What do you think the best pen is?

[inklord]

This must be boringly repetitive for any who still don't skip my replys, but it's the LAMY 2000.
Reasons? I personally like simplistic, minimalist designs in most things I use; the pen writes well all the time, fresh out of the box as well as years later (I purchased 6 L2k's so far, 0 duds); the pen has a flawless piston filling system (my favorite method of filling) with good (1.2ml) capacity; it can easily be dismantled from the front end for cleaning/lubrication; it has a firm, but slightly elastic 14k nib with voluminous tipping that writes well as is and can easily be ground into anything a penman/-woman may desire (though it will never achieve flex); through its breather hole in the underside of the nib section it can draw inks from nearly empty bottles, and its feed holds ink for a full page of medium-width writing after the ink window first shows 'empty; it is a real classic of German post-war design, and it is inconspicuous enough to not draw unwanted attention; now that I've owned one for the better part of a decade, one of its most remarkable features has revealed itself as well: a quality of "shutaku", a Japanese expression of gradually increasing beauty from being polished through the use by [human] hands: my first L2k is by now mirror shiny at the sides near the finial and in a few other spots; the balance and durability of the design are both excellent; the price is incredibly low for a gold-nibbed, piston-filled European-made pen.
Lamy as a company also recommends itself as a proponent of high standards of corporate ethics, only occasionally flawed by somewhat clumsy (goofy?) marketing strategies.
Any flaws to this pen? When you leave it in a rapidly heating environment after being in a cool place, it will burp ink into its cap, and the cap is not easy to clean 'in the field' unless you always carry cotton swabs around... (by now, I do!)
That being said, there are many others I like, but this is the one that has it all in the price range I worked with so far (US$10.- to $500.- from various companies)

[adhoc]

Lamy 2000 is amazing. You forgot to mention the entire piston assembly is extremely easy to take apart.

If you can't fix it, you don't own it. And one certainly owns a Lamy 2000.

[Woody]

The best pen for me. Edison collier. Eye droppered. Very comfortable in the hand. No steps, clean lines. No too big and not too small. You can upgrade the nib at any time. Wonderful model.

[inklord]

Lamy 2000 is amazing. You forgot to mention the entire piston assembly is extremely easy to take apart.

If you can't fix it, you don't own it. And one certainly owns a Lamy 2000.

Absolutely!
Though a lamy rep once told me that when dismantling the piston end of an L2k, you do so at your own risk, and I know of one person who managed to break it - wouldn't stop me, but that's why I didn't mention it... good point, though!

[elysee]

How did I not answer the question?

To me, your post seemed to be a perfectly fine answer to the question. : )

[mhosea]

If you can't fix it, you don't own it.

I guess I feel that way, too. I have a special wrench that makes piston removal of my MB 146's easy. I don't have one for the nib unit, though.

[RocketRyan]

How did I not answer the question?

You did, but in a very Jar way.

[Jon Szanto]

Albert, help me out here!

[adhoc]

If you can't fix it, you don't own it.

I guess I feel that way, too. I have a special wrench that makes piston removal of my MB 146's easy. I don't have one for the nib unit, though.

I see someone from China is making tools specifically for Montblanc 146 / 149 and Pelikan M800 / M1000 and selling them on ebay. A bit pricey, though.

[RocketRyan]

Albert, help me out here!

Just after an opinion John. It's not legally binding.

[jar]

Albert, help me out here!

Just after an opinion John. It's not legally binding.

What is the best tool for a job?

[RocketRyan]

Albert, help me out here!

Just after an opinion John. It's not legally binding.

What is the best tool for a job?

A hammer! Regardless of the task.

[ethernautrix]

I'm lucky. I have many BEST pens. Nakayas and Danitrios and Pilots currently are my best pens with the best nibs. And by "best," I mean... for my purposes and delight.

[mhosea]

If you can't fix it, you don't own it.

I guess I feel that way, too. I have a special wrench that makes piston removal of my MB 146's easy. I don't have one for the nib unit, though.

