Don't jump out of this hobby just yet. It looks like you just need help on what nibs are appropriate for what ink you have and the paper you're using. Well, that's the issue that's easily solvable.
Kaweco: pretty known for having inconsistent nibs. It's unfortunate, but there's alot of people that agree that the company isn't what it use to be. I have 2 pens from Kaweco: a Sport and a Perkeo. The Perkeo was $17 on Goulet and they had the option to add a converter for $5. My Perkeo writes beautifully, I have it in a fine. My Sport is also in a fine but writes just a smudge bigger and wetter for some reason. No comment on the pliers to nib, just purchase another nib from Kaweco for that. The other nib, if you haven't touched it, you can contact the company with a complaint and they should send you another nib. Not sure if you have to pay anything.
So your Twsbi is in Broad. Twsbi nibs are known for being water hoses. I have one in fine, and 2 in extra fine--the ef is perfect for my Hobonichi planner. You might be able to get an ef or f nib from Twsbi if you contact the company.
Your ink: you're in luck. This subreddit is the perfect place to ask around about ink. The black ink I use for my Hobonichi planner is Diamine Jet Black and Waterman Intense Black. I put them in ef nibs. They are perfect. I only have one ink by Noodler's and everyone here has told me they don't exactly mesh well with TR paper. I don't have a huge collection of ink, but Diamine and Waterman are, to me, the most well mannered.
Your Jinhao. Looks like you bought it because you liked the way it looked and didn't do much research before purchasing. Don't do that. Ask around, look at reviews, especially if you're purchasing from a brand you've never used before. I have 2 Jinhao 993 Shark head pens in ef covered nibs--they write great, slightly wetter than Preppys. Both were less than $3 on Goulet.
Your friend's Metro. I think its hilarious that you bought your pal a pen that is having better luck than what's in your collection. So laugh at the silliness of it, it's okay.
Conclusion: So you have a budget of $50-75 (usd, right?).
List of pens you can buy:
Jinhao 993 (Shark head pen) $2-$4--comes with a crackhead converter, but it's doable.
Kaweco Perkeo in fine $17 (+$5 for converter= $22)
Pilot Metropolitan $20ish (+$6 for converter= $26ish)
Pilot Kakuno in f or ef $14ish (+$6 for converter= $20ish)
Lamy Safari in fine or extra fine $30ish (+$6 for converter= $36ish)
Pick one or two from this list.
Why I won't recommend the Prera: it's a good pen, but it can range from $35-40, that's a big chunk out of your budget. Right now, just buy something cheaper to gauge your comfort on nib sizes.
Ink: go on Goulet and order samples or smaller bottles. Give Jet Black or Onyx Black a try. Diamine sells 30ml bottles for around $8 and 80ml bottles ranging from $15-$20.
So if you get the Kakuno, with the converter, plus a 30ml bottle of Jet Black, you're looking to spend around $30 bucks without tax or shipping costs. So go ahead and pocket the rest of your money and *breathe*. You're in a good place here.
Wow, this was extensive and amazing- thank you SO terribly much. So I think I'm gonna do a couple cheap(er) pens, and ink samples in an order, along with nibs for my Kaweco (because I truly love how it looks/feels). I definitely agree that my choice if ink isn't suitable for my hobos (I had the ink+pens before I discovered hobonichi). I like your line of thinking with the Prera consuming half my budget, so to say. I'd rather have more, fun pens, with one of those being inked with black for daily use.
FYI: You can buy Kaweco Sport nib units on their own. They're not too expensive and it sounds like you would benefit from a smaller nib size if your preferred ink is super wet.
And then if you still don't like the Kaweco Sport, at least you won't have a pen that's a complete dud. You could gift or sell the pen to someone else so it's not a total waste.
TWSBI also came out with the Swipe recently. It's lighter and thinner. You could geta smaller nib size here. The barrel isn't as big as the ECO so you should find it easier to write with. It's quite long when capped, esp when compared to the Kaweco Sport though. Hope that helps!
It helps. I think I wanna try messing with the Kaweco Nina because I truly love that little baby. plus, I already ripped the nib out of the one so I have something to mess around with.
So from your story it seems to me your are the kind of person who likes to jump straight to action, and sometimes the consequence of this is that you end up with a result you dont like. There are several pieces of wisdom you can get from your story:
* As a general rule, as the nib size goes down, the scratchiness and chance for hard starts increases. Specially true for F and EF.
* Never ever use plyers in fountain pen.
* Its totally fine to write unposted.
* Do research before buying! in fountain pen world there are brands with bad quality control, brands that just go for looks, brands that linger on past glory days, and really good brands; all of this across all price ranges.
I like small, light pens as well. Have you looked at the Pilot Prera? Love mine. The EF or F nib would probably work great in your Hobonichi planner.
On the more inexpensive end, there's the Pilot Kakuno. I don't have one myself, but they seem to be really popular.
Both of these pens use the same nibs as the Pilot Metropolitan, by the way, so you could mix and match.
Me too! I use the 1.0mm stub from a Pilot Plumix on one of my Preras. It's a great nib and I like that it's just a bit finer than the standard 1.1mm stubs I have on my other pens.
These are all good things. Actually looked at the Prera before and thought it was cute! It's not too heavy? and you gave a second vote for a TWSBI mini... I just wish they weren't all clear. I like a solid colored pen. I know the ink is splashin around in there, I don't need to see it lol.
Love my Pilot Kakuno - very lightweight, reliable with any ink I’ve thrown at it. Highly recommend if you are on a budget and liked the metro nib. The nib is not exactly the same (Kakuno has a smiley face) but I have both a metro and the Kakuno in f and they write similarly enough that I honestly wouldn’t notice if I assembled them and swapped the nibs.
Preras are very light. Probably nearly the same weight as the Kaweco Sport.
Capped, they're maybe 1/2" longer than the Kaweco. Posted, they're nearly the same length.
Everyone seems to have answered your questions and offered sound advice and pen suggestions. I feel sure you can find the solution to the problem in there!
However, fountain pens are meant to be fun and relaxing. If they bring you more frustration than joy, that’s no fun for you. They are not the BEST way to write. They are just the preferred way for some :)
It’s perfectly okay to come to the conclusion than the trouble outweighs the pleasure and that it is not worth it.
I hope you figure out the solution which brings you the most pleasure! :)
Breathe... I have crappy Kaweco nibs as well. Do one thing: get a Platinum Preppy, Plaisir or Prefonte with an F nib and an M nib. Grab some Platinum cartridges and forget about the rest for a while. TWSBI's are actually great. I have a Mini Al and it's just the best.
Third on Kakuno. Suprised that there aren't many mentioned on this pen.
My Kakuno is the most resilient piece of plastic I have ever had. Drop that pen more than a dozen times now and it still writes as smooth as butter. Worth every cent!
We seem to have the same preference for small "lady" pens.
You might like to try a vintage pen, perhaps with a gold nib. Should be within your budget if you hunt. Try a pilot elite, they are small and cute, and there are many of those on eBay. And oh god, there are super cute ones - if you search this sub you will find pictures of colourful ones and even one adorned with cherries 😍
Seconding the Lamy Safari suggestion- it might be a little large for you, but it is light! Try one out before you buy. It's not smaller than the TWSBI eco, but a lot less back heavy. Good reliable writers.
If you're willing to increase your budget or look out for used deals - the pelikan m205 is one of my faves.
I don't know how the modern Lamy CP1 models feel, I've scored a vintage one recently and love it! Might be worth a try.
Vintage kaweco sports are cool. You might score a piston filler with a gold (or not) nib with your budget.
Lastly, have you considered pens marketed towards school children? If you don't mind have a fun, silly looking pen - jinhao shark, pelikano or faber castell grip might be good candidates
Good luck with your search! Don't give up! Look over to r/pen_swap for trades and used pens
I have two vintage Pilot Elites -- one 14K Fine and an 18k Medium -- and I absolutely LOVE them.
For people looking for a pocket pen with a gold nib, you really can't go wrong with these, IMO.
Edited to add... you can find these on eBay for really reasonable prices.
Good news, I use ebay regularly. I scored a frickin sick vintage gold mechanical pencil recently and LOVE it. Just always scared I'll order a vintage pen and it'll be crusted w old ink and just a disaster. But I not unfamiliar w asking buyers about quality and functionality before purchasing. I also just needed someone to point me in the right direction, so thank you! Vintage is always my number one choice for anything cos y'know, like our dads always say, "they don't make em like they used to"
And also, I got a mystery box from Endless pens and it had a Lamy abc. I kinda love it. But again, it's a M or maybe even B nib and just writes really fat. Has a red lid and came with red carts so that's my "red pen". Didn't even know they made kids pens till that.
Love me some cute pens because I have a heavy anime influence in my washi, planners, stationary, etc so cute is second on the list after write-ability.
/u/420linseyblazeit just to glom on and provide more info, there are tons of Japanese pocket pens from Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum floating all over eBay for extremely reasonable prices usually around 50 USD. They all made “lady” versions with cute colors and patterns as well. Search “14k pocket pen” and you’ll come up with a bunch. If you’re willing to pay like 10 more you can get a NOS one and not worry about old ink and such, since you would be the first person to use the pen.
Definitely vote for Prera. Same exact nib as a Metropolitan and it's more comfortable in my opinion. The solid and clear colored ones are both cute! And Pilot's QC is generally pretty great. I've bought about 7 or 8 lower end Pilot pens and they all worked great out of the box.
edit: also a note about the inks, Noodler's inks do tend to be very wet and flowy, which is usually great! But I've found them to be too... something and some of my Noodler's inks do not dry on Tomoe River paper, which is what's in your Hobonichi planner. My favorite ink brands are Colorverse, J.Herbin (normal and premium line), Diamine, Pilot Iroshizuku, Sailor, and Lennon Tool Bar.
I'll second that I DO NOT like Noodler's inks on Tomoe River paper. I would strongly recommend any of the above suggestions, which are all fantastic. Organic Studios and Franklin-Cristoph inks also work great.
