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kg4giy
40
Jan 23, 2019
Sigh....They tout the Lamy Safari and the Pilot Metro. Two pens that really should be removed from the line ups of two great pen companies. After so many comments about how great these pens are, I bought one of each. They lasted about two pages before I pitched them. I have never had such a rough writing, poor flowing, crappy pens, especially since I already owned several Lamy's and other Pilots. If we want to convince people to use fountain pens, could we make better suggestions? Please? For those that are interested, any of the Knox pens (at $19). The Jinhao ($30). Retro ($50). Even the Levenger True Writers (which can be had for $40 on sale) are better options, write cleaner, and are not frustrating to use. If you are getting someone a fountain pen, get them a fountain pen that will encourage them to use them, not frustrate them.
BrooklynBeka
22
Jan 23, 2019
kg4giyIt's hard to make such arbitrary statements when in fact each persons experience is different. For example a Levenger True Writer was the first fountain pen I ever bought and although beautiful has been THE most frustrating pen I own. It has NEVER (even after replacement nib) written consistently. My next pens were two Lamy Safaris purchased off of Amazon of all places in EF & F. My absolute favorite pens, smooth as butter, they ALWAYS write and are a joy to use. So much so I bought another F Safari and a F Al-Star both favorites and great experiences as well. I bought a M Al-Star that has been awful. I bought a Pilot Metro CI that I adore so much I just bought another. A Pilot Plumix that is great for a beginner I converted and she loves. All this to say the way everyone writes/holds the pen is different and unfortunately so is each and every nib & pen, some have a sweet spot, some have QC issues. One size does NOT fit all, every single time. Some times pens don't work out because of the user. A simple change in the way you hold the pen, or ink used can turn a troublesome pen into a joy. It's part of the process. Before you throw a pen out consider passing it along to someone else who enjoys tinkering, they might love it! All anyone can do is try, and it helps to get experienced advice. That's why I love reading fountain pen forums, there's so much variety and no hard and fast rules.
kg4giy
40
Jan 23, 2019
BrooklynBekaThat is fair, if I had only had one of them. Or never had another pen from their line. Sadly, I have had a number of Safaris - I keep having them given to me and each time I give it another go. And each time I am disappointed. With literally hundreds of fountain pens to choose from, there are so many better choices, why do we keep making the same recommendations?
BrooklynBeka
22
Jan 23, 2019
kg4giyPerhaps your particular handwriting style is not suited to them. Brian Goulet has made several comments about the many variables and how in his office he has seen small changes in the users grip has turned a bad writing experience into a good one. Just a thought. Everyone is different. But it would seem a larger grouping of people do in fact love those pens as I do. Maybe the real issue is not enough variety in entry level recommendations.
GonzoTGreat
756
Jan 24, 2019
BrooklynBekaOne of my first fountain pens was a Metro with a medium nib. I had been using a large, squishy-gripped pilot gel pen (Dr. Grip, I think) but started blowing through ink cartridges while studying. I thought I’d give fountain pens a go to mix things up. Others said they could write with less effort & money (refillable from a bottle) than I was using. I was intrigued. When I started using the Metro, I felt most of my expectations were met - except the grip was too small and it bothered my tendinitis. I also didn’t know how a smooth flowing pen could become scratchy overnight. After learning more about writing posture, writing pads, pen balance and nib alignment and flossing, these conundrums were made clear. My daily writer (at home) is my L2K (my 1st Massdrop purchase) using Take-sumi ink. My “red pen” is a Pilot Kakuno. When I’m out, I bring all the pens I mentioned with me (my Lamy Vista also from Massdrop). One of the things I love to do is give away pens to interested folks. But I’m incredibly poor. How do I do this? I buy Pilot Varsities when I can get ‘em for a buck, each. If I use them up, I remove the branding and refill them as eye-droppers. When someone asks to borrow a pen, I hand them one without the cap (that way they return it when done). About half the time, they’ll ask about it. ”Is that a real fountain pen?” ”Yep.” ”Wow, that’s really cool. Do you know where I can pick one up?” ”Sure. Here’s the cap. Enjoy. Check out fpn.com if you’d like to know more.” So what’s my point? Well, I enjoy tangents. Also, if you don’t like the Safaries or Metropolitans then decide if you WANT to like them. If you do, figure out what will work for you. If you’re not that into them, pay it forward. These entry level pens are great workhorses when paired with the right ink and paper (Seven Seas Writer, for me). When I save up enough, I hope to get a Karas pen. They have some less expensive aluminum offerings that have the right balance, weight and grip for me. They’re made in the USA, are nearly indestructible (when capped) and are occasionally offered as a drop. Speaking of preferences, I have a Jin-Hao (?sp) I would be happy to trade for a Safari. The other interesting tidbit: most of these pens were created as a result of the renaissance the New York Times article discusses. Many newly initiated in their use go to fpn (myself included). It would be great to have Massdrop be a bookmarked site for those already involved and those about to be indoctrinated. ;-) Thanks for humoring my rambling post. Cheers to all. G.
GonzoTGreatYour "rambling" is always welcome G.
(Edited)
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