I get the impression that it really doesn’t matter much how much you spend on a fountain pen. Most of the extra money goes into the pen’s looks, not in the way it writes.
There are people who values the art and the craftsmanship, there are people ho doesn't. You can buy a brand pair of jeans or a cheap one, both suits for you to wear.
I own a Pilot Vpen ($3~4), Pilot Metropolitan ($18~20) and Pilot Vanishing Point ($145~150). As a college student, what I care about the most is functionality, and I found a significant difference between all three pens. I have a Vpen in my bag for emergencies, but I wouldn’t want to write a full essay with it. The Metro I prefer to keep it as my handy-dandy-trusted pen, always in my pocket ready to jot down or for short to medium length writing sessions. The VP is the most trusted pen, I only take it out when I need to write lengthy essays or for long writing sessions. If you tried these three pens for a day, you’d immediately notice the difference in terms of comfort and “writability”. I believe the same goes for Lamy pens ( eg. Safari, Studio, 2000).
A kind inform: The Safari and studio are basically using the exactlely same nib and I think these are the same things. But you can change to a gold nib by adding more money to your budget.
I have a Safari and an LX. I've tried some people's 2000s and they tend to be too heavy for me (although the makralon wasn't too bad). I should probably look into a Studio (I like the look of them) -- how does the weight compare to a 2000?
I have Hero fountain pens inked up with iron gal for my college lecture notes. Those pens cost literally $2-4 at most. I collect pens that cost from as low as $2, to the $150 dollar range. My favorite things to collect are vintage 1940's & 50's pens.
@Lord_haven111 they're not terrible time keepers at all, it's just that high end watches are often automatic or mechanical, which won't be as accurate as a quartz watch, but they're not terrible time keeping instruments by any means! :)
fun video of some gorgeous super high-end pens but....! I, personally, don't know anyone who has a pen budget that can support the Raden/Urushi industry. While I can appreciate the craftsmanship, time and skill, I'm much more inclined to see comparisons between the $10 range, the 50-100$, 150-250$ and then "up". There are a LOT of nice writers from 15$ to 150$ that I can and do enjoy -- and that won't have my wife committing me to a hospital for the insane.
This is my first time commenting on a Goulet video. I love this comparison video! It's realistic to acknowledge that pen lovers come in all shapes and sizes and so do their budgets. I can remember those late nights on eBay (my first eBay purchase in Aug, 1999 was a Montblanc ballpoint pen), back in 1999-2003, scouring the auctions looking for all manner of pens and buying mostly $20-$40 cartridge/converter pens. Chinese pens weren't an option back then, Certainly not like today. So to get something 'economical' was to get something used or vintage. Eventually Montblanc became my focus and obsession. $1k+ on a pen began entering the picture. So did divorce, and bad health. Life took a turn and the hobby stopped. Now it's 2018 and life is back. In a few short months, I've dabbled in a bunch of Chinese pens, demonstrators (love them), I even got back my beloved Montblanc #146, and now Pelikan pens are my current obsession. Already I'm thinking that $400/$500 may not be too much to spend on a pen! Oh boy! It's back!!!!
Agree with all the comments....but I am stuck between $20 and $200. $800 and $2800 aren't going to happen. It is nice to see what you might get but it would seem to me that the audience for $8 and $800 is not at all the same.
i can recommend the LAMY studio (Lx) fountain pen... it was 80€ so i think it would be approx. $80 too... it wasnt too expensive but also not the cheapest.
@@paarths.5281 This is why you will fail to get one. Put down all the money you can for the pen (be it 80 usd), then when you shop buy the cheaper clothes, food, etc and pit down every penny you saved. Now you have your 800 usd pen without losing any money.
@@roberth4395 i mean I don't want a pen that much! Like having 7-8 pens is enough. I don't want to collect a lot of them (especially the expensive ones). I only have 2 that cost more than 150 USD. I guess you like pens a lot
It says a lot about my budget that I really want more comparisons in the $10 vs $50 vs $250 than the $10 vs (more expensive than the value of my entire collection). It's still cool to see this type of comparison though. And it amused me that I have that exact Jinhao on my desk in front of me. It's called shimmering or glitter but it's really being undersold that way because the glitter is scattered silver holo magic. #holosexual
The Jinhao is definitely more glittery in person! As for the video, it was more in terms of 'Why is this pen $2800 when this Jinhao is only $10?' not really a direct comparison, but hope to do more of those in the future! You may enjoy our Pen Battles on our blog as those in those under $200 price range usually: blog.gouletpens.com/?s=battle - Colin
I agree 😊 $2800 also more than my entire collection - and, in fact, my $100+ Waterman is one of the worst-writing pens I have. At some point, you are paying for jewels, finishes, limited editions etc.
$10 to $800 is a reallllllllly big jump! I am a fan of pens that range from $40 to $200.....many choices, top names, and even vintage to new.....best range to me to avoid too cheap or too expensive.
I am an artist who specializes in full ink art. I use fountain pens for a variety of reasons. I use sometimes 15 -20 different pens on a piece of art, as each will have a different color of ink loaded in them. Because of this, price matters. If I am going to pay extra for a pen, it is because of a feature the pen has that I find useful.
@@roberth4395 by glass pen, I assume that you mean glass dip pens. The first reason is ink capacity. It's the reason why I switched from my trusty bronze dip pen to fountain pens to begin with. Second, I am disabled and I have no sense of touch in my hands. I often drop things. Glass dip pens are out of the question. So far, typing this response, my phone has fallen from my hand three times.
@@s3ntin3l60 Expound, please. As I've already stated that I am an artist who specializes in fountain pen art, I am uncertain what else you could mean that would be germane to the subject at hand. Unless, of course, you were speaking to Robert. Although asking for his occupation would be even more confounding.
Let's start out with something even cheaper ~ $3.96 Platinum Preppy (older version with extra writing on the barrel). Mine is a fine point, with steel nib of course. Purchased from Goulet Pens. One of the smoothest writing, and most comfortable in the hand fountain pens that I own in a rather large collection ranging in price from a Noodler's free Charlie pen to $1,000. Unlike many far more expensive fountain pens which I have, I get no hand cramps after writing for nearly a full page. Very few of my other pens can pull off that trick. The only one that immediately comes to mind is my vintage Diamond Standard fountain pen from the 1920s. If you just want function, if that's the main or only thing you're after.... No, the expensive pens aren't worth it. Get a Platinum Preppy and honestly even though it's more expensive than the pen itself, get a Platinum converter to put into it. Then just fill it up with whichever ink you prefer from a bottle. The newer Preppy with less writing on the barrel is $1 more expensive. So $4.96 plus about $8.oo for the converter. So right around $13.oo gets you a fantastic, purely functional fountain pen. If you work in an office environment, spend a bit extra and get yourself a Pilot Metropolitan. Comes with a converter, though far from ideal, and looks like a more expensive fountain pen than it is at the current price of right around $16.oo. So there you go. Only issue with the Preppy is that the plastic construction of the barrel is a bit thin and prone to cracking or breaking if you drop it on a concrete sidewalk. If however, you love this hobby, or you're looking for something that is far more special than just a FUNCTIONAL fountain pen; then paying more can certainly be worth it if you have the funds and the pens bring you a bit of joy, happiness, or pleasure into your life. You get to decide how far you want to fall down the Rabbit hole.
See I am far enough down the rabbit hole I would love to buy a nice Namiki pen and I would justify it to myself easily if I had the money but my budget say that I at the moment do not have the money maybe one day
Truth. Also add Kaweco Sport base model for a durable beat up pen. Has survived 2 years on the construction field. Not the choice to write at a desk, used to putting fingers on the threads.
It’s been a few years since this video came out, but my most expensive pen is a TWSBI diamond mini at $55, I love how smooth it writes and how well finished it is but I couldn’t see buying a more expensive pen even if the quality of finishing is better, a gold nib would be fun to try some time but honestly my sub 60 dollar pens all work great when maintained well and I am excited to find more pens in the lower range to play around with
"Enough about me, so what do you do for a living?" "I'm a pen artist." "Oh, so you create sketches using pens exclusively?" "Uh, no . . . I create pens." "Huh . . . okay."
I have 4 Fountain Pens right now, 3 Jinhao and a Hero 100 I paid $50 for 10 years ago. The Jinhao write so much smoother than my $50 pen, and I'm not worried about knocking them about. If i break them, I'll just get another. I do love the way the $800 and $2800 pens look though.
One element I haven't heard mentioned is the balance of the pen. One of the really delightful elements in some of the finer pens is the way they fit and feel in your hand which for me includes the way the weight of the pen is balanced to allow the pen to rest comfortably in your hand not requiring too much grip just to hold it in place. This is something Montblanc does very well in my experience.
I use a VP raden as my every day carry. I find that the retractable nib and the durability of the lacquer are really practical for work but the beauty of the pen makes me enjoy using it too - nothing like writing with a beautiful pen to make boring notes a bit less tedious. And as unexpected side effect, other fountain pen users have noticed and struck up conversations. The only downside is when people in need of a spare pen try to borrow it - then I had over a cheap ballpoint. ;)
Great video Brian. Thanks for explaining the processes of how the Raden pens are made. Definitely appreciate the craftsmanship going into these pieces!
I'd say the sweet spot is TWSBI. They are well writing non-drying easily serviceable pens, and they don't cost too much. If you are looking for a status symbol or investment, then it's not for you.
Have a 580-AL Pink. It's a danged heavy pen for me -- but now is my benchmark as to what will be TOO heavy a pen for me -- so every time I see something advertised, or a review on FPN, I go to GPC and check the weight (capped, since I'm a poster) to compare weights with the TWSBI! :-)
Jinhao Century 100 with a properly tuned JoWo nib - $40, and writes as well as anything ten times to price, and looks great. With super expensive pens, you're paying a little for the pen, a lot of the artwork, and a helluva lot for the name. It's your money.
If I were super wealthy then I would not think twice about paying $2,800 bucks for a pen that I really loved, nor would I hesitate to purchase it as a beautiful gift to someone special; money is, after all, unlimited in this fantasy world. In real life, however, I am quite happy with my $10 Jinhao. As for the actual value of a super-expensive writing implement, once a pen gets much above a hundred bucks or more it essentially has no value to me because they are not available to me at my current salary. --just being practical!
TWSBI ECO is my favorite pen and I own two. I just got the translucent blue one in extra fine. Super nice writer. I also like the Jinhao x750 I swapped the nib with a Goulet extra fine nib and my wife uses it as a daily writer.