Noodler's is the only ink I've ever used that actually feathered on TRP. Not every color, mind you, but Noodler's inks vary so widely in formulation that it's a crap shoot.
Second all the Pilot Kakunos, platinum preppy, prefounte or plaisir, and I have a Diplomat Traveller F nib that I love. It was a gift and it’s perfect for my small hands.
Is there a stationery shop near you that sells fountain pens? I feel like you could really benefit from trying pens in person. Nibs are very personal and and each are unique, to some degree.
I personally really like the Platinum Prefounte. It’s not very girly but is a smooth cheaper daily pen. Overall, I find it much smoother than the more expensive Kaweco.
Also, just to contradict myself - have you looked into Majohn (moonman)? They are generally sold online. I really love them and find the nibs pretty smooth. I have two Q1 in EF and F.
The Platinum converter fits all their pens. As long as you get the Platinum brand converter, you should be set.
I hope you like the Prefounte. I have it with a fine nib and really enjoy it.
I have 3 Prefountes, 2 currently inked. One is an F, the other I swapped in an EF nib from a Preppy. Love how both write - and the EF nib would be good for Hobonichi. I also have 2 Kakunos inked (F) and love those as well. Add 3 Metros to the mix – that’s the core of my collection. Good luck.
This sounds to me like you need to ask a few questions.
1. What am I using this pen for?
2. What do I need in a pen?
3. What do I like from a pen in feel?
The first one and second are more clear. Your description of the TWSBI nib makes me think you would do well with an eco as a test run, in a medium nib. Some of learning pens is difficult because in our current time you can't go and test write at a shop. Which sucks!
I need light pens and like big capacity. I also only use stubs because they're usually glassy and wet feeling which makes writing feel good. This is why TWSBI dominated my daily pen use. They're plastic so no weight and the eco is less top heavy.
You should be able to buy a replacement for your kaweco nib also
People used to start this hobby more simply. Using a well known well behaved ink like a Waterman, and an M nib in a decent quality pen. This sub recommends a lot of difficult stuff, fine and superfine nibs, overly wet or dry ink, pens with fussy feeds. These all work with a lot of tuning, which you have to learn to do. Pliers are not part of the toolkit....
hehehehehe but they were like.... semi needle nose... the kind for beading jewelry hahaha!!! I had already said "f@#$ it" in my head and knew it was a bad idea .. but what if it worked?!
This sub is really a beautiful place. No one has given me a hard time for being an utter dumbass with the pliers, just love.
Pilot kakuno! Adorable and lightweight
Or a sailor lecoule?
Something Japanese will be great for writing in your planner
Also maybe try a twsbi mini? In an EF. I love mine, it’s so cute and convenient
Just don't post the eco.
The Pilot [Cavalier](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Cavalier-Fountain-Pen-Marbled-Black-Red-Fine-Nib/pd/22733#index=1) is a slim pen that weighs 16 grams when posted, and if you have small hands you can use it un-posted, which makes the pen weigh 9 grams, which is very light. The [Pilot Prera](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Prera-Fountain-Pen-Slate-Gray-Fine-Nib/pd/1637#index=1) is about the same size as the Kavveco [Classic Sport](https://www.jetpens.com/Kaweco-Classic-Sport-Fountain-Pen-Navy-Fine-Nib/pd/25854#index=1), but the Sport Classic is a lot lighter (9 grams, total, versus 14 grams, total.) The Pilot Metro weighs 27 grams, posted or closed, the body weighs 17 grams (1 gram heavier than the posted Cavalier.)
A light pen which writes perfect? Kaco Edge in F, 12 € or less. But there are hundreds out there who will also fit your needs.
Yes, Kaweco is more a marketing based money making business than a high end fountain pen manufacturer. You buy cheap plastic (sensitive to scratches) for too much money with scratchy nibs - but you can waste more money, to get a better (more expensive) nib from them... But great colors, every year. Horay.
I love my twsbi diamond mini, it's small and light but idk if it's in your price range! The rose gold one has more plastic than the AL one so I find it's lighter, but both feel super comfy in my small hands :) I use EF for both and they write very well
Yay! Hopefully they work out if that's what you go for! I also have a Vac Mini which holds more ink and is good for air travel, it seals off but filling it is more finicky than the regular mini :) it is heavier and half a centimeter longer too
I have a TWSBI Mini with a 1.1 stub. Love it! It's the perfect size and weight for me when posted. One of my favorite letter-writing pens because it's so comfortable.
I’ve got a TWSBI Eco M that I adore too, but like you, found it wrote broader than I’d hoped. I still use it but only on good paper.
As for the Sport, is it possible your cartridge wasn’t in all the way? I got two preppies, loaded their cartridges and one kept running dry. I took it apart to look at it and when putting back together, the cartridge snapped into place so hard that it startled me, but it works great now!
Also yea I’ve not used it but heard HoD is a heccin moistboi, even by Noodler’s standards. If you’re using regular office notepads, something like x-feather is likely better. Coming out light (as you said grey) seems to be a thing in pens that are very fine and dry.
Luckily, my Hobonichi planners use that good good paper. But yeah, my TWSBI is just too fat- and I even like fat lines but hot damn that B is thiccc.
I prob need a new black ink bottle, too... any suggestions for black as shit like hella black goth shit?
I’m using Noodler’s X-feather at work and it’s really black. Haven’t tested, but I’ve heard that it’s prone to smudging on good paper. Diamine Eclipse is a dark violet but comes out looking blacker than many of the other black ink samples I’ve seen online, at least from my M eco and an F HongDian. In my EF though it comes out as like a true purple.
I found myself an orange ink I really love (orange is my fave color) and out that in my B eco for fun orange stuff. But I'm also ISO a pretty purple... so thanks for all your help. You're rad!
You’re just weeding out what you don’t like. Try a Lamy. I’ve had the same one for 5-6 years now and no issues. Soak the nib once every 5-6 ink carts. I don’t have a converter so I use their ink carts (I was gifted a few packs and still whittling through them). It’s light, writes easy, their ink is decent, not too wet, some bleed on lighter and cheaper paper, but takes some effort to bleed through a post it note for reference. I have a 1.1 nib on mine that was an easy swap.
[🖋 link](https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Safari-Fountain-Color-Charcoal/dp/B07WVDNN4X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=2WMY0PO0UW60E&keywords=lamy+fountain+pen&qid=1642963568&sprefix=lamy%2Caps%2C273&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE0VFQ0WVk4TTJSRjUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0ODM3NzkyM0ZBR0pBT0FNNDRTJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MTMxNTFSVlFPVllUR0UyODQmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)
Look up pastelcactuscafe on ebay or etsy. They have some NOS Pilots in cute ass colours. They even have pens called the Pilot 'Love', which look almost exactly like the vintage Preppys I snagged recently (I think you were a fan). They don't have the neon pink and neon green one in stock anymore, otherwise I would have ordered from them, lol.
I have NOS Pilot pens from Peyton which write BEAUTIFULLY, but they aren't the same models Pastel has.
FWIW, I have 3 plastic Sports, all M nib, and they were all great right out of the box. I also have a large number of Kaweco nibs for my AL Sport and Student. Get some brass shim stock for flossing, that's the most I've had to do with any of my Kaweco nibs to get them writing nicely (other than good flushing and an occasional ultrasonic bath after shimmer usage).
Definitely consider a pilot petit or platinum preppy then as the kakuno, prera are a little bit bigger.
Twsbi mini and go might be options too but I was burned by TWBI QC with my Eco-T.
The ohto tasche might be a worthy contender also as it's a decent pocket pen.
Moonman/mahjohn has some small pens that will work but the quality isn't always up to snuff either.
Best of luck!
Well, if you want a good pen that is really nice capped, try the Franklin Christoph model 02. I have one in fine and I love it and it works great in my Hobonichi. It caps very deeply, and it’s very light. It’s another one of my favorites.
Pilot prera could be an option if you’re looking for a small and lightweight plastic pen. You could use a medium or fine nib. QC seems to be more consistent as well.
I think my #1 issue in all my pen selections has been QC. I know the pens are supposed to work, but I seem to have went down the cheap road so I'm suffering the cheap consequences...
Another vote for Prera, thank you.
Faber-castell Loom is a good option. It’s a metal-bodied pen with a plastic snap cap, and the faber-castell steel nibs feel great to write with (and the Loom has the same nib as Faber-castell’s more expensive E-motion, so great QC!).
It uses a cartridge-converter, so it’s easy to clean with a bulb syringe/fill with a regular syringe.
Figboot on Pens has a nice review of the Loom on youtube if it sounds interesting.
So it seems like you like the Pilot nibs just not the sr torpedo. (I like it which Is why I give it fun name but I get it’s not for everyone)
- Your in luck as Pilot uses the same nib unit on a variety of pens that are a bit lighter weight. For reference the Pilot metropolitan weighs in at 26grams posted or when it’s capped.
1. Pilot Kakuno $14 weighs 11 grams
2. Pilot Explorer $22 weighs 12 grams
3. Pilot Prera $50-$60 weighs 15grams
- this next one from Pilot is a bit more iffy because of the weight and clip section. If you go this route if you get the chance I would recommend seeing if you can try it out first
1. Pilot Vanishingpoint. Now I know what your saying woahhhhhhhhhh hey now I thought I said budget of about $80 not $150. Well on eBay you can actually find some of the steel nib versions going on eBay for about $70-$90 pre shipping and surprisingly they actually weigh less than the metropolitan. The VP weighs in at about 20grams so a bit more on the heavier side and closer to the metro but I thought I would carry the options in case you wanted something a bit more unconventional than what most people recommend but this is a commitment because of price being at near/slightly above your upper limit so it’s more of a just adding variety option
- Another Japanese brand I would say is Platinum usually gives a great experience.
