverde Ritma orange 2023 edition (which I bought from Goulet lol). I'm still very new to fountain pens but I'm loving it so far!
Currently, I happen to have three pocket pens inked: the Ensso Piuma pocket pen in Ultem (M), Namisu N2 (M), and Schon Designs Pocket Pen in black adonized aluminum (M). All three are excellent pens and I highly recommend them. I will be traveling this week and they are coming with me.
I use my TWSBI Eco a lot. It's always in my carry-around pencase. Then I also have at least one Lamy Safari and/or AL-star in there, but I do change up which ones sometimes. I'm partial to the dark lilac and purple ones though, I'll most often have those in there. Then I'll have 2 or so more pens, of which usually one will be a cheaper Chinese pen, such as a Jinhao or Lanbitou and the other sometimes a Kaweco Sport, Pilot Metropolitan or another Lamy Safari/AL-star. Another TWSBI is definitively on my wish list.
By far for me it is the E95S. I love how elegant and practical it is as well as how fun it is to write with. Followed by the Monte grappa Monte grappa and blacked out Lamy safari.
My top-'three' fav pens are: Visconti HS, Pelikan m605, Lamy 2000, Sailor Pro Gear (full size), Sailor Pro Gear Slim. Other pens come and go; I have 'fancier' pens; but these are the ones that are always inked-up.
Oof, just got a Waterman 52 ... pretty sure that's going to have to be added to this list. The rumours of vintage flex being truly special are not exaggerated.
My everyday carry pens include a Lamy Safari and/or Al-Star (any color I have inked up), TWSBI mini, or a TWSBI ECO or ECO T (whatever color I have inked). All have either a broad or medium nib...well maybe a stub. I don't worry about losing them, not that I have. These are all very reliable starters and come in fun colors. My expensive pens stay at home.
Entertaining video. My EDC is Traveler's brass pen in factory green loaded with Diamine Midnight ink. Ink lasts forever as you said. It is very enjoyable to write with. I've been carrying it for over a year.
I always bring my two pilot pens and a platinum 3776 uef with me to work. I like all three but the one that survived and never let me down is the 3776. The 92 (M) and 823 (F) writes very smoothly but after an hour of documenting, they run dry. I spend a few minutes to get them to flow again. At work, that’s embarrassing when people start watching. The 3776 works for the whole day with no drying. It writes on the drier side so I don’t need to stress about smearing my documents. I’m getting ready to retire the two pilot pens because they write too wet and always dry up on me.
My favorite EDC fountain pen tends to be my Schon DSGN brass or copper Pocket Six. Whichever one is inked up at the time. It fits perfectly in my pocket as well as in the pen holder on my Galen Leather Traveler's Notebook Wallet Insert.
I’ve always got my raw brass Gravitas Pocket Pen (flexible fine) in my pocket. Really like the way it feels in the hand, and it’s great for jotting in my Traveler’s Company notebook. Another one I use every day is my Pelikan M800 fine nib, which is one of my grails and absolutely writes like nothing else for me. And last but not least I have a Lamy Safari EF that is terrific for taking notes.
So I'm new to this (Aug 2024) and this was about my first video look at pens (Goulet having been recommended by Joe Polanski). I was thinking 'every day carry - that's what I want to know' - but was knocked over by the idea that one of them, a great looking one, cost over $700! (Did it come with a chain for attaching it to yourself?) - having gone back and listened more closely to how Brian defined 'every-day carry', I understand a little better. That said, this will be an aspirational pen only for me, at least until I learn and experience a lot more!
What ? No Custom 74 in the list anymore ?😢 I carry every day a small pouch with the following pens: 1) Pilot Custom 742 2) Pilot Heritage 912 3) Pilot Heritage 912 4) Pilot Custom 74 I'm a Pilot guy obviously 😅
impressed you could keep your EDC list at just 5 pens!: currently got 34 inked up and they are all favourites!, but if I absolutely had to narrow it down I’d pick my blue/grey Pilot78g+ EF which I’ve paired with Sailor yonaga (my favourite blue/black ink) and my Sailor Pro Gear EF which I paired with Graf von Faber Castell cobalt blue (love the feedback you get with Sailor pens) and, a recent addition but definitely one of the first I reach for, my Platinum 3776 EF in rouge Bourgogne with gold trim which is inked with Montblanc St Exupéry: I’ve got small handwriting so definitely prefer EF nibs and tomoe river paper:)
Lamy 2000! I just had my M nib ground to a CI.. Heaven. Kaküno, I put a 1.0 stub from my Metropolitan, love this stub. Great for school. I just bought a Peneider in Florence! A blue demonstrator w black trim and M nib. Very exciting experience. Magnetic cap rules.
Two Lamy Lx (Ruthenium, Palladium), EF and M nibs. Both inked with Noodler's blue and black bullet proof inks so that my signatures on permits and notes to contractors stay on completely even when the papers are accidentally left outside. After seeing your Prussian Blue TWSBI with Kon-peki in it I'm convinced that's what I want my Kon-peki to be in. Another black one for the Take-suki and I'll have another pair of EDC pens.
I don't have a huge collection; I have five pens, and I use them all - there are four that I change out each day, and there is a nicer pen that I use at church. The regular four are: (1) Pilot Metropolitan (fine nib); I use their green ink, which I really (really!) like. (2) TWSBI ECO blue (med nib); I have Royal Blue ink (3) TWSBI ECO clear (fine nib); I have a great turquoise ink, which I also enjoy writing with. (4) TWSBI mini-vac (fine nib), which has black ink. The special, nicer pen is a Pilot Custom 74 Dark Green pen with gold trim (fine nib); I'm using the same great green ink cartridges in it. The "scratchiest" of these is #3 above; the #4 and the #1 are probably the smoothest writing pens. The most disappointing pen is not on the list: it is a monaggio wooden pen that I was given. It was great to hold, but it just leaked ink and was a huge disappointment. It's been thrown away. After that, the #4 above has been disappointing; the barrel cracked; I replaced it, but the vacuum fill no longer works; I use a needle to squirt ink into the barrel. I'm considering getting a LAMY pen to replace the vacuum fill pen. I've liked all of the inks except for the time I was looking to replace the Pilot cartridges with a similar green color; I purchased the Noodlers Hunter Green "bullet-proof" ink, but it just didn't work well with those converters, so it is sitting unused with the other inks.
Geez, I guess the 3 pens I use the most are 1) "Nothern Lights Purple" Pro Gear slim MF. I just _LOVE_ how great this pen looks. It also writes well, but I wish I bought a Pro Gear and not slim model, because I find I'll need to post it to write comfortably. 2) A Dark Violet Lamy Scala with a 14K Gold F nib. This pen feels great in the hand, although it IS heavy. 3) Lamy 2000 EF. Yep. Lamy 2000 gets love here, too. Strangely, it seems to have a broader line than my Scala with an F nib.
