The Pelikan Pelikano Junior, perfect for kids.

The Pelikan Pelikano Junior is a great beginner fountain pen for children to learn to write with.  Its bright colors, sturdy plastic body, and strong stainless steel nib are just some of the qualities that make this such a great learning tool for young writers.  This item was very kindly given to me by Tom over at Goldspot Luxury Gifts…even if you are not in the market to buy a pen, you should probably check out their blog too since that is how I found out about the giveaway for this pen.

The Pelikan Pelikano Junior uncapped with the comfy rubber grip.

As I mentioned already, there are a few things about this Pelikano Junior that really stand out as making it ideal for a young writer, but to me the most noticeable and most important is the grip.  In addition to being a very comfortable and easy to hold onto grip, it also is shaped and angled perfectly so the different sides of the grip automatically guide your thumb and index finger on the exact right spot of the barrel.  The pen is designed in two different versions to accomplish this neat little trick, so if you are looking to buy one of these, make sure you order the correct left hand or right hand version.  The other features of this pen that make it great for a younger writer are the durable components such as the cap and the nib…VERY sturdy, and although I did not try it, I feel like they would stand up well to being dropped or abused.  Speaking of being dropped, the pen also has a design with enough protrusions along the cap and body to prevent it from rolling off of a table as is likely to happen with the target audience here.  Another handy little feature on this pen is the sticker that affixes to the inside of the pen that you write your childs name on.  With the sticker visible from the outside there is never any confusion as to who the pen belongs to on those incredibly rare instances where a brother and/or sister just cant seem to agree on who owns something.

Pelikan Pelikano Junior and the Pelikan M 215 nib comparison. Left is the Pelikano and right is the M215 (F) nib.

For the most part I usually write with fountain pens that are a Fine size or Extra Fine size nib, the Pelikano Junior however is pretty much a Medium size nib.  I have to be honest, I was not expecting anything better than an average writing experience with the Pelikano Junior.  My assumption was based on me assuming that since the pen was so focused on being child friendly, it may have forced them to skimp in some other areas.  Thankfully I was wrong, and was very surprised at how smoothly the nib writes on multiple different types of paper, with an even and consistent line.

The Pelikan Pelikano Junior writing sample done on Whitelines graph paper.

The writing sample above was done on my Whitelines graph paper notebook, and the pen did really well here as you can see from the photo.  My only issue with writing with this pen was that I am not really used to writing with a wider nib, but I think that the size is probably appropriate for the target age group for this pen.  In the writing sample I put a quick line of text in with my Pelikan M215 with fine nib to give some perspective on the Pelikano Junior nib size.

This is a very unique pen, and for the price you really cant beat the quality and innovative features that should make for a very durable and reliable tool to help a younger writer to develop good writing habits with a fountain pen.  Thanks again to Goldspot for providing this sample.

© 2009 – 2010, OfficeSupplyGeek. All rights reserved.

The 3rd Beginner Fountain Pen in my series of reviews, the Lamy Safari.

Many of you have had some great suggestions on other fountain pens to review in my series of what I consider to be beginner or starter fountain pens. I know that a lot of people might not really consider the Lamy Safari to be a true beginner fountain pen but my view on this is that if you have owned and used one of the two other beginner fountain pens that I reviewed (Pilot Varsity or Platinum Preppy) then I think you have enough experience to decide if you want to upgrade to a slightly more advanced but relatively inexpensive and beginner fountain pen.

The Lamy Safari Fountain Pen with converter installed.

Now as I mentioned, the Lamy Safari is a step (or more) above the other two beginner fountain pens that I reviewed, however I feel that if you have used either of the other two and you even slightly enjoyed them, then its time to take another step forward with the Safari.  The Lamy Safari is a much more sturdy fountain pen that is also designed smarter with its comfortable grip, smooth writing nib, and functional clip.  The version of the Safari that you are looking at here is the charcoal body with EF nib, and I purchased the converter for the ink so I could use my own ink instead of the cartridges.  I really like how the stainless steel nib is black, so it matches the pen.

