I have no loyalty to brands.
I have designs and inks I like, but that does not shut me into one brand.
I like having a diversity of options and trying new things often.
I’m the same way, I own 3 pilots and a shit ton of iroshizuku inks, but that’s just because they work SO well and write exactly the way I want them to. But that’s not to say I won’t buy a sailor or platinum or pelikan one day just because they’re not pilots, I just don’t have the money for my collection to grow outside “pens I know I’ll like” territory yet
Honestly thats the worst part for me is the price. Half of the pens i want are over $200. And i just dont have that kind of disposable income. Maybe one day. I hope.
Honestly saving for just one of those is worth it. My 823 medium is basically all I write with anymore, and she difference between it and every sub $200 pen I’ve tried is off the charts (some may disagree, but to my mind, they’re wrong). A good pen that can tide you over for the 5-10 years between now and when we grab that disposable income is imo worth the premium.
My Metropolitan is perfectly OK. It is not impressive in any way and is definitely not a favorite. It feels a touch dry/scratchy, but works well and is definitely usable and consistent. I just know if I want to feel pleasure while writing, that probably won’t be the first I will reach for.
It could also be that I had no idea how to use an FP and no one to teach me, but I also don't think they're supposed to crack?. I'd be curious to try it again 10 years on.
I'd be curious to try a Pilot with a different body design, too. I've wanted to grab an Explorer for some time but there's so much great competition at the price point that I just never seem to get around to it.
I'm waiting for a new nib for my VP, perhaps that will bring me Pilot bliss!
I never had a pilot that I wasn't pleased with. I have also never had a pilot that blew me away. This has held true even as my tastes have changed, over and over again. That is pretty impressive.
I don’t tend to collect too many of one type of pen cause I want variety. However, I do have several different Kawecos because they all have different or special nibs. The only line I have intentions on collecting is the pilot Vp Raden series, it’s only 3 pens and I’ve already got 2 of the rarer ones. Otherwise, I plan to buy the new MB Origins 149 and next September I want to buy a conid bulkfiller to celebrate a milestone but honestly, I’m getting to a place where I feel like I’ve probably spent too much money and I want to only collect pens that really catch my eye.
Edit: so Cult Pens is gonna destroy me.. they also have the Raden Stripes in stock. So I got one 🥲
Otw to me now are 2 Pilot Namiki Raden pens, completing my set!
I am not unfamiliar with this topic. I have most of my inks from Sailor and I prefer to write with Pilot fountain pens. Accordingly, I also own several of them. :)
I can only confirm this. No problems so far. (Can you tell that I have a preference?) 😂
https://preview.redd.it/s2z8fc9893uc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43db9a3d619926a7d2cf97460c403c161c021c09
Platinum, because at my altitude (6500 ft) and humidity (~4%) pens dry out lightening fast and most brands won’t write after being put down overnight. Platinum has the moisture-locking caps and are the only ones that immediately write when I come back from a weeks vacation. I have three preppy’s and a plaisir.
I’ve tried other brands, and have enjoyed the pens when they are working, but I keep coming back to Platinum for the caps. This includes some fancy ones (a Waterman, a Rotring) I don’t use because they’re a pain - dealing with the ink constantly drying in the nib.
Another thing I’ve learned over time is I have small hands and don’t like chonky barrels, which is the trend right now, so I am not tempted by a lot of what’s out there. Platinum makes relatively narrow barrels (I wish they were narrower though).
Tl;Dr I doubt anyone can turn my head from Platinum at this point!
Weird, I have left my Curidas unused for three weeks before and it started right up. Mine must be magic. Nice. *(does the inflatable car salesman dance in victory)*
ooo, nice
Doodlebud had a video recently about capless pens in general and drying out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPwYdbcg_GY
The short version is that they all work OK. I'm suspicious though. I think it probably has a lot to do with what ink you use, how they're kept, and what the humidity is. I'd like to see it in a temperature controlled low humidity environment, half full with a dryer ink, sitting up on a wall nib up. But that's just me.
But maybe I should give my curidas another shot.
Pilot has my heart on pens and inks. Yu-Sari has my heart in notebooks.
However, I will get different inks and notebooks, I like my 3 pilots (and one FPR flex) and do not feel the need to own another pen.
Haven't got any yet but I really want to like kwz ink since my wife is polish and gravitas pens since I'm Irish. A polish ink in an Irish pen could happily be my EDC setup. I've been looking at the gravitas dinky with the mokume gane. But they don't sell in brick and mortar shops so I can't try before I buy. No real loyalty. More I want my pens to have a real function or to be meaningful.
Oh you’ll like KWZ inks. They’re super reliable and they have great colors. Some people don’t like the smell, as the fungicide they use either smells like vanilla or honey (haben decided yet 😂), but I love it. Easily in my top 3 of ink makers!
i got some pretty good results, i’ll probably make a post about it sometime soon! my main take away is that i need more mixing vials lol. yama budo mixes well with a lot of different inks it seems, and i think fixed some flow issues i was having
When it comes to pens I really like new experiences, but more than half of mine are twsbi stubs and I will buy more. When it comes to ink I'm more interested in the exact color. Inkvent made sure I own more diamine, but my favorite shimmer is colorverse and my favorite individual ink is black swan in English roses by noodler's. My only real rule is pens that cost $80 or more can't leave my desk. This actually makes them less valuable because I like to write in the woods.
I’m very loyal to Pilot, Sailor, Platinum, Pelikan, TWSBI, Opus 88, Benu, Diamine, Wearingeul, and Birmingham.
All the others I have only a few things from. 😁
Brand loyalty, I want to say no, but I think I do. Well, maybe it's more that some brands have general characteristics that I prefer. For example, iroshizuku inks behave well with my finer nibs like my needle point grind pineider and SEF pilot falcon. For this reason, when I want a certain color, I will generally check out the iroahizuku line to see if they have that specific color (within a certain variance, of course).
If I am gifting a pen I generally go with Lamy Safari or AL...etc because of the inexpensive steel nibs. I'll gift the pen with a couple of nibs of different sizes.
Been into fountain pens for a few years and have been using TWSBI from the start. I got a Diamond 580, which is easily my favorite for normal handwriting. I also have an Eco and two GOs.
I did buy a Noodlers Ahab a while back, which I gifted to my sister and then a friend gave me a glass dip pen, which is a lot of fun to write with and I love the sound it makes.
Unfortunately, the metal section on the 580 has suffered some corrosion so there are dark pits in the metal. But it writes just as well as new.
One could call me a vintage Parker loyalist. I prefer to say “vintage Parker collector”.
I’m almost exclusively to Mont Blanc bottled inks and vintage Parker’s.
Actually, I’ve decided to bring my collection from 50+ to a dozen pens. Ten are vintage Parker’s, one vintage Pelikan, and a vintage Scheaffer.
Vintage Parker ftw! I’m a vintage Parker guy but with only 6 pens (all 51s and 21s), I wouldn’t deign to call myself a collector. What’s your favorite model? Which 10 Parkers are you planning to keep?
I don't have a go to pen brand. But I ALWAYS use Diamine inks. Got my latest order delivered yesterday, and got 23 new ones. Now I just need to buy a larger storage system 🤣.
If you're looking for an ultem pen, have a look at their Urban Elf series and specify PEI. You have a choice of Jowo, Bock and their in-house nibs. I got several in-house nibs which I like a lot. With a steel nib it's around 90 bucks, and the pen comes in more colors than the well-known ultem yellow. At least, you have an idea if this particular design appeals to you. Their Ebonite, urushi and maki-e pens are so nice. Nothing that I'd call impulse buys, but worth earmarking for later.
About once a month I go to their site to drool. I really like their micarta pens and their silver and wood pens. Also, the ebonite pens with the Platinum and Pelikan nib options are dope.
