I bought a humble Pelikan m205 steel nib years ago and still love it. I once tried a friend's m1000 fine 18ct and went weak at the knees. Pelikan has all my respect.
MB is not terrible as a fountain pen. They used to be good long ago. Service is bad too. Without saying anything, they removed my ebonite feed from my MB 149 18k. I sent my pen for a repare of the filling system and when it came back, the ebonite feed was GONE en replaced by an ordinary Plastic feed. Incredible but true. Their answer was: that's the normal procedure..You are ripped if you pay 1000 Euro/dollar for a pen that is mass Production. I feel as I am stolen...I don't find any other words. That split ebonite feed is an engineering marvel and they took it away, certainly to keep it for themselves....Very bad service from Montblanc.
For me even grail pens must be solid everyday writers - the ones I turn to most frequently are my Pelikan M800 , Pilot Custom 823 and Visconti HS Bronze Age. My dream pen would probably be a Pilot Custom Urushi .
I have the Pilot Custom Urushi 845 (slightly smaller that the one named simply Custom Urushi). Mine is vermilion in color. I absolutely love it. It is still really big to carry. Won’t fit in most dress shirt pocket, so it doesn’t travel with me as much. They are absolutely beautiful pens.
I have both custom urushi and custom 845 red. After using them for 2 years, I would say that the Custom 845 is better. Custom Urushi is unnecessarily large and has poor weight balance. The best current oversized fountain pen is the Montblanc 149.
I have some of the pen mentioned. Pens I used in rotation are custom 823 (m), 743 (fa), FPR Jaipur v2 (flex), 1960 Pelikan 400nn (f) and Laban 325 (f). But so far my grail pen is the Pineider Avatar UR Deluxe, gorgeous 14k quill nib, bouncy but not a flex nib, enjoyable to write with.
I lost my MB somewhere along the line, but I didn't like to write with it, that I remember. The nib was so hard (gold). I don't even remember the model, but it was slender and black, and it came with a rollerball. I guess it was valuable, but I can't remember when and how I lost the set 30 years ago
@@Bignosekane391 The Olympio in precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium), or from the newer editions the Line D Eternity. Absolutely fabulous pens!
I really love Leonardo Momento Zero Grande but the last one i purchased the manufacturer did not apply silicone grease to the piston seal and shaft. Very neglectful. 😢😢
My Conid Bulkfiller is always in my edc bag with my Montblanc flex calligraphy. Both of my Visconti Homo Sapien's had to go to a nibmeister for adjustments.
Off the top of my head I'd have to put my ST Dupont Olympio/Orpheo pens up there. But I have a lot of pens I also love from Sailor, Pilot and Platinum. Noteworthy are my Pilot Murex and Sailor Precious Wood pens. My grail would be to have a custom made Nakaya pen.
I would have to say the Namiki Emperor would be my grail pen. I do have the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande which is a fabulous pen. The Elastic nib is phenomenal.
Pelikan, Yard-o-led, Graf Von Faber Castell, Nakaya, Namiki, Sailor, Platinum, Pilot - their high end lined ave excellent craftsmanship & they are excellent writers that are far better than MB. Lamy also produces far better writers than many MBs but are not ridiculously overpriced like MB. Lamy's are my everyday writers. Cartier, & ST Dupont also make finely crafted pens with far better craftsmanship than MB but are far costlier. They write fairly well too.
@@alejandroarrieta2564 I'll choose MB. Personally I like LAMY better than MB, but MB has better design stability. LAMY's 14K gold nib is too soft to support the weight of the pen. If it were a little harder it would be the best brand.
I bought a GVFC Tamitio second hand at a steep discount, and it’s such a wonderful writing experience that I don’t even feel the need to buy a gold nib from them. I am hoping to one day have a Pelikan, as I have a particular fondness for German made pens.
So, I know this video is about the fountain pens, but what is that ink at 1:40 and 3:00? I've been looking for a beautiful blue like that for a while now.
I'm a little conflicted. There are pens I know I want, and would use regularly, and then there are "dream pens": WANT: Sheaffer's PFM, vintage Aurora 88 DREAM: Hakase, Santini Italia, ye olde Conklin Crescent Filler with a gold filigree.
Surprised to see the Parker Duofold on your list. Very few Parkers are worthy of note except the Duofold and the rarely seen or mentioned Ellipse, both of which I just adore.
I will add ST Dupont, Diplomat. I have many brands including Montblanc, Sailor, Pilot, Caran d'Ache, Graf von Faber Castell, Lamy, Montegrappa, Visconti Platinum but I love my Pelikans.
I would definitely recommend the Parker Duofold with a stub nib. Flawless, except that the nib has minimal (almost non-existent) flex. But since it's stubbed, you don't need flex at all. Another grail pen is the Sheaffer Balance from the late 90s, itself a "throwback" to their earlier pens of the 30s and 40s, which you can improve --- if you have the courage --- by grinding it to a stub on 3000 grit paper. Also flawless, if you like italic cursive.
