Comparison Of Popular Expensive Fountain Pens
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- Опубліковано 11 чер 2024
- Here are some quick thoughts on some popular high end expensive fountain pens. There are of course many more, but I can only speak for the ones I have.
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0:00 Intro
2:24 Lamy 2000
4:19 Vintage Pilot Elite
6:05 Pilot Custom 823
8:05 Pilot Custom 912 (FA)
10:39 Lamy Dialog 3
14:03 Pelikan M805
16:54 Mont Blanc 24
17:57 Pelikan 140
19:24 Sheaffer PFM
21:20 Vintage Omas Milord(?)
23:48 Vintage Parker Duofold
25:00 Visconti Homo Sapiens & Mont Blanc 149
#fountainpen #doodlebud #comparison
Unpopular opinion - mont blanc pens never look special. The just cost too much for no real reason
My experience after trying some 150 fountain pens ranging in price between £3 and £1200 is that best pens are in £50 to £150 price range. And my experience in pens over £500 price range is very mixed. I have some horror stories to tell about luxury fountain pens.
I agree. If writing quality, reliability and durability are your main concerns, nothing over £ 120 is necessary. I've collected pens for over thirty years and own pens that are really expensive, like a S.T. Dupont Tournaire (horrible writing experience, worse after sales service) and the Ferrari da Varese Quattro Stagioni (beautiful pens, good communications, but very heavy and not spectacularly good witers) to Lamy Safari (the original savannah green one). Few pens write better than the Lamy Safari which at the time was about 15 to 20 dollars, I guess. Of course, if you prefer a flex nib, the safari isn't the one for you, but even then you have enough options beneath that 120 dollar mark.
@@ProsciuttinoXL Hate the Safari section with the forced grip. Otherwise it is an OK student pen for the price.
I make you right. That has been my experience 😊
@@martinlebl631 that’s because you learned how to write using ballpoint pens so your grip is wrong. Safari section is purposely designed to force you to have correct grip. It was designed with German schoolchildren in mind.
Faber-Castell, Waterman and Staedtler steel nibs are superior to some luxury gold nibbed pens. That's been my experience.
2:24 Lamy 2000
4:19 Vintage Pilot Elite
6:05 Pilot Custom 823
8:05 Pilot Custom 912 (FA)
10:39 Lamy Dialog 3
14:03 Pelikan M805
16:54 Mont Blanc 24
17:57 Pelikan 140
19:24 Sheaffer PFM
21:20 Vintage Omas Milord(?)
23:48 Vintage Parker Duofold
25:00 Visconti Homo Sapiens & Mont Blanc 149
Thx 👍
What's a Mont Blanc? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@The.Best.Collector the brand of pen he showed us...
I sort of feel like Mont Blanc is a lot like Rolex, a brand that people pay a lot of money for, solely because for whatever reason, it's the one brand that the mainstream consumer actually recognizes, but doesn't necessarily represent the pinnacle of the genre. Don't get me wrong, both Mont Blanc and Rolex make top quality products, but there are other brands that offer equally good products at more reasonable prices simply because they don't have the name recognition among non-enthusiasts. I doubt the average person outside of Germany has ever heard of a Pelikan pen, and if you pulled one out, people would think "hey, that's a nice pen", but they won't have the same kind of reaction as they would if they recognized Pelikan as an elite brand the way they recognize Mont Blanc. I have a Breitling watch. Only watch geeks are ever going to recognize it for what it is, and that's pretty much how people are with my Pelikan M800, too. There is one Mont Blanc model I like, one of the Leo Tolstoy models, but of course it's way out of my budget. If I ever hit the lottery, I'll track one down, but I can't even afford the cheaper Pelikans, anymore. It's TWSBI ECOs for me, now.
Also, FWIW, in the 30 years or so I've had my M800, I can't say I recall ever having a problem with a loose cap.
Thanks for this video. I have rediscovered my enjoyment of fountain pens recently, and was amazed at how differently the nibs from different manufacturers are! I love my Pilot pens, but have been pining after a couple of the pens in this video!
Narrator: "First, the Lamy 2000"
Me: "Sold!"
For my perspective I'm a lefty and I like the design of the barrel. It's broad enough that I can keep good control of it, and no shaping to "guide" the hand in how to hold the pen - which doesn't work for a lefty.
My beloved MB 149 has never disappointed. Bought it myself to celebrate graduating from law school and passing the California bar exam. Will never let go of it. Never.
Mine has been flawless as well. Never hard started or missed a beat. Cleans very easy as a piston filler too
I have several Montblanc pens but my absolute favourite is the Leonardo da Vinci limited edition. Besides being such an ornate object, the size & weight feel tailor-made for my hand, it writes like a dream and I use the Red Chalk ink which came with it to write my Christmas Cards.
Lamy Dialog CC is the pen which looks and feels so good that every time I take out my pen and twist it, people always ask me what pen it is as they have never seen a fountain pen with a big retractable nib. Also the fine nib is the smoothest writing nib that I have ever used
These pens are like my growing knife collection. I don’t need them, they aren’t practical, and they make my wallet sob… *_However_* they’re cool and fun
what knives do you have?
i've got the Spyderco Para3 & a Hinderer XM-18
@@Solrac924 spyderco PM-2 in CruWear, Reate Exo in CPM-3V, Kizer Cormorant in S35VN, Kershaw Random Leek, Demko AD20.5 in DLC CPM-3V with custom thicc aluminum scales, a CJRB Pyrite with a steel I can’t remember the name of, and approximately four other knives that I can’t remember
I’m currently trying to get my mitts on a Spyderco Manix 2 in CPM-15V
I have once allowed myself to go for a Nakaya (in Heki Tamenuri) with gold nib and got absolutely hooked. After that, no other pen (and nib!) could stand the comparison.
