20 Best Extra Fine Nib Fountain Pen (2023 Updated)

This pen’s overall quality is quite good. I feel it is durable enough to handle most normal everyday usage. The matte finish is great as well as micro scratches on the finish is not an issue. The thing I’m disappointed about with this pen is the nib.

I have a Lamy pen with a 14k gold Lamy nib and it is my favorite pen in terms of the way it writes. The steel Lamy nibs however, are a different story. I bought this Savannah colorway together with the Aquamarine colorway, both in fine nibs.

The Aquamarine’s nib is great. It is smooth and wet. In contrast, the Savannah’s nib is quite scratchy and very dry. It was so scratchy in fact that I could feel the nib tearing fibers from the paper as I write.

Not very pleasant to use at all. Goulet Pens was great and they sent me a replacement nib. The replacement nib was much better than the one that came with the pen but it was still quite dry and no where near as smooth as the Aquamarine nib.

Still no where near the writing experience that I get from the Aquamarine color way. I really wish Lamy paid more attention to the quality control of their steel nibs. The Aquamarine Safari that I have shows just how good the Lamy steel nibs can be if they just took their time with it.

This should have been an excellent product. However, this pen has one FATAL issue for me! The triangular grip is a ******, ignorant and ridiculous design. Holding the pen instantly causes pains, discomfort, fatigues and actually pains in my fingers and hands.

This design assumes everyone’s hands are exactly the same, holding pen exactly the same way. No Lamy, that is not true. Come on, German engineering meant to be the best in the world but this one is failure in my view.

All it need is a small redesign in the grip section, this pen will be perfect, jumps from 2 stars to 5 stars. But the pen writes so well, the fine grip I have is so smooth with just the right amount feedback, the sound of the pen circulating around the paper is so satisfactory and relax.

However, I did temporarily fixed the problem by putting Blu Tack on the flat grip part and sticky tape around it so the grip section is not triangular and it does not cause fatigues and pains on my fingers and hand anymore.

I purchased this Lamy AL-Star special edition with its exclusive LH nib but immediately swapped it out for an F nib ordered from Goulet. Based on my experience with a Studio FP, Lamy’s F consistently produces satisfactory results using ordinary lined writing paper.

The LH, which I thought would be closer to a Lamy F, produces too broad a line. If you plan to use a Lamy Safari or AL-Star with bottled ink, the extra cost Z28 converter with notches is designed specifically for these models.

I use Lamy black ink. No dry starts or skips. A bold black ink that is moderately wet but dries quickly. As correctly pointed out on a Goulet blog, FP101: Fountain Pens for Lefties (August 2015), pen angle matters (a 45 degree angle is ideal).

While Lamy’s LH with its slight angle did not out work for me, other left-handed users may welcome the option if they prefer the results of a M or B nib. There is little indication of drag or scratchiness in Lamy’s LH and F when a pen is supplied with moderately wet, quick drying ink.

The AL-Star’s textured translucent plastic triangular section is very comfortable and keeps the nib angled in the right position on the page. Quality barrel and cap construction with a durable anodized aluminum finish.

Cap closes with a solid tight snap. Clip secures well to a shirt pocket or notebook. Ink supply indicator windows on both sides of the barrel are a nice touch. I normally write with the cap unposted but when posted adds no noticeable weight.

Lamy added a plastic insert inside the cap to prevent scratching to the barrel. A very sharp blue-green color that is distinctive from the Lamy Safari Turquoise Special Edition (F) which I also ordered from Goulet.

Unlike the Studio range, Lamy doesn’t seem to make a custom single-pen case that will fit the Safari and AL-Star. I assume this modestly priced, large-sized sporty pen is more often than not carried around in a back back, shirt or coat pocket.

A recommended and desirable upgrade from the Safari or similarly priced entry-level pens in your collection.

The pen itself is nice to hold and write with. The unique grip shape isn’t hard to hold even with a lateral tripod grip. My only problem is with the nib size. Lamy nib sizes are pretty inconsistent, and my other Lamy, a Studio, has an EF tip as well.

Yet, when I compared them side-by-side, there was a massive difference in thickness. This one had a much broader, wetter line. For me, it was too broad to be usable in my Hobonichi Techo. I swapped out the nibs between my pens and I can use this one for planning now, but Lamy nibs can be a real gamble.

The utilitarian sort of look is nice and it’s a good pen for EDC as a planner and journaler. I don’t have to worry about scratches as much as other materials or colors.

Standard Lamy excellence, as expected. I already had a black Lamy Safari when I ordered this (the Safari and Vista are one in the same, aside from color). So I knew what I was getting. This time though I went for the extra fine.

The Safari I had before was a medium nib, which was great, if a bit scratchy on copy paper. I prefer thinner lines though, so I went with the extra fine when it came time to buy the Vista While I still prefer my Pilot Metro in terms of writing feel, the Vista/Safari is still a great workhorse pen, and writes like a dream on good paper (I use Rhodia, personally).

Not to mention I think it looks a bit better than the metro, but that’s just my opinion of course, I just prefer the industrial design, and you just can’t say no to that clip ;). The translucency of the Vista is drop dead gorgeous, it really needs to be seen to be believed, it’s a beautiful pen.