I have the Jinhao Shimmering Sands which I use exclusively for writing in my notebook-journal at home and without being afraid to fill it with Rohrer & Klingner's Dokumentus ink.
Nice comparison video, Please make more of these! I'm more a hoarder than a collector and I have three conditions for buying a pen: 1. I have to like it (unlike a collector who sometimes buys a pen to just complete a collection), 2. It has to be EDC-usable for me (the right nib, weight and size), 3. I won't get a heart attack if I drop it, lose it, break it etc. (otherwise it would be just an expensive stick of plastic rotting on a shelf). Although I admire the fine art of japanese Urushi pens, I don't think I'll ever buy one. But I also admire van Gogh's paintings and I'll also probably never buy one. I don't have to own everything I like.
I've only been into FPs since last December. Started, like everyone else, with the Metropolitan. The jumper to Lamy All-Star two weeks later. A month later Twisbi All mini. A month later a Pilot Vanishing point. I HAD to have the VP Raden Galaxy and Stripe. Then had to have the Van Gogh Irises b/c it is my Favorite piece of art. For the Record the Twisbi's are my smoothest writing and my VP's are the scratchiest.
What are the nibs on your VPs? Japanese widths run narrower than Western in general, so a F could equate to a European EF nib. And I found even on a Metropolitan that an F nib was scratchy (so mine is a M).
Mine are a M. I would love to have a 1.1 stub on them if they made those. These pens are gorgeous and I would they would write as smoothly as my Twisbi.
Lol that part about everyone starting with a metropolitan isn't true, I just bought a jinhao for my first pen... same as the one shown in the video except its black and gold instead of sparkley
I think the VP Raden is probably on the upper end of what I can see myself buying. I find myself drooling over the lovely high end Namiki pieces, but I think at that price, even if I could afford one, I'd be too afraid to use it! The Raden VP is gorgeous AND I could see myself using it on a daily basis, which is key for me!
For me, a pen that's $10 and writes reliably while also not hurting the wallet is the far better value. I understand why some pens cost much more and I certainly can't knock the artistry involved but I also suspect that many of these end up as show pieces that rarely get used. For me, that defeats the purpose of why I would own a pen and I do own 2 of x750 pens for that reason.
You answered your question with "show pieces". If one buys uber-expensive pen and keep it as a show piece for either his own eyes or to show off then that is its purpose.
Hi Brian, Thank you for the interesting discussion. Not much into arty, expensive FP's. My preference is writing performance & dependability. While I'm just not likely to spend $800, my grail pen is the Conid Bulkfiller over-sized with Ti finish & a chromed 18 carat nib. However, don't know when or if that will ever happen. Cheers!
Kind of a fun comparison. I appreciate your explanation of why the expensive ones are expensive. My everyday writers are Pilot Metros of various colors and inks. I don't do much recreational writing, so it's fun to do my business note taking with a fountain pen. I don't have any expensive pens and don't feel the need. Now, I'm going to play around a bit with some Jinhaos, thanks to your various videos on them. I just got an x750 and it really lays down the ink!
I've settled on LAMY....I have a few TWSBIs as well. I believe there is a ceiling on how good a fountain pen can be. $2800? The most important thing about a fountain pen (I draw with them) is the feel when you hold it AND how the nib performs. I've had Pilot Preppy pens that did just as well as my (most expensive that I own) TWSBI mini vac. The mini vac is actually a nuisance to fill once you get over the novelty of the little bottle into which you screw the pen, etc. I still use Preppy pens for color ink work. Preppies have cartridges, but I clean them out and fill with an eyedropper. A pen costing thousands is like a designed wrist watch costing thousands...in each case, the basic function is the point and the rest is frills for people with money to spend.
I enjoy time travel. My 4 favorites are 1920 fountain pens: 3 Sheaffer's and a Parker. Restored them myself and cost was under $150. A pure delight to use 95 yr old gems. Ahhh, American made gems!! ; )
I recently bought a couple of pens from your company and I loved that there was a note from the person who packed it. You will be my go-to pen company from now on. Plus I love the Phoenix Hawk mecha on your desk.
While I thought this video was interesting I would like to comparisons that are with the realm of possibility. For example, Jinhao vs TWSBI 580 vs Visconti Homo sapiens. How is the pen material different/better/worse? How about differences in filling systems is a Cartridge converter better then a Piston filler or is the Powerfiller and double reservoir the best? I have no doubt I could come up with lots of triplets to try but I don't have the access to pens like you do. Thanks for all the the work you put into these videos Brian. :)
I only have one Jinhao pen, the 126 in polished chrome with the extra-fine hooded nib. I like it well enough I've ordered three more (in black this time), to give two away and keep one for myself. But I'm convinced from my one example that Jinhao makes a superior product for the price point in the market.
“If you want to display this thing” who wants to display their pen in its box? It is beautiful 🤩 though. Thanks for the video. I’d be afraid to carry around a 2800.00 pen.
My Jinhao x750 is my smoothest writer. I have 30 or so fountain pens, ranging from vintage parkers to a Pilot Custom 823 which regrettably I had to have imported to UK from Japan (not available in that lovely amber in UK). I have a Waterman Carene, I have a Pelikan M600, a couple of Vintage Parker Duofolds and Vacumatics, I've tried Parker 45s and Lamy pens. I want smoothness, and in the end, I admit, the steel nibbed cheap and cheerful chinese pen did it. The Doodlers music nib wan't well Quality Controlled, and many of my nibs I've had to adjust to my taste, but none do as good a job as the Jinhao. I love my Twsbi Diamond 580 which is a close second (and has a better mechanism), and the Waterman Carene is a looker, but in the end for pure functionality above everything, Jinhao is the best I've found so far. I'm not tempted to go for above £500 but I'd like to find a new Pelikan in my collection one day. I don't have an M800 in Medium, and I believe the fine vintage M600 may not be doing the brand justice (and I'm nervous to tinker). Newbies? I'd buy lots of chinese, especially Jinhao, and learn what you like.
Your advice is spot on. I had 126 (body too thin), 129 (body too thick), 2x450 (too short) and 750f (not fine nib). I gave them all as a gifts except one 450 whitch is in front of me right now. Now, I know what kind of fountain pen suits me. I do not have it yet but I know what to look for. 750-like dimensions with wet fine nib.
@@sarcasticcf3553 Sorry I dont believe tgat communism is good but likwme why the hate lol. I recommend chinese pens too. Got really nice ones. Maybe you should stop being blinded by your ignorance and hate for something that doesnt exist. Like go to china urself and see. Isnt too bad. And before you say im some PRC brainwashed or something else random Ill say again, I do not support PRC.
I have been watching several videos of the craftsmen at work, making beautiful pens. I have spent a lot on cameras for the art of photography. So why not spend as much for a beautiful pen, for the art of writing? I'll take that gorgeous hand crafted $2800 work of art, thanks. ♡ .
The only time ill excuse it, is if they're using a more expensive metal and/or have some artistic designs of metal or even teeny gems but even with that, buying one for $100 would be a stretch
@@raynethescribe2772 More or less. I think that 150 for a vanishing point is definetly worth the craftsmanship. A lot of technology goes in these pens (not only the vp). Also, mind that a gold nib has about 1g of (usually) 14k gold. So just the material of the nib itself is worth about 30 usd.
Excellent video Brian. I learned some about higher end pens. And I really enjoyed the diverse comments. What is clear to me is folks are very passionate about their FPs. Me too. For me, I enjoy my Jinhao x450s, TWSBI Vac Mini, Metropolitans, Retro 51 LIncoln and some others. I can’t say I would never buy the more expensive pens (both beautiful) because, if I could afford them, I would certainly be more interested. Reality of course dictates where my focus will ultimately land. As with any purchase, I look for the best quality, and in this case the best writing experience my budget allows. And more than once, your amazing staff has helped me choose just the right pen. Thanks again Brian.
I'm a photographer and make books. I sign them with a Pineider trilogy. My hand writing isn't great but its the finishing touch of my books and hard work and feels like a great way to end the experience.
Nice pen comparison, Brian. I have the Shimmering Sands Jinhao and a much less expensive Vanishing Point than your Raden but I'd be afraid to let the Namiki Yukari Nightline Moonlight out of its box. Fortunately, my wallet keeps my urges under control. Well, sort of. Almost. Sometimes. Thanks! And add my vote to more comparison videos.
Vanishing point, Parker Sonnet, Caran d'Ache 849 and Noodler Ahab owner here. Actually prefer the noodler sometimes over pens over 4 times it's price. Now I know these are different styles because the Ahab is a flex tip, but my point is: Fountain pen generally writes better then anything else. Personal prefrence do come into play and I know people that prefer ballpoint (for some reason) but I think you pay more for the bells and whistles, and the apperence of the pen more then anything else.
Nice video. Much as I would love to own that $2800 pen, I don't seriously see myself spending that amount on a pen, if ever, I had that much money to spare. An 823 FA is where I break even on price to affordability to utility ratio.
Jin Hao is the best for friends saying: "cool, a fountain pen! Can I try it?". Man, I wouldn't even give them a Safari, but JinHaos are perfect. They are fountain pens' jolly. They just do everything pretty well. The M nib flows very well and give so much ink that even if they don't get to hold the pen perfectly, they are able to write without problems. The average answer is "Wow, so smooth, I could write for a whole week with this pen!". And when they discover that here in Europe the can easily get a X750 for around 3 to 4 €, and that it comes with a converter included so that they can use that awesome pink/green/orange/turquoise ink they saw on my notebook... they're done; you might see them with a fountain pen in less than two weeks. Thank you, Jin Hao.
bro good for you my friend's gonna be like: "dude lmao a fountain pen? are you drunk? jinhao? some fucking chinese bullshit?" yes i do take it as a joke but still kinda mad lowkey
Amen, brother. I gave a jinhao to my boss, pretty much expecting he'd lose or break it. Well either he lost it or someone stole it, I'm not sure. Just ordered another and he was over the moon.
Jinhao pens are quite nice, some (X450) are even more reliable than my Parker IM pens (which, unfortunately, have hole in the cap so they dry out over the period of few hours). The real highlight is Lamy 2000 - after buying this one, I hardly ever use the other ones.
I just have a Kaweco Sport and a couple of Lamy Safaris, and will never spend anywhere near what some people spend on collector pens. That being said, this was a very interesting video because I honestly didn't know about the craftsmanship of the high end pens. Thanks for making this :)
Inconsistent TechDad I totally get you... But I also have to say that the TWSBI AL series is really nice. Like 580 AL R Nickel Grey. I got it in EF sometimes it provides a bit of feedback (very pleasant) but if you have a bit of time for your writing it writes really smooth. I don't have to ink it up very often... But this is only good for you when you stick to one ink :). I have to admit that it is not for everyone style and feel but if you think you might like it... Go for it! They are really nice. And I recommend going for the AL / AL R series.