I like pens who looks different to bring in variety in the collection. Lamy dialog (capless) or Twisby. Also no name brands can deliver high quality. I just backed the Kickstarter campaign from Namisu. I‘m with a Namisu N1, strong related to the N2. Both pocket pens who grow to a normal size. The newest launch is also a pocket pen.
Do you know how i could repair an oblique mentmore nib tine crack repaired? The crack starts at the feed hole or whathaveyou and goes about halfway or a third out and stops and i cant press down on the nib though its my favourite writing tool.
Sir, your videos are really awesome and mind-blowing.. What do you say of Pilot 743 pen ? I think Pilot Custom 743 and Pilot 823 are all same. Difference lies in only ink filling system, rest everything are same .. Please explore Pilot Custom 743 medium point nib.. Warm regards, Vivek Kumar ( Dehri On Sone, Bihar , India)
Montblanc is one of my lovemark, but I can't afford for one right now,...I have in my collection: 1 Parker IM achromatic, 1 MonteVerde, 2 Ferris Wheel Carousel model, 3 Lamy (2 Safary and one Al Star), 4 Jinhao and a very beautiful Hongdian 231 Chinese Classical Fountain Pen
A couple years back I was comparing my 146, 1911L and 1776 all in black with gold accents and found that the red glow that MB enthusiasts claim to be a property of the "precious resin" is also present in my Sailor and Platinum, so, my hypothesis is that the so called "precious resin" is nothing more than PMMA plastic, remark on HYPOTHESIS, I'm not claiming it is with all certainty. The nib, on the other hand, is gorgeous, almost perfect. Unfortunately for it, my preference leans toward finer nibs, so I prefer Japanese nibs all the way. I find value in my 146? Yes I do, but I'd never ever pay full price for it, I got this one NOS for almost half retail price, so I'm happy with it. But what you say is totally true, for me Santini, Aurora, Visconti, Montegrappa, Caran d'Ache, ST Dupont and almost anything from the Japanese big 3 are way more desirable than MB.
Funny, I have been in the “hunt” for almost 40 years…. What I have found is that ALL of the better brands manufacture decent products…. Sometimes QC is suspect, but, once tuned, EVERY single one has been both durable and consistent. What you find is that some are easier to use and “fit” your hand better - at a certain point, I decided to sell many of the pens I didn’t use…. A black Sailer KOP, Omas Paragon with the 14k flex nib, Watermen, DuPont Orpheo, etc…. Better they find use in another’s rotations than sit in the dark in a pen box till some undefinable point in the future where my estate is liquidated….
A good, but not comprehensive, list of high end pens. I favor the pen lines that have in house made nibs but, of course, most nibs can be tuned. That said, I love my 1990's Aurora 88 with its long sabre nib and my Sailor Realo with its Cross Nib. If whole pens are considered, my list wouldn't differ much from A Writing Guy's. I would like to see a video that classified pens according to style parameters; minimalist, rococo, formal, business, applied art and so forth. Perhaps a video that simply gave good examples might be more popular. Enjoyed this.
The Aurora 88 Big with the now-discontinued long-tined F nib with scroll work is THE pen-and-nib for me - not to be confused with the modern flex F nib on some Auroras, easily recognizable because is it rhodium plated and has no scroll work. That was a grail pen, which is now my favourite pen. Next grail pen? Aurora 88 Big matte black with rose gold trim and an F long-tined nib. The one after that? The Santini with a solid white gold nib, because if the palladium/rhodium coat wears off, it won't make as big of a difference aesthetically as it would on a solid yellow gold nib (looking at you, original Omas Ogiva...)
Aurora seem to have hit the sweet spot for almost everything with the 88. It could be nominated as a most underappreciated pen. I covet your Santini. I have a couple of the pens A Writing Guy proffered as grail pens and the more I consider the question the more pens I must put on the list. Bravo!@@basta.dotto_
Caran d‘Ache (especially the Léman line) is sadly not included in your list… This Swiss brand deserves due mention, not least because of its timeless designs and engineering prowess…
Montblanc would be the representative fountain pen company in western side, and Pilot in oriental side. Pelikan has the QC issue in nibs, Aurora in barrels, and fabercastell does not have the in-house nibs.
I bought two GvFC with the new Magnum nib (there are two models), the first with walnut and the second with ebony wood. Those nibs are STELLAR, they are the best I've ever used. While I concur with your general assessment of the 146 and 149, I possess a couple of both pens, they still make much better nibs than Visconti and many other brands. Their special editions are fantastic pens, for example, the Victoria Patron of Art Edition 4810 I would add Danitrio, Namiki, Nakaya, Maybach, Otto Hutt, Waldmann, and other brands, and while I wouldn't say I like their designs, there are two significant brands: Caran d'Ache -from Switzerland - and ST Dupont - from France-. I do not really know if bashing at some memorable brand like Montblanc is a really good strategy for any channel in this small community.