I reach for my Aurora Optimas all of the time, because they give me pleasure to use. My Pilot 823 if a serious go-to. However to haul around (and risk losing) I tend to use my TWSBIs (Vac 700 Rs) because I can slosh the ink around during meetings, etc, and it I lost/damaged it or it walked off, I would be chagrinned but not devastated. I love looking at my Lamy 2000--but it squeaks when it writes, not sings, squeaks. Don't love that.
Hi Brian: Late to the party, but I have to give you my top three pens. You are in a special place, where you sell and are exposed to far more pens than I'll see in my lifetime here in Darkest Saskatchewan. I'm on a much tighter budget then you, so my three pens are less than around $50 CDN. #1. Lamy Safari: Yu simply canNOT go wrong with a Safari, especially as a first over-$25 pen. They come in a million colours, with annual special editions; they have a generous ink supply in their cartridges or converters; and they have a variety of nib widths to choose from. Being able to switch nibs easily is a bonus. #1.5. Like you, I can't stay with three, because I think I'm replacing my most-used Safari wih a TWSBI Swipe: My first Swipe was in Prussian Blue. My father had a similar colour Pen For Men that I had hoped to inherit, but he lost or discarded it after he retired, and couldn't remember it 25 years later. My first Swipe had a medium nib, which I would liken to a fire hose: HUGE amounts of ink flow out of it! I recently bought a second Swipe in Smoke with a fine nib, and swapped the nibs. I'm waiting for a Safari to run out of ink (soon Grasshopper, soon...) and will almost certainly use the Prussian Blue and Fine nib as a daily choice. #2. Kaweco Sport with plastic body and a gold-tone Fine nib. It weighs almost nothing (11grams is close to nothing, right?), and it writes acceptably on the cheap copy paper I have to use at work. It also works okay on the loose leaf paper I use most at home. The brass version has clled to me several times, but it would be 4 times the weight and 4 times the price, and I just can't justify owning one at this time. #3. Platinum Preppy and Plaisir pens (they're the same pen in different materials). I have a lovely red Plaisir with .2 mm nib inked up with Private Reserve Vampire Red for my planner at work. Preppys are inexpensive enough for even my Scots nature to give away; and I recently gave one to a 17-yr old cashier who covered for a sick cashier one day. She said she's the only one in her group of friends who can read and write cursive, so I HAD to give her a Preppy as encouragement to enjoy real writing. Would I say no to a Lamy 2000, or a Visconti pen made of lava? No. But the price would't give me a greater love of writing, nor would it make my writing legible; and I'd be scared to carry either of them daily, in case I lost them. The less expensive pens write well, I'm not afraid to tune their nibs, and they attract attention. What more could I ask?
My main go-to pen is the Pineider Full Metal Jacket (M) with the steel nib. I love it and always pair it with KWZ Turquoise. Number two would be the Pilot E95S with a medium nib. I love this pen - my favorite Pilot pens although I have several different ones. Last in third place although I don’t take it with me anywhere would be my Parker Vacumatic pen. I love how smoothly it writes, but I don’t use it as much for fear of messing it up since I can’t replace it. My main carry with me pen would be a Kaweco Sport with a broad nib because 1) I like how the hey write; 2) they’re easily carried, and 3) they’re easily replaced if lost or broken. Brian must like toothier writing pens, or so I’ve heard that’s how Sailor pens write?
Great vid .. thanks Brian. My # 1 & 2, EDC fountain pen is the Twisbi 580 demonstrator pen. Great pen. I run it in blue and black ink. My #3 is my Mont Blanc 149 which is my home edc. Desk version only. So I guess you could say that I could still use a true # 3 fountain pen. thanks again.
I did not know that Sailor made broad nibs and now I want one... My sort of retired everyday carry is my Aurora Ipsilon, M. I love it. It's in the most 80s teal ever, and that's when it's from. It's a wonderfully wet writer, but I thought I lost it once and I freaked out too hard so it lives at home now. My notes jotter, calendar writer is a Sailor Procolor 500, Stardust colorway, in nib sized teeny. I don't actually know. It was a gift. It's a very small pen when capped and I can tuck it in anywhere. It's very reliable and the converter fill seems to last ETERNALLY, though that may be the tasks I'm giving it. I'm not writing a novel with this thing. I'm writing novels with my Benus... Both broad nib, Briolette in Luminous Orchid, and Euphoria in October Fall (which is very personal to me.) They're SO comfortable and light, but also easy to spot so I won't lose them. And I like purple. But I think that's it... the pens you reach for are going to be the ones that feel like a friend, and they really do.
I have two that I would consider my go-to pens. The first is my Lamy Al-start but I need to replace it because it was my first pen ever and neglected to watch your how-to video BEFORE, removing, cleaning and reinserting the nib. Sadly I didn't know there was a right and wrong way to insert the nib in a Lamy All-Star and put it in crooked and there is nothing that I have been able to do to get it unstuck from the incorrect position of the nib. I learned my error after watching your how-to video when I was trying to trouble shoot my problem. My other go-to pen which I use at my job is the TWSBI-ECO in blue - it holds so much ink and writes so so consistently.
So I bought my first fountain pen recently. Pilot Metropolitan. So far, I am loving the writing experience. I've been practicing my handwriting and my cursive, and I absolutely love the way it glides across the paper so smoothly. My hand hurts less after using it, compared to my other go-to pen, the Sharpie 3-Gel ballpoint. I have to put a lot of pressure onto the paper in order to get the Sharpie 3-Gel to work properly, but with the Metropolitan, I only have to worry about the direction the nib is facing. It's also been very therapeutic, in a strange way, to use the fountain pen today. I've only been able to use it today, but wow has the difference been awesome. So far, with the very minimal amount of experience I have, and with the only pen I have that experience with, my go-to is the Metropolitan. I love writing with fountain pens, now. Such a good purchase.
My daily carry is a Kaweco Brass Sport. Use it daily, never polish. It’s building up a beautiful natural patina. I did upgrade the nib and put a converter in it. Only complaint is ink capacity but I work at an office so it’s not that big of deal. Use it with Noodlers Black. The brass is bulletproof and has good weight. I just chuck it in my pocket everyday and it starts and writes like a champ.
My current EDC is a Lamy Dialog CC in fine which is a superb writer. Also, a Lamy 2000 in fine. A Lamy Studio (racing green) w14k nib and a Pelikan M200 in fine trade back and forth in the third slot in my pen case.
Nice video. I don’t have any expensive fountain pens, but have about 20 sub $100 fountain pens. My work pens are all cheap waterman and cross pens because they’re cheap, and write well on cheap paper at work. My every day carry pens for other use are… a platinum curidas, as it’s a great writer, reliable, and fun because it’s retractable, a sailor compass 1911 mf nib because I love the way it writes on any paper, and a lamy vista. So much fun.
