My BEST writing fountain pens!

I've been busy but not too busy to gush about these babies!
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[@danmagoo]

7:35 Sorry to nitpick, but that is not a "Jinhao X175" (which I don't think exists) -- it's a Jinhao X159.

[@PensandTea]

Yep. I just realized that too. My sleepy head didn’t catch that in editing 😅

[@danmagoo]

@@PensandTea Happens to everybody - I just pointed it out in case somebody was struck by the pen and wanted to find one.

[@bieberninja1]

she had it right the first time, it is the X175

[@franckalcidi599]

@@bieberninja1 Wrong....... it's the Jinhao X159..... Know your pens before posting.

[@bieberninja1]

@@franckalcidi599 you fell for it! hahahaha

[@adamzappia2213]

Pilot Custom Urushi blows all my other pens away. I think it’s perhaps a slightly milder version of how you described the FA nib. It’s just something special.

[@BCSpecht89]

I had to smile when the first pen you held up was the Benu Briolette in luminous amber resin. That is one of my favorite pens. A superb writer with a medium steel nib, and just so beautiful to look at. My other favorite pen is my Leonardo Momento Zero Arabian Nights limited edition with a custom medium steel nib from Pen Venture. I have you to thank for both of those choices because I was inspired (driven?) To buy them after watching your videos. When I was in college shortly after the end of the last ice age, I used a slim little Papermate fountain pen to take all my class notes. It only cost $19.00 at the university book store. It was a wonderful writer, and I still have it today. It works perfectly, but I find it too slim and slippery for my arthritic hands to grip comfortably for lengthy writing sessions. It was my inspiration for my lifelong love of fountain pens.

[@miahoover9225]

I'm just getting into fountain pens again after 40 years. I love my TWSBI's and my Doplomat Magnum. This week I plan on buying an Opus 88 mini for my birthday.

[@frankbruno7122]

Nice job Kerry! Best wishes with the new career.. I like the focus on your best writers. I have a friend whose 16 year old daughter is interested in fountain pens. I'm giving her a petrol lay safari for a starter.. this is going to be fun

[@archivist17]

Good luck in the new job! Hope it works out really well for you.

[@wendywander7]

What a fun list! My best writers are my Leonardo Momento Zero Prugna because that grip section is my favorite and the nib is so great; Benu Euphoria Ocean Breeze because it sparkles and glows in the dark and fits my hand well; and my Jinhao 51a which I think is modeled after the Parker 51, so comfortable and so smooth and comes with a converter. Best wishes with your exam, and congratulations on your new job! Thanks for the great videos!

[@YouGetSoAlone]

Good luck with that first office job. From what I see in your videos, you seem like a very friendly person - I hope you will have great coworkers!

[@michelledelecki6224]

New to fountain pens and no gold nibs yet but so far my best writers are twsbi vac 700r and pilot kakuno (surprisingly smooth for a rather inexpensive pen). twsbi diamond 580 is really nice too!

[@mmzeeman]

Mine are: A steel Kaweco Supra with an F nib. This one I tweaked a bit so it writes a bit wetter, but no so wet it will bleed through normal copier paper my colleague uses, so we can work together. Then I regularly use a black red ebonite Ranga Markandeya with a Jowo M nib. Very nice and smooth writer. I also have another acrylic ranga which has a stub nib in it. Which is very cool for drawing diagrams. I still need to find something for doing quick notes. The supra takes quite a number of turns to unscrew. Haha, but it is kind of a weird pen that grew on me. That Visconti you use sure has a nice capping mechanism, but I find it a bit (ducks) too kitschy for my taste.

[@the.toasted.planner]

Rainman! Definitely Definitely from rainman. Side note, I too just left my previous career, joined the financial world and am now taking courses from home.

[@DanielForgosh]

Congrats on your new job!