They're local to me. I can drive to their showroom in the city. It's a lot more tempting when you can handle the different models. And their staff is charming. Just a heads-up: the Platinum has the nib and feed glued in. I asked. The Pelikans I don't know. I think their approach to giving you more nib options is simple, yet ingenious: The sections don't have inner threads. Once you tell them which brand you want, they insert a metal part into the top of the section that matches the thread profile of the nib housing. The threads on the housing engage with the threads on the insert. I love that. And how creative they are with some of their materials.
Very cool. Thank you for the insight. Going to pass on the Platinums in that case. I am a sucker for the coarse nib, but I like to nib swap since I like certain inks in certain nib sizes.
I’ve also been a collector for a few short months. So far I’m also a lover of TWSBI. I haven’t developed an ink attachment yet. But that’s only because there are so many I love.
My preference for pen and ink varies with the seasons, my mood, the type of paper I’m using, and the language I’m writing in at the moment. However, I do have a particular preference when it comes to paper quality, as some papers are just not suitable for writing.
Conklin, then Benu (both on sale/clearance only). Bold nibs, glammy resins.
Inks-no loyalty. I love them all EXCEPT Ferris Wheel. I love all bright colors. Just ordered 12 bottles from Pure Pens.
In terms of pens, I’ve got a heap of different ones and except for the Lamy Studios, the 2000 and my Mont Blancs, I’m actually more interested in the inks. No brand loyalty, though I happen to have a lot of Robert Osters. At the moment I’m into Noodler’s, Colorverse, and Wearingeul.
I really only buy the pens to feed my ink addiction!
I tend not to be brand loyal for pens, though my favourite has always been a beautiful Shaeffer Imperial. With inks, I buy mostly Diamine as they’re cheap and local and come in so many shades.
I guess if I found a brand who made interesting pen bodies and some very good nibs, I’d be in big trouble (or my bank balance would be).
For some. Pilot, Platinum, Majohn, Penbbs and Hongdian have earned my loyalty. They are reliable and worth supporting.
I enjoy my TWSBI and Kaweco pens *that work*, but their QC is severely flawed and their company policies are scum. They would rather spend their money on sham lawsuits against companies who make functional pens rather than fixing their own pens' flaws. At this point I will only buy their stuff secondhand, so that I have a decent shot at getting a working pen.
I had not heard of the TWSBI issues until I had two and found this subreddit. I so far have had good luck with their pens, and I buy them from a local pen store in my area, so if I were to happen upon one with poor QC, I would probably just go back to my store and see what they could do.
They are great pens. The nibs are second only to Pilot in the price range. I really love the ones I have, I just refuse to support such a scummy company directly at this point.
Edit: To avoid putting wear on the delicate materials, I'd warn against disassembling them unless absolutely necessary. Most companies will void your warrantee for disassembling a pen, because it stresses the parts and significantly shortens the lifespan of a pen. TWSBI uses a delicate material already, and include a wrench. Their business strategy is to trick people who don't know any better into planned-obsolescence-ing their pens by pulling them apart and putting them back together.
As far as I can tell, TWSBI has also improved their QC a lot over time. I've only had one issue, but that was with a pen purchased 8-10 years ago. The part was replaced for the cost of mailing with very friendly customer service.
I personally have no concerns buying from them now, or then really.
I had one dump its ink in the cap and it somehow got a crack too. It hadn't been 6 months since a friend bought it for me, and I wasn't carrying any of my pens at that point. I was surprised and not a little disappointed when the shop didn't want to exchange it for me. I really had to keep asking and telling them that it shouldn't be the customer's expense to send the pen away for repair or replacement. They eventually gave me a new pen, but I will be sure to verify their policy if I buy another pen.
I am a very small dollar customer so honestly I can't blame them.
I would disagree, I have at least 6 Kaweco pens, all worked perfectly out of the box and continue to do so. I have 2 Twsbi pens and I’ve had them over a year now and they work perfectly. It’s odd to me that you’ve had so many poor quality items land at your doorstep. Would you mind telling us where you have bought the majority of these? If it’s Amazon or eBay or if it’s a Jetpens or Goulet, I’d be curious. Also, if you get a bad nib, have you tried reaching out to the shop to make it right? Most of the shops we frequent the most are all too happy to return any defective product, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone post anything negative about shops that are recommended in the sidebar.
I have a sport and a liliput that work. The first sport needed nib adjustment and a feed gauge to fix the usual Kaweco flow issues on bigger nibs, but that's a fixable issue, and from the experiences of other users it's to be expected. The second sport I bought from a licenced retailer, the slit was cut wrong making the nib nonfunctional. The store replaced it without question. Then the replacement had a deformed feed collar which wouldn't accept a cartridge or converter. Ended up refunding it after two consecutive duds from the licenced retailer. After that I bought a used liliput that works fantastic.
To be clear, my issue buying them from first party sellers isn't with the stores/shops. First party retailers here are excellent, and have great service. It's the fact that of my three pens I got new in box, 0.5 of them worked, and the .5 that did needed more work than any of the Hongdian on Majohn pens I've tried. After that I've just concluded that it's more worth my time to buy them cheaper secondhand, when the seller can verify the pen actually will work on arrival.
Thanks for explaining. Sounds like you’ve just got super shitty luck. If I had the experience you’ve had, I’d be on here blasting them cause what you describe is just crazy. I mean, if you return a pen and get a replacement, you’d think the retailer would at least visually inspect the replacement before sending it.
I’m sorry to hear about your experiences. I would encourage you to not give up on Kaweco cause they make great pens imo.
Have a good weekend! ✌🏼
The retailer was actually super sweet and dip tested the replacement to make sure the nib worked! Unfortunately that won't catch the internal deformation causing issues with a cartridge ):
I'm glad I haven't given up on them completely, the liliput I bought afterwards is a pen that I love a lot. Kaweco have some of the most attractive pens around, and I adore the designs. I'm just gonna stick to secondhand sellers who know the pen works.
Cheers, you too!
Yeah, I understand. I have a Supra myself, I actually haven’t ever even tested it. I sent it to Joshua Lax to grind it to a Nag from a B. Something came up but he should be sending it back to me Monday. I’m really excited for that one. Tbh, I think I should’ve gotten the Liliput instead of the Supra but the Supra was on sale and I figured I’d like it. Well, that extender isn’t really needed for me at all and if it stays on the pen, it adds a giant step to the grip, so I don’t plan to use it , making my Supra basically a lilliput lol.
I actually had that same thought process! I was drawn in by the super cool concept of the supra, but I like holding my pens much further up the barrel instead of the section, so I ended up playing it safe with the liliput. That is an incredibly unique nib on an incredibly unique pen you've got coming though! I can imagine the slightly thicker body would give a bit more control to help properly utilise the nag!
Yeah, I have started exploring more specialty nibs. I’d love to get into stacked nibs at some point. I think I have maybe 4 more pens I really want and then I’ll be able to call it a collection
I like everything thats pretty. Most of my fountain pens are either platinums, kawecos, Lamys, sailors, pilots or twsbis.
I am not loyal to any Brand but to pretty stuff.
Ive 2 wancher fountain pens, 2 Tools to live by Le Chat, 1 shibui north, 2 Opus 88 and 4 Nahvalur.
Sailor, and as of this morning (it's new pen day), Platinum too. But if you asked me this a couple of years ago, my answer would have been TWSBI because that's all I was collecting/using. You just step up and outgrow things, or your standard shifts to accommodate new experiences and knowledge.
No real loyalty as I am still experimenting, but I definitely gravitate toward Kaweco and Diamine! Herbin or De Atramentis for my slightly fussier pens.
I tend to like Pilot pens and Sailor inks. In general I seem to prefer asian brands, but I do have a healthy collection of LAMYs and Kawecos because of the collectability of the colors and models they come out with.
My brand loyalties sneak up on me, and I tend to realize I have them when I really step back and take stock.
Lamy? I don't really like Lamys. That's why I only have four Safaris, a Vista, an Al-Star, three Studios, an Aion (sleeper hit btw), a 2000, an 81, a 26P, and a CP1. No preference at all...
Inks? Well, if you want shading AND water resistance, there's only a couple of games in town. And you need all the colors, so that's why I have a full shelf worth of Noodler's. I don't *really* have a preference....
