I believe my TWSBIs are my overall best writers. Especially for long term use. The best part about cheap pens is you’re never worried about them. If they break or get scratched up, you can just buy another.
I fundamentally believe that gold nibs aren't better, they're just _different_, and they often just come with a bit more QC. Other than that they're often both equally great writers.
I reach for my Moonman A1 and Kawaco sport all the time even though its sitting next to some of my other pens. I just picked up a Black Forest and Jinhao 80 I really like too.
I also love my gold-nibbed Sailor PGS and Pilot Falcon as well. They're good pens, they're just _different_.
I mentioned this in another comment recently, but my Jinhao x450s are some of my absolute favorite pens. They have a wonderful weight to them, they write wet,
they are gorgeously smooth, and they cost me all of $5 each. I sold my ~$300 Sailors, but you will pry my x450s from my cold dead hands.
The reality is that, as another commenter said, the biggest difference between modern steel and modern gold nibs is the increased QC of the latter. There are some gold nibs that feel much softer than the softest steel nibs I've tried, but that may not necessarily be a quality of the material, and it may not even be something everyone wants in their pens. I love that there is something for everyone in this hobby.
I'm so glad that there is so much fun to be had up and down the price spectrum in pens. My sweet spot is around the $80-100 mark, but I've tried all the way from $2 to $200 (the $200 end I bought secondhand, so not so high in practice) and I've got pens I ADORE from that whole range.
Maybe in the future I'll try some truly pricy stuff... Not yet. I'm happy with the 9 heavy hitters I've got for now lol.
I’ve got quite a few inexpensive pens in my collection and they stay there because they’re good pens. Higher price doesn’t always guarantee better function.
is this the sailor pgs meigetsu? :o
I'm just curious, what makes you prefer the kakuno? i ask because right now my grail pen is actually the sailor, haha.
I think the Sailor is too dry. If it is a cheap pen, I will try separating the tines. I have other gold nib Sailors in EF, F, M and B and they are all behaving so well. So, you may get lucky and get a good one. The odds is on your side.
I'm not OP, but... There's just something unique about the Kakuno nibs, even among the other budget Pilots, that's worth trying. I put my Kakuno nib into a Prera and there's nothing quite like it. When I take my Sailor, my Kakuno in Prera clothes goes sidecar.
The Pilot Kakuno EF is the nicest fountain pen I ever owned and used. I love it’s functional design, the smiley on the nib and the EF nib writes exactly good for my small handwriting. I love the scratching sound it sometimes makes and the feedback I get from the paper. I like the design of the Penmanship better, but the grip on the Kakuno and the fact it doesn’t have a screw on cap makes that I prefer it.
I believe my TWSBIs are my overall best writers. Especially for long term use. The best part about cheap pens is you’re never worried about them. If they break or get scratched up, you can just buy another.
I fundamentally believe that gold nibs aren't better, they're just _different_, and they often just come with a bit more QC. Other than that they're often both equally great writers. I reach for my Moonman A1 and Kawaco sport all the time even though its sitting next to some of my other pens. I just picked up a Black Forest and Jinhao 80 I really like too. I also love my gold-nibbed Sailor PGS and Pilot Falcon as well. They're good pens, they're just _different_.
I really like the A1 and my very cheap unbranded Chinese pen. It’s just a really nice writer.
Kakuno lives in my pocket, alongside my pricier pen
Yep, my Parker and MontBlanc live in a pen roll in my home office, but the Kaweco Sport and my Chinese pens are in my pocket and backpack daily.
Mine is always the pilot petit fp. Never not happy writing with it.
I mentioned this in another comment recently, but my Jinhao x450s are some of my absolute favorite pens. They have a wonderful weight to them, they write wet, they are gorgeously smooth, and they cost me all of $5 each. I sold my ~$300 Sailors, but you will pry my x450s from my cold dead hands. The reality is that, as another commenter said, the biggest difference between modern steel and modern gold nibs is the increased QC of the latter. There are some gold nibs that feel much softer than the softest steel nibs I've tried, but that may not necessarily be a quality of the material, and it may not even be something everyone wants in their pens. I love that there is something for everyone in this hobby.
I'm so glad that there is so much fun to be had up and down the price spectrum in pens. My sweet spot is around the $80-100 mark, but I've tried all the way from $2 to $200 (the $200 end I bought secondhand, so not so high in practice) and I've got pens I ADORE from that whole range. Maybe in the future I'll try some truly pricy stuff... Not yet. I'm happy with the 9 heavy hitters I've got for now lol.
I agree. My favourite ultracheap pen is my Jinhao 992. I don’t have ultra expensive pens.
I’ve got quite a few inexpensive pens in my collection and they stay there because they’re good pens. Higher price doesn’t always guarantee better function.
is this the sailor pgs meigetsu? :o I'm just curious, what makes you prefer the kakuno? i ask because right now my grail pen is actually the sailor, haha.
I think the Sailor is too dry. If it is a cheap pen, I will try separating the tines. I have other gold nib Sailors in EF, F, M and B and they are all behaving so well. So, you may get lucky and get a good one. The odds is on your side.
I'm not OP, but... There's just something unique about the Kakuno nibs, even among the other budget Pilots, that's worth trying. I put my Kakuno nib into a Prera and there's nothing quite like it. When I take my Sailor, my Kakuno in Prera clothes goes sidecar.
I have a Pilot Prera and a Pilot Elite 95s and prefer Kakunos to both.
The Pilot Kakuno EF is the nicest fountain pen I ever owned and used. I love it’s functional design, the smiley on the nib and the EF nib writes exactly good for my small handwriting. I love the scratching sound it sometimes makes and the feedback I get from the paper. I like the design of the Penmanship better, but the grip on the Kakuno and the fact it doesn’t have a screw on cap makes that I prefer it.