Help Selecting a Pen

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ErikD

Joined
Dec 5, 2000
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I have decided to buy a nice pen for a friend of mine who is going away to college. See the whole story here .

I am almost certain on the model I will be getting, I wanted to get something lavender or purple. A quick email to Fountain Pen Hospital and I found a Waterman Carene in violet.

What I would like to know from those who know pens better than I do, is which type to get? It is available in rollerball and ballpoint, and the differnce in price is negligable. I have decided against fountain, as I don't really think she would appreciate it or use it as much as one of the other types. So what I would like to know is what would you recommend I get for someone who doesn't really care much about pens, and has never really had a good pen before? At the moment I am leaning toward the rollerball as I think it will be something better than just the cheap Bic's that are usually used.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Erik,

The Carene is a nice pen, esp. in purple. I used to have one in green shimmer. It is a bit on the heavy side compared to other pens, and the cap on mine didn't post very well, but the design and quality of finish were extremely nice. I would go with the rollerball myself. Too bad you are certain your friend wouldn't be into fountain pens--that is one of my other addictions besides knives :D
 
Erik,

I would strongly encourage you to go to a real stationary and pen store and put the pens in question in your hand. There is a little writing shop in a strip mall near the college where I have found some really wonderful items. A picture on a website cannot tell you how a pen feels in the hand or how it writes.

I would encourage you to look at the Sensa brand. I wrote so much in college that I suffered repetitive stress injury (whatever carpal tunnel syndrome is for writers :( ). I wrote a significant amount each and everyday and it took its toll. I came very close to purchasing a Sensa then but, opted for a Parker Fountain pen. Great ergonomics in addition to top quality feel and writing quality will go a long way to making it the best pen for HER.

Definitely go to a good writing shop before you spend your money.
 
What is it about pens and knives? (They both have points?) These are my two addictions as well.
The Waterman Carene is indeed a nice pen and the design (if I recall ccorrectly) is based on a sail boating motiff--a la the "America's Cup" type.
A Parker Duofold (less sleek, but liked by lots of different hands, including female hands) would be a good option--lots of colors too. Same with some Pelican models. Like knives, there's "too many" choices.
However, my experience with rollerballs has been not good over the years, to say the least. I feel strongly a ball point is better. Roller ball ink flow can be erratic because 1) drying of the ink (you know what it takes to get roller ball deoderant flowing sometimes!),and 2)nobody ever writes with consistent pressure or speed and pressing harder/writing faster (like taking notes in college classes!) with a roller ball can result in inconsistent flow.
Ball points are most forgiving in these areas. The one I've wound up using most over the years is a Mont Blanc but colors are limited. The twist-on, twist-off feature is great because she'll never lose the cap--it doesn't come off!
Something else to consider--black ink and extra refills in black. Black is required some places these days (like hospitals and other institutional type places) because it photocopies best.
What a thoughtful gift though! Good on 'ya!
 
Why not throw in an inexpensive fountain pen like this Rotring along with the nice pen?

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That way she could have a fountain pen to try out, and if she didn't like it, it wouldn't be a big deal. I carry mine to class and other places where I wouldn't take my Montblanc.

The clip is stainless steel, the cap is rubber-coated and the barrel is aluminum. It's more like a knife than a pen, especially considering the clip is attached with a steel hex bolt. It's also almost indestructible.

People who have never used fountain pens always ask to try mine and are always surprised at how effortless it is to write with one.
 
My Parker uses those little ink tubes. Does the Rotring Core use the same ones?

For someone who doesn't want to spend the time with an ink well, a cartridge pen like the Sterling Silver Parker Cisele I have is really nice.

Erik,

Has this girl ever used a fountain pen? You might want to ask her parents or a common friend that can be discreet about this. A fountain pen like the Parker I have lasts generations.

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The Rotring Core can hold 2 short Rotring tubes or 1 Waterman tube. The other thing about the Core is that it is very leakproof. I'd say it's a pretty cool pen for 20 bucks.
 
I was planning on taking a trip to Fountain Pen Hospital to actually check out the pen before I buy it. From what I have heard they are a real good place, and my experience with them through email so far has been very positive. I feel lucky that it is only a short ride on the subway into Manhatten for me, as I they seem to have quite a selection.

As far as other pens, I really think that this is the one I want to get. I really wanted to get her something purple, as she absolutely loves the color, girls;) ! Of course if I check it out, and for some reason don't find it acceptable I will consider other options.

As far as finding out if she has used a fountain pen, that might be kinda tricky. But I just really feel that something real simple, is the best option. I have a couple myself, and have found that using them in class is a bit of a hastle. The ink always seems to dry out at the worst possible moment, or leak, or something like that. This might just be because I am using a cheaper pen (Diplomat that I picked up at Staples). But I just really feel that knowing her, and knowing how college can get, a ballpoint or rollerball would be the best option.

Another quick question, how long would a refill tend to last on the rollerball as compared to the ballpoint? I know that in my experience a ballpoint sometimes seems to write forever, and I am need to refill my fountain pen about once a week. I am guessing that a rollerball will be somewher in between, but have no personal experience. I think that this might be a key criteria, as I would want a refill to last a fair amount of time if possible.
 
waterman makes good stuff.
mont blanc will make a hell of an impression and writes almost as well as a bic, retro 51 writes smoother that anything else, IMHO. sheaffer makes stylish pens for little money-just bought a black w/gold accent rollerball for 40 bucks,iirc-very nice.
it is hard to go wrong,really,with any of the brands mentioned in this thread.

and about refills... your right, it is somewhere inbetween.it all,of crouse,depends on how much you use it.your best bet is to buy a few refills along with the pen and let her know where she can find more when she needs them.

bics are easy to lose, but when you have one worth a little bit of money you tend to hang onto them much longer.
 
I never had my Parker dry out or leak. Not once during my college years. To be honest, I don't rememeber how often I had to refill it as I just kept a few extra's in my backpack. I also used a broad NIB so, my ink consumption was pretty high but, I loved those thick ledgible lines :)

When I had the Parker Ballpoint, I would replace the cartridge about once a month.

Rollerballs are nice. Get the Pentel refills if you get Rollerball. They write smoother.
 
I guess my bic round stick is outa the question?

Might try a Chrome Space pen of some sort?
 
I think the idea of a nice quality pen as a gift is a great one. I have always liked pens. One that I still use that has been one of the best writing pens is a Cross ballpoint. I received it as a graduation present from high school in '88 and it is still going strong. I also have a sensia, and Waterman fountain (my favorite).

I would say the ballpoint will probably be the best choice. If she is not into pens the fountain pen will probably no appeal to her. I know some people find them to be more trouble than they are worth because they want to grab a pen and write, seeing them try to do that wiht the nib upside down is always comical. The erfills for a ballpoint may be cheaper and easier to find and they are just so reliable. The rollerball pens can be very smooth but can be a little more prone to skip etc...

Hopefully she will use the pen to drop you a line now and then. I have a friend that sounds like a very similar situation that I met in college. She continues to be a very close frined through the years and distance. Even after only having occasional contact for some time she was there when I neded true friend during a divorce. I hope your frindship with this girl stands the test of time as our has.
 
Have been using Parker rollerballs since the late 1970's. Have never had any problems with skipping or drying out. Outstanding workmanship in both my Duofold and Sonnet rollerballs. The best of both worlds... fountain pen ink with ballpoint convenience! There are some other excellent brands of rollerballs besides Parker, or so I hear.

AJ
 
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