I recommend going with extra fine nib. Especially if you’re coming from a Japanese pen (Pilot, Platinum, Sailor, etc. ). The extra fine I’ve found seems to be the same size if a bit bigger than the fine nib on my Pilot Metro.

It’s not really an issue as long as you know that going in, as I did. I’ll also note that this pen is great for art, it’s what I primarily use fountain pens for, and this nib is great as it doesn’t have a lot of flex to the nib, so you know exactly what the line is going to look like every time.

You can’t go wrong with this pen, it’s been a staple of the fountain pen community for decades for a reason, you get a lot of pen for 30 bucks. I hope this review helps you make an informed decision! And if you do buy it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!.

I am so excited to have purchased this pen. I’m in a creative writing MFA and write everything by hand before typing into the computer, so I decided it was about time I up my pen game. Because of the sheer quantity of hand writing I do, (Think up to 20 typed pages per draft on average) I wanted a pen that was both wonderful to write with and also a workhorse.

I am thoroughly convinced that I have found both in the CP1. My hands aren’t the biggest, so I write with it unposted and have had no problems with extended use so far. I do have to refill it quite often, but the converter it comes with is easy and relatively mess free compared to some other pens I’ve used.

Besides, I don’t think the amount I have to refill it is representative of the pen so much as how much I use it. I would also like to say that Goulet Pens was wonderful to purchase from. They provide so much information online that I was easily able to research and compare different pens before purchasing.

The fact that they are a family owned company is a plus. Five stars all around!.

This was a pen I greatly anticipated getting my hands on. What attracted me to it was its design which reminds me of a rollerball that I’ve loved for years, the Uni-ball ONYX, a lower end plastic-bodied pen with a slim profile and simplistic design that writes fantastically for its cost.

If you have to write with cheaper pens, the ONYX with a fine point is for you! I read reviews about the CP1 with the majority being positive. Initially, I hesitated in its purchase because I’ve always had ink drying issues with Lamy Safari pens (You want a great Lamy pen, invest in the 2000; awesome writer!!).

After my initial use, I can say that the CP1’s nib is smooth with some feedback, its slim body holds well in my grip (I have slender fingers), the cap doesn’t post as well as it caps, and the cap holds significant weight but not so much that it feels too top heavy when posted.

This is a nice, slender, simplistic looking fountain pen with some weight that writes well (initially). I believe to truly judge whether a pen writes well, it needs to be written with for several months.

Handling and using it for some time will help determine its reliability. My rating may change; I will return with an update.

The 849 is a great pen that writes smoothly and fast. It took a little time to get used to as it is lighter than any of my other pens. The fine nib feels a bit wider than my Conklin fine and vintage, fine Scheaffer Snorkel pens.

It is finer than a modern Scheaffer medium. The cap posts and the pen feels balanced however I am preferring to not post the cap when writing. This is something that surprises me as I usually keep the caps posted on other pens.

I would say it is not a negative feeling, just something that is different for me and contributes to me getting used to it. Knowing that I have to get used to the pen is encouraging me to write more – that is a great reason to have this pen.

Loving pens and writing more because of them. That is good stuff. The color, fit, and finish of the pen itself are all impeccable. I really enjoy the brightness of the fluorescent green.

I really wanted to like this. I have been trying for years to like this pen, but it just is a bad design. The color is gorgeous. The material composition is great, very well made. But the nib is awful.

Skips doesn’t want to write on any paper surface, smooth or rough. I am constantly adjusting grip and angle to improve the quality of the line. But it never improves. Different inks. Nothing. And the ergonomics of the grip are also really weird and uncomfortable.

The black grip area is so narrow and then the barrel is awkwardly attached. No good place to rest the pen in your fingers. Overall, this pen hurts my hand and my heart. But the color is vibrant at least.

I am surprised no one has reviewed this pen. I have been using this pen for a couple of days now and so far I like it. I am using it with De Atramentis Dark Blue Document Ink in an international short cartridge.

Unfortunately, I have to buy these cartridges from someone else as Jetpens does not carry them (hint,hint). The nib is smooth but writes like a Lamy Fine or maybe a Japanese medium. It is a little on the wet side, but dries just fine on Leuchtturm 1917 paper.

I tend to write my signature fast and the pen keeps up. The pen handles well, the body is long enough to hold 2 international short cartridges inside and the cap posts. The finger position on the pen feels further away from the nib point than other pens I have used.

However, this is a feature as I have big hands and the extra length helps to reduce writing fatigue. The color is bright. My intention is to use this pen for travel and the color will make it harder to lose.

Being able to store 2 cartridges in the body means that for most trips, I will not need to carry any loose cartridges. I am quite pleased with the pen. BTW – Caran d’Ache is pronounced Caran Dash. I had to look it up.

Once you write with this pen, it makes you sad thinking how, for such long, you have missed out on an inexplicably pleasurable writing experience! Not being hyperbolic, it is just how I felt when I got this.

This pen is NOT for flexing, please bear that in mind. It can do a little of that, but the primary function of the soft nib is to provide that bouncy/springy feel while writing, which as I said before, makes for a relaxing yet engrossing writing experience.

I was enjoying it so much that I remember topping up the converter 4 times within the first week itself! This pen is practically designed as well, with the grip part being resin, which tends to provide much better grip than if it were metal.

The nib does give a slight feedback and combined with the springy nature and smooth flow of ink, this nib performs very well. The resin counterpart is cheaper but it can only fit the CON-50 converter due to its size limitation.