Thank you for another great video. Very informative. As a newbie I'm just beginning to smooth nibs and work on my pens.
I have a playlist with a bunch of videos on the topic for reference 👍
Great channel. I particularly like your engineering perspective on these pens.
If you draw rather than write with a fountain pen, you really should get a Pelikan. The feed is great and the way it works with cross hatching is way better than anything you can find elsewhere. You are right that the vintage ones have more flexible nibs and are the best I have ever used. My only complaint is that I really do like a demonstrator pen because there’s nothing more annoying than to have the model doing her series of 5 minute poses and to run out of ink. My solution, either have a demonstrator pen or better yet, fill 2 pens before you start! That way, you’ll be able to keep drawing through a 3 hour session which is all I can handle anyway!
Thnaks for the input from an artists perspective. I know nothing about traits to look for with respect to drawing
Very interesting. I'm looking for a new drawing pen. Any particular Pelikan model in mind ?
Bought my MB 149 many years ago and I’ve never been sorry. No way would I spend the kind of money it costs now though.
They are really great pens, but yeah the new price is pretty crazy
For cleaning the lamy dialogue - take a syringe and a used cartridge (cut back off) glue them together making sure they are water tight viola brilliant cleaning accessory. I went a step further and use luer lock syringe with a stopper which I drill out and glue cut down cartridges into for all my different pens. I belive someone is now making them for purchase too.
That Omas is lovely. I really need to start saving and browsing for one. My vintage Pelikan 400 keeps me really happy though. As you said, they make for really good natural writers.
Great. Very informative. I just ordered the MB 149 (have 2x#31, #144, #146) to complete my MB collection.
Favorites:
Lamy 2000
Pilot VP
Pilot E95S
Leonardo Momento Zero
Waterman Carene
Faber-Castell Emotion
Asstd Parker and Schaeffer
Surprise out of 45 pens…Jinhao x159 (a steal, writes and feels amazing)
Nice to see this video again. And to see your lovely collection again. Have ordered the 2 Slit Ebonite Feed for my CH912FA from the USA awaiting its arrival.
Oh nice! That new feed makes it a totally different pen!
I would add one more, Diplomat Nexus with gold nib. It is expensive, almost unreasonably (with the steel nib it is €390, with the gold one €790), but it writes so beautifully, And being an eye-dropper and thus having huge ink capacity, it writes forever. Well, almost. And being at the same time made of metal it can take some rough handling too. Very quickly became my favourite travel pen.
The clear pens looked really interesting. What are the model names?
Had a pen similar to that black Mont Blanc with gold cap. Not sure if it was a Mont Blanc, it was given to me by my mother who doesn't really use these pens that often. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to verify it because I haven't been able to find it were I normally kept my other pens. I don't really like to make accusations, especially since sometimes things are just lost, but it may have been stolen by someone during an apartment inspections when I wasn't at home (most likely not maintenance man or housing manager, but other strangers that were around); can't think of why else it would disappear from the side table.
It's unfortunate, because it was gifted, and from what I can tell those aren't cheap either.
Nice collection 😊
Being built continuously since the 50's, you Sir could have also included the MB149 in the vintage/used category as well 😊. I got mine, slightly used from the 80's, for about pelikan m200 money. It's got that juicy double broad stub and a split feed that just would not dry out. Good deals can still be had with vintage 149's.
Yup, one is from the 80s as well. Smoking deal on it too
Very interesting. Never thought of buying used pen but looking at this review I have changed my mind and will start looking at used pens
Always a gamble, but if you take your time and find good sellers you can get great deals. Its no different than if you had a few pens you wanted to sell in order to use the funds to buy a expensive pen you've been eyeing. If you're a good person you're not trying to hide or screw someone over. You're just selling stuff you don't use as much which works just fine. Lots of good people out there doing the same. Of course some are trying to pull a fast one, but I haven't experienced that yet.
My pelikan 400n was bought after seeing your video on the 140. Love the Lamy 2000, Lamy studio all black with Z57 nib. The last few months I have started getting some of my grail pens. Pilot custom 845 urushi, Pelikan M800, and just picked up the M1000 this week. My favorite has to be the 845. Hoping to get the custom urushi next. Thanks for doing this video.
Urushi looks amazing until I check out the price 😬
Liked and subscribed! I am impressed on how you became your own nib meißter for the nib in the Montblanc 149! I hope there is a video you made about that journey!
Great pen collection!
I did the MB 149 grind before I had the channel. But I do have a playlist with other nib tuning & grinding vids
Pen Tuning & Nib Grinding: ua-cam.com/play/PL6RAe6vPmtDin2cIizbra73IJCrZHLXs6.html
ROAR! as in "Oh- roar - ah." 88's & Optimas lead this whole pack, IMO.
The Lamy 2000 is my ride or die. I love writing with the Pilot Custom 823 but the cracked cap problem has been a buzzkill for an otherwise lovely pen.
The most expensive pen I would be prepared to spend money on, is a Sailor 1911 demonstrator. That definitely would be my limit. Around $500 in Australian Play Money.
