Plain fountain pen recommendations?

Nomen Nescio wrote:

Hi! I'm in the market for a cheap ($30) fountain pen that
is refillable from a bottle, with a fine tip, preferrably on
the slim side. I'm not to particular about `fancy looks' and
would rather spend my money on quality parts than gold plating.

I'm sort of new to this whole thing, I found an old Sheaffer-
cartridge style fountain pen in my drawe a few weeks ago, and
filled up the barrel of the pen with Higgen's waterproof green
ink with a few drops of Higgins waterproof black for good effect.
I feel this is horrible on many levels, but so far the only problem
is that I want a finer nib...

(I do know how awful Shellac'd ink can be -- it took three soakings
in household ammonia to get the dried ink off of a quill dip nib --
I make sure my fountain pen stays capped).


Lamy Safari is within your price range, reliable to write with, and
fairly slim to hold. It's available in lots of nib sizes, including fine
and extra fine. Certainly nothing glamorous, but they work well. It's a
cartridge-style pen as well, but a converter is available so you can use
bottled ink. (But keep the Higgins Waterproof out of your pens
altogether - even tightly capped, you're just begging for trouble. Save
that stuff for dip pens, and get some other black ink instead for
fountain pen use. Parker, Sheaffer, Cross, Waterman, Pelikan, Lamy, are
all good inks, as are many others.)

David

Nomen Nescio wrote:
Hi! I'm in the market for a cheap ($30) fountain pen that
is refillable from a bottle, with a fine tip, preferrably on
the slim side. I'm not to particular about `fancy looks' and
would rather spend my money on quality parts than gold plating.

You might want to look at a Rotring Freeway. It's a nice, slender pen,
c/c fillter, and IIRC has a reasonably fine nib (although wider than
many oriental pens). Under $30 at swisherpens.

Do not leave it clipped into a pants pocket and put it in the washing
machine.

Pat

Pat Lamb wrote:

Nomen Nescio wrote:
Hi! I'm in the market for a cheap ($30) fountain pen that
is refillable from a bottle, with a fine tip, preferrably on
the slim side. I'm not to particular about `fancy looks' and
would rather spend my money on quality parts than gold plating.

You might want to look at a Rotring Freeway. It's a nice, slender pen,
c/c fillter, and IIRC has a reasonably fine nib (although wider than
many oriental pens). Under $30 at swisherpens.

Do not leave it clipped into a pants pocket and put it in the washing
machine.


....and the only reason I didn't also recommend it was that its nib is
listed as "medium". But I guess if it tends to be a skinny medium he
might like it.

Just out of curiosity, are there other pens you do recommend I clip to
my pants and run through the wash? You seem to have some experience with
this sort of thing. :-)

David

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...

check out the Targa. I don't know much about Sheaffers but this is an
attractive pen and they are slim.
http://members3.boardhost.com/PenMarket/msg/37020.html

I have purchased from Lex but otherwise have no affiliation with him. Good
guy, frequent Pentrace seller.

there is an additional Targa further down from Konstantin.

Of all of the $30 pens that I have (that are still being manufactured), I
like the Lamy Safari. Good writer, always flows, never skips, easy to hold.

Regarding ink, right now I'm using Waterman. Like it very much but based on
comments posted recently, I'll have to try some Noodlers; Private Reserve, &
maybe some Herbin.

Don't use drafting ink in a fountain per. It really REALLY messes things up.

George
"KCat" wrote in message
. ..
"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...

check out the Targa. I don't know much about Sheaffers but this is an
attractive pen and they are slim.
http://members3.boardhost.com/PenMarket/msg/37020.html

I have purchased from Lex but otherwise have no affiliation with him.
Good
guy, frequent Pentrace seller.

there is an additional Targa further down from Konstantin.

On Thu, 23 Sep 2004 15:57:20 GMT, Dave wrote:

Pat Lamb wrote:

Nomen Nescio wrote:
Hi! I'm in the market for a cheap ($30) fountain pen that
is refillable from a bottle, with a fine tip, preferrably on
the slim side. I'm not to particular about `fancy looks' and
would rather spend my money on quality parts than gold plating.

You might want to look at a Rotring Freeway. It's a nice, slender pen,
c/c fillter, and IIRC has a reasonably fine nib (although wider than
many oriental pens). Under $30 at swisherpens.

Do not leave it clipped into a pants pocket and put it in the washing
machine.

...and the only reason I didn't also recommend it was that its nib is
listed as "medium". But I guess if it tends to be a skinny medium he
might like it.

Rotring calls it a medium, if they even name it. IIRC, it was between
a Pelikan F (which is really a medium!) and an Aurora F. Alas, this
is from memory!

Just out of curiosity, are there other pens you do recommend I clip to
my pants and run through the wash? You seem to have some experience with
this sort of thing. :-)

Um, wooden pencils come to mind.

Pat

Email address works as is.

"Nomen Nescio" wrote in message
...
Hi! I'm in the market for a cheap ($30) fountain pen that
is refillable from a bottle, with a fine tip, preferrably on
the slim side. I'm not to particular about `fancy looks' and
would rather spend my money on quality parts than gold plating.


I was responding to a post below and it made me think of your post. Here is
another pen to consider.

Borghini. These are in the $15-$30 range and have good nibs with a range of
grip sizes. Several are fairly slim models. Again, good prices for good
pens. The nibs are of very good quality even on the cheapest models. Very
smooth.

http://www.penspiration.com/Borghini_pens.html

again.. no affiliation.