A couple of caveats about the 580-ALs. One is that they are really heavy pens (much heavier than what Inconsistent TechDad will be used to if he's got Safaris and Kawecos). The other -- which I consider a serious design flaw :-( -- is that the piston does not extend all the way to the back of the feed (the way it does on most brands of piston pens: that means that when you get down to the end of the fill, and get an air bubble in the remaining space, suddenly the pen will just stop writing.... (I know because it happened to me -- only by showing the pen off to someone at a pen club meeting who was more experienced and knowledgeable about the brand than me and the two of us sort of juggling the pen around, did I get the bubble to be at the back, next to the piston head, instead of in the front next to the feed....) And the aluminum section can get discolored if you're soaking the pen nib down in dilute ammonia solution to flush the pen.... But I do like mine even with the caveats -- and if I could find a purple one for cheap (or a smaller pen like an Eco or Eco-T in a color I like) I would definitely buy one.
Ruth Morrisson Yeah you're right... They might feel heavy. I just appreciated the weight so I didn't really thought about it anymore :D The piston doesn't go down all the way... Because the pen would be to long if the piston rod would be long enough to travel all the way down. I haven't discovered this air bubble problem yet. You also should not really write to the last drop. Especially with this amount of ink that you get. Might see it as a well usable back up drop of ink... But this doesn't really is a bad point me. Even without the backup you get more ink than you get with other pens. And when you see it really as a back up and fill it up when it gets down to this spot you'll never run out if ink... With my EF you could write probably AT LEAST 7 pages with a line width of 5 mm... But it should be more... But it's always good to take this into consideration.
Just saw this filter into my inbox. Interesting comparison. I agree with Stephanie Baker that jumping from $10 to $800 is a really scary jump for a lot of people. I've been in the hobby for about 6-1/2 years and I have NEVER paid as much for a pen as that VP costs. In fact, my two most expensive pens (Pelikan M405 Anthracite Stresseman and M405 Striated Blue) COMBINED cost less than that VP does (but still caused a really interesting phone call from PayPal: "Did you know that a payment of N dollars went to Europe on your PayPal account???" "Why, yes, yes I did. Thank you for calling....". VPs are too big and heavy for my hand to begin with (I have a Decimo which is a much better size for me). But thanks for the head up about the raden pens being urushi (I'm seriously allergic to poison ivy, and not paying eight hundred buck for a pen that I'd have to wear rubber gloves to use -- yes, I'm THAT allergic). The raden pens sure are pretty, though. :-( The Jinhao looked like a cheap knockoff of the Sailor ProGear Slim Purple Cosmos (and not as attractive). But (depending on size and weight, as well as the condition of the nib) COULD be a decent starter pen. I have a Jinhao 599 (the Lamy Safari/al-Star knockoff) that someone gave me, and other than it being an ugly color ("Champagne Gold" which means "ugly matte metallic gold") it's not a bad writer for being a $5 pen I got for free. And taught me that I COULD get used to the Safari triangular grip after all (so that caused me to buy a Dark Lilac Safari and -- when Lamy's old US distributor had their closeout sale -- a Ruthenium LX). My journey went more like this: $6.95 US Parker Reflex (a couple of them, because the rubber on the section disintegrated on both of them after awhile of daily use) to a Parker Vector, to a Parker Urban (which I never really liked as well) to some cheap Chinese pens and a Platinum Plaisir and other pens in the roughly $25 range. And then I started getting into vintage, starting with a Parker 45 I found in an little antiques mall outside Coudersport, PA on a weekend mini-vacation. Most recent purchases for me were nearly all vintage: a Forest Green Parker 51 at an estate sale (a $2 sumgai!); a Pelikan M120 Iconic Blue at the Commonwealth Pen Show last month (at a slightly better price than I've seen them running); a "root beer" Esterbrook J with a mangled 1555 Gregg nib (okay because I have spare nib units and already have a pen with a 1555 nib); and a curiosity -- a Sheaffer Snorkel desk pen with a non-matching (and butt-ugly) base; the pen does NOT have the tapered barrel of a normal desk pen, but doesn't seem to have the standard "Snorkel" shape either. Not sure of the model because no cap either. But for $16? Yeah, I can give away -- or throw away -- the base, and see about a replacement cap; and still probably come out ahead (since I know roughly what repairs on Snorkel guts run...).
I just got my first fountain pen - a Pilot Metropolitan - and spending $20 is enough sticker shock for one day! Although it'll pay for itself in the second year, vs. my current favorite single use Pilot Precise V5.
Can't beat a Pilot Vanishing point, I have 2, both EF: 1 with the gun metal finish and the other one (Decimo) Navy. I have a few Preppys as well. You have good taste.
I have a presentation video for a Namiki fountain pen....from opening the beautiful presentation box to filling the ink & writing...A very elegant & serene video. Anyway..., I used my Pilot fountain pen at work and a young woman saw it. I handed it to her..:she'd never seen one. I showed her how to hold it...she didn't understand why I didn't just use a cheap pen.... Oh well, then I played the five minute video on my phone. She liked the video...then asked about price. Uh huh...she kept her 85 cent ball point pen. A good laugh. Oh well.. I tried..Your videos are always fun to watch!
Those pens are the perfect comparison. I love the sort of Galaxy look and picked up the glitter jinhao and the vanishing point galaxy Raden when it was still available for $300. Which was the most expensive pen I ever bought at the time. But I’m glad I did. It seems now the price of entry into raden pens is now $800. Another $800 raden pen that is beautiful is the platinum 3776 maki-e starlight galaxy.
I have a Pilot Metropolitan, about $13. It came with a bladder converter in the box. I am thinking about getting a piston converter for it. However, I don't see spending more than about $20 to $30 for a pen. It is obvious that people do spend a lot more for a pen, and that is fine. People like to to have hobbies, and pens are a hobby for some.
If I could afford a 4-digits priced pen it would definitely be a Namiki (another variation of the one shown here, thought) over any other brand :) But now I'm so in love with my Falcon ^^
Thanks Brian. Thoughtful content. I'd submit that, at those prices one is not so much buying a fountain pen. Rather a piece of art, an investment. It's easy to cry, "that's an outrageous price for a pen!". But again, it's only secondarily a pen. Love y'all's stuff. Tell Drew I said hey
I don't comment often, and this is an older video... so here we go down the rabbit hole... I've been into fountain pens in some way since I was in kindergarten. German mother, home schooled in multiple languages, and we did all our written work with Lamy Fountain pens or Parker Mechanical Pencils. Fast forward and my primary interest is the history. I love the Parker 51 being chosen by Royal Warrant for the Crown of England. Montblanc 149 used by Kennedy and other notable heads of state. Lamy 2000 and Safari, the epitome of Bauhaus perfection at an approachable price point. The Waterman offerings and their impact on the modern fountain pen world. Jinhao for making ridiculously accessible pens that are shockingly good, and look great for what they are. My current set of pens when I leave the house, and that are in my satchel for easy access: Lamy Safari in Bright Red with a medium nib. Waterman Graduate in Stainless with a fine nib. Jinhao X159 in black with a fine nib. Cross Bailey in black with a medium Nib. I've noticed that my top two picks for general use throughout my day are the Safari and the X159. If I'm writing in my Traveler's Notebook, then I select based on ink color. Checks and documents the Cross Bailey. Signing receipts, or checking in for business usually the Waterman because they provide ridiculously small entry lines to fit a signature... These pens have a varied price point, and I don't think any one is better than the other. That said, I may grab the Safari if I'm in a contemplative mood. The X159 is chosen if I'm feeling bold and a bit critical (Noodler's Hunter Green ink). The sleek Cross Bailey is my pick when I'm feeling formal and classy, Parker Black ink. The craftsmanship certainly matters to me, but some of the current brand offerings are largely riding on the coattails of their history. The actual usage experience isn't matching the price. I'd venture to say that most people would be more than set with a Lamy Safari or 2000, and if they wanted bold elegance then the Jinhao X450 or X159 line would be more than suitable. We try out different brands and even types for personal excitement. Knowing that I'm using a piston filler Pelikan M200 with rich black ink mixed with Noodler's Blue Ghost is a cheap thrill for me. No one else knows what I'm writing with unless they appreciate pens, but I'm getting a serious kick out of the entire process! 🔥
I have the Jinhao 750 and a Pelikan M805, what do I write with - The Pelikan as it just feels "right". My X750 the black top broke off and the clip as well, tried fixing with superglue but broke again. Would I buy another yes but would treat it ultra carefully but the experience against the Pelikan is miles apart. Its the usual with pens as anything else, a law of diminishing returns.
The Goulet Pen Company would be nice to see a shoot out between contenders at more common price points. Say $10, $50, $100 to maybe $200. I’ve abandoned my cheapies for a Vanishing Point, L2K and M600. Those have been my staples for the last 4 years and I don’t see that changing, but the jump from L2K to M600 doesn’t deliver superior performance. I do find that the jump from sub $100 to between $100-$200 delivers improvements around durability, fit/finish and writing quality.
I think I'll stick with my Noodler's Konrad ebonite fountain pens. I also love the Ahab. I also will be trying the Neponset in the ebonite as well and I think this will be my next purchase. I guess you could say that I'm a Noodler's nut! I'm a big fan of ebonite as a fountain pen material as it is so long lasting. Plus I just admire Nathan so much for making his pens so durable, practical, and priced for the frugal consumer.
I recently got interested in fountain pens after not using one for a couple decades. I bought a wooden Jinhao with a shielded nib and was pretty dang surprised at how well it wrote. It's just a bit too small for me with my NBA hands. So I picked up a Lamy, which was "supposed" to be better, but it isn't. The Jinhao writes far better. If only it was a little bigger/longer I'd love it.
The Jinhao mentioned in this video is much bigger than the 51A which I believe is what you have. x159 from them is huge, could be worth a look though they are full nibs not hooded. - Colin
Jet Pens has a lot of low cost fountain pens too...made in Japan. In fact, the Platinum Preppy runs at $4.50 and comes in extra fine, fine and medium nib sizes as well as seven different colours. The Lamy Safari will only set you back $27 and for another $5, you can get a converter.