This fountain pen was my first purchase from the Writers Bloc site, and I was impressed with their good pricing, quick shipment and nice packaging. For the record, I was not given any complimentary or discounted items from Writers Bloc in exchange for this review.  The Lamy Safari itself was $25, and the converter was an additional $4.95, so the overall cost (not including shipping) was $29.95.  You can also pick up the Lamy Safari EF from Amazon, but I was not able to find any converters that pair up for free shipping.  Having a fountain pen with a converter is something that really helps a new user to enjoy the experience of using all of the different inks that are available.  Again, I am sure that many people probably cringe at the idea of a $30 beginner fountain pen, but the intent of this series of reviews was to just get a look at some options if you are just getting started, it was not intended to be for just bargain models.  The simplicity of the Lamy Safari, along with the high quality associated with the Lamy brand really make it a great option for the money.

Lamy Safari writing sample in a Mead notebook.

Writing with the Lamy Studio is very smooth, and very comfortable. In my initial research on fountain pens, I came across lots of questions that people had regarding the extra fine nibs and if they were “scratchy” because of their small size. In my opinion, this is a non-issue with the Lamy Safari, and it also was not an issue with my Lamy Studio with the same size EF nib, they both write very smoothly.  The grip area (also known as the “section”) on this pen has a unique design with two flat areas that help you position the nib perfectly on the paper, while also providing for a very naturally comfortable place to rest your fingers while writing.  In comparing the Lamy Safari to the Lamy Studio I also noticed that the converter is slightly easier to use because the design of the part which you twist is a little easier on the fingers due to some slightly more rounded edges.

The Lamy Safari grip, or section on the right shows its unique and comfortable design.

The thing that makes this such a great beginner fountain pen in my opinion is not only that it offers quality and flexibility with a very smooth writing experience, but it is also a pen that you will want to use regardless of what other fountain pens you have around.  Even though I consider this a beginner fountain pen, I still get as much enjoyment out of my Lamy Safari as I do with someof my other more expensive fountain pens.  I think the value that you get with the Lamy Safari is huge because as long as you think you will like fountain pens in general, this one is a keeper that you will look forward to using for years to come.

© 2009 – 2010, OfficeSupplyGeek. All rights reserved.

The Pilot Preppy in Blue Black. Another beginner fountain pen with some additional benefits.

As I mentioned in my post earlier this week, I am doing a few reviews this week on some of the more inexpensive or beginner fountain pens that I have used because I have seen many questions and comments from people who are skeptical or reluctant to try a fountain pen because they believe they will be too expensive, too messy, or just too difficult to write with. Hopefully my posts this week will help people who are curious about fountain pens to find something that they will want to try.  I know from personal experience that finding a beginner fountain pen and getting started with it can be a little confusing and even a little intimidating.

The Platinum Preppy uncapped and in writing position.

The 2nd option for a beginner fountain pen that I think is good to get some experience with is the Platinum Preppy.  This pen is just about the same price as the previously reviewed Pilot Varsity, however you get a little more feel for a regular fountain pen with it, because instead of just being a disposable with a sealed ink tank, they come with one cartridge of ink that you can replace down the road.  You can find this fountain pen at JetPens.com for $3.00 and it comes in multiple colors, and as you can see from the link, they also offer the replacement cartridges for $1.50 for a pack of 2.  Having the opportunity to change the cartridge in a fountain pen is something that I feel that many non-fountain pen users are a little hesitant about, and I think it is a good exercise in helping to understand that the cartridges are pretty clean and really dont make a mess when changing or using them.  This is one of those myths about fountain pens that can sometimes make beginners a bit reluctant to start using them.

The Platinum Preppy taken apart to show the nib and the cartridge.

The above picture shows the pen deconstructed so you can see the nib on the left, and the cartridge on the right.  Its pretty simple, you just unscrew the section which contains the nib, and as you slip the cartridge into the nib section, it punctures it and gets the ink flowing.  Once past the initial loading of the ink cartridge, you can start to get a feel for the flexibility that a fountain pen can give you with the different types and colors of inks that are available, even though this particular one only takes the Platinum brand refills.

The Platinum Preppy writing sample in a Mead 5 star notebook.

With the functional differences between the Pilot Varsity and the Platinum Preppy now evident, you can take a look at the writing sample with this pen.  The Platinum Preppy is a pretty close match when it comes to the smooth writing experience and solid line that this pen puts down.  I think the only real difference is that the line is just a bit finer as compared to the Pilot Varsity.  The only other major difference between these fountain pens is that the Platinum Preppy seems to have a higher quality build and design to it.  It has a very strong clear plastic body and a spring loaded cap that most likely will be better for keeping the ink from evaporating out of the pen.  The nice thing about the clear plastic body is that it allows you to see the amount of ink left, unlike the Varsity.