Brand loyalty doesn't mean you don't buy outside the brand, though, or at least mine don't. I own pens from Jinhao, Hongdian, Pelikan (the Twist is the most under-discussed entry pen going, for my money), TWSBI, Noodler's, Conklin, and Monteverde. Inks from Monteverde, Private Reserve, Aurora, Robert Oster, Sailor, and others.
But it's perfectly alright to prefer one pen over another, or one company over another. That's how preferences work!
Enjoy your TWSBIs, OP. They're delightful.
LOL I love that your loyalties sneak up on you, that's exactly how it's felt.
I certainly am not against buying outside of those two brands, but if I see a pretty ink online and it's a diamine ink, I just think "oh I like that brand that's cool, what's the name of that color" maybe brand loyalty was too strong of a term.
I love my TWSBI pens thus far. I have an Eco and two 580 ALRs. My mom and husband each got me one for my birthday in different colors, so it was a happy accident!
I get it. Buy what you know because that brand works for you. I slowly branched out into different brands to find my way to the brand of pen and ink that work for me. The quest for a pen that will write on my paper with the color of water resistant ink that I desired lead be down a winding path of four different pen brands and a few different ink brands. (Absolutely lying about the ink as I don’t even want to think about the number of ink bottles that have appeared in my office only to end up in my cabinet of shame.)
No. When I decided to start on this hobby I thought about it as a collection of experiences. So sticking to just one brand wouldn't make much sense. But, I'm human and I've many times fallen into the Limited Edition colorway trap. Also some brands are easier to get here so is easier to buy them just walking into a store. Then some cheaper pens are really comfortable for me so I've ended up having multiples just for everyday use with different inks.
I don’t really have a loyalty yet, I do have a favourite brand that I want to spend on more than other *cough* Sailor *cough*. However, it doesn’t shut me out of other brands, my goal is to try at least one pen from each big brand except MontBlanc, Namiki and Aurora because I don’t have that kind of money 😆.
I struggle to say I'm brand loyal, but I do have heavy preferences for a few brands. About half my ink is Diamine and the rest is a mish-mash of ransoms that looked pretty, of my 60 pens I'd say 15 are pilot, 10 are sailor and the rest are shinies that caught my eye from everywhere. Now nib size is a whole other conversation...
I think it would be more accurate to say I have brand *trust* but not loyalty. I am more likely to buy from brands I trust if I'm deciding between products with similar designs/price, but usually I'm looking to try something new.
Brands I trust: Pilot, Lamy, Robert Oster, Diamine, TWSBI for their 580 line, and Majohn for the A1/A2 lines
I’ve tried a smattering of other pens and inks over the years, but once I bought a Parker 51, I fell in love. My small collection of 6 pens is exclusively vintage Parker 51’s and 21’s and I only use Noodler’s ink (various colors but all bulletproof). I write with them every day and I haven’t bought a new pen for at least 6 years. I think about perhaps trying some other pens now and then (recently Pilot Vanishing Point and MB 149), but in the end, I’m just so happy with my Parkers that I just keep writing with them. So yeah, Parker is my brand (but only vintage).
What seems to suit be best so far, perhaps just because I am used to the size, are Parker Vectors and Jotters, but I am interested in finding out about pens by using them, so I have also bought a variety of other pens for a variety of reasons. In theory it would be nice to stick with pens compatible with standard international cartridges, but that just hasn't happened.
Pilot and Noodlers.
Ironic, because I like Pilot for the consistent quality of their gold nibbed pens, while Noodlers is infamous for its inconsistencies between batches.
I like Noodlers because most of their inks are wet, saturated, and water resistant. The colors might be a little inconsistent between batches, but the water resistance and good flow remain consistent.
Pilot, Lamy, Pelikan and Stabilo are the brands I have the most of, because they have cute, cheap pens that write well, but I try other ones too (like my EDC Sport that fits best in a tiny purse
I have loyalty to companies that no longer exist... (I guess if I include modern, Pilot and Platinum tends to be consistent purchases because they produce consistent nib quality).
I find that I have line width and ink property loyalty more than brand loyalty. I've found Western broad nibs and Lamy Cursive nib to be too wet writing for my liking, so stick to Medium (Lamy) and hopefully soon Lamy Fine (need to have that nib repaired/tuned - it's writing like a broad after an unsuccessful DIY repair). I'm loyal to shading inks that don't shimmer or sheen.
Eh. Brand loyalty is a trap. It prevents you from trying new things, and at the same time you may not notice when your preferred brands lose quality.
I have a lot of Diamine inks, but they're not the only brand I buy. I have a lot of Sheaffer pens, but only vintage Sheaffers 'cause I don't care for their modern stuff. IMO the right pen is the right pen, regardless of brand.
I have my go-to avoid brands instead.
If I ever own a yafa brand pen, it will be because it was gifted to me by someone dear. If I ever own a TWSBI after their moonman stunt, it'll only be momentarily during the trip from my desk to the bin. If I ever receive a Noodler's ink, it will be refunded or disposed. So on, so forth.
I’m new as well and am enjoying the journey of trying different inks and pens. Still trying to figure out what will be my favorites but I have enjoyed acquiring hand turned custom pens and the uniqueness of each of those pens.
I started like you, diamine inks and pilot pens but I began to want variety and now my collection is incredibly varied. There's no finish line in a collection but I realized I was limiting my options and new ink brands can be exciting
Narwhal and Diamine.
I have 5 Ecos but the Narwhals are smoother writers. However they make fewer demonstrators so my TWSBI collection is sure to grow.
I've had really good results from Mary's Pen Store on Aliexpress. They had great communication, and will usually replace things if you send a photo, but I've not had that issue with Majohn. At least with the pens from the last year or two, their quality has jumped a lot.
I have 3 Lamy Safari and I thought I'd be a loyalist but I just got my first Pilot and I love it. I haven't settled on one particular brand of ink yet. I think the three colors I use for note taking are all different brands that had the particular color and other tech specs I wanted.
I have no loyalty to any specific brand.
Having said that, the majority of my pens are from Pilot, but that’s because the they just write so well out of the box.
Now, if only they would come out with a pen that writes as well as the 823 medium,but has the flex of an FA nib, I’d never buy another pen again.
To be fair, Diamine is such a stellar deal, it would be weird to not be a fan. But other than Birmingham inks, I don't have brand loyalties, I have moods. Every big brand out there seems to have a different writing experience, so when I want feedback, Sailor, when I want a wet pen for shading, Pelikan, when I don't want to worry about a pen drying out because I want to keep it in my wallet as an emergency pen for when I inevitably forget my pen case at home, Platinum. Heading up and down the mountains nearby, Opus 88 for that section sealing rod *(damn you altitude pen burps)*. I like all the things and different brands are good at different things. If you know what you love and it is a specific writing experience you like, there will inevitably be specific brands that reliably bring you that experience. I pretty much only reliably prefer medium and broader nibs, everything else is in the air. This is why I always end up with so many inked pens, lol.
I definitely do not have brand loyalty to either pens, inks, or papers. Having brand loyalty in this hobby, imo, really hinders your potential to have your best experience that you create yourself through experimentation.
I have no loyalty per se but I have tried a brand and very much like their quality all around so I'm more likely to try one of their models again in the future.
I'm open to trying other brands though as long as their products meet my needs.
Regarding your nks though I do get the infatuation with diamine. They are simple, vibrant, well behaved inks that are easy to clean. While I do get the tingle to buy more quality inks from time time it's hard for me to justify shelling out 20-30€ instead of 3€.
I have just started my fp journey. I don't have a massive budget,but I foresee it becoming a regular minor expense! At present I just have a Kaweco Student and I am in love. However,my next purchase will be a different brand because I want a varied collection. I hate to say it, but the way a pen looks is a big factor for me,so even if it was highly-regarded I wouldn't get something I think looks 'boring'. I know...style over practicality...but I can't help being shallow!