I recently got a grail Pelikan M900 Toledo, and am awaiting the arrival of a vermilion Namiki Yukari Royale. I have a Montblanc 149, but I believe they are over-rated, and to me the Faber Castell designs are aesthetically bombs; I decline to own one. I have many other brands as well, most of which write satisfactorily, but a couple of which had to be sent to nibmeisters to achieve that status.
Excellent review. I don't know why I always get bad writers from Leonardo...I love their materials but all failed me. Pilot and Pelikan had always worked for me if only Pilot's most beautiful materials weren't astronomically expensive. Sailor is another brand whose cheaper ones materials aren't good quality any more in my experience though the 21k nibs are great. I recently bought kilk and well, less bad than Leonardos. I was surprised by the perfect writer of a Gioia Penelope. That Pilot Emperor blue you showed is absolutely gorgous. I appreciate your honest reviews same as waski squirrel and ode youtubers. Not to plant a bad seed, just my opinion, but to me is disappointing when a youtuber reviews with all stars plus pens just to get brands to sponsor them. Hey nothing bad but honesty is a value that gets lost in this greedy world. Looking forward more of your videos. Thank you for your time🎉
I believe now that Montblanc is no longer a luxurious brand but a brand that just scams its customers with outrageous prices (and can't even give nice packaging on special editions anymore) ST Dupont is the new Montblanc, by which I mean high end and expensive but also high luxury.
“Believe” is the operative word here. Based on my experience, MB still make a great nib. I would still say that Pelikan and Pilot represent better value for money.
@jamesfahey7188 still make a great nib? I wouldn't say still, but now. It's the only positive Richemont brought to the brand, better nib quality control so the pens actually write without adjustment consistently.
I tend to favor the much older pens which commonly had flex nibs. They are more expressive than most modern pens. They were also made back when pens were engineered to last a century. I literally have some pens which are over 100 years old. Some of the old Watermans, Eversharps, Crescents, Parkers, will still be in use when your grandchildren have grey hair. They were designed to be rebuilt and put back into service. Most were fabricated with fairly typical shop equipment; the feeds and other parts can be created today with a modest amount of shop equipment. No custom injection molded parts. It doesn't hurt that the default nibs back then were 14k to 18k gold.
I also have a couple of vintage pens and love them for drawing but writing with a flex nib on a daily basis is very inconvenient, so I'm grateful for modern pens as well.
@@Rustyshackelford177 Parker has been posing as a British brand for a long time and although unfortunately they no longer manufacture in Britain, their headquarters are still located there. I would say they're a British brand. They're not French more than an American company manufacturing in China is Chinese.
In terms of assistance and repairing the philosophy of Montblanc is this: I put a fool price to repair the product so the customer buy a new one because the price of réparation is near the price of a new one! 😂 So I throw in the garbage my 850,00€ bag and also my 850,00€ ball pen limited edition! They ask me 450,00€ 😅 to repair it. A plastic that cracks ,at the first fall on the floor!!!😮😮😊 Montblanc is a genius! Their policy is the best on all the planet . Things must not be repaired at fair prices otherwise we lose selling it's their motto 🎉😊😮 So its, like buying a pen Bic. Until works it's good. When cracks you must throw in the garbage 😂 ❤❤ I love Montblanc 😍
I agree that Montblanc is by no means a in a class if its own. It's overpriced, but fundamentally it's no different from other well made black plastic pens like a Pelikan Souverain 800 or the corresponding Sailor and Pilot. They're not that different in price either. The majority of the alternatives you mention, are in my collection and they're fine pens. For writing Sailor is in a class of its own, due to the marvelous Naginata nibs by father and son Nagahara. (Both retired...)
My Vintage Parker '51 is one of my "go-to" pens. I have a number of Parker pens from before 200s but I refuse to buy any new ones. Same with Schaeffer pens.
I think you nailed it from a brand perspective. Out of all those you have listed, I prefer the Pilots. From top to bottom, they seem to outperform the others at every price point. For innovative design, I have to give it to Visconti. Isn’t funny that in the pen community, we really don’t talk as much about Montblanc? They are good, but there is so much else out there that outperform, and is far more exciting from a design perspective; and most of them are less expensive. I can get a Custom Urushi Pilot 845, for roughly the same price as the “precious resin” MB 149. Which would you choose?
@@nicolasmikah4168 really?? I have both, so no bias. I DO love the fact that it is instantly recognizable, however none of these big pens get much pocket time anyway, because they are so big. But that Urushi finish on the Pilot is something to behold.
I am sorry you have disappointment in Montegrappa. I have quite a few and they are impressive. I bought a new Otto a few weeks back and it has a BB nib that is spectacular. Currently, the company has changed their pens. Those I , too, am disappointed.
I consider a modern 149 to be a very middle of the road MB and not really a grail pen for many serious pen people. A fair comparison would have been a vintage 149 with a flex nib or a special writer's edition MB. Personally, between the MB, Delta, and Visconti its a push. Some Namiki pens would definitely satisfy the title of this video, but across the board, namiki is not better. I've received two Namiki Nippon art pens as gifts, and they are no where near the quality of a 149. On the other end, my namiki emperor is my personal grail pen. Also, I don't understand how Dupont was left off of this list.