At this time my most expensive pen is a $20 Jinhao and I adore it. Maybe I'll rehome the worst of my pen collection and get a really nice one when I graduate
There are a bunch of great pens that can be had under $20 to enjoy. When I was a student I was so damn broke, I had 2 good mechanical pencils and a bunch of refills. That was it LOL
I have the same issue with the loose cap on the Pelikan M805
Someone throw this Doodle Bud a buck he needs some sailor in his collection.
Sailor pens are IMO the best semi expensive - high end pens you can get. Build is great , nibs are fantastic, mine hasn't had a problem yet. Their inks are great ! Made in JA pan...
I've been eyeing a 1911 L wicked witch of the west!
@@Doodlebud very great choice ! What nib are you eyeing ? Sailor has a bunch of nib options
@@AlChemicalLife I have a wonderful PG regular size 21 K nib MF. It is gorgeous. I now am fixated with the Sailor KOP M. I’m almost convinced that the huge nib will make it worth it. My hands though are not that big and I wonder whether a 1911 KOP would suit me. Sadly a really plain 1911 KOP is the only one I can find a reasonable deal on.
Forgot to add that all those options with the Sailor nibs are beyond my expertise. For more knowledgeable adventurous people like Doodlebud 🙂
I’m not sure they are worth the money, I have a couple and they’re good. The KoP is lovely! But the rest are really stiff writers? I question the point of using gold at all when you have a stiff nib 😅
My Pelikan M153 also has a loose cap!
Yes the Omas is expensive & I won't get anymore. However along with the Scribo this is the only pen that has actually taken my breath away on first using it. Scribo a bit like the Phoenix rose from the ashes of Omas so very much connected. The Visconti HS might be a grail pen & scores heavily in the looks department. The Sheaffer PFM & the Pilot Elite are also real lookers.
Where do you typically find your second hand fountain pens? I've been hunting a bronze age for ages on ebay and local places and can never fine anything under $500, even with nib issues that I can correct. Wondered if there are some better sites out there?
And agreed on most of your selections. I found the modern E95S writes a bit better after tweaks than the vintage elite, though the vintage looks MUCH better. But the 823 will always hold a special place in my heart as just the best go-to workhorse pen.
I find them all sorts of places. Local people who are selling and online of course: ebay, instagram (virtual pen show), reddit (penswap), etc
@@Doodlebud awesome, thank you so much! I didn't even know Instagram had those. I've just been checking different auction sites. I appreciate the information and help!
Ah yes, the dreaded precious resin
Good ideas, and makes me realize I am blessed with my cheap pen selection that work great! Honestly, dear Sir, expensive pens should work right out of the box. I think they are fairly comparable to buying a piano or car, I shouldn't have to tune them when I get them because it's included in the price!
Yup, its crazy this isnt checked before its put in a box and ready to ship out. That's one HUGE thing I love about Gravitas...every single pen is checked and adjusted (if needed) before it heads out! If he can do it, why can't these HUGE companies to it too!
@@Doodlebud I agree 100%. The fact a 3 dollar pen can write perfectly everytime out of the box makes it inexcusable for the price point.
@@Doodlebud I haven’t seen the whole video, as I have to dash off. But having read the comment, I bet it’s a certain Italian manufacturer 😅
Five dollar pens should work out if the box, let alone ones in three or four digits. Some manufacturers just feel their name means they can skip QC, and it costs them sales. Despite that I love my Visconti Opera, but a decade they spent without meaningful QC cost them many sales, and will keep people from buying Viscontis for decades to come, even if the situation has improved.
Okay, I AM an artist... SO there's that... Certain aspects of a pen and nib, I can forgive the custom tuning situation... It ABSOLUTELY SHOULD still write out of the box... AND as I'm likely to re-grind AND polish before I'm happy with it anyways... I can shrug off a certain "scratchy" feel to them...
What pisses me off no-end, however, is to have a perfectly good pen and nib/tip, smooth feel... but ZERO or SPOTTY flow at best... How the f*ck can anyone sell a PEN that doesn't put out the ink consistently and constantly on demand??? It'll get a 99-cent "nothing" hurled into the fading distance... AND it would likely get the sales person from a 99 DOLLAR (or more) model beaten to death on the spot... ;o)
Great video! Im always paranoid with the second hand market so it has to be a retail shop for me! the montblanc 149 is to expensive in my opinion, the most expensive pen i would ever consider buying on a budget its the sailor king of pen in ebonite! The sailor nib is one of my favorites.
Wonderful collection. I'm new to the fountain pen world and I have just 7 pens. I was hoping for a Sailor 21k pen though.
Yeah it's on the list... One day 🤞
That was very enjoyable! And I'm very glad you opened with a paean to some cheaper pens. Set the stage well. I only have one pen over 100GBP, so I don't expect to ever be in this sort of market, but I can appreciate the quality (and a few shortcomings) of 'higher end' items.
The thing is you don’t have to spend more than about £60 to get a fantastic writing experience! I’ve got pens which cost a couple of thousand to £5, however, you soon realise you don’t really have to spend a lot of money to get a fantastic writing experience. My gravitas pens are incredible and write as good as my sailors and platinums which cost 3 to 10 times the amount.
The question then becomes, why do we spend so much? For me, urushi lacquer is the main selling point. Very few processes can compare to the beauty of a this technique and as such warrants the slightly higher price point. It’s also worth noting, one can buy urushi pens for a fraction of the price, if you’re willing to go to a custom maker! And quite often you’re getting unbelievable value.
But yes, generally you’re paying for unique filling mechanisms or the beauty of a material. Of which, some I’d argue the value of!