[@geslinam9703]

I’m a nurse and use my F pens at work a lot. Used to be the Pilot Decimo or VP, due to the convenience of not having to deal with a cap….but after dropping too many, I now use my better pens only in meetings, and less pricey pens like Lamy Alstar or LX when “in the trenches”

[@yo_stephi]

@geslinam9703 -I work at a hospital and wish I could use fountain pens daily but have to use poor quality printer paper much of the time and can’t stand feathering and bleeding. Do you bring your own nice paper? Or have you found a pen/ink combo that can handle printer paper?

[@geslinam9703]

@@yo_stephi I do bring a notebook with nicer paper for report and anything else I might have to write down…don’t like using the cheap paper either, but find that the fine or medium nibs that are on the fine side work best on the cheap stuff. I also carry Uniball Signo or Uni One gel pen on me.

[@yo_stephi]

@geslinam9703 Thanks for the tips!

[@impish22]

thanks again, can't wait to watch

[@marilyngardner4269]

I have several pens that astonish and delight me every time I pick them up. One is the Pilot E95s, although I don't know that I'd choose it for extensive note-taking due to the small ink capacity. I'd probably add my Pilot Custom 823 with a medium cursive italic nib, (although I just got a 743 that is another strong contender), a Sailor Pro Gear (I have several, but one in particular has an especially wonderful nib), an Esterbrook Estie with a Journaler nib,, and a Pelikan M805. I also have and love the Pilot 912 with FA nib and added ebonite feed, but I don't necessarily find the responsiveness you mention good for longer writing sessions. I guess I don't want to see visible evidence of my "mood" on the page, and I agree that that particular nib can do that. Good luck with the career change! May it bring you satisfaction and pen money. 😊

[@genelo6890]

Hope everything goes well with your new job and venture.

[@davew19904]

Loving the Rainman reference! Definitely!

[@itsmeLori]

My fav to write with for the last several months have been Pilot Metal Falcon SEF, Pilot custom 74 EF, Platinum 3776 F, and BENU Euphoria F. I have M and B nib pens as well but don’t use them for long writing sessions

[@paulherman5822]

My oldest sister would appreciate that you are only on one pen right now. I don't know how many times she's said, "You can only use one at a time." (Usually I have between 4 and 7 inked.) Best writing... Depends on what you want. 😉 Though there's those I repeatedly reach for. My vantage is vintage. So, for me, my best writing gold nibbed pen is a Wahl-Eversharp Skyline. Not flexible, but gloriously smooth and enjoyable to write with. My Parker Challenger. Again stiff, a medium for Parker, and I just like the way it writes and sits in my hand. Last is a nib, that's been used in several pens. My first, an Esterbrook 2668 firm medium. Not tipped, but folded over to make the tip, can be a bit scratchy, but I just like it, so, I have several that rotate regularly into use in various Esterbrook bodies. The 2668 just hasn't failed me. The Sheaffer's Balance Junior. Some say that they are flex nib, but I'd say semi flex. Just fun to use. My first Frankenpen, a Good Service with a Weidlich nib. Wet, fine, some fun bounce. And to include a cheap one, I like the Jinhao open nibs. The number 5 fine, the number 6 fine and medium. They just work for me, though the number 6 can occasionally produce blobs.

[@decluesviews2740]

Mine: Visconti HS Bronze Age (Palladium), Pelikan M1005, and Pilot Custom 823. Lamy 2000 was up there but I bent the nib a few years ago.

[@Cortesevasive]

Dude, just use pliars and buy nail file with multiple surfaces . Shitter2000 is an easy fix.

[@compdave7630]

I do have to say that my Jinhao X159 is one of my favorite pens for daily writing. I also like the Montblanc 145 and when I'm feeling creative I like the Metropolitan with a 1.0mm stub. Interestingly most of my writing is with some fairly inexpensive pens. For special types of writing, where the writing itself is a larger part of the experience I do use other pens, but they are not the most used.

[@aidesbnlee5422]

Just curious. Is the experience of Montblanc 145 way better than X159?