This metal version however can fit and comes fitted with a CON-70 converter giving you that slightly extra volume of ink for long writing sessions. Previously, I had the Pilot VP as my EDC, not anymore.

I have used the Pilot Falcon for a few weeks now as my everyday writing pen (day planning, work notes, etc. ), and I have been very pleased with it so far. Extraordinarily soft and comfortable writing nib (I have the Fine), which was what I wanted.

There is some pressure-dependent line variation but nothing extreme, and, to be honest, I don’t really need that for daily writing. It’s great for making bold, broad horizontal section division lines in my notebook, though! The Falcon is excellent at showcasing the shading and sheen of Iroshizuku Kon-peki ink on Tomoe River paper, even in normal writing.

I appreciate the classic elegance of the black with rhodium accents and see myself using this pen for a long time to come. This pen was a significant jump up in price from the Pilot Prera I had been using, but I think it was worth every penny.

Highly recommended!!!.

I have spent too many years using expensive fountain pens that wrote well but leaked ink all over my fingers, so I decided to see if I could make do with a cheap pen that I could afford to throw away if it leaked.

A Preppy pen from Platinum was the easy choice on economic grounds, and I added a converter so I could use whatever ink I wanted and not have to mess with throw-away cartridges. I didn’t have high expectations, but I didn’t figure there was much to lose, either.

I have been pleasantly surprised by this pen. The size is comfortable for my large hands, it writes very smoothly (fine nib), and it hasn’t even thought about staining my fingers. I haven’t figured out how to remove the label from the barrel without abrading the surface, but if I find I can’t stand advertising the brand of my pen I will move “up” to a Platinum Prefounte.

I am thoroughly satisfied with this pen. If you are looking to get started with fountain pens, or simply want a fountain pen that works with no fuss, just buy one.

These are fantastic beginner fountain pens. They are typically easy to use, and Platinum’s patented spring cap keeps them from drying out! They come with a cartridge that’s replaceable, and if desired, these little pens could even be eye-droppered for more ink capacity.

I’ve never done it, but I’ve heard of those who have. They’re great, and I’ve had several. They are plastic, so if dropped, they could be prone to breaking. I’ve had one break on me, where the cap developed a crack and wouldn’t stay on any longer.

But to be fair, I’d also gotten a lot of use out of it! So I highly recommend these for trying out a fountain pen!.

Well this is the first time that have ever written with a fountain pen before and my expectation of doing so really had me amped. The only issue I had was trying to get the ink to flow, i assumed that it was like any other pen and I was wrong.

I also wished that the instructions could have been in a larger font.

My Vanishing Point matte black arrived today, packed with a ridiculous amount of care by Anita. It’s always a pleasure to receive parcels from Goulet Pens, an event in itself, before one even begins to use the contents.

(I’m not exaggerating. ) I chose a M nib, hoping it wouldn’t be too broad, and it’s perfect. It writes incredibly smoothly, much like the F nib on my LAMY 2000, yet allowing for legible and comfortable writing in relatively small journal spaces.

The matte black finish is very smooth, and along with the weight, makes the pen comfortable to hold. The placement and position of the clip seem natural when writing. Of course, since it’s only just arrived, I haven’t had much writing experience with the pen, but I’m not anticipating any problems.

I am very pleased with my Vanishing Point.

The unique writing experience I sought While I own (and still enjoy) a fine nib Pilot Vanishing Point Decimo, I wanted a fountain pen that had the same click-style convenience but delivered the unique line I’ve associated with pens of yore.

I think I’ve found just that in this stub nib pen. This pen differs from my Decimo in that it has a more substantial feel overall. Given its slightly larger barrel diameter and the all-metal body adding a bit more weight, this is a solid-feeling pen.

The pen is well balanced and the black matte finish has a pleasant look & feel. The clicking mechanism seems sturdy, giving the impression that it will function without issues for years to come. As hoped, the stub nib has an easy-to-find sweet spot and puts down a consistent line with no delayed starts.

When first inked up, the flow seemed a bit wet but I found this evens out nicely after a few sentences. The nib has some flex & bounce which is nice and the feedback is subtle. The supplied converter has a moderate ink capacity.

The feature I most enjoy, however, is the wide-thin line variation the stub nib produces. This particular facet is what I was seeking, setting it apart from the line my other fine & medium nib writing instruments put down.

Properly placing the nib to best accentuate this aspect has actually improved my handwriting! One final observation: Initially, I thought the clip of the pen being in the grip section would be an annoyance while writing but instead, have found that I don’t really notice it at all.

In fact, the clip’s placement helps me orient the nib to the paper without having to even look at it.

I bought this pen as a gift but was with them for the unboxing. The pen delights IMMEDIATELY when you see it. It’s just gorgeous, the photos don’t do the color blue justice, nor the texture. It feels so great in the hand and the click mechanism is excellent.

I’ll emphasize that last point, the click is just perfect, it’s a smooth solid ka-thunk sound and feel. It doesn’t make a lot of noise but it FEELS fantastic. I’ll probably be getting one for myself soon.

This item was not just a gift but the first fountain pen this person has ever used – a week later she reports that she absolutely loves it every day.

