Advice for a rookie: nice pen $50-$200 not Montblanc?

[rolexington]

Hi All,

I am new to the pen side of the forum.

I am buying a gift and would like to buy a pen in the $50-$200 range. I use a decent Waterman pen, but after researching a pen for this gift, I am now inspired to also get a new pen for myself. I have done some research and its just overwhelming. It seems ballpoint is better than roller ball. And fountain pens, while beautiful and traditional, are not practical at the office. Lastly, I like Montblanc but the brand awareness and overt logo makes them too flashy for this office.

So any advice for a great pen $50-$200 that is not a Montblanc?

Please feel free to correct any of the above where relevant.

Thanks for your pen suggestions

Sincerely,
Bobby

[SearChart]

Parker has great pens in that price range.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by SearChart

Parker has great pens in that price range.

I have to agree. I have a few Parker Pens. One of my favorite fountain pens is a Parker 51 that I got as a pen and pencil set for $40 at an estate sale wearhouse. Here are a couple of places to look:

http://www.nibs.com/PreviouslyOwnedPens.htm

http://www.fountainpenhospital.com/

[rolexington]

Do you recommend the Parker 5th or should one stick to ball point pens from them?

[SUBversive]

Lamy has some nice ball pens in that range.

[Lion]

There are many very good brands, so I would check them out by going to a pen store and this way you can "Road Test" them out in person to see which ones you like. I prefer Rollerballs over Ballpoint pens as they write smoother. But then they tend to dry out faster(for example...MontBlanc's) but this process is contingent on the brand of cartridges used. Also many times some brands of Cartridges that do not dry out quickly will fit in another brand...I'm sure you can get the assistance you need at a Pen store. There is a chain of stores called Paradise Pens and they do have a very good selection of pens from many manufacturers. Paradise Pen's Main Phone Number is !-866-747-5800 and their Web Address is( www.paradisepen.com ). There is another very good company who has a Website and a Brick and Mortar Store in New York City. This company is called The Fountain Pen Hospital and their Phone Number is !-800-253-7367, their Web Address is( www.FountainPenHospital.com ).

Both companies are very good and provide excellent service but the Fountain Pen Hospital has more sales so their prices are better. But since they are in New York City, I suggest you go to a store in your area first and decide on which Pen you like and want...get the price and then call The Fountain Pen Hospital and see what they charge for the same Pen!!!

Now I prefer Fountain Pens and use them a majority of the time but they really are not a pen for signing documents such as contracts where there is multiple copies. Good luck and Happy hunting!!!

Take it easy.....Leo

[Yanks213x]

Parker Jotter ... Cost $10 at staples, this is my first "real" non bic pen. I have a tri-fold wallet and I can fit the pen along one of the folds so it fits real nice in my pocket. I know it's nothing fancy, but definitely nice as a start to a collection. Also it's the same model as the pen in goldeneye. Mine didn't come with the bomb function

[68camaro]

"fountain pens.........are not practical at the office"...

I use FP's exclusively in office. When I travel by air I use a gel ink rollerball which is butter smooth.

Once you use a FP and nice rollerball its hard to use a cheap pen:)

Have fun, experiment, try different pens, enjoy the journey.

Chuck

[pberry]

I can't speak about fountain pens but I much prefer a nice rollerball to a ballpoint. I've been using the Schmidt ceramic tipped, they write really smooth. Most rollerball ink is similar to fountain pen ink and will dry out quickly if you don't keep that cap on.

[rolexington]

Thanks for everyone's feedback. I am getting pretty into pens doing all this research. I will report back with photos when I decide.

I will try out a couple of pens probably in person before deciding.

Can anyone chime or provide a link to a review on the PARKER 5TH style of pen?

Thanks again

[c3pastor]

Pelikan....

[Kauaijim]

Pelikan 200 green stripe rollerball. Life time guarantee. I've had mine 25 years and got fixed free twice. I have Delta, Parker, Aurora, MB, and I still find myself pulling out the Pelikan most frequently. The others are fine and will work well and I cannot disagree with others who prefer other brands, but for me it's a Pelikan with the 338 broad tip black refill.

