Top 5 Affordable Fountain Pens for Back to School.
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- čas přidán 23. 07. 2024
- Need a new fountain pen for school? Ah, Autumn is nearly upon us, The nights are getting chilly and the buses will be running soon. It's time to matriculate in this course and to learn which are the best back-to-school pens!
Join me, won't you?
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00:00:01 - Intro
00:00:28 - Parameters
00:01:12 - First Choice from Lamy
00:02:38 - 1st Choice, Dry, Dry Desert
00:02:33 - 2nd Choice, from Platinum
00:03:47 - 3rd Choice, Kaweco
00:05:16 - 4th Choice, TWSBI
00:06:55 - 5th Pilot
00:08:00 - Another Pilot
00:10:05 - Thank you to the Awesome Members!
Wardrobe: Blue Oxford by J Press - Zábava
I have now a good amount of pens.
From expensive Aurora 88 with a super feedbacky 14k gold nib to suuuper smooth Asvine v126 with M, Hongdian N7 (F) and Twsbi Eco with a broad (glass smooth). I got to say: nowadays we dont need to spend too much for a fountain pen. Just buy the ones that resonate with you the most. All fountain pens are an experience worth having!
I hope everyone is blessed with beautiful days, drawing and writing sessions!
Take care.
Amazing video as always.
I agree with this comment so much! Thank you!
Thanks for the writing demonstration for each pen. That really helps!
My Pleasure! Thanks for watching.
If you don’t mind me asking, what do you recommend for affordable ‘flex’ pens?
“An armored insect” - I will never see my Kaweco the same again 😂 Honorable mention: I’d recommend the Waterman Allure. At $30 USD, you get a reliable pen with a high capacity cartridge. It’s my cheapest pen but it always finds its way on my desk inked up. Thanks HJ! ~ ADL
I love Waterman. Nice suggestion! Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.
If they make more metallic iridescent ones yes...they are like beetles
Really nice video! I adore the laid back, yet educational style in this. Everything else was great as always, so keep going 👏
Thanks so much! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent video. The shortened intro was appreciated, I like how you just jumped right in. I was at lunch when I viewed the video, and like the length. Excellent suggestions for back to school.
Thanks! The intro depends on the video. If it is high concept and made for entertainment and for visual delight, I do longer intros. The information based ones are meant to be breezier and designed to dive right in. I call these, “Hemingway Jones Presents.” Thanks for watching!!!! That’s the important thing.
Good choices and good video. Recently, I'm changing my preppies for the kakunos ones. 😅 And I'm always carrying an ECO, prepared to write.
I may have to do a Prep vs Kakuno faceoff! kawai v scholastic.
Terrific video! Excellent, thoughtful choices.
Thank you so much!
I teach 8th graders and I gladly noticed this year that fountain pens are making a comeback!!
Some students (the best ones I think, but I might be biased) are using lamys and others are using Pilots.
I’m using a Preppy (how cheap!) and a Namisu Nova.
Thanks for this video from your doppelgänger /dopplechanneler (the Wudn guy)!
Nice! This makes me happy to hear! A new generation taking over. Always nice to hear from you.
Outstanding selection of back-to-school pens. When I graduated college thirty years ago, my fine-writing instrument was the Waterman ballpoint. I used it to take notes as I thumbed through the card catalog in the library searching for research materials.
Ah, Card Catalogues! Many happy memories.
I would add a Jinhao 82 to the list. Very inexpensive, and fun to mix and match the colors by swapping around the end finials, grip sections, and caps. Cheap enough to get a few of them and customize :)
It’s a marvelous addition. Thanks!
Great video with great timing. I got into fountain pens this year funnily enough through the Pilot Kakuno! I tried the TSWBI Eco but it was too bulky for me, and the twist cap wasn't intuitive. Now I'm the proud owner of a Pilot Metropolitan. Having tried three of the pens in your recommendations I'm looking forward to trying out the others you mentioned!
Thank you so much! I am so glad you enjoyed this. I am so glad you are beginning your fountain pen journey. Stay inspired.
Great choices HJ. 6 months ago I would have said I never heard of any of those pens. But after a few months watching your channel not only have I heard of them but I have 3 of the 6 pens you suggested. And quite honestly the Platinum Preppy pen writes as good or even better than my Montblancs, Parkers and ST Duponts. Just a fantastic pen on a lot of different papers I might add. Thanks. Great show. See you Tuesday.
I really have to try the preppy. Seems very surprising. I think I am just lazy!
Thanks very much for the kind words! Thank you!
@@nccastro653 I got a medium point and it writes more like a fine point on a Montblanc. It’s really fantastic even with a steel nib. Good luck
Thank you HJ for the list.
Thanks for watching!
The new line of Jinhaos (with an x) are great! The Jinhao 82 is a hidden gem.