I was looking for a retractable pen for jotting down notes intermittently during meetings and brainstorming sessions because I had found that my nibs would start drying out between long pauses in writing.

I hold my pens with a Spencerian grip, so I was wary of the clip placement. My index finger does indeed lie right on the clip, but with its straight, flat design, this isn’t a problem. I saw many reviews that lamented the extension/retraction of the nib can’t be actuated with just one hand, but it can.

Gripping the rear section of the pen with the 5th and 4th fingers, and the forward section with middle & index fingers and thumb, the forward section can be rotated to retract and extend the nib fully.

This works for me even though I have short, stubby fingers. This pen definitely excels in the ‘cool factor’ with its design. The nib is VERY smooth and soft, although the EF isn’t quite as fine as I’d like.

It also definitely has that ‘Lamy sweet spot’ where it has to be held to maintain constant contact with the paper through all the writing strokes. I have only noticed one minor quirk with the pen: In order for the ball valve to close completely when retracting the nib, you have to exert just a little pressure as though you were trying to pull the two sections of the pen apart.

Without this pressure, the nib retracts, but the rear section begins to unscrew while leaving the ball valve slightly open. The one-handed method I mentioned above seems to exert just the right amount of pressure to make all the parts mesh together as intended.

(Oh, and when the valve is closed fully, it does indeed prevent the nib from drying out!) If the extension/retraction & sealing system were totally foolproof, I’d give this pen its 5th star. But, it definitely does what I bought it to do very well.

It’s a pleasure to use. Also, having examined its construction pretty closely, I anticipate that it will prove itself a durable, reliable, everyday-carry-work-horse-pen that will last me decades.

I just had to get this pen due to its design the amount of engineering that went into making the internal mechanism. The lacquered metal is fairly grippy and matches well with other black accessories that I own.

I like it better than my Vanishing Point in some ways because there’s just nothing that compares to writing with a full-sized nib. However, I do have a few complaints. When the pen is in a retracted state, the clip has a little bit of wobble to it; this can be an issue when you twist open the pen because you can inadvertently be applying pressure to the clip and push it off at an angle.

This is a minor design flaw which isn’t a deal-breaker but should be kept in mind when operating the pen to preserve the integrity of the clip. Regarding quality control, I expect LAMY to have the highest standards of any non-luxury pen brand – supposedly they inspect every gold nib under a loupe and test them by hand.

When I received my Dialog 3, it had quite a bit of scratchiness which at first I attributed to it having a fine nib. However, upon closer inspection with the ***** eye, I found the tangs of the nib to be appreciably misaligned.

This is simply unacceptable given the standards LAMY upholds in their manufacturing and testing processes. Nevertheless, I was able to gently bend one of the tangs back into alignment and it wrote smoothly afterwards.

I am not disappointed that I purchased this pen – in fact, I love it – but my experience does raise some questions regarding LAMY’s QC.

I am pleased with the finish on the pen. I tend to use larger diameter pens but find this Lamy Dialog 3 to be a comfortable pen. The nib is smaller than I usually use, however I find it excellent for quickly jotting down notes in my pocket notebook.

The finish is beautiful, and the clip and straight line of the barrel are attractive. I am happy that I choose this pen.

I’ve loved fountain pens more and more over the past year, and wanted to share that love with my husband. but with a pen that he wouldn’t be intimated to use (and that I wouldn’t cry if I ended up having to adopt it if he didn’t like it).

Most of my collection is Lamy, and I’ve wanted to try out TWSBI. So, when this new model came out in such a nice blue, I thought I’d pick it up for a small stocking stuffer gift — and my husband likes it! Some things that he especially liked: * It’s a thinner pen.

He hates my thick barrels, so the width of this pen is great for him. * It’s a lighter pen. He really disliked all my heavier pens, as much as I enjoy the heft. * The design is interesting without being “weird.

” (He thinks my abalone pens are ostentatious and nearly keeled over laughing at my Benu — can’t blame him!) This design is what I might call “classic with a twist:” Interesting enough to be worth splurging on, but not so outlandish that you’d be laughed at trying to take notes during a conference meeting.

* Its cartridge works well. He’s a mechanical pencil sort of guy, so he opted for it over fussing with any of my ink bottles. It filled the feed immediately and laid down a lovely line — much, MUCH nicer than any cartridge I’ve gotten from Lamy with the Safaris.

* The “sweet spot” you get occasionally with nibs out of the box didn’t happen with this one. He immediately understood where and how to hold the pen and position its nib to write. I didn’t have to tune it at all, much to my surprise.

I usually spend quite a bit of time with all of my pens out of the box — outright replacing every Conklin nib, what the **** is going on with their quality control?! — and I didn’t need to do a thing to this one.

The reason I took away a star is because the instructions are actually quite hard to understand for someone who doesn’t know how to use a fountain pen. and even for a quasi-experienced fountain pen user but who’s new to the TWSBI assembly.

I’m genuinely worried about trying out the spring-loaded converter lol. The instruction booklet-leaflet doesn’t really describe what all the pieces are, so make sure you watch Drew’s intro video before loading it up the first time!.

I bought this pen with a stub nib specifically for use with shimmer inks, which I don’t want to put in my more expensive pens. When it arrived, I immediately filled it with Edelstein “Golden Beryl” ink and started writing.