Who uses the word paean in 2022, except a showoff and someone with no personal life and a real nerd with verbal diarrhoea, get a life before your old and it's over. 🤣
@@The.Best.Collector I'm in my late 50s, so I'm old already.
@@archivist17 60 is no longer old 80+ is the new old but I'm in my 20's so I'm not old and I hope 50's isn't because people say it goes so fast, but I hope that's a lie also!
Yeah, people re considered young for much longer now. Many people reach 100+ these days, unheard of even a couple of decades ago. I think it’s important to fill one’s life with meaningful activities. That’s really all we can do to make the most of it, isn’t it? ☺️
Another thing on lamy 2000 broads - they tend to be stub-like instead of a traditional round tipping material
I just found a vintage Parker Duofold Streamline in an old family cedar chest. I'm going to order some parts and try to freshen it up myself, and see how it compares to a nice modern Lamy.
16:18 User error. I'm pretty sure that comes from not twisting it tight enough when closing it (in other words, "limp-wristing"), which is your personal fault. I've experienced it being loose myself, but I'm pretty sure it was either the result of when I didn't twist it tightly enough, or when I rotated it/moved it around a bit in my pocket, which, again, is user error.
In order for it not to come lose you have to really tighten it. Much tighter than any pen I have and for this type of material it's not something you want to do regularly. I hear this happen to many users of the Pelikan pens. Most likely cause is the particular thread profile they use.
Nice video DB. Absence of a Sailor Pen was surprising. And it’s Flexible Nib Factory as mentioned correctly by you the first time
Don't have any Sailors at the moment, look forward when I do 😊
Love love this review. Really got me thinking about the used option for higher end pens. It also cemented where to go from here. It would seem I need a work horse so the Lamy 2000 in a extra fine is where I’m going
Make sure to research sweet spot in Lamy 2000. It may be eventually irrelevant to you but it’s worth knowing about it.
@@mishaerementchouk Yes I’ve heard about this. I actually tried wanted a pet shop and couldn’t really find a problem but then this particular pen was used as a demonstration pen a lot. Guess I’ll find out.
I meant pen shop. Blast you predictive text lol
Yup, it you can try before you buy its always recommended. I don't find the "sweet spot" changes after being used over time. I haven't had any issue with the, but depending upon how you grip and hold your pen with respect to the page, it can be a big issue for some. If it was good for you when you tried it in store, shouldn't have any issues.
@@Doodlebud I’m not surprised. Your hold of a pen looks very relaxed and functional. (Just like I was taught by my schoolteacher and my calligraphy teacher). If one has the habit of forming the letters by a lot of finger movement ”sweet spots” can be a problem.
Great video.
I too agree that the Lamy 2000 is an incredibly good pen for the money.
My only gripe with it is that they still have the horrible brass leaves in the cap which make the top grate a little when capping it. This pen has been on the market since, what, the mid eighties? We have plastics like nylon now and nylon leaves instead of the brass ones would be both cheaper and and make that cap closure action superb.
What I also find incredible about the L.2000 is that it was around back in the day of the Parker Centennial. It was so ahead of its time!
Thanks - great review as always and nice to see a Gravitas there too.
Cheers
You're not alone with your 823 problem. I had a Pilot Vanishing Point with a nib that was so scratchy and grabby that I sent it back for a replacement. The replacement was the same. It was a dissapointment, too, because I had been hoping the VP would salvage the Pilot name for me since the Metros and Penmanship that I had owned also supplied a sub-par experience. Based on my experience, if I ever purchase a PIlot pen in the future, I would never buy a Pilot with a grind narrower than .
My vintage Pilot Elite with a 18K gold nib is amazing. All my other pilot nibs have been great, but just this one is a bit off at least for me. Hope you have better luck moving forward. But it can be a personal preference thing. Some nibs I love the feel of but others hate it. Good thing there are so many to try out.
I have my new Leonardo Mosaico Hawaii and its just perfect, both in appearance and function. So for my Parker Sonnet Fougere.
No love for the platinum 3776? :) I have two right now, both are my favorite expensive pens. My favorite thing is that they never dry up. I use them for artwork, and sometimes they can go months between use. No hard starting, ever.
Don't have a 3776 yet. I've tried them but they have just never really done it for me. I know many really like them and glad to hear you're loving yours. Plenty of other great pens out there but can only give info about ones I have
Much appreciated! Voted for this
You spoke about the special 'resin' of the Visconti Homo Sapiens -- but isn't that model the one of which the body is made of lava?
Yes, the resin has lava in it
Love the pens and admit I’m a bit envious. FYI, I’ve never had a problem with the cap on my Pelikan M400 loosening. Maybe I’m just lucky?
I have that exact same Pilot Elite! Got it for 40usd because the clipnis loose and the hood of the nib was damaged... But the pen itself is still a bouncy and very smooth writer!!
I got a second hand Mont Blanc 149 and I LOVE IT.
Nice!
To be fair, the feed on the FA nib wasn’t really made for long strokes required in western writing so we can’t fault it for that. But yes, changing the feed on it is a must if you write in a western language and especially in cursive.
Well I don't think we know that is 100% true. We hear that topic being debated from both sides but there is no definitive answer. I do have an upcoming video however that intends to gain further insight into that question.
“What is the perfect pen? Maybe it’s the next one.”
Spoken like a true addict 😅
Its always maybe the next one!