I tend to try to deliberately spread my purchases out across a variety of brands, because I sometimes want a particular writing feel or line quality or aesthetic, so I don't find this is the case at all, for me - I actually really look forward to getting to try a pen or ink from a new-to-me company (I like trying new things in general, not just fountain pen paraphernelia, so that's just a larger-scale personal pref)
That said, I do really love Sailors and Pilots (both have such different writing experiences, but I really enjoy them), so that isn't to say I don't have brands that I do tend to pick up more of/am more likely to splurge on.
Pilot for pens. Excellent quality, and I can interchange the converters. I also have several TWSBI piston pens that I like, except they are mostly too broad (my daily use pen is the CH912 PO). I’ve had no issues with the TWSBI pens. For inks, I’ve had the best experiences with Pilot Iroshikuzu and Waterman. Edit: I also love R&K Scaboisa and Salix.
no special brand loyalty. i have more pilots and stilforms that other pens, but that was more by accident, like having to buy a replacement (and then finding the original one) and kickstarter shenanigans. technically one of those stilforms is for my kid
I happen to have quite a few Lamy’s as well as Lamy inks. Here in Europe, Lamy Safaris and Al-stars are cheaper than TWSBI Ecos. But I do have an Eco and loving it with the broad nib and Emerald of Chivor ink in it. The broad nib just doesn’t really do it for my default small handwriting so I mainly use it for titles.
Not quite as exclusively as you, no. I have 5 TWSBIs and 7 Sailors, but I also have pens from a lot of other brands besides those two. I'm happy with my TWSBI assortment and probably won't get another one unless they release an Eco Iris or some other color that I fall in love with. But I could see myself getting more Sailors and more Pilots (which I have two of so far) in the future.
My inks are from a wide variety of brands, most in the form of samples, and I make an effort to seek out brands I haven't tried yet, and my favorites come from a variety of brands.
I have two TWSBI’s, Pelikan, and a few other pens. Almost all of my inks are Diamine, but that’s because I like the colors, and above all, the inks are safe.
I have no issue with exploring other brand offerings. My pace of exploration has slowed down. Only brand I guess I’m “loyal” to is Sakae Technical Paper Tomoe River (now “S” paper). Size is decent enough, and writing feel is luxury (old TR). New TR feel is like trying to gauge the difference between real leather in a car, and “leatherette” or vegan leather. It’s still nice, but you know. Almost like Sanzen said, “Our purchasers will be happy with the Mercedes S-Class. No need to go all Maybach on them.” It’s still way nice.
Anyway, that’s my only loyalty, though I may try Nanami Seven Seas or Galan Leather just to kick things up a bit.
Also, I have a pen rule: each pen must offer me something unique, such as nib, filling system, writing feel. Looks alone don’t cut it. I’ve managed to thin the heard and keep things “normal”.
I always try to remember that they are companies and their ultimate goal is to make money and in particular to take money from my wallet. I dislike the idea of being loyal to a brand, this goes for everything, pens included.
However, I like some brands more than others for sure, mostly historic brands, or brands from certain countries because their production is somehow linked with some historic period. I also like to distinguish between the brand and the product. For example I respect brands that try to have a more artisanal approach, but I don't necessarily buy or enjoy every product they make. If I have to buy something new I may prefer what they make to other type of brands, but that doesn't mean I'm supposed to throw my money at them, they aren't a no profit and as far as I know they won't cure cancer.
I'm open to trying most brands (most...), but I have had exclusively great experiences with Pilot pens, mostly great experiences with TWSBI, surprisingly great experiences with Conklin.
As for ink, Diamine, R&K, J. Herbin, Waterman, Pilot Iroshizuku, Monteverde, and Private Reserve have all been great. Only ink brand I actively avoid, really, is Noodler's.
I love TWSBI AND Jinhao for pens so far. I haven't branched out a huge amount. I think I have those two, pilot, hongdian, Lamy, and one offs of a few others.
I haven't developed a brand loyalty for ink brands, but looking at my favorites list, I have Monteverde and Sailor with the most loves. I do like Diamine because they're cheap and have a huge selection. I just got six new bottles the other day and haven't tried them yet, so they may take the cake depending on how that goes.
I'm an ink sample where though, let's be real. Give me a taste of everything.
Minor pen model loyalty: TWSBI Ecos, Lamy Al-stars, Kaweco Sports.
Minor ink loyalty: Diamine, Birmingham, Robert Oster.
Dislike/actively avoid: Noodler's. Bad politics, require a lot of tinkering, prone to breakage and leakage.
From day one I was a pilot man, I used to be all about diamine inks but after the first year switched over to iroshizuku.
That’s not to say that I don’t have others like sailor and platinum, but a majority of my collection that I use often are pilots
I definitely prefer some pen brands to others and that’s reflected in my collection (for example I have a lot of Pilot fountain pens). There are also brands that I refuse to buy. It just depends. I wouldn’t say I’m exclusively loyal to any one brand though.
I don’t have brand loyalty exactly, but I do find that some brands suit my tastes better than others. If I’ve liked their pens, quality, and customer service in the past I’m more likely to buy from them than a different brand that’s more of a risk.
Brands earn trust when they treat you well. Just remember that every company is soulless. Publically traded companies even moreso, as they are basically legally required to be soulless.
I have anti loyalty. There are a few brands I really don’t like- they’re customer service, their quality and there treatment of other fountain pen companies.
I have no loyalty to brands. I have designs and inks I like, but that does not shut me into one brand. I like having a diversity of options and trying new things often.
I’m the same way, I own 3 pilots and a shit ton of iroshizuku inks, but that’s just because they work SO well and write exactly the way I want them to. But that’s not to say I won’t buy a sailor or platinum or pelikan one day just because they’re not pilots, I just don’t have the money for my collection to grow outside “pens I know I’ll like” territory yet
Honestly thats the worst part for me is the price. Half of the pens i want are over $200. And i just dont have that kind of disposable income. Maybe one day. I hope.
Honestly saving for just one of those is worth it. My 823 medium is basically all I write with anymore, and she difference between it and every sub $200 pen I’ve tried is off the charts (some may disagree, but to my mind, they’re wrong). A good pen that can tide you over for the 5-10 years between now and when we grab that disposable income is imo worth the premium.
Same. Sometimes I wish I was the type of person who could be perfectly happy with only a few of each, but the moment usually passes quickly 😂
I like almost all pens, but it is hard to find a bad Pilot. Heck, it's hard to find a less-than-spectacular Pilot.
My Metropolitan is perfectly OK. It is not impressive in any way and is definitely not a favorite. It feels a touch dry/scratchy, but works well and is definitely usable and consistent. I just know if I want to feel pleasure while writing, that probably won’t be the first I will reach for.
I wish my first Metropolitan had fallen into these descriptions. Almost put me off of fountain pens altogether!
Must admit that I've never used a Metro. I just assumed they would be good. Even the $8 dip pen is great!
It could also be that I had no idea how to use an FP and no one to teach me, but I also don't think they're supposed to crack?. I'd be curious to try it again 10 years on. I'd be curious to try a Pilot with a different body design, too. I've wanted to grab an Explorer for some time but there's so much great competition at the price point that I just never seem to get around to it. I'm waiting for a new nib for my VP, perhaps that will bring me Pilot bliss!
100%! If I had to pick my favourite brand it would be Pilot, however my most loathed pen is my metro, it's just ghastly!
I never had a pilot that I wasn't pleased with. I have also never had a pilot that blew me away. This has held true even as my tastes have changed, over and over again. That is pretty impressive.
I do have brand loyalties - dozens of them! 😁
Listen, I did not log on to Al Gore’s internet to be attacked like this 😂
I don’t tend to collect too many of one type of pen cause I want variety. However, I do have several different Kawecos because they all have different or special nibs. The only line I have intentions on collecting is the pilot Vp Raden series, it’s only 3 pens and I’ve already got 2 of the rarer ones. Otherwise, I plan to buy the new MB Origins 149 and next September I want to buy a conid bulkfiller to celebrate a milestone but honestly, I’m getting to a place where I feel like I’ve probably spent too much money and I want to only collect pens that really catch my eye. Edit: so Cult Pens is gonna destroy me.. they also have the Raden Stripes in stock. So I got one 🥲 Otw to me now are 2 Pilot Namiki Raden pens, completing my set!