It started right up and was surprisingly smooth. There’s been no skipping, no hard starts. And I’m getting a kick out of the having that ink in a demonstrator; I sit and spin it around and watch the gold shimmer swirl and think, “neat!” I wasn’t expecting a great feel from a plastic pen, but it actually feels pretty sturdy in my hand, not at all cheap.

Okay, compared to my more expensive pens it’s a lightweight and “cheap” is relative, but for fifty bucks, I can’t fault it at all. It’s attractive, and I like the piston filler. If I’m going to get a demonstrator, I want to see my ink sloshing around, not sitting in a narrow tube cartridge or convertor.

I bought the pen with several other items – notebook, empty cartridges, cleaning supplies, convertor – my first purchase from Goulet. Everything was well packed, and I got a free lollipop. I’m a sucker for free suckers.

If I’m just buying ink, I’ll keep using my current vendor, who has free shipping at a lower price threshold, but if (umm, when) I’m buying another pen, or if (yeah, that’s definitely an if) I need a collection of supplies that will get me free shipping, I’ll come back to Goulet.

I may have to get more of these TWSBIs for my kids. They make fun of my “weird” pens; I’ll show them that weird can also be neat and fun.

This is my third pen after a Pilot Metropolitan F and a Lamy Safari M. I wanted something in-between the nib sizes of these two pens, and I think the TWSBI Eco F was a great choice. I could have even gone up to a M nib since I am using it on Rhodia and Clairefontaine.

I really, really love this pen, and I think the nib is way better than what I have on my Pilot Metro or my Lamy Safari. Writing feels very smooth to me, more like butter. The ink capacity is generous, and when I’m taking notes for multiple classes, I find that a full fill from a Goulet sample ink container lasts 2+ weeks.

I highly recommend this pen for students who need high ink capacity. I only have two complaints. It doesn’t feel as sturdy and durable as my Lamy Safari. Since I’m using this as my everyday pen, I am toting it around the house and to school, and I would prefer if the pen felt more durable.

BUT I kind of knew that would be the case before I bought it. Finally, I don’t like the twist cap. Although it gives me peace of mind about potential leaks, it makes it hard for me to go back and forth between writing and capping when I’m taking notes in school, particularly for math class.

The ink can dry out if I leave it uncapped, so I’m always partially capping it which can get unwieldy in class. I greatly prefer the Lamy Safari cap because it is quick and quiet. Overall, I highly recommend this pen, especially at this price point.

I’ve waited a couple of years to buy this pen. I finally purchased it to reward myself for getting a new job, and I’m not disappointed! I love the feel of this pen in my hand, and the look of the simple style.

I’m very much a function over form person, so what some people consider plain I consider elegant. What’s important, though, is how it writes. And here’s where I’m perhaps a little weird – I have different pens I use for different purposes.

Without going through that list I’ll just say that I love using this Realo, in a hard medium nib, for my design notebook. For some reason I find the feedback of the sailor nib, with it’s precise, crisp lines, perfect for scribbling notes and sketching out my ideas.

It’s not what I use for journaling – I prefer something smoother for long, flowy writing sessions. It’s the precision that I like for my design notebook – in the line on the page, the feel in my hand, the feedback giving me a sense of really being in connection with my ideas, that I love.

And as a tool, which is what I consider it, I love the additional functionality of the additional ink volume and the ink window. Something like this is especially rewarding when you’ve been waiting for a long time, but I will repeat – this was worth the wait.

Just as a side note, I’ve been bitten by a poor performing nib in the past for a Sailor Pro Gear. However, my mistake was I did not buy that one through Goulet. This time, I bought from Goulet and asked them to ink the pen and test the nib before shipping.

They did and sent me a note they wrote to test it – and it performs beautifully!.

As advertised, the Realo is small-ish and light, but nevertheless feels and writes solid. Not flashy, but beautifully elegant. Still working on first fill, but piston mechanism operated well. Gave the music nib a try: it’s not the three-prined flex nib as on a Noodlers, but more of a specialized stub nib, with something of a sweet spot.

But the line variation is. again, elegant. There is a little scratchiness to the nib, but not too much, and the ink flow has been steady & sufficient for the wide line it makes. Currently using Pilot/Namiki Blue which writes & looks nice, but maybe is just a bit too vibrabt for this serious-looking pen.

I think a dark teal like Noodler’s Army Air Corps Blue-Black will match well, but maybe I’ll just end up with a deep black like Noodler’s HOD.

I did purchase a Sailor Fountain pen this past month. I have purchased several pens but I finally bit the bullet on a gold nib. Highly recommended. It is a Sailor 1911S 14K nib, black body with gold trim.

It is very smooth writing. I have gifted four of my prior purchases, mainly to cousins, and one to the woman I am seeing. I write with it every day. I have it filled with Noodlers Elysium ink which is one of my favorite inks.

Brian Goulet has his office walls painted in the same color. I prefer the 3 ounce bottle. This is my first gold nib and I am not disappointed. It is fabulous, smooth, juicy and a pleasure to write with.

Thanks for being there when I rediscovered fountain pens.

I bought this pen on Amazon quite a while before I even thought to look it up here, but I wish that I hadn’t bought it at all. I’ll start with the positives before I get to the negatives. The good: The pen is adorable, and the extra-fine nib is very, very fine, which is nice if your handwriting is super small or if you’re writing something super dense (like in a language such as Japanese or even very compact math equations).