[@nlamproplos]

My best are the Diplomat Aero with a cursive italic, the TWSBI Vac 700r medium, a Pilot Kakuno medium, and a Montblanc 144 medium.

[@catwhisperer911]

I'm considering the Pilot 912 with the FA nib. I was considering the 823 with a F nib but I already have a vintage Sheaffer Life Time vac filler and it is a real pain to get thoroughly clean. I like to change up my inks often and I'm now thinking the 912 would be a much better fit for me.

[@ograro]

So many digressions, go directly to the point!

[@David.Buckheister]

I have two pens that stand out in my collection as far as quality writers. First is my Pilot 912 with a medium nib. I honestly don't know if it can get better than a medium Pilot gold nib. The second is my first David Parker LE Momento Zero. Don't know what it is about that pen, it just has a standard steel JoWo medium, but holy crap that thing is tuned to perfection. Hands down the smoothest steel nib I have ever used.

[@themisterchristie]

Nice group of pens. My best writers include a Jinhao and a vintage Pilot. From best to pretty good 1) The Jinhao x750, while likely a little heavy for your tastes, it is a great writer, no hard starts or drying issues. The stock #6 medium nib has a little feedback and is the driest of the nibs I've used, I've also used a Goulet medium and Goulet Fine Flex are both great with the flex being nicest and wettest. 2) Vintage Pilot Elite with a 14k gold posting nib. Some feedback but writes every time. One of the pens I use for work and important documents. Inked with Platinum Pigment Blue ink for permanence. 3) this was a surprise find, the Peter Pauper Press Falling Blossoms. So far writing flawlessly. Good looking lacquered brass pen with a strong sealing cap. Box says Made in China and looks like it could be a Hongdian base. 4) Majohn A1, my primary work pen, tends to write every time but does dry out a bit if left overnight. Usually Inked with Platinum Carbon Black.

[@Slaughter0tter]

I have to agree on the Benu, not that specific pen but a fine Schmidt nib that I just acquired on a discounted Euphoria just writes so nicely. I need to get used to the pen balance as it seems to light un-posted and too back heavy posted, but other than that its amazing. For quick notes nothing beats the Pilot VP, mine is a medium nib and never has starting issues, it's so smooth it will squeak on super glossy (cosmo air light) paper. I love my two flex nib pens (a gold conklin omniflex and the 912 FA) but something with them causes me to get skipping on a left to right upstroke (only when starting a word, crossing a T, etc) and I have to restart a word often. I find myself gravitating towards the E95s in an EF recently for any long writing. It's honestly an accomplishment if you can get that pen to misbehave. Travelers brass pen is a close second. Best bang for you buck it'd have to say would be my lamy al-star/safari EF or Twsbi 580 EF. I love broad nibs, stub nibs, flex nibs, but for taking notes and following along with an instructor an EF is the best for me. Otherwise a too thick line can end up causing my e's and i's to look similar if I forgot a dot. L's sometimes turn into a blob instead of a loop if I try rapid note taking with anything over a medium. I generally carry a two pen case, one EF for writing on not so friendly paper and practical purposes. And a broad/flex/stub for enjoyment or signatures, filled with a shading/sheening/shimmering ink.

[@animula6908]

I found a way to get the e95s to misbehave: accidentally put your finger on the nib and bleed the ink out all over your hand😜

[@eddiecandelaria8691]

Congratulations on your new job , hope you do well. My favorite/ go to only because of performance are... (5) lamy 2000 e/f nib (4) pelikan m1000 f nib (3) montblanc 149 m nib (2) waterman edson f/m nib (1) Sheaffer pfm m/f nib I have others but these are the fountain prns I most enjoy writing with.

[@herbertschulz9468]

Sigh... when I was going to college I used a Parker 21. I wold have loved a 51 but the 21 was a gift and I certainly coudn't afford the 51. In any case one of the great things about that pen is that, because of the hooded nib, you could keep the cap off for a full class session and it wouldn't dry out even though you might not be using it for periods of time while you listen. Try your LAMY 2000 since it will be even quicker to get using it than the Visconti.

