Pocket-size advice - or - Can I have the moon on a stick, please?

[spuntotheratboy]

In recent years I've more or less completely abandoned fountain pens for the convenience of the Fisher Space Pen. And it is great, no doubt, but I'm missing using a fountain pen. What I really want is an italic space pen, if such a thing were not an oxymoron.

But it seems there are a few pens that come close. Most particularly I really like the look of the Kaweco Liliput, and the A G Spalding Mini looks pretty good too, and I know there are others I've not looked into.

But it seems as though there are drawbacks. The first, only a minor point, is cartridges. I'd much prefer to convert and use bottled ink if possible. The Kaweco Sport takes a converter, I think, but it's a bit chunky - I really am looking for something that can fit comfortably in my trouser pocket.

More important is line variation. It looks to me as though neither of the pens I mentioned can take an italic or even a stub nib, but perhaps there's a bit of flex in a medium nib, enough to give me a bit of line variation?

I'm fully aware I'm asking for the moon on a stick! But I'd be very grateful for advice and recommendations - perhaps someone knows of something like the Liliput but with a stub nib and a converter, and then I'd feel silly not to have asked.

Thanks!

[fountainpenkid]

I believe that Jinhao makes a Fisher space pen fountain pen:


They don't hold much ink though. But they do take a converter. I know nothing about putting a stub nib on it though. If you want a pen that is really close to the liliput's form factor, but that takes a converter, and has a nib to your liking, the only way I think you could do it would be to go to a custom pen maker and have them turn a pen like that for you. Shawn Newton of Newton pens seems to be an upcoming great pen turner, that has lower prices. He also offers button fillers. Brian Gray of course is great too, and he just released a pneumatic filler. If you're willing to spend a couple hundred, maybe you could have him make a pneumatic filler on a liliput style pen--but it would take a lot of work on his part, as he would have to fabricate all new parts for a pen that slim.

[spuntotheratboy]

Interesting! I'm afraid a hand-made pen is not even an option, lovely though the idea is - I'm looking for something that's going to sit in my pocket and get knocked and dropped - but the Jinhao is interesting. Not as pretty as the Liliput or the Mini, but the converter is a bonus.

As for nibs, I'm starting to wonder if it might be worth looking into grinding it myself - nothing radical, just enough to give me some thicks and thins.

Thanks very much.

[fountainpenkid]

Interesting! I'm afraid a hand-made pen is not even an option, lovely though the idea is - I'm looking for something that's going to sit in my pocket and get knocked and dropped - but the Jinhao is interesting. Not as pretty as the Liliput or the Mini, but the converter is a bonus.

As for nibs, I'm starting to wonder if it might be worth looking into grinding it myself - nothing radical, just enough to give me some thicks and thins.

Thanks very much.

Unless a custom pen would be too expensive or you don't think you could find what you're looking for, I really don't think knocking or dropping is a problem, unless this is literally being thrown across rooms and hitting concrete floors constantly. I use a Pelikan m400 in my pants pocket most days--it falls of the floor sometimes, I might run with it in my pocket...and it is fine. I really don't think there should be a problem. But I used to use space pens too, and they were fun, and so I see that if you're really used to using them, then maybe an acrylic pen is too much of a change. My ED-use pen (used in my pants pocket) is actually a Parker Slender Vacumatic, in grey pearl. It is very small and quite thin, fits in a pocket very nicely, and holds over 2ml of ink. I do not baby it either...celluloid is actually quite durable if it is high quality...I don't know if it is easy to find an Italic nib in one of those though. If you do like the looks of them, I can highly recommend one. You can find one for under $150 restored, and under $100 unrestored.

[snedwos]

1.1 mm TWSBI Mini? But I guess it would be a risk if you're going to really mistreat it. The Stipula Passaporto is an eyedropper filled pen, and I'm sure you could get a stub.
The Sailor Chalana would be the silly option, and I doubt they make italic nibs for it.