[andpassport]

Namiki Vanishing Point is an incredibly good foun pen, vastly superior in quality and reliability to any German pen. Similar to how Japanese cars are better than American cars

[andpassport]

Do not get a Lamy

[SUBversive]

Originally Posted by andpassport

Do not get a Lamy

Just a naked opinion. Why?

[Lion]

Originally Posted by andpassport

Namiki Vanishing Point is an incredibly good foun pen, vastly superior in quality and reliability to any German pen. Similar to how Japanese cars are better than American cars

And since you like this Namiki-Pilot, which I agree is a very nice pen(as I have one), check out The Falcon II which has a flexible gold nib. This type of nib hardens back to the 1920's and 1930's when Flexible Gold Nibs(14K or better)were all the rage. I have one on order with a Pen Dealer who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She is a great Lady with a fantastic personality and she prefers and deals with the Vintage pens from yesteryear. If you would like her information...PM me!!!

Take it easy.....Leo

[slim4511]

Another vote for rollerball here. I much prefer it to any ballpoint pen especially when it's a MB Platinum like mine.

[2careless]

Many good pens in this price range...
Lamy 2000- nice modern Teutonic design.
Pilot/Namiki Falcon- flex nib on a modern pen is very rare. If you have good handwriting you'll love a flex nib.
Pelikan Souverans 200- classic workhorse.

[Fleetlord]

Originally Posted by andpassport

Do not get a Lamy

Completely agree.

Lamy is junk. Every one I have owned has broken. Across the entire range of models. Broken clips, mechanisms, refills that are proprietary..
Granted they fix them under warranty, but still...

To the OP...your price point precludes you from the dreaded Mont Blanc glitz, so you need not worry about that.

Get a ball point that takes a Parker style refill. You can get the refills at any office supply store...

You don't sound like you're starting a pen collection, so I'd get one of the retail level Parkers or a Monteverde ballpoint. But.....

If you want to spend some more money and get something cool, get a Visconti Homo Sapien Lava...It's pretty much indestructible as it is made from Lava and seemingly cannot be scratched or chipped with normal use. Plus it's hydroscopic and absorbs oils from your fingers so your grip doesn't slip..

[SUBversive]

So you trash lamy and tell the op to get a 300 to 600 pen when op is looking to spend 50!to 100.

[PunkJr]

Lamy 2000. It's in your budget, and arguably the best pen one can buy at any price.

[Rolex74]

Is Acme a good brand?

https://www.coloradopen.com/category/acme-blueprint

[kaseri]

Pelikan 205 fountain pen.

[rolio]

Originally Posted by c3pastor

Pelikan....

I have a Pelikan fountain pen, roller ball, and ball point--they are all great, with quality to match.

[sheldonsmith]

Consider Visconti Rembrandt. You can find them for around $200 on the Bay or Google search. I use the rollerball with Schmidt ink.

I work in government so a true fountain pen or Mont Blanc would appear a little over the top.

They are affordable, and no one really recognizes them as a fine pen other than you.

They provide good service as I have had two pens refinished for $25/each.

-Sheldon

[Bisquitlips]

If it were me as a collector, I would put feelers out for a VINTAGE oversize Scheaffer. But that is me as they are readily available and very desirable at that price range (upper).

[427shark]

I have a waterman carene Black Sea that is pretty nice. It has nice weight to it

[GolfGuyJD]

Check out the Retro 1951 Tornado. It is a nice, well balanced pen at an expensive price. One can be had for less than $75.

[jnkay]

Originally Posted by 427shark

I have a waterman carene Black Sea that is pretty nice. It has nice weight to it

+1. I love my Waterman Carene. Great weight, relatively wide, and beautiful. Costs just over $100.

[woodsworth]

I've always liked Sailor 1911 pens- especially the Realo version. Should be in your price range (preowned).