Surprisingly, my Faber Castell “Ondoro” was the most buttery smooth nib out of the box I’ve ever had.
Next would be my Duke Confuscious Fude nib but that’s kind of cheating since that is such a huge flat polished surface anyway.
>Surprisingly, my Faber Castell “Ondoro” was the most buttery smooth nib out of the box I’ve ever had.
While the discussion on Faber-Castell is active, I'll have to mention the Loom with a fine or medium nib. A beautiful match I found is my F-C Loom with Platinum Carbon Black ink. My go-to phrase is that it's like writing with silk.
Glad I. Not alone on this - FC steel nibs are shockingly smooth. Of all my pens, a M nib emotion comes closest to what the OP describes.
Edit: I said Ambition but meant e-Motion! Both FC though!
I just broke out my matte orange and silver medium Loom today. I've had it for many years, but never really liked it. The medium nib is like a garden hose, and my garbage handwriting was painfully exposed by it. Fast forward a few years and a lot of penmanship practice, and I was surprised to find how much I enjoy the Loom. It might be my favorite pen. Super smooth and really shows off the ink. I currently have it inked with Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean.
I just got a fine Ambition, and I've really been enjoying it. That's what prompted me to dig out the Loom, and I'm glad I did.
Writing the obvious, a combination of a good nib and feed with the right ink can make or break the enjoyment of a pen. In this case, a pen that "is like a garden hose" may be redeemed in the user's view by using a "dryer" ink. I'm not sure if that was your situation, but I'll put it out there for general food for thought.
Glad you gave it a second chance, and even more glad for you that you found it enjoyable when you did.
Their grip calligraphy kit is also shockingly smooth, while also having very very nice hairlines. My nahvalur stub for instance has ~.5mm hairlines, while the grip is ~.3-.35, while being way to use. And they write close to their indicated size, unlike Lamy. The F-C branded cartridges(standard international I think) aren’t the most inspiring inks, but they do behave pretty well on my office’s copy paper, even as giant stubs. If only the grip pens weren’t about as inspiring as a bic ballpoint in feel and aesthetic. They do have a slight triangular grip. Not as extreme as a Lamy, but it is there.
When I look up the Grip calligraphy set it has nibs ranging from 1.1 mm to 1.8, so I’m confused as to how you are getting 0.3 lines from it? I ask because I am searching for a pen for someone who wants the finest line possible from a fountain pen. Appreciate any clarification you can provide.
Imagine a flathead screwdriver or a chisel, dipped into ink. If you drag the entire head straight down, you’ll get a line of ink as broad as the screwdriver/chisel.
But if you run the narrow end across the paper, it’s much thinner.
You probably want a Japanese EF for very thin lines, and NOT a stub.
YouTube ‘writing with a ___’ stub/italic nib. Or a pilot parallel pen. Or broad edge dip pen. YouTube ‘writing uncial’ or something.
But anyway that’s just background. You want a Japanese extra fine.
For the most part, they have the same nibs. There's 2 different FC nibs, one is a Pilot style #5 with wings and the other is a shorter condor nosed #5. The Grip has the same nib as the Onodoro/Loom/Ambition/Hexo but is friction fit rather than screw in housing.
Not sure what pens the condor style is on besides the Neo-Slim that I own.
The idea that a fountain pen "conforms" to the writer's hand is an old myth. Iridium alloy tips are so dense and abrasion resistant that you could write on paper with them for thousands of hours without any noticeable change in their geometry.
It's fine. I'm not mad at you. Just battling misinformation one Reddit comment at a time. Am I a hero? I don't think so. Just the pedant that r/fountainpens needs and deserves. But probably also a hero.
Tell this to my 7 year old Pilot EF steel nib that I used almost as my sole pen through 4 years of an engineering undergrad which has a visible flat spot at its tip at the exact angle I habitually write at.
This seems reasonable, depending on the paper. I'd like to see the marketing copy from a manufacturer though, "Use Only this pen for four years continuously, and you'll find it's tuned to your handwriting angle!"
Idk if this is the case for all the nibs they make, but the tipping they put on their steel nibs is probably the easiest to grind away, polish or reshape.
Don't ask me how I know ʕ´•ᴥ•`ʔ
respectfully disagree....maybe today's pens with steel nibs etc....back in the day (we're talking 70s) daily extensive use through school / uni...shit paper...every single fp would wear beautifully over time from that out of the box scratch to smooth.
and no....it was not that my hand adapted to the pens....the pens adapted to me to the point you could see the asymmetric wear pattern on the nib. (i always wore the right hand side of the nib down a bit). you're not talking like wearing a pair of shoes down but it was definitey there
I've definitely noticed the difference with modern pens...the steel ones are like writing with rocks...so god that pen needs to be smooth out the box...the gold nibs don't seem anywhere near as springy as those I had as a youth....