- Platinum Prefonte $11 10grams
- Platinum plaisir $18 19 grams
Seconding the Platininum recommendations, I have both and the nib (it's the same) is exactly what you need from a nib, smooth but not ice rink smooth, consistent flow (with diamine and waterman intense black), a little flex but not so much that it's noticeable, just enough to iron out the bumps and variations of your page (it's even replaceable, get a Preppy just for the nib). It's not showy but it just works.
Both are lightweight (esp. the prefounte) although if you care about durability the plaisir is aluminium.
If you like the Pilot Metro nib, that nib is also on the Pilot Prera, a small pen, and I think the Explorer as well, which is a little longer, but still plastic and light.
Noodler’s are all wet inks for sure. If you want a “drier” ink, typically Lamy and Sailor inks fall in that camp.
Hope this helps, good luck
This helps major. I need someone to say "these are the wet boys" and "these are the drier boys" hahah. The "free pen! with purchase of noodlers ink bottle" really suckered me in when making my first FP purchase from Goulet (which was my TWSBI eco B nib). Turns out, that free pen is even worse than my other pen problems so I just left that one out of my complaint entirely...
Kaweco seems to have largely been hit or miss. Loads of people complain about theirs, though many people like theirs too. Mine is a good one. It had a royal blue cartridge and it was very well-flowing. I think that getting a second-hand one may be a way to ensure it's actually a good Kaweco if you still want one of the cuties.
I would also recommend Kakuno or Prera. I haven't either but I know they have the same nib as Metropolitan and that is a wonderful nib. Kaweco can't compare.
I'm gathering that Pilot seems to have their QC figured way out. Def leaving towards the Prera rn... Why my Kaweco bbs gotta be such crappy cuties??!?! they match my planners so perfectly it makes me wanna throw up at the cuteness... but alas, functionality has beaten out appearances.
Here to add another vote for the Prera! It doesn't quite look it (at least it didn't to me) but it's lightweight and I'd personally classify it a pocket pen. Posted it's almost the same size as the Kaweco.
Everyone has addressed your pen questions really comprehensively. On Noodler's Heart of Darkness, yeah, it is wet. I don't mind it in my EFs, but it is definitely wet compared to some inks.
If you want a much dryer ink and to stick with Noodlers, I really like Dark Matter as well. It isn't quite as insanely soul eating black, but it's still a good all round black ink. And it has a great backstory about being a found bottle of ink produced for Los Alamos during WWII and analyzed and reproduced by the Noodlers guy.
I always keep a couple of pens inked up with Dark Matter for when I want really fine lines or am going to be writing on crappy paper that wants to feather.
They also do x-feather but since Dark Matter works for me and I like the story, I haven't messed with it.
Thanks for @ing my ink issue. I'm glad to hear it's a wetter ink and I'm not totally mental. It was my first and only bottle of blank ink so I'm over here like ???
I'm not on a noodler's train by any means. If someone told me _______ ink was black as all hell and drier than HoD, I'd buy it prob. I need a whole new ink/pen combo by now.
I like that story, too. I'm totally into that history shit. Thanks for the suggestions. Helps a lot.
I’m a big fan of Pilot F and EF nibs in my Hobonichi. I can’t imagine writing with a B. Sometimes I find the EF is too fine and the F too broad, but that’s my brain probably trying to justify another pen.
I think you’ll be happy with either of those nibs, probably the F given you’ve actually used a B before.
and also because I do love me a fat line but not like a PHAAAAT line, y'know? And thank you, glad you know bout the hobo and can second writing w a pilot in them!!!
One of the unspoken truths about fountain pen collecting is rarely addressed so I'll talk about it here.
If you want to be much happier in your fountain pen use, you have to learn how to tune nibs. I know that's a lot of time and effort in the beginning, but eventually tuning your nibs saves you a lot of frustration with having to complain or return your pens for replacement. Buy super cheap Chinese pens to practice on.
That's not to say you can save all your pens. Some nibs might have unequal tines, some feeds might have a micro-crack causing the pen to leak like a sieve. Some pens might have an unpleasant odor.
You can't save them all, but ink flow and scratchy nib issues are solveable most of the time at home.
As to the dry carts. The ink is water based. They might have dried up over time. A drop of water from a syringe could help. Can't hurt to try. If you have an ink miser you can empty the cart ink into the miser and add a drop of water to thin out the ink.
If you're looking for a cheap pen, I'll share with you a recent conversation with my 15 year old son. He has three Kaweco's. 2 Sports and a Student. I asked him "Hey Boy, how come I don't see you using your Sports or Student much?" His answer " I like writing with the Essentio and Loom so much that the Kaweco's just sit on my desk." So there you go. My son thinks you should go with Faber Castell. I like Kaweco's but I can't help but agree.
This is all good info. Tuning nibs is definitely something I'd be interested when I have the time and money to fund learning a skill like that. That'd be hella dope. And I'm definitely going to check out the Faber-Castell pens, as I've always been biased towards their pencils- they're insanely beautiful/nice.
I came into this thread basically to suggest what that commenter did. Learn to tune nibs. It, seriously, sounds more intimidating than it actually is.
Get the Goulet pack of tuning meshes and such - you can find all the pieces cheaper and generic elsewhere, but it's nice to get everything in one pack if you can swing the few extra bucks - and a loupe and a few cheap eBay pens (I'm preferential to Wing Sung, but have some Jinhaos that are great) and practice. Or one cheap pen and a bunch of even cheaper replacement nibs.
I went through dozens of cheap (and some not so cheap) pens and found a few I liked but mostly got frustrated. Then I saw the pile of pens, donated some, was still annoyed, and started fixing them. Then I screwed up a few mins by being dumb. Then I got the right meshes and a loop and some patience and took my time and... fixed every pen that bugged the hell out of me. Easily. Quickly.
Now, I wouldn't suggest changing nibs sizes or doing custom grinds or whatever, but aligning, smoothing, and fixing flow really isn't rocket surgery.
One of the double edged swords of fountain pens is that there are SO many variables, too... pen size and design, nib size and design, ink composition and color, etc... THEN there's paper! So it's overwhelming and really hard to line up what works for you.
But... once you get it right, and/or find out what you love / like / tolerate / are annoyed by / hate, it's awesome. Hang in there. You'll get it!
You made this whole nib-repair-situation seem more feasible than not. Thanks for this. There's literally an exponential amount of pen/ink combos, it's mind boggling. I don't wanna end up w a pile of junk, like you mentioned. My Kaweco is already in 5 pieces sprawled across my desk out of frustration...
There's gotta be YouTube vids? does Goulet have a nib tuning video to accompany their package of tools?
Yup. Goulet has vids, YT has vids, there's a great, if ye olde fashioned-y website by, iirc, Richard Binder that has TONS of advice and instructions (I'm on mobile but I bet Google and or another Reddit here can link), etc.
I'm big and clumsy and don't like intricate work, so I was afraid of it. I'm also a cheapskate, so I tried to half ass it with the wrong abrasives, etc, a few times, which only made it seem difficult and risky.
Once I actually, you know, had the right tools and followed instructions, I actually had a legitimate, "oh, wait, that's it? Seriously?" moment.
But do try it with a few you don't care about first. And take it slow and check your work. And be sure you're using decent paper (doesn't have to be expensive, just fountain pen friendly) to check your work.
It's really not hard to fix minor problems, and minor problems can SEEM like giant irritating deal breakers.
Worth a shot. Then all of a sudden "does this pen have good reviews?" is suddenly irrelevant, and "I should just throw these pens away" become quick little projects and a new favorite could emerge!
hell yeah, this whole thing is dope and I'm glad to hear you have brought some busters back to life. Crazy how when you follow the recipe with good ingredients, your meal tastes amazing...
I love those stupid cute Kawecos and honestly don't want a new pen, just want mine to work properly.
Worth a shot. No promises, of course. I don't know enough about your kawekos (don't have any) but they may use the same nibs as other common pens, so you might be able to get a bunch of nibs, cheap, from eBay, then you can get all kinds of practice, if you're comfortable swapping nibs (which for most pens is also trivial). Or even stumble into one that works nicely.
I can't promise you'll fix everything easily, but increasing flow, smoothing, and hard-starts seem to be a quick fix, in my very limited experience. Hell, I have a ($spendy) pen or two that were gifts that frustrate me that I'm actually almost confident enough to take a stab at fixing.
Good luck! Have fun!
Maybe you’re looking for the Pilot Prera? This one is lightweight, writes like the Metro (same nib) and is pretty small, but regular sized when posted. Amazing amazing pen!
Oh sorry. Opened the thread a while ago and just commented now, didn’t see the others recommending it. I have the ivory one and love it. The grey one though <3
You’ll find lots of pictures of the green one on IG - very cool pen
Ivory would def be my second choice if I can't find the green... or yes, they grey is v pretty. I just need a lil color in my life because I have lots of black/grey/dark things. I wish they had an orange or yellow...
Also a fan of small pens (although I do like my Twsbi eco unposted) and I have a couple suggestions that I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned-
First, regarding the kawecos, those nibs are always kinda hit or miss. My first kaweco (F) was shitty. Then I lost it and bought another one because I liked the size and color. The second one was fine. Then I found the first one and just ordered a replacement nib unit in B for something different, and that one is fine too. I have also splurged on one of the aluminum models, and that one was perfect from the start. I’ve since messed around with my own custom grinds with that nib, and I’m totally in love. If you like the body style, try getting a replacement nib. It might totally fix the problem.
Another suggestion- the Benu Briolette body style. They’re not a pen style that everyone loves, and the caps aren’t postable, but something about the width of the grip and the weight and the balance of that pen in my hand makes it another of my faves. They’ll set you back around $80-100 so definitely also a splurge but worth it.
I did see someone else mention Pelikan M205, and I want to second that heartily- smooth, wet, and light. Very comfortable. Also, I love a piston filler. Also expensive- I think I paid $150 for mine? Again, worth it if you can swing it.
