There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
The TWSBI are getting a buzz now. Not sure why. Everyone of them I have purchased (I own six) blob on refill, and quite often frequently on use. Not good when you are writing a lot.
The Lamy Safari feels cheap. The nib is good, but the body is uncomfortable. Try it before you buy it.
The Pilot Metro seems to be nib challenged. It is like writing with a pin (I have fine and writes like an ultra fine) and is not representative of the Pilot line (I have a pair of Vanishing Points and one other and they are beautiful nibs. Not so the Metro).
The FC Carbon was a real let down. Of course, I also have a pair of GF-Cs, so after writing with them, and then using the Carbon, I guess I should not be as disappointed as I was, but I was, and mentioned it to the GFC rep when I met them in DC.
What do I like? To start, a brass barrel. I use my pens so much that if they don't have a brass barrel they just will not survive. If you want to stay under $100, look at the Knox pen at Birmingham Pens. $25, German nib (similar to the Levenger nib) and flawless writing. I give these pens away to people that say "Oh, I have always wanted to try..." I have three or four inked up at any one time. That is a good testament to their stamina. And they don't tend to dry out when not in use, so a good seal as well. If you like a fatter body, the Bulow X750 is a medium nib and thicker body.
I have several L-Tech and metal TrueWriters from Levengers. They also have a German nib and are solid writers. I picked mine up when they were below $100. I see the L-Tech is above $100 now, but not so high as to be out of reach ($109).
I prefer the Lamy studio line to the Safari. It is a bit more, but again a metal body. The nib is replaceable for a 14K, but even the stock steel nib is a solid writer.
As with any pen, try before you buy if you can.