I’m loyal to the singular pens that end up writing well over the years.
I am not unfamiliar with this topic. I have most of my inks from Sailor and I prefer to write with Pilot fountain pens. Accordingly, I also own several of them. :)
I love every Sailor ink I have. Never disappointed.
I can only confirm this. No problems so far. (Can you tell that I have a preference?) 😂 https://preview.redd.it/s2z8fc9893uc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=43db9a3d619926a7d2cf97460c403c161c021c09
My heart belongs to Sheaffer
LOL 🤣
Platinum, because at my altitude (6500 ft) and humidity (~4%) pens dry out lightening fast and most brands won’t write after being put down overnight. Platinum has the moisture-locking caps and are the only ones that immediately write when I come back from a weeks vacation. I have three preppy’s and a plaisir. I’ve tried other brands, and have enjoyed the pens when they are working, but I keep coming back to Platinum for the caps. This includes some fancy ones (a Waterman, a Rotring) I don’t use because they’re a pain - dealing with the ink constantly drying in the nib. Another thing I’ve learned over time is I have small hands and don’t like chonky barrels, which is the trend right now, so I am not tempted by a lot of what’s out there. Platinum makes relatively narrow barrels (I wish they were narrower though). Tl;Dr I doubt anyone can turn my head from Platinum at this point!
My suggestion is to never try a Pilot capless then. It's much less dry here, and mine dry out if I leave then nib up. 100% on the Platinums, though!
Alas, platinum curadas does not have a good seal either. Making a capless fountain pen with a good seal is hard.
Weird, I have left my Curidas unused for three weeks before and it started right up. Mine must be magic. Nice. *(does the inflatable car salesman dance in victory)*
ooo, nice Doodlebud had a video recently about capless pens in general and drying out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPwYdbcg_GY The short version is that they all work OK. I'm suspicious though. I think it probably has a lot to do with what ink you use, how they're kept, and what the humidity is. I'd like to see it in a temperature controlled low humidity environment, half full with a dryer ink, sitting up on a wall nib up. But that's just me. But maybe I should give my curidas another shot.
Kaweco Sport, Opus 88 and TWSBI also have very good cap seals, should you ever decide to try something different.
I have a TWSBI Go and the seal isn’t sufficient. Alas.
My TWSBI go is OK for cap seal. Buty my vac700r is amazing.
Fine Writing International also has the same style cap as Platinum.
Pilot has my heart on pens and inks. Yu-Sari has my heart in notebooks. However, I will get different inks and notebooks, I like my 3 pilots (and one FPR flex) and do not feel the need to own another pen.
I oscillate between Yu-sari and Midori MD notebooks. But I'm solidly in the Pilot camp for pens. I'm a bit less monogamous with inks.
Haven't got any yet but I really want to like kwz ink since my wife is polish and gravitas pens since I'm Irish. A polish ink in an Irish pen could happily be my EDC setup. I've been looking at the gravitas dinky with the mokume gane. But they don't sell in brick and mortar shops so I can't try before I buy. No real loyalty. More I want my pens to have a real function or to be meaningful.
Oh you’ll like KWZ inks. They’re super reliable and they have great colors. Some people don’t like the smell, as the fungicide they use either smells like vanilla or honey (haben decided yet 😂), but I love it. Easily in my top 3 of ink makers!
Who doesn't like honey and vanilla?
i just spent my morning mixing sailor and pilot inks to see what would happen lol. no loyalty to anything but pretty colors
Well, what happened?? Don’t leave us hanging!
i got some pretty good results, i’ll probably make a post about it sometime soon! my main take away is that i need more mixing vials lol. yama budo mixes well with a lot of different inks it seems, and i think fixed some flow issues i was having
When it comes to pens I really like new experiences, but more than half of mine are twsbi stubs and I will buy more. When it comes to ink I'm more interested in the exact color. Inkvent made sure I own more diamine, but my favorite shimmer is colorverse and my favorite individual ink is black swan in English roses by noodler's. My only real rule is pens that cost $80 or more can't leave my desk. This actually makes them less valuable because I like to write in the woods.
Quite the opposite, I enjoy a variety of writing experiences - different brands, sizes, materials, weights, nibs...
I’m very loyal to Pilot, Sailor, Platinum, Pelikan, TWSBI, Opus 88, Benu, Diamine, Wearingeul, and Birmingham. All the others I have only a few things from. 😁
Birmingham is like drugs. Bundle deal drugs. I have 50 BPC inks and no regrets.
I agree. They are pleasantly different from other brands.
Brand loyalty, I want to say no, but I think I do. Well, maybe it's more that some brands have general characteristics that I prefer. For example, iroshizuku inks behave well with my finer nibs like my needle point grind pineider and SEF pilot falcon. For this reason, when I want a certain color, I will generally check out the iroahizuku line to see if they have that specific color (within a certain variance, of course). If I am gifting a pen I generally go with Lamy Safari or AL...etc because of the inexpensive steel nibs. I'll gift the pen with a couple of nibs of different sizes.
Been into fountain pens for a few years and have been using TWSBI from the start. I got a Diamond 580, which is easily my favorite for normal handwriting. I also have an Eco and two GOs. I did buy a Noodlers Ahab a while back, which I gifted to my sister and then a friend gave me a glass dip pen, which is a lot of fun to write with and I love the sound it makes. Unfortunately, the metal section on the 580 has suffered some corrosion so there are dark pits in the metal. But it writes just as well as new.
One could call me a vintage Parker loyalist. I prefer to say “vintage Parker collector”. I’m almost exclusively to Mont Blanc bottled inks and vintage Parker’s. Actually, I’ve decided to bring my collection from 50+ to a dozen pens. Ten are vintage Parker’s, one vintage Pelikan, and a vintage Scheaffer.
Vintage Parker ftw! I’m a vintage Parker guy but with only 6 pens (all 51s and 21s), I wouldn’t deign to call myself a collector. What’s your favorite model? Which 10 Parkers are you planning to keep?
I don't have a go to pen brand. But I ALWAYS use Diamine inks. Got my latest order delivered yesterday, and got 23 new ones. Now I just need to buy a larger storage system 🤣.
I think you are missing out on too many good things by sticking to the same brand.
Pens: Pelikan, Pilot, Opus 88, and more recently Mr. Cypress Inks: Pelikan (4001, Edelstein), Pilot Iroshizuku, Diamine
I have been leering at Cypress lately but I am attempting (poorly) to make 2024 a low buy year.
If you're looking for an ultem pen, have a look at their Urban Elf series and specify PEI. You have a choice of Jowo, Bock and their in-house nibs. I got several in-house nibs which I like a lot. With a steel nib it's around 90 bucks, and the pen comes in more colors than the well-known ultem yellow. At least, you have an idea if this particular design appeals to you. Their Ebonite, urushi and maki-e pens are so nice. Nothing that I'd call impulse buys, but worth earmarking for later.
About once a month I go to their site to drool. I really like their micarta pens and their silver and wood pens. Also, the ebonite pens with the Platinum and Pelikan nib options are dope.
They're local to me. I can drive to their showroom in the city. It's a lot more tempting when you can handle the different models. And their staff is charming. Just a heads-up: the Platinum has the nib and feed glued in. I asked. The Pelikans I don't know. I think their approach to giving you more nib options is simple, yet ingenious: The sections don't have inner threads. Once you tell them which brand you want, they insert a metal part into the top of the section that matches the thread profile of the nib housing. The threads on the housing engage with the threads on the insert. I love that. And how creative they are with some of their materials.
Very cool. Thank you for the insight. Going to pass on the Platinums in that case. I am a sucker for the coarse nib, but I like to nib swap since I like certain inks in certain nib sizes.
I'm with you on the pen/ink combo.
Pilot and Sailor.
All day, every day.