Thanks for your always great videos. I’d certainly pick up the moonlight. The Jinhao is reliable and the VP too, but both ugly to my taste. I’ve been dating the moonlight for quite a while now without having it :). It will take a bit, but I’ll have it! That’s what getting a grail pen should look like! The level of craftsmanship makes this pen worth the price (obviously, to me!)
I am a fountain pen newbie, and am a serious pen freak. I have no qualms about spending $$$ for a pen like the Namiki because I understand the labor intensive manufacturing process. I am not in that price bracket. I love the Pilot Vanishing point featured and as well would include Visconti Homo Sapiens pen as my holy grail. I would have to say though I would put my Twisbi Eco up against these other pens for pure writing enjoyment. What ink is Brian using in the video as I am looking for a vibrant blue ink and thinking i am looking for a unicorn!
Lamy is a sweet spot for me - I already own an Al-Star, a Studio which is my absolute favorite at the moment, have a Vista and a stub nib on the way - next year I will probably finally get a 2000.
LAMY is a great brand to build up from! All the swappable nibs for the lower cost models to the flagship 2000. You can even go from there to gold nib Studios/Scala to the retractable Dialog 3. So many options. - Colin
I have a Cross Ferrari which I love and it reminds me of a red and black car, it writes well, but I agree, I paid more for this pen as a art. I also have a Pilot Metro and a Pilot Custom 74...I bought mostly Pilot pens so I can use the box of ink cartridges instead of getting another brand. I love all the fountain pens I bought.
Those expensive pens don't appeal to me - oh, I appreciate the value, but not my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a beautiful looking pen. But mostly, I won't write with a pen I consider ugly. Nevertheless, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, I see these pens as being beautiful in their own way and I am comfortable using them: Pilot Vanishing Point (mine is blue body, gold metal parts); Monteverde One Touch Engage (rollerball, fillable with fountain pen ink); Noodler's Boston Safety (a unique beauty in many ways); and many others. I could go on and on talking about fountain pens, and Minox cameras, and so many other things I consider beautiful - but enough!
Everyone wants to know the best all around daily fountain pen. For me I have found that the Pelikan fountain pens are fantastic. You can great steel nib for around $100 that will literally last a lifetime and writes beautifully. (If you want to spring for a full gold nib then add approximately $300-400 to the price.)
I find it interesting that the two higher priced pens presented here are abalone/paua shell. I have a Xezo fountain pen that is also abalone/paua shell, came in a lovely box (not wooden) and cost me approx. $100 (it was a return in original packaging). I love that pen, the shell on the base and cap are stunning, it is a "substantial" pen that feels good in the hand and writes smoothly. What I'm saying is, between the $10 and $800, you can get a gorgeous work of art without paying an arm and a leg for it and still have a fully functional everyday writer. It's sort of like the difference between an original painting and a limited set of lithographs if that analogy makes sense.
Interesting video Brian, and while I don't know anything about your customer base I would guess that most probably are purchasing pens below the $800 limit. What about a similar video comparing the $10 to a $100 and a $500? Target us everyday Joe and Janes.
One correction----The knowledge of the Chinese methods of the lacquer process spread from China during the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, eventually, it was introduced to Korea, Japan, Southeast, and South Asia. In Japan, the art of lacquerware-making came along with Buddhism and other cultural artifacts from China via the Korean Peninsula during the 8th century, and carved lacquerware came to Japan from Ming dynasty China during the 14th century. One of the earliest Japanese techniques for decorating the lacquer surface was, besides painting simple designs, the gold and silver foil inlay of the Nara period (710-784). This technique was transmitted from China during the Tang dynasty.
Brian knows his stuff when it comes to fountain pens. I always liked using them and I was shocked recently when I discovered some of the FPs were so expensive. Personally I think it may be a status thing. Yes, they last forever...did you ever drop one and damage the nib? That can bring tears to your eyes. What a nightmare. Yes, most likely it can be fixed. Talking about them lasting forever as opposed to ball points? Ball points and roller balls are here to stay. They are cheap compared to a fountain pen. I think it's a matter of taste but each one has its advantages. Maybe like comparing cars. You can buy an inexpensive car instead of one that would melt your credit card. Remember, one thing...they both have four wheels and get you from A to Z. Fountain pens are something you can really get attached to because they require maintenance and ball points don't. A FP says something about the user...a ball point doesn't. Above everything, a fountain pen is a personal tool in a way. It says a lot about its owner. Don't worry so much about all the ballpoint pens that are in the dump. Think about all the plastic bottles. . I think the bottom line is that a fountain pen is just a different way to express yourself in more ways than a ball point can. They are quite interesting to say the least.
I came from lifetime of cheap ballpoint. Recently discovered usability of fountain pen. That Jinhao is all I need. Giving 800 - impractical. Giving 2800 - insane.
Always wondered about the vanishing point. How comfortable is it with the clip right where you usually grip the pen. Love the design and mechanical side of it, the only thing keeping me from buying it is that clip placement.
I am a huge, HUGE fan of Jinhao, own a few X750's and X450's with either the standard Jinhao medium nibs or Bock fine replacements. I haven't had a single issue with any of them, standard nib or not. Where as Lamy...oh boy, Lamy. Brought a Safari Vista in fine, wrote okayish for a while (about one A5 page) then started to skip & would need more & more pressure for it to work. Took it back to the shop, lady in said shop (which has now since closed down...probably due to terrible customer service!) sneered down her nose at me when I said I wasn't using Lamy ink but Noodlers and tried to tell me all my problems were because of that, but she would exchange the nib anyway (which it took her some considerable time to do). Decided I would go with the failsafe Quink blue this time and...lo! Skippy nastyness abound. Took it back for a refund in the end. Even contacted Lamy directly & they were less than helpful. Now I'll not go near the entire company. Jinhao all the way baby!
Urushi is where we get the word urushiol, also known as the active ingredient we all love in poison ivy. Fortunately, once it's cured the lacquer won't cause an allergic reaction.
Yeah, upgrading the nib on a Jinhao is totally the way to go. A bit more of an investment, but writes better than a lot of $100 pens I've used. - Colin
I understand that past a certain point it is not a tool but a jewelry purchase so indeed that is you are buying, if you have the intention (and the mean$). Good thing with this hobby is that you can make it as cheap or as expensive as you like so do what suits you best.
Jinhao really is an incredibly good deal for a pen. I have a few and can feel the difference between them and my gold nib FPs. But the price and performance is good enough that I choose to use them more often. That way, I don't have to worry about losing or dropping it.
I was quite unimpressed at first by the golden nib and the price of the pens and thought it was bullshit. But when he started to explain the craftmanship and the work behind these pens, it instantly took value to my eyes. Gold can be bought in tap of a credit card, but assembling one shell of lacker at a time in a unique pen, that’s added value
Cool to see a "worth it" style video for pens since I got into this hobby well after I got into watches. Speaking of watches - Brian, I've noticed you have several different watches. Does your passion for craftsmanship and tradition from pens factor into your preferences of watches at all?
Not really a comparison video, but more of a polite way of saying there's more to be appreciated than budget-line pens. The high-end $2800 pens are probably gifts corporate CEOs & Japanese businessmen give to their chosen few. And folks who have nothing better to buy for their millions.🖋️✒️🤑
Fifty-two years ago a beloved great aunt gave me a Parker 51 as a high school graduation present. It has been in daily use ever since.
I get the impression that it really doesn’t matter much how much you spend on a fountain pen. Most of the extra money goes into the pen’s looks, not in the way it writes.
That makes zero sense, why buy it then? For art...yeah yeah stuff it in a box in your closet. That's what most people do.
The law of diminishing returns. Up to a point you pay for increase in quality, after this threshold you are paying for exclusivity
@John Doe cars don't really count
There are people who values the art and the craftsmanship, there are people ho doesn't. You can buy a brand pair of jeans or a cheap one, both suits for you to wear.
Well sorta, kinda like a porno, I like a little bit of production value.
I own a Pilot Vpen ($3~4), Pilot Metropolitan ($18~20) and Pilot Vanishing Point ($145~150). As a college student, what I care about the most is functionality, and I found a significant difference between all three pens. I have a Vpen in my bag for emergencies, but I wouldn’t want to write a full essay with it. The Metro I prefer to keep it as my handy-dandy-trusted pen, always in my pocket ready to jot down or for short to medium length writing sessions. The VP is the most trusted pen, I only take it out when I need to write lengthy essays or for long writing sessions.
If you tried these three pens for a day, you’d immediately notice the difference in terms of comfort and “writability”.
I believe the same goes for Lamy pens ( eg. Safari, Studio, 2000).
A kind inform: The Safari and studio are basically using the exactlely same nib and I think these are the same things. But you can change to a gold nib by adding more money to your budget.
I have a Safari and an LX. I've tried some people's 2000s and they tend to be too heavy for me (although the makralon wasn't too bad). I should probably look into a Studio (I like the look of them) -- how does the weight compare to a 2000?
I have Hero fountain pens inked up with iron gal for my college lecture notes. Those pens cost literally $2-4 at most. I collect pens that cost from as low as $2, to the $150 dollar range. My favorite things to collect are vintage 1940's & 50's pens.
What college still takes handwritten essays?
it's a personal preference, some ppl like digitized notes and some don't.
Meanwhile, I'm sitting in the corner with my $5 Platinum Preppy 😂 the craftsmanship in the more expensive pens is amazing though!!
It's like asking, "what is the time showing on your Rolex?" "Oh! my Casio is showing the same time"
@Lord_haven111 they're not terrible time keepers at all, it's just that high end watches are often automatic or mechanical, which won't be as accurate as a quartz watch, but they're not terrible time keeping instruments by any means! :)
my casio always says syntax error tho??
Exactly
These things are for a crazy people...who have money for burning
Casio > Rolex any fucking day of the year
fun video of some gorgeous super high-end pens but....! I, personally, don't know anyone who has a pen budget that can support the Raden/Urushi industry. While I can appreciate the craftsmanship, time and skill, I'm much more inclined to see comparisons between the $10 range, the 50-100$, 150-250$ and then "up". There are a LOT of nice writers from 15$ to 150$ that I can and do enjoy -- and that won't have my wife committing me to a hospital for the insane.