I see someone from China is making tools specifically for Montblanc 146 / 149 and Pelikan M800 / M1000 and selling them on ebay. A bit pricey, though.

Exactly. The first time I fabricated the tool myself from one of the handles on a binder clip. That worked on the 149 I had bought, but then I got a 146 that required more force than the tool was safe for. So I bought a wrench for it from China off eBay. Even so, it wasn't an easy one. Heat and patience ultimately prevailed, as it usually does. Happy with the wrench, but the nib unit requires a different one, and one does not remove the nib unit of a 146 unless the damned thing is already leaking (there is a sealant). It's probable that I'll never need to do it, so I couldn't see my way clear to buying a tool for it. Getting the piston out for a thorough cleaning of the pen and re-lubrication was massively worth it, however, since this piston was quite stiff on arrival.

[Jon Szanto]

Just after an opinion John. It's not legally binding.

But you are entirely missing my point (which is, also, just an opinion): in my case, in my viewpoint, it is a question that on it's face value makes no sense. There is a *perfect* parallel to the tool set; you might just as easily ask an artist which brush is the best, and on and on.

There is literally no way to say which of my pens is 'the best', because there are numerous pens that are best at that moment, or best for some purpose, or best for a mood, etc. A question that can't be answered, which makes one wonder why it was asked.

"What pen or pens are you enjoying today?" seems reasonable.

[AzJon]

If you can't fix it, you don't own it.

I'll have to remember that the next time my car breaks down and needs repairs.

...or I break an arm and can't set it myself.

...or my windshield cracks and needs replacing.

[RocketRyan]

Just after an opinion John. It's not legally binding.

But you are entirely missing my point (which is, also, just an opinion): in my case, in my viewpoint, it is a question that on it's face value makes no sense. There is a *perfect* parallel to the tool set; you might just as easily ask an artist which brush is the best, and on and on.

There is literally no way to say which of my pens is 'the best', because there are numerous pens that are best at that moment, or best for some purpose, or best for a mood, etc. A question that can't be answered, which makes one wonder why it was asked.

"What pen or pens are you enjoying today?" seems reasonable.

It was a question designed for people who wish to participate, to give an opinion on which pen they personally think meets most of the criteria they look for in a pen. That can change frequently. However I was more interested in the way people have come to the conclusion, rather than what the pen is.
Now let's give everyone some credit, we know that perfection doesn't exist. We also know that we will all have difference of opinion on what makes things better than others. And I'd like to think everyone knows that this is a light hearted question designed to be a bit of fun, and not me looking to solve the problems in the middle East. It doesn't need to descend into a heated discussion on who has the better understanding of the contents of the Oxford English dictionary and thesaurus double pack they received as a gift at the age of 12, and have read religiously ever since.

[Jon Szanto]

It was a question designed for people who wish to participate, to give an opinion on which pen they personally think meets most of the criteria they look for in a pen. That can change frequently. However I was more interested in the way people have come to the conclusion, rather than what the pen is.
Now let's give everyone some credit, we know that perfection doesn't exist. We also know that we will all have difference of opinion on what makes things better than others. And I'd like to think everyone knows that this is a light hearted question designed to be a bit of fun, and not me looking to solve the problems in the middle East. It doesn't need to descend into a heated discussion on who has the better understanding of the contents of the Oxford English dictionary and thesaurus double pack they received as a gift at the age of 12, and have read religiously ever since.

Nice touch. I'll choose to not respond in kind. Maybe, however, you might consider that how you phrase and post your questions can have an effect on the outcome.

And there is no "h".

[RocketRyan]

Sorry auto correct. No offence intended. I spend most of my life being called Brian. Very annoying.

[Jon Szanto]

Sorry auto correct. No offence intended. I spend most of my life being called Brian. Very annoying.

Ta for that, we're good! Most of the mangling in my world is courtesy the rogue 'z' in the last name.