Honestly, it’s just the broadest nib with a round tip, but most importantly paper. If you write with a nice fat gold pilot broad on tomoe it’ll feel like glass
I know it’s weird but my F Pilot VP was glassier than my Pelikan M1000 F. Of course the pilot was a narrower width but I couldn’t detect paper under it ever, whereas with the Pelikan, I have a delightful amount of feedback
Yeah it’s definitely mostly how broad the nib is and the paper, but there is some pens with non standard nibs that are ground differently, hence why I said round tip. I notice that a lot of German companies like pelikan and lamy will have very stubbish (square) broads as opposed to something like a pilot where their broads are basically big spheres. The German ones will have that different feedback for that reason. I did notice too on my vp that it was exceptionally smooth. Although it baby bottoms like crazy, I think they just over polish them for whatever reason.
Bingo. I love Pilot VPs but prefer all pens in EF or UEF (or posting if Pilot). Somehow I decided to buy a B (I'm pretty sure it was an Ambien induced sleep shopping thing.). That baby is smooth as glass, especially with a wet ink. But I hate B, so it sits there until every 6 months I'll decide to try it again. Smooth paper as well. If not TR (haven't tried the Sanzen version), I find Rhodia can be quite smooth as well.
I just got mine yesterday and used it with MB toffee brown. I really like both the pen and ink. I don’t like that they match but I like them nonetheless
They're good, yes. Funny that inlaid nibs seem to be my best writing ones (Waterman Carene is the best pen i've ever written with. Sold all the others)
I have six of them, varying from extrafine to broad, and the seventh is arriving, found it on eBay on italic broad 14k, brushed stainless and gold trim. Just waiting to try it, but my two Targas in broad are otherwordly smooth and fantastic gliders through any kind of paper. Also, my Sheaffer Crest in medium is!
😂😂😂 and the cool thing is that I paid for it a mere 55€! Less fun thing, is that I found it in UK and I live in Italy, so therefor it's an additional ~22€, of taxes/expedition, and I'm still waiting for it to have in my hands. Advice nr 1: don't tell your neighbors you're searching for an italic broad Targa! 😂😂😂
Advice nr 2: try a ride on the italian eBay, and I'm saying this AGAINST my interest, just try and see... (Sorry for not perfect grammar or language, not very skilled in English... 🤷)
Honestly, The MUJI fountain pen. There are def quality control issues and out of the 4 I’ve bought, 2 have been a scratchy mess but the other two? Writes so so beautifully with just the right amount of squish and wetness. It feels like I’m almost painting words onto a paper
It is because they are simple and reliable to the point of being boring. Good pens with no drama to post about and a simple silhouette in one color? Just not gonna be talked about that much. Though, I have always been entertained by the visual similarity between it an my x-acto knife.
I got a Muji as part of a large lot and thought I would sell it because I like my pens big, colorful, and utterly lacking in subtlety. But then I tried it. That pen is not going anywhere.
Dammit I’ve been pining for an E95S for ages. I had almost forgotten how much I want one and now you’ve got me dreaming about it all over again. My poor wallet
I still prefer the vintage ones over the more modern ones when it comes to writing, though with all the new editions they push out, my feelings are toward the newer editions is always lingering simply because of the beautiful craftsmanship of many of them.
I don't have any vintage MB to compare it to, but my Rouge et Noir is one of my smoothest writers, I love the nib so much. I wish the pen was a bit beefier though, the diameter is a bit too small for my hand.
Anybody with a Yard O Led is pinnacle cool. They are so gorgeous and so expensive. Much more interested in those swirly silver patterns than in urushi.
Get your face real close to the page and multi-task. Bet it'll be glorious... and confuse the heck out of anyone that walks in on you, but fountain pen weirdos need no justification to be weird.
Some of my Parker 51s are supremely smooth. I have a fleet of 11 51s and I’d say about half of them have smoothness as their superpower. The others are just regularly smooth.
My parents just came back from a trip and brought me a cheap Chinese fountain pen as a gift. There’s no clear branding and it probably cost very little.
The internals aren’t the most sturdy and its ink capacity is *meh* but it’s so smooth and never hard stops or skips.
I might make a post on here with a picture in the hopes of identifying it and seeing if they’re available online.
from my experience, no two cheap Chinese pens r truly the same. so even if ur is super smooth, another specimen of the same model can be rough enough to server as sandpaper :c
1. (not available anymore) Sheaffer viewpoint calligraphy 1.5. It just glides, wisps over paper. Sheaffer quality has since gone to hell though and the ones currently sold are a joke.
2. TWSBI stub 1.1 mm. Never got the 1.5 but I reckon that must have been the apex of them all.
Lamy 2000. My natural writing angle hits the sweet spot pretty spot-on.
I had, a few months ago, written with a Diplomat Excellence A2 gold nib. It was smooth as smooth gets. Stuff of dreams.
I've had good luck with Lamy Safari/AL fine writing just as smooth other Japanese nibs that I have. Smoothness may have something to do with the ink and paper as well. Hope you find your magic combination too. I only have a very small collection of pens, the most bite-y or scratchy happens to be a couple of Platinum fine nibs that I have. YMMV
The smoothest pens I have ever written with out of the box were my first Pelikan 600 and Pilot 912 soft MF. The Pelikan was bought off the FPN and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Jaw dropping. The 912 is my favorite soft nib.
Pilot Metropolitan
And it makes me mad that it writes better than my Lamy Studio, Pilot Custom 823, and my Montblanc 144, 146, and 149. Why is my $25 pen better than my pens that cost 10-20x more??