This is my first time commenting on a Goulet video. I love this comparison video! It's realistic to acknowledge that pen lovers come in all shapes and sizes and so do their budgets. I can remember those late nights on eBay (my first eBay purchase in Aug, 1999 was a Montblanc ballpoint pen), back in 1999-2003, scouring the auctions looking for all manner of pens and buying mostly $20-$40 cartridge/converter pens. Chinese pens weren't an option back then, Certainly not like today. So to get something 'economical' was to get something used or vintage. Eventually Montblanc became my focus and obsession. $1k+ on a pen began entering the picture. So did divorce, and bad health. Life took a turn and the hobby stopped. Now it's 2018 and life is back. In a few short months, I've dabbled in a bunch of Chinese pens, demonstrators (love them), I even got back my beloved Montblanc #146, and now Pelikan pens are my current obsession. Already I'm thinking that $400/$500 may not be too much to spend on a pen! Oh boy! It's back!!!!
Tbh for $800 that Vanishing Point should come in a wooden box as well lol.
Screw that, a gold box
Ur not paying for the box why would it matter 😂
@@Guy-rz4qh everyone loves a fancy display case. Wouldn't you be mad if it came in plastic in a bubble envelope?
AquaLady AGAVE nope I would like to have the pen 😂
@@Guy-rz4qh it's 800 dollars, no shit the packaging matters
Agree with all the comments....but I am stuck between $20 and $200. $800 and $2800 aren't going to happen. It is nice to see what you might get but it would seem to me that the audience for $8 and $800 is not at all the same.
Same, $200 seems to be a good place to stop. Like you have other expenses as well, you can't just spend $800 on a small pen!
i can recommend the LAMY studio (Lx) fountain pen... it was 80€ so i think it would be approx. $80 too... it wasnt too expensive but also not the cheapest.
@@paarths.5281 This is why you will fail to get one. Put down all the money you can for the pen (be it 80 usd), then when you shop buy the cheaper clothes, food, etc and pit down every penny you saved. Now you have your 800 usd pen without losing any money.
@@roberth4395 i mean I don't want a pen that much! Like having 7-8 pens is enough. I don't want to collect a lot of them (especially the expensive ones). I only have 2 that cost more than 150 USD. I guess you like pens a lot
It says a lot about my budget that I really want more comparisons in the $10 vs $50 vs $250 than the $10 vs (more expensive than the value of my entire collection). It's still cool to see this type of comparison though.
And it amused me that I have that exact Jinhao on my desk in front of me. It's called shimmering or glitter but it's really being undersold that way because the glitter is scattered silver holo magic. #holosexual
The Jinhao is definitely more glittery in person! As for the video, it was more in terms of 'Why is this pen $2800 when this Jinhao is only $10?' not really a direct comparison, but hope to do more of those in the future! You may enjoy our Pen Battles on our blog as those in those under $200 price range usually: blog.gouletpens.com/?s=battle - Colin
*cough cough* I actually painted one of my pens Holo xD
You're not paying for a pen beyond ~20$. Just like 300k$ watches, it's jewelry/art that can have arbitrary prices.
Olivia Wenya I actually have too. I’ve done two of my Lamy Al-Stars with nail polish to make them holo.
I agree 😊 $2800 also more than my entire collection - and, in fact, my $100+ Waterman is one of the worst-writing pens I have. At some point, you are paying for jewels, finishes, limited editions etc.
$10 to $800 is a reallllllllly big jump! I am a fan of pens that range from $40 to $200.....many choices, top names, and even vintage to new.....best range to me to avoid too cheap or too expensive.
Above $500, you are paying for the finish and the decoration--like a 100% chrome plated supercar with exactly the same performance.
I am an artist who specializes in full ink art. I use fountain pens for a variety of reasons. I use sometimes 15 -20 different pens on a piece of art, as each will have a different color of ink loaded in them.
Because of this, price matters. If I am going to pay extra for a pen, it is because of a feature the pen has that I find useful.
Could not you solve the price issue by using glass pens?
@@roberth4395 by glass pen, I assume that you mean glass dip pens. The first reason is ink capacity. It's the reason why I switched from my trusty bronze dip pen to fountain pens to begin with.
Second, I am disabled and I have no sense of touch in my hands. I often drop things. Glass dip pens are out of the question. So far, typing this response, my phone has fallen from my hand three times.
So what is your job really? What do you do?
@@s3ntin3l60 Expound, please. As I've already stated that I am an artist who specializes in fountain pen art, I am uncertain what else you could mean that would be germane to the subject at hand.
Unless, of course, you were speaking to Robert. Although asking for his occupation would be even more confounding.
@@equesdeventusoccasus Who do you draw for or what purpose, is it animation for a studio, sketches for individuals etc etc
Let's start out with something even cheaper ~ $3.96 Platinum Preppy (older version with extra writing on the barrel). Mine is a fine point, with steel nib of course. Purchased from Goulet Pens. One of the smoothest writing, and most comfortable in the hand fountain pens that I own in a rather large collection ranging in price from a Noodler's free Charlie pen to $1,000. Unlike many far more expensive fountain pens which I have, I get no hand cramps after writing for nearly a full page. Very few of my other pens can pull off that trick. The only one that immediately comes to mind is my vintage Diamond Standard fountain pen from the 1920s.
If you just want function, if that's the main or only thing you're after.... No, the expensive pens aren't worth it. Get a Platinum Preppy and honestly even though it's more expensive than the pen itself, get a Platinum converter to put into it. Then just fill it up with whichever ink you prefer from a bottle. The newer Preppy with less writing on the barrel is $1 more expensive. So $4.96 plus about $8.oo for the converter. So right around $13.oo gets you a fantastic, purely functional fountain pen. If you work in an office environment, spend a bit extra and get yourself a Pilot Metropolitan. Comes with a converter, though far from ideal, and looks like a more expensive fountain pen than it is at the current price of right around $16.oo.
So there you go. Only issue with the Preppy is that the plastic construction of the barrel is a bit thin and prone to cracking or breaking if you drop it on a concrete sidewalk. If however, you love this hobby, or you're looking for something that is far more special than just a FUNCTIONAL fountain pen; then paying more can certainly be worth it if you have the funds and the pens bring you a bit of joy, happiness, or pleasure into your life. You get to decide how far you want to fall down the Rabbit hole.
See I am far enough down the rabbit hole I would love to buy a nice Namiki pen and I would justify it to myself easily if I had the money but my budget say that I at the moment do not have the money maybe one day
Truth. Also add Kaweco Sport base model for a durable beat up pen. Has survived 2 years on the construction field. Not the choice to write at a desk, used to putting fingers on the threads.
It’s been a few years since this video came out, but my most expensive pen is a TWSBI diamond mini at $55, I love how smooth it writes and how well finished it is but I couldn’t see buying a more expensive pen even if the quality of finishing is better, a gold nib would be fun to try some time but honestly my sub 60 dollar pens all work great when maintained well and I am excited to find more pens in the lower range to play around with
"Enough about me, so what do you do for a living?"
"I'm a pen artist."
"Oh, so you create sketches using pens exclusively?"
"Uh, no . . . I create pens."
"Huh . . . okay."
Same with wine. Differences DO exist but there is a law of diminishing returns.
Wine? Oui! The more it disappears down my gullet, the more it returns as pee...
Only return that matters is getting lifted...lol.
I have 4 Fountain Pens right now, 3 Jinhao and a Hero 100 I paid $50 for 10 years ago. The Jinhao write so much smoother than my $50 pen, and I'm not worried about knocking them about. If i break them, I'll just get another. I do love the way the $800 and $2800 pens look though.
Nice of Brian to stick with the abalone theme :) It really showcases the effort that artists go through to make these.
One element I haven't heard mentioned is the balance of the pen. One of the really delightful elements in some of the finer pens is the way they fit and feel in your hand which for me includes the way the weight of the pen is balanced to allow the pen to rest comfortably in your hand not requiring too much grip just to hold it in place. This is something Montblanc does very well in my experience.
I use a VP raden as my every day carry. I find that the retractable nib and the durability of the lacquer are really practical for work but the beauty of the pen makes me enjoy using it too - nothing like writing with a beautiful pen to make boring notes a bit less tedious. And as unexpected side effect, other fountain pen users have noticed and struck up conversations. The only downside is when people in need of a spare pen try to borrow it - then I had over a cheap ballpoint. ;)
It seems to me that the Urushi finish must make for an extremely durable pen. That VP is absolutely enchanting.
Great video Brian. Thanks for explaining the processes of how the Raden pens are made. Definitely appreciate the craftsmanship going into these pieces!
I'd say the sweet spot is TWSBI. They are well writing non-drying easily serviceable pens, and they don't cost too much. If you are looking for a status symbol or investment, then it's not for you.
I totally agree. TWSBI pens stack up well against a lot of fountain pens both in their similar price range and above. Always good value there. - Colin
Have a 580-AL Pink. It's a danged heavy pen for me -- but now is my benchmark as to what will be TOO heavy a pen for me -- so every time I see something advertised, or a review on FPN, I go to GPC and check the weight (capped, since I'm a poster) to compare weights with the TWSBI! :-)
I was a solid Lamy fan until I started using my TWSBI more consistently. Once I got the TWSBI Go I barely touched my Lamy pens.
Nope twisbi cracks and cheaply built
Jinhao Century 100 with a properly tuned JoWo nib - $40, and writes as well as anything ten times to price, and looks great. With super expensive pens, you're paying a little for the pen, a lot of the artwork, and a helluva lot for the name. It's your money.
If I were super wealthy then I would not think twice about paying $2,800 bucks for a pen that I really loved, nor would I hesitate to purchase it as a beautiful gift to someone special; money is, after all, unlimited in this fantasy world. In real life, however, I am quite happy with my $10 Jinhao.
As for the actual value of a super-expensive writing implement, once a pen gets much above a hundred bucks or more it essentially has no value to me because they are not available to me at my current salary. --just being practical!
Well I'm someone special...and I have a birthday coming up soon. 😋
@@johno9507 I’ll get right on that! And happy birthday!!🎁 🖊
@@SuperManning11
Thank you my friend! 😁
I like the way you organized your thought in what you were going to say in the video about the fountain pens and the fountain pens themselves.
Thanks for this info! I'm a newbie to fountain pens and I've been using a Pilot Metropolitan for my daily journaling... love it.
TWSBI ECO is my favorite pen and I own two. I just got the translucent blue one in extra fine. Super nice writer. I also like the Jinhao x750 I swapped the nib with a Goulet extra fine nib and my wife uses it as a daily writer.
I love how your fingers say; "I use fountain pens". Lol, happens to me all the time!
I have the Jinhao Shimmering Sands which I use exclusively for writing in my notebook-journal at home and without being afraid to fill it with Rohrer & Klingner's Dokumentus ink.
Nice comparison video, Please make more of these!
