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Thread: Indecision about new fountain pen

  1. #21
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by Sandy View Post
    The Platinum and Sailor pens I have are resin/plastic and so are quite light - so you may not get the weight you are looking for. The Cross Peerless is heavier, with a sailor nib.

    They are lovely pens - the nibs have slightly different characteristics, but I've found them to work well enough. The President nib is not soft - it is a hard 18K nib. I have a 14k Sailor nib - and it is nice too.

    If you want a smooth nib, go for a broad one. Certainly Pilot & Platinum's broad nibs are smooth.

    You can get a smooth experience with the medium nibs but that needs more careful paper selection (Japanese paper works better).
    I write on copier paper all the time with a steel Pilot fine - the one the Kakuno and Metro use. There's no smoothness problem at all unless you select exceptionally bad copier paper, dry ink, or are heavier handed than you should be with a fountain pen.

  2. #22
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    Default Re: which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    Quote Originally Posted by emmanuelsolorza View Post
    Hi from Mexico. I’m thinking a buying a new Japanese fountain pen, but I’m not sure what to get! My options are Pilot Custom 742, Platinum President and Sailor ProGear II. I’m looking for a classic looking pen, with a big soft but not flex nib, with decent size and weight. I have medium-big sized hands and I don’t like mini pens, so my options are very narrow, please help me and tell me your experiences with these pens. Thanks
    The soft nib will be the tricky part. But take a look at

    https://www.writeexperience.com/blog...-soft-fine-nib

    https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpen...lot_falcon_sf/

    Also the Platinum Procyon is supposed to fit with exactly what you want re size and softness and is a lot cheaper than any of the above. Maybe check some reviews?

    Finally, if you can find a used(?) Danitrio Densho with the soft nib on ebay, than should gave you what you want - it's a terrific pen.

  3. #23
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I have 3 Pilot FP's. They all have Pilot rhodium plated gold nibs.

    Pilot Pens_200604_0002.JPG

    From Rigt to Left:
    1) Pilot Custom 74 Demonstrator M nib
    2) Pilot VP or Capless (depending on where in the world you live) M nib. (I also have a spare F nib.)
    3) Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Demonstrator SF nib

    My go to pen from those 3 is the Custom 74:
    It's a converter filler that takes the larger con-70 converter.
    It's been one of my ink testing workhorse pens in the past. It always writes as soon as I remove the cap no matter what ink it has in there from shimmer to heavy sheen. The M nib is an absolutely perfect and beautifully smooth nib to use.
    It's easy enough to clean out either by using the converter to flush it or by removing the converter and using a rubber ear bulb. If I really feel the need I can pull out the nib and feed and clean them separately.
    In fact my only con against it is that being a demonstrator you can see that it gets a tiny bit of ink stuck within the walls of the section near to the nib. I've tried to get that out and it's virtually impossible. It's something you just have to live with or buy it in a different colour.

    By comparison I don't use my Pilot VP as much. If I put a cartridge in there and address a couple of envelopes, then it won't write in a couple of days time when I need it to. That proved to be it's downfall for me.

    The Pilot CH 92 is a pen that I never really liked because I made the mistake of buying it with a F nib. I didn't like the F nib at all. It proved to be a bit too fine for my taste. It was up for sale on ebay and someone made contact to ask if I would consider a nib exchange. Since then we've successfully exchanged nibs and it's now fitted with a SF. Maybe I will start using it very soon. The nibs in the 92 and 74 are interchangeable, so that's always good if you feel like swapping around. The 92 is a piston filler and that might make it more subject to staining with some inks.
    Last edited by Chrissy; April 6th, 2020 at 09:22 AM.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  4. #24
    Senior Member sharmon202's Avatar
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    Default Re: which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    I have 2 Cross Peerless 125. Heavy, pretty good girth. Worth the money for me, excellent writers. You might want to look up specs, Sailor nibs I think.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by Lady Onogaro View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by jrthemoon View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by emmanuelsolorza View Post
    No, I want it brand new for quality reasons . Your pen was fine?
    Well yes, my pen was mint, unused and £100 instead of the £300 initial price so why again new ! I am very very fussy but there are many a bargain to be had and you can always send it back

    If you think about it pre owned mint is 100% better, your new £200 pen will be worth £80 when you get it, (technically) I could sell the pen tomorrow for much more than I paid, you just need to keep an eye out. But it is luck and takes time

    https://www.theonlinepencompany.com/...pecial-edition
    I remember hearing that Cross nibs are actually made by Sailor. If so, the OP might find the nib stiffer than the Pilot Custom 74 or any of Pilot's offerings. Just a thought.
    The nib of the Cross Peerless 125 is indeed said to be made by Sailor. I am inclined to suspect that the entire pen is made by Sailor, though perhaps not. But that is only one model.

    As for Cross nibs in general, they have been of diverse origin over the history of the company. I should think that Cross now makes the nibs of its less expensive models in-house, the house being in China, and outsources some more expensive nibs. Pilot is much mentioned, but in today's world of sometimes rapidly changing supply chains that may not be currently true.

  6. #26
    FPG Donor ♕ KrazyIvan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    For what it's worth, the Pilot 742 is a nice pen but you may find it a little small. The 74 is just slightly larger but still on the small side for me.
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    Default Re: which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    I don’t own any Platinum pens (yet) but I have a Sailor Pro Gear and the Pilot Custom 74 and the Pilot Custom 823. If someone told me I could only keep one, it would be the 823. Big fat nib, writes like a dream. I love the Sailor too, but my 74 (I have a fine) feels a little stiff. If I didn’t know it was a gold nib, I would guess steel.