[@angel_avengeline13]

Yes, all my benus, when ever I ink one, I keep it inked for months! That's why I only ink one benu at a time lol because I write and write and write non stop with my benus, and would like to give some TLC to my other pens lol.

[@Slaughter0tter]

Honestly I was surprised with how large the converter was when I got my first euphoria the other day. It can hold a decent chunk of ink. Dealing with a few con-40 (metro, e95s, VP) only pens will make any converter seem giant though.

[@kellieashman6908]

Without a shadow of a doubt my best writer is my Pilot Custom 845, next up would be my Visconti Van Gogh and then my Kaweco Sport. 3 very different price points but all remarkably good pens in their own right

[@judyle4893]

Congrats!

[@benkempermagic]

Nice list. Some of my favorite writers are: Vintage Esterbrook “J” with 9668 nib, Vintage Eversharp Skyline 14k Fine Flex nib, Majohn P-136 medium nib, and Kaweco Student (green cap) medium nib. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my Pilot Kakunos, medium nibs. Nuts that such a cheap pen writes so bloody well! Thanks for all you do.

[@philrowley3063]

You said Junhau x175, did you mean X159? I love my x159 too but makes me want a Montblanc 149

[@wladicus1]

Yes she does according to answer to Dan Magoo. 🙂

[@ichirofakename]

My best writing pen is a Sailor Pro Gear . But the only pen I ever write with is a Pilot Elite , because I can write tiny with it in book margins.

[@awaken77]

what's H-M?

[@GC12345]

I know you have a love/hate relationship with TWSBI, but my favorite writers are the Diamond 580 and the Vac 700R, both with fine nibs. When I am not able to see the ink level in my pen it becomes the only thing I think (obsess) about, so I’m an absolute sucker for a demonstrator. The other one I carry every day in my pocket is a Kaweco Al-sport (along with a spare ink cartridge in my notebook, because, ya know, I have an illogical fear of running out of ink every time I use a pen).

[@awaken77]

My favorite list: Platinum 3776 Medium, Pelikan M205 Fine, Pelikan M205 Medium, Pilot Custom 742 Soft Fine

[@jungroe94]

My favourite and best writer is the Montblanc 149 Calligraphy flex pen. All others pale in comparison. Only down side is, they are hard to acquire. I'm glad I got mine when i did.

[@patriciadaibes]

What notebook do you use to write your study notes?

[@helenbugsynelson]

My most used:- 1. Aurora Ipsilon, EF steel nib 2. Conklin Endura, F steel nib 3. Pilot VP M 18k nib. ( click click, so satisfying) 4. Jinhao x159 F #8 steel nib I have many other favourite FPs but for now these are sitting at the very top of the like list 🥰✍🏻

[@alanpareis734]

Kerry, thanks so much for this “new series.” I have really enjoyed the last 5 posts and found your presentations of your “best’, greatest, etc., very interesting. So this is a “batch” comment, cause I usually watch in less than a day from the post, but usually never get around to commenting, and I usually neglect to click like, but getting better, and will go back and click every like for the last 5. Since you asked: while I usually have around 20 inked up, most are usually neglected and dry up😢. However the following 8 are used daily or at least several times a week: for the last decade; early 50s Mark I, type 2 areometric, maroon Parker 51 f, GvFC Stone Grey ink; Namiki, Black Falcon, sf Motteshaw Spencerian grind, GvFC Moss Green. Daily for most of the last year: Pelikan M600 blue stripe, ef, Cross blue-Black; Pelikan M600 tortoise red, fm Nibsmith left oblique grind, Akkerman SBRE Brown; Wancher 7-Treasures Bakelite, black, 18kWancher f, red ebonite feed, currently paused awaiting deliver of new bottle of MB burgundy ink; Penbbs 266, xf, eyedropper green brown swirl demonstrator, Noodlers Black Swan in English roses. Always inked for a decade for occasional, specialty use, and strangely always start up and write great: Nemosine Coral Singularity, 0.6 Re-Entry Stubb, Noodlers Black Swan in Australian roses; Nemosine Blue Marble Singularity, 1.1 Goulet Stealth Stubb, Noodlers BayState Blue. Thanks again for this great “mini series.”