Yes the old ones were great the new ones are just horrible and I had to return mine back, they are cheap, light, and writing is worse than a lamy safari of 20 pounds
Many of the Parker pens come from China, despite what they write and they are just assembled in France. Only special editions and higher price models are made in France according to my info.
All of these pens are as expensive as Montblanc Meisterstück pens. I don't understand why people love to hate Montblanc basically because it's expensive ... if the Homo Sapiens, the Urushi, the Aurora Optima, etc. went for $300 I would definitely consider the price as a comparative advantage. But it's not the case. I'm happy to write with Pelikan Souverän 400, 600 pens and Montblanc 146, Parker Sonnet, Waterman Expert, etc. I would definitely buy the Aurora Optimaor a Brown Renaissance Souverän 800, if I could afford them right now ... but the point is: be happy with the pens you enjoy writing with, and don't focus on Montblanc. Meisterstücks are beautiful pens if you like a classic (conservative) look, their nibs are exceptional if you like smooth nibs (I do, but truth is I prefer Pelikans nibs). Just write for the joy of it. Peace upon you.
I don't think any of these compete with my older Omas pens. But I also like my Namiki and Sailors and Pelikans. I don't have too many Montblancs because I don't like paying for the marketing of an injection molded plastic pen... but their vintage pens in my collection are very nice. And NONE of these compare in beauty and styling to my Waterman Edson (also vintage-ish).
Those would be the value pen segment. Some are very solid pens (especially for their price) but it's like comparing a Honda Civic to a BMW: totally different pricing tiers.
I bought a humble Pelikan m205 steel nib years ago and still love it. I once tried a friend's m1000 fine 18ct and went weak at the knees. Pelikan has all my respect.
MB is not terrible as a fountain pen. They used to be good long ago. Service is bad too. Without saying anything, they removed my ebonite feed from my MB 149 18k. I sent my pen for a repare of the filling system and when it came back, the ebonite feed was GONE en replaced by an ordinary Plastic feed. Incredible but true. Their answer was: that's the normal procedure..You are ripped if you pay 1000 Euro/dollar for a pen that is mass Production. I feel as I am stolen...I don't find any other words. That split ebonite feed is an engineering marvel and they took it away, certainly to keep it for themselves....Very bad service from Montblanc.
Thats crazy! I would be fuming!!!!
That’s awful. MB ebonite feed is legendary. It’s like replace a brass piston filler for a plastic one.
Exactly, i sent mine back as well, it felt cheap and horrible and the writing was worse than a 20 pounds Lamy safari
Love the Pilot Custom Urushi so much
Good solid script handwriting. Certainly a bit more uniform and at times better decorated than mine. Impressed.
For me even grail pens must be solid everyday writers - the ones I turn to most frequently are my Pelikan M800 , Pilot Custom 823 and Visconti HS Bronze Age. My dream pen would probably be a Pilot Custom Urushi .
Completely agree. 823 and 800 are perfect writing pens
I have the Pilot Custom Urushi 845 (slightly smaller that the one named simply Custom Urushi). Mine is vermilion in color. I absolutely love it. It is still really big to carry. Won’t fit in most dress shirt pocket, so it doesn’t travel with me as much. They are absolutely beautiful pens.
I have both custom urushi and custom 845 red. After using them for 2 years, I would say that the Custom 845 is better. Custom Urushi is unnecessarily large and has poor weight balance. The best current oversized fountain pen is the Montblanc 149.
Hello,sir, thank you such a lovely video.
May I ask what ink you were using when you were showing the Pelikan m800?
Genuinely beautiful colour.
Just curious what about Otto hutt and Caran D’ ache? I was under the impression they make top pens. Excellent list by the way
ST Dupont would be on my list, and Platinum Izumo Urushi.
What’s the nib size of the Visconti?
You have beautiful hands and beautiful handwriting. I have a Montblanc fountain pen. I am underwhelmed with it.
Thank you for the comparison Since I learnt by myself how to tune perfectly a nib, I only buy cheap pen and make them write perfectly
Your selection is quite complete ! Thanks 🙏
Thank you for the great video, may I,please ask what ink are you using at 07:10? Thank you
Well done. I was hoping that ST Dupont would be on your list. A dark horse, I know, but they deserve more love.
ST Dupont have great pens.
The Extra is my current Grail on pair with the Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize
I have some of the pen mentioned. Pens I used in rotation are custom 823 (m), 743 (fa), FPR Jaipur v2 (flex), 1960 Pelikan 400nn (f) and Laban 325 (f). But so far my grail pen is the Pineider Avatar UR Deluxe, gorgeous 14k quill nib, bouncy but not a flex nib, enjoyable to write with.
What was the Color of blue you used to demo the pelican brand?
It is a beautiful blue ink. I'd love to buy a bottle or two. ❤
Thank you for the quality of your videos. It reflects the quality of the pens - you hope - you describe.
Until I'll find a smoother nib, Pelikan is my choice.