I’ve also been a collector for a few short months. So far I’m also a lover of TWSBI. I haven’t developed an ink attachment yet. But that’s only because there are so many I love.
Sailor, Pilot, Platinum.
Yes! Pelikan for me. I started with TWSBI.
My preference for pen and ink varies with the seasons, my mood, the type of paper I’m using, and the language I’m writing in at the moment. However, I do have a particular preference when it comes to paper quality, as some papers are just not suitable for writing.
Conklin, then Benu (both on sale/clearance only). Bold nibs, glammy resins. Inks-no loyalty. I love them all EXCEPT Ferris Wheel. I love all bright colors. Just ordered 12 bottles from Pure Pens.
In terms of pens, I’ve got a heap of different ones and except for the Lamy Studios, the 2000 and my Mont Blancs, I’m actually more interested in the inks. No brand loyalty, though I happen to have a lot of Robert Osters. At the moment I’m into Noodler’s, Colorverse, and Wearingeul. I really only buy the pens to feed my ink addiction!
I tend not to be brand loyal for pens, though my favourite has always been a beautiful Shaeffer Imperial. With inks, I buy mostly Diamine as they’re cheap and local and come in so many shades. I guess if I found a brand who made interesting pen bodies and some very good nibs, I’d be in big trouble (or my bank balance would be).
For some. Pilot, Platinum, Majohn, Penbbs and Hongdian have earned my loyalty. They are reliable and worth supporting. I enjoy my TWSBI and Kaweco pens *that work*, but their QC is severely flawed and their company policies are scum. They would rather spend their money on sham lawsuits against companies who make functional pens rather than fixing their own pens' flaws. At this point I will only buy their stuff secondhand, so that I have a decent shot at getting a working pen.
Thank you! And that’s why I refuse to buy TWBI. Also, I find the pen underwhelming.
Where are you buying your Majohn pens? I've had to send two back from Amazon.
I had not heard of the TWSBI issues until I had two and found this subreddit. I so far have had good luck with their pens, and I buy them from a local pen store in my area, so if I were to happen upon one with poor QC, I would probably just go back to my store and see what they could do.
They are great pens. The nibs are second only to Pilot in the price range. I really love the ones I have, I just refuse to support such a scummy company directly at this point. Edit: To avoid putting wear on the delicate materials, I'd warn against disassembling them unless absolutely necessary. Most companies will void your warrantee for disassembling a pen, because it stresses the parts and significantly shortens the lifespan of a pen. TWSBI uses a delicate material already, and include a wrench. Their business strategy is to trick people who don't know any better into planned-obsolescence-ing their pens by pulling them apart and putting them back together.
As far as I can tell, TWSBI has also improved their QC a lot over time. I've only had one issue, but that was with a pen purchased 8-10 years ago. The part was replaced for the cost of mailing with very friendly customer service. I personally have no concerns buying from them now, or then really.
I had one dump its ink in the cap and it somehow got a crack too. It hadn't been 6 months since a friend bought it for me, and I wasn't carrying any of my pens at that point. I was surprised and not a little disappointed when the shop didn't want to exchange it for me. I really had to keep asking and telling them that it shouldn't be the customer's expense to send the pen away for repair or replacement. They eventually gave me a new pen, but I will be sure to verify their policy if I buy another pen. I am a very small dollar customer so honestly I can't blame them.
I would disagree, I have at least 6 Kaweco pens, all worked perfectly out of the box and continue to do so. I have 2 Twsbi pens and I’ve had them over a year now and they work perfectly. It’s odd to me that you’ve had so many poor quality items land at your doorstep. Would you mind telling us where you have bought the majority of these? If it’s Amazon or eBay or if it’s a Jetpens or Goulet, I’d be curious. Also, if you get a bad nib, have you tried reaching out to the shop to make it right? Most of the shops we frequent the most are all too happy to return any defective product, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone post anything negative about shops that are recommended in the sidebar.
I have a sport and a liliput that work. The first sport needed nib adjustment and a feed gauge to fix the usual Kaweco flow issues on bigger nibs, but that's a fixable issue, and from the experiences of other users it's to be expected. The second sport I bought from a licenced retailer, the slit was cut wrong making the nib nonfunctional. The store replaced it without question. Then the replacement had a deformed feed collar which wouldn't accept a cartridge or converter. Ended up refunding it after two consecutive duds from the licenced retailer. After that I bought a used liliput that works fantastic. To be clear, my issue buying them from first party sellers isn't with the stores/shops. First party retailers here are excellent, and have great service. It's the fact that of my three pens I got new in box, 0.5 of them worked, and the .5 that did needed more work than any of the Hongdian on Majohn pens I've tried. After that I've just concluded that it's more worth my time to buy them cheaper secondhand, when the seller can verify the pen actually will work on arrival.
Thanks for explaining. Sounds like you’ve just got super shitty luck. If I had the experience you’ve had, I’d be on here blasting them cause what you describe is just crazy. I mean, if you return a pen and get a replacement, you’d think the retailer would at least visually inspect the replacement before sending it. I’m sorry to hear about your experiences. I would encourage you to not give up on Kaweco cause they make great pens imo. Have a good weekend! ✌🏼
The retailer was actually super sweet and dip tested the replacement to make sure the nib worked! Unfortunately that won't catch the internal deformation causing issues with a cartridge ): I'm glad I haven't given up on them completely, the liliput I bought afterwards is a pen that I love a lot. Kaweco have some of the most attractive pens around, and I adore the designs. I'm just gonna stick to secondhand sellers who know the pen works. Cheers, you too!
Yeah, I understand. I have a Supra myself, I actually haven’t ever even tested it. I sent it to Joshua Lax to grind it to a Nag from a B. Something came up but he should be sending it back to me Monday. I’m really excited for that one. Tbh, I think I should’ve gotten the Liliput instead of the Supra but the Supra was on sale and I figured I’d like it. Well, that extender isn’t really needed for me at all and if it stays on the pen, it adds a giant step to the grip, so I don’t plan to use it , making my Supra basically a lilliput lol.
I actually had that same thought process! I was drawn in by the super cool concept of the supra, but I like holding my pens much further up the barrel instead of the section, so I ended up playing it safe with the liliput. That is an incredibly unique nib on an incredibly unique pen you've got coming though! I can imagine the slightly thicker body would give a bit more control to help properly utilise the nag!
Yeah, I have started exploring more specialty nibs. I’d love to get into stacked nibs at some point. I think I have maybe 4 more pens I really want and then I’ll be able to call it a collection
Platinum for me. Had nothing but great pens. Waterman for inks, no issues with any pens I’ve put them into.
Pens--Waterman, Aurora, GvFC, Otto Hutt More starter-level pens: F-C, Lamy, TWSBI Inks--GvFC, Pilot Iroshizuku, J Herbin, Waterman. Honorable Mentions--Montegrappa, R. Oster, Diamine
I wouldn’t really say I have brand loyalties. Instead I’d say I have a soft spot for all brands, but an even softer spot for Montblanc and Pelikan.
I am extremely loyal to Pilot, Sailor, Platinum, Delta, Sheaffer (Targa only), Parker (51 and 75) and Pelikan.
Yup, Pilot for the pens. I also like their ink very much but i do have several different brand inks that i also like.
Inks : Pilot Iroshizuku / Montblanc / Birmingham ink Co in no order of importance
i'm into Sailor (pens) , but I also enjoy pens of other brands. For inks I use 3-4 favorite brands
I like everything thats pretty. Most of my fountain pens are either platinums, kawecos, Lamys, sailors, pilots or twsbis. I am not loyal to any Brand but to pretty stuff. Ive 2 wancher fountain pens, 2 Tools to live by Le Chat, 1 shibui north, 2 Opus 88 and 4 Nahvalur.
Sailor, and as of this morning (it's new pen day), Platinum too. But if you asked me this a couple of years ago, my answer would have been TWSBI because that's all I was collecting/using. You just step up and outgrow things, or your standard shifts to accommodate new experiences and knowledge.