I also like the transparency of the entire pen (I have this odd fondness of clear objects, so the pen immediately gets a 5/5 in terms of aesthetics). The triangular grip is nice, as well. The bad: The nib was kind of scratchy at first, but that’s to be expected with a brand-new pen, and it will smoothen out as you write with it more.

It’s also not ideal for cleaning, which I’ll get to below. The deal-breaker: If you are going to use a fountain pen and clean it out regularly, do not buy this pen. It simply doesn’t dry properly, regardless of dry time or method.

I thought that this was just my fault, but looking at images of other people’s Kakunos showed me that theirs didn’t dry completely, either. By this, I mean that there’s this small ring of water that remains at the top of the pen, right where the nib sits in the pen.

I’ve tried a hair-dryer (on the coolest setting, by the way, don’t melt your pen!), I’ve left it sitting in microfiber for over a week, I’ve even tried threading a tissue into it, but that ring of water still wouldn’t go away.

I could only find the root cause when I pulled out the nib and feed. The problem is that the hole where the nib and feed fit through that tube which connects to your cartridge/converter is too similar in diameter to the outer portion that you hold, so the water gets trapped inside.

tl,dr: It’s an adorable beginner pen, but you shouldn’t get it if you’re going to write with it regularly, because it won’t dry out.

These are great fountain pens! They write smoothly, and as consistently as you can expect of any fountain pen. These Extra Fine nibs do not like all inks, however; they will clog up frequently unless the ink is thin enough, and even then too, sometimes, but I think that may just be normal for fountain pens.

For example, J. Herbin Gris Nuage works very well in these nibs, as well as all the Pilot inks that I’ve tried (Pilot Namiki Black, Green, and Purple. ) But overall, these are quite worth the cost, as I have yet to find any other nib this narrow.

I buy these a lot more frequently than I probably should so that I can have a pen for each color of the rainbow. My only complaint about this particular product (aside from the occasional clogging) is the available color (white) of the pen body in this size, and also cap color.

I have noticed that there is much more variety of pen body and cap color in the Fine nib size, than that of the Extra Fine nib size. So, to get all the cap colors I want, and have all my pen bodies match, I have to buy a bunch of Fine nib pens that I am going to swap out the nibs for the Extra Fine nibs I already have.

It might be a personal quirk, but I’m a stickler for aesthetics; things need to match, so I end up buying a lot more than I need. Perhaps that was intended.

As someone who has been picky about pens for years (partially a byproduct of being left-handed), I recently decided to try making a hobby out of working on my penmanship, and trying different writing styles and utensils.

I always wanted to try fountain pens but was aware that the mechanics of writing with a nib don’t always work for lefties. After a lot of research (including the JetPens guides- very helpful!) I decided to give the Kakuno a shot.

And I’m definitely impressed. As a fountain pen newbie, I find that the triangular grip helps keep my fingers in the right position (with other pens and pencils, I tend to shift my grip as I write). Even though I write with a fairly light hand as a rule, it takes practically no pressure at all to get the pen to lay down a line.

I did buy a Rhodia pad, to make sure I had good paper to practice on, and the nib all but glides across the page. As long as I maintain the right grip and keep my hand moving so that the angle of the nib stays consistent, I don’t have any problems with skipping.

Some may find the nib scratchy if they’re used to the smoothness of a ballpoint or gel pen, but I actually like that little bit of tactile feedback. The line weight is somewhere between a. 5mm and. 7mm gel pen, which suits me just fine.

Although I may eventually go pick up a higher quality fountain pen, the Kakuno is an excellent pen for its price. I plan to stick with it until my cursive looks less like a 4th grader’s and more like something deserving of a nicer pen.

I’ve had my brand-new stainless steel Lamy 2000 with a fine nib for 19-days. Allow me to highlight what I love, and also share the solitary dislike. I love the simplicity and yet elegance of the design.

I love the look and color of the brushed stainless steel. I love the heft of the pen. This is not some castaway; it’s a real tool and feels like it. It’s got “presence. ” I confess that I’m not terribly fond of piston filler pens.

I have a hard time filling piston filler pens out of sample vials. (I love the color selection of available fountain pen inks and like to change inks fairly frequently, choosing from among dozens of sample vials I have on-hand.

) Not so with this brand-new Lamy 2000! For the first time, I have a piston filler fountain pen that can suck up ink from the very bottom of a small 2-to-3 ML sample vial. It’s liberating!! I love that this is the easiest piston filler pen to re-ink that I own! I love the piston filler knob.

It works flawlessly and smoothly–like the real tool that it is. Yet, if you weren’t looking for it, you can’t even see the filler knob and wouldn’t even know how to fill it. Even with stainless steel the seam for the knob is virtually invisible.

I love the polished look and flexibility of the spring-loaded pocket clip. It fits easily and snugly in my shirt pocket. While I think it’s appearance is perfect, I really wouldn’t mind having the Lamy name engraved on this shiny clip instead of on the cap.

I love the feel of capping and uncapping this pen. It doesn’t really produce a clicking sound, but, rather, you feel it make a smooth secure locking-in-place sort of feeling. Furthermore, the cap posts securely on the back end.

The writing experience? Like writing on silk! Truly remarkable and smooth! No skipping, no ink flow problems, no scratching. Truly flawless. It worked flawlessly right out of the box, and I haven’t done anything at all to the nib, except write with it.