I lost my MB somewhere along the line, but I didn't like to write with it, that I remember. The nib was so hard (gold). I don't even remember the model, but it was slender and black, and it came with a rollerball. I guess it was valuable, but I can't remember when and how I lost the set 30 years ago
In my experience, ST Dupont wins hands-down in all categories. Nothing even comes close.
Which Dupont fountain pen would you recommend the most, excluding limited editions?
@@Bignosekane391 The Olympio in precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium), or from the newer editions the Line D Eternity. Absolutely fabulous pens!
I have a fondness for Caran d’Ache Ecridor that developed slowly over the years.
The cost is too high for a steel nib
I really love Leonardo Momento Zero Grande but the last one i purchased the manufacturer did not apply silicone grease to the piston seal and shaft. Very neglectful. 😢😢
Cam anyone tell me the exact model and year of that duofold? I love that cap!
My Conid Bulkfiller is always in my edc bag with my Montblanc flex calligraphy. Both of my Visconti Homo Sapien's had to go to a nibmeister for adjustments.
If I had a dollar for every time I heard of a Visconti needing nib work, I could buy a Namiki Emperor
Off the top of my head I'd have to put my ST Dupont Olympio/Orpheo pens up there. But I have a lot of pens I also love from Sailor, Pilot and Platinum. Noteworthy are my Pilot Murex and Sailor Precious Wood pens. My grail would be to have a custom made Nakaya pen.
What is the nib point size on the Visconti you used at the end please?
The Pilot Custom 845, for about $550 (eBay), is hands down the best pen of my collection. It writes better than both my 146 and 149
I would have to say the Namiki Emperor would be my grail pen.
I do have the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande which is a fabulous pen. The Elastic nib is phenomenal.
Just got mine the other day in vermillion with a medium nib. A VERY nice pen!
Sailor KoP with King Eagle nib. I have also recently bought a number of Parker Sonnet pens, they're well made, cost nothing and write really well.
What’s the ink in the Pelikan with om nib?
I love my Parker pens! I have a Silver Mistral Sonnet and it’s lovely!
Pelikan, Yard-o-led, Graf Von Faber Castell, Nakaya, Namiki, Sailor, Platinum, Pilot - their high end lined ave excellent craftsmanship & they are excellent writers that are far better than MB.
Lamy also produces far better writers than many MBs but are not ridiculously overpriced like MB. Lamy's are my everyday writers.
Cartier, & ST Dupont also make finely crafted pens with far better craftsmanship than MB but are far costlier. They write fairly well too.
If you choose one pen for their use/quality (and don't need more) not for luxury, what pen do you choose without regrets?? (Sorry for my English)
@@alejandroarrieta2564 I'll choose MB. Personally I like LAMY better than MB, but MB has better design stability. LAMY's 14K gold nib is too soft to support the weight of the pen. If it were a little harder it would be the best brand.
What nib size is that Graf von Faber Castell Sterling Silver from 1:50?
ST Dupont and Yard O'lead -- the beast pens.
I agree wholeheartedly on the ST Dupont! Nothing comes close.
I bought a GVFC Tamitio second hand at a steep discount, and it’s such a wonderful writing experience that I don’t even feel the need to buy a gold nib from them. I am hoping to one day have a Pelikan, as I have a particular fondness for German made pens.
My ranga pen is luxurious enough for me, it is beautiful, writes very smoothly, and not crazy expensive like those precious resin
So, I know this video is about the fountain pens, but what is that ink at 1:40 and 3:00? I've been looking for a beautiful blue like that for a while now.
ST Dupont tops them all! Flawless beauty in impeccable craftsmanship that will send you into writing bliss.
I'm a little conflicted. There are pens I know I want, and would use regularly, and then there are "dream pens":
WANT: Sheaffer's PFM, vintage Aurora 88
DREAM: Hakase, Santini Italia, ye olde Conklin Crescent Filler with a gold filigree.
Sailor KOP. A dream writer. Also a vintage Sheaffer Legacy I and II.
Surprised to see the Parker Duofold on your list. Very few Parkers are worthy of note except the Duofold and the rarely seen or mentioned Ellipse, both of which I just adore.
Aurora is my choice, I absolutely love mine
I will add ST Dupont, Diplomat. I have many brands including Montblanc, Sailor, Pilot, Caran d'Ache, Graf von Faber Castell, Lamy, Montegrappa, Visconti Platinum but I love my Pelikans.
The Caran D'Ache Leman and the Waterman Carene and the Waldmann Imagination - All with 18kt nibs!
I would definitely recommend the Parker Duofold with a stub nib. Flawless, except that the nib has minimal (almost non-existent) flex. But since it's stubbed, you don't need flex at all. Another grail pen is the Sheaffer Balance from the late 90s, itself a "throwback" to their earlier pens of the 30s and 40s, which you can improve --- if you have the courage --- by grinding it to a stub on 3000 grit paper. Also flawless, if you like italic cursive.
Thank you for this introduction to to pen brands.
