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The pursuit of perfection

I'm feeling a bit flumped with my pens today, so I thought I'd cast my thoughts into the web and see who else is in or has been in similar boats.
Why so down? Well, I've been chasing that perfect pen for what a year now? I don't know.
Anyway, I wanted something super smooth. I thought I'd found that in a recently acquired Parker 51. That wasn't my intention - I just wanted a 51. Acquired on eBay, I'd factored in the cost of a light repair bill, but when it turned up it felt very smooth in most directions. Could I have found that perfect pen by accident?
So I sent her off to be repaired and it arrived back today. Gutted, cleaned, aligned, tweaked etc. It's just the same, still slightly rough in one direction :( and runs too wide anyway, though it's supposed to be a fine nib.

So a close shave with a pen I dream of. But all the time I feel as though I'm upping the ante to get closer to what I want and missing repeatedly. My last attempt was an Italix Parsons essential. Beautiful to behold and reportedly very smooth. Well, yes if you get the angle right and after trying out lots of inks - I shouldn't have opted for a CI nib. But the darn thing leaks into the barrel constantly. It's been back for repair and had new converters and sections and still leaks. I've given up on it, beautiful though it is.
The 51 is the same - if the pro's can't get it better, I give up.

Then my TWSBI - I love it but it's too rough and has too much feedback, despite my smoothing efforts.

Maybe that super smooth pen is out there, but now I feel like I' defeating the point of fountain pens. God I love them, but I always wanted a collection of pens I loved, not a collection of ones that fell short along the way. I guess that after so long and having sunk maybe £250 on various pens I hoped I'd have something just right.

Bah, rant over :blushing:
 
I feel your pain, but just because some so called pro can't get it right doesn't mean you can't. Buy yourself a loupe and Mylar paper and start teaching yourself. If you send your 51 to the fountain pen hospital they will give you what you're looking for.
 
Man that's a bummer! Keep searching...

For or what its worth, I can feel your pain. I've tried many. My smoothest and most favorite pen is my Pilot custom heritage 92 with FM nib. Like writing with butter no matter what ink I load it with. I am still new to nibs so take it for what it's worth.

I have about 15 pens now including 51s and 61s. Pelikans, new and vintage flex. Platinums. TWSBI. Pilot 91 and 912. And so on. But that 92 is nothing short of spectacular! Good luck in your search.

Maybe after the holidays I could send you my 92 for a trial run? You will be required to return it however!!! (I'm not that nice) It really is a very nice pen in all aspects. At least for me...

keep the faith!
 
Wow, that's a very generous offer, thank you.
Unfortunately I'm in the UK, so perhaps a little wary of shipping so far.
Anyway, pilots have often been on my wanted list - they seem to offer good value at many price points, plus with my love of fine nibs I naturally gravitate towards Japanese pens
 
FWIW, I have tried to get a butter smooth 51, but have struck out. I have bought 5 (I think). The one I still have is the closest to perfection, but is far from my favorite writer of the pens I have. Really the only reason I keep it is because it has a 1948 nib on it (which was the year of my fathers birth) Unless I run across a deal I can't pass up, I am probably done buying 51's.

The nicest vintage writers I have come across tend to be Pre-1960 Sheaffers and Pelikans.

From a modern stand point, my smoothest writers are probably my Lamy 2000 (one with Fine nib and one with Broad) and a Pilot Vanishing Point with Medium Nib. Moondoggie's suggestion of a Pilot brand pen is probably one that is well placed; especially if you are into fine writing pens. I feel that I would be negligent if I didn't point out that my Vanishing Point Medium is more akin to a European Fine.
 
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The pilot VP medium nib that I have is the smoothest pen I've used. It works on any paper type like butter on a hot pan.
 
Best of luck in your search! I have been very happy with my vintage Pelikan 400NN F nib and modern Pelikan M800 F nib.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Best of luck in your search! I have been very happy with my vintage Pelikan 400NN F nib and modern Pelikan M800 F nib.

Yup, sounds like it's time for a Pelikan.

What size nib do you prefer for your writing style -- a fine? Keep in mind that many of the nibs you read about being buttery smooth and gliding over the paper are medium and up. The narrower points do generally have more feedback, even Sailors, Pilots, and Pelikans. Not that it isn't possible to get that ice-rink feel.
 

nortac

"Can't Raise an Eyebrow"
I guess I got lucky with my first Parker 51 that I just got a couple of days ago, buttery smooth, but writes a bit wet and a wider nib than the fine or EF nibs I seem to prefer.
 
My Pelikans are super smooth if you don't catch the italics on a corner... The 140 from the 60's being the smoothest and it is a F. The B from the 80 and 90's is smooth but it lacks something I can't describe. I want to say its like walking across the foam pit for pole vault or a high jump...

My Pilot VP F is smooth and I can write with it for a long time but I like my correspondence to have character so it is a work/clipboard pen.
 
Maybe I should have the 51 ground to a finer and smoother point?

The UK is a little lacking in nibmeisters, but then Ive been tempted by something custom for my TWSBI, so perhaps I should send them both to Tyler Dahl?
 
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musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
Yup, sounds like it's time for a Pelikan.

What size nib do you prefer for your writing style -- a fine? Keep in mind that many of the nibs you read about being buttery smooth and gliding over the paper are medium and up. The narrower points do generally have more feedback, even Sailors, Pilots, and Pelikans. Not that it isn't possible to get that ice-rink feel.

I have 4 Pelikan pens and they all write like butter - but the smallest nib is a medium.
I also have a 51 with a medium nib that writes like butter.
 
I hear ya, but my cursive looks like a giant smudge with anything but a fine. All my loops fill in and any smooth medium seems to dump so much ink down that it bleeds into a garbled mess.

If no one ever had to read what I wrote (myself included) I'd have a stable of medium and bold nibs.....
 
Pilot VP with a medium nib is a very nice and smooth nib. I like the Pilot nibs a lot. Very smooth with just the right amount of ink flow.
 
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