Hi my selection of never without is so composed: Lamy 2000 - Aurora optima black resin - kaweco sport al - sailor profit 1911 lim. Ed. Kurogane - platinum kuridas. All ef nib… ciao
5 pens for edc and you didn’t mention a single retractable nib pen? I was expecting pilot vanishing point, or Lamy dialog or platinum curidas anywhere there… I take it with a grain of salt because I personally hate de Lamy 2000… I think it looks awful and cheap, and like the 70s concept of modern…
I am looking for a short, pocket, fountain pen, and the Traveler's seems just right, but I can't help asking how it compares to the Schon DSGN Pocket Six Fountain Pen.
Hi brian, i know it's probably not my call to make, but i found one - TACRAY titianium fountain pen for EDC purpose. Maybe could you take a look at it, i'd love to hear your thought! always enjoy your content!
I'd love a video on top "extended carry" pens. The premise being you are going to be gone for about a week. Could be a business trip or vacation. What pens are great for taking with you while you're away from your typical supplies? Maybe one pen has a high ink capacity, or uses easy to carry cartridges, or seals well if you're on a plane, or doesn't go through much ink, or is extremely reliable/durable. Interpret and play with the premise however you please.
You’re the only fountain pen store I’ve bought from and I’ve never even thought of looking up other stores. Just never occurred to me I guess. 😂 but I have a single pen that I use daily and I actually use 2 of them and have considered getting a third, I love this pen so much. But my favorite pen is the Lamy cp1. I have small hands and I prefer thinner bodied pens, and black is my favorite color so this pen just checks all the boxes for me. Both of my pens are fine nibed, but that’s really the only size I use. Thanks for the video!
Hubby and I are catching up with your fab channel. We have had the pleasure to work with the other Brian to buy a bd pen. Now, it's one year later....time for another top favorites? Love the stories behind all of these - especially the sentimental one. Great channel!
My three are: Lamy Studio Medium nib TWISBI Eco Medium nib Moonman S5 fine my favourite one would be my Harley Davidson- waterman pen with a medium nib.
Very nice choices :) For me it's only one, Kaweco Al Sport RAW version with F nib. Im carrying it all the time in my wallet. With time it's getting loots of small scratches what "for me" its beautiful and on what from time to time I realy like to contemplate. :D
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Only one broad nib? I am surprised! However, I am not at all surprised that there were more than three pens on this list. 😂
LOL- I was thinking the same thing. Quite surprising with all the fine nibs.
Also surprised. But these are carry around pens. Fine nib is a wise choice when you don't know what paper you will be served.
I love all the standard sizes but EF/F is my go to for notes & using on any paper (though Noodlers black is the only ink I have that will work on any paper without bleeding).
M is good for headlines or a statement & B I almost solely use in my journal. Haven't experimented with any other nibs yet
I was surprised when the title said 3.
Brian not able to choose 3 is such a Brian thing to do. Lotsa love from 🇲🇾
Love this video!! It is fun to see what pens are everyones' every day carry. I would love to see everyones' else every day carry as well like Rachel, Drew, every other Goulet team member. It would be fun!
I like that you didn't limit it to pens you sell - I can tell you're a genuine lover of pens!
Hi Brian, when I first started using and purchasing fountain pens, your store was the 1st and foremost online fountain store I would use. I may not frequent your store as much now, but your company has been the gold standard by which I judge (intentionally or not) every other online fountain pen store. Your videos have remained helpful, informative, fun, and have a professional quality not always seen on UA-cam. Thank you sincerely, for all that you, your family and your team at Goulet Pens have given to us, fountain pens users over the many years. May this year bring you success, happiness, and joy. God Bless you all. 👍😎😇🙏.
I agree! Everything I learned about pens was from Goulet!
My Diamond 580 Prussian Blue was just delivered today from your site. My first fountain pen and I’m super excited.
What ink(s) are y’all using with it?
@@laurabondurant5096 I got Diamond Majestic Blue with mine.
@@pinatadonkey5934 oh nice and wet with touch of sheen! Does it take a century to dry on Tomoe River?
@@laurabondurant5096 I’m still at work so haven’t even unboxed the pen yet 😭 haha. But I plan to get a Galen Leather notebook with it soon.
@@pinatadonkey5934 Galen. I haven’t heard of that brand but I will check it out. Thanks for your responses. I really appreciate it.
For me, my every day carry pen is the Montblanc 149 Calligraphy Flex pen. The nib is so dreamy, smooth, responsive, wet, and flexy. I got it in February 2020, just as the global pandemic hit, and I got layed off work too. Through 2020 when all the craziness happened around the world, this pen gave me a little joy through the darkness. I found a new job, and things kept getting better, and this pen was there through all those times. So it's also very sentimental too in that regards. It was a great companion and comforter though those dark times, and it is an incredible writer too, to boot. I will never part with this pen.
The three that I always carry and use are:
1. Pilot Kakuno (medium) - I have this one with my passport Traveler's Notebook, so I use it all the time. Though I really wish it had a clip, but the size is perfect.
2. Pilot Custom 823 (broad) - This one is in a leather sleeve and lives in my purse. If I want to show off my fountain pens, this is the one that I use, and it's just a joy to write with:
3. LAMY Explorer (medium) - I had a layover in Munich, and I was wandering through the airport with tons of time to kill, and I saw a LAMY display in the airport! How cool is that?! So I stopped in and got one because I HAD to have a cool "this is my airport pen that I bought in Germany" pen. I use it all the time with my bullet journal.
Kaweco clips fit the Kakuno.
How do you keep the ink from drying out or evaporating in the Kakuno?
It's probably a good thing I never find fountain pens for sale in the airports I've passed through.
I have many pens at various price points including well-known gold nibed models, but I use the only one that doesn’t hard start or skip: the Platinum Preppy. It makes me sad that the others can’t live up to the $7 pen, but it’s the truth.
I always thought it was hilarious how a
I do think the Pilot Kakuno and the Custom series can be competitive against the preppy.
It's wild, isn't it? My platinum pens always work flawlessly. Although I did discover that the feeds on the Plaisirs are surprisingly fragile, when I broke one while cleaning it. Fortunately you can just swap in the feed and nib from a Preppy.
I have plenty that are as good, but I will say it's silly to me how many more expensive pens are not as reliable as some of the cheapies. A pen should write. This shouldn't be controversial, and yet.
@@karidru5272 Yeah, right? I love my rather extensive collection, but I just look at them while I write with my Preppy. It’s the secret no one will say 🥲
All my fountain pens are desk pens, but I always have two Platinum Plaisirs inked up, one black with Platinum Carbon Black ink, and one green with Noodler's Hunter Green. Those are both waterproof inks, but I have no issues with them thanks to that magic Platinum slip n seal cap!