Not only is the writing experience buttery smooth, but I am so grateful at not experiencing pain in the callous on my writing finger, even after three-hour writing sessions. Usually this callous is sore or indented from threads or ridges on my other pens–any other pen.

I experienced no pain at my callous with this pen. Not only is the nib smooth and flawless, but the pen barrel itself feels completely the same, like a perfect symbiosis of both form and function. So what is my solitary dislike? The weight.

But even this is a love-hate issue for me. On the one hand, I love the heft and feel of this pen, but on the other, the weight sometimes causes it to slip from my hand, so-to-speak, because there’s almost nothing to hold on to.

I say “almost” because I discovered that not only did those little side nibs (the nibs that work to secure the cap) not prove to be annoying to me, but I found them to almost be essential for me to maintain the pen and its rotation in my hand, especially after a couple hours of writing.

These nibs didn’t bother my writing callous, but I often used my thumb on one of these nibs to hold it in place in my hand. Would I purchase the pen again, if I had the opportunity? Yes, without question.

In fact, I want another, and I need to see if it comes with a stub nib.

Stainless steel, fine nib. I came from a pen with a medium nib, thinking that this would be less wet. Not so much. I am new to fountain pens, but this is certainly a “wet” writer, using Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki.

It has a very smooth feel on paper and doesn’t skip or anything like that. It is beautiful to look at and has a nice solid feel, but it is a bit slick in the hand. I tend to write with the cap not posted as it is so heavy.

The flip side of that is I don’t have to apply much pressure at all to write. The pen supplies that by itself. Bottled ink only, that may put off new people. I have had a couple of cheap pens with converters that were kind of dodgy, but the LAMY is not like that at all.

The filling mechanism is quite nice. I believe that the “Makrolon” version has a window into the ink supply. The stainless steel version does not. You’ll have to learn how long you ink lasts by experience.

I write on 80gsm office paper and this will “feather” for me, so no writing small. I have to write fairly large and quick.

I ordered the steel (not Makrolon) Lamy 2000 with an M nib. It wrote beautifully, the best pen I’ve ever used as far as writing performance is concerned. Smooth as silk. Ergonomically however, the pen didn’t work for me at all, so bad I was forced to return it and take a 10% hit (restocking fee).

This pen is heavy, thick, and featureless, with a slick teflon-like finish. If I relax my grip even a little, the pen will slip through my fingers, so I was constantly vigilant to keep a tight hold on it lest I drop it.

This of course tired my hand out pretty quickly – not the $300+ experience I was hoping for. I haven’t tried the Makrolon version but I suspect I would have kept it if I had. It’s half the weight, and half the cost, of the steel version.

So if you’re considering a Lamy 2000 in stainless steel, I strongly encourage you to try one in person first, if you can. It’s a beautiful writer but I think most people would do better with the Makrolon version, and save $160 to boot.

I love these pens! I have multiple, and anytime I think about introducing someone to fountain pens, which I hope to do more of, I think of this pen. It is an incredible value. When I use it, I don’t feel like I am missing anything (OK, except for the possibility of a broad nib sometimes).

I feel like this is a pen you could easily hand to anyone to show them what is so exciting about fountain pens, and to show them they don’t have to spend a lot of money to try them. Yes, there are much fancier pens, but are you going to get someone hooked by showing off your most expensive pen? Not anyone I know! (Full disclosure, I also don’t own any fancy pens, but I do have a collection of “starter” pens more expensive than this, and this is still the one.

) Besides the way it writes, it’s a great pen to begin with because it’s grip diameter is big enough, without being a BIG grip. It is a happy medium. I learned that I do not like guides, or triangle grips, but I find the hexagonal shape of the Kakuno really comfortable.

It disappears for me like a round pen. It is also a very light pen, so those coming over from ballpoints won’t wear out fast. I can only think of a couple of cons with this pen. One, if you want to refill this pen from something other than another cartridge, then unless you want to reuse the cartridge it comes with (C’mon, try the Goulet syringes, they are mad useful), you will need to buy a converter which doesn’t hold much ink (Con-40), or is priced almost as much as the pen itself (Con-70).

This is valid. But I do not care! The tiny converter is great for trying new inks all the time, which I do. I have also really enjoyed refilling cartridges when I find an ink I particularly love. Another con for some might be the looks of the pen.

I admit I am a person who will fall in love with the looks of anything that I enjoy using. It might not be love at first sight, but it is strong. That being said, I really like the demonstrator for this pen specifically, so I will probably keep buying those over the other colors, even if they take me a minute more to clean.

I also know people who are not so enamored with the smiley face nibs, but they just ignore them. If you are thinking about buying this pen, go for it! It is more than you would expect.

I bought this for my wife as her first fountain pen along with some pilot varsity. She was not so sure that she would like fountain pens, but I see her writing with it every night now and she exclaimed: “I like this pen”.

I will buy her one for work as well. I don’t think that she would enjoy filling it with bottled ink so I’ll be grabbing some pilot refills. I tested it myself and it is very very smooth. What a great first pen! I also wonder if they would be good for filling with different colors? I love Pilot almost as much as Platinum as an artist, but this is equally a good writing pen.

It slides smoothly (not too smoothly) over the Maruman notebook that I picked up.

