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Thread: Indecision about new fountain pen

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    Red face which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    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
    Last edited by emmanuelsolorza; March 17th, 2020 at 04:30 PM.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    IME Sailor nibs are hard. I love the bounce of pilot gold nibs. The feedback on Platinum nibs bugs me.
    wasting time on tapatalk

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Have you considered pre owned on Ebay, I recently bought this brushed Platinum gold nib Cross for £100


    pen image.jpg

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    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 Pilot is available is a variety of nibs. I do not care for piston fill pens because they are just too easy to twist and cause a leak. The Pilot has an available converter, which is nice.
    https://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Fountai.../dp/B001AX9I3G

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I am Autistic, Aspergers, so I apologize if I occasionally post without thinking (as in speak without .....) no rudeness is ever intended Thanks

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I find Pilot nibs to be smoother (rather than softer) than Sailor and Platinum with Platinum being the hardest of the three. Personally while I can appreciate the smother Pilot nibs , I also like the feedback i get with Sailor

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    No, I want it brand new for quality reasons . Your pen was fine?

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    Bob (June 18th, 2021)

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Thanks, actually that is what I’m looking for, a smooth nib

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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?
    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
    Last edited by jrthemoon; March 14th, 2020 at 10:50 AM.
    I am Autistic, Aspergers, so I apologize if I occasionally post without thinking (as in speak without .....) no rudeness is ever intended Thanks

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    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).

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I own modern Pilot and Platinum pens, but no gold nibbed Sailors newer than about 30 years old.

    If I was after the smoothest writing experience on average quality paper, I'd go for a medium or broad nib in a Pilot pen.

    I prefer light and only moderately thick, to thinner pens, so my sweet spot has been the C74 and CH91, if you just want more heft, the piston fill version (CH92?) Is probably heavier by a noticeable margin, though the CON70 converter definitely increases the weight of this series over a cartridge.

    My only new Sailors are steel nib Profit Jr. and Young Professional/1911 young, all with steel nibs that are quite smooth, but also completely rigid and smaller than your preference.
    David-

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Change the question. "Which should I get first?"

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    If you want a soft nib your only choice here is Pilot. Both Platinum and Sailor make harder nibs (Platinum harder than Sailor). Sailor pens are a little shorter than Pilot pens generally.

    If it's black and gold you want, you're in a good place with any of the three. None of the pens you mentioned are heavy, they're all plastic. I don't know what you mean exactly by a decent weight, I tend to view light as a good attribute in pens. Pilot offers some metal pens, but not the 742. You'd be looking at a metal falcon (they're soft despite people trying to make them flex) or a vanishing point (some of them look pretty classy, you don't have to get the funny colours).

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    Default Re: which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    Pilot.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Like others have posted, Pilot for soft and smooth. Sailor provides a little more feedback, and is the hardest of the three; although I think Sailor controls ink flow the best (but they’re all good so we’re splitting hairs). Platinum has the most feedback (again, splitting hairs), but their “soft” versions (soft fine and soft medium) are probably the most flexible/bouncy.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    Can't speak for Sailor, but I have both Pilot and Platinum.

    Pilot writes wetter. My Pilot nibs are good everyday writers and I find I reach for the pens quite often.

    My Platinum soft nibs are bouncy, but I find they write dry so I have to be careful what inks I use. And they do have feedback as a couple of people already mentioned.

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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    I enjoy both Platinum and Sailor but I found that both took a little getting used to. Pilot nibs are outstanding.
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    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.
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    Default Re: Indecision about new fountain pen

    My fountain pen journey started around the time of my joining Fountain Pen Geeks - 2013. The hobby died out for a few years and I have got right back on that horse and am riding and galloping at times lol.

    I've read about Japanese pens and nibs being finer than western nib sizes - and I've always wanted to try one. I keep an A5 Hobonichi food journal and wanted to try a Japanese EF (extra fine) or F (fine) nib for tiny line entries. Did my research and it came down to either a Sailor or a Platinum. Long story short I went with a Platinum 3776 Century Bourgogne with a soft fine nib. Currently it's inked with Visconti Blue and I like the smooth flow of ink, the fine line, and the fact that the 3776 Century has the cap within the cap to keep air out of the nib area when capped. I also write with the nib reversed and the line becomes a sweet EF (extra fine).

    I'm still thinking of which Sailor to get. Maybe the two tine Music nib?

    Last edited by 85AKbN; March 29th, 2020 at 11:20 PM.

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    Default Re: which should I get as my first Japanese gold nib fp?

    I think a Pilot will give you what you"re looking for in terms of smoothness and softness. I do like my Platinum 3776 in a soft fine very much which is also quite smooth with slight feedback. Sailor nibs ten to be much harder in my opinion, but can be smooth. As to weight, I'm not sure of the 3 you mentioned in comparison to each other. Though the Platinum 3776 is a good weight.

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