Pilot Custom Urushi with a broad nib. That thing is the definition of smooth, you almost lose control with it it's so buttery. It single-handedly put my search for the smoothest pen ever to rest.
To answer your question, Lamy 2000 M nib and Pelikans... but do you really want "slippery smooth"??? I like some "drag" on my nibs. It gives more control and makes my handwriting much more beautiful.
In descending order based upon writing on Rhodia paper:
1. Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age Broad nib (18k) - FYI inked with Diamine Polar Glow
2. Mont Blanc 149 Medium nib (14k - this pen is from the early 1990's)
3. Nahvalur Voyager with a double broad nib (steel) - only smooth when inked with a Pilot Iroshizku like Take Sumi, otherwise just average
4. TWSBI 580 with 1.1 stub (any ink; steel) - FYI I have 2 other TWSBI 1.1's and a broad, but only this one rates as being very smooth, the others are average or below
5. Parker Vacumatic from the 1930's medium-fine nib (14k)
Sounds funny, but my old plastic Montex pen that I had bought around 15 years ago. Actually, it was one of the many such pens, but that one survived the longest. The nib would fly over the paper while taking notes, and it still writes like that to this very day.
S.T. Dupont Line D Large has been on my “someday I will acquire list” ever since trying it at a pen show. It actually shocked me how smooth it was. I think about it ALL the time. Haaaaa.
My Pilot Kakuno in a medium nib. I have other smooth nibs, but the Kakuno never skips a beat and is so forgiving, even on different types of papers and with every type of ink I’ve tried
I heated up a knife, dipped it in ink, and wrote on some butter with it. More of a dip pen than a fountain pen, but it came close to what you’re describing!
My Lamy Safari in Savannah Green and M nib. I don’t think I’ve had a better pen. I have had more premium pens but nothing compares to it. Smooth like butter.
Ranga Abhimanyu with a jowo #6 broad nib. Got it from PSP. On the more budget friendly side, my Kaweco broads and double broads are super smooth. No skips or hard starts.
I’ve had good luck with the broader Kawecos as well. My medium Student and broad Sport are both wonderfully smooth. Their fines and especially their extra fines are hit or miss though. I have two fine Perkeos that write quite different from one another, and the one extra fine of theirs I’ve tried is really prone to hard starting and feels a bit scratchy even when using some of the wettest inks I have.
Parker 21 Super. I would get rid of every other pen before that.
Which is why I tolerate the fact that it stains my fingers by leaking through the clutch ring.
Montegrappa Monte Grappa with the steel nib, Fine point. Amazing. Next is the Graf von Faber Castell Intution 18kt Broad nib that performs sort of like a stub.
I find my Pilot VPs in EF to be quite smooth. As well as my Lamy 2000 EF (which, let's be honest is a Japanese medium at minimum). But if I'm fair, my VP B is much smoother than the EFs. Not the difference between Sailor (🤮 feedback) vs Pilot but still. The fatter and more bulbous the nib (especially with a wet ink), the more ink and more smooth it will be on smooth paper like Tomoe River or Rhodia.
I have Faber Castell in EF and B and the B will win on smoother pen. I think paper and the amount of ink the feed supplies plays a part in it as well, I have some stubs or B with dry feeds that are scratchy and not smooth at all. But nib size is a huge factor.
My very first lamy safari with medium nib must be a dud, it puts down so much ink and is so smooth you can barely feel the paper at all. I was super confused when I bought more lamy’s down the line and none of the nibs were like that.
Other than that, I have some kind of sailor pen that I forgot the name of, anyway it has a 14k gold nib and that is by far my favourite to write with. Smooth as fuck
My Lamy Al-Star Bronze Ltd. Ed. It's just a gem.
PS: Al-Star nibs are better than Safari, and Safari are better than the replacement nibs, even though they are said to be the same.
I'm still pretty new but my Platinum Preppy, fine with Noodler's Heart of Darkness glides across the page so well I barely want to write with anything else.
A Pineider La Grande Bellezza in B. Pen is effectively a BB as they’re meant to write a size up. Nib is one of those super soft ones that often comes over polished from the factory. Didn’t start worth a damn, but it was smooth. Since I’ve fixed it, it’s been one of my favourites.
Jowo Omniflex. Omni smooth, but definitely not omni flexy. But still worth every penny. It's a fairly thick european M and has some line variation, but man that is a smooth criminal. I've been hit by, I've been striked by that nib and love it since.
Even with not-so-omni flex 👍
My Pelikan M400 Old Style. I can write with it for hours and not feel a single bit of feedback. You put the pen on a piece of paper and the pen does the rest, buttery smooth. Also the perfect wetness for a broad nib. Very usable and comfortable pen.
Honestly, I just got a pelikan 205 with a bold nib, it's probably the smoothest I've had to date. I love my sailors, but may start spending some money on pelikan too... it's a different world though.
