Hey everyone,
Sorry for the typical ārequirementsā post, but Iāve been searching for a fountain pen and still canāt find the right one. Iām hoping to get some recommendations!
Iām looking for a pen similar to my Parker Urbanāperhaps a step up in quality. Hereās what I love about the Urban: the metal body feels great in hand, and the design is sleek yet understated. Itās been a reliable companion for over five years now, and I managed to snag it for just $5 or $10 during a clearance sale. Despite its quirks, itās stuck with me while others have come and gone.
Now, this might sound like an ad, but itās not! My relationship with this pen is a bit of a love-hate situation. It was plagued by ink skips and hard starts for years until I learned some nib-tuning techniques and sanded down the nib. Now, it writes beautifully, but itās set a high bar that other pens havenāt met. Iāve given away several pens to friends and family because they just didnāt click with me (pun intended).
One major sticking point for me is the cap mechanism. Most pens Iāve tried have screw-on caps, which makes jotting down quick notes a bit of a hassle. What Iām really after is a pen with a click-on, snap-on, or bump-sealed capāsomething with a satisfying seal that provides feedback when closed. Hereās a rundown of what Iāve tried so far:
- Majohn M800 Acrylic with Bock Nib: It should have been the holy grail in my budget, given the glowing reviews, and it does write well. But it lacks a certain something I canāt quite put my finger on. Also, it has a screw-on cap.
- Asvine V126: The screw-on cap was a drawback, and the vacuum filling mechanism kept breaking.
- Various Chinese Pens (Hongdian, etc.): These are well-regarded by the community, but they just didnāt feel right for me. Jinhao 82: The build quality was a bit too low for my taste.
- Jinhao X159: A great writer, but the screw-on cap meant I didnāt use it as much as Iād like.
- Jinhao Slip-On Cap Model: The slip-on cap was a plus, but I really want a cap that has a click, snap, or at least a bit of tactile feedback when it seals.
Iām willing to splurge up to $100 if it means getting a solid pen that fits my needs. But if thereās a well-built Chinese option for less, Iād be happy to snag it too.
Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help!
Thinking through my own collection. The Jinhao 95 might be worth a try. Itās basically a metal version of the 82 but has a really nice capping feel. Itās kind of like the Pilot Explorer, where you press it on and you can feel that inner cap spring tensioning and then snaps closed. But the Jinhao is much more satisfying.
How is the overall build quality? I know that itād be dirt cheap to acquire but I donāt like spending all that effort getting it, tuning the nib to my liking, and finally just gifting it to someone else lol. Though I am very intrigued by Chinese offerings for snap cap, Iāve been looking for them for some time to save some cash if possible but nothing good turned up yet.
I think itās well worth it for the price. But Iām easy to please lol. Itās a metal pen with metal threads for where the grip section and barrel meet. The finial and trim pieces are pressed in, not threaded or glued. It feels solid but not bulky or heavy. And it uses the same nib as the 82 which is great in my opinion.
Iād say the one drawback I have is the grip is narrower side. So if youāre not comfortable with a grip thatās probably closer to a pencil then it may not be worth it for you.
Oh the black one looks gorgeous! Someone on reddit posted a similar looking pen on the post I made there. Hmmmā¦