Oooh. How I've missed these! I fell off of watching these, well, because when I watch these presentations, I buy a pen. (So, well played, gentlemen. Well played.) Great reviews, as per usual and I've been eyeing that pocket pen for ages. All metal pens are very attractive to me and I don't own anything that is all polished brass. I have a dip pen in brass but that's it. I miss the Goulet family but living in my means is the watch word for the near future.
The 3 pens I carry the most:
1. Twsbi eco m- I didn't expect to love it as much as I do. It's such a reliable pen.
2. Kaweco sport f- another one with a huge amount of ink, I can take one anywhere without worrying about it.
3. Lamy studio ef black- I love the black nib. This pen is great for on the fly jotting. I also paired it perfectly with a matching ink.
Well done Brian! Thank you for the journey; I've been along the whole time. You and your team and the channel helped me through the loss of my parents, pups, and 8 serious surgeries.. love that Sailor!
Thanks for everything!
Frank in Colorado
I have some nice pens, but I’m surprised at how much I grab my TWSBI Vac Mini. For the price and quality, I don’t worry about dents and dings, and it writes extremely well.
With that said, I tend to carry my Pelikan m2/400 pens or my sailor ProGear slims the most because they are such a handy size!
I tend to reach for my TWSBI Vac Mini a lot too! It once sat for several months, nearly a year! I had not put it away with the rest of my pens and had sort of forgotten about it. It still started right up! It's a great little pen.
**chef's kiss** on the 'Traveler's Company Brass Fountain Pen' -
I usually have other pens rotating in and out of my EDC pen case, but the Traveler's is always there.
I love mine it goes everywhere, including through the washer once. It’s was as bad as you think.
I've been rocking a medium pilot vanishing point in black for the last 4-5 months. So much so that it's basically replaced all my other pens. Love it so much.
Does the ink ever evaporate or dry up?
It does not. Pilot has a very good seal in the capless/vanishing point@@LoveYouBeTrue
My daily carry is a Pilot Vanishing Point. Great writer, not too expensive but it looked nice. Plus when I get a bit fidgety, I can click it a bunch of times.
When I first used the vanishing point I felt in love. It was so nice to use that I rushed in and bought the vanishing point ls.
Vanishing Point is the ONLY answer for THE BEST everyday carry.
Brian's hand modelling is priceless!!!
Well done on your updated choices, Brian, and it says it all that the Lamy 2000 is still with you ( me too ). Good future changes in the years ahead
Is that TWSBI truly teal, though… maybe we should ask Drew.
Definitely not teal! More like a bluquoise. - Drew
I carry 6 pens. But the three that always make the list are:-
1. Pilot Vanishing Point - F nib - Bought from Goulet pens actually
2. Lamy Safari Lilac - F nib
3. Diplomat Magnum - Medium nib
I keep switching the other 3. Sometimes if I feel brave, The pilot E95s comes out in my bag (Feel very protective of that one actually. Don't know why).
1. You are the only person in the world to call a KOP EDC! Until I get one, that is. Given the ridiculous price, it won't be till the SF Pen Show, as I won't waste that much money without first taking it for a test write.
2. Thanks for talking about a pen you don't actually sell. I know that is hard for you.
3. The only pen I actually write with is my Pilot Elite , and that only for book annotations. (I draw with the others) I wish I could find a red ink for it that was sufficiently dry so that it never feathered on cheap paperback paper. Pelikan 4000 Brilliant Red is the best I've used, but I wish I could go even drier.
Due to my current profession, I've been travelling a lot by air. Therefore, the pens I always carry more often than not are smaller pens that can seal the reservoir. I've been carrying 3 Opus 88 minis loaded with black (takesumi), blue (kon-peki), and a fun color right now with Robert Oster Tea time. THe ones I use in my office at work is the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP, and a sailor pro gear.
More than 3 pens? I’m shooked, shocked and shaken, sir! I would have never g… yeah this is no surprise 😁
Brian, I'm always excited to see new videos from you and Drew. I have learned so much from them.
My go to every day carry pen is my Pilot Vanishing Point white/black EF. I work in retail and need a quick reliable pen that I'm not concerned with losing the cap. The Vanishing Point works great for me. It is not flashy, so I'm not worried someone will try to take it; but still impresses my customers when they use it to complete paperwork. I have recommended Goulet Pens to many of my customers.
I love the pencasts. 🖋 Turkey Hammock!!! 🦃
Thanks for the kind words, Keith! - Drew
Lamy 2000 Fine
Pilot Elite 95S Medium
Pilot VP Fine
New pens I like to use daily:
Visconti Michelangelo Medium
Leonardo Momento Magico ElasticFine
Pineider Avatar UR Medium
My main three were inspired by your previous video: Lamy 2000, Pilot Custom 743, and Pilot Metropolitan.
Here are my 3 every day carry pens:
1. TWSBI Eco Clear (F) inked with Colorverse SM1 for note-taking and stays with my notebook at all time
2. TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Prussian Blue (M) inked with De Atramentis Document Ink Black for drawing
3. Kaweco AL Sport Iguana Blue (EF) inked with Vinta Aegean [Armada 1944] for bullet journal and diary
yess, SM1!! ✨
You betrayed the Pilot Custom 74. 😢
I still have mine as my daily carry pen.
Though I gravitate towards vintage pens, I am with Brian about fine nibs. Generally they work with other than fountain pen friendly paper and even the more than perfectly behaved inks (I have a few, in spite of trying for the best behaved inks.) If I had to pick 3 EDC pens, an Esterbrook J, a Wahl-Eversharp Skyline (of course vintage. The vintage Skyline is superior to the more modern one) and either a vintage Sheaffer (1920s-50s) or a Parker Challenger from 1937. All pens that have stood the test of time.
Hey Brian ! There are my 3 every day carry pens 🖊️ :
1 : Pilot vanishing point (capless in France 🇫🇷) mate black medium nib
2 : Kaweco Dia 2 black and chrome broad nib
3 : Waterman Expert 3 black and gold medium nib
Love these pens, very reliable. A bientôt 😊
My EDC pens are
1. Pilot Vanishing Point EF - quick notes
2. Kaweco Brass Sport 2.3mm - highlighter
3. Faber-Castell Ondoro - inked with Platinum Carbon Black, for planning
4. Lamy Imporium EF - inked with R&K Dokumentus Black, for signing
5. Ondoro Mechanical Pencil
6. Ondoro Ballpoint Pen 🙂
I'm considering a Lamy 2k set to alternate with Ondoro, but I'm not sure if the EF nib will suit my taste given that I find Imporium's to be on the thick side.
1. Wing Sung 601 fine nib which is a Chinese Parker 51
2. Pilot Prera with 1.0 stub (Cursive Medium)
3. TWSBI Mini with EF nib
Still using my first, Waterman Expert, after over 15 years, but recently changed nib from M to F. I also like to carry my Lamy Logo, great functional design and no worries about cosmetic damage.