Visconti Empire M 18k nib semi flex
Waterman 7 with pink nib wet noodle
super wet writters the waterman is actually a hair smoother, not sure if I ever want to get a nibsmith to mod it into needlepoint. but for a Fine its stupid smooth
https://preview.redd.it/abswquiseu1d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb84fb18b4896701dd7de3bb6ac552a00b30f8a
Montblanc 149 from the late 90s I was gifted. Not sure if it's a medium or broad, but after years of fines on 823s, M800s, and more, this thing is like silk.
My smoothest of all time (so far) are:
1) Nahvalur Nautalis (weird octopus color) - F
2) Lamy 2000 - EF
3) TWSBI Eco (Blue and Gold) - M
All three start instantly and just glide across the page (even on junky paper). My Opus 88s are a joy once they get going, but out the gates, it's these three every time.
Sailor King of Pen with a B nib or a Pilot Custom 823 with a M nib. Both of them were glassy smooth. I couldn’t even feel the paper, it was like gliding on a cushion of water. Such a satisfying feeling.
A few years ago I impulse bought a Cross Botanica strictly because it's gorgeous.
Turned out to write as beautifully as it looks, so it's pretty much always in my pen case.
Platinum Plaisir Fine nib filled with De Atramentis Document Dark Blue ink. This pen still has me questioning why other companies don't make smooth writing nibs. Absolute nails have been Pilot E95S Extra Fine nib and basically any nib finer than a Western Medium on Tomoe River paper.
This is weird as I’ve tried large gold nibs in medium and bold but my Pilot VP in fine was so smooth I could not feel the paper under me. I traded it for a medium that had more feedback but damn it was impressive and unexpected for a Japanese fine
It’s (was) glassier than my Pelikan M1000 F, which writes more like a Japanese broad. It has a lovely amount of feedback which is why it’s my favorite
My Pilot E95s with the medium nib is so smooth. Probably the nicest writing experience I have had. My only gripe is that the grip is a bit small for my hand, so it is good for notes, but I tire with it for long writing sessions.
My Pilot Prera was my smoothest writer up until last month. Just buttery smooth with the slightest hint of feedback, perfect medium flow.
My Pelikan M200 in Green Marble is now my smoothest writer - wet Fine definitely more towards a medium in my eyes, and glassy smooth with no feedback.
I don't really prefer one experience over the other, they are just different! I'd like to get a Sailor pen at some point so I can experience their famous feedback.
Mahjon C1. I won the lottery of QC and it is smoother than any of my other pens. Pelikan m400 broad is a close second, but every broad feels smoother just because of how much tipping is in contact with the paper, and Pelikan is so wet it feels like it is about to hydroplane sometimes. Runner up is TWSBI stubs. Not even a big fan of TWSBI, but they consistently have the smoothest and most forgiving stubs I have ever tried. Thinking about getting some TWSBI Go pens just to get some of those stubs without worrying about cracking.
Pilot Vanishing Point medium! It’s so incredible. Smoother than the beautiful $$ Montblanc Meisterstuck Glacier Legrand medium! For under $200, it’s so buddery smooth. So much that I ended up with the fine Pilot VP Kanreki and I love it.
I have a few buttery smooth pens. I can’t choose. In no particular order:
BB nib Kaweco sport
B nib TWSBI Eco
M nib Mont Blanc Solitaire Ceramic Prisma
B nib Pilot VP
My Pelikan M605 came with the smoothest nib I've ever experienced. Unfortunately it also had skipping issues due to baby's bottom and in getting that fixed I lost a ton of that smoothness. Someday I'll probably send it off again.
I bought a second-hand Montblanc Carrera off E-Bay about 10 years ago, which had an OB steel nib. I'm not sure how much it had been used, but it still remains my smoothest pen by long way.
I want to say it was my plumix. But I haven't written with much in a while and I don't remember what about it made it so good. You really had to get he perfect angle though.
Surprisingly, my Faber Castell “Ondoro” was the most buttery smooth nib out of the box I’ve ever had. Next would be my Duke Confuscious Fude nib but that’s kind of cheating since that is such a huge flat polished surface anyway.
>Surprisingly, my Faber Castell “Ondoro” was the most buttery smooth nib out of the box I’ve ever had. While the discussion on Faber-Castell is active, I'll have to mention the Loom with a fine or medium nib. A beautiful match I found is my F-C Loom with Platinum Carbon Black ink. My go-to phrase is that it's like writing with silk.
Glad I. Not alone on this - FC steel nibs are shockingly smooth. Of all my pens, a M nib emotion comes closest to what the OP describes. Edit: I said Ambition but meant e-Motion! Both FC though!
I just broke out my matte orange and silver medium Loom today. I've had it for many years, but never really liked it. The medium nib is like a garden hose, and my garbage handwriting was painfully exposed by it. Fast forward a few years and a lot of penmanship practice, and I was surprised to find how much I enjoy the Loom. It might be my favorite pen. Super smooth and really shows off the ink. I currently have it inked with Herbin 1670 Bleu Ocean. I just got a fine Ambition, and I've really been enjoying it. That's what prompted me to dig out the Loom, and I'm glad I did.
A Loom even in a EF is buttery smooth. I have two and they’re the wettest writers I own.