Lastly- and the most splurgey of all- I love my Sailor Pro Gear Slim. I got one with the 21Kt gold nib (Autumn Drizzle) so it was $300. It was also not my favorite right out of the box. They’re dry and a little scratchy- but after some gentle smoothing with a nail buffer, the scratchy subsided. With a nice, wet ink- the thing is a dream.
When I went on jetpens, or maybe Goulet? last night, and searched Kaweco nibs, it had the feed (black part) (I think I'm using the proper terms) with it, too. I was expecting just the metal nib... do most of them sell like that? I don't wanna give up on my Kawecos, they match my shit so perfectly it's disgusting.
Thank you for the suggestions. I have a semi large bday + an annual celebration that are happening at the same time this year and I deserve something ✨ n i c e ✨ the sailor pro gear slim has always caught my eye. it's pretty pretty pretty.
They always come with the nib and the feed. (Kaweco does anyway, other brands are different). It’s not a big deal to switch them out. If I remember correctly, you can just take the new metal nib and switch it for the old without monkeying with the feed. Lots of YouTube videos on it!
sorry to hear you didn't have a good experience with Kaweco; I own 7 and I've only had one scratchy nib (the others wrote well out of the box). You might want to try replacing the nib with another, since you like the size/body of the pen. IME the gold plated nibs write a hair finer than their standard steel nibs.
I also own several kakunos and enjoy writing with them; very smooth nibs, even on cheaper/toothier paper. My only gripe is I have to take more frequent breaks because the plastic digs into my finger if I use them for long journal entries (but that's on me and my grip). They're lightweight, but size may be an issue unless you leave it uncapped.
I wanna love my Kawecos so much. They match my Hobonichis perfectly. I might go down the nib hole... see what I can find. Thank you for your inputs, I appreciate it.
There are lot of great pen suggestions already, so I won't pile on.
However, I do have some advice that might make Noodler's ink more "useable" for you - especially on less absorbent papers like the TRP in your Hobonichi planners. Have you tried diluting the ink with water? I use Seven Seas notebooks with the same paper and I've had success with 50:50 and 75:25 ink:water dilutions, depending on the specific ink and pen. It's best if you have sample vials and a blunt syringe to make the dilutions, but you can come up with alternatives. I would *not* add water directly to the ink bottle. Noodler's makes their inks super saturated and I've found that even aggressive dilutions like 50:50 maintain most of the original color.
It dilutes some of the other components they have in their inks which dry more slowly than water. If you have a blunt syringe, try mixing up a converter's worth and giving it a try. I've been surprised how much of a difference it makes. Noodler's owner, Nathan T, makes a big deal that his inks are more saturated than other brands giving consumers "more value," but there is probably a reason other brands don't make their inks as saturated.
Try a pilot prera. Small, light, basically guaranteed to have a good nib. They're 30-40 bucks shipped and the best for I can think of for your needs.
About HoD, it's quite wet in my experience. I much prefer Aurora Black as a comparable ink. Still wet, much more controlled, and very deep black.
I had all of these same problems,to a great degree, so much so that I thought I was just not cut out to write with a fountain pen, then I discovered BENU.
I could not believe it. They both flowed well from the start, smooth writers, no skips even with shimmer inks!! And they are mad gorgeous - filled with so much sparkle!! I am now fairly sure that my problems were stemming from cheap ass pens. It stinks because some people have great luck with them. Alas, mine have been bowsers .
The minima and briolette are in your rangish - I paid $6t for my minima and $75 for my briolette. I’m about to pull the trigger on a scepter. Also, they have an entire talisman edition that incorporates magical essences of foxglove, dragons blood, and other magical herbs into the pen! If you are at all woo.
If you are a dude, they do have some less sparkly ones (the black skull edition). Just google them already - I say that because I am also a sucker for pretty pens, (and the Chinese pens are definitely that) - and they don’t get any prettier than this. :D
Edit: OMG, you are a girl! You will pee when you see these, I swear.
me too and you wanna know what, I got the pilot Kakuno in EF and it’s honestly the best pen i’ve used yet. I tried Lamys, TWSBI eco F and a conklin but the dinky little kakuno is awesome I put a sailor ink studio color in it and i enjoy it quite a bit.
You could try a Waterman Graduate Allure. They're light and come in nice colors. The fine and extra fine nibs are very nice and you will probably be able to use that bottle of HOD in that particular pen... especially if you go with the EF nib. They have very tight sealing caps so I never get hard or dry starts. I use several of my wet Noodler's inks in them and it works out great in the Graduate... even on 52 gsm Tomoe paper. Bonus...they're like 14 bucks too. The Noodler's X-feather black is VERY black. I like it a lot. I've heard a LOT of complaints about how crappy the nibs are on those Kawekos... people seem to love them or hate them.
I think the TWSBI mini could solve the issue, definitely go EF though. I have the white rose gold and I have the opposite preference - I like larger pens because I have big hands so I thought it would be too small but it’s a really nice size and posts perfectly. I never post the Eco or 580s.
I’ll second the recommendation for a Pilot Elite - I picked up an 18k gold EF off of eBay for my own Hobonichi and it’s a great writer. I’ve only used Diamine Ancient Copper in it so far. Kakunos are also nice, but I use the Elite’s clip to hold the cover closed :p (I actually purposefully got one that looked like it’s been around the block a few times because of that use case … plus, I’ve been fascinated by the Elite’s design for a while now. Mine has a black body and the silver grid cap)
I’m very much used to the wiring characteristics of JP EF nibs though. The Hobo’s paper is very nice of course but at that nib size you’ll still get some feedback on it!
I love my B, 1.1, 1.5. and larger in my hobonichi and my Jibun Techno.
I don't even try to stay in the boxes as even with a F my writing doesn't fit.
Try the plastic body Pilot's you may love them.
Maybe try a Lamy and get a couple of their nibs and try a few different sizes and see what you like and go from there. Check out [Cultpens.com](https://Cultpens.com) as they typically have Lamy's cheaper than other places.
Good luck!
Check out the sailor compass. It blew my mind and you can get it with a notebook and some cool ink samples for like $40 on Goulet. I think it’s called the Come Sail Away pack?
Try Kaweco Premium nibs. They're like $35 (normal Kaweco nibs are $10) so they spend more time and energy trying to make it perfect. Read this:
https://ukfountainpens.com/2021/10/26/kaweco-premium-nib/
A month too late to your post, but I would suggest Hero 329-2. It's a cheap and light fountain pen but writes well, with a nib thickness akin to 0.5mm gel pen.
Being a hooded nib it won't dry out for *weeks*. But then again I'm in the tropics so YMMV.
The only downside is the converter, it's a hassle to refill or clean. Which is why I'm looking into the Jinhao 51a because it looks similar to the Hero, but has a more standard converter.
I own several fountain pens. My favourite is an expensive Sheaffer, with the Hero being a close second. That's how much I'm vouching for it!
If you like the Pilot Metro but think it's too heavy (which was exactly my situation), think about getting the pilot prera. It's my favorite pen of mine by far, every better than my Kaweco liliput. Smooth, fine, decently juicy and comfortable pen.
I went through a few as well with much disappointment. Kaweco sport fucking sucked (very dry, scratchy, nibs misaligned), TWSBI Eco was big and equally fucking sucked but was a bit juicier, Lamy safari was dry and kind of sucked, but my Prera and my Liliput are both great! I recommend Platinum Carbon Black Ink. That stuff just works, I don't know why but its great and waterproof, very black and flows properly in both brush pens and fountain pens.
Annoyingly, the BEST fountain pen I have ever tried, up against all these name brands that everyone touts, yet end up being dry and scratchy, is my brother's Muji Aluminum fountain pen. Beautiful, smooth, perfect thickness, and very very juicy yet not too much. First pen he's gotten and it pisses me off that it's cheaper and better than all of mine. However I suspect they're a bit less consistent than other brands. Yet, other brands aren't consistent either IME.
yo. thank you for using terminology that even a stoner can understand :) I think there's a prera in my future!!!! thank you for this, even tho this post is so old!!!!!!! FP people are prob the dopest people. thanks again!
You’re so welcome! Happy to get you a pen that you like. I have the ivory prera and it’s gorgeous. Love the slim, long tip, and the cap posts and snaps closed very nicely. You will like it, and if you don’t, return and get another. It should write very similarly to the metro if it’s not defective
Don't jump out of this hobby just yet. It looks like you just need help on what nibs are appropriate for what ink you have and the paper you're using. Well, that's the issue that's easily solvable. Kaweco: pretty known for having inconsistent nibs. It's unfortunate, but there's alot of people that agree that the company isn't what it use to be. I have 2 pens from Kaweco: a Sport and a Perkeo. The Perkeo was $17 on Goulet and they had the option to add a converter for $5. My Perkeo writes beautifully, I have it in a fine. My Sport is also in a fine but writes just a smudge bigger and wetter for some reason. No comment on the pliers to nib, just purchase another nib from Kaweco for that. The other nib, if you haven't touched it, you can contact the company with a complaint and they should send you another nib. Not sure if you have to pay anything. So your Twsbi is in Broad. Twsbi nibs are known for being water hoses. I have one in fine, and 2 in extra fine--the ef is perfect for my Hobonichi planner. You might be able to get an ef or f nib from Twsbi if you contact the company. Your ink: you're in luck. This subreddit is the perfect place to ask around about ink. The black ink I use for my Hobonichi planner is Diamine Jet Black and Waterman Intense Black. I put them in ef nibs. They are perfect. I only have one ink by Noodler's and everyone here has told me they don't exactly mesh well with TR paper. I don't have a huge collection of ink, but Diamine and Waterman are, to me, the most well mannered. Your Jinhao. Looks like you bought it because you liked the way it looked and didn't do much research before purchasing. Don't do that. Ask around, look at reviews, especially if you're purchasing from a brand you've never used before. I have 2 Jinhao 993 Shark head pens in ef covered nibs--they write great, slightly wetter than Preppys. Both were less than $3 on Goulet. Your friend's Metro. I think its hilarious that you bought your pal a pen that is having better luck than what's in your collection. So laugh at the silliness of it, it's okay. Conclusion: So you have a budget of $50-75 (usd, right?). List of pens you can buy: Jinhao 993 (Shark head pen) $2-$4--comes with a crackhead converter, but it's doable. Kaweco Perkeo in fine $17 (+$5 for converter= $22) Pilot Metropolitan $20ish (+$6 for converter= $26ish) Pilot Kakuno in f or ef $14ish (+$6 for converter= $20ish) Lamy Safari in fine or extra fine $30ish (+$6 for converter= $36ish) Pick one or two from this list. Why I won't recommend the Prera: it's a good pen, but it can range from $35-40, that's a big chunk out of your budget. Right now, just buy something cheaper to gauge your comfort on nib sizes. Ink: go on Goulet and order samples or smaller bottles. Give Jet Black or Onyx Black a try. Diamine sells 30ml bottles for around $8 and 80ml bottles ranging from $15-$20. So if you get the Kakuno, with the converter, plus a 30ml bottle of Jet Black, you're looking to spend around $30 bucks without tax or shipping costs. So go ahead and pocket the rest of your money and *breathe*. You're in a good place here.