Can you do a tutorial on what you did on the MB149? I am having similar problems you had, scratchiness, ink flow, hard starts
I have a whole playlist of nib adjusting, tuning, and grinding on my channel. I would exercise EXTREME caution if you're planning on adjusting your MB149 if you haven't done this before on MANY nibs! For a pen like that, a nibmeister would be your safest bet.
ua-cam.com/play/PL6RAe6vPmtDin2cIizbra73IJCrZHLXs6.html
I sure like the looks of those Pelikan Souverans. Wish list pen
Visconti nibs were traditionally awfully - think they've now improved greatly due to customer outrage.
I have been wanting a Pelikan 800 ground to a Japanese XF.
Great video. Did you choose the two tone M800 nib over the monotone M805 one for performance or cosmetic reasons?
Just for cosmetics. I asked Cult pens if they could. Was an extra charge but I like it
Would love to try and get my hands on some vintage pens (Schaefer, Pilot, Pelikan or some of the newer more expensive ones (Visconti, Montblanc). Do you have any websites or other resources to help to locate these finds? Also is there a nib meister that you recommend or can you recommend one in the US if I happen to find a great deal on an expensive pen deal from your recommendations? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
I sent my Homo Sapiens off to Marc Bacas (Nib Grinder he goes by), and he does fantastic work! For vintage or used pens there are many places to check. The Fountain Pen Network on Facebook has a group and there are pens for sale on there too. Lookup Virtual Pen Show on Instagram, I've bought from there and its been great. I've done ebay as well, but as usual it takes some investigating to make sure its a reputable seller. There are also online shops that seller vintage restored pens: www.fountainpenhospital.com/ and andersonpens.com/ come to mind and both have vintage pen sections on their website. There are too many places to list in the comment section but those are a few off the top of my head.
DoodleMeister! I fell in love with the Silver Pilot Elite you have, from that first vid you did on it and then, fortune smiled on me and i had an ALL chased Silver version of it fall into my pen greedy hands. Whaaat a beautiful, smooth, extra fine nib. Incredible for drawing! It rivals a super smooth, flexy old Pilot Super 80 I have. So killer. Vintage pens absolutely rule the school. Thanks for the tip on that Elite model!! Love your content, daddy-oh!
Hey that's great to hear! I'm excited every time I use that pen & glad you're enjoying yours just as much! 😁
@@Doodlebud Cheers! And i really love all your nib grinding tutorials. i use all my fps for drawing and i really use a lot of fine detail, so i hunt for the finest nibs out there. I m not aftraid to smooth or lightly shape nibs, but without your guidance, i'd never try for the " needlepoint" of my dreams. just recently ordered a couple double broad #6 nibs to do the deed. i'll have your channel on hand the whole time, NibJedi. 😎
Hey that's great to hear you giving it a try and having fun! Glad my vids are helping you with that
My favourite pen in my luxury pen journey has to be the Aurora Optima
I have a Pelikan M205 that does the same as your M805. I have 4 M205s and I recently got a M405. Out of them all only one of them does that weird thing with the cap where its a bit loose. Glad to know it isn't just me 😅
I also bought my Montblanc 149 on ebay for 300 euros. Pen is almost like new, just paper box s bit banged up and pen cap has a small crack on it but it has no influence how pen writes. It has Broad nib.
If you are looking at the new production Parker 51s, do yourself a favour and run in the opposite direction as fast as you can. I have one and it's broken twice in a little over a year (the hood cracked twice). A decent vintage 51 can be had at a comparable price but better in every single way.
I've pushed my budget to try gold nibs. The Sailor 1911S is a very small pen but the nib is a delight and I use it every day. Sadly, my Lamy 2000 has a nib that has baffled me ... a sweet spot that's hard to find and nothing like the I expected.
All part of the experience but more money doesn't guarantee better.
The elusive sweet spot on the L2K. I've never had an issue, but depending upon grip & writing angle its a deal breaker. A friend of mine absolutely loves everything about the pen, but just cannot write with it at all LOL. Good to hear your sailor is working well for you
@@Doodlebud Lamy us infamous for this. So it is great, if it works with you grip, and pretty useless if it doesn't. I am sure custom grind could fix that, as the nibmeister could make the sweet spot larger and/or move it to where it works with your grip.
Nice presentation. The most expensive pen I own is a Montblanc Starwalker Urban ballpoint. Bought it years ago. I never use it. I just love fountain pens more. However, I own alot of entry and midpoint fountain pens, among them is the Pilot Prera, and Kaweco Student in black. Thanks again for all you do in our little hobby.
I've noticed that alot of pen reviewers are now keeping the original stickers on their owns. Your Pilot had its' silver sticker left on it. Is that something you reviewers just do now?
I kept it on for that particular pen. Not 100% sure if I will keep it long term. I just like my vintage pens more when it comes to flex
I've heard of a handful of people that had problems with their homosapiens out of the box. Definitely no longer on my wish list. If I'm spending even half of what they want for one of those things. It better come absolutely perfect. Not flawless, perfect.
Very informative video although I find for many of the pens you demonstrated that it really depends on your use case for a pen and your writing style. I wouldn't care about the cursives and the italics of this world, but give me a Western medium (or thereabouts) and I am a happy camper. To that extend, my Pilot CH92 Broad (yes, broad), filled with Iroshizuku is almost the definition (jn my eyes) of what a pen should do: no feedback and smooth as a hot knife in butter, the pen gueshes and glides over the paper, a wonderful experience. Still, a great video, love to see how a passionate writer can go around to chase that experience for themselves and the trials and tribulations that go with the high end territory.
I had the Lamy, but I destroyed the mechanism in a couple of months. So it is just sitting in the drawer, broken.