My top 3
1. Pilot Prera, Fine, with Sailor Seiboku ink. (highly water resistant, bleed resistant)
2. Pilot Kakuna, Fine, with Platinum Carbon Black Ink (I work as a wastewater plant operator. water resistant, bleed resistant)
3. And my 3 current favorite thirds, in a separate leather case, Pilot VP Medium with kon peki, Platinum Procyon Fine with kon peki, and Taccia Spectrum medium with Colorverse Gravity Wave.
I hated the grooved metal section so much on my 580 ALR Prussian Blue that I gave the pen away at a pen show when I couldn't sell it to anyone.
This is funny because I always thought my EDC pens would be cheaper pens that I could "not worry about". Turns out I now carry a Homo Sapiens Dark Age, a Custom 743, and a Sailor Pro-fit Light. Now, if I get the Montegrappa Dante pen, I'll surely not carry it around every day...right?
Brian, my 1911’s cap band says: King of Pen, no “s”… how ‘bout yours…. Well, the entire embossed numbers and words say: “SAILOR THE KING OF PEN 1911” (… still, no “s”). Just curious if Sailor makes different pens or that the cap bands have different wordings…
Pilot Custom Urushi, vermillion with a Broad nib. I fill it with Sheaffer Inferno Red, and It goes to school every day with me to grade papers. No, it doesn't make grading papers a joy, but I do enjoy the tactile quality of the urushi, and the large size feels comfortable in my hand. In June I clean it and give it the summer off, and in August I know it will be ready to go again. (Me, too, LOL)
I’m with you on the first two. I think if I had to pick a third, I’d go with the Stipula Passaporto Superleggera which fits great in the “secret pocket” in my Levi’s, holds a ton of ink, is reasonably priced and nice to write with.
My "desert island" pen is the Pilot Custom 823 in fine point. I like the generous ink capacity, the second small ink reservoir near the nib, and the balance. Also, since it's Japanese fine point, I generally don't have to worry about feathering or bleeding through paper. My second choice is the Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight with an extra fine point. Again, the generous ink capacity and the second ink reservoir are wonderful and I like the balance and heft of the pen. The only thing that, for me, takes away from it, is that the ink flow is a little heavy and that causes bleed-through when I'm writing in a Moleskine notebook. I don't have that problem when writing in a Rhodia.
My EDC pens happened to be my first twsbi, the Lamy 2000 and a rotation between my Leonardo pens.
1. Lamy 2000… always.
2. TWSBI vac 700
3. Waterman Carene
All in Fine.
Just wondering, do you ever judge a pen by the writing you can do with it, as opposed to how it looks and feels? Eg, if you wrote out something with all your favourites, could you tell which pen wrote which line?
Lamy 2000 was my first fountain pen. It’s perfect in every sense as an every day carry pen. I have it loaded up with J Herbin Poussire de Lune and I use it to write in my journal.
I kinda understand the channel is a mean to promote the business, so thank you for your big heart to actually still mentioning the pen you don’t carry.
I myself is a firm believer that apart of earning an income from working, there are also part of blessings that are up to God’s discretion. So who knows, this might open up a door to something new?
I first learned about fountain pens through your videos. But since I live in Indonesia, it’s a bit too costly to buy from Goulet. So I got my first and second fountain pen from a small online shop in Indonesia. A preppy and TWSBI eco. Played your videos at least 3 times just to ink my TWSBI. I have my 3rd and fourth fountain pen from Itoya, Japan. 2 Kakunos.
Until the time I can buy my dream pens and inks (waiting for my friend to hand carry them to Indonesia) from you, please know that at the very least you have blessed another small fountain pen shop in my country by sending me to their path.
Your videos are also a blessing for me. Thanks to you and your team, I had a great time with affordable yet amazing 4 pens. I carry them everywhere every day. Loved the Diamine chocolate brown you guys recommended too. Love the pencast, I listen to them while working.
Sincerely praying for God to bless you and team a hundred fold, and may the stealth purple will still be in stock when I finally get a chance to buy it.
My three are:
Pilot Capless matt black
Lamy Al-Star in black
Diplomat Aero in that iconic orange colour.
I have many other nice pens but those three are just absolute workhorses.
I have four that I end up taking pretty much everywhere. Two Pilot Vanishing Points, one Fine, one Extra Fine, and two Pilot Preras, one Fine, one Extra Fine. The two Preras are attached to my planner, the F with a red ink of some sort, the EF with a brown or black usually. The VPs are floaters but pretty much always in my pocket and I try to keep relatively professional looking inks in them (currently Lie de The and Poussiere de Lune). The F is my favorite writer of all the pens I own, super smooth with just a bit of feedback. The EF is actually the primary pen I use with my planner (the EF Prera is the alt-color/backup).
The three pens that I use on a daily basis are:
1. The Edison Premiere in Cappuccino. (Medium) -I've been eyeing this pen ever since I first saw Brian's first "Seven Pens To Last A Lifetime" video. So you can say this is my own grail pen. Inked with Noodler's Polar Brown.
2. Twsbi Diamond 580 White Rose Gold II (Medium)-Who isn't a fan of Twsbi?! The white compliments every ink color imaginable! I have mine inked with Noodler's Golden Brown, but at the timing of replying to this video I need to refill my pen. But this is the only pen I don't put in a pen case. I keep it separately in the case it comes in.
3. Lamy Al-Star Petrol (Extra-Fine)- I like how this is an entry-level pen but for everyone, no matter if they're a novice or an expert to the pen game. I keep each pen-save for the White RG 580-in my pen case. I have it inked with Private Reserve Blue Suede.
Normally, I like medium/broad nibs, but I'm branching out. But for Japanese nibs, I'm going with Broad or Medium. I don't like writing with a nail. Sorry.
Fun vid.
I got a Diamond 580ALR in Prussian Blue just a few months ago and it became an instant daily favorite. I love it so much that I got extra nib units for it. It's currently sporting a medium nib and it's loaded with Liberty's Elysium ink. It's a handsome, terrific performing, work-horse pen.
I've had a Lamy 2000 for over 6 years now. It's probably my favorite EDC fountain pen. I wish I'd gotten it in a fine nib but I don't regret this purchase! It's currently loaded with Robert Oster "Great Southern Ocean" ink, passing for business-friendly black yet with a ton of character.
I too would have a tough time choosing a third because I usually carry pens for specific purposes according to the day's planned activities. My two main haven't seemed to change in recent years; my Pilot Custom 823 Amber is my usual travelling companion and my mid-1940's Parker 51 Flighter is a daily favorite.
I just rotated my 823 out. After nearly three years of constant service, it's resting now. My Flighter has also been in constant service for nearly three years. Always inked with Parker "Quink Blue-Black" because it just makes sense!
Thanks for all of the great content and awesome customer service over the years.
Write On!