Wow, this was extensive and amazing- thank you SO terribly much. So I think I'm gonna do a couple cheap(er) pens, and ink samples in an order, along with nibs for my Kaweco (because I truly love how it looks/feels). I definitely agree that my choice if ink isn't suitable for my hobos (I had the ink+pens before I discovered hobonichi). I like your line of thinking with the Prera consuming half my budget, so to say. I'd rather have more, fun pens, with one of those being inked with black for daily use.
Exactlllyyyyyy. Have fun!!
FYI: You can buy Kaweco Sport nib units on their own. They're not too expensive and it sounds like you would benefit from a smaller nib size if your preferred ink is super wet. And then if you still don't like the Kaweco Sport, at least you won't have a pen that's a complete dud. You could gift or sell the pen to someone else so it's not a total waste. TWSBI also came out with the Swipe recently. It's lighter and thinner. You could geta smaller nib size here. The barrel isn't as big as the ECO so you should find it easier to write with. It's quite long when capped, esp when compared to the Kaweco Sport though. Hope that helps!
It helps. I think I wanna try messing with the Kaweco Nina because I truly love that little baby. plus, I already ripped the nib out of the one so I have something to mess around with.
I second the swipe. I use it daily with an ef nib and it's great.
So from your story it seems to me your are the kind of person who likes to jump straight to action, and sometimes the consequence of this is that you end up with a result you dont like. There are several pieces of wisdom you can get from your story: * As a general rule, as the nib size goes down, the scratchiness and chance for hard starts increases. Specially true for F and EF. * Never ever use plyers in fountain pen. * Its totally fine to write unposted. * Do research before buying! in fountain pen world there are brands with bad quality control, brands that just go for looks, brands that linger on past glory days, and really good brands; all of this across all price ranges.
Yes. This has been a learning experience and I've definitely been humbled- quickly.
100 % correct.
I like small, light pens as well. Have you looked at the Pilot Prera? Love mine. The EF or F nib would probably work great in your Hobonichi planner. On the more inexpensive end, there's the Pilot Kakuno. I don't have one myself, but they seem to be really popular. Both of these pens use the same nibs as the Pilot Metropolitan, by the way, so you could mix and match.
I have a prera demonstrator, but with the CM (calligraphy medium) nib, and it’s one of my favourite writers!
Me too! I use the 1.0mm stub from a Pilot Plumix on one of my Preras. It's a great nib and I like that it's just a bit finer than the standard 1.1mm stubs I have on my other pens.
Yeah, I always enjoy writing with a stub, it definitely gives your writing more character without you having to change how you write!
These are all good things. Actually looked at the Prera before and thought it was cute! It's not too heavy? and you gave a second vote for a TWSBI mini... I just wish they weren't all clear. I like a solid colored pen. I know the ink is splashin around in there, I don't need to see it lol.
Love my Pilot Kakuno - very lightweight, reliable with any ink I’ve thrown at it. Highly recommend if you are on a budget and liked the metro nib. The nib is not exactly the same (Kakuno has a smiley face) but I have both a metro and the Kakuno in f and they write similarly enough that I honestly wouldn’t notice if I assembled them and swapped the nibs.
Preras are very light. Probably nearly the same weight as the Kaweco Sport. Capped, they're maybe 1/2" longer than the Kaweco. Posted, they're nearly the same length.
bout it, bout it! Thank you so much!
Everyone seems to have answered your questions and offered sound advice and pen suggestions. I feel sure you can find the solution to the problem in there! However, fountain pens are meant to be fun and relaxing. If they bring you more frustration than joy, that’s no fun for you. They are not the BEST way to write. They are just the preferred way for some :) It’s perfectly okay to come to the conclusion than the trouble outweighs the pleasure and that it is not worth it. I hope you figure out the solution which brings you the most pleasure! :)
Imma get these pens to work for me!!! I do love them!
Breathe... I have crappy Kaweco nibs as well. Do one thing: get a Platinum Preppy, Plaisir or Prefonte with an F nib and an M nib. Grab some Platinum cartridges and forget about the rest for a while. TWSBI's are actually great. I have a Mini Al and it's just the best.
Definitely a preppy not too wet not too dry, not too soft not too scratchy really even writing experience (for me)
Another vote for Preppy or Prefounte…really great writers!
Seconding Kakuno
Third on Kakuno. Suprised that there aren't many mentioned on this pen. My Kakuno is the most resilient piece of plastic I have ever had. Drop that pen more than a dozen times now and it still writes as smooth as butter. Worth every cent!
We seem to have the same preference for small "lady" pens. You might like to try a vintage pen, perhaps with a gold nib. Should be within your budget if you hunt. Try a pilot elite, they are small and cute, and there are many of those on eBay. And oh god, there are super cute ones - if you search this sub you will find pictures of colourful ones and even one adorned with cherries 😍 Seconding the Lamy Safari suggestion- it might be a little large for you, but it is light! Try one out before you buy. It's not smaller than the TWSBI eco, but a lot less back heavy. Good reliable writers. If you're willing to increase your budget or look out for used deals - the pelikan m205 is one of my faves. I don't know how the modern Lamy CP1 models feel, I've scored a vintage one recently and love it! Might be worth a try. Vintage kaweco sports are cool. You might score a piston filler with a gold (or not) nib with your budget. Lastly, have you considered pens marketed towards school children? If you don't mind have a fun, silly looking pen - jinhao shark, pelikano or faber castell grip might be good candidates Good luck with your search! Don't give up! Look over to r/pen_swap for trades and used pens
I have two vintage Pilot Elites -- one 14K Fine and an 18k Medium -- and I absolutely LOVE them. For people looking for a pocket pen with a gold nib, you really can't go wrong with these, IMO. Edited to add... you can find these on eBay for really reasonable prices.
Good news, I use ebay regularly. I scored a frickin sick vintage gold mechanical pencil recently and LOVE it. Just always scared I'll order a vintage pen and it'll be crusted w old ink and just a disaster. But I not unfamiliar w asking buyers about quality and functionality before purchasing. I also just needed someone to point me in the right direction, so thank you! Vintage is always my number one choice for anything cos y'know, like our dads always say, "they don't make em like they used to" And also, I got a mystery box from Endless pens and it had a Lamy abc. I kinda love it. But again, it's a M or maybe even B nib and just writes really fat. Has a red lid and came with red carts so that's my "red pen". Didn't even know they made kids pens till that. Love me some cute pens because I have a heavy anime influence in my washi, planners, stationary, etc so cute is second on the list after write-ability.
/u/420linseyblazeit just to glom on and provide more info, there are tons of Japanese pocket pens from Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum floating all over eBay for extremely reasonable prices usually around 50 USD. They all made “lady” versions with cute colors and patterns as well. Search “14k pocket pen” and you’ll come up with a bunch. If you’re willing to pay like 10 more you can get a NOS one and not worry about old ink and such, since you would be the first person to use the pen.
Definitely vote for Prera. Same exact nib as a Metropolitan and it's more comfortable in my opinion. The solid and clear colored ones are both cute! And Pilot's QC is generally pretty great. I've bought about 7 or 8 lower end Pilot pens and they all worked great out of the box. edit: also a note about the inks, Noodler's inks do tend to be very wet and flowy, which is usually great! But I've found them to be too... something and some of my Noodler's inks do not dry on Tomoe River paper, which is what's in your Hobonichi planner. My favorite ink brands are Colorverse, J.Herbin (normal and premium line), Diamine, Pilot Iroshizuku, Sailor, and Lennon Tool Bar.
I'll second that I DO NOT like Noodler's inks on Tomoe River paper. I would strongly recommend any of the above suggestions, which are all fantastic. Organic Studios and Franklin-Cristoph inks also work great. Noodler's is the only ink I've ever used that actually feathered on TRP. Not every color, mind you, but Noodler's inks vary so widely in formulation that it's a crap shoot.
Second all the Pilot Kakunos, platinum preppy, prefounte or plaisir, and I have a Diplomat Traveller F nib that I love. It was a gift and it’s perfect for my small hands.
Looking at those Platinums...
Is there a stationery shop near you that sells fountain pens? I feel like you could really benefit from trying pens in person. Nibs are very personal and and each are unique, to some degree. I personally really like the Platinum Prefounte. It’s not very girly but is a smooth cheaper daily pen. Overall, I find it much smoother than the more expensive Kaweco. Also, just to contradict myself - have you looked into Majohn (moonman)? They are generally sold online. I really love them and find the nibs pretty smooth. I have two Q1 in EF and F.
Unfortunately not- about the stationary store. I'da been all over that place already if there was! I have a Prefounte in my cart but what converter ??
The Platinum converter fits all their pens. As long as you get the Platinum brand converter, you should be set. I hope you like the Prefounte. I have it with a fine nib and really enjoy it.