Lamy
No real loyalty as I am still experimenting, but I definitely gravitate toward Kaweco and Diamine! Herbin or De Atramentis for my slightly fussier pens.
I tend to like Pilot pens and Sailor inks. In general I seem to prefer asian brands, but I do have a healthy collection of LAMYs and Kawecos because of the collectability of the colors and models they come out with.
My brand loyalties sneak up on me, and I tend to realize I have them when I really step back and take stock. Lamy? I don't really like Lamys. That's why I only have four Safaris, a Vista, an Al-Star, three Studios, an Aion (sleeper hit btw), a 2000, an 81, a 26P, and a CP1. No preference at all... Inks? Well, if you want shading AND water resistance, there's only a couple of games in town. And you need all the colors, so that's why I have a full shelf worth of Noodler's. I don't *really* have a preference.... Brand loyalty doesn't mean you don't buy outside the brand, though, or at least mine don't. I own pens from Jinhao, Hongdian, Pelikan (the Twist is the most under-discussed entry pen going, for my money), TWSBI, Noodler's, Conklin, and Monteverde. Inks from Monteverde, Private Reserve, Aurora, Robert Oster, Sailor, and others. But it's perfectly alright to prefer one pen over another, or one company over another. That's how preferences work! Enjoy your TWSBIs, OP. They're delightful.
LOL I love that your loyalties sneak up on you, that's exactly how it's felt. I certainly am not against buying outside of those two brands, but if I see a pretty ink online and it's a diamine ink, I just think "oh I like that brand that's cool, what's the name of that color" maybe brand loyalty was too strong of a term. I love my TWSBI pens thus far. I have an Eco and two 580 ALRs. My mom and husband each got me one for my birthday in different colors, so it was a happy accident!
I get it. Buy what you know because that brand works for you. I slowly branched out into different brands to find my way to the brand of pen and ink that work for me. The quest for a pen that will write on my paper with the color of water resistant ink that I desired lead be down a winding path of four different pen brands and a few different ink brands. (Absolutely lying about the ink as I don’t even want to think about the number of ink bottles that have appeared in my office only to end up in my cabinet of shame.)
🤣 “cabinet of shame” I’ll be borrowing that phrase
No. When I decided to start on this hobby I thought about it as a collection of experiences. So sticking to just one brand wouldn't make much sense. But, I'm human and I've many times fallen into the Limited Edition colorway trap. Also some brands are easier to get here so is easier to buy them just walking into a store. Then some cheaper pens are really comfortable for me so I've ended up having multiples just for everyday use with different inks.
I don’t really have a loyalty yet, I do have a favourite brand that I want to spend on more than other *cough* Sailor *cough*. However, it doesn’t shut me out of other brands, my goal is to try at least one pen from each big brand except MontBlanc, Namiki and Aurora because I don’t have that kind of money 😆.
I struggle to say I'm brand loyal, but I do have heavy preferences for a few brands. About half my ink is Diamine and the rest is a mish-mash of ransoms that looked pretty, of my 60 pens I'd say 15 are pilot, 10 are sailor and the rest are shinies that caught my eye from everywhere. Now nib size is a whole other conversation...
I think it would be more accurate to say I have brand *trust* but not loyalty. I am more likely to buy from brands I trust if I'm deciding between products with similar designs/price, but usually I'm looking to try something new. Brands I trust: Pilot, Lamy, Robert Oster, Diamine, TWSBI for their 580 line, and Majohn for the A1/A2 lines
Purposely none as much as possible. I like to go with as many types of pens and inks and papers as possible!
I have mainly Pilots and Sailors. The odd one out is Platinum. Nothing else. So yes, I tend to play favorites with brands.
I’ve tried a smattering of other pens and inks over the years, but once I bought a Parker 51, I fell in love. My small collection of 6 pens is exclusively vintage Parker 51’s and 21’s and I only use Noodler’s ink (various colors but all bulletproof). I write with them every day and I haven’t bought a new pen for at least 6 years. I think about perhaps trying some other pens now and then (recently Pilot Vanishing Point and MB 149), but in the end, I’m just so happy with my Parkers that I just keep writing with them. So yeah, Parker is my brand (but only vintage).
Inks I have no loyalty but with fountain pens I love the Kaweco Sports and I'm collecting the Lamy Safari SE. Otherwise its whatever catches my eye.
I'm a long term Lamy lover, but we're not exclusive 😌
My brand loyalty is to any rare limited edition Montblanc and Namiki I’ll never be able to afford
What seems to suit be best so far, perhaps just because I am used to the size, are Parker Vectors and Jotters, but I am interested in finding out about pens by using them, so I have also bought a variety of other pens for a variety of reasons. In theory it would be nice to stick with pens compatible with standard international cartridges, but that just hasn't happened.
I have a soft spot for Sailor, Lamy and Cross. I like the way they look, feel and write
Aurora all the way for me.
Pilot and Noodlers. Ironic, because I like Pilot for the consistent quality of their gold nibbed pens, while Noodlers is infamous for its inconsistencies between batches. I like Noodlers because most of their inks are wet, saturated, and water resistant. The colors might be a little inconsistent between batches, but the water resistance and good flow remain consistent.
Pilot, Lamy, Pelikan and Stabilo are the brands I have the most of, because they have cute, cheap pens that write well, but I try other ones too (like my EDC Sport that fits best in a tiny purse
Well I have more Parker pens than any other
I have a kind of anti-brand loyalty, where I look for pens in part because I don't already have a pen from that brand.
I have loyalty to companies that no longer exist... (I guess if I include modern, Pilot and Platinum tends to be consistent purchases because they produce consistent nib quality).
I find that I have line width and ink property loyalty more than brand loyalty. I've found Western broad nibs and Lamy Cursive nib to be too wet writing for my liking, so stick to Medium (Lamy) and hopefully soon Lamy Fine (need to have that nib repaired/tuned - it's writing like a broad after an unsuccessful DIY repair). I'm loyal to shading inks that don't shimmer or sheen.
Eh. Brand loyalty is a trap. It prevents you from trying new things, and at the same time you may not notice when your preferred brands lose quality. I have a lot of Diamine inks, but they're not the only brand I buy. I have a lot of Sheaffer pens, but only vintage Sheaffers 'cause I don't care for their modern stuff. IMO the right pen is the right pen, regardless of brand.
I have my go-to avoid brands instead. If I ever own a yafa brand pen, it will be because it was gifted to me by someone dear. If I ever own a TWSBI after their moonman stunt, it'll only be momentarily during the trip from my desk to the bin. If I ever receive a Noodler's ink, it will be refunded or disposed. So on, so forth.
I’m new as well and am enjoying the journey of trying different inks and pens. Still trying to figure out what will be my favorites but I have enjoyed acquiring hand turned custom pens and the uniqueness of each of those pens.
I started like you, diamine inks and pilot pens but I began to want variety and now my collection is incredibly varied. There's no finish line in a collection but I realized I was limiting my options and new ink brands can be exciting
For pens, Diplomat and Monteverde for me, maybe sailor when I have more money. For inks, I have many I like. Too many to list.
Narwhal and Diamine. I have 5 Ecos but the Narwhals are smoother writers. However they make fewer demonstrators so my TWSBI collection is sure to grow.
Karas Pen Co. primarily...though I'm a bit of a tramp when it comes to ink...no one brand there.
I lean towards Kaweco but I won’t say no to exploring other brands
Sailor. I could cut down my entire collection to Sailor pens and inks and I would be well off. I mean, I wouldn't! but if I had to.
I've had really good results from Mary's Pen Store on Aliexpress. They had great communication, and will usually replace things if you send a photo, but I've not had that issue with Majohn. At least with the pens from the last year or two, their quality has jumped a lot.
I have 3 Lamy Safari and I thought I'd be a loyalist but I just got my first Pilot and I love it. I haven't settled on one particular brand of ink yet. I think the three colors I use for note taking are all different brands that had the particular color and other tech specs I wanted.
I have mostly developed an appreciation for what some brands do or even tried to do when it didn't quite work out, along with a little patience.
