Too Many Dang Choices for College!

[MacMorrighan]

I am planning to return to college to pursue my master's degree in vocal pedagogy starting at a Community College because with at least an Associate's Degree it's something I can use with just a 2 year education. *Anyhow, I want to use fountain pens whilst attending college, but I don't want something so spendy-looking that it might tempt sticky fingers because people can be wretched! *After all, as a college student I'll be on a pretty lean budget and may not be able to afford to replace them. *Yet, I want to take something pretty that I feel great about using. *Gods, that sounds so complicated, LOL! *Anyhow, I'm looking for some advise...*

BTW I'm surprised that more colleges and universities don't stock FPs and PF-friendly paper. *Also, isn't it ironic that the infamous student discount doesn't apply to any campus businesses, such as the Book Store and the restaurant at the Student Union, etc.?

[Bold2013]

Pelikan or Faber Castell

[AlohaPens]

Another option to consider: Kaweco Dia2. Elegant looking pen for less than those that look and feel similar.

[dneal]

It might help if you gave us an idea of what "spendy-looking" and "something pretty" mean to you. A general budget would be beneficial as well, to screen out options too expensive (or too cheap).

A Pelikan M200 is pretty dang utilitarian, and comes in a variety of color options besides basic black. Bottled ink might be a drawback if you need to refill in a classroom.

I'm a big fan of the Dia2. It's robust. The smaller nib might be a drawback to some, but can be replaced with a Bock 076 for $20 or so.

A Pilot 91 (cartridge) or 92 (piston) is a dead-reliable good writer. Maybe a bit fragile in comparison to some German makes though. I got a 92 recently, in transparent blue. It isn't "spendy-looking" and could be mistaken for a less expensive pen, but is "something pretty".

Whatever your choice, don't forget a basic Kaweco Sport as a backup. I'm just as likely to grab one to write with as I am anything else.

[BlkWhiteFilmPix]

The Lamy Safari is a quality pen for around $29, less on Amazon. Lots of bright colors, as well as black, and white. Amazon has a Vista clear demo. The clear demo is a nice pen. The Safari has a large ink window so you can see how much ink you've got left.

Like Pelikan pens, the nibs are interchangeable. You can ink the safari with Lamy cartridges, or fill it from a bottle using a converter.

The Lamy cartridge is proprietary, and Lamy pens are not designed for the standard international cartridge.

Good luck with your studies and taking handwritten notes with whatever fountain pen you choose to buy.

[KBeezie]

My 1956 Pelikan 400NN with a semiflex EF and Lamy 2000 EF were my go-tos in college. With Parker 45 being a decent edition that was always ready to write.

Of the three the Parker 45 would be the most inexpensive to obtain (sometimes as low as $10 with just needing a flush or run of the grip in the ultrasonic), looks like your typical jotter/bp, is a real workhorse with a large ink collector to keep the nib wet, and can take standard parker cartridges or converters (if you use an ink bottle, you'll get the most capacity per fill, syringe filling the parker carts versus using a converter, especially after the first refill of the cart one the ink collector takes a bunch of it). Can also unscrew the nib unit and swap with a different nib, which I did for one of mine, seeking out a new-old-stock accountant nib (XXF firm).

http://pbin.be/vintage/parker-45/

[fountainpenkid]

I second a Pelikan 400 especially if you plan on carrying in case. The barrel variance (with green and tortoise models) makes them feel special without being super pricey or irreplaceable. There are myriad good options though and you didn’t give any specifications…

[Chuck Naill]

The Wing Sung 601 Fligther style is as good as a Parker 51 vacumatic type. It costs $22. I'd couple it with a matching flighter vintage Jotter/Parker 45 or similar with an Ohto needle point, 5mm refill. I would not spend a lot of money for pens being used for business and school where they are constantly being transported.

[Ron Z]

My advice, were I to advise you, would be to look at the Wing Sung 3003. They're a improved copy of the Pilot Prera at a fraction of the cost. I repair pens for a living, but have a couple of them loaded most of the time... A pack of 5 will cost you about $11. Far better quality than the Sheaffer student pens of my day.