I think it is important to note that there are plenty of other beginner fountain pens out there that offer similar functionality, quality, and value, however these are just some that I happen to have had good experiences with and are representative of the many others available.  The next and last beginner fountain pen that I will review for this short series will be one that offers the most flexibility in the ink delivery methods and the writing experience, so stay tuned for that later this week.

© 2009 – 2010, OfficeSupplyGeek. All rights reserved.

The Pilot Varsity Disposable Fountain Pen with Medium Nib.

I have been getting questions from people that are interested in fountain pens, but they are hesitant to commit to trying one, so I’ve decided to do a few reviews of what I would consider to be good beginner or inexpensive fountain pens to try.  I have to say, I dont usually see people using fountain pens as “office supplies” but I know that people like to experiment with different writing tools, so hopefully I can do my part in getting more people to consider them as viable options.  I will probably review 3 of them, in addition to a review that I previously did on the Pilot Petit1 Fountain Pen.  The first beginner fountain pen that I will be reviewing is the Pilot Varsity Disposable.

The Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen is the first fountain pen that I ever tried, and it is the one that I can say is responsible for me wanting to commit to spending the money on a “real” fountain pen.  The writing experience I had with it was very enjoyable and my initial thought was that if I could enjoy a $3 fountain pen, any of the more expensive ones that I was researching must be even better.  I am not a huge fan of the design and look of the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen, but when I originally ordered some other stuff from Colorado Pen Direct, they were offering a free Pilot Varisty with the order, so its not like I was going to turn that down.  You can also pick up a variety pack of 7 different colors from Amazon.

When I received the pen in the mail with the rest of the items I ordered, I was excited to give it a try since I had never written with a fountain pen before.  I was pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it wrote, and I didnt have any trouble getting a solid line with no skips or white areas, which for some reason I thought might be a problem.  The only thing I didnt like (which I quickly got over) was the fact that this was a Medium size nib and it wrote fairly large for my taste.  Understanding that fountain pens came with different size nibs, I didnt allow myself to get hung up on the fact that this pen forced me to write a bit larger than I was comfortable with, and I instead focused on things like the pressure required, the smoothness of the nib, and the quality of the line it put on the paper.  The Pilot Varsity nailed each of these three criteria in a way that I honestly didnt expect.  I was amazed by the smooth writing and solid lines put down by such an inexpensive fountain pen, I had incorrectly assumed that the only quality fountain pen experience would have to come from a more expensive model.

As you can see from the above writing sample, the Pilot Varsity puts down a very bold and vibrant line, you really dont see any white spots where the nib has skipped or scratched at the paper.  It is also surprising to see that this $3.00 fountain pen wrote so well in such a basic and non-fountain pen specific notebook.  The Mead paper is usually fine for your basic ballpoint, rollerball, gel, or pencil, but I did not expect such great results for a fountain pen.  My gut instinct was that there would be a significant amount of feathering or bleed through on this paper with a fountain pen.  For the most part, you probably wouldnt want to write on the other side of the paper because the bleed through is noticeable, but I have definitely seen worse.  As for the feathering that I had expected, there is virtually none.

Close up of the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen Medium Nib.

The one thing that is both a plus and a minus for the Pilot Varsity as a beginner fountain pen is that it does not have a cartridge or a converter for the ink.  It is designed as a non-refillable system, although our friend Seth over at the Good Pens Blog, did a very nice walk through of how to refill one of these if you want to.  If you are just looking for a really quick way to find out if you like how a fountain pen writes, then this pen is for you, however if you want to find out how easy/hard it is to refill, then with this pen you wont be able to get the true experience there.

The one thing I dont like about this pen is the ink itself.  Although it does write very nicely, I would STRONGLY suggest that you DO NOT use this pen for any check or legal documents, as the ink comes off very easily.  A simple running of water over the paper removed close to 80% of the ink, so I cant imagine how easy it must be for a seasoned criminal to wash a check or document filled out with this pen.  If you just want a fountain pen to do some basic writing with, head on over to Amazon.com where you can pick up a variety of individual or packages of the Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen.

The next two beginner fountain pens that I review will be slightly more expensive and have a little more flexibility in options that will help the beginner get started with fountain pen use.

© 2009 – 2010, OfficeSupplyGeek. All rights reserved.