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GaleForce
407
Sep 28, 2017
I just recently broke my habit of writing notes down in txt files and using notebooks/stenopads (and other pads around that size). Grabbed a Pilot Metropolitan in a quest for a comfortable and smooth writing pen and I'm really loving it. So much so that I started looking into other fountain pens and I was checking this one out on Amazon the other night. That said, for someone like me who has a Pilot Metropolitan, is it worth getting this as well? Some say until you're ready to spend $75+, you're not going to outclass the Metropolitan. But if there are benefits to this particular fountain pen over the Pilot, I'd be interested.
MC_Freelancer
27
Sep 28, 2017
GaleForceGaleForce, Welcome to the Hobby! I would provide the following comments regarding my experience in the world of fountain pens. Having started with Pilot Metropolitans like you and passing through the various Lamy, Pilot, Platinum, and TWSBI products there can be vast differences in pen quality and performance. In general however, I have found Lamy products to be very reliable and like many would rate my Lamy 2000's as a pen that if you are only going to own a few for a lifetime as one to select. That said, I would strongly advocate for the TWSBI Eco as a next choice pen. It has tremendous ink capacity, does not loose ink through evaporation, and has a very smooth nib.
Directly related to your question on Lamy, I would rate the pens as having a similar writing experience to the Pilot you own now, with the primary differences being grip, plastic vs. metal construction, and perhaps easier bottle filling - Pilot previously came with a squeeze converter, new Con-40 may hold slightly less ink than Lamy. I personally found that the black nibs have a bit of feedback like a pencil compared to that of the plain steel nibs, but somewhat paper and ink dependent. Overall both pens have their pluses and minuses. I have had issues with Lamy Turquoise in a Lamy Vista (clear Safari) as far as poor flow, but I have also experienced both leaky and dry Metropolitans.
Hope this helps a little bit!
MC_Freelancer
27
Sep 28, 2017
MC_FreelancerOh, forgot to mention the biggest selling point. If you wish to experiment with different nib types then the Lamy is well worth the purchase. It is easy to swap the included nib to anything from a Fine to large stub nibs, or even some unique oblique italics now. Pilot nibs can be swapped, but you have to purchase other pens as a nib source.
GaleForce
407
Sep 28, 2017
MC_FreelancerWow thanks for all the information, pretty much exactly what I wanted to know. The ironic thing for me is that I've really enjoyed writing since I started using regular notes again, but my handwriting is absolutely terrible and I really don't see that ever improving much.
I know a lot of the hobby is opinion based, or rather subjective opinion plays a large role, but still it's hard to find a guide for beginners that attempts to stay objective. I'd almost say the fountain pen community is more opinionated than the mechanical keyboard community, and that's certainly saying something, haha. Anyway though, I do love how smooth the Metro writes. I bought a ton of different kinds of ballpoint/rollerball pens once I started using notebooks for work rather than notepad.txt files. My main goal was to capture the smoothness of a classic Bic pen (IMO nothing writes as smooth and effortlessly) with consistent, precise ink that dried fast, didn't smudge, didn't bleed through paper, and didn't have that Bic ink smell to it. I don't mind the smell so much, but I can definitely see why people tend away from that kind of ink for higher-end pens that output more of it - it can get overwhelming. You probably read that and thought "yeah, you and everybody else" as far as finding the perfect pen.
The Metro is incredibly smooth, the closest thing I've found so far, and as far as the stock ink setup I don't mind the cartridges at all. Of course the bottles seem really nice and I've got to say there's something romantic about using them, but the cartridges come in a bunch of colors, last a reasonable amount of time (a pack of 12 is inexpensive enough that it's a fair balance), and barely ever skip or dry up on me. The only times I notice missing a line or something is if I hold the nib at a weird angle, something I'm still training myself to make sure I don't do. I am also really surprised by how fast the ink dries, it kind of defies what would have even been 25% of my gut feeling as far as time to dry. Plus you can't beat the convenience of a cartridge.
So my point is right now I am more in a utility phase with the hobby, but I'm not so naive that I'm going to say I can't see it descending into chaos like with my hobby and interests in mechanical keyboards, electronics, and the like. A pen that lasts a lifetime? Yeah that sounds great, but I'll lose it until I get more used to holding onto my pens more carefully. I'm just trying to progress towards an even better writing experience; aesthetics are not nearly the most important thing, but definitely impact my decision a bit. I'm definitely going to check out that TWSBI you recommended since it sounds like you have a pragmatic approach to it like I do (or started that way, anyway). I love the Metro to have it open the door to fountain pens, but I'm going to take a step into the hobby rather than start buying up all the beautiful collectible pens first, if that makes sense.
Thanks again for the info. If you don't mind me picking your brain a little bit more, what brand of paper/pads do you like using?
Xyverz
619
Sep 28, 2017
GaleForceYour handwriting will improve with practice.
GaleForce
407
Sep 28, 2017
XyverzYeah, of course, but keep in mind I'm not practicing my handwriting I'm just reinforcing bad habits. While great handwriting would be great, I'm not really putting any effort into achieving that. I'm not trying to make a modern art piece in the form of a bullet journal so I can post on Reddit how nice my handwriting looks, haha.
MC_Freelancer
27
Sep 28, 2017
GaleForceFirst, thanks for your response - I don't type comments on Massdrop often, so happy to be of assistance.
Second, I would agree with Xyverz that the more you write with a Fountain pen your hand writing will improve. The biggest change will be learning that you do not need to apply much if any pressure when writing compared to the use of ballpoints primarily.
I have purchased more pens than I would probably like to admit to, but it has been a very useful learning experience. In general, I have a solid rule for fountain pens for me which has limited the purchases of expensive models - what is expensive varies in opinion - please see current Lamy Imporium and Pelikan drops - honestly pens I would never consider owning. Like you stated small expensive items can be easily lost, and for me anything that costs the same as a tablet or laptop which hopefully only need replacement every 5 or more years is a challenge.
In general I only travel with pens costing less than $15 to $20. Cartridges are much easier to handle if you are travelling. I tend to use bottled ink and converters or frequently refilling cartridges, due to cost and dislike of the waste associated.
That being said, Pilot inks in cartridges have almost always been well behaved for me, do have a good variety of color, seem to be of more durable construction than the standard international style and have good flow properties due to wide opening. I have yet to see any that have lost ink due to evaporation during storage (I am looking at you Sheaffer). I would state that Lamy cartridges are largely comparable, with one benefit of other manufacturers also offering compatible choices, see Monteverde, et. al. I have had good luck with Lamy blue and black inks in most of my pens if you decide to get into bottled ink.
In regards to paper, I am not going to be of much assistance. I have never purchased Rhodia pads, Lechturn, etc. that are often discussed on the internet. There are lots of reviews online which can be of assistance. I mostly use paper available in the office or stock up on spiral notebooks during the pre-school sales. The best loose leaf I have encountered at an agreeable to me price has been the Staples brand and when possible I purchase the Tops spiral notebooks as both have thick enough paper to prevent bleed when used with office appropriate ink colors. I have had some success with store brands, but you have to try them and may vary year to year. I would stay away from the Mead brand spiral notebooks and Office Depot loose leaf as they tend to experience bleed through.
One further note, I am not affiliated with any retailer, etc. but I did notice that ipenstore has the Pilot Metropolitan on sale for about $10 if you want to expand your collection.