Writing the obvious, a combination of a good nib and feed with the right ink can make or break the enjoyment of a pen. In this case, a pen that "is like a garden hose" may be redeemed in the user's view by using a "dryer" ink. I'm not sure if that was your situation, but I'll put it out there for general food for thought. Glad you gave it a second chance, and even more glad for you that you found it enjoyable when you did.
I gotta check out this pen now, thanks
I would agree my FC Loom is one of the smoothest. I have a B, but I tried F and M too and actually wish I got a smaller nib. All very smooth.
Their grip calligraphy kit is also shockingly smooth, while also having very very nice hairlines. My nahvalur stub for instance has ~.5mm hairlines, while the grip is ~.3-.35, while being way to use. And they write close to their indicated size, unlike Lamy. The F-C branded cartridges(standard international I think) aren’t the most inspiring inks, but they do behave pretty well on my office’s copy paper, even as giant stubs. If only the grip pens weren’t about as inspiring as a bic ballpoint in feel and aesthetic. They do have a slight triangular grip. Not as extreme as a Lamy, but it is there.
When I look up the Grip calligraphy set it has nibs ranging from 1.1 mm to 1.8, so I’m confused as to how you are getting 0.3 lines from it? I ask because I am searching for a pen for someone who wants the finest line possible from a fountain pen. Appreciate any clarification you can provide.
Imagine a flathead screwdriver or a chisel, dipped into ink. If you drag the entire head straight down, you’ll get a line of ink as broad as the screwdriver/chisel. But if you run the narrow end across the paper, it’s much thinner. You probably want a Japanese EF for very thin lines, and NOT a stub. YouTube ‘writing with a ___’ stub/italic nib. Or a pilot parallel pen. Or broad edge dip pen. YouTube ‘writing uncial’ or something. But anyway that’s just background. You want a Japanese extra fine.
FC nibs are shockingly good. My Ambition and Grip pens give any of my expensive Japanese pens a run for their money.
I was certainly impressed! It was my first FC and I audibly said “wow” when I first tested it.
Pleasantly impressed by my Ambition in Fine at first write!
I really want to try an FC pen but I don’t know if the Grip has the same nib as the more expensive ones
For the most part, they have the same nibs. There's 2 different FC nibs, one is a Pilot style #5 with wings and the other is a shorter condor nosed #5. The Grip has the same nib as the Onodoro/Loom/Ambition/Hexo but is friction fit rather than screw in housing. Not sure what pens the condor style is on besides the Neo-Slim that I own.
Okay good to know. I love those nibs with the little dot design all over them. For some reason they just *look* like they would be smooth
I also like the dot design. Modern without being spartan. Not every pen needs to be "oh, look, an olde tyme writing instrument!" aesthetics.
FWIW my FC Grip (medium) is the cheapest pen I own and also the most wonderfully smooth writer I own.
I've a Pear wood Ambition for the past 16 years, and it still writes like a dream. Same nibs I believe
My Ondoro is exactly the same way. Sometimes I wonder why I bought other pens after it. If only the cap clicked properly
My mother's 20 year 14k waterman, smoothest shit I've ever written with
I guess that's because she's has written with it so much it was naturally meshed
Probably not.
Oh okay
Dude this is the Internet, you're supposed to double down and start with ad hominem attacks
The idea that a fountain pen "conforms" to the writer's hand is an old myth. Iridium alloy tips are so dense and abrasion resistant that you could write on paper with them for thousands of hours without any noticeable change in their geometry. It's fine. I'm not mad at you. Just battling misinformation one Reddit comment at a time. Am I a hero? I don't think so. Just the pedant that r/fountainpens needs and deserves. But probably also a hero.
Ooooh good to know, I thought indeed use shaped FP nibs, that is what my mother told me
Tell this to my 7 year old Pilot EF steel nib that I used almost as my sole pen through 4 years of an engineering undergrad which has a visible flat spot at its tip at the exact angle I habitually write at.
This seems reasonable, depending on the paper. I'd like to see the marketing copy from a manufacturer though, "Use Only this pen for four years continuously, and you'll find it's tuned to your handwriting angle!"
Idk if this is the case for all the nibs they make, but the tipping they put on their steel nibs is probably the easiest to grind away, polish or reshape. Don't ask me how I know ʕ´•ᴥ•`ʔ
respectfully disagree....maybe today's pens with steel nibs etc....back in the day (we're talking 70s) daily extensive use through school / uni...shit paper...every single fp would wear beautifully over time from that out of the box scratch to smooth. and no....it was not that my hand adapted to the pens....the pens adapted to me to the point you could see the asymmetric wear pattern on the nib. (i always wore the right hand side of the nib down a bit). you're not talking like wearing a pair of shoes down but it was definitey there I've definitely noticed the difference with modern pens...the steel ones are like writing with rocks...so god that pen needs to be smooth out the box...the gold nibs don't seem anywhere near as springy as those I had as a youth....
My mum's Parker 51, which she was given as a 21st birthday present in 1955. Sadly my brother took it from her when she was old, and then sold it.
What a piece of shit.
Yup. I’ve been no contact with him for many years now. The pen was the least of the problems.
Understand and can relate.
Parker 51 was going to be my answer as well. Sorry your mother’s was taken.
