Please compare

I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100 range. It looks like
I can get a Pelikan 200, Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
same price. Will someone who knows far more than I compare and contrast
these pens for me as I have not used any of them. My daily writer is a
Parker Sonnet. I would like something heavier, with a fine point nib. If
there is another pen that fits my parameters but have failed to list, please
let me know, also. Thanks in advance.

In article ,
"RoyDMercer" wrote:

I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100 range. It looks like
I can get a Pelikan 200, Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
same price. Will someone who knows far more than I compare and contrast
these pens for me as I have not used any of them. My daily writer is a
Parker Sonnet. I would like something heavier, with a fine point nib. If
there is another pen that fits my parameters but have failed to list, please
let me know, also. Thanks in advance.

If you want a somewhat heavier pen, than forget about the pelikan 200,
which is a very good writer, but very light. A very good pen is the
Waterman Phileas, which is a bit cheaper than the price range you are
thinking about but I prefer it too the Waterman Expert II, because in my
experience it has better flow. It seems that Rotring and Lamy also
produce pretty nice pens in that price range and below. I own a cheap
Rotring that turned out to be a very good pen and has about the same
weight as a Waterman Expert or Phileas.
Modern heaffers have always dissapointed me, but that may be related to
my writing style. I don't have any experience with modern Parkers in
that price range.

Marten

Yesterday, I bought a *sterling* Parker Sonnet (Fougere?) down the street from
Pam Braun (www.oscarbraunpens.com) for less than 90.00.


satrap
happy as a hungry rat lost in the Cheesecake Factory

Oscar Braun is an excellent source for pens at great prices.
I have purchased a lot from Pam.

Note that the Northpointe pens are the recycled Waterford (yup, the Irish
crystal manufacturer) pens.
I have a set of the Waterford Marquis and the plating on the pocket clips
comes off even though they mostly sit in a pen case.

If you want a weighty pen with a fine nib under $100, I would recommend a
Sheaffer Targa.

I would not recommend anything made by Sheaffer other than the Targa line.
I just got a Royal Selangor Sheaffer pen and it has 'flash' and a large
parting line on the threads.
The Sheaffer Legacy pen I have writes poorly and the cap alternately takes a
tremendous effort to remove and then falls off.
I sent it into Sheaffer and it came back no different.
Then there's the Sheaffer Balance I have. It, too, writes poorly and the
cap threads aren't cut right, so the cap doesn't screw on well.
And if you post the cap, it falls off.

Check out eBay for Targa's. I have purchased a few Targa's there.

http://search-desc.ebay.com/search/s...y&BasicSearch=

The other pen that you can get with a great deal of weight is a Cross
Townsend. They write well and weigh a ton.

Note that the Northpointe pens are the recycled Waterford (yup, the Irish
crystal manufacturer) pens.

Yeah, I thought those Northpointes looked familiar.
I have one of the Waterford pens, but have a problem finding a convertor for
it. Which convertor or cartridges do you use with yours?

The other pen that you can get with a great deal of weight is a Cross
Townsend. They write well and weigh a ton.

Hey, don't forget the ATX, and the Century line. Oh, and the Waterman Harley
Horizon, or the Combustion.

delete what doesn't belong there

Satrap
I find delusions of grandeur to be absolutely true

"RoyDMercer" wrote in message ...
I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100 range. It looks like
I can get a Pelikan 200, Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
same price. Will someone who knows far more than I compare and contrast
these pens for me as I have not used any of them. My daily writer is a
Parker Sonnet. I would like something heavier, with a fine point nib. If
there is another pen that fits my parameters but have failed to list, please
let me know, also. Thanks in advance.

If between those two, definitely the Expert II. Heavy brass barrel
with a marbled celluloid overlay. Targa would be second to me, but I
only have a couple of "vintage" Targa's. I just find the Sheaffer's
inner works to not work as well as Waterman, and the Targaa's converts
(old one) gave out quickly, so I had to switch to cartridges. But my
own observations is a limited sample population.

I don't own a Phileas, so can't compare. But isn't it a plastic/reson
body, and not the brass barrel with overlay? (If you wanted heavy)

For less money, even, you could do other Waterman models. Look at the
present models Speerbob (or Speebob?) has up on Ebay. (No, I'm not
affiliated with him, just an appreciative customer.)

On Wed, 4 Feb 2004 16:30:21 -0600, "RoyDMercer" said:

RoyDMercer I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100
RoyDMercer range. It looks like I can get a Pelikan 200,
RoyDMercer Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
RoyDMercer same price. Will someone who knows far more than I
RoyDMercer compare and contrast these pens for me as I have not
RoyDMercer used any of them. My daily writer is a Parker Sonnet.
RoyDMercer I would like something heavier, with a fine point nib.
RoyDMercer If there is another pen that fits my parameters but
RoyDMercer have failed to list, please let me know, also. Thanks
RoyDMercer in advance.

the expert ii is much heavier than the pelikan, but i think the
pelikan has a better nib. though there was really nothing wrong with
it, my expert nib was the mother of all nail nibs. it was something
to kill vampires with. the pelikan has more give and in my experience
is much more pleasant to write with. i'd go with a phileas if i were
you.


--


Alright, you!! Imitate a WOUNDED SEAL pleading for a PARKING SPACE!!

aJimL wrote:
"RoyDMercer" wrote in message ...

I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100 range. It looks like
I can get a Pelikan 200, Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
sme price. Will someone who knows far more than I compare and contrast
these pens for me as I have not used any of them. My daily writer is a
Parker Sonnet. I would like something heavier, with a fine point nib. If
there is another pen that fits my parameters but have failed to list, please
let me know, also. Thanks in advance.


I have an Expert II, medium nib and love it. Great balance and flow and
a great looking pen.

I haven't tried the others, but recently acquired a Parker Sonnet fine
point. I love them both.

Regards,

DAve

In article , "RoyDMercer"
writes:


I am looking for a new fountain pen in the $50 - $100 range. It looks like
I can get a Pelikan 200, Waterman Expert II or a Northpointe for around the
same price.

Why not a vintage? A Vac is within your price range; and it would be a far
better pen that the moderns you are considering.

Dik

Why not a vintage? A Vac is within your price range; and it would be a far
better pen that the moderns you are considering.

Dik

Which vintage pen within given price range (including the cost of
restoration) has about the same weight as the Expert II? The parker 51
maybe?

I won't deny that vintage pens are generally better than a lot of modern
ones but I wouldn't say they are far better than e.g. a modern Pelikan
or Waterman. Some pen companies still make pretty good fountain pens,
you know.

Marten