Wonder how much Lamy charges for a repair? Can't remember what the warranty period is on that pen
@@Doodlebud I would be interested in knowing that, too. I liked the pen when it worked so I wouldn't mind paying a little bit (~$100 or so) to get it fixed
I have a MB 149 bought by me, new, in 1977. The price was big then though not as big as now. It’s customary to put these pens down in these You Tubes. To me this is the perfect pen, hands down, and I’ve never been sorry.
And I don’t want a pen made of Mt Edna lava. Criminally cute.
Both my MB pens have been perfect. Write wonderfully, fit perfectly in the hand, & clean easily
Remember I commented on cracking caps, on your Zebra Fuente video? I ventured to buy some new Zebra Zensations, they are obviously made from tougher plastic than my old Fuente. Instead of 13 out of thirteen caps broken spontaneously, just one out of four. I refill these pens, and having different colours help keeping track of the different inks in them.
Good to hear they're working out better for you
@@Doodlebud And a brighter prospect than I feared, for the beginners inspired by your videos.
My M200 also presents a loose cap occasionally, must be a Pelikan thing. thanks for the video.
It's very odd
All 3 of my Pelikans - 400, 640, and 800 - are plagued by loose caps. I've found the 400 and 640 left in shirts and sport coats lying uncapped, sometimes spreading ink on fabric. Nonetheless, I still continue to carry and use them frequently, probably my overall favorite brand because of their superb writing, comfort, and relatively light weight.
An unsurprisingly cool lineup of upscale fountain pens. I own four of the ones you showed here.
My own expensive pens in my collection has for long been dominated by Aurora and Sailor. These two brands and their various superb high-end models comprise half of my present tally of pens (45/85 pens). Among my premium priced Pilot pens, my own firm favorites are the PC823, 845, Silvern, and Justus 95.
Your set confirms that I need to buy another pricey Pelikan or two. Bought the M205 recently - my very first Pelikan pen. The M400 and 600 are my next desired purchases.
The Lamy 2000 will forever remain a true classic and a pen dear to my heart. I have three of them in different nib sizes. The Dialog 3, along with the Lamy 2k and Aion are the only three Lamy pens I ever cared about and bought.
Vintage Sheaffer is something I quite adore. And the PFM is up there among my perennial favorites. I now have five of them (3 PFM Vs, a III and a IV). All at premium prices. - total worth it to me.
I inherited a MB 149 form my late father. And I bought a MB 146 Grande myself. Outstanding duo!
You would do well to maybe acquire an Aurora, Sailor and even a Montegrappa sometime. 🙂
I have a vintage Aurora 88, but definitely want to get more of their pens. The Sailor KOP is bigtime on my list... but that little converter on that giant pen! Grrrrrr 😒
@@Doodlebud ..Oh yes, I remember watching and commenting on that video of yours on the vintage Aurora 88. Among my Top 10 favorites pens ever.
And Sailor’s KoP is truly the King of them all. Its peerless large 21k nib alone justifies the prices to me. I have three of them.
Although I thoroughly enjoy the experience from modern workhorses such as the L2K, Pilot 823, Pelican, etc., there's something modest yet refined about restored vintage pens. So far, I have a restored Aurora 88 and a couple Parker 51s. They are such great writers, and I especially love, appreciate, and am awed by the special place in world history each represents.
@@taiko7225 ..Oh, I easily second that sentiment. I have many vintage pens - mainly Sheaffer, Waterman, Aurora and Esterbrook, all restored and bought at often premium (or at least higher than usual) prices. But these old pens exude a certain character, timeless charm and indeed uniquely pleasant writing experiences that I prize and savor greatly.
For the record, I much prefer the vintage Aurora 88 to the Parker 51, though both are obviously iconic and enduring classics.
@@sajjadhusain4146 Very well said, and I agree - the Aurora is the better writer over the 51s (at least the two I own), the nib is incredible. Yet, one of my 51's is a later CC model with a nib tuned by my fave nibmeister (not me), so also gets a fair amount of use.
can you do a tutorial on how to get your pen properly tune? trusted nib meisters to send to. What are the options in tuning. Even if you have a good pen already.
I have a whole playlist about nib tuning, adjusting, and even grinding. As far as nib meisters, there are many and all depends on where you are located. I sent one to Mark Bacas and he did an excellent job on my Visconti.
ua-cam.com/play/PL6RAe6vPmtDin2cIizbra73IJCrZHLXs6.html
I love all the choices except the 149. The vintage 149s are quality and good writers. However, the new 149s are the most returned FPs I'm aware of because of manufacturing defects, poor built quality, low-grade materials (plastic vs. materials like brass), and poor writing experiences.
Yeah I'm a bigger fan of the vintage MB pens.
I’m always in the hunt for deals on Vintage Omas pens. They write amazing. Pretty good run down on different pens to splurge on. You’re missing an Urushi pen though.
What’s the benefit of Urushi?
@@SCUUUUD handmade artistry from highly skilled hands.
@@cynthiaalvarado8610 thank you. I saw the sailor urushi. They looked like the other sailors. Is there a feel or weight difference?
I love everything about Urushi except............ the price! 💸💸💸💸
I think the Omas is celluloid which would explai the difference in price with the vintage Pelikan.
I've had more than an inkling that life has been pretty good to me (virtue of lotsa hard work) but when I realized I have most of these, I KNEW life has been good to me! A comment on a few of these:
Pelikan: yup, loose caps are my experience, too -- to the point that the cap was still clipped to my pocket and the pen was sitting crosswise in a now ruined shirt. A FP badge of honor I suppose.