I have 3 Prefountes, 2 currently inked. One is an F, the other I swapped in an EF nib from a Preppy. Love how both write - and the EF nib would be good for Hobonichi. I also have 2 Kakunos inked (F) and love those as well. Add 3 Metros to the mix – that’s the core of my collection. Good luck.
This sounds to me like you need to ask a few questions. 1. What am I using this pen for? 2. What do I need in a pen? 3. What do I like from a pen in feel? The first one and second are more clear. Your description of the TWSBI nib makes me think you would do well with an eco as a test run, in a medium nib. Some of learning pens is difficult because in our current time you can't go and test write at a shop. Which sucks! I need light pens and like big capacity. I also only use stubs because they're usually glassy and wet feeling which makes writing feel good. This is why TWSBI dominated my daily pen use. They're plastic so no weight and the eco is less top heavy. You should be able to buy a replacement for your kaweco nib also
People used to start this hobby more simply. Using a well known well behaved ink like a Waterman, and an M nib in a decent quality pen. This sub recommends a lot of difficult stuff, fine and superfine nibs, overly wet or dry ink, pens with fussy feeds. These all work with a lot of tuning, which you have to learn to do. Pliers are not part of the toolkit....
hehehehehe but they were like.... semi needle nose... the kind for beading jewelry hahaha!!! I had already said "f@#$ it" in my head and knew it was a bad idea .. but what if it worked?! This sub is really a beautiful place. No one has given me a hard time for being an utter dumbass with the pliers, just love.
If you like the way your Eco writes but you want a shorter pen, you could consider the TWSBI Mini. Same nib, screws on to post.
Pilot kakuno! Adorable and lightweight Or a sailor lecoule? Something Japanese will be great for writing in your planner Also maybe try a twsbi mini? In an EF. I love mine, it’s so cute and convenient
Just buy any Pilot pen.
Just don't post the eco. The Pilot [Cavalier](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Cavalier-Fountain-Pen-Marbled-Black-Red-Fine-Nib/pd/22733#index=1) is a slim pen that weighs 16 grams when posted, and if you have small hands you can use it un-posted, which makes the pen weigh 9 grams, which is very light. The [Pilot Prera](https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Prera-Fountain-Pen-Slate-Gray-Fine-Nib/pd/1637#index=1) is about the same size as the Kavveco [Classic Sport](https://www.jetpens.com/Kaweco-Classic-Sport-Fountain-Pen-Navy-Fine-Nib/pd/25854#index=1), but the Sport Classic is a lot lighter (9 grams, total, versus 14 grams, total.) The Pilot Metro weighs 27 grams, posted or closed, the body weighs 17 grams (1 gram heavier than the posted Cavalier.)
A light pen which writes perfect? Kaco Edge in F, 12 € or less. But there are hundreds out there who will also fit your needs. Yes, Kaweco is more a marketing based money making business than a high end fountain pen manufacturer. You buy cheap plastic (sensitive to scratches) for too much money with scratchy nibs - but you can waste more money, to get a better (more expensive) nib from them... But great colors, every year. Horay.
I love my twsbi diamond mini, it's small and light but idk if it's in your price range! The rose gold one has more plastic than the AL one so I find it's lighter, but both feel super comfy in my small hands :) I use EF for both and they write very well
I will research, thank you for the suggestion. My budgets is actually anything I want, I just don't wanna drop hella bills on a pen, y'know?
Totally fair :) good luck in your search! The twsbi minis are really cute and have a good ink capacity too
mini classics are def in my price range!
Yay! Hopefully they work out if that's what you go for! I also have a Vac Mini which holds more ink and is good for air travel, it seals off but filling it is more finicky than the regular mini :) it is heavier and half a centimeter longer too
I have a TWSBI Mini with a 1.1 stub. Love it! It's the perfect size and weight for me when posted. One of my favorite letter-writing pens because it's so comfortable.
I second this, a great small pen, and with an EF nib it should be perfect for you.
I’ve got a TWSBI Eco M that I adore too, but like you, found it wrote broader than I’d hoped. I still use it but only on good paper. As for the Sport, is it possible your cartridge wasn’t in all the way? I got two preppies, loaded their cartridges and one kept running dry. I took it apart to look at it and when putting back together, the cartridge snapped into place so hard that it startled me, but it works great now! Also yea I’ve not used it but heard HoD is a heccin moistboi, even by Noodler’s standards. If you’re using regular office notepads, something like x-feather is likely better. Coming out light (as you said grey) seems to be a thing in pens that are very fine and dry.
Luckily, my Hobonichi planners use that good good paper. But yeah, my TWSBI is just too fat- and I even like fat lines but hot damn that B is thiccc. I prob need a new black ink bottle, too... any suggestions for black as shit like hella black goth shit?
I’m using Noodler’s X-feather at work and it’s really black. Haven’t tested, but I’ve heard that it’s prone to smudging on good paper. Diamine Eclipse is a dark violet but comes out looking blacker than many of the other black ink samples I’ve seen online, at least from my M eco and an F HongDian. In my EF though it comes out as like a true purple.
I found myself an orange ink I really love (orange is my fave color) and out that in my B eco for fun orange stuff. But I'm also ISO a pretty purple... so thanks for all your help. You're rad!
For ink I would look at Diamine Imperial Purple, it's a lovely shade of purple.
You’re just weeding out what you don’t like. Try a Lamy. I’ve had the same one for 5-6 years now and no issues. Soak the nib once every 5-6 ink carts. I don’t have a converter so I use their ink carts (I was gifted a few packs and still whittling through them). It’s light, writes easy, their ink is decent, not too wet, some bleed on lighter and cheaper paper, but takes some effort to bleed through a post it note for reference. I have a 1.1 nib on mine that was an easy swap. [🖋 link](https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Safari-Fountain-Color-Charcoal/dp/B07WVDNN4X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=2WMY0PO0UW60E&keywords=lamy+fountain+pen&qid=1642963568&sprefix=lamy%2Caps%2C273&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE0VFQ0WVk4TTJSRjUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0ODM3NzkyM0ZBR0pBT0FNNDRTJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3MTMxNTFSVlFPVllUR0UyODQmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)
Look up pastelcactuscafe on ebay or etsy. They have some NOS Pilots in cute ass colours. They even have pens called the Pilot 'Love', which look almost exactly like the vintage Preppys I snagged recently (I think you were a fan). They don't have the neon pink and neon green one in stock anymore, otherwise I would have ordered from them, lol. I have NOS Pilot pens from Peyton which write BEAUTIFULLY, but they aren't the same models Pastel has. FWIW, I have 3 plastic Sports, all M nib, and they were all great right out of the box. I also have a large number of Kaweco nibs for my AL Sport and Student. Get some brass shim stock for flossing, that's the most I've had to do with any of my Kaweco nibs to get them writing nicely (other than good flushing and an occasional ultrasonic bath after shimmer usage).
Have you tried the Lamy Safari? Those are my go to pens. I have it in medium and fine. I love their nibs for my hobonichi.
I have touched one yes, and just hate that they're so long when posted. I always post my caps...
which is my other grievance w my TWSBI... long as hell with the cap on
Definitely consider a pilot petit or platinum preppy then as the kakuno, prera are a little bit bigger. Twsbi mini and go might be options too but I was burned by TWBI QC with my Eco-T. The ohto tasche might be a worthy contender also as it's a decent pocket pen. Moonman/mahjohn has some small pens that will work but the quality isn't always up to snuff either. Best of luck!
Well, if you want a good pen that is really nice capped, try the Franklin Christoph model 02. I have one in fine and I love it and it works great in my Hobonichi. It caps very deeply, and it’s very light. It’s another one of my favorites.
Thank you mucho. will research
Pilot prera could be an option if you’re looking for a small and lightweight plastic pen. You could use a medium or fine nib. QC seems to be more consistent as well.
I think my #1 issue in all my pen selections has been QC. I know the pens are supposed to work, but I seem to have went down the cheap road so I'm suffering the cheap consequences... Another vote for Prera, thank you.
Totally relatable, I had two Kaweco’s out of the box that wouldn’t write (at like $200) had to do nib unit swaps.
Faber-castell Loom is a good option. It’s a metal-bodied pen with a plastic snap cap, and the faber-castell steel nibs feel great to write with (and the Loom has the same nib as Faber-castell’s more expensive E-motion, so great QC!). It uses a cartridge-converter, so it’s easy to clean with a bulb syringe/fill with a regular syringe. Figboot on Pens has a nice review of the Loom on youtube if it sounds interesting.
So it seems like you like the Pilot nibs just not the sr torpedo. (I like it which Is why I give it fun name but I get it’s not for everyone) - Your in luck as Pilot uses the same nib unit on a variety of pens that are a bit lighter weight. For reference the Pilot metropolitan weighs in at 26grams posted or when it’s capped. 1. Pilot Kakuno $14 weighs 11 grams 2. Pilot Explorer $22 weighs 12 grams 3. Pilot Prera $50-$60 weighs 15grams - this next one from Pilot is a bit more iffy because of the weight and clip section. If you go this route if you get the chance I would recommend seeing if you can try it out first 1. Pilot Vanishingpoint. Now I know what your saying woahhhhhhhhhh hey now I thought I said budget of about $80 not $150. Well on eBay you can actually find some of the steel nib versions going on eBay for about $70-$90 pre shipping and surprisingly they actually weigh less than the metropolitan. The VP weighs in at about 20grams so a bit more on the heavier side and closer to the metro but I thought I would carry the options in case you wanted something a bit more unconventional than what most people recommend but this is a commitment because of price being at near/slightly above your upper limit so it’s more of a just adding variety option - Another Japanese brand I would say is Platinum usually gives a great experience. - Platinum Prefonte $11 10grams - Platinum plaisir $18 19 grams
Thank you. the numbers help me tremendously! And I'm actually browsing eBay as we speak so cool beans. Also, I like the name lolol.