Great to watch and hear all of it, Brian. That unique Sailor KoP Asian Way will now stay on my mind, 24/7. I really want one too. The Brass Traveler’s pen is also great and one I’d like to own and enjoy myself. Do you sell it? The Lamy 2000 must take a bow for being immovable from the list, even after more than a decade later today. The Visconti HS Bronze Age has my ringing endorsement as a top daily carry and use classic. Top video. The story about your experience in Japan is great to hear.
If I were to do my list of Top 3 in this particular category I’d do two lists: one for modern pens, the other vintage.
So, modern - Aurora 88, Sailor KoP, (ebonite), Visconti HS Bronze Age.
vintage : Sheaffer PFM, Aurora 88, Waterman Commando
my absolute favourite pocket pen is my Pilot78g+EF blue/grey w silver trim which I’ve inked with Sailor yonaga(you should definitely carry this!:)and, in terms of what pen’s been inked for the longest time: my lovely Platinum 3776 EF in Chartres bleu w rhodium trim which I have inked with J Herbin Eclat de Saphir:)
Hi Brian, thanks for this great video. I especially love your personal story about that Japanese-only Sailor pen. The personal comments made this video even better.
My three everyday carry pens are:
1. Lamy 2000 broad nib. It's just the smoothest, most reliable pen I own.
2. TWSBI Vac700R fine or broad nib. I got an extra nib from Goulet Pens so I can switch nibs when I want something different. 😁
3. Lamy Al-Star limited edition Petrol. I just love the colour, and I love to use aqua/teal inks in it.
I EDC my lamy safari I got in 2018
The top three that I love to every day carry are 1) the Pilot Custom 74 with an EF nib, 2) the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR with a F nib that’s been tuned, and 3) a Lamy AL-Star with a F nib. Thanks, Brian… the Lamy 2000 is on my to-buy list.
I operate on a lesser budget than some, so my picks are on the more economical side. My top pen, and one I would choose if I had to pick only one to carry, is my Kaweco AL Sport in Rose Gold, usually with Noodler’s Australian Roses in Black Swan. It doesn’t have a large capacity, but I just love the feel of it in hand and how it works with my writing.
My 2nd pick would be a TWSBI Eco-T in a M nib, often with Diamond Aurora Borealis inked up in it. (I prefer the triangular grip over the regular Eco - again because I have nicer writing output with it.)
Last would be either the newer to my collection TWSBI Diamond Mini White Rose Gold V2, with some form of purple ink in it (e.g. J. Herbin Poussière de Lune) OR the humble, but still great Platium Prefount M nib in Night Sea - it writes really nicely, I like putting shimmer inks in it (like Diamond Enchanted Ocean), or lending it to someone briefly to write with (and, as an EA/paraprofessional, it’s been fun to share with some of my students who have never seen or used a FP before 🙂).
Pilot Custom 74 in blue is crying in the corner
He can't be TOO predictable! Haha! - Drew
Im new to fountain pens but so far my everyday carry is a TWSBI Eco (the purple one that glows) Fine Nib. The capacity is great, It writes nicely, I love seeing the ink inside and its very comfortable in my hand which makes it nice for writing or drawing. Because I also use it for pen and wash drawing I have to ink it up with something waterproof so Ive got it full of Platinum Carbon Black which is the go to ink recommended in the art groups Im in.
Great video! I've had my eye on that Traveler's Company one for a while. I have tiny hands, and I'm a lefty lol, so unfortunately I'm kind of limited in pens that I can use.
For me I've been carrying the Waterman Hemisphere L'Essence du Blue, a burgundy Pilot E95a, and a Monteverde Ritma orange 2023 edition (which I bought from Goulet lol).
I'm still very new to fountain pens but I'm loving it so far!
Currently, I happen to have three pocket pens inked: the Ensso Piuma pocket pen in Ultem (M), Namisu N2 (M), and Schon Designs Pocket Pen in black adonized aluminum (M). All three are excellent pens and I highly recommend them. I will be traveling this week and they are coming with me.
I have been loving the Kaweco Liliput as an EDC, it fits in my wallet.
I use my TWSBI Eco a lot. It's always in my carry-around pencase. Then I also have at least one Lamy Safari and/or AL-star in there, but I do change up which ones sometimes. I'm partial to the dark lilac and purple ones though, I'll most often have those in there. Then I'll have 2 or so more pens, of which usually one will be a cheaper Chinese pen, such as a Jinhao or Lanbitou and the other sometimes a Kaweco Sport, Pilot Metropolitan or another Lamy Safari/AL-star.
Another TWSBI is definitively on my wish list.
Ecos rule
By far for me it is the E95S. I love how elegant and practical it is as well as how fun it is to write with.
Followed by the Monte grappa Monte grappa and blacked out Lamy safari.
I bought a medium nibbed e95S and love it so much that I just ordered a black one in a different nib size.
My top-'three' fav pens are: Visconti HS, Pelikan m605, Lamy 2000, Sailor Pro Gear (full size), Sailor Pro Gear Slim. Other pens come and go; I have 'fancier' pens; but these are the ones that are always inked-up.
Oof, just got a Waterman 52 ... pretty sure that's going to have to be added to this list. The rumours of vintage flex being truly special are not exaggerated.
My everyday carry pens include a Lamy Safari and/or Al-Star (any color I have inked up), TWSBI mini, or a TWSBI ECO or ECO T (whatever color I have inked). All have either a broad or medium nib...well maybe a stub. I don't worry about losing them, not that I have. These are all very reliable starters and come in fun colors. My expensive pens stay at home.
Yep, an Eco and a Lamy Vista are mine rn in mediums
Lamy 2000 was my first fountain pen and still is my most used pen as I write with it every day
My three that I'm down to are my Lamy 2000, my Moonman T1 Copper, and a Sailor Compass for weird inks.
Solid choices! - Drew
Entertaining video. My EDC is Traveler's brass pen in factory green loaded with Diamine Midnight ink. Ink lasts forever as you said. It is very enjoyable to write with. I've been carrying it for over a year.
That's a great pen! I wish they'd do another color. - Drew
I always bring my two pilot pens and a platinum 3776 uef with me to work. I like all three but the one that survived and never let me down is the 3776. The 92 (M) and 823 (F) writes very smoothly but after an hour of documenting, they run dry. I spend a few minutes to get them to flow again. At work, that’s embarrassing when people start watching.
The 3776 works for the whole day with no drying. It writes on the drier side so I don’t need to stress about smearing my documents.
I’m getting ready to retire the two pilot pens because they write too wet and always dry up on me.
My favorite EDC fountain pen tends to be my Schon DSGN brass or copper Pocket Six. Whichever one is inked up at the time. It fits perfectly in my pocket as well as in the pen holder on my Galen Leather Traveler's Notebook Wallet Insert.