MB and Homo Sapiens: I went the 146 route on the MB, also new old stock and in both of these I had to do some nib smoothing, tine tweaking -- rather an annoyance at their price point.
As to value, I came way too late to steel nibs as an option and wish I'd discovered them sooner! Faber-Castell, Franklin Christoph, Pelikan, Edison etc have all been great! Kaweco's, without exception, have all needed some nib tweaking.
Where did you get your Pilot 912 feed replaced? Thanks
Check the description in this video. Also shows you how to replace it
ua-cam.com/video/9fg7F3y6dqg/v-deo.html
I was wondering what some of the less expensive pens were? There was an all blue metallic looking one at the beginning and the all gold colour one at the end that look really cool and I’d love to know what they are. Thank you and great video!
I think you're referring to the Asvine V169 or the Gravitas Entry pen at the start. The "all gold" one is the also from Gravitas. Its their Sentry Pen in brass with the paisley laser etching on it. Gravitas has amazing performing pens, exceptional build quality, endless options, each nib is checked, and all for a great price! I have reviews on several of their pens on my channel
@@Doodlebud thank you!! I actually have three of the Asvine vac pens, I love them. But I will now be checking out the others you mentioned. Thanks again 😉
Thank you 👍
That is a nice collection of FP's. Your review was excellent. You are one among many people I have heard say that the Pelikan Souverain series pens look classy and sharp. I have always thought they look a bit cheap, both in materials and the striped design. However, I have a large collection of Souverains because they are first class writers. I have used and enjoyed them for decades.
The Monty "B" 149's remain among my favorites as well. I have one each in F, M, B and BB. I vary them depending on my mood or the writing task at hand. I have never had an issue with any 149 nib. (Knock on wood.) Again, I think MB's "precious resin" material looks a bit cheap. But the writing experience with the 149's is superb. I think it unfortunate the MB products are so status connected, because it downplays the quality of the pens.
I also completely agree with you that there are some very economical FP's on the market that give a first class writing experience and motivate FP novices to continue their exploration into FP's. As just one example, I currently have a Faber-Castel "Grip" Harmony with a B nib that I am trying. The pen writes surprisingly well, while also being reasonably ergonomic. I like it, and I will not hesitate to recommend it.
I find Faber Castell nibs out of the box are some of the best available. They havent let me down yet
Pilot Custom 823 medium nib is the one to get (writes like a western fine).
Just get the WS 699 with a fine nib. Works pretty much like it for 10% of the price. Shame 823 isn't available with interesting nibs in the West besides Fine and Medium.
What is the anodized blue pen you show in the beginning of the video?
That is the Gravitas Entry fountain pen
Love my Prera! such a great, cheap pen with a smooth nib
I have a pilot elite in fine that’s kind of bitey as you mentioned about your 823. How would you go about trying to smooth a fine pilot elite that bites the paper a little too much. I have micro mesh. What should I do?
I used my micromesh pads to smooth it. Didn't go below my 8K pad, went slow, soft pressure, & checked often . I feel comfortable doing it but I've done several. You can look up some vids of people doing it. But it is a very small & delicate 14k nib. Those fine Japanese nibs are so small definitely look under a very good loop (I use a USB microscope on nibs like that) before you do any smoothing. A small misaligned would be easy to miss with a fine nib point size like on this pen. If you haven't done nib smoothing before I would hold off. Get some cheap nibs to play around with if you're up for it. Or...... Send it off to get adjusted
@@Doodlebud thanks! I’m pretty sure the micro mesh I have is the basic 2000 you get from Goulet so I’d have to buy some better ones before I even could try that. I do have a USB microscope though, although it’s not the best, perhaps I’ll give that a shot and see if I can see a misalignment. You gotta find the exact right spot or it’s blurry or fuzzy. And it doesn’t have a stand so I have to hold it. Perhaps I will see if I can find a stand I can print with my 3D printer cause I’ve tried looking at nibs with it before and I really need both of my hands to steady the pen
I have a M600 and I see what you mean with the cap working itself loose. I think it is because the cap is not perfectly flush with the barrel and therefore it can wiggle a little bit. You can try simply closing your pen, keep the barrel horizontal and then try to wiggle the cap vertically. It has quite a lot of movement range and if you wiggle it a dozen time the cap is completely loose. I guess that depends on the wearing of the pen (mine has been a daily workhorse for 10 years). When you keep your pen in storage, it is enough that it bumps into other pens or just slides repeatedly against an obstacle (for example in a drawer) and the cap gets completely loose. I guess other pens have much snugger-fitting caps (the only other screw-on-close pen I have is a Twsbi Eco, you will be able to check this much better than me) that have less give or where there is a little springiness in the threads (like a spring washer).
I'm in the market for a new pen. I have set my eyes on Lamy 2000 ef, but I am open to options. I use a Romanian Poienari custom pen, and I would like to add another one. What's your favorite so far? Thank you for the informative video. I wrote this comment halfway through the video
Oh man there are so many good pens out there across all price ranges. All comes down to what type of features you like in a pen. Heavy or light, screw cap or slip cap, converter or piston, steel or gold nib, etc etc.
