The Usual "Suggest me a pen Topic" for a long and thin affordable pen

[guguma]

Hello All,

I always had a fondness for fountain pens, my first writing instrument was a fountain pen gifted to my mother by a company, I cannot tell the make, but it is quite thin, with a German made gold plated nib and it uses cartridges. I do enjoy writing with it, however it tends to dry rather quick, and feels a little scratchy, however it fits my hand almost perfectly (in terms of girth) and I love the weight of it.

Another pen I have is the Pelikan M200, the nib feels much smoother, the ink flow to paper is lovely, and I love the fact that it has a reservoir instead of using cartridges, however I simply cannot use this pen as comfortably as I use the other one because of the thickness, it feels a little too thick to me, and also a little short.

I have attached a picture for comparison.

8039

I know that it is a long shot but can you guys suggest me a pen (affordable range please, at most $200 (and I would really prefer somewhere around $100)) that would be as slick as the thin pen, longer than both of these, and writes as beautifully as the Pelikan? Also another request, as long as they would not be the one and only one choice please do not suggest me pens that are made in the U.S.

Best,

[Tony Rex]

Caran d'Ache Ecridor, Sailor Chalana if you really like long. Idk, LAMY Joy? :)

[carlos.q]

One of the thinner Lamys like the cp1, pur, Logo, etc.

[Jeph]

Pelikan M100 maybe? Thinner than the M200 (11mm vs 12mm), and actually posts to be just a little longer than the M200 posted.
Some of the newer cartridge Pelikans are also pretty skinny.

[picautomaton]

Sheaffer Intensity

[VertOlive]

I have a very satisfying Chinese Hero 715. It has a Fine, 10kt gold nib and is a very smooth writer. It is 5 inches long when capped and easily my most slender pen. Also has a convertor. It cost me about $12.00 from speerbob on Ebay.

[Jon Szanto]

A Sheaffer Snorkel would be perfect. Get one with the Triumph-style conical nib and you'll have not only a long, thin, and comfortable pen, but a pen that is within your budget that is both vintage and contains one of the more intriguing filling systems ever put in a pen.


http://penhero.com/PenGallery/Sheaffer/Pics/SheafferSnorkel02.jpg

[ac12]

@guguma
You can get the nib on most pens adjusted to be smooth writers.
The nib size is an important factor in smoothness. A Broad or Medium nib will be smoother than a Fine nib, as it will handle less than smooth paper better.

Questions
- When you say dries quickly how long or short is quickly, in minutes please? If you do not use a fountain pen, you should put the cap back on the pen. A fountain pen is not meant to be left uncapped for an extended period of time. If you don't use the pen for 5 minutes, I would cap the pen.
Or do you mean the pen is a hard starter? A hard starter is some times due to a nib that needs to be tuned to eliminate a baby bottom tip profile, a nib slit problem, etc.

- When you say thin pen, what diameter are you specifying, the grip or the barrel of the pen? And what specific diameter do you mean by thin, in inches or mm please. I like slimline pens (aprox 9.5mm barrel diameter), so I can tell you that thin for me is quite different than thin for most people. And conversely FAT for me would be comfortable for others.

- When you say long pen, how long is long? Or said another way, at what point is a pen too short for you? Please be specific in inches/cm from the tip of the nib to the end of the pen. A non specific term like long means different things to different people. And do you mean the length with the pen posted (cap on the end of the pen) or unposted (cap is NOT on the pen)?

- You said you love the weight of the thinner pen. But what weight is that? Are you open to a lighter or heavier pen?

As you can see from peoples suggestions, they are suggesting pens based on their interpretation of your words, which may or may not match what you mean. So the more specific you can be, the better the suggestions.

The Lamy CP1 is smaller than the Pur. But I do not have the measurements of the pens.

If you can find one, an old Parker Classic is a slim pen. The barrel is 9.5mm in diameter. It is one of my favorite pens, because I like slimline pens. But it is made in the US.

[AndyT]

The Lamy CP1 is smaller than the Pur. But I do not have the measurements of the pens.

CP1: Capped - 135mm; Posted - 162mm; 9.5mm diameter.
Pur: Capped - 138mm; Posted - 168mm; 11mm diameter.
Linea: Capped - 135mm; Posted - 162mm; 9mm diameter.

Thanks to Andy's Pens (http://www.andys-pens.co.uk/index.shtml) for the specs; didn't find anything about weights though.

Jon's suggestion of a Snorkel sounds like the ideal vintage option to me, but there are plenty of older pens with dainty sections to choose from. A Waterman No.12 would also be rather nice. :)

[jde]

Platinum Standard pen!
Here's an example (http://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Standard-Fountain-Pens/ct/1136) (it comes in black or red) on JetPens. Mostly you can find on eBay. Very affordable, great steel nib. Also on the 'Bay you can get a 14K nib for just a few more dollars.

[Pterodactylus]

If you are not afraid to look for a used pen (won´t call it vintage) you could look out for a Montblanc Noblesse.
They are not expensive anymore, take international cartridges or a international converter, are available with steel or gold nibs (they are quite nails), are slim, elegant and write great.

http://imageshack.us/a/img513/8491/r6pp.jpg

(Montblanc Noblesse 1122 - M)

[ac12]

@Pterodactylus
Do you know how the tips of the Noblesse runs, say compared to say the old US Parkers or Sheaffers?
I would hate to put down $$$ only to find that the tip is too fine for me.
I ran into that twice; Cross F (original Century) and Papermate F are both like a XF. They are too fine for my everyday writing, which is with an old Parker F. :(
And on both pens, I cannot change the nibs, so I am stuck with what I have.

thanks

[Pterodactylus]

http://imageshack.us/a/img833/6057/9idl.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img600/9101/4n4y.jpg

(Montblanc Noblesse 1122 - M ..... P.W. Akkerman Shocking Blue)

http://imageshack.us/a/img40/2435/8ses.jpg

[ac12]

Pterodactylus

Thanks for the info.
It sounds like just what the doctor ordered :)
The dimensions are 1/2 mm smaller than my Parker 180, so it is a perfect size for me.
When I said slimline, I was referring genericly to the thin pens of the 1970s, not to a specific model.
I did a search and found this about the Noblese and Slimline.
http://www.penhero.com/PenGallery/Montblanc/MontblancSlimline.htm

Is your paper 5mm squares?

thanks again
Now a new pen to look for.

[Pterodactylus]

You are welcome. :)

Yes, a square is 5mm.

[ac12]

@Pterodactylus

This was a great help.
I put the image of your reply into my photo program so I can scale the image to 5mm squares.
The ink line of your M nib looks good, so I will be looking for a M nib.

Thanks again

[Woody]

Waterman laureat would fit the bill. You can find them around. Also a Sheaffer targa slim line. Check Peyton Street pens !

[Jon Szanto]

Waterman laureat would fit the bill. You can find them around.
I had forgotten about this, and I have one! Very nice writing pen, plenty of weight in spite of thinner dimensions. Very comfortable for long writing periods, and the finishes hold up very well. Indeed, you can find used ones on eBay that look brand new. The later model, the Laureat II, is just a tiny bit more substantial and I prefer this model.

[top pen]

Cross century 2 is very slim and a regular size