I am so glad you are having good luck with them! I love affordable pen options.
You almost make me wish I was a student again, nice choices. The TWSBI Eco is awesome!
Me too! I miss Academia! Thanks!
Hello HJ. This was an insightful video of just how inexpensive getting into this wonderful hobby can be. I'm hoping that younger people will come across this video and join us in a writing experience that just might change their lives. Great job.
I hope so too! Thanks so much!
My favorites are (not in any order)
Platinum Plaisir (aluminum upgrade to the Preppy)
Lamy Safari/AL Star
Pilot Metropolitan
TWSBI Eco
Honorable mention: Pilot Kakuno
I upgraded to the Con40 in my Metropolitans and put the squeeze converter on my Kakuno. I kind of think of it as a dip pen with a bit more capacity.
I normally buy from pen shops but do recommend knockoff Platinum converters 5/$10 from Amazon. Mine all work perfectly but MMV with that sort of thing
Thank you for the excellent suggestions. Swapping out for the squeeze converter is a good idea. Thanks so much for watching and for being here.
great video, thanks Hemingway
Thank you for watching!
I can't argue with the Lamy Vista, but i would suggest considering a Safari instead for their colour selection.
The Platinum Preppy is a GREAT value pen; they write beautifully, and as you say, losing one is barely an inconvenience (I gave one to a coworker who was interested, and she loved it). However, the Preppy is a little fragile and the caps can split if you're not super-careful. So buy a Plaisir or two instead or in addition to a Preppy. You get the same nib with a stronger aluminium body and cap for under $25 Canadian.
I don't have a TWSBI Eco but I do have two TWSBI Swipes (medium and fine nibs), and I'm sure the Swipe's nib is just as good. Plus you get THREE ways to fill it. The smoke version is also a bit of a demonstrator. I find the medium nib is like a fire hose for ink. It seems as broad as the Lamy Safari's Broad nib, but it's a smooth joy to write with and will show off your favourite colour of shading or sheening ink.
I received a Kaweco Sport pen two days ago. It has a great nib, is surprisingly comfortable to write with, and it's small and light enough to slip into my bag, along with a Preppy. I suspect the Kaweco Sport won't be my favourite pen - it's a little bit short for me even when posted. But it's an excellent back-up pen, or an extra when the favourite unexpectedly runs out of ink. I have to admit, too, that the brass version is tempting me.
The Pilot Kakuno looks like fun, but i'd get my colour from the Safari. And the Metropolitan is like the Preppy/Plaisir. You won't go wrong with it; I just prefer the Platinum pens.
Happy writing!
All great information and wonderful choices. Thanks for the comment and for watching!
Nailed it on this one. These are all ones I would recommend as well. I could add the Pilot Prera as well but Pilot is Pilot! The TWSBI Nib Section sometimes bothers my fingers since I crowd the nib sometimes, but all of these are great.
Hi BenJoe, I like the Prera (is that how it's spelled?!) I almost bought one for my daughter in NYC. Thanks for watching this one!
Nice round up!
Thank you!
Great choices Professor HJ!
Thank you!
Great selection! Not too expensive!
Thank you! Budget friendly is good!
a good affordable option is the pilot prera. I use mine quit often and is reliable and can be used with a converter.
Wonderful choice!
When I was in school, my choices were not as broad. But I did start my love of fountain pens with a Parker Vector. If I were in school now, the TWSBI Eco would be the one and only pen I’d need. Well…maybe a Lamy Safari to mix it up. And a Kaweco Sport too. Ugh. If I were in school now, I’d need 2 part time jobs to keep up with all the pens and stationary I’d want.
Hear, hear! So much great stuff out there. Love them. The TWSBI Eco is enough pen for anyone. It’s brilliant.
Thank you Hemingway! Excellent choices of friendly writing companions. I love TWISBI pens. My personal choice is Traveller’s Company brass fountain pen with medium nib. It has an interesting look as well. And I will dare to suggest vintage Parker Maxima. Parker Maxima is classy and adds nostalgic touch. I just love to write with it and reminisce about my school years. ☺️
Those are excellent choices. Thank you!
Great list. I have every one of those except the pilot metropolitan. I conquer
Nice! Thank you!
Good list! Incidentally, today i saw a fountain pen for 0.49GBP! That's about 62 cents.
Excellent value! Thanks for watching.
Great list! I especially like the Metropolitan. I think it looks classy too as long as you don't get the animal prints.
Good Point!There are those! Thanks!
The Pilot Metropolitan is so uncommon in Europe. I haven't seen it in any EU shop so far. Is it only sold in the US?
The Platinum Preppy is amazing - the seal cap works perfectly, and the price is unbeatable. And for a small extra you can get the special ones like the "modern maki-e" and you are still under 10 EUR/USD.
Depending on personal preferences and the individual style of writing, I would recommend the Kaweco Sport or the TWSBI Eco.