  8. #28
    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    For what it's worth, the Pilot 742 is a nice pen but you may find it a little small. The 74 is just slightly larger but still on the small side for me.
    The 74 is smaller than the 742.

    The 742 is 145.5mm whereas the 74 is a hair under 140mm. The 742 is 11~12mm thick depending on where you measure, which is a very reasonable size. Again, the 74 is slightly smaller in diameter.

    The 743 is 148mm, barely longer than the 742 & slightly fatter. The 823 is larger still, but the stock models come only in F, M or B — no soft versions, stubs etc., as on the 742 or 743. Whether the vac filler is an advantage is debatable.

    Very few people have larger hands than i do. And yet i don’t have any trouble writing with my Pilot 742. None whatsoever. After all, i’m perfectly capable of writing with wooden pencils, Bics and even golf pencils.

  9. #29
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I really like my Pilot Custom Heritage 92s - really smooth pistons. I have fine and medium nibs, and they are wonderful easy writers which I find give much less feedback than the Platinum 3776s.

    I refilled my blue 92 yesterday and a Pelikan m400 and ... the Pelikan actually didn't feel nearly as smooth!

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    The Townsend's nibs come from Pelikan (and they are very good).

    The old Cross Century nibs came from Pilot.

  11. #31
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by KrazyIvan View Post
    For what it's worth, the Pilot 742 is a nice pen but you may find it a little small. The 74 is just slightly larger but still on the small side for me.
    The 74 is smaller than the 742.

    The 742 is 145.5mm whereas the 74 is a hair under 140mm. The 742 is 11~12mm thick depending on where you measure, which is a very reasonable size. Again, the 74 is slightly smaller in diameter.

    The 743 is 148mm, barely longer than the 742 & slightly fatter. The 823 is larger still, but the stock models come only in F, M or B — no soft versions, stubs etc., as on the 742 or 743. Whether the vac filler is an advantage is debatable.

    Very few people have larger hands than i do. And yet i don’t have any trouble writing with my Pilot 742. None whatsoever. After all, i’m perfectly capable of writing with wooden pencils, Bics and even golf pencils.
    I knew one was smaller than the other and they are both smaller than I expected. I don't have my 742 anymore to compare but I do have my 74 with a music nib. It's still small and they are both very close.
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Pilot ,Sailor , platinum are exceptional pens. I have all three and have a good collection.
    I don't have any hi-end level pens of any but the middle range.
    Sailor pro-gear slim and the standard one are very small pens but when you post them they become the normal length to fit for a medium hand.
    Sailor Standard or the President pens are heavy and bigger in size ( of the Classic Montblanc 146 and 149 Size ) That's my guess and they are the high-end. and the piston filling system too tale more ink. The nibs are 21k only.

    Pro-gear line mostly have 14k. But I don't feel any difference in those two nibs. All my pens have H-F and H-m nibs they are fine writers. You must write with a pen to see how you experience as the Japanese pens write.
    H-M medium writers are fine writes and H-F are very fine writes. H =stand for hard. So all the sailor nibs are hard nibs. But they are just like any modern German nibs. They are all hard as JOWO or Bock. Steel or gold.
    Pilot pens are fantastic pens they have the widest choices of the Nib type.
    From music nibs to Soft fine and medium to Falcon S-F or S-M ( They are not Flex but writes softer and with a smooth feed back to the papers. )
    My favourite writers type nibs. Pilot custom series (74 smaller version of the 742 ) and the custom Heritage 912 is a very interesting pen and it has the voice of the FA -10 nib ( Falcon cut 0 nib slight flex action. I never flex any modern pens. Not a good idea. For calligraphy I use flex dip nibs. And the Namikie Falcon SFE very famous tooty nib many people hate. A great pen for Spencerian writing.

    Some pilot pen writing on this thread.

    https://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread...-It-s-Writings
    Last edited by Cyril; June 19th, 2021 at 08:46 AM.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I vote for the Pilot Custom 823. One of the best pens out there. If you have big hands you definitely might try to see the suggestions in person before buying. In my experience most Japanese pens are in the same ballpark size wise. The only large Japanese pens I can think of are Namikis and some Nakayas.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by emmanuelsolorza View Post
    No, I want it brand new for quality reasons . Your pen was fine?
    Yeah, you don’t know what you’re getting if the pen is used. However, if the seller backs his pen, then buying used may not be a bad idea.

  16. #35
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by jdwhitak View Post
    I vote for the Pilot Custom 823. One of the best pens out there. If you have big hands you definitely might try to see the suggestions in person before buying. In my experience most Japanese pens are in the same ballpark size wise. The only large Japanese pens I can think of are Namikis and some Nakayas.
    The King of Pen is pretty big, roughly 149 sized.

  17. #36
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    emmanuelsolorza, why not think italian. monteverde makes the prima and mountains of the world which are large pens (but not monster sized) and the medium nibs are buttery smooth and the ink flows immediately even if left in the pen case for weeks. i have the prima which rivals my sailor 1911. i am 6'2" with hands to match and the prima fits well. the one nice thing about monteverde pens is the converter screws in rather than is pushed in.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    More than a year later... I wonder what pen did the OP finally buy?

  19. #38
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Quote Originally Posted by carlos.q View Post
    More than a year later... I wonder what pen did the OP finally buy?
    If it took the OP a full year to select a pen, I can't imagine how long it'll take them to choose an ink!

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    And it took a knucklehead like me over a year to join the conversation. It would be interesting to find out what the OP did get.

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