[jim]

I'm thinking about buying a Rotring 600 fountain pen (actually, the entire set). Anyone know anything about these? Are the nibs any good?

I'm also considering finding a Visconti You & Me set on ebay, or going all out and buying the Krone Hyperbole or Geometrik, which IMO look awesome. Although, I like the Wind Geometrik the best, but I couldn't find any good pictures of it.

Any pen geeks out there?

 

[gloco]

check this thread out:

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...highlight=pens

 

[kwkarth]

The Rotring 600 nibs are stiff but very smooth. The Visconti Nib that I have is very smooth AND very flexible as well.

 

[grancasa]

I'm a pen geek. Found that for most practical purposes rollerball's work better than fountain pens, for having to sign carbon copies or odd surfaces.

I have a Cartier Diablo Stainless Steel pen, and it is one of the coolest looking things I own. It feels super solid (I could probably do some damage with it) yet the balance is perfect, and the writing is silky smooth. It has the signature Cartier blue stone on the cap, and platinum accent rings. Really cool industrial/modern look to it.

The refills are $4 a pop, though, so I gave up on using this pen as my note taking pen in class, as I was going through a refill in about 1-2 weeks!

 

[Vertigo-1]

I'm a writing utensil geek too. Strangely it was one of those things I finally just had to admit to being, when I found myself slowly getting drawn to the fine pen section of any stationary store I go into.

I'm more into mechanical pencils myself, as I dig the ability to correct mistakes on the fly with an eraser while taking notes. In any event, my favorite writing utensils remain the pens/pencils made by Sensa. Here's what I've had in my backpack for the past 2-3 years:

AMX 2000 Carbon Nickel Fiber

Noir pencil

I have an entire box of misc pens and pencils, and for the most part I end up going back to the Sensas in the end as far as what I actually use. Still there's just something about writing instruments that makes me want to collect them. I just recently ordered a Lamy 2000 pencil and Rotring Quattro Executive multipen...even if I most likely wouldn't use them.

But I digress. You wanted fountain pens...I checked Sensa's website and noticed they just released a fountain pen series. Might want to check it out. I think Sensa by far takes the cake in bang for the buck for design and comfort.

 

[jim]

Hey thanks for the info guys!

kwkarth: yeah, I had a feeling those rotring nibs would be rather stiff. Does the FP have any starting problems? I hate it when my pens don't start reliably. Anyway, I figured since I already use the Rotring 600 mechanical pencil for my everyday work, I might as well round it out with the entire collection...

Right now I've filled my main pens with montblanc rollarball refills. I really like them so far -- definitely the smoothest rollarball refill I've used, and with nice even ink flow. Sort expensive though (2 for $9.50).

The two main pens I use for day to day stuff:
Namiki Impressions (rollarball):

Tiffany Elsa Peretti rollarball (sterling silver)

Have to admit though, I didn't buy the Tiffany pen. Found it on the ground, and only realized it's value a couple of years later! Not a bad find eh? I think that's what started my whole interest in pens to begin with...

Part of the reason why I'm looking for a new pen is because the Tiffany is much too thin for my fingers. I'm looking for something with some more girth.

Those new sensas look interesting. Thanks for the heads up. Just out of curiousity, do those rubber grips hold up well?

 

[eric343]

*pats his $6 PhD mechanical pencil*

 

[kwkarth]

The Rotring 600 FP starts fine depending upon the brand of ink used. Despite being stiff, they write so smoothly that when some friends at work saw (and wrote with) the first 600FP that I had (about 10 years ago) they got together and bought about half a dozen of them from a mail order place at the time.
Check out Levenger.com for their version of the Rotring 600. Very nice... Levenger's version, like the original, is much better than the current versions.
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATE...&SPCID=&Title=
http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATE...&SPCID=&Title=
RE the Sensas...I have 4 or 5 of 'em and have never had a problem. I have both the carbon/nickel fiber and the copper/nickel and a few others that aren't made any longer.
http://store4.yimg.com/I/penexpress_1691_10208722
http://store4.yimg.com/I/penexpress_1691_10109841

Cheers!

Quote:

Originally posted by jim Hey thanks for the info guys! kwkarth: yeah, I had a feeling those rotring nibs would be rather stiff. Does the FP have any starting problems? I hate it when my pens don't start reliably. Anyway, I figured since I already use the Rotring 600 mechanical pencil for my everyday work, I might as well round it out with the entire collection... Right now I've filled my main pens with montblanc rollarball refills. I really like them so far -- definitely the smoothest rollarball refill I've used, and with nice even ink flow. Sort expensive though (2 for $9.50). The two main pens I use for day to day stuff: Namiki Impressions (rollarball): Those new sensas look interesting. Thanks for the heads up. Just out of curiousity, do those rubber grips hold up well?

 

[Vertigo-1]

Sensa's grips isn't exactly just rubber per say...you should be able to check them out at your local stationary store (I don't mean Officemax/Office Depot BTW), then you can see how the grip works. It holds up very well, just as long as you don't take a knife or scissor to it.

kwkarth, 4 or 5 huh.

Hey, your CarbonNF looks like mine, the older version with the brown grips. Yeah I'd still like to get the Copper Nickel Fiber myself complete the AMX 2000 collection (I have the original Stealth that was a part of it)

. Maybe that forest green Artifact that's discontinued as well. And the Sterling Silver. Maybe even Sensa's biggest fish, the Vermeil too.

The scary thing is if it weren't for audio, I'd probably have all these pens by now.

I noticed Sensa started to cheap out on the top silver and gold models now, so it'd be nice to nab a Vermeil while they're still around, they pop up on Ebay every now and then.

 

[kwkarth]

I've got a burgundy Artifact which I like. My main gripe with the Sensas is writing off axis with the Space Pen refills, they tend to get scratchy at steep angles. Ok, ok, then I oughta use a fountain pen...nuf said...

 

[Gergor]

I'm not really into pen, but this is what I have. I bought it simply because I thought it's pretty.

 

[RVD]

I too am a writing utensil geek, but have recently had to stop buying pens due to me constantly loosing them. I have lost a Rotring Quattro, a Cross, and two Sensa pens.

I now just use a Rotring Quattro, which is really nice, that I have duct taped to my hand.

 

[kwkarth]

The duct tape thing sounds like a good idea. I just heard on the radio that duct tape can remove warts too!

 

[stymie miasma]

Quote:

Originally posted by kwkarth The Rotring 600 FP starts fine depending upon the brand of ink used. Despite being stiff, they write so smoothly that when some friends at work saw (and wrote with) the first 600FP that I had (about 10 years ago) they got together and bought about half a dozen of them from a mail order place at the time. Check out Levenger.com for their version of the Rotring 600. Very nice... Levenger's version, like the original, is much better than the current versions.

kwkarth!

many thanks for that lead. the 600 series are very hard to find in australia now - it is good to know that levenger has continued the style. i have a 600 series fountain pen, but the nib is EF and can be a little scratchy as i tend to write rather quickly.

i also have one of the newer 600 series (is is "newton"?) in the trio - black/red/0.7 pencil. it is not quite as well made as the original 600 series, and it lacks the cool hatching on the grp surface. sadly, it seems as though levenger do not make the 600 series trio

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor I'm not really into pen, but this is what I have. I bought it simply because I thought it's pretty.

Hey, how does that thing work anyways? Something about it flexing when you press its button?

Faber Castell pens are very nice too...very high quality stuff even in their low end products. The von Graf is high on my list of pens to conquer.