What blue ink did you use in the writing samples in this excellent video?
I like pens who looks different to bring in variety in the collection. Lamy dialog (capless) or Twisby.
Also no name brands can deliver high quality. I just backed the Kickstarter campaign from Namisu. I‘m with a Namisu N1, strong related to the N2. Both pocket pens who grow to a normal size. The newest launch is also a pocket pen.
The 1985-1990 Waterman Le Man 100 Opera fountain pens are my favorites followed by the Pelikan 800's:
What is the model/type of the pen @2'44" - 3'00" pls?
Do you know how i could repair an oblique mentmore nib tine crack repaired? The crack starts at the feed hole or whathaveyou and goes about halfway or a third out and stops and i cant press down on the nib though its my favourite writing tool.
Thank you for your commentary. Montblanc is still king, especially the nibs. Caveats being cost, presentation packaging, service and hype.
Sir, your videos are really awesome and mind-blowing..
What do you say of Pilot 743 pen ? I think Pilot Custom 743 and Pilot 823 are all same. Difference lies in only ink filling system, rest everything are same ..
Please explore Pilot Custom 743 medium point nib..
Warm regards,
Vivek Kumar
( Dehri On Sone, Bihar , India)
You might want to consider Conway Stewart.
Good call.
Montblanc is one of my lovemark, but I can't afford for one right now,...I have in my collection: 1 Parker IM achromatic, 1 MonteVerde, 2 Ferris Wheel Carousel model, 3 Lamy (2 Safary and one Al Star), 4 Jinhao and a very beautiful Hongdian 231 Chinese Classical Fountain Pen
Lamy Safari with a gold nib 😅
LOL
You have such an amazing penmanship 😊
What is the pen at 2:15?
Graf von Faber Castel
A couple years back I was comparing my 146, 1911L and 1776 all in black with gold accents and found that the red glow that MB enthusiasts claim to be a property of the "precious resin" is also present in my Sailor and Platinum, so, my hypothesis is that the so called "precious resin" is nothing more than PMMA plastic, remark on HYPOTHESIS, I'm not claiming it is with all certainty.
The nib, on the other hand, is gorgeous, almost perfect. Unfortunately for it, my preference leans toward finer nibs, so I prefer Japanese nibs all the way.
I find value in my 146? Yes I do, but I'd never ever pay full price for it, I got this one NOS for almost half retail price, so I'm happy with it.
But what you say is totally true, for me Santini, Aurora, Visconti, Montegrappa, Caran d'Ache, ST Dupont and almost anything from the Japanese big 3 are way more desirable than MB.
MB “precious resin” is Perspex with added glass fibre. The fibres give it a nice shine… But they also make it extremely brittle.
A fantastic selection of fountain pens.
Onoto and the new Conway Stewart’s should be on the list too
Funny, I have been in the “hunt” for almost 40 years…. What I have found is that ALL of the better brands manufacture decent products…. Sometimes QC is suspect, but, once tuned, EVERY single one has been both durable and consistent. What you find is that some are easier to use and “fit” your hand better - at a certain point, I decided to sell many of the pens I didn’t use…. A black Sailer KOP, Omas Paragon with the 14k flex nib, Watermen, DuPont Orpheo, etc…. Better they find use in another’s rotations than sit in the dark in a pen box till some undefinable point in the future where my estate is liquidated….
A good, but not comprehensive, list of high end pens. I favor the pen lines that have in house made nibs but, of course, most nibs can be tuned. That said, I love my 1990's Aurora 88 with its long sabre nib and my Sailor Realo with its Cross Nib. If whole pens are considered, my list wouldn't differ much from A Writing Guy's. I would like to see a video that classified pens according to style parameters; minimalist, rococo, formal, business, applied art and so forth. Perhaps a video that simply gave good examples might be more popular. Enjoyed this.
The Aurora 88 Big with the now-discontinued long-tined F nib with scroll work is THE pen-and-nib for me - not to be confused with the modern flex F nib on some Auroras, easily recognizable because is it rhodium plated and has no scroll work. That was a grail pen, which is now my favourite pen. Next grail pen? Aurora 88 Big matte black with rose gold trim and an F long-tined nib. The one after that? The Santini with a solid white gold nib, because if the palladium/rhodium coat wears off, it won't make as big of a difference aesthetically as it would on a solid yellow gold nib (looking at you, original Omas Ogiva...)
Aurora seem to have hit the sweet spot for almost everything with the 88. It could be nominated as a most underappreciated pen. I covet your Santini. I have a couple of the pens A Writing Guy proffered as grail pens and the more I consider the question the more pens I must put on the list. Bravo!@@basta.dotto_
Caran d‘Ache (especially the Léman line) is sadly not included in your list… This Swiss brand deserves due mention, not least because of its timeless designs and engineering prowess…
Montblanc would be the representative fountain pen company in western side, and Pilot in oriental side.
Pelikan has the QC issue in nibs, Aurora in barrels, and fabercastell does not have the in-house nibs.
