Need a suggestion for my first FP

I've been wanting a FP for some time now, but I'm going to have to order it as no one around me carries them. Here's what it has to be: .5mm nib, affordable, and it can't spew too much ink out. I recently found an old .5mm rollerball pen that I loved, but I used it constantly and it ran out of ink. I have yet to find a suitable replacement for it. I've found some that are close, but they all spew too much ink. I write very small, so a pen that flows too fast makes my handwriting nearly illegible. I write with a very light touch, being careful not to grip the pen tightly and just floating above the paper.

Does such a fountain pen exist?
D

Maybe you need a fine point.

There are some inexpensive pens to try like the Preppy, their 03 is a fine point and doesn't put down too much ink (assuming that is what you mean by "spewing"). See what size tip you require for $4. Most good pen makers have EF or extra fine as well. 0.5 is a medium.

Try the "Lexington" made by Cross for Franklin Covey, and can be purchased at some office stores. This pen is a cartridge only pen taking the international standard sized cartridge. I have one and like it quite a bit for when I need a finer line. This pen is advertized as a medium but mine writes finer than my Montblanc #320 fine and way finer than my medium TWSBI, Cross, Parker nibs. I use MontVerde black cartridges for it. This pen cost around $20.00.

Disclaimer: not associated with Franklin Covey, or Cross in any way shape or form except to be a customer and user of their items.

Dave

Pilot Prera Fine Point Demonstrator from Goulet Pens. I always recommend this pen!

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll look into them! Yes, I'm looking for one that doesn't lay down too much ink. It's interesting that you say .5 is a medium nib. In the rollerball pens I've been trying, .7 is fine and .5 is usually marked "micro." I'm looking for a very fine line with just enough ink to get the job done.

D

Following up on that Preppie suggestion ...

Order a 'fine' and a 'medium' Preppie, as well as a bit of 'standard' ink (the kind that behaves well ... Noodler's black comes to mind, or Noodler's blue) and either:

a) O-rings, silicone grease and a syringe to do an easy 'eyedropper' conversion,

... or ...

b) a converter or two (one for each pen, unless you want to swap back and forth during your experiment)



... then you are set. See which nib size you like best.

I suspect that you may like the finer nibs, since you say ...

I write very small, so a pen that flows too fast makes my handwriting nearly illegible

Click to expand...

... so you might want eventually to look at the extra-fine Japanese nibs. (Japanese nibs tend to be finer than others on the whole.) An extra-fine Pilot 78g might be a good next step.