Best thing is always to try them before you buy them - so if you are lucky to have a well stocked pen shop near to you (unfortunately, they become rarer and rarer as the online business increases) get there and try all the pens in your price range. Feel them, play with them, and then let your heart decide.
That is how I chose my first "own" fountain pen - it was a 2nd hand Pelikan. It had some minor scratches at the cap, but I remember that I immediately fell in love with it after the first sentences I wrote with it. And I still use it very often after over 40 years.
Good vibes from Germany ☮
Maybe the Metro is called something else there? That happens with some products. 2nd hand Pelikans are excellent choices. Those vintage Pelikans are amazing! Thanks so much for watching and for the kind words.
@@HemingwayJones Oh, thanks, that was good advice. I just checked and there really is something called Pilot MR which seems to be the European pendant to the Metropolitan. But it is very rare, and I don't know if it is the same.
Hmmm, I need to ask Joost or someone else there. Thanks!
@@HemingwayJones Joost should know. Thanks.
"Back to school" - the most non click-bait title I could ever imagine 😅
Anyways, good choices. Thank you!
Far be it from me to engage in a little click bait now and then. By the way, I think you will love my upcoming video “How A Fountain Pen Saved Me From A Shark Attack!”
@@HemingwayJones Did you cover yourself in a cloud of ink like octopuses do? 😁
Wow, what a concept. My next video. Well played!
Ecos! Large ink capacity, good nibs including a nice stub offering, and a nice internal cap seal for half the sales tax on a Montblanc.
I shouldn't have said that. Now I want a Montblanc. Sigh.
You make excellent points! It’s all the pen you would ever need… except that we will all buy more pens regardless!
I enjoyed your video even tho I don't need to go back to school. I would also suggest the Stabilo Flow Sporty at around $10.00. Its a tough plastic pen with a steel nib.
Thanks for watching! I appreciate it. That is an excellent suggestion. Thank you!
Wing Sung 601 is probably the best of the 51 clones. It is perfect for note taking. The EF hooded nib doesn’t dry out and it will write a very long time before you need to refill the tank. I like the understated appearance of this fine pen.
Sounds like an excellent choice for 51 lovers. Thank you!
The Kakuno would head my list, especially given a savvy student would add a con 70 & be able to write for days. Not to mention the colour selection is way more varied than just the pastels (not my fav), including demonstrator versions. I'd say I use mine almost daily, at the very least it's always inside my pen case. Oh and it's a great size!
Alas it's not back to school time out here, my students are in the midst of a heavy assessment block and ready for a break. 😂
Thanks so much! For the great points. It is such a fun pen.
for my first year in college I'm going to bring my platinum preppy and faber-castell grip with me. my preppy hasn't failed me so far, but because the platinum cartridges are so much more expensive than the faber-castell ones, I'll have to make my grip the pain star of the show. it's a fairly underrated pen and I haven't been able to find anyone reviewing it, but so far so good! after using a whole cartridge with it, I can tell it's a good pen, but I wouldn't suffer too much if I lost it
Brilliant! Congratulations. Have a wonderful year!
Excellent choices!!! I have recently been impressed by a German pen brand called Online ... their Campus model is a super smooth reliable writer I got mine in the Fluffy Cat finish!!!
Who could argue with Fluffy Cat!? Awesome! Thanks so much and nice to see you.
My 'Back to School' pens are a handful of +$2000 pens, because I'm dam well going to use them before I die. But I'm retired and am studying again for fun & pleasure.
"Affordable", for young students, is something different. You've missed one pen: The Faber Castell 2011 Grip fountain pen. This is IMO the best low cost pen, certainly the best non-Chinese, low cost fountain pen.
You know, I don’t have any Faber Castell, but I hear such good things. Thanks for the suggestion and good luck with your studies.
Monami Olika is definitely underrated. Only 2 USD here in the Philippines, I'm not sure in US.
Agree with you. I have one and it's a nice pen.
I don't know this one. I will have to seek it out.
@HemingwayJones Waski used it many years ago. He liked it as well. It is probably similar to a Preppy. Plastic cap and barrel. Choice of colours and is supplied with some non standard ink cartridges.
@@davidanderson3425 The version of Monami Olika here in the Philippines takes Standard International Short cartridges
I do own all the pens you mentioned, and I do like all of them. But I would add the Diplomat Magnum. It is the smoothest steel fine nib I own. Much recommended, Goulet has them for about $25, and they come with a decent size converter. Only drawback (for me) it is too light when not posted, it feels strange. But posted is great.
Thanks for the excellent suggestion!
All good choices. I can only add Waterman Allure and the Parker Vector as possible alternatives.
Hi David, thanks for the add-ons!
@@HemingwayJones my pleasure
What a fun video :) I've only tried two of these, the sport and the MR. My sport didnt write. My MR is a dream! It's much too small for my hand but writes so well that I can't wrap my head around selling it.