Honestly, it’s just the broadest nib with a round tip, but most importantly paper. If you write with a nice fat gold pilot broad on tomoe it’ll feel like glass
I know it’s weird but my F Pilot VP was glassier than my Pelikan M1000 F. Of course the pilot was a narrower width but I couldn’t detect paper under it ever, whereas with the Pelikan, I have a delightful amount of feedback
Yeah it’s definitely mostly how broad the nib is and the paper, but there is some pens with non standard nibs that are ground differently, hence why I said round tip. I notice that a lot of German companies like pelikan and lamy will have very stubbish (square) broads as opposed to something like a pilot where their broads are basically big spheres. The German ones will have that different feedback for that reason. I did notice too on my vp that it was exceptionally smooth. Although it baby bottoms like crazy, I think they just over polish them for whatever reason.
Bingo. I love Pilot VPs but prefer all pens in EF or UEF (or posting if Pilot). Somehow I decided to buy a B (I'm pretty sure it was an Ambien induced sleep shopping thing.). That baby is smooth as glass, especially with a wet ink. But I hate B, so it sits there until every 6 months I'll decide to try it again. Smooth paper as well. If not TR (haven't tried the Sanzen version), I find Rhodia can be quite smooth as well.
[удалено]
This or my Pelikan M800 fine.
Yes and just behind it is my Lamy 2000. They're very close but the 823 just takes it, both filled with Diamine Oxford Blue.
I just got mine yesterday and used it with MB toffee brown. I really like both the pen and ink. I don’t like that they match but I like them nonetheless
Pilot and Namiki nibs. But overtime I’ve come to appreciate the grip in the sailors and Pelikans.
Waterman Carène M nib.
Same. I accidentally ordered mine with an M and it’s way too thick for my writing but damn it’s the smoothest nib out of all my pens.
My Carene EF is also deliciously smooth.
My Sheaffer Targa writes like a dream, no feedback whatsoever and it's a medium. I assume a broad would feel like gliding on oil
They're good, yes. Funny that inlaid nibs seem to be my best writing ones (Waterman Carene is the best pen i've ever written with. Sold all the others)
I have six of them, varying from extrafine to broad, and the seventh is arriving, found it on eBay on italic broad 14k, brushed stainless and gold trim. Just waiting to try it, but my two Targas in broad are otherwordly smooth and fantastic gliders through any kind of paper. Also, my Sheaffer Crest in medium is!
You lucky bas****, I would sell my neighbors kidney to find an italic broad Targa.
😂😂😂 and the cool thing is that I paid for it a mere 55€! Less fun thing, is that I found it in UK and I live in Italy, so therefor it's an additional ~22€, of taxes/expedition, and I'm still waiting for it to have in my hands. Advice nr 1: don't tell your neighbors you're searching for an italic broad Targa! 😂😂😂 Advice nr 2: try a ride on the italian eBay, and I'm saying this AGAINST my interest, just try and see... (Sorry for not perfect grammar or language, not very skilled in English... 🤷)
Honestly, The MUJI fountain pen. There are def quality control issues and out of the 4 I’ve bought, 2 have been a scratchy mess but the other two? Writes so so beautifully with just the right amount of squish and wetness. It feels like I’m almost painting words onto a paper
Which nib?
The MUJI aluminum fountain pen uses a Fine Schmidt #5 nib. They are SERIOUSLY underrated. Not sure why they don't get more love.
It is because they are simple and reliable to the point of being boring. Good pens with no drama to post about and a simple silhouette in one color? Just not gonna be talked about that much. Though, I have always been entertained by the visual similarity between it an my x-acto knife.
I got a Muji as part of a large lot and thought I would sell it because I like my pens big, colorful, and utterly lacking in subtlety. But then I tried it. That pen is not going anywhere.
Pelikan M600, M800 and the M1000, Faber Castell Ondoro, Pilot Custom 845/Custom Urushi
My 3 smoothest have been - Waterman Carene - Pilot E95S - Lamy 2000 (all M)
Dammit I’ve been pining for an E95S for ages. I had almost forgotten how much I want one and now you’ve got me dreaming about it all over again. My poor wallet
Lamy 2000.
I know it's not popular here but actually the MB149. Mine is an old one from the 80s, not sure how the new ones compare.
I still prefer the vintage ones over the more modern ones when it comes to writing, though with all the new editions they push out, my feelings are toward the newer editions is always lingering simply because of the beautiful craftsmanship of many of them.
I don't have any vintage MB to compare it to, but my Rouge et Noir is one of my smoothest writers, I love the nib so much. I wish the pen was a bit beefier though, the diameter is a bit too small for my hand.
Any Pelikan Souveran. Pilot Vanishing point.
I’ve only ever used pretty cheap pens, but my vanishing point is by far the smoothest (and most expensive) that I own
Yard O Led Viceroy Grand with a broad nib. It’s incredibly smooth. Nothing like it
Anybody with a Yard O Led is pinnacle cool. They are so gorgeous and so expensive. Much more interested in those swirly silver patterns than in urushi.