Just ADORE this pen! I always prefer a fine tip point, not saying my other purchases of pens with the fine tips, but this is pen. wonderful! Smooth flow and glides across the paper, I write practically, script and print, every morning.

Nice connection, hold of the pen, also appreciate the smiling face 🙂 However as a kind request, not to create more waste than necessary, I appreciate the care taken in packing my pen, but kindly omit the lollipops or candy, I do not eat either and there’s no one I can offer.

I do not like wasting. Thank you for understanding.

I really surprised myself with this purchase. Typically I’m only drawn to traditional types of pens, nibs that aren’t retractable, and COLOR. So choosing a white, sleek, modern pen with a retractable nib was very out of character.

I love the pen! It’s beautiful, balanced, and fun to use. And it’s a pleasure to write with: super smooth Fine nib, fairly wet. One danger point in owning this pen: EVERYONE wants to try the pen. I’ve used it in meetings at work, and seriously, EVERYONE asks about it.

It’s like a little magic show demoing to people how turning the barrel causes the nib to extend and retract. 🙂 The only issue I’ve noticed is that if I don’t use it for a few days, I’ll find a tiny bit of ink gunk on the nib.

It’s not a problem — I just gently wipe it off with a tissue and I’m good to go. Also, it might just be the ink (currently, Diamine Ancient Copper). Highly recommended!.

Pelikan M400 F-nib Excellent Pen Black and Green. Writing with this pen is smooth and consistent. There is no interruption in the line and changes in the thickness of the line. Depend on the ink, the pen can be more or less watery, but it is the ink not the pen.

I also own Pelikan M600 F-nib, which has slightly stiffer nib than M400, but M600 is bigger pen, not for every day prolonged writing. M 400 is ideal size, balanced and light weight pen. I love both pens, Pelikan M400 and M600.

I have been wanting to get a really good fountain pen for years. Finally overcame my frugality and splurged on the Pelikan M800 green/black with medium nib. It arrived today and looks fantastic, like some art deco icon from the 1930’s when fountain pens ruled.

It writes as smoothly as I was hoping it would. I am totally happy with this purchase.

My first Pelikan pen and in love. Writes beautifully and feels solidly built. The piston ink filler works every time and every detail is a gorgeous one. The extra fine nib is more medium in comparison to the Japanese nibs but I anticipated it and so I use a drier ink and can get a fine line.

The reason I needed to buy this replacement nib is because my pen slipped out of the cap and the pen fell on the floor. It didn’t just fall though it dropped straight down and stuck nib first in the floor, standing straight up.

Very lethal looking projectile. I think this pen really wants to be a short range weapon system. Kaweco should consider this as a side hustle. Just scale up the device, add something that goes ‘bang!’ in the barrel of the pen and ‘Voila!!’ you’re a weapons contractor! It’s as easy as that.

I suspect that this is likely antithetical to a company who makes fountain pens but I just wanted to throw this out there. As far as the steel nib goes, it works exactly as I wanted. Nice fine line, perfect feed for the way I write, easy enough to install and I actually prefer a steel nib so it is just what I hoped for.

I replaced my Kaweco Sport #2 (M) nib with this super fun #2 (B) nib. It’s made my tiny pocket pen write like a much bigger beast! As always with Kaweco’s nibs, it rights gorgeously and smooth with limited feedback.

I would award this with 5 stars. However, I’ve made a deduction due to the finickiness of switching out nibs in Kaweco’s resin pens in their Sport collection. Unlike their metal cousins, which are simple to change and replace, it’s pretty easy to damage the the ink feed when you’re switching out with resin models.

Take your time if you’re changing your nibs with these models. It’s worth being extra careful.

I ordered an EF size to replace one I bent, and also an F size to try out with my Steel Sport pen. The EF worked as advertised, but I could not get any flow out of the F nib. I was using Kaweco cartridges, guess I just got a bad unit.

Cheap enough that it was not worth the return shipping, but disappointing that the F didn’t work for me.

The pen did not disappoint. Very, very nice pen.

Feels, looks and writes great

Love this pen.

A gold nib is a statement. It is a luxury purchase. It isn’t something you need, but something you want. Mine is an EF nib, and it graces my Rose Gold LX. The nib writes as described by others. It is easy to use, glides over the paper with just a bit of feedback, and feels like my other steel Lamy nibs.

I’m currently using Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-ryoku Forest Green ink. The nib looks gorgeous with the pen. Understated, it complements the design and beauty of the LX. This is how an LX should look and write.

I was a teeny bit hesitant to pay 100 clams for a non to put on a pen that only costs about $25. 00. My Safari writes great as it is, but I must say how pleasantly surprised I was when I first used it.

The switch, of course, is simple. From the moment I put pen to paper I realized the smoothness of the nib was at least the equal of any of my more expensive gold nib pens. Beautiful flow that glides effortlessly across the paper.

It was ********! I have no doubt that this was an excellent investment.

I love the lamy gold nib! I put it on my Studio and it has become my perfect pen. I enjoy writing with it. It’s smooth and ever so slight bounce. I have a lot of fountain pens and it’s the only one I want to write with! I’m definitely getting more lamy gold nibs for some of my other lamy pens.

It’s so nice how interchangeable they are. It’s become my favorite brand. And The goulet experience is always the best.