Fountain Pens

I've recently moved to Bamberg, Germany and purchased a few more fountain pens. I thought I'd document the fountain pens I own, based on brand. I have ink converters for each brand so that I can use a variety of inks. I use ink cartridges when I'm travelling because of the convenience of not needing to bring a bottle of ink. 

Waterman

This is a French company with some American history.

Charleston

I bought this in 2010 from Whitcoulls in Auckland, New Zealand. I have the ebony black fountain pen with gold trimmings and medium nib. It writes very smoothly, although the nib is quite small so it looks out of proportion with the cigar shaped barrel. Sometimes the cap comes loose during writing when it is posted on the barrel. The cap screws on, which helps to prevent ink from leaking out into your bag or pocket. I was able to get a 15% discount off the 350NZD price because I was a student.

Hémisphère

I bought this in 2012 from Longchamp in Paris, France. I have the matt black fountain pen with chrome trimmings and medium nib. It writes smoothly, even after accidentally dropping it twice on carpeted floor from waist height with the nib pointing down. It runs a bit too wet because of my accidental drops, but it is still smooth. The barrel still has its matt look even after a lot of use and posting the cap. I got this for about 76EUR.

Kultur

I bought this in 2012 from a local supermarket store in Grenoble, France. I have the clear and colourless demonstrator fountain pen with a fine nib. For a 12EUR fountain pen, it writes okay without been too scratchy. This is a good pen to use in all conditions and when you don't care about damaging it. It's probably the only pen that I will let others use without feeling possessive. I quite like the clip because it is spring-loaded, which means you're less likely to "over bend" the clip on thick sheets of paper or clothing.

Lamy

This is a German company that makes fountain pens for students and corporate people.

AL-star

I bought this in 2015 from Müller in Bamberg, Germany. I got the copper-orange (2015 special edition) fountain pen with medium nib. It has an aluminium body and writes quite well but the smooth spot on the nib is quite small. The nib dries out quite quickly when uncapped. The entire design is quite industrial looking, but I have to see how well the anodised copper colour will hold up to wear and tear. I got this for about 20EUR.

Logo

I bought this in 2010 from Whitcoulls in Auckland, New Zealand. I got the brushed fountain pen with a medium nib. The nib is very scratchy and should be sent away and smoothed out. The brushed finish on the slender barrel makes the pen very slippery and hard to write with. I got this with a 35% discount for about 27NZD.

Faber-Castell

This is a Germany company that makes art supplies.

Loom

I bought this in 2015 from Metzner in Bamberg, Germany. I got the metallic blue fountain pen with fine nib. This is quite a heavy pen but the barrel has a very nice feel and grip. The clip is spring-loaded but sometimes makes a squeaking noise when it opens. The pen writes quite smoothly for a fine nib. I do like the design on the nib.

Monte Verde

This is an American company.

Artista Crystal

I bought this in 2012 from Gibert Joseph in Grenoble, France. I got the clear and colourless fountain pen with a medium nib. It writes fairly smoothly but it is quite wet. The metal grip section is quite slippery and this makes it difficult to write with. The barrel attracts quite a bit of fingerprints and makes it look dirty. The cap screws on, which helps to prevent ink from leaking into your bag or pocket. I got this for about 40EUR.

ONLINE

This is a Germany company that focusses on making fountain pens for children and students, but has a few styles for corporate people.

Vision Fresh

I bought this in 2015 from Müller in Bamberg, Germany. I got the juicy green fountain pen with medium nib. It writes very smoothly but it is quite broad and wet. The cap has a solid click when you close the pen. It has a spring-loaded clip, although the clip does curve out quite a bit from the cap. The cap is lined with plastic to protect the end of the barrel when you post the cap. The cap posts quite securely on the barrel.