Fountain pen for a beginner

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Gary_Claus

Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2012
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19
Location
Portsmouth, UK
Good evening Gentlemen of this esteemed interweb forum,

I am a reasonably able turner who has developed a liking for turning pens. I have got reasonable results with the slimline and feel like moving on to fountain pens. I have always admired them and I want to encourage my 9 year old son to use one. I am sure if it's one Dad made he would be more inclined to use it.

I want to make a fountain pen that will have some impact, reasonably chunky and reasonable quality.

Can anyone recommend a 'beginners' pen that I can attempt which wont break the bank if it goes wrong but will last a couple of years until I develop the skills to graduate to the top end pens.

I thank you all in advance for your input.
 
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Gary,
I think the El Grande would be a reasonable first choice for a fountain pen. It is good size and can be light weight depending on the blank that you use.
 
I've gotten good results with a Jr. gent from timberbits.com. It is a low cost FP and good to basic capped pen to start with. I have made a couple that my 5yr old likes to use. At first he pressed way too hard and bent the nibs, but after a little practice his hand writing got better using both the FP and a regular pen. Just beware that kids have a tendency to really tighten the cap way too much. This will cause the threads in the cap to break loose...:eek:

Anyway for $4.50 it is a good starter kit for FP. It is also a good kit to play around with close ended pens. Made a pin-vice from a 1/4" bolt and a hunk of oak, works great and cheap....

Have fun....
 
I agree with Seamus, if you can do a slim line you can do just about any other pen. I also agree with w5brw that a Jr. Gent would be a good kit for a FP

Welcome to the addiction
 
I've made pens using two commercially-available kits, and my wife bought me a pen made from a third kit. Obviously, that's not exhaustive experience, but - - -

Elgrande - this kit offers a screw-cap, which I prefer for FPs because the cap is not going to come off in your pocket, and because the nib doesn't dry out nearly as quickly as with snap-cap designs. My pen writes very nicely, but I have to report that the first pen my wife brought home had to go back to the maker because the nib was very scratchy. On the downside, the nib is finer than other pens (which may explain why it sometimes is scratchy), the design is tapered (you need two different drills), and the turned barrels are very thin in the finished product which means that there is an increased risk of cracking if it is made from wood.

PSI Cigar FP - I bought the older version that had the screw cap. The design is not excessively 'blingy', although the hex nut feature may be a turn-off for some people, and it writes reasonably well. But the idea of using a rubber o-ring to prevent the cap from leaking is really tacky. The latest version is only available in the dreaded snap-cap design.

CSUSA Artisan - This pen is offered in a 10k plating options, and is a very nice writer. The nib is slightly more robust than the standard 'fine', but slightly thinner than the generic 'medium'. It has a nice overall feel. On the downside, the metal extension on the body is too blingy for my taste (but it is possible to do a 'closed-end' version that is quite attractive). The main downside is the snap-cap. I have a couple of these that I use as daily carry-pens (alternative ink colors for variety).
 
A nine year old will probably have a small hand. If he/she is the intended user large and top heavy pieces may be a bit much. Try slimmer kits such as the Streamline American from Berea or a flat top from Woodcraft. They are straight barrels, just thicker than a slimline.
 
Thank you all so much for the comprehensive responses.

It seems there is more of a choice than I originally thought. Lots of options to think about. I also now have the motivation to attempt something possibly more adventurous. Photo's will of course follow.

Looks like I have some orders to place. My wife will be so pleased that I am spending more money :)
 
gbpens said:
A nine year old will probably have a small hand. If he/she is the intended user large and top heavy pieces may be a bit much. Try slimmer kits such as the Streamline American from Berea or a flat top from Woodcraft. They are straight barrels, just thicker than a slimline.
Click to expand...
A very similar pen but (in my opinion) slightly more attractive, is the New Series from Berea, available from Exotic blanks. Also, a phone call to Ed will give you more information about what is availabel and options as far as nibs and the like.

Pen667.JPG
 
I agree with Tony. The Jrs, et al may be way to big for nine year olds hands.

The Berea New Series (stupid name, great pen) is inexpensive and is very popular with my customers with smaller hands. The plating on the chrome version is tried and true and should last a lifetime without issue. The gold seems to be good quality as well, but all gold plating has left something to be desired in all sets.
 
Thanks again Gents for the input.

I tried to put in an order yesterday with 'exoticblanks' for $49 (two pens and bushes) but the postage to the UK was $48 which doubles the price.

I will try to see if I can find either the 'Atrax' which I really like the look of, or the 'Berea New Series' in the UK.

I might try the cigar or the El Grande for myself at a later stage.

A good fountain pen is a lovely thing to own and I believe it sends a message to those who see it about the person who owns it.
 
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