The Pocket 6 is a phenomenal EDC pen! - Drew
I’ve always got my raw brass Gravitas Pocket Pen (flexible fine) in my pocket. Really like the way it feels in the hand, and it’s great for jotting in my Traveler’s Company notebook. Another one I use every day is my Pelikan M800 fine nib, which is one of my grails and absolutely writes like nothing else for me. And last but not least I have a Lamy Safari EF that is terrific for taking notes.
Gravitas Pens! I have not yet bought one, but keep looking at them.
I really love mine. Definitely worth it!
So I'm new to this (Aug 2024) and this was about my first video look at pens (Goulet having been recommended by Joe Polanski). I was thinking 'every day carry - that's what I want to know' - but was knocked over by the idea that one of them, a great looking one, cost over $700! (Did it come with a chain for attaching it to yourself?) - having gone back and listened more closely to how Brian defined 'every-day carry', I understand a little better. That said, this will be an aspirational pen only for me, at least until I learn and experience a lot more!
What ? No Custom 74 in the list anymore ?😢
I carry every day a small pouch with the following pens:
1) Pilot Custom 742
2) Pilot Heritage 912
3) Pilot Heritage 912
4) Pilot Custom 74
I'm a Pilot guy obviously 😅
impressed you could keep your EDC list at just 5 pens!: currently got 34 inked up and they are all favourites!, but if I absolutely had to narrow it down I’d pick my blue/grey Pilot78g+ EF which I’ve paired with Sailor yonaga (my favourite blue/black ink) and my Sailor Pro Gear EF which I paired with Graf von Faber Castell cobalt blue (love the feedback you get with Sailor pens) and, a recent addition but definitely one of the first I reach for, my Platinum 3776 EF in rouge Bourgogne with gold trim which is inked with Montblanc St Exupéry: I’ve got small handwriting so definitely prefer EF nibs and tomoe river paper:)
Lamy 2000! I just had my M nib ground to a CI.. Heaven.
Kaküno, I put a 1.0 stub from my Metropolitan, love this stub. Great for school.
I just bought a Peneider in Florence! A blue demonstrator w black trim and M nib. Very exciting experience. Magnetic cap rules.
Two Lamy Lx (Ruthenium, Palladium), EF and M nibs. Both inked with Noodler's blue and black bullet proof inks so that my signatures on permits and notes to contractors stay on completely even when the papers are accidentally left outside.
After seeing your Prussian Blue TWSBI with Kon-peki in it I'm convinced that's what I want my Kon-peki to be in. Another black one for the Take-suki and I'll have another pair of EDC pens.
I don't have a huge collection; I have five pens, and I use them all - there are four that I change out each day, and there is a nicer pen that I use at church.
The regular four are: (1) Pilot Metropolitan (fine nib); I use their green ink, which I really (really!) like. (2) TWSBI ECO blue (med nib); I have Royal Blue ink (3) TWSBI ECO clear (fine nib); I have a great turquoise ink, which I also enjoy writing with. (4) TWSBI mini-vac (fine nib), which has black ink. The special, nicer pen is a Pilot Custom 74 Dark Green pen with gold trim (fine nib); I'm using the same great green ink cartridges in it.
The "scratchiest" of these is #3 above; the #4 and the #1 are probably the smoothest writing pens.
The most disappointing pen is not on the list: it is a monaggio wooden pen that I was given. It was great to hold, but it just leaked ink and was a huge disappointment. It's been thrown away.
After that, the #4 above has been disappointing; the barrel cracked; I replaced it, but the vacuum fill no longer works; I use a needle to squirt ink into the barrel.
I'm considering getting a LAMY pen to replace the vacuum fill pen.
I've liked all of the inks except for the time I was looking to replace the Pilot cartridges with a similar green color; I purchased the Noodlers Hunter Green "bullet-proof" ink, but it just didn't work well with those converters, so it is sitting unused with the other inks.
Thank you! Love this!! Great to have 3 #3's.
Geez, I guess the 3 pens I use the most are
1) "Nothern Lights Purple" Pro Gear slim MF. I just _LOVE_ how great this pen looks. It also writes well, but I wish I bought a Pro Gear and not slim model, because I find I'll need to post it to write comfortably.
2) A Dark Violet Lamy Scala with a 14K Gold F nib. This pen feels great in the hand, although it IS heavy.
3) Lamy 2000 EF. Yep. Lamy 2000 gets love here, too. Strangely, it seems to have a broader line than my Scala with an F nib.
I reach for my Aurora Optimas all of the time, because they give me pleasure to use. My Pilot 823 if a serious go-to. However to haul around (and risk losing) I tend to use my TWSBIs (Vac 700 Rs) because I can slosh the ink around during meetings, etc, and it I lost/damaged it or it walked off, I would be chagrinned but not devastated. I love looking at my Lamy 2000--but it squeaks when it writes, not sings, squeaks. Don't love that.
Hi Brian: Late to the party, but I have to give you my top three pens. You are in a special place, where you sell and are exposed to far more pens than I'll see in my lifetime here in Darkest Saskatchewan. I'm on a much tighter budget then you, so my three pens are less than around $50 CDN.
#1. Lamy Safari: Yu simply canNOT go wrong with a Safari, especially as a first over-$25 pen. They come in a million colours, with annual special editions; they have a generous ink supply in their cartridges or converters; and they have a variety of nib widths to choose from. Being able to switch nibs easily is a bonus.
#1.5. Like you, I can't stay with three, because I think I'm replacing my most-used Safari wih a TWSBI Swipe: My first Swipe was in Prussian Blue. My father had a similar colour Pen For Men that I had hoped to inherit, but he lost or discarded it after he retired, and couldn't remember it 25 years later. My first Swipe had a medium nib, which I would liken to a fire hose: HUGE amounts of ink flow out of it! I recently bought a second Swipe in Smoke with a fine nib, and swapped the nibs. I'm waiting for a Safari to run out of ink (soon Grasshopper, soon...) and will almost certainly use the Prussian Blue and Fine nib as a daily choice.
#2. Kaweco Sport with plastic body and a gold-tone Fine nib. It weighs almost nothing (11grams is close to nothing, right?), and it writes acceptably on the cheap copy paper I have to use at work. It also works okay on the loose leaf paper I use most at home. The brass version has clled to me several times, but it would be 4 times the weight and 4 times the price, and I just can't justify owning one at this time.
#3. Platinum Preppy and Plaisir pens (they're the same pen in different materials). I have a lovely red Plaisir with .2 mm nib inked up with Private Reserve Vampire Red for my planner at work. Preppys are inexpensive enough for even my Scots nature to give away; and I recently gave one to a 17-yr old cashier who covered for a sick cashier one day. She said she's the only one in her group of friends who can read and write cursive, so I HAD to give her a Preppy as encouragement to enjoy real writing.
