Where to buy?
Submitted by gimme_officesupplies on Thu, 2009-09-10 15:56.
Now that Levenger is selling non-Levenger fountain pens, I'm feeling the urge to splurge on a "real" fountain pen. I'm sure there are cheaper places to get starter pens -- I thought I'd check here for recommendations.
I was leaning toward a Lamy Safari, since there are multiple posts on here saying that they are a good less-expensive pen. I've used a Pilot Varsity and liked it -- I'm just wanting to a) upgrade and b)move beyond plain blue and plain black ink.
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Depends how much you want to spend
Jet Pens is a good place to start. You can get pens like the Platinum Preppy as cheap as $3 or one like a Pilot Capless Fermo Fountain Pen as expensive as $268 with many of the in-betweens under $100.
And they have the Lamy Safaris for $26
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"I think the surest sign that there is intelligent life out there in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us." (Calvin and Hobbes/Bill Waterson)
Plug for an Ann Arbor company
I've bought several times form here:
Pear Tree Pen Company
I've also picked up an order from their basement shop. Great people and products. If you are ever in Ann Arbor, MI plan a visit (you have to call for times they are open).
The unique thing they sell are ink samples. You can pick four inks for $5 and they send you little bottles with enough ink to fill a pen about twice.
No affiliation (except for being in the same town), just a customer.
Swisher Pens
I have been a happy customer of Swisherpens (just google them up) for years. Not affiliated, but happy, and the prices are always right. The web site is not that enjoyable to navigate, but I don't care.
Places with good deals on fountain pens
There are a few places I have bought fountain pens and great service & happy with the products. Not affiliated with any of them besides being a happy customer.
Oscar Bran Pens - family-owned business in Michigan. Good prices, super friendly customer service, fast shipping. You have to order by phone and pay by check or money order.
isellpens.com Great service and prices. Good inventory of pens, especially inexpensive Asian pens. Only problem there is it is hard to place an order when shipping cost is almost as much as a pen, so it is tempting to add more to your order!
peartreepens.com - another vote for Pear Tree Pens. Another one with great prices & service. If (when?) you order from them, I'd recommend picking up one some of their ink sample bottles & the Write-Fill kit (assuming you have pens that can fill that way).
Jetpens.com is also good. They focus on the inexpensive Asian pens with some Lamy and some more expensive ones tossed in for variety.
And if you want more information about fountain pens check out The Fountain Pen Network Last but not least, if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that has a store that sells fountain pens or some place that has a pen show, go try some out & see what you like and what you don't. There is almost no way to tell what you'll like or not unless you try some out.
-Kenny