Carene or legacy?

[RocketRyan]

Hi guys and girls, as someone who is reasonably new to collecting fountain pens I get drawn to types I don't have. Now this is certainly not an imminent purchase but one on my future want list, a pen with an inlaid nib.
So which would the more knowledgeable among you go for the waterman carene or the sheaffer legacy? Any stories of good or bad experiences with either would be nice to here.
Thanks in advance.

[RocketRyan]

Also any alternative options are welcome.

[jar]

The Carene is not an inlaid nib, it is an inset nib. Two entirely different critters.

[RocketRyan]

OK I'm learning already

[Chrissy]

I've had good experiences with Waterman Carenes and with Sheaffer Targas. I like them both, and their nibs behave really well.

I suppose there are pros and cons with each one, and the main 'con' I would think of is that the Sheaffer Targa is a thinner pen in the hand. I know that Imperials also have inlaid nibs and they might be fatter, but I have never had one.

So far as the Waterman Carene is concerned, it's internal feed holds a lot of ink. So if you have a tendency to change inks a lot, and clean out your pens frequently, the Carene will have more ink in it's feed, and will take longer to clean out. Also, depending on how you write, you might find that the Carene needs a slightly more upright position in your fingers because the end of the section has quite a large underside. Maybe the Targa is a little more traditional in that respect.

I would caution against buying either if you like to take your pens apart and fix your own nibs. Assume that neither of these has a removable nib.

If you're in the UK and you want a Carene, then look on Amazon. They frequently sell the black version at a great price.

[jar]

[Sailor Kenshin]

Both are heavy pens. I have one Legacy and four Carenes. Even though the Carene doesn't post well and WILL get ink on your fingers where they touch the 'horns.'

Chrissy is correct. The Carene has a MONSTER feed. It looks like a whale shark.

[RocketRyan]

Ah the feed could be an issue for me may have to try before I buy.

[Blue Note]

I have 2 Carenes, one Pink Gold Meridians that I paid US $200 for new, and one Coral slightly used that I paid US $118 for. Both have medium 18K gold nibs and both are excellent writers. They are also a great design and lovely to look at. I also have 2 Targas for which I paid around $100 each and they are also excellent writers. I'm not familiar with the Legacy, which is quite a bit chunkier than the slender Targa, but I can highly recommend the Carene and the Targa if you are looking for a good daily driver that also has some nice design values.

[alexander_k]

Rather similar in size and quality, the Carenes and Legacies I've had were decent pens. I actually prefer the Legacy to the legendary PFM. The mian difference I've experienced is that Carene is a rather dry writer, while Legacy is on the juicy side. So, it also depends on the kind of inks you use.

[RocketRyan]

Rather similar in size and quality, the Carenes and Legacies I've had were decent pens. I actually prefer the Legacy to the legendary PFM. The mian difference I've experienced is that Carene is a rather dry writer, while Legacy is on the juicy side. So, it also depends on the kind of inks you use.

Big fan of Diamine inks at the moment.

[alexander_k]

Some of the darker ones would benefit from a dry pen, especially in terms of shading. In a wet pen, Eclipse, for example, seems just black.

[Chrissy]

Some of the darker ones would benefit from a dry pen, especially in terms of shading. In a wet pen, Eclipse, for example, seems just black.

Eclipse seems black to me in many of my pens.

[alexander_k]

Some of the darker ones would benefit from a dry pen, especially in terms of shading. In a wet pen, Eclipse, for example, seems just black.

Eclipse seems black to me in many of my pens.

Yes, Eclipse is one of the tricky dark ones, like the 1864 Blue-Black. It takes a really dry, broad nib to bring the best out of them.

[TSherbs]

Yes, Eclipse is one of the tricky dark ones, like the 1864 Blue-Black. It takes a really dry, broad nib to bring the best out of them.

Who makes this kind of broad nib?



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[RocketRyan]

A dry broad! A rare beast.

[alexander_k]

Yes, Eclipse is one of the tricky dark ones, like the 1864 Blue-Black. It takes a really dry, broad nib to bring the best out of them.

Who makes this kind of broad nib?



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Waterman broad nibs are on the dry side but for really dry nibs I'd go Rotring (look for calligraphy nibs).

[HughC]

I have both, the Legacy is a better pen for me. Both high quality and attractive, both good writers but the Legacy sits better in my hand.

[TSherbs]

A dry broad! A rare beast.

Ahem

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[wee40811]

I'll go with carene first then legacy. The reason being that carene is easier to find and its still in production. Personally I don't like the legacy heritage. I always get the one with touchdown filler. One thing to note though, some of the sheaffer's inlaid nib tends to leak around the diamond shape part due to the capillary action between the nib and the section. It is more of a problem than carene because the nib extends more into the section in sheaffer and you are more likely to get ink on your hand then carene.


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