@Doodlebud to say the least, I would need a gold nib and piston filling. That's why I am considering Lamy 2000 ef. The problem is, in Romania i cannot test it first since in the shop they won't fill it with ink for testing, and I am basically taking a stab in the dark. I am using premium paper all the time so the ef nib might not feel scratchy
Flexibility of vintage Pelikan is vary. I have same pelikan and it's nib line width is 1/2 lesser than yours. 0.8 mm it's all it can do without damage the nib. So be aware when buying.
Oh you're from canada too!
where do you buy your pens? I love Vancouver pen shop :)
Yup, I'm a BC guy. I get my pens everywhere. In stores, pen meet ups, & online of course. I buy them new, used, modern and vintage. I take the buffet approach and like to try a bit of everything.
@@Doodlebud oh awesome you're in the same state! I'm from Vancouver...! Do you know any pen meetups here? I wanna buy my first 50$+ fountain pen for Christmas but I really wanna try some first as it's a big purchase for me :). I haven't ordered from outside of Canada before out of fear of duties and customs!
You can check out the Vancouver pen club. There are monthly meet ups. Check the site for details
@@Doodlebud hey I went to their meetup it was hella fun! didn't see you there tho :D I was hoping you'd let me try some of your fancy pens like the 2000 xD
Picked up a 1976 Elite just like yours and love it! My new favourite. A good cleaning and it works like new. About ＄60 here in Japan. Thanks for the great recommendation! It has a medium nib that writes like a fine one-perfect for me. And the posted length is longer than some of my regular pens for great handling. Impressed!
Do you find a difference with Pelikan XF using dry inks (like Pelikan 4001) over wet inks? Does it make it finer or is it only about the feel in writing? I want one someday, just can't decide F or XF.
No different than any other pen. If I use a dry/wet ink in other pens I'll see a bit of a difference & this one is the same way. My EF M805 I would say is close to a Bock Fine (maybe a hair wider). But this gives me a vid idea: nib width comparisons
@@Doodlebud Absolutely needed by me. I get caught when a medium of one pen is closer to a broad on some other pens. Or when the fine is more like an extra fine. Or when Japanese pens start matching up to Euro pens when you hit the medium/broad/coarse.
@@Doodlebud Thank you, very interesting. You seem to seek the same kind of F as I do, or something that doesn't require writing huge letters to avoid undecipherable blots of ink. We could use a video on "M that act as F" and vice versa.
You need to try sailor ! They have a MB 149 size / shape pen that performs amazingly and is 1/3 the price.
Yeah I've eyed the KOP for some time but the small converter turns me off. I do have a Cross Peerless which is equipped with an Sailor 18K nib. Not the same but in the ballpark sorta LOL. Here's the vid of the pen:
ua-cam.com/video/myaOj8XnrJ8/v-deo.html
I understand why many pen enthusiasts like Sailor. Their high end nibs are adjusted for most common strokes in Japanese handwriting so to the westerners they feel different than any other nib. And there’s a limit to how many JoWo or Bock nib one can enjoy.
But if you have a look at the level of finishing it is nowhere near Montblanc. Have a look at the cap band under the micro lens. Montblanc is on another level compared to Sailor IMO.
What is the green pen at 2:08? You said they are good options but didn’t say the names. Thanks
Gravitas Entry
I thought it was blue! 😆❤️
You're not trying to compare an L2K with an M800, Visconti HSBA or MB146, are you?
Hard to swallow Pilot 823 for $300, when Lamy 2000 can be had for under $200. That is why I own Lamy 2000 with OBB nib, but have WS 699 for the 823 experience, which is 98% of the way there for 10% of the price.
The L2K and Pilot 823 are very different pens so just comparing price isn't a really good comparison. But yeah, the 823 is more expensive for sure. The 699 is a pretty solid performer for the price point. I did a breakdown of the 823 VS 699 to show all the little details and cost savings between the two. ua-cam.com/video/psX10uaBwfk/v-deo.html
@@Doodlebud Really the only thing you gain going from the 699 to the 823 is the gold nib, which of course is part of the price difference. Unfortunately Pilot only ships fine and medium into the US, which really makes it hard to spend the money. If the 823 was offered with some interesting Pilot nibs, then it would be a much better deal. Music, or FA nib could use the extra ink supply. Sadly they work through importer/distributor and retailer, which limits the ability to order such stuff, as there are two middle men in a way, which also makes the 823 so much more in US then it us in Japan. I was comparing to the Lamy 2000 mostly because you can get it in US for similar price to the German price, while the 823 is much more than the home market price. The Lamy 2000 can be had with the full range of Lamy nibs for it, and even with some rare occasional releases, which isn't the case for the 823. The clones, like Jinhao 80 approach the look of the Lamy, but not the functionality, while the 699 is a near perfect replacement at the fine and medium nib grind. Give me a bouncy, or flexy Pilot nib, or one of the music, or broad/coarse varieties, and then perhaps the premium for the real thing might be worth it. The 823 has for me the perfect shape, with no step, or sharp threads, and large vacuum filled ink reservoir. If it was available in a more sturdy material besides the injection molded version it would be perfect. Whether that would be machined resin, or the near indestructible injection molded formula that Dante uses for the Pineider indestructible pens.
I noticed you are in Canada - who's your nibmeister? Are the costs and turnaround times reasonable?
I'my own Nibmiester for most of my work, but if it's something beyond what I can do (like on the Visconti), I send to Mark Bacas in the US. Definitely have to wait as he has plenty of demand but it's really worth it
@@Doodlebud Thanks.
Ahoy! What ink was in the MB149? Handsome shade.
I can't remember which ink I had in it at the time I did the video
@@Doodlebud of course, entirely fair! :-) thanks for responding.