New to the hobby! Hello!

[Kara]

Hi there!

My name is Kara. I'm a college student who is very new to the hobby! I don't own any fountain pens yet but I hope to soon! I've used one in the past and was absolutely in love with it! I'm currently looking for some quality, long-lasting piston fillers, so if you have any suggestions, throw them my way! So far, I've heard of the Pilot CH92, Lamy 2k and Pelikans.

[carlc]

Hi Kara

Welcome.

To your list I would add the Pelikan m200 as a good starting point for piston fillers.

EDIT: apologies about the name, autocorrect on my phone cam be a blessing and a curse.

[datainadequate]

Hi Kara,

Welcome. You might want to check out TWSBI, who do some lovely piston fillers (and vacuum fillers too). However, they may not be as robust as some of the other, more expensive options. I've not had any problems with my TWSBIs, but for me they are desk pens.

If I were a student looking for a pen for note-taking, I would be tempted to use Platinum Preppys and simply accept that some would get broken

[Hawk]

Welcome.
My wife likes TWSBI as well as Pelikan.

[Morgaine]

Hello and welcome. Good luck with your studies.

[Anne]

Welcome Kara! I have to support the suggestion to get a Pelikan AND/or a TWSBI. The M400 fits my hand, but you may have to look into the sizes to see which ones suit you best.

[WmEdwards]

Welcome to the hobby! A Pelican M200 is not terribly expensive, and can last you for the rest of your life. I have had good luck with a couple of TWISBI pens, and bad luck with a couple. You pay your money, you take your chances. 😀

[jar]

Welcome home. Pull up a stump and set a spell.

[Kara]

Thank you for the warm welcomes! I haven't tried any Pelikans yet, but I think I'm going to be looking for a couple of those! I've already decided what some of my grail pens would be! I'm hoping to find the M620 Athens (one day hahaha) and the M625 Aubergine! I'm a little shy, so I haven't been able to hold any Pelikans at a shop yet to get an idea of their sizing. Does anyone have any size comparisons of the M6xx and M4xx to some normal pens/markers?

[VertOlive]

Welcome to you from Michigan!

[DaveT]

Hello and welcome from Indiana!

[wangminze]

Welcome Kara! My first daily writer after the pilot metro was a CH92. I still remember how I spent half of my sophomore year in high school drooling over that pen. Then I finally got it as a birthday present for myself, and I was not disappointed. Definitely recommend unless you're worried about losing it. I've used a Pelikan M800 and it's close to the size of your normal expo marker if you hold it close the the edge of the taper. The width of the Pelikan is much more usable and not nearly as girthy. Somehow, I like with bigger pens, but the 92 works as well; it's just more of the "perfect/exact" size. If you think a marker is too much then stick to a M600. Keep in mind that it's heavier especially with the piston in the back. The M400 however, is definitely a pocket pen and smaller than the 92. Hope this is useful and the comparisons are correct lol. Just go and try it out. Don't be shy, not even the montblanc store could stop me.
Michael

BTW, your taste will probably change. I've only used fountain pens for three years, but the change is visible in myself. There ought to be more out there that you haven't explored. And even though I myself put some big money into a few pens, I wouldn't recommend going for a "grail" pen before even owning any.

Sorry this has been so long. I guess it's just exciting to know someone most likely near my age is into this stuff.

[carlos.q]

Does anyone have any size comparisons of the M6xx and M4xx to some normal pens/markers?

First of all, welcome to FPG. I don't have a size comparison of the M6XX and M4XX to other pens, but PenChalet.com has an excellent comparison of the more common Pelikan models, including their size and weight:

Pelikan_Souveran_fountain_pens.jpg

PS. No relationship to Pen Chalet other than a satisfied customer.

[Wahl]

Hi Kara

[sharmon202]

Welcome. I suggest you look around this forum some before purchasing with any big money (whatever that is for you). Good Luck, happy hunting.