Hey all
I¡¦m a newbie in the world of fountain pen. A few weeks ago I brought a vintage pen from an antique shop, (I think they are not specialist in vintage pen). The color is green with gold cap. The cap marked 'Pelikan 30 Rolled Gold' and the nib marked 'Geha 14K 585'. After some research over the internet I understand that Pelikan had acquired Geha many years age. So I am not sure that this pen is a Pelikan or a Geha or actually a hybrid (a fake). The nib is very smooth but the pen is too light for me. However, after playing the little toy for a few weeks, I finally fall in love with fountain pen...

I'm looking for my first good fountain pen and would like to get some advice from you guys. I want a pen with:
good watering mechanic ¡V less maintenance and less trouble,
good nib ¡V I like smooth nib,
good looking ¡V good craftsmanship but not too shining, it will be a pen for use not for showing off

After some research, here is my short list:
Montblanc 149 ¡V so famous and well known
Pelikan M805/M605 ¡V so elegant and I like the black and silver combination
Lamy 2000 ¡V everyone praise its smooth nib
Vintage Parker 51 ¡V so famous but the nib doesn't look like fountain pen's
Vintage Parker 75 ¡V classic silver look

Personally I prefer the Pelikan and the Parker 75. Since I am an IT consultant, I will user the pen during meeting with management and client, gathering user requirements and it can be lot of writing and charting. Also mention that my boss only uses BIC kind of cheap ball point pen so mine should not be too exaggerating but elegant to reflect my profession.

Please help me to pick one or you guys have other better suggestions.

Thanks
Adam

nt

From the sound of your requirements, I'd recommend the Parker pens. They are very
practical, a pleasure to use, and not so eye catching. The caps pull off so you don't have to screw them on and off. Refiling is a breeze and quick with the aerometric filling mechanism.
The 149 and M800 would be better for a larger hand, but the piston filling would take a bit longer,
and they're quite eye catching. I don't know about Lamys.

Cheers, Jeen

all my work with it.

So, now, instead: new Montblanc 149.

Robert

. . .hard to argue with any of those. If you don't feel like fooling with a piston filler in the middle of a meeting may I suggest a later, cartridge fill 51 or cartridge fill 75- extremely reliable workhorse pens both that won't call attention to themselves unduly or be so labor intensive as to be more of a hindrance than a help in a meeting. I personally would go for a 75 or Sonnet (another great writer) with a matching ballpoint backup. I use my 149 for grading final exams but not much for serious note-taking; it's a great sketch pen too, by the way. The Pelikan is a good compromise between the 149 and the smaller pens on your list, with great construction and quality, but as it's a piston filler it might lose points from a pure high volume, practical writing standpoint. Writes on the wet side too, and the fact that the wet line takes longer to dry can produce annoying smears not only on your notes but your shirt cuffs .

Jack

It really comes down to personal preferance. Personally, I would go with the Parker 51. It is famous for a reason. And Jack, if you know of a place to get cartridge filling Parker 51s without costing an arm and a leg let me know From what I hear, they were made for just a few years and are quite rare. I would love to see one. I do believe that a Parker 51 would be the best pen for your situation although any would do nicely. The nibs are well made, very smooth, and very firm. The nibs are usually somewhat dry writers which makes the ink dry faster and prevents smudging when writing fast. The hood over the nib allows you to leave the pen uncapped for a good amount of time without having to worry about the pen drying up. It is extremely well made and should be able to withstand quite a bit of abuse (certaintly more than a modern 149). Some people don't like the look of the hooded nib, others do. The nice thing about the hooded nib is that it certaintly doesn't look flashy. If you get the Pelikan or Montblanc, even if the barrel is plain black, the big flashy nib will draw people's eyes. The hooded nib isn't flashy at all and if you get the pen with a stainless steel cap, the pen looks even less flashy. The sleek form of the pen I personally find very elegant. The Parker 51 is also known for holding a ton of ink, so you shouldn't run out of ink often in the middle of a meeting. Also, you can get a 51 for much less money than a Montblanc 149 or a Pelikan m805, so you have more money for ink and more pens. For the same price as a 149 you could probably get a Parker 51 and a Parker 75 (which is my second favorite from your list). It is nice with the 75 to be able to put in a new cartridge in the middle of a meeting. People might start looking at you funny if you pulled out an ink bottle in the middle of a meeting to fill up your 149 or m800, or 51.
Let us know what you decide
-Jesse

I think I will shop around for a 51 and/or a 75. For me, inking a pen is a pleasure so a cartridge may not be necessary. I'm very exciting already. This forum is very informative. I did most of my homework here.

Thanks
Adam

good ink flow, and an understated presentation. The piston fill mechanism is always a delight to use. I much prefer the piston fill to cartridges for ink quantity as well as the satisfaction accruing from operation of a well-engineered mechanism.

The Parker Sonnet, previously mentioned, is another sweet writing pen on a smaller scale. It seems to be overlooked by many but is quite pleasurable to use (but does utilize a cartridge/convertor filling system--the convertor being preferable as it mimics the piston-fill). The Sonnet Cisele is a great choice. The nib has some flex as well. And the price is right.

Good luck with your foray into the world of Fountain Pens.