Surely Graf von faber-castell have their own in-house nibs? We're not talking about Faber-castell
I bought two GvFC with the new Magnum nib (there are two models), the first with walnut and the second with ebony wood. Those nibs are STELLAR, they are the best I've ever used.
While I concur with your general assessment of the 146 and 149, I possess a couple of both pens, they still make much better nibs than Visconti and many other brands. Their special editions are fantastic pens, for example, the Victoria Patron of Art Edition 4810
I would add Danitrio, Namiki, Nakaya, Maybach, Otto Hutt, Waldmann, and other brands, and while I wouldn't say I like their designs, there are two significant brands: Caran d'Ache -from Switzerland - and ST Dupont - from France-.
I do not really know if bashing at some memorable brand like Montblanc is a really good strategy for any channel in this small community.
I recently got a grail Pelikan M900 Toledo, and am awaiting the arrival of a vermilion Namiki Yukari Royale. I have a Montblanc 149, but I believe they are over-rated, and to me the Faber Castell designs are aesthetically bombs; I decline to own one. I have many other brands as well, most of which write satisfactorily, but a couple of which had to be sent to nibmeisters to achieve that status.
Excellent review. I don't know why I always get bad writers from Leonardo...I love their materials but all failed me. Pilot and Pelikan had always worked for me if only Pilot's most beautiful materials weren't astronomically expensive. Sailor is another brand whose cheaper ones materials aren't good quality any more in my experience though the 21k nibs are great. I recently bought kilk and well, less bad than Leonardos. I was surprised by the perfect writer of a Gioia Penelope. That Pilot Emperor blue you showed is absolutely gorgous. I appreciate your honest reviews same as waski squirrel and ode youtubers. Not to plant a bad seed, just my opinion, but to me is disappointing when a youtuber reviews with all stars plus pens just to get brands to sponsor them. Hey nothing bad but honesty is a value that gets lost in this greedy world. Looking forward more of your videos. Thank you for your time🎉
St Dupont line D 😉
I believe now that Montblanc is no longer a luxurious brand but a brand that just scams its customers with outrageous prices (and can't even give nice packaging on special editions anymore) ST Dupont is the new Montblanc, by which I mean high end and expensive but also high luxury.
Well said, Sir. I agree with your opinion.
“Believe” is the operative word here. Based on my experience, MB still make a great nib. I would still say that Pelikan and Pilot represent better value for money.
@jamesfahey7188 still make a great nib? I wouldn't say still, but now. It's the only positive Richemont brought to the brand, better nib quality control so the pens actually write without adjustment consistently.
I have 3 149's. All from the 1970's and 80's. These were when they made GREAT pens.
@@seankidd6271 I agree. I’ve been disappointed with my modern Montblanc purchases but my 1980’s 149 is excellent.
Where did you learn your penmanship?
I tend to favor the much older pens which commonly had flex nibs. They are more expressive than most modern pens. They were also made back when pens were engineered to last a century. I literally have some pens which are over 100 years old. Some of the old Watermans, Eversharps, Crescents, Parkers, will still be in use when your grandchildren have grey hair. They were designed to be rebuilt and put back into service. Most were fabricated with fairly typical shop equipment; the feeds and other parts can be created today with a modest amount of shop equipment. No custom injection molded parts. It doesn't hurt that the default nibs back then were 14k to 18k gold.
I also have a couple of vintage pens and love them for drawing but writing with a flex nib on a daily basis is very inconvenient, so I'm grateful for modern pens as well.
Nice vlog ..the name should be printed on screen while you review the pen so that audience connects
Parker has not been an American brand for decades
Isn't it French?
@@Ambicrush yes
It’s an American brand manufactured in another county. Like Levi
@@potandpens by that logic Mont Blanc is a Swiss brand. The Parker of today is just a name bought by Newell Rubbermaid.
@@Rustyshackelford177 Parker has been posing as a British brand for a long time and although unfortunately they no longer manufacture in Britain, their headquarters are still located there. I would say they're a British brand. They're not French more than an American company manufacturing in China is Chinese.
My Pelikan M200 is the best writer I have. Pure bliss.
In terms of assistance and repairing the philosophy of Montblanc is this: I put a fool price to repair the product so the customer buy a new one because the price of réparation is near the price of a new one! 😂 So I throw in the garbage my 850,00€ bag and also my 850,00€ ball pen limited edition! They ask me 450,00€ 😅 to repair it. A plastic that cracks ,at the first fall on the floor!!!😮😮😊 Montblanc is a genius! Their policy is the best on all the planet . Things must not be repaired at fair prices otherwise we lose selling it's their motto 🎉😊😮 So its, like buying a pen Bic. Until works it's good. When cracks you must throw in the garbage 😂 ❤❤ I love Montblanc 😍
Mb is a brand for snobs.
I agree that Montblanc is by no means a in a class if its own. It's overpriced, but fundamentally it's no different from other well made black plastic pens like a Pelikan Souverain 800 or the corresponding Sailor and Pilot. They're not that different in price either. The majority of the alternatives you mention, are in my collection and they're fine pens. For writing Sailor is in a class of its own, due to the marvelous Naginata nibs by father and son Nagahara. (Both retired...)