My son (8) has none of these. 😂
He uses Kaweco pencils in 0.7 and 0.9 (one black, one brass).
Pens: wingsung 3003, jinhao x750, jinhao dragon (999?), and monteverde ritma.
So sorry about your Sport. Great suggestions! Thanks for the kind words.
I love the Jinnah dragon! I have a red and a purple!
*insert the Lamy XP vs. Lamy Vista joke here*
I'd also add Parker Jotter CT FP. But its barrel is not as durable as Lamy. the SS version is more durable but also more expensive.
I know of your reluctance to recommend Jinhao (I know you have real concerns) but for looks, classic styling, performance and cost, the Jinhao 82 would certainly be a reasonable choice.
I agree. One of mine is a very nice pen. I like the dimensions and the nib. I’d like to have more confidence to add them to more lists. I just have to go by my personal experiences. I need to order more and gain some confidence.
I think the Kaweco Perkeo, and jinhaos should be on this list...lamys yes, preppys yes for sure...snap caps for kids makes the most sense than screw caps. For kids in college kaweco sports, and twsbis are great.
Great choices. thanks so much!
Great video,the lamy sarfari is a pen for back to school,in Germany kids used it to learn to write cursive,gold spot did a video at there store in Germany frank in Oswego,I'll I'd just send my Visconti on for repair in Charlotte North Carolina. Coles of London repairs and dales
Thanks Man!
@@HemingwayJones so if you need yr Visconti repair that the place,my stipula is still in Florence until next there on vacation.
@@HemingwayJones yr welcome
What's the ink you use with Pilot Metropolitan ?
J Herbin Bleu Des Profondeurs very interesting blue! Thanks!
The important thing to me in a school pen is that you can write fast with it. Your list is good for that, especially the Kaweco, I think. I'd add the the steel nib Sailors (Procolor, Compass, Lecoule). If you're like me and looks matter for setting the mood. The MF nib is terrible-paper-friendly, if you prefer a medium but that blue book is going to make it look like you're painting a watercolor if you use a wetter pen.
Very good point. The TWSBI slows you down a bit. Great suggestions!
Another great video, but…..You do a great job covering pens and inks, but the third, and maybe the most important part of fountain pen writing is the paper. Please consider doing a video that explains to the back to school crowd that most of the notebooks on the shelves at their local grocery, drug or Target/Walmart store is not fountain pen friendly. Having the wrong paper can immediately frustrate and turn-off future fountain pen enthusiasts.
That’s a very good point. I did mention at least once, that an EF or F helps to write on the crummy paper at school! Thanks for watching!
What red ink is that in the TWSBI Eco?
It’s the Mighty Diamine Oxblood. Thanks.
Good choices. Maybe some expensive choices: Pilot Vanishing Point, TWSBI Vac 700, Nahvalur Original Plus, Monteverde Ritma, ... actually there are a lot in this (slightly higher) price range. Or consider a vintage Shaeffer or Parker - these were workhorses in the business world for decades (past). Currently I'm taken by the Platinum Cusidas, but I can see why some don't like it. And don't forget a nice mechanical pencil, for instance the classic Rotring 600, in the color of your choice. Or for the animee fans a Kura-Toga (the Advance is super cute, and inexpensive), Pentel (a Kerry would be classy, an Orenz would work well for the engineer, they also make really nice drafting pencils), or for the budding ninja, a titainium EDC pencil that doubles as a glass breaker 🙂.
Great additions! Thanks very much!
I love the TWSBI Vac 700r. It holds so much ink, and it is so fun since it is a demonstrator. My favourite colour ink for my Vac 700r is Diamine Oxblood. That would have been so appropriate for anatomy classes back when I was in university had it existed. I used inexpensive Sheaffer pens at that time.
I like it i love Fountain pen ❤❤❤❤
Thanks!
Where did the parameters go? Here are mine, in descending order:
1.readable
2. reliable
3. cheap
4. quickdraw
5. rapid
6. comfortable/unfatiguing
7. long lasting
8. undistracting
9. mess-free
And, as always, it is good to compare your choice against a pencil, a ballpoint, and a laptop.
I gave mine! These are good. Thanks for watching!
I used to like the platinum preppy but they do tend to break. You can get the same nib and function in a more resilient package with the Platinum Prefounte. The price difference is negligible.
Or even the Platinum Plaisir. I somehow had the Preppy cap crack on me in a couple of places within a week of getting it (granted I ordered it off Amazon) and I bought the Plaisir. Preppy still writes fine.
Great advice! Thank you.
I will pick up my Namiki yukari.
Nice!
What about Jinhao pens. They a really cheap and perfect for school
Wonderful suggestion! Thank you.
It looks like I am buying a Vista.
It’s a charming pen.