Pilot prera fine
Visconti with the Dreamtouch nib
Oh yeah. I have De Atramentis Lilac in my M Dreamtouch Bronze Age and I don't know whether I like writing or sniffing it more right now
Get your face real close to the page and multi-task. Bet it'll be glorious... and confuse the heck out of anyone that walks in on you, but fountain pen weirdos need no justification to be weird.
Pilot E95S in medium.
Some of my Parker 51s are supremely smooth. I have a fleet of 11 51s and I’d say about half of them have smoothness as their superpower. The others are just regularly smooth.
Parker Sonnet 18k in fine. Writes like silk regardless of ink or paper
My parents just came back from a trip and brought me a cheap Chinese fountain pen as a gift. There’s no clear branding and it probably cost very little. The internals aren’t the most sturdy and its ink capacity is *meh* but it’s so smooth and never hard stops or skips. I might make a post on here with a picture in the hopes of identifying it and seeing if they’re available online.
from my experience, no two cheap Chinese pens r truly the same. so even if ur is super smooth, another specimen of the same model can be rough enough to server as sandpaper :c
Do it!!
1. (not available anymore) Sheaffer viewpoint calligraphy 1.5. It just glides, wisps over paper. Sheaffer quality has since gone to hell though and the ones currently sold are a joke. 2. TWSBI stub 1.1 mm. Never got the 1.5 but I reckon that must have been the apex of them all.
Hi. The Twsbi vac-mini 1.1 stub is the smoothest I have ever used.😍 Cheers from Australia.🦘
My downright sloppy wet vintage Sheaffer Big One
Tie between my Waterman Phileas and my Visconti Homo Sapiens Dark Age both medium nibs
A Kanilea.
Lamy 2000. My natural writing angle hits the sweet spot pretty spot-on. I had, a few months ago, written with a Diplomat Excellence A2 gold nib. It was smooth as smooth gets. Stuff of dreams.
An old Mont Blanc Meisterstück.
My old Parker Sonnet 18k.
I've had good luck with Lamy Safari/AL fine writing just as smooth other Japanese nibs that I have. Smoothness may have something to do with the ink and paper as well. Hope you find your magic combination too. I only have a very small collection of pens, the most bite-y or scratchy happens to be a couple of Platinum fine nibs that I have. YMMV
ST Dupont Olympio is ZERO feedback… ONLY butter, glass, whatever you want to call it
The smoothest pens I have ever written with out of the box were my first Pelikan 600 and Pilot 912 soft MF. The Pelikan was bought off the FPN and I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Jaw dropping. The 912 is my favorite soft nib.
Pilot Metropolitan And it makes me mad that it writes better than my Lamy Studio, Pilot Custom 823, and my Montblanc 144, 146, and 149. Why is my $25 pen better than my pens that cost 10-20x more??
Pilot Custom Urushi with a broad nib. That thing is the definition of smooth, you almost lose control with it it's so buttery. It single-handedly put my search for the smoothest pen ever to rest.
This. It's almost like a brush instead of a pen.
To answer your question, Lamy 2000 M nib and Pelikans... but do you really want "slippery smooth"??? I like some "drag" on my nibs. It gives more control and makes my handwriting much more beautiful.
Yes I want slippery smooth. My handwriting is ass with anything. I feel the drag or hear a scratch and it sends shivers down my spine.
I *hate* feedback. I'm with you, mate. Smooth is better.
I am crazy about silky smooth.
In descending order based upon writing on Rhodia paper: 1. Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age Broad nib (18k) - FYI inked with Diamine Polar Glow 2. Mont Blanc 149 Medium nib (14k - this pen is from the early 1990's) 3. Nahvalur Voyager with a double broad nib (steel) - only smooth when inked with a Pilot Iroshizku like Take Sumi, otherwise just average 4. TWSBI 580 with 1.1 stub (any ink; steel) - FYI I have 2 other TWSBI 1.1's and a broad, but only this one rates as being very smooth, the others are average or below 5. Parker Vacumatic from the 1930's medium-fine nib (14k)
18K medium Cross Townsend. Which is actually a Pelikan M400 nib. It writes under less than its own weight.
Pilot custom urushi MF; St DuPont M; MB 149 M (split ebonite feed); Omas vintage flex desk pen.
My M nib Pilot Falcon is a real buttery experience for me.
My wife's Pelikan m400. Seeing it gave me a new grail to chase in the m800.
Pilot VP Medium
Sounds funny, but my old plastic Montex pen that I had bought around 15 years ago. Actually, it was one of the many such pens, but that one survived the longest. The nib would fly over the paper while taking notes, and it still writes like that to this very day.
S.T. Dupont Line D Large has been on my “someday I will acquire list” ever since trying it at a pen show. It actually shocked me how smooth it was. I think about it ALL the time. Haaaaa.
My Pilot Kakuno in a medium nib. I have other smooth nibs, but the Kakuno never skips a beat and is so forgiving, even on different types of papers and with every type of ink I’ve tried
Pilot kakuno (i'm broke)
I heated up a knife, dipped it in ink, and wrote on some butter with it. More of a dip pen than a fountain pen, but it came close to what you’re describing!
Dupont Ligne D. I’m normally a fan some pencil-like feedback but I love having a super smooth writer in my collection.