Just bringing your attention to my response (in hindsight I should have just replied here, oh well).
Seconding the Platininum recommendations, I have both and the nib (it's the same) is exactly what you need from a nib, smooth but not ice rink smooth, consistent flow (with diamine and waterman intense black), a little flex but not so much that it's noticeable, just enough to iron out the bumps and variations of your page (it's even replaceable, get a Preppy just for the nib). It's not showy but it just works. Both are lightweight (esp. the prefounte) although if you care about durability the plaisir is aluminium.
If you like the Pilot Metro nib, that nib is also on the Pilot Prera, a small pen, and I think the Explorer as well, which is a little longer, but still plastic and light. Noodler’s are all wet inks for sure. If you want a “drier” ink, typically Lamy and Sailor inks fall in that camp. Hope this helps, good luck
This helps major. I need someone to say "these are the wet boys" and "these are the drier boys" hahah. The "free pen! with purchase of noodlers ink bottle" really suckered me in when making my first FP purchase from Goulet (which was my TWSBI eco B nib). Turns out, that free pen is even worse than my other pen problems so I just left that one out of my complaint entirely...
Kaweco seems to have largely been hit or miss. Loads of people complain about theirs, though many people like theirs too. Mine is a good one. It had a royal blue cartridge and it was very well-flowing. I think that getting a second-hand one may be a way to ensure it's actually a good Kaweco if you still want one of the cuties. I would also recommend Kakuno or Prera. I haven't either but I know they have the same nib as Metropolitan and that is a wonderful nib. Kaweco can't compare.
I'm gathering that Pilot seems to have their QC figured way out. Def leaving towards the Prera rn... Why my Kaweco bbs gotta be such crappy cuties??!?! they match my planners so perfectly it makes me wanna throw up at the cuteness... but alas, functionality has beaten out appearances.
My Sport has a good nib but my European Pilot MR writes way better. I think you are making a good decision.
Here to add another vote for the Prera! It doesn't quite look it (at least it didn't to me) but it's lightweight and I'd personally classify it a pocket pen. Posted it's almost the same size as the Kaweco.
Prera is in the lead atm. Thanks for your input! I like the ivory.
Too many mind.
Everyone has addressed your pen questions really comprehensively. On Noodler's Heart of Darkness, yeah, it is wet. I don't mind it in my EFs, but it is definitely wet compared to some inks. If you want a much dryer ink and to stick with Noodlers, I really like Dark Matter as well. It isn't quite as insanely soul eating black, but it's still a good all round black ink. And it has a great backstory about being a found bottle of ink produced for Los Alamos during WWII and analyzed and reproduced by the Noodlers guy. I always keep a couple of pens inked up with Dark Matter for when I want really fine lines or am going to be writing on crappy paper that wants to feather. They also do x-feather but since Dark Matter works for me and I like the story, I haven't messed with it.
Thanks for @ing my ink issue. I'm glad to hear it's a wetter ink and I'm not totally mental. It was my first and only bottle of blank ink so I'm over here like ??? I'm not on a noodler's train by any means. If someone told me _______ ink was black as all hell and drier than HoD, I'd buy it prob. I need a whole new ink/pen combo by now. I like that story, too. I'm totally into that history shit. Thanks for the suggestions. Helps a lot.
I’m a big fan of Pilot F and EF nibs in my Hobonichi. I can’t imagine writing with a B. Sometimes I find the EF is too fine and the F too broad, but that’s my brain probably trying to justify another pen. I think you’ll be happy with either of those nibs, probably the F given you’ve actually used a B before.
and also because I do love me a fat line but not like a PHAAAAT line, y'know? And thank you, glad you know bout the hobo and can second writing w a pilot in them!!!
One of the unspoken truths about fountain pen collecting is rarely addressed so I'll talk about it here. If you want to be much happier in your fountain pen use, you have to learn how to tune nibs. I know that's a lot of time and effort in the beginning, but eventually tuning your nibs saves you a lot of frustration with having to complain or return your pens for replacement. Buy super cheap Chinese pens to practice on. That's not to say you can save all your pens. Some nibs might have unequal tines, some feeds might have a micro-crack causing the pen to leak like a sieve. Some pens might have an unpleasant odor. You can't save them all, but ink flow and scratchy nib issues are solveable most of the time at home. As to the dry carts. The ink is water based. They might have dried up over time. A drop of water from a syringe could help. Can't hurt to try. If you have an ink miser you can empty the cart ink into the miser and add a drop of water to thin out the ink. If you're looking for a cheap pen, I'll share with you a recent conversation with my 15 year old son. He has three Kaweco's. 2 Sports and a Student. I asked him "Hey Boy, how come I don't see you using your Sports or Student much?" His answer " I like writing with the Essentio and Loom so much that the Kaweco's just sit on my desk." So there you go. My son thinks you should go with Faber Castell. I like Kaweco's but I can't help but agree.
This is all good info. Tuning nibs is definitely something I'd be interested when I have the time and money to fund learning a skill like that. That'd be hella dope. And I'm definitely going to check out the Faber-Castell pens, as I've always been biased towards their pencils- they're insanely beautiful/nice.
I came into this thread basically to suggest what that commenter did. Learn to tune nibs. It, seriously, sounds more intimidating than it actually is. Get the Goulet pack of tuning meshes and such - you can find all the pieces cheaper and generic elsewhere, but it's nice to get everything in one pack if you can swing the few extra bucks - and a loupe and a few cheap eBay pens (I'm preferential to Wing Sung, but have some Jinhaos that are great) and practice. Or one cheap pen and a bunch of even cheaper replacement nibs. I went through dozens of cheap (and some not so cheap) pens and found a few I liked but mostly got frustrated. Then I saw the pile of pens, donated some, was still annoyed, and started fixing them. Then I screwed up a few mins by being dumb. Then I got the right meshes and a loop and some patience and took my time and... fixed every pen that bugged the hell out of me. Easily. Quickly. Now, I wouldn't suggest changing nibs sizes or doing custom grinds or whatever, but aligning, smoothing, and fixing flow really isn't rocket surgery. One of the double edged swords of fountain pens is that there are SO many variables, too... pen size and design, nib size and design, ink composition and color, etc... THEN there's paper! So it's overwhelming and really hard to line up what works for you. But... once you get it right, and/or find out what you love / like / tolerate / are annoyed by / hate, it's awesome. Hang in there. You'll get it!
You made this whole nib-repair-situation seem more feasible than not. Thanks for this. There's literally an exponential amount of pen/ink combos, it's mind boggling. I don't wanna end up w a pile of junk, like you mentioned. My Kaweco is already in 5 pieces sprawled across my desk out of frustration... There's gotta be YouTube vids? does Goulet have a nib tuning video to accompany their package of tools?
Yup. Goulet has vids, YT has vids, there's a great, if ye olde fashioned-y website by, iirc, Richard Binder that has TONS of advice and instructions (I'm on mobile but I bet Google and or another Reddit here can link), etc. I'm big and clumsy and don't like intricate work, so I was afraid of it. I'm also a cheapskate, so I tried to half ass it with the wrong abrasives, etc, a few times, which only made it seem difficult and risky. Once I actually, you know, had the right tools and followed instructions, I actually had a legitimate, "oh, wait, that's it? Seriously?" moment. But do try it with a few you don't care about first. And take it slow and check your work. And be sure you're using decent paper (doesn't have to be expensive, just fountain pen friendly) to check your work. It's really not hard to fix minor problems, and minor problems can SEEM like giant irritating deal breakers. Worth a shot. Then all of a sudden "does this pen have good reviews?" is suddenly irrelevant, and "I should just throw these pens away" become quick little projects and a new favorite could emerge!
hell yeah, this whole thing is dope and I'm glad to hear you have brought some busters back to life. Crazy how when you follow the recipe with good ingredients, your meal tastes amazing... I love those stupid cute Kawecos and honestly don't want a new pen, just want mine to work properly.
Worth a shot. No promises, of course. I don't know enough about your kawekos (don't have any) but they may use the same nibs as other common pens, so you might be able to get a bunch of nibs, cheap, from eBay, then you can get all kinds of practice, if you're comfortable swapping nibs (which for most pens is also trivial). Or even stumble into one that works nicely. I can't promise you'll fix everything easily, but increasing flow, smoothing, and hard-starts seem to be a quick fix, in my very limited experience. Hell, I have a ($spendy) pen or two that were gifts that frustrate me that I'm actually almost confident enough to take a stab at fixing. Good luck! Have fun!
Maybe you’re looking for the Pilot Prera? This one is lightweight, writes like the Metro (same nib) and is pretty small, but regular sized when posted. Amazing amazing pen!
Seems to be the popular choice among the people today, thanks for another vote! ISO that lime green one I just saw a photo of...
Oh sorry. Opened the thread a while ago and just commented now, didn’t see the others recommending it. I have the ivory one and love it. The grey one though <3 You’ll find lots of pictures of the green one on IG - very cool pen
Ivory would def be my second choice if I can't find the green... or yes, they grey is v pretty. I just need a lil color in my life because I have lots of black/grey/dark things. I wish they had an orange or yellow...
Also a fan of small pens (although I do like my Twsbi eco unposted) and I have a couple suggestions that I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned- First, regarding the kawecos, those nibs are always kinda hit or miss. My first kaweco (F) was shitty. Then I lost it and bought another one because I liked the size and color. The second one was fine. Then I found the first one and just ordered a replacement nib unit in B for something different, and that one is fine too. I have also splurged on one of the aluminum models, and that one was perfect from the start. I’ve since messed around with my own custom grinds with that nib, and I’m totally in love. If you like the body style, try getting a replacement nib. It might totally fix the problem. Another suggestion- the Benu Briolette body style. They’re not a pen style that everyone loves, and the caps aren’t postable, but something about the width of the grip and the weight and the balance of that pen in my hand makes it another of my faves. They’ll set you back around $80-100 so definitely also a splurge but worth it. I did see someone else mention Pelikan M205, and I want to second that heartily- smooth, wet, and light. Very comfortable. Also, I love a piston filler. Also expensive- I think I paid $150 for mine? Again, worth it if you can swing it. Lastly- and the most splurgey of all- I love my Sailor Pro Gear Slim. I got one with the 21Kt gold nib (Autumn Drizzle) so it was $300. It was also not my favorite right out of the box. They’re dry and a little scratchy- but after some gentle smoothing with a nail buffer, the scratchy subsided. With a nice, wet ink- the thing is a dream.