Would I say no to a Lamy 2000, or a Visconti pen made of lava? No. But the price would't give me a greater love of writing, nor would it make my writing legible; and I'd be scared to carry either of them daily, in case I lost them. The less expensive pens write well, I'm not afraid to tune their nibs, and they attract attention. What more could I ask?
My main go-to pen is the Pineider Full Metal Jacket (M) with the steel nib. I love it and always pair it with KWZ Turquoise. Number two would be the Pilot E95S with a medium nib. I love this pen - my favorite Pilot pens although I have several different ones. Last in third place although I don’t take it with me anywhere would be my Parker Vacumatic pen. I love how smoothly it writes, but I don’t use it as much for fear of messing it up since I can’t replace it. My main carry with me pen would be a Kaweco Sport with a broad nib because 1) I like how the hey write; 2) they’re easily carried, and 3) they’re easily replaced if lost or broken. Brian must like toothier writing pens, or so I’ve heard that’s how Sailor pens write?
Great vid .. thanks Brian. My # 1 & 2, EDC fountain pen is the Twisbi 580 demonstrator pen. Great pen. I run it in blue and
black ink. My #3 is my Mont Blanc 149 which is my home edc. Desk version only. So I guess you could say that I could
still use a true # 3 fountain pen. thanks again.
I did not know that Sailor made broad nibs and now I want one...
My sort of retired everyday carry is my Aurora Ipsilon, M. I love it. It's in the most 80s teal ever, and that's when it's from. It's a wonderfully wet writer, but I thought I lost it once and I freaked out too hard so it lives at home now.
My notes jotter, calendar writer is a Sailor Procolor 500, Stardust colorway, in nib sized teeny. I don't actually know. It was a gift. It's a very small pen when capped and I can tuck it in anywhere. It's very reliable and the converter fill seems to last ETERNALLY, though that may be the tasks I'm giving it. I'm not writing a novel with this thing.
I'm writing novels with my Benus... Both broad nib, Briolette in Luminous Orchid, and Euphoria in October Fall (which is very personal to me.) They're SO comfortable and light, but also easy to spot so I won't lose them. And I like purple. But I think that's it... the pens you reach for are going to be the ones that feel like a friend, and they really do.
I have two that I would consider my go-to pens. The first is my Lamy Al-start but I need to replace it because it was my first pen ever and neglected to watch your how-to video BEFORE, removing, cleaning and reinserting the nib. Sadly I didn't know there was a right and wrong way to insert the nib in a Lamy All-Star and put it in crooked and there is nothing that I have been able to do to get it unstuck from the incorrect position of the nib. I learned my error after watching your how-to video when I was trying to trouble shoot my problem. My other go-to pen which I use at my job is the TWSBI-ECO in blue - it holds so much ink and writes so so consistently.
So I bought my first fountain pen recently. Pilot Metropolitan. So far, I am loving the writing experience. I've been practicing my handwriting and my cursive, and I absolutely love the way it glides across the paper so smoothly. My hand hurts less after using it, compared to my other go-to pen, the Sharpie 3-Gel ballpoint. I have to put a lot of pressure onto the paper in order to get the Sharpie 3-Gel to work properly, but with the Metropolitan, I only have to worry about the direction the nib is facing.
It's also been very therapeutic, in a strange way, to use the fountain pen today. I've only been able to use it today, but wow has the difference been awesome. So far, with the very minimal amount of experience I have, and with the only pen I have that experience with, my go-to is the Metropolitan. I love writing with fountain pens, now. Such a good purchase.
My daily carry is a Kaweco Brass Sport. Use it daily, never polish. It’s building up a beautiful natural patina. I did upgrade the nib and put a converter in it. Only complaint is ink capacity but I work at an office so it’s not that big of deal. Use it with Noodlers Black. The brass is bulletproof and has good weight. I just chuck it in my pocket everyday and it starts and writes like a champ.
My current EDC is a Lamy Dialog CC in fine which is a superb writer. Also, a Lamy 2000 in fine. A Lamy Studio (racing green) w14k nib and a Pelikan M200 in fine trade back and forth in the third slot in my pen case.
Nice video. I don’t have any expensive fountain pens, but have about 20 sub $100 fountain pens. My work pens are all cheap waterman and cross pens because they’re cheap, and write well on cheap paper at work. My every day carry pens for other use are… a platinum curidas, as it’s a great writer, reliable, and fun because it’s retractable, a sailor compass 1911 mf nib because I love the way it writes on any paper, and a lamy vista. So much fun.
Hi my selection of never without is so composed: Lamy 2000 - Aurora optima black resin - kaweco sport al - sailor profit 1911 lim. Ed. Kurogane - platinum kuridas. All ef nib… ciao
Hi Brian, Happy Thanksgiving! Now you've done it! You have to get me the Sailor King of Pens, Asian Way! You folks are the best. Happy Holidays!
For me, it's the : TWSBI 580 mini, Kaweco sport, Lamy Safari
5 pens for edc and you didn’t mention a single retractable nib pen? I was expecting pilot vanishing point, or Lamy dialog or platinum curidas anywhere there… I take it with a grain of salt because I personally hate de Lamy 2000… I think it looks awful and cheap, and like the 70s concept of modern…
I am looking for a short, pocket, fountain pen, and the Traveler's seems just right, but I can't help asking how it compares to the
Schon DSGN Pocket Six Fountain Pen.
Hi brian, i know it's probably not my call to make, but i found one - TACRAY titianium fountain pen for EDC purpose. Maybe could you take a look at it, i'd love to hear your thought! always enjoy your content!
I'd love a video on top "extended carry" pens. The premise being you are going to be gone for about a week. Could be a business trip or vacation. What pens are great for taking with you while you're away from your typical supplies? Maybe one pen has a high ink capacity, or uses easy to carry cartridges, or seals well if you're on a plane, or doesn't go through much ink, or is extremely reliable/durable. Interpret and play with the premise however you please.
You’re the only fountain pen store I’ve bought from and I’ve never even thought of looking up other stores. Just never occurred to me I guess. 😂 but I have a single pen that I use daily and I actually use 2 of them and have considered getting a third, I love this pen so much. But my favorite pen is the Lamy cp1. I have small hands and I prefer thinner bodied pens, and black is my favorite color so this pen just checks all the boxes for me. Both of my pens are fine nibed, but that’s really the only size I use. Thanks for the video!
Hubby and I are catching up with your fab channel. We have had the pleasure to work with the other Brian to buy a bd pen. Now, it's one year later....time for another top favorites? Love the stories behind all of these - especially the sentimental one. Great channel!
My three are:
Lamy Studio Medium nib
TWISBI Eco Medium nib
Moonman S5 fine
my favourite one would be my Harley Davidson- waterman pen with a medium nib.
Very nice choices :)
For me it's only one, Kaweco Al Sport RAW version with F nib. Im carrying it all the time in my wallet. With time it's getting loots of small scratches what "for me" its beautiful and on what from time to time I realy like to contemplate. :D