[fountainpenkid]

1.1 mm TWSBI Mini? But I guess it would be a risk if you're going to really mistreat it. The Stipula Passaporto is an eyedropper filled pen, and I'm sure you could get a stub.
The Sailor Chalana would be the silly option, and I doubt they make italic nibs for it.

I think that if TWSBI ends up fixing their plastic one and for all, then the mini might work...but it is fat, thus will show in the pocket. The Stipula passaporto is another good suggestion. Both are fat for their size though, and I don't know if the OP likes that or not. I can't recommend the mini from my own experience because of the cracking though. There is no guarantee about anything TWSBI it seems.

[KrazyIvan]

My Stipula Passaporto has a .9 mm stub. Very smooth. I have the AGSpalding, Kaweco sport, and have had the Liliput. Best bang for the buck is the Kaweco Sport with 1.1 mm italic.

[spuntotheratboy]

Wow, thanks a lot for all your advice - lots to think about!

Cost is a good part of the reason I'm not looking at a custom pen, but also... well, my Space Pen is dented and scratched, which I like because it's real-life wear and tear, but I'd feel different about a custom-made object. I'm not looking for the pen of my dreams, you see (except in a weird way I kinda am...) but something I don't have to loose any sleep over, and which I can replace or repair easily if it gets lost or broken. The Vacumatic's beautiful, but not the pen I'm looking for right now.

Sailor Chalana - yeah, silly's the word! But thanks a lot for pointing it out, I enjoyed seeing it.

TWSBI Mini looks interesting, not as much to my taste æsthetically as the Liliput or the Spalding, and if it's likely to break then I'm likely to break it, if you see what I mean. I don't want to give the impression that I use pens to bang nails in, or anything! But I am looking for something I don't need to worry about.

The Stipula looks like a great pen - on the fat side, but very pretty and it has a proper filler and I could get a stub - maybe even a full italic, or cursive italic, I'll investigate. Definitely on my list.

And then the Sport - not as nice as the Stipula, but then again I'd worry about it less. And a proper filler, and a stub...

I really appreciate your all taking the time to help. Such a shame there's no italic or stub for the Liliput, I really love the look of it! At the moment I'm thinking about the Stipula or the Sport.

Thanks again!

[KrazyIvan]

One thing I forgot to mention. I have owned the Fisher Space Pen. Keep in mind the Sport is very light weight. The Space pen feels more weighty if I remember right. The Sport is all plastic/acrylic as is the Stipula but the Stipula feels higher quality. Even then, the regular Sport feels like a good everyday beater pen you can carry in your pant pocket (although I would not do that). If you want metal, look at the Al-Sport. The Carbon Sport is just cool to look at. That is one I have not tried yet so can't really comment too much on. Maybe in the future.

[fountainpenkid]

One thing I forgot to mention. I have owned the Fisher Space Pen. Keep in mind the Sport is very light weight. The Space pen feels more weighty if I remember right. The Sport is all plastic/acrylic as is the Stipula but the Stipula feels higher quality. Even then, the regular Sport feels like a good everyday beater pen you can carry in your pant pocket (although I would not do that). If you want metal, look at the Al-Sport. The Carbon Sport is just cool to look at. That is one I have not tried yet so can't really comment too much on. Maybe in the future.

+1 to all of that! It is a shame that the mini has cracking problems, because it is the coolest pen (IMO) of this bunch. The all sports look awesome!

[eriquito]

My Stipula Passaporto has a .9 mm stub. Very smooth. I have the AGSpalding, Kaweco sport, and have had the Liliput. Best bang for the buck is the Kaweco Sport with 1.1 mm italic.

I really, really like the Kaweco Sport. So much so that I often visit Anderson Pens just to see if I can put one in the shopping cart. But then I remember... it's too small for a converter. Has that changed? Am I remembering incorrectly? I had one that I converted to an eye dropper, but I wasn't thrilled with that solution.

I'm still looking for a Kaweco Sport safety filler from the 30's, but who knows when I'll find one. I may have to grab a piston filler at the LA Pen Show.