[@ironmic9244]

What course are you doing, CSC, MFDA? Good luck with courses and the exam.

[@reveme]

My Jinhao x750 is so smooth and wet that I can use it only with the leuchtturm 120gr, but there is great! It’s a pity that my x159 is super dry and inconsistent instead… oh well. 5€…

[@teresaharris-travelbybooks5564]

Ah, I see you are a LOTR fan. So am I. My smoothest writer is the Benu Euphoria Bourbon. All of the Benu's are good writing pens. My Benu New Years 2023 and the Skull and Roses; which I think have fine nibs, are also smooth but with enough bite to let you know you're putting words on the paper.

[@user-gl5ld9vm7i]

Are you studying for your Series 7, 66, Life, Health, Variable?

[@archivist17]

My best writing fountain pens (read: Reliable; Smooth; Wet) are 1. Kaweco Skyline Sport (M) 2. Hong Dian 5010 (F) - a virtually unknown gem 3. Kaweco Supra (M) 4. Hong Dian 6013 (F) 5. Delike Hunyuan (F) 6. Jinhao 80 (Lamy LH nib, but performed well with the original F) 7. Soyuz vintage pocket pen (?M) 4 & 5 are black coated nibs, which i suspect is no coincidence

[@drananth]

Lamy 2000 in medium nib is a permanent love affair!

[@Claudia_CG_Garza]

Hi Carrie (I apologize if I misspelled it) - Can you or anyone reading this recommend a flex/soft nib pen that's great for showing off shimmer or sheening inks that is less than $75? I am about 5 weeks into the fountain pen world and I just bought a Benu Euphoria with a broad nib (spending THAT much killed me because I am unemployed) and a TWSBI 580 with a 1.1 stub (I know you have a love/hate relationship with them). Thanks in advance for any suggestions. PS - I am looking at possibly getting a Noodler's Konrad.

[@claytonsanders508]

Check out the Noodler’s Triple Tail! I’m not sure if it’s under $75 but it most likely is. It’s kind of a unique pen, but it’s a lot smoother than other Noodler’s pens, and it is very flexible and writes wet which is great for shimmer and sheen. Good luck!

[@Claudia_CG_Garza]

@@claytonsanders508 - Thanks for the suggestion!!

[@karidru5272]

I think most of my best writers are pens that wouldn't surprise anyone; a couple of Benus, an Aurora Ipsilon Deluxe... but I also have a beautifully tuned, right out of the box... Conklin Duragraph with omniflex nib, in matte black rainbow?! I'm informed that this is somewhat unexpected but it's such a responsive and comfortable pen.

[@Slaughter0tter]

I have one of the duragraphs as well. I LOVE the way the omniflex writes, it was one of my first pens and I used it a lot during handwriting practice as the OF nib is fairly fine. My only problem is the threads just bug me with how I hold my pen leading it to stay un-inked after growing my collection. Nib was amazing from the factory... So amazing that when I saw that their 125th anniversary pen had a gold omniflex I spent way too much money to get one. Then got to return it as it was hard starting and the cap was all scratched up + the plastic around the nib was loose and would trap ink and get your fingers all inky. Then the second one came, and was massively misaligned and would fail to start 70% of the time. The third replacement finally is only temperamental, about the same as my pilot 912 FA nib. It made me appreciate the steel omniflex a lot more even if the steel one really doesn't flex that much.