I'm more a hoarder than a collector and I have three conditions for buying a pen:
1. I have to like it (unlike a collector who sometimes buys a pen to just complete a collection),
2. It has to be EDC-usable for me (the right nib, weight and size),
3. I won't get a heart attack if I drop it, lose it, break it etc. (otherwise it would be just an expensive stick of plastic rotting on a shelf).
Although I admire the fine art of japanese Urushi pens, I don't think I'll ever buy one. But I also admire van Gogh's paintings and I'll also probably never buy one.
I don't have to own everything I like.
The Yukari moonlight midnight pen is one of those gifts of a lifetime or something that could be proudly passed for generations, just spectacular!
I'm glad even the experts have ink on their fingers when playing with fountain pens
I've only been into FPs since last December. Started, like everyone else, with the Metropolitan. The jumper to Lamy All-Star two weeks later. A month later Twisbi All mini. A month later a Pilot Vanishing point. I HAD to have the VP Raden Galaxy and Stripe. Then had to have the Van Gogh Irises b/c it is my Favorite piece of art. For the Record the Twisbi's are my smoothest writing and my VP's are the scratchiest.
What are the nibs on your VPs? Japanese widths run narrower than Western in general, so a F could equate to a European EF nib. And I found even on a Metropolitan that an F nib was scratchy (so mine is a M).
Mine are a M. I would love to have a 1.1 stub on them if they made those. These pens are gorgeous and I would they would write as smoothly as my Twisbi.
Lol that part about everyone starting with a metropolitan isn't true, I just bought a jinhao for my first pen... same as the one shown in the video except its black and gold instead of sparkley
@@disasterexperiments493 I've given away every Metropolitan I've tried. I always feel like I'm the only who doesn't like how they write.
I think the VP Raden is probably on the upper end of what I can see myself buying. I find myself drooling over the lovely high end Namiki pieces, but I think at that price, even if I could afford one, I'd be too afraid to use it!
The Raden VP is gorgeous AND I could see myself using it on a daily basis, which is key for me!
For me, a pen that's $10 and writes reliably while also not hurting the wallet is the far better value. I understand why some pens cost much more and I certainly can't knock the artistry involved but I also suspect that many of these end up as show pieces that rarely get used. For me, that defeats the purpose of why I would own a pen and I do own 2 of x750 pens for that reason.
You answered your question with "show pieces". If one buys uber-expensive pen and keep it as a show piece for either his own eyes or to show off then that is its purpose.
I hope they’re still offering the Nightline Moonlight by the time I’m well off enough to get one. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
Hi Brian, Thank you for the interesting discussion. Not much into arty, expensive FP's. My preference is writing performance & dependability. While I'm just not likely to spend $800, my grail pen is the Conid Bulkfiller over-sized with Ti finish & a chromed 18 carat nib. However, don't know when or if that will ever happen. Cheers!
Kind of a fun comparison. I appreciate your explanation of why the expensive ones are expensive. My everyday writers are Pilot Metros of various colors and inks. I don't do much recreational writing, so it's fun to do my business note taking with a fountain pen. I don't have any expensive pens and don't feel the need. Now, I'm going to play around a bit with some Jinhaos, thanks to your various videos on them. I just got an x750 and it really lays down the ink!
I've settled on LAMY....I have a few TWSBIs as well. I believe there is a ceiling on how good a fountain pen can be. $2800? The most important thing about a fountain pen (I draw with them) is the feel when you hold it AND how the nib performs. I've had Pilot Preppy pens that did just as well as my (most expensive that I own) TWSBI mini vac. The mini vac is actually a nuisance to fill once you get over the novelty of the little bottle into which you screw the pen, etc. I still use Preppy pens for color ink work. Preppies have cartridges, but I clean them out and fill with an eyedropper. A pen costing thousands is like a designed wrist watch costing thousands...in each case, the basic function is the point and the rest is frills for people with money to spend.
When you start to get into the upper levels you need to consider that you’re getting functional art.
I enjoy time travel. My 4 favorites are 1920 fountain pens: 3 Sheaffer's and a Parker. Restored them myself and cost was under $150. A pure delight to use 95 yr old gems. Ahhh, American made gems!! ; )
I recently bought a couple of pens from your company and I loved that there was a note from the person who packed it. You will be my go-to pen company from now on. Plus I love the Phoenix Hawk mecha on your desk.
How many pens are using a year?
I have the $70 version of the pilot. Awesome pen I must say.
While I thought this video was interesting I would like to comparisons that are with the realm of possibility. For example, Jinhao vs TWSBI 580 vs Visconti Homo sapiens. How is the pen material different/better/worse? How about differences in filling systems is a Cartridge converter better then a Piston filler or is the Powerfiller and double reservoir the best? I have no doubt I could come up with lots of triplets to try but I don't have the access to pens like you do. Thanks for all the the work you put into these videos Brian. :)
Definitely something we're looking to tackle next in the series! - Colin
I only have one Jinhao pen, the 126 in polished chrome with the extra-fine hooded nib. I like it well enough I've ordered three more (in black this time), to give two away and keep one for myself. But I'm convinced from my one example that Jinhao makes a superior product for the price point in the market.
“If you want to display this thing” who wants to display their pen in its box? It is beautiful 🤩 though. Thanks for the video. I’d be afraid to carry around a 2800.00 pen.
My Jinhao x750 is my smoothest writer. I have 30 or so fountain pens, ranging from vintage parkers to a Pilot Custom 823 which regrettably I had to have imported to UK from Japan (not available in that lovely amber in UK). I have a Waterman Carene, I have a Pelikan M600, a couple of Vintage Parker Duofolds and Vacumatics, I've tried Parker 45s and Lamy pens. I want smoothness, and in the end, I admit, the steel nibbed cheap and cheerful chinese pen did it. The Doodlers music nib wan't well Quality Controlled, and many of my nibs I've had to adjust to my taste, but none do as good a job as the Jinhao. I love my Twsbi Diamond 580 which is a close second (and has a better mechanism), and the Waterman Carene is a looker, but in the end for pure functionality above everything, Jinhao is the best I've found so far. I'm not tempted to go for above £500 but I'd like to find a new Pelikan in my collection one day. I don't have an M800 in Medium, and I believe the fine vintage M600 may not be doing the brand justice (and I'm nervous to tinker). Newbies? I'd buy lots of chinese, especially Jinhao, and learn what you like.
Your advice is spot on. I had 126 (body too thin), 129 (body too thick), 2x450 (too short) and 750f (not fine nib). I gave them all as a gifts except one 450 whitch is in front of me right now. Now, I know what kind of fountain pen suits me. I do not have it yet but I know what to look for. 750-like dimensions with wet fine nib.
Off course you would say that, cause you are a chinese and your govt literally teach you to promote chinese products.
@@sarcasticcf3553 huh?
@@sarcasticcf3553 Sorry I dont believe tgat communism is good but likwme why the hate lol. I recommend chinese pens too. Got really nice ones. Maybe you should stop being blinded by your ignorance and hate for something that doesnt exist. Like go to china urself and see. Isnt too bad. And before you say im some PRC brainwashed or something else random Ill say again, I do not support PRC.
I have been watching several videos of the craftsmen at work, making beautiful pens.
I have spent a lot on cameras for the art of photography. So why not spend as much for a beautiful pen, for the art of writing?
I'll take that gorgeous hand crafted $2800 work of art, thanks. ♡
.
I can see the high price for raden ... But a lot of high priced pens are just made of plastic. Some better, some worse, but still plastic.
The only time ill excuse it, is if they're using a more expensive metal and/or have some artistic designs of metal or even teeny gems but even with that, buying one for $100 would be a stretch
Ben Thomas gold a lot of the pens tend to have gold nibs however which can increase the price significantly
@@raynethescribe2772 More or less. I think that 150 for a vanishing point is definetly worth the craftsmanship. A lot of technology goes in these pens (not only the vp). Also, mind that a gold nib has about 1g of (usually) 14k gold. So just the material of the nib itself is worth about 30 usd.
Yup, plastic pilots and platinums are completely unappealing to me.
So what if its plastic?
Excellent video Brian. I learned some about higher end pens. And I really enjoyed the diverse comments. What is clear to me is folks are very passionate about their FPs. Me too. For me, I enjoy my Jinhao x450s, TWSBI Vac Mini, Metropolitans, Retro 51 LIncoln and some others. I can’t say I would never buy the more expensive pens (both beautiful) because, if I could afford them, I would certainly be more interested. Reality of course dictates where my focus will ultimately land. As with any purchase, I look for the best quality, and in this case the best writing experience my budget allows. And more than once, your amazing staff has helped me choose just the right pen. Thanks again Brian.
I'm a photographer and make books. I sign them with a Pineider trilogy. My hand writing isn't great but its the finishing touch of my books and hard work and feels like a great way to end the experience.
Side note: I adore the hand models inky fingers!!
Nice pen comparison, Brian. I have the Shimmering Sands Jinhao and a much less expensive Vanishing Point than your Raden but I'd be afraid to let the Namiki Yukari Nightline Moonlight out of its box. Fortunately, my wallet keeps my urges under control. Well, sort of. Almost. Sometimes.
Thanks! And add my vote to more comparison videos.
Vanishing point, Parker Sonnet, Caran d'Ache 849 and Noodler Ahab owner here. Actually prefer the noodler sometimes over pens over 4 times it's price. Now I know these are different styles because the Ahab is a flex tip, but my point is: Fountain pen generally writes better then anything else. Personal prefrence do come into play and I know people that prefer ballpoint (for some reason) but I think you pay more for the bells and whistles, and the apperence of the pen more then anything else.
Nice video. Much as I would love to own that $2800 pen, I don't seriously see myself spending that amount on a pen, if ever, I had that much money to spare.
An 823 FA is where I break even on price to affordability to utility ratio.
Yeah, a $2800 pen isn't in the cards for a lot of people, myself included! 823 is definitely worth the price tag though if you ask me. - Colin
My ex wife is going to be sending me a large chunk of change, maybe i'll buy the $2800 pen and use it to sign the child support checks.....
Jin Hao is the best for friends saying: "cool, a fountain pen! Can I try it?". Man, I wouldn't even give them a Safari, but JinHaos are perfect. They are fountain pens' jolly. They just do everything pretty well. The M nib flows very well and give so much ink that even if they don't get to hold the pen perfectly, they are able to write without problems. The average answer is "Wow, so smooth, I could write for a whole week with this pen!". And when they discover that here in Europe the can easily get a X750 for around 3 to 4 €, and that it comes with a converter included so that they can use that awesome pink/green/orange/turquoise ink they saw on my notebook... they're done; you might see them with a fountain pen in less than two weeks. Thank you, Jin Hao.