[scrivelry]

I've had two Kaweco sports and they certainly look indestructible and tend to work for me, so I can't disagree with that model. I've never had a complete Pelikan.

I have never used a Wing Sung 601 so I can't comment on those, but I do have a package of five of the Wing Sung 3003 and I am very happy with them. I (extremely inexpertly but it works) stubbed one, and I am considering buying another package because at the price, you cannot beat them. (I got five, delivered, for 10 USD and change)

I am intrigued by what you may mean by "pretty." If you are willing to go vintage, Esterbrooks can be had at a decent price, and you can get different nibs for them, so you could get a medium nib and a fine nib if you happened to feel you'd like to. Esterbrook had a lot of pretty colors, the pens themselves are very simple in design but the materials make them pretty to me.

For me the prettiest pens are the ones with fancy gold filled overlays, but they are not something I would use in class.

There are a number of modern pens under 50 USD which come in pretty metallic colors, but the only one I have used is the Pilot Metropolitan, which works exactly as well as everyone says it does. I didn't use mine much, but that has to do with my hands, not the pen.

One thing I will point out - not every pen comes to you perfectly aligned and smooth and ready to rumble - at any pricepoint. I have seen complaints on boards about Chinese pens that cost less than a cup of tea and luxury brands which cost as much as a used car alike. At normal, "I need a pen to write with, not a pen to replace the wedding for 300 with six bridesmaids and a horsedrawn carriage which I do not see in the immediate future" prices, there are many many pens which have been mentioned here that will do the job for you, but I have not tried most of them, so I really can't toss in my two cents worth on them.

I must warn you, though, that fountain pens can be a bit of a slippery slope...

[Lloyd]

Parker 51 Aeromatic - bulletproof, holds a lot of ink, under the radar since it has a small looking nib, and the cap allows very rapid capping/uncapping.

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[fountainpenkid]

Parker 51 Aeromatic - bulletproof, holds a lot of ink, under the radar since it has a small looking nib, and the cap allows very rapid capping/uncapping.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

If MacMorrighan isn't interested in changing inks frequently, this would be my recommendation too. I can't imagine choosing a Wing Sung over the real deal for my own use.

[pointpergame]

MacMorrigan needs to be more specific. Big or dainty? Bottled ink or cartridge? Looks or Performance? Utilitarian would be my first concern. Running out of ink during an exam is/could be a serious problem. I wrote all my exams in college with an Osmiroid italic. Back then ( way back then ) "spendy" was $12. And I had to carry a bottle of ink.

I would consider a "demonstrator" with a large capacity and a first-rate nib. If the OP likes a very large pen, the TWSBI 580 is a fantastic utilitarian writing machine that can be rendered clean and perfectly useful with ease that is in a class by itself. For a ostentatious and "pretty" pen, there's the outrageously priced rainbow version. I enjoy writing with a telephone pole, so the Pilot 832 would be at the top of my list, as both oddly beautiful and mechanically wonderful. Depending on whether I'd be willing to cough up some $250+. Just below that for reliability and world-class quality would be the Platinum 3776. Hard to go wrong with Sailor, Pilot, or Platinum which have versions meant for esoteric missions like...well...college. Good luck with your pleasant quest.

[Ron Z]

I have the "real deal 51s." I've had dozens of them over the years. Heretic that I am, I rarely use them. They don't fit my hand well anymore. I'm a bit irritated that the Wing Sungs I mentioned are very comfortable to use and write well. I've always had one or another loaded for the last 3 or 4 years for use where I didn't want to carry one of my "good pens". If I HAD to go to a budget pen exclusively, they would do. If they had been around when I was in college, I'd have used them instead of the Sheaffer NN or the Pilot Razor point fiber tips that I used.

Many of the pens mentioned are a bit pricey. A college student thinks low budget, and the risk of the pen being stolen or lost. It may travel in a backpack, so the finish could get dinged up. I'm thinking under $100, and maybe under $50. Maybe a used 51, but restored would be more. Maybe a Pelikan 100, maybe a clean Parker 45, maybe a Ranga with a Sheaffer nib. Maybe a Wing Sung 699 - the size and filling system and capacity of a Pilot 823 (transposed numbers in the post above) but a gold plated nib VS gold, and without the tendency to crack along the seam at one end or the other. (I've had to repair a bunch of them over the years).