Ivan, do you like the Passaporto? Every time I see them at pen shows I'm shocked at how small they are. Can any sort of writing comfort be found in them?

Have I totally hijacked this thread? Hang me. Hang me now!

- Eric

[KrazyIvan]

I really, really like the Kaweco Sport. So much so that I often visit Anderson Pens just to see if I can put one in the shopping cart. But then I remember... it's too small for a converter. Has that changed? Am I remembering incorrectly? I had one that I converted to an eye dropper, but I wasn't thrilled with that solution.

I'm still looking for a Kaweco Sport safety filler from the 30's, but who knows when I'll find one. I may have to grab a piston filler at the LA Pen Show.

Ivan, do you like the Passaporto? Every time I see them at pen shows I'm shocked at how small they are. Can any sort of writing comfort be found in them?

Have I totally hijacked this thread? Hang me. Hang me now!

- Eric

The Monteverde mini converter fits the Kaweco Sport. I think I saw a Kaweco Safety on eBay a month or so back. It went for way more than I was willing to pay. Maybe it was a different pen.

I have seen some very small Chinese aerometric converters (ala Con-20 but smaller) sell on eBay in lots of 4-6 and have been meaning to get some to test out. I have seen posts on FPN that suggest they fit a variety of midget pens.

I do like the Passaporto. It is one of the few mini pens that I can hold comfortably. It is a larger diameter section that makes the whole thing work for me and probably why I like the Kaweco Sport too. I had trouble with the Liliput because it was too small of a diameter. The AG Spalding is almost the same way but redeems itself by not having to screw the cap on to post it.

[auto winder]

...

I have seen some very small Chinese aerometric converters (ala Con-20 but smaller) sell on eBay in lots of 4-6 and have been meaning to get some to test out. I have seen posts on FPN that suggest they fit a variety of midget pens.
...

I bought a pack of 4 converters like that, unfortunately they were a bit too wide to fit into the Kaweco Sport.

[KrazyIvan]

I just found this converter that looks interesting (not my image):

[Pinkys.Brain]

As for the nib of the Kaweco: Take a BB nib and grind it to a stub. There is a lot of tipping to play with ^_^

[spuntotheratboy]

As for the nib of the Kaweco: Take a BB nib and grind it to a stub. There is a lot of tipping to play with ^_^

That's actually my plan - I ordered the Liliput the other day, so I'm just waiting for it to turn up and I'll break out my whetstones!

I'll let you know how it works out.

[spuntotheratboy]

So, my Kaweco Liliput turned up this evening. I just spent an hour or so with my whetstones and, while the nib's not perfect yet by any means - a little dry and rough - I'm pretty pleased with it as a first go. I'll write with it for a while and then go back to my finest stone and see what I can do.

Here's a writing sample; slightly out of focus and a bit scrawly, but I think it shows that I managed to get some italic character out of the nib. The ink is J. Herbin Perle Noire on cheap printer paper. I think it's a little grey still because of the water I rinsed it with after grinding.

kawecoLiliputSample.jpg

Thanks again for all your advice.

Cheers!

[fountainpenkid]

So, my Kaweco Liliput turned up this evening. I just spent an hour or so with my whetstones and, while the nib's not perfect yet by any means - a little dry and rough - I'm pretty pleased with it as a first go. I'll write with it for a while and then go back to my finest stone and see what I can do.

Here's a writing sample; slightly out of focus and a bit scrawly, but I think it shows that I managed to get some italic character out of the nib. The ink is J. Herbin Perle Noire on cheap printer paper. I think it's a little grey still because of the water I rinsed it with after grinding.

kawecoLiliputSample.jpg

Thanks again for all your advice.

Cheers!

great to hear! Tell us how it ends up!

[KrazyIvan]

Impressive, most impressive.

[earthdawn]

Well I love my Kaweco Sport for work. It's cheap enough I dont have to worry about it.

Now I recently found out how to do a neat trick but putting a sack on a cut down cart.... Holds a lot more ink and the ink of my choice.