Yeah, love giving away Jinhaos for people looking to get into fountain pens. The 993 Shark is my go-to. - Colin
bro good for you my friend's gonna be like: "dude lmao a fountain pen? are you drunk? jinhao? some fucking chinese bullshit?" yes i do take it as a joke but still kinda mad lowkey
Amen, brother.
I gave a jinhao to my boss, pretty much expecting he'd lose or break it. Well either he lost it or someone stole it, I'm not sure.
Just ordered another and he was over the moon.
Jinhao pens are quite nice, some (X450) are even more reliable than my Parker IM pens (which, unfortunately, have hole in the cap so they dry out over the period of few hours). The real highlight is Lamy 2000 - after buying this one, I hardly ever use the other ones.
I just have a Kaweco Sport and a couple of Lamy Safaris, and will never spend anywhere near what some people spend on collector pens. That being said, this was a very interesting video because I honestly didn't know about the craftsmanship of the high end pens. Thanks for making this :)
Inconsistent TechDad I totally get you... But I also have to say that the TWSBI AL series is really nice. Like 580 AL R Nickel Grey. I got it in EF sometimes it provides a bit of feedback (very pleasant) but if you have a bit of time for your writing it writes really smooth. I don't have to ink it up very often... But this is only good for you when you stick to one ink :). I have to admit that it is not for everyone style and feel but if you think you might like it... Go for it! They are really nice. And I recommend going for the AL / AL R series.
@@herrkeks8509 Cool I'll check them out thanks :)
Inconsistent TechDad They are definitely worth their money. If you like or not thats up to you :) But offers definitely a lot to be happy with it :)
A couple of caveats about the 580-ALs. One is that they are really heavy pens (much heavier than what Inconsistent TechDad will be used to if he's got Safaris and Kawecos). The other -- which I consider a serious design flaw :-( -- is that the piston does not extend all the way to the back of the feed (the way it does on most brands of piston pens: that means that when you get down to the end of the fill, and get an air bubble in the remaining space, suddenly the pen will just stop writing.... (I know because it happened to me -- only by showing the pen off to someone at a pen club meeting who was more experienced and knowledgeable about the brand than me and the two of us sort of juggling the pen around, did I get the bubble to be at the back, next to the piston head, instead of in the front next to the feed....) And the aluminum section can get discolored if you're soaking the pen nib down in dilute ammonia solution to flush the pen.... But I do like mine even with the caveats -- and if I could find a purple one for cheap (or a smaller pen like an Eco or Eco-T in a color I like) I would definitely buy one.
Ruth Morrisson Yeah you're right... They might feel heavy. I just appreciated the weight so I didn't really thought about it anymore :D The piston doesn't go down all the way... Because the pen would be to long if the piston rod would be long enough to travel all the way down. I haven't discovered this air bubble problem yet. You also should not really write to the last drop. Especially with this amount of ink that you get. Might see it as a well usable back up drop of ink... But this doesn't really is a bad point me. Even without the backup you get more ink than you get with other pens. And when you see it really as a back up and fill it up when it gets down to this spot you'll never run out if ink... With my EF you could write probably AT LEAST 7 pages with a line width of 5 mm... But it should be more... But it's always good to take this into consideration.
Just saw this filter into my inbox. Interesting comparison. I agree with Stephanie Baker that jumping from $10 to $800 is a really scary jump for a lot of people. I've been in the hobby for about 6-1/2 years and I have NEVER paid as much for a pen as that VP costs. In fact, my two most expensive pens (Pelikan M405 Anthracite Stresseman and M405 Striated Blue) COMBINED cost less than that VP does (but still caused a really interesting phone call from PayPal: "Did you know that a payment of N dollars went to Europe on your PayPal account???" "Why, yes, yes I did. Thank you for calling....". VPs are too big and heavy for my hand to begin with (I have a Decimo which is a much better size for me). But thanks for the head up about the raden pens being urushi (I'm seriously allergic to poison ivy, and not paying eight hundred buck for a pen that I'd have to wear rubber gloves to use -- yes, I'm THAT allergic). The raden pens sure are pretty, though. :-( The Jinhao looked like a cheap knockoff of the Sailor ProGear Slim Purple Cosmos (and not as attractive). But (depending on size and weight, as well as the condition of the nib) COULD be a decent starter pen. I have a Jinhao 599 (the Lamy Safari/al-Star knockoff) that someone gave me, and other than it being an ugly color ("Champagne Gold" which means "ugly matte metallic gold") it's not a bad writer for being a $5 pen I got for free. And taught me that I COULD get used to the Safari triangular grip after all (so that caused me to buy a Dark Lilac Safari and -- when Lamy's old US distributor had their closeout sale -- a Ruthenium LX).
My journey went more like this: $6.95 US Parker Reflex (a couple of them, because the rubber on the section disintegrated on both of them after awhile of daily use) to a Parker Vector, to a Parker Urban (which I never really liked as well) to some cheap Chinese pens and a Platinum Plaisir and other pens in the roughly $25 range. And then I started getting into vintage, starting with a Parker 45 I found in an little antiques mall outside Coudersport, PA on a weekend mini-vacation. Most recent purchases for me were nearly all vintage: a Forest Green Parker 51 at an estate sale (a $2 sumgai!); a Pelikan M120 Iconic Blue at the Commonwealth Pen Show last month (at a slightly better price than I've seen them running); a "root beer" Esterbrook J with a mangled 1555 Gregg nib (okay because I have spare nib units and already have a pen with a 1555 nib); and a curiosity -- a Sheaffer Snorkel desk pen with a non-matching (and butt-ugly) base; the pen does NOT have the tapered barrel of a normal desk pen, but doesn't seem to have the standard "Snorkel" shape either. Not sure of the model because no cap either. But for $16? Yeah, I can give away -- or throw away -- the base, and see about a replacement cap; and still probably come out ahead (since I know roughly what repairs on Snorkel guts run...).
I just got my first fountain pen - a Pilot Metropolitan - and spending $20 is enough sticker shock for one day! Although it'll pay for itself in the second year, vs. my current favorite single use Pilot Precise V5.
Well..here’s my list.
1) platinum preppy- 5 SGD
2) pilot vanishing point(gunmetal)- 230 SGD
3) dont have such pen in that range.
Can't beat a Pilot Vanishing point, I have 2, both EF: 1 with the gun metal finish and the other one (Decimo) Navy.
I have a few Preppys as well.
You have good taste.
I have a presentation video for a Namiki fountain pen....from opening the beautiful presentation box to filling the ink & writing...A very elegant & serene video. Anyway..., I used my Pilot fountain pen at work and a young woman saw it. I handed it to her..:she'd never seen one. I showed her how to hold it...she didn't understand why I didn't just use a cheap pen.... Oh well, then I played the five minute video on my phone.
She liked the video...then asked about price. Uh huh...she kept her 85 cent ball point pen. A good laugh. Oh well.. I tried..Your videos are always fun to watch!
Those pens are the perfect comparison. I love the sort of Galaxy look and picked up the glitter jinhao and the vanishing point galaxy Raden when it was still available for $300. Which was the most expensive pen I ever bought at the time. But I’m glad I did. It seems now the price of entry into raden pens is now $800. Another $800 raden pen that is beautiful is the platinum 3776 maki-e starlight galaxy.
I have a Pilot Metropolitan, about $13. It came with a bladder converter in the box. I am thinking about getting a piston converter for it. However, I don't see spending more than about $20 to $30 for a pen. It is obvious that people do spend a lot more for a pen, and that is fine. People like to to have hobbies, and pens are a hobby for some.
If I could afford a 4-digits priced pen it would definitely be a Namiki (another variation of the one shown here, thought) over any other brand :)
But now I'm so in love with my Falcon ^^
if i could afford a 4 digit pen i would just hire someone to do my writing for me
Thanks Brian. Thoughtful content. I'd submit that, at those prices one is not so much buying a fountain pen. Rather a piece of art, an investment. It's easy to cry, "that's an outrageous price for a pen!". But again, it's only secondarily a pen.
Love y'all's stuff. Tell Drew I said hey
I don't comment often, and this is an older video... so here we go down the rabbit hole...
I've been into fountain pens in some way since I was in kindergarten.
German mother, home schooled in multiple languages, and we did all our written work with Lamy Fountain pens or Parker Mechanical Pencils.
Fast forward and my primary interest is the history.
I love the Parker 51 being chosen by Royal Warrant for the Crown of England.
Montblanc 149 used by Kennedy and other notable heads of state.
Lamy 2000 and Safari, the epitome of Bauhaus perfection at an approachable price point.
The Waterman offerings and their impact on the modern fountain pen world.
Jinhao for making ridiculously accessible pens that are shockingly good, and look great for what they are.
My current set of pens when I leave the house, and that are in my satchel for easy access:
Lamy Safari in Bright Red with a medium nib.
Waterman Graduate in Stainless with a fine nib.
Jinhao X159 in black with a fine nib.
Cross Bailey in black with a medium Nib.
I've noticed that my top two picks for general use throughout my day are the Safari and the X159.
If I'm writing in my Traveler's Notebook, then I select based on ink color.
Checks and documents the Cross Bailey.
Signing receipts, or checking in for business usually the Waterman because they provide ridiculously small entry lines to fit a signature...
These pens have a varied price point, and I don't think any one is better than the other.
That said, I may grab the Safari if I'm in a contemplative mood.
The X159 is chosen if I'm feeling bold and a bit critical (Noodler's Hunter Green ink).
The sleek Cross Bailey is my pick when I'm feeling formal and classy, Parker Black ink.
The craftsmanship certainly matters to me, but some of the current brand offerings are largely riding on the coattails of their history.
The actual usage experience isn't matching the price.
I'd venture to say that most people would be more than set with a Lamy Safari or 2000, and if they wanted bold elegance then the Jinhao X450 or X159 line would be more than suitable.
We try out different brands and even types for personal excitement.
Knowing that I'm using a piston filler Pelikan M200 with rich black ink mixed with Noodler's Blue Ghost is a cheap thrill for me.
No one else knows what I'm writing with unless they appreciate pens, but I'm getting a serious kick out of the entire process! 🔥
I have the Jinhao 750 and a Pelikan M805, what do I write with - The Pelikan as it just feels "right". My X750 the black top broke off and the clip as well, tried fixing with superglue but broke again. Would I buy another yes but would treat it ultra carefully but the experience against the Pelikan is miles apart. Its the usual with pens as anything else, a law of diminishing returns.