So what can we suggest that's a good pen, but $100 or under?

[dneal]

So what can we suggest that's a good pen, but $100 or under?

Kaweco Student.

[RonaldKahn]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I am looking for a college for my brother and because of this, I am searching for information online regarding colleges. I am glad I have found your post. I am a school student and I have got an essay assignment from my mentor and because of this, I searching for a reliable source (https://edubirdie.org/edubirdie-legit/) online where I can find safe essay writing services online. While searching for an essay writer service online, I found your post in which I found a lot of information related to colleges.

[NasirMendoza]

Figure out what your priorities are when looking for a school! There are so many different factors to consider when choosing a college. The ones you should focus on the most are the size of the college, the programs of study it offers, the cost, the distance from home, and the type of grounds around the school. Have an idea of what you want to study, and start by looking for strong schools in that area. This is an easy first step in finding colleges. I went to asa miami college (https://miami.asa.edu/) at one time and even teach there now. It's a good example of a college with a great curriculum and faculty training! You need to look for a similar college!

[An old bloke]

Spam

[TFarnon]

This is one instance where I don't want a fountain pen. I love fountain pens, and have the Zebra disposables as my everyday carry. I like the way they write. And inexpensive? Absolutely! I would be peeved if someone made off with one of my Zebras, but only peeved. Not inconsolable or furious. For note-taking, I prefer Pilot G2 gel pens. I can write extremely quickly with them, and in my field (biology/chemistry/clinical sciences), if you can't take notes quickly, you might as well not bother. There's just so much information packed into once sentence that you need to get it all, first pass. When I write at a normal speed, that's when the fountain pens come into play.

[Sandy]

If you want cheap and cheerful - Faber Castell is a good choice. Their nibs are always great at any price point. For something under £50 - that where I'd start.

I think a Pelikan M200-M600 would probably be a good choice, or a Lamy 2K.

The thing is you don't have to buy them new. A decent Pelikan or Lamy 2K 2nd hand will be worthwhile.

The advantage of these is they are pistons and will write for a while before running out of ink.

Other pens to consider - Tombow Object - nice writer and not expensive and takes international cartridges, or higher up in price the Platinum #3776 - if you like a bit of feedback go for the medium, if you want a smooth ride - go for the broad.

One boringly reliable pen to go for is the Cross Century II. You'll probably get a good deal on one as they tend to be heavly discounted on online stores. Get a convertor as Cross's cartridges are very expensive. The Cross will lay down a consistent line - end of.

[Mık Joger]

It is interesting. When choosing a college, I was primarily based on the curriculum, but with the beginning of my studies, the program changed a bit and I simply couldn’t cope with my homework. It was not without the help of the coursework writing service (https://www.rush-my-essay.com/coursework/) I was already thinking about changing college again because I want to keep up and study and play sports and do not intend to spend money for someone else to do my homework instead of me.

[manoeuver]

My advice, were I to advise you, would be to look at the Wing Sung 3003. They're a improved copy of the Pilot Prera at a fraction of the cost. I repair pens for a living, but have a couple of them loaded most of the time... A pack of 5 will cost you about $11. Far better quality than the Sheaffer student pens of my day.

Thinking about this as I use a Prera daily and also have a pile of the 3003s (I got them to practice bending nibs.)

What do you find improved about Wing Sung's version?

The main difference I've found is the larger dimensions of the 3003. I find the closure of the Prera cap a bit more satisfying.

thanks!

[andrew.weiss88]

I'm going to recommend a retractable for college, such as the Pilot Vanishing Point (on the pricier side, relatively speaking), or its clone, the Majohn A1. Platinum Curidas is another option. You don't have to worry about messing with a cap while you're taking notes.

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[Marsilius]

Spam
Both Ronald Kahn and OP? I have never heard of a Masters in Voice starting at a Community College with a two-year Associate Degree . . .

[Fountaino]

I would go for a TWSBI of some sort. I used an Eco in college.


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