[@genelo6890]

​@@Slaughter0tter I have the same 125 blue anniversary duragraph pen. The Omni nib is horrible and I asked Conklin Pen to send me another one which they did due to the hard starts and flow issues. So you could try to ask for a newer JOWO flex nib to replace the original Omniflex nib in your 125 anniversary duragraph pen 😁. I dropped that pen and a small piece broke😢 off the threading of the barrel with the nib feed unit . I have given up on the Omniflex nib on that pen and use it unflexed unless I feel like flexing the nib 😅. I have also just replaced that nib unit with a nemosyne medium sized nib that I had before the company went out of business 😮. Maybe I should try to get another Omniflex nib made by JOWO instead of the older one in my Conklin Pen before they transitioned to all JOWO nibs nibs

[@valeriegriffith5409]

Kakuno EF pens, Platinum meteors EF pens, Jinhao 80s 0.30mm pens, Pilot Ecrina F, Pilot Lucina F and Pilot Falcon. I'm about to embark on my ink journey. Diamine Colorverse: 3 pack: writer's blood/ Midnight blue/ green black. 3 pack: jet black/ Ancient copper/ Twilight. Individual 30 ml bottles of oxblood and Oxford blue. Pilot Blue Black in Milk bottle 350 ml. Pilot Black 70 ml. I need you to do a big favor for me. I want you to do a video where you compare Kakuno EF with custom 74 F. My next major purchases will be 2 Custom 74s EF. I just really need to be sure. I'm already writing with nibs between 0.2, 0.26 and 0.3mm. And I'm truly very happy with them. I think I found the solution for the ink evaporation in the Kakunos. I'm going to use transparent silicone sealent to cover the holes.

[@hoozat007]

Congratulations on the new job. I enjoy your videos. One little criticism is that I find it a bit distracting when you keep adjusting your microphone. Just clip it to your collar and leave it alone; we can hear you fine. The pen I most enjoy using right now is a Diplomat Excellence with medium nib inked up with Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo. Nice combination.

[@ssj4alvaro]

I'm in banking. What position are you getting?

[@ironmic9244]

My best writers: OMAS 360, OMAS Paragon, Pelikan M1000, Delta Star Cage,

[@d2row96]

Series 6, 7? I had those.

[@archeryandstuffwithstevela3423]

Great video thanks. I think your mic works fine, without having to hold it.

[@paulmchugh1430]

Do you mean the X159, not the 175?

[@PensandTea]

Yup. Sure did!

[@wladicus1]

Yes she does according to answer to Dan Magoo. 🙂

[@sarahagen2450]

My favorite pens are my 3776s.

[@sailcat9]

Only one pen inked right now? Dang! I have twelve inked up. Wayyyyy too many!

[@darkfeign]

I never thought I'd see such a video where the Pilot Custom 823 didn't come front and centre ;_;

[@albertlecuyer6761]

Max Headroom?

[@mikeshi2948]

probably 823 with fine nib, perfect weight and length for me. I also like 3776 nibs a lot but don't like the body so I stick them in pens like FWI. Aurora talentum is another one.

[@mikeburk2411]

Rainman

[@Calcprof]

Schon DSGN monoc nib (travels to several pens bodies), Pilot 743 WA nib, Pelikan 805 Dark Blue (B), Enso Pocket PUMA in titanium with titanium (Bock?) nib. I'm actually pretty good at Math, having written over 75 research papers on Mathematics and related subjects.

[@Calcprof]

The sound is better when you just let the mic sit on the collar, rather than holding it forward.

[@ichirofakename]

I have the opposite experience.

[@hisham56hamilton50]

Easy Boys Easy ....Thank you very much ( Pens & Tea) . It is very informative .You see U have to be brave to make informative videos on the net . Maan you are brave .

[@PensandTea]

Hahahahaha I don’t know if I’m brave or stupid but either way, I’m having fun!

[@hisham56hamilton50]

@@PensandTeaHurrraaaa

[@davidsilva8695]

Only one pen inked up?!! You horrify me.