A very eloquent and informative presentation. I enjoyed watching.
Why the jump from $10 to $800, as if that's the next step up? $800 is definitely not 2/3 money signs as is shown at the end, it's 3/3 for sure.
It was more theming around the shimmering/glittery look than anything else. Could compare it to just the normal VP for sure! - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company would be nice to see a shoot out between contenders at more common price points. Say $10, $50, $100 to maybe $200.
I’ve abandoned my cheapies for a Vanishing Point, L2K and M600. Those have been my staples for the last 4 years and I don’t see that changing, but the jump from L2K to M600 doesn’t deliver superior performance.
I do find that the jump from sub $100 to between $100-$200 delivers improvements around durability, fit/finish and writing quality.
I think I'll stick with my Noodler's Konrad ebonite fountain pens. I also love the Ahab. I also will be trying the Neponset in the ebonite as well and I think this will be my next purchase. I guess you could say that I'm a Noodler's nut! I'm a big fan of ebonite as a fountain pen material as it is so long lasting. Plus I just admire Nathan so much for making his pens so durable, practical, and priced for the frugal consumer.
I recently got interested in fountain pens after not using one for a couple decades. I bought a wooden Jinhao with a shielded nib and was pretty dang surprised at how well it wrote. It's just a bit too small for me with my NBA hands. So I picked up a Lamy, which was "supposed" to be better, but it isn't. The Jinhao writes far better. If only it was a little bigger/longer I'd love it.
The Jinhao mentioned in this video is much bigger than the 51A which I believe is what you have. x159 from them is huge, could be worth a look though they are full nibs not hooded. - Colin
Jet Pens has a lot of low cost fountain pens too...made in Japan. In fact, the Platinum Preppy runs at $4.50 and comes in extra fine, fine and medium nib sizes as well as seven different colours. The Lamy Safari will only set you back $27 and for another $5, you can get a converter.
This makes me feel so much better about buying my Waterman! Wow those are some expensive pens!
Thanks for your always great videos. I’d certainly pick up the moonlight. The Jinhao is reliable and the VP too, but both ugly to my taste. I’ve been dating the moonlight for quite a while now without having it :). It will take a bit, but I’ll have it! That’s what getting a grail pen should look like! The level of craftsmanship makes this pen worth the price (obviously, to me!)
I am a fountain pen newbie, and am a serious pen freak. I have no qualms about spending $$$ for a pen like the Namiki because I understand the labor intensive manufacturing process. I am not in that price bracket. I love the Pilot Vanishing point featured and as well would include Visconti Homo Sapiens pen as my holy grail. I would have to say though I would put my Twisbi Eco up against these other pens for pure writing enjoyment. What ink is Brian using in the video as I am looking for a vibrant blue ink and thinking i am looking for a unicorn!
In my opinion, (Lamy 2000 > any other pen) when it comes to writing enjoyment.
DITTO!!
Look for a vintage Scripto or Esterbrook J. lever filler, you won't be disappointed. :)
It says the ink is pilot iroshizuku kon-peki in the description. I think the lighting makes it look a little different to how it looks in person.
Lamy is a sweet spot for me - I already own an Al-Star, a Studio which is my absolute favorite at the moment, have a Vista and a stub nib on the way - next year I will probably finally get a 2000.
LAMY is a great brand to build up from! All the swappable nibs for the lower cost models to the flagship 2000. You can even go from there to gold nib Studios/Scala to the retractable Dialog 3. So many options. - Colin
Can I ask what a stub nib is. Beginner here! Thank you
Wow! The ink at 0:50 looks incredible! Does anyone know what the name of that lovely shade of blue is?
Not sure but i think its part of the pilot iroshizuku line
I have a Cross Ferrari which I love and it reminds me of a red and black car, it writes well, but I agree, I paid more for this pen as a art. I also have a Pilot Metro and a Pilot Custom 74...I bought mostly Pilot pens so I can use the box of ink cartridges instead of getting another brand. I love all the fountain pens I bought.
Those expensive pens don't appeal to me - oh, I appreciate the value, but not my cup of tea. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a beautiful looking pen. But mostly, I won't write with a pen I consider ugly. Nevertheless, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So, I see these pens as being beautiful in their own way and I am comfortable using them: Pilot Vanishing Point (mine is blue body, gold metal parts); Monteverde One Touch Engage (rollerball, fillable with fountain pen ink); Noodler's Boston Safety (a unique beauty in many ways); and many others. I could go on and on talking about fountain pens, and Minox cameras, and so many other things I consider beautiful - but enough!
I love the last one with all the abilone shell. A stunner for sure.
I have a $150 Cross Botanica Medium point, which I love... and, well. A bunch of Varsity $2 ones for everyday. hahaha
Everyone wants to know the best all around daily fountain pen. For me I have found that the Pelikan fountain pens are fantastic. You can great steel nib for around $100 that will literally last a lifetime and writes beautifully.
(If you want to spring for a full gold nib then add approximately $300-400 to the price.)
I find it interesting that the two higher priced pens presented here are abalone/paua shell. I have a Xezo fountain pen that is also abalone/paua shell, came in a lovely box (not wooden) and cost me approx. $100 (it was a return in original packaging). I love that pen, the shell on the base and cap are stunning, it is a "substantial" pen that feels good in the hand and writes smoothly. What I'm saying is, between the $10 and $800, you can get a gorgeous work of art without paying an arm and a leg for it and still have a fully functional everyday writer. It's sort of like the difference between an original painting and a limited set of lithographs if that analogy makes sense.
Interesting video Brian, and while I don't know anything about your customer base I would guess that most probably are purchasing pens below the $800 limit. What about a similar video comparing the $10 to a $100 and a $500? Target us everyday Joe and Janes.
Thank you for posting so many videos!!! As someone who loves most fine items. I am starting to get the pen bug. And i really enjoy your videos
One correction----The knowledge of the Chinese methods of the lacquer process spread from China during the Han, Tang, and Song dynasties, eventually, it was introduced to Korea, Japan, Southeast, and South Asia. In Japan, the art of lacquerware-making came along with Buddhism and other cultural artifacts from China via the Korean Peninsula during the 8th century, and carved lacquerware came to Japan from Ming dynasty China during the 14th century. One of the earliest Japanese techniques for decorating the lacquer surface was, besides painting simple designs, the gold and silver foil inlay of the Nara period (710-784). This technique was transmitted from China during the Tang dynasty.
Brian knows his stuff when it comes to fountain pens. I always liked using them and I was shocked recently when I discovered some of the FPs were so expensive. Personally I think it may be a status thing. Yes, they last forever...did you ever drop one and damage the nib? That can bring tears to your eyes.
What a nightmare. Yes, most likely it can be fixed. Talking about them lasting forever as opposed to ball points? Ball points and roller balls are here to stay. They are cheap compared to a fountain pen. I think it's a matter of taste but each one has its advantages. Maybe like comparing cars. You can buy an inexpensive car instead of one that would melt your credit card. Remember, one thing...they both have four wheels and get you from A to Z.
Fountain pens are something you can really get attached to because they require maintenance and ball points don't. A FP says something about the user...a ball point doesn't. Above everything, a fountain pen is a personal tool in a way. It says a lot about its owner. Don't worry so much about all the ballpoint pens that are in the dump. Think about all the plastic bottles. . I think the bottom line is that a fountain pen is just a different way to express yourself in more ways than a ball point can. They are quite interesting to say the least.
I came from lifetime of cheap ballpoint. Recently discovered usability of fountain pen. That Jinhao is all I need. Giving 800 - impractical. Giving 2800 - insane.
Always wondered about the vanishing point. How comfortable is it with the clip right where you usually grip the pen. Love the design and mechanical side of it, the only thing keeping me from buying it is that clip placement.
I am a huge, HUGE fan of Jinhao, own a few X750's and X450's with either the standard Jinhao medium nibs or Bock fine replacements. I haven't had a single issue with any of them, standard nib or not. Where as Lamy...oh boy, Lamy. Brought a Safari Vista in fine, wrote okayish for a while (about one A5 page) then started to skip & would need more & more pressure for it to work. Took it back to the shop, lady in said shop (which has now since closed down...probably due to terrible customer service!) sneered down her nose at me when I said I wasn't using Lamy ink but Noodlers and tried to tell me all my problems were because of that, but she would exchange the nib anyway (which it took her some considerable time to do). Decided I would go with the failsafe Quink blue this time and...lo! Skippy nastyness abound. Took it back for a refund in the end. Even contacted Lamy directly & they were less than helpful. Now I'll not go near the entire company. Jinhao all the way baby!
Urushi is where we get the word urushiol, also known as the active ingredient we all love in poison ivy. Fortunately, once it's cured the lacquer won't cause an allergic reaction.
I put a Goulet nib on my shimmering sands, now it's a $25 pen... and i love it.... filled with liberty's elysium, i write with it every day.
Yeah, upgrading the nib on a Jinhao is totally the way to go. A bit more of an investment, but writes better than a lot of $100 pens I've used. - Colin
@@Gouletpens it's a well behaved pen too.... i was thinking of ordering a second one and filling it with BSB....
I understand that past a certain point it is not a tool but a jewelry purchase so indeed that is you are buying, if you have the intention (and the mean$). Good thing with this hobby is that you can make it as cheap or as expensive as you like so do what suits you best.
Jinhao really is an incredibly good deal for a pen. I have a few and can feel the difference between them and my gold nib FPs. But the price and performance is good enough that I choose to use them more often. That way, I don't have to worry about losing or dropping it.
I plan to buy a lot of beautiful Jinhaos and replace the feed and nib to higher quality ones, that would make them probably the best deal ever.
I was quite unimpressed at first by the golden nib and the price of the pens and thought it was bullshit. But when he started to explain the craftmanship and the work behind these pens, it instantly took value to my eyes. Gold can be bought in tap of a credit card, but assembling one shell of lacker at a time in a unique pen, that’s added value
it's the skill and craftsmanship that makes it so expensive/valuable! -Brian
Cool to see a "worth it" style video for pens since I got into this hobby well after I got into watches. Speaking of watches - Brian, I've noticed you have several different watches. Does your passion for craftsmanship and tradition from pens factor into your preferences of watches at all?
Not really a comparison video, but more of a polite way of saying there's more to be appreciated than budget-line pens. The high-end $2800 pens are probably gifts corporate CEOs & Japanese businessmen give to their chosen few. And folks who have nothing better to buy for their millions.🖋️✒️🤑