My Vintage Parker '51 is one of my "go-to" pens. I have a number of Parker pens from before 200s but I refuse to buy any new ones. Same with Schaeffer pens.
I think you nailed it from a brand perspective. Out of all those you have listed, I prefer the Pilots. From top to bottom, they seem to outperform the others at every price point. For innovative design, I have to give it to Visconti. Isn’t funny that in the pen community, we really don’t talk as much about Montblanc? They are good, but there is so much else out there that outperform, and is far more exciting from a design perspective; and most of them are less expensive. I can get a Custom Urushi Pilot 845, for roughly the same price as the “precious resin” MB 149. Which would you choose?
I love the 149, I have 3 :)
149
@@nicolasmikah4168 really?? I have both, so no bias. I DO love the fact that it is instantly recognizable, however none of these big pens get much pocket time anyway, because they are so big. But that Urushi finish on the Pilot is something to behold.
I’d take Platinum over Pilot. You can leave one for months and the ink will still be there.
I have a number of montegrappa pens, they have all had problems. The nib, the clip or the decals. Really disappointed as they are eye catching
I am sorry you have disappointment in Montegrappa. I have quite a few and they are impressive. I bought a new Otto a few weeks back and it has a BB nib that is spectacular. Currently, the company has changed their pens. Those I , too, am disappointed.
I consider a modern 149 to be a very middle of the road MB and not really a grail pen for many serious pen people. A fair comparison would have been a vintage 149 with a flex nib or a special writer's edition MB. Personally, between the MB, Delta, and Visconti its a push. Some Namiki pens would definitely satisfy the title of this video, but across the board, namiki is not better. I've received two Namiki Nippon art pens as gifts, and they are no where near the quality of a 149. On the other end, my namiki emperor is my personal grail pen. Also, I don't understand how Dupont was left off of this list.
My 149 is over 50 years old and still as good as ever. I wonder how the others will be faring in 2074?
Yes the old ones were great the new ones are just horrible and I had to return mine back, they are cheap, light, and writing is worse than a lamy safari of 20 pounds
I like my graf von faber castell ❤
FYI Parker is now a French pen company, only NOS & vintage pens come from the USA & UK.
Many of the Parker pens come from China, despite what they write and they are just assembled in France. Only special editions and higher price models are made in France according to my info.
I can't help wondering how many other "high-end" pens do this.
Excellent
All of these pens are as expensive as Montblanc Meisterstück pens. I don't understand why people love to hate Montblanc basically because it's expensive ... if the Homo Sapiens, the Urushi, the Aurora Optima, etc. went for $300 I would definitely consider the price as a comparative advantage. But it's not the case. I'm happy to write with Pelikan Souverän 400, 600 pens and Montblanc 146, Parker Sonnet, Waterman Expert, etc. I would definitely buy the Aurora Optimaor a Brown Renaissance Souverän 800, if I could afford them right now ... but the point is: be happy with the pens you enjoy writing with, and don't focus on Montblanc. Meisterstücks are beautiful pens if you like a classic (conservative) look, their nibs are exceptional if you like smooth nibs (I do, but truth is I prefer Pelikans nibs). Just write for the joy of it. Peace upon you.
beautiful
ST Dupont. They make Montblanc look shoddy.
I agree wholeheartedly.
Waterman pens used to be considered better than plastic Mont Blancs. Are they collectible?
I don't think any of these compete with my older Omas pens. But I also like my Namiki and Sailors and Pelikans. I don't have too many Montblancs because I don't like paying for the marketing of an injection molded plastic pen... but their vintage pens in my collection are very nice. And NONE of these compare in beauty and styling to my Waterman Edson (also vintage-ish).
Many fountain pens are built to last a lifetime.
Custom 823, while an excellent pen, is not a luxury pen like the others. Other than that, good choices.
No Edison?
So many high end pens!
The 80s-90s Duofold is a better pen than the Montblanc and a better pen than anything else.
Kaweco nibs are better than my Pelikan.m200/ 205.
Better than my pilot m92 ..
And still better than my pilot vanishing point...
Thanks
Where are any Shaeffers? Or Cross?
You also forgot Lamy from Germany :(
Cross doesn’t really make fountain pens and Lamy and sheaffer are no where near grail pens
Where is Jinhao ? Wing Sung ? PenBBS ?
This list is, the least I can say, incomplete...
These companies don’t create Grail pens. Not even close.
@@Rustyshackelford177 LOL 😆
Are you joking? That's like asking where Hugo Boss watches are on a list of Rolex alternatives
Those would be the value pen segment. Some are very solid pens (especially for their price) but it's like comparing a Honda Civic to a BMW: totally different pricing tiers.
ONOTO and Nakaya belong on this list. While I’m a fan of Leonardo, it’s not up to the standards of a grail pen (yet?).
Leonardo does excellent pens.
They do and I have a bunch, but to me they fall short of a grail pen.