Lanier E420 Marbled Fountain Pen Discussions | Drop

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Lanier E420 Marbled Fountain Pen

FULL DISCUSSION

RayF

22218

Apr 6, 2018

A fountain pen that DOES NOT POST is not only a deal breaker, it's a design flaw--it's means the manufacturer cut corners to build something quick and cheap, rather than craft a quality pen from concept to finished product . I own hundred or so fountain pens ranging from the 1920s all the way up to the present day, and there isn't one in the bunch that wasn't designed to post.
All fountain pens need a cap; it protects the nib from damage, the ink from drying up, and allows you to carry it without getting ink allover your clothing, but the other function is to provide the proper pen length and weight for a balanced feel while writing. The cap does that when it's placed on the opposite end of the pen--when it's posted! Sadly, this isn't the first time MD has offered a fountain pen that wouldn't post (I inadvertently bought one and returned it for that reason). Numerous complaints followed from other purchasers afterwards but I guess MD didn't take the hint.
Here's another point about pen design and the manufacturing process: note the Section on these pens (the narrow black portion that holds the nib); its' black plastic as opposed to the same material as the barrel, and thinner than the rest of the pen--it's created that way to allow the manufacturer to design one generic section that can be screwed on to any number of equally generic barrels. This Tinker-Toy method of building pens saves the manufacture a lot of time and money. What does that mean for you? Well it means you get pens that won't post, that's for sure, but it also means you get a pen that will have a sub par balance and feel in the hand as you write.
So, do you need to spend a bundle to get a fountain pen that was conceived and designed to function as an integral unit? Nope--I own several cheap pens and they are arguably just as nice, just as functional, and most importantly, just as pleasurable to use as the expensive ones. Amazon is full of inexpensive Chinese and Japanese pens (under $10) that are far superior to this $27 pen. If this is your first fountain pen, I'd check there first. If you've been using fountain pens for a while, well, you already knew all this!

Apr 6, 2018

AdamGH

Apr 6, 2018

RayFthis is one of the most sophisticated reply I have ever seen in MD. Cheers Ray F, you should start your own pen reviews blogs, I am sure I will be a subscriber.

Apr 6, 2018