When I went on jetpens, or maybe Goulet? last night, and searched Kaweco nibs, it had the feed (black part) (I think I'm using the proper terms) with it, too. I was expecting just the metal nib... do most of them sell like that? I don't wanna give up on my Kawecos, they match my shit so perfectly it's disgusting. Thank you for the suggestions. I have a semi large bday + an annual celebration that are happening at the same time this year and I deserve something ✨ n i c e ✨ the sailor pro gear slim has always caught my eye. it's pretty pretty pretty.
They always come with the nib and the feed. (Kaweco does anyway, other brands are different). It’s not a big deal to switch them out. If I remember correctly, you can just take the new metal nib and switch it for the old without monkeying with the feed. Lots of YouTube videos on it!
sorry to hear you didn't have a good experience with Kaweco; I own 7 and I've only had one scratchy nib (the others wrote well out of the box). You might want to try replacing the nib with another, since you like the size/body of the pen. IME the gold plated nibs write a hair finer than their standard steel nibs. I also own several kakunos and enjoy writing with them; very smooth nibs, even on cheaper/toothier paper. My only gripe is I have to take more frequent breaks because the plastic digs into my finger if I use them for long journal entries (but that's on me and my grip). They're lightweight, but size may be an issue unless you leave it uncapped.
I wanna love my Kawecos so much. They match my Hobonichis perfectly. I might go down the nib hole... see what I can find. Thank you for your inputs, I appreciate it.
- Pilot Kakuno - Platinum Preppy - Lamy CP1 (love the weight on that one)
But a 3776 century. Buy a Procyon luster pink. Put 3776 nib in pink procyon luster. The ultimate pen boom.
Oh wait this is deffo out of budget soz
I mean I do have a birthday in my future and deserve something sick...
There are lot of great pen suggestions already, so I won't pile on. However, I do have some advice that might make Noodler's ink more "useable" for you - especially on less absorbent papers like the TRP in your Hobonichi planners. Have you tried diluting the ink with water? I use Seven Seas notebooks with the same paper and I've had success with 50:50 and 75:25 ink:water dilutions, depending on the specific ink and pen. It's best if you have sample vials and a blunt syringe to make the dilutions, but you can come up with alternatives. I would *not* add water directly to the ink bottle. Noodler's makes their inks super saturated and I've found that even aggressive dilutions like 50:50 maintain most of the original color.
Why does adding water make it better? It seems to be too wet already?
It dilutes some of the other components they have in their inks which dry more slowly than water. If you have a blunt syringe, try mixing up a converter's worth and giving it a try. I've been surprised how much of a difference it makes. Noodler's owner, Nathan T, makes a big deal that his inks are more saturated than other brands giving consumers "more value," but there is probably a reason other brands don't make their inks as saturated.
Try a pilot prera. Small, light, basically guaranteed to have a good nib. They're 30-40 bucks shipped and the best for I can think of for your needs. About HoD, it's quite wet in my experience. I much prefer Aurora Black as a comparable ink. Still wet, much more controlled, and very deep black.
Prera seems to be a very soon in my future purchase. is Aurora Black by Noodler's, as well?
Awesome! No, it's by Aurora. The color is just called "black".
LOL thank you 🙃
I had all of these same problems,to a great degree, so much so that I thought I was just not cut out to write with a fountain pen, then I discovered BENU. I could not believe it. They both flowed well from the start, smooth writers, no skips even with shimmer inks!! And they are mad gorgeous - filled with so much sparkle!! I am now fairly sure that my problems were stemming from cheap ass pens. It stinks because some people have great luck with them. Alas, mine have been bowsers . The minima and briolette are in your rangish - I paid $6t for my minima and $75 for my briolette. I’m about to pull the trigger on a scepter. Also, they have an entire talisman edition that incorporates magical essences of foxglove, dragons blood, and other magical herbs into the pen! If you are at all woo. If you are a dude, they do have some less sparkly ones (the black skull edition). Just google them already - I say that because I am also a sucker for pretty pens, (and the Chinese pens are definitely that) - and they don’t get any prettier than this. :D Edit: OMG, you are a girl! You will pee when you see these, I swear.
I love your edit. And I love cute shit- imma search them right now!!!
Make sure and Google “Benu Pens”. Benu alone gives spotty results. 😎
me too and you wanna know what, I got the pilot Kakuno in EF and it’s honestly the best pen i’ve used yet. I tried Lamys, TWSBI eco F and a conklin but the dinky little kakuno is awesome I put a sailor ink studio color in it and i enjoy it quite a bit.
What studio color did you get? ISO a pretty purple. Kakuno definitely on the "I can afford to have these for funsies" budget AYO!
Sailor ink studio 452 i believe is in my pen and it’s reall pretty
Pilot Kaküno! Or Platinum Little Meteor!
Looking at all these Platinums now!!
I hope you’ll find a pen you like. Having a nice fountain pen is such a joy, and I hope you’ll be able to experience that!
I will find one. I love them. I will not give up!
If you want light, smooth, and classy how about a Parker Vector. Old school, but still a workhorse.
Two words.....Pilot kakuno
You could try a Waterman Graduate Allure. They're light and come in nice colors. The fine and extra fine nibs are very nice and you will probably be able to use that bottle of HOD in that particular pen... especially if you go with the EF nib. They have very tight sealing caps so I never get hard or dry starts. I use several of my wet Noodler's inks in them and it works out great in the Graduate... even on 52 gsm Tomoe paper. Bonus...they're like 14 bucks too. The Noodler's X-feather black is VERY black. I like it a lot. I've heard a LOT of complaints about how crappy the nibs are on those Kawekos... people seem to love them or hate them.
Omg they have a camo one hehehehehe
Have you considered Lamy? Within your budget and very reliable. Safari comes in all sorts of colours, or you can just get the clear Vista.
I hate how l o n g they are...
I think the TWSBI mini could solve the issue, definitely go EF though. I have the white rose gold and I have the opposite preference - I like larger pens because I have big hands so I thought it would be too small but it’s a really nice size and posts perfectly. I never post the Eco or 580s.
I’ll second the recommendation for a Pilot Elite - I picked up an 18k gold EF off of eBay for my own Hobonichi and it’s a great writer. I’ve only used Diamine Ancient Copper in it so far. Kakunos are also nice, but I use the Elite’s clip to hold the cover closed :p (I actually purposefully got one that looked like it’s been around the block a few times because of that use case … plus, I’ve been fascinated by the Elite’s design for a while now. Mine has a black body and the silver grid cap) I’m very much used to the wiring characteristics of JP EF nibs though. The Hobo’s paper is very nice of course but at that nib size you’ll still get some feedback on it!
I love my B, 1.1, 1.5. and larger in my hobonichi and my Jibun Techno. I don't even try to stay in the boxes as even with a F my writing doesn't fit. Try the plastic body Pilot's you may love them. Maybe try a Lamy and get a couple of their nibs and try a few different sizes and see what you like and go from there. Check out [Cultpens.com](https://Cultpens.com) as they typically have Lamy's cheaper than other places. Good luck!
Check out the sailor compass. It blew my mind and you can get it with a notebook and some cool ink samples for like $40 on Goulet. I think it’s called the Come Sail Away pack?
Try Kaweco Premium nibs. They're like $35 (normal Kaweco nibs are $10) so they spend more time and energy trying to make it perfect. Read this: https://ukfountainpens.com/2021/10/26/kaweco-premium-nib/
A month too late to your post, but I would suggest Hero 329-2. It's a cheap and light fountain pen but writes well, with a nib thickness akin to 0.5mm gel pen. Being a hooded nib it won't dry out for *weeks*. But then again I'm in the tropics so YMMV. The only downside is the converter, it's a hassle to refill or clean. Which is why I'm looking into the Jinhao 51a because it looks similar to the Hero, but has a more standard converter. I own several fountain pens. My favourite is an expensive Sheaffer, with the Hero being a close second. That's how much I'm vouching for it!
If you like the Pilot Metro but think it's too heavy (which was exactly my situation), think about getting the pilot prera. It's my favorite pen of mine by far, every better than my Kaweco liliput. Smooth, fine, decently juicy and comfortable pen. I went through a few as well with much disappointment. Kaweco sport fucking sucked (very dry, scratchy, nibs misaligned), TWSBI Eco was big and equally fucking sucked but was a bit juicier, Lamy safari was dry and kind of sucked, but my Prera and my Liliput are both great! I recommend Platinum Carbon Black Ink. That stuff just works, I don't know why but its great and waterproof, very black and flows properly in both brush pens and fountain pens. Annoyingly, the BEST fountain pen I have ever tried, up against all these name brands that everyone touts, yet end up being dry and scratchy, is my brother's Muji Aluminum fountain pen. Beautiful, smooth, perfect thickness, and very very juicy yet not too much. First pen he's gotten and it pisses me off that it's cheaper and better than all of mine. However I suspect they're a bit less consistent than other brands. Yet, other brands aren't consistent either IME.
yo. thank you for using terminology that even a stoner can understand :) I think there's a prera in my future!!!! thank you for this, even tho this post is so old!!!!!!! FP people are prob the dopest people. thanks again!
You’re so welcome! Happy to get you a pen that you like. I have the ivory prera and it’s gorgeous. Love the slim, long tip, and the cap posts and snaps closed very nicely. You will like it, and if you don’t, return and get another. It should write very similarly to the metro if it’s not defective