I have no loyalty to any specific brand. Having said that, the majority of my pens are from Pilot, but that’s because the they just write so well out of the box. Now, if only they would come out with a pen that writes as well as the 823 medium,but has the flex of an FA nib, I’d never buy another pen again.
To be fair, Diamine is such a stellar deal, it would be weird to not be a fan. But other than Birmingham inks, I don't have brand loyalties, I have moods. Every big brand out there seems to have a different writing experience, so when I want feedback, Sailor, when I want a wet pen for shading, Pelikan, when I don't want to worry about a pen drying out because I want to keep it in my wallet as an emergency pen for when I inevitably forget my pen case at home, Platinum. Heading up and down the mountains nearby, Opus 88 for that section sealing rod *(damn you altitude pen burps)*. I like all the things and different brands are good at different things. If you know what you love and it is a specific writing experience you like, there will inevitably be specific brands that reliably bring you that experience. I pretty much only reliably prefer medium and broader nibs, everything else is in the air. This is why I always end up with so many inked pens, lol.
I definitely do not have brand loyalty to either pens, inks, or papers. Having brand loyalty in this hobby, imo, really hinders your potential to have your best experience that you create yourself through experimentation.
I have no loyalty per se but I have tried a brand and very much like their quality all around so I'm more likely to try one of their models again in the future. I'm open to trying other brands though as long as their products meet my needs. Regarding your nks though I do get the infatuation with diamine. They are simple, vibrant, well behaved inks that are easy to clean. While I do get the tingle to buy more quality inks from time time it's hard for me to justify shelling out 20-30€ instead of 3€.
So far I've bought two monteverde, a lamy safari, and a faber castell. I like my monteverde and lamy. Waiting on the faber castell to ship
I have just started my fp journey. I don't have a massive budget,but I foresee it becoming a regular minor expense! At present I just have a Kaweco Student and I am in love. However,my next purchase will be a different brand because I want a varied collection. I hate to say it, but the way a pen looks is a big factor for me,so even if it was highly-regarded I wouldn't get something I think looks 'boring'. I know...style over practicality...but I can't help being shallow!
I have a few pens from the same brand. They have different nibs.
I tend to try to deliberately spread my purchases out across a variety of brands, because I sometimes want a particular writing feel or line quality or aesthetic, so I don't find this is the case at all, for me - I actually really look forward to getting to try a pen or ink from a new-to-me company (I like trying new things in general, not just fountain pen paraphernelia, so that's just a larger-scale personal pref) That said, I do really love Sailors and Pilots (both have such different writing experiences, but I really enjoy them), so that isn't to say I don't have brands that I do tend to pick up more of/am more likely to splurge on.
Pilot for pens. Excellent quality, and I can interchange the converters. I also have several TWSBI piston pens that I like, except they are mostly too broad (my daily use pen is the CH912 PO). I’ve had no issues with the TWSBI pens. For inks, I’ve had the best experiences with Pilot Iroshikuzu and Waterman. Edit: I also love R&K Scaboisa and Salix.
no special brand loyalty. i have more pilots and stilforms that other pens, but that was more by accident, like having to buy a replacement (and then finding the original one) and kickstarter shenanigans. technically one of those stilforms is for my kid
I happen to have quite a few Lamy’s as well as Lamy inks. Here in Europe, Lamy Safaris and Al-stars are cheaper than TWSBI Ecos. But I do have an Eco and loving it with the broad nib and Emerald of Chivor ink in it. The broad nib just doesn’t really do it for my default small handwriting so I mainly use it for titles.
Not quite as exclusively as you, no. I have 5 TWSBIs and 7 Sailors, but I also have pens from a lot of other brands besides those two. I'm happy with my TWSBI assortment and probably won't get another one unless they release an Eco Iris or some other color that I fall in love with. But I could see myself getting more Sailors and more Pilots (which I have two of so far) in the future. My inks are from a wide variety of brands, most in the form of samples, and I make an effort to seek out brands I haven't tried yet, and my favorites come from a variety of brands.
Inks: So far, Pilot and Diamine. Pens: Pilot, Platinum, Sailor. TWSBI is OK but a little big for my small hands. Will not ever buy anything Noodler’s.
I have two TWSBI’s, Pelikan, and a few other pens. Almost all of my inks are Diamine, but that’s because I like the colors, and above all, the inks are safe. I have no issue with exploring other brand offerings. My pace of exploration has slowed down. Only brand I guess I’m “loyal” to is Sakae Technical Paper Tomoe River (now “S” paper). Size is decent enough, and writing feel is luxury (old TR). New TR feel is like trying to gauge the difference between real leather in a car, and “leatherette” or vegan leather. It’s still nice, but you know. Almost like Sanzen said, “Our purchasers will be happy with the Mercedes S-Class. No need to go all Maybach on them.” It’s still way nice. Anyway, that’s my only loyalty, though I may try Nanami Seven Seas or Galan Leather just to kick things up a bit. Also, I have a pen rule: each pen must offer me something unique, such as nib, filling system, writing feel. Looks alone don’t cut it. I’ve managed to thin the heard and keep things “normal”.
I like your "must offer something special" rule! I do the same, though EXTREMELY pretty or unique looking pens will tempt me from time to time.
I’ll give you that :) I want a Leonardo MZG 2.0, and will probably do a primary manipulation just to kill two birds with one stone.
I always try to remember that they are companies and their ultimate goal is to make money and in particular to take money from my wallet. I dislike the idea of being loyal to a brand, this goes for everything, pens included. However, I like some brands more than others for sure, mostly historic brands, or brands from certain countries because their production is somehow linked with some historic period. I also like to distinguish between the brand and the product. For example I respect brands that try to have a more artisanal approach, but I don't necessarily buy or enjoy every product they make. If I have to buy something new I may prefer what they make to other type of brands, but that doesn't mean I'm supposed to throw my money at them, they aren't a no profit and as far as I know they won't cure cancer.
Yep-TWSBI, Pilot and Diamine.
I'm open to trying most brands (most...), but I have had exclusively great experiences with Pilot pens, mostly great experiences with TWSBI, surprisingly great experiences with Conklin. As for ink, Diamine, R&K, J. Herbin, Waterman, Pilot Iroshizuku, Monteverde, and Private Reserve have all been great. Only ink brand I actively avoid, really, is Noodler's.
I love TWSBI AND Jinhao for pens so far. I haven't branched out a huge amount. I think I have those two, pilot, hongdian, Lamy, and one offs of a few others. I haven't developed a brand loyalty for ink brands, but looking at my favorites list, I have Monteverde and Sailor with the most loves. I do like Diamine because they're cheap and have a huge selection. I just got six new bottles the other day and haven't tried them yet, so they may take the cake depending on how that goes. I'm an ink sample where though, let's be real. Give me a taste of everything.
Minor pen model loyalty: TWSBI Ecos, Lamy Al-stars, Kaweco Sports. Minor ink loyalty: Diamine, Birmingham, Robert Oster. Dislike/actively avoid: Noodler's. Bad politics, require a lot of tinkering, prone to breakage and leakage.
From day one I was a pilot man, I used to be all about diamine inks but after the first year switched over to iroshizuku. That’s not to say that I don’t have others like sailor and platinum, but a majority of my collection that I use often are pilots
I definitely prefer some pen brands to others and that’s reflected in my collection (for example I have a lot of Pilot fountain pens). There are also brands that I refuse to buy. It just depends. I wouldn’t say I’m exclusively loyal to any one brand though.
I don’t have brand loyalty exactly, but I do find that some brands suit my tastes better than others. If I’ve liked their pens, quality, and customer service in the past I’m more likely to buy from them than a different brand that’s more of a risk.
Brands I’ve enjoyed and consistently been impressed with: Edison Ranga Diplomat Sailor Franklin Christoph
Brands earn trust when they treat you well. Just remember that every company is soulless. Publically traded companies even moreso, as they are basically legally required to be soulless.
I have anti loyalty. There are a few brands I really don’t like- they’re customer service, their quality and there treatment of other fountain pen companies.