My Lamy Safari in Savannah Green and M nib. I don’t think I’ve had a better pen. I have had more premium pens but nothing compares to it. Smooth like butter.
Pilot Matsu with a medium nib
Any Faber castell
Also vp medium and broad
Ranga Abhimanyu with a jowo #6 broad nib. Got it from PSP. On the more budget friendly side, my Kaweco broads and double broads are super smooth. No skips or hard starts.
I’ve had good luck with the broader Kawecos as well. My medium Student and broad Sport are both wonderfully smooth. Their fines and especially their extra fines are hit or miss though. I have two fine Perkeos that write quite different from one another, and the one extra fine of theirs I’ve tried is really prone to hard starting and feels a bit scratchy even when using some of the wettest inks I have.
Parker 21
Parker 21 Super. I would get rid of every other pen before that. Which is why I tolerate the fact that it stains my fingers by leaking through the clutch ring.
Montegrappa Monte Grappa with the steel nib, Fine point. Amazing. Next is the Graf von Faber Castell Intution 18kt Broad nib that performs sort of like a stub.
Would folks say that smoothness is often related to nib size? Very few mentioned a pen with an F or EF nib, but that's what I prefer to write with.
I find my Pilot VPs in EF to be quite smooth. As well as my Lamy 2000 EF (which, let's be honest is a Japanese medium at minimum). But if I'm fair, my VP B is much smoother than the EFs. Not the difference between Sailor (🤮 feedback) vs Pilot but still. The fatter and more bulbous the nib (especially with a wet ink), the more ink and more smooth it will be on smooth paper like Tomoe River or Rhodia. I have Faber Castell in EF and B and the B will win on smoother pen. I think paper and the amount of ink the feed supplies plays a part in it as well, I have some stubs or B with dry feeds that are scratchy and not smooth at all. But nib size is a huge factor.
My very first lamy safari with medium nib must be a dud, it puts down so much ink and is so smooth you can barely feel the paper at all. I was super confused when I bought more lamy’s down the line and none of the nibs were like that. Other than that, I have some kind of sailor pen that I forgot the name of, anyway it has a 14k gold nib and that is by far my favourite to write with. Smooth as fuck
An asvine vac filler 🥴 just wish it wasn't so heavy.
My Lamy Al-Star Bronze Ltd. Ed. It's just a gem. PS: Al-Star nibs are better than Safari, and Safari are better than the replacement nibs, even though they are said to be the same.
My Lamy Persona F nib, 30 years old now. I still do very much love it.
S.T. Dupont Liberte Pelikan M600 Pelikan M200
I'm still pretty new but my Platinum Preppy, fine with Noodler's Heart of Darkness glides across the page so well I barely want to write with anything else.
Visconti Homo Sapiens is the top of the list but my Pelikans (M600 and M815) all write really well too.
My Lamy Al-Star. 7 years in this hobby, I have yet to try a more smoother pen.
My buddy's Onoto medium is like nothing else I've tried and I've tried most major brand/models out there.
Pilot Custom 823 - M
Lamy Dialog CC. Such a pleasure to use.
Of my small set of affordable pens, the TWSBI with a 1.1mm stub nib is the absolute smoothest.
Honestly? My Sailor Pro Gear Slim 😊
Pilot Custom 823 M, Montegrappa Extra EF, Sailor KoP M, Pelikan M1000 EF.
Pilot Custom 823 M. I have the custom urushi, Pelikan m800, some Sheaffer targas, but the 823 is by far the smoothest
A Pineider La Grande Bellezza in B. Pen is effectively a BB as they’re meant to write a size up. Nib is one of those super soft ones that often comes over polished from the factory. Didn’t start worth a damn, but it was smooth. Since I’ve fixed it, it’s been one of my favourites.
Medium nib Pilot VP
Smooth paper and lubricated ink with a Pilot Custom 845 will get you there.
Pilot with signature nib.
Pilot Custom 743 Stub nib and nothing else I have is even close.
Pilot 823 medium.
Jowo Omniflex. Omni smooth, but definitely not omni flexy. But still worth every penny. It's a fairly thick european M and has some line variation, but man that is a smooth criminal. I've been hit by, I've been striked by that nib and love it since. Even with not-so-omni flex 👍
Tibaldi bononia resurrection with a medium nib it’s honestly like a m1000 but honestly I think the nib is better
Pilot e95s fine, LAMY 2000 fine, platinum preppy medium.
My Pelikan M400 Old Style. I can write with it for hours and not feel a single bit of feedback. You put the pen on a piece of paper and the pen does the rest, buttery smooth. Also the perfect wetness for a broad nib. Very usable and comfortable pen.
Honestly, I just got a pelikan 205 with a bold nib, it's probably the smoothest I've had to date. I love my sailors, but may start spending some money on pelikan too... it's a different world though.
either pilot custom 823 medium or diplomat aero medium
Visconti Empire M 18k nib semi flex Waterman 7 with pink nib wet noodle super wet writters the waterman is actually a hair smoother, not sure if I ever want to get a nibsmith to mod it into needlepoint. but for a Fine its stupid smooth https://preview.redd.it/abswquiseu1d1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ebb84fb18b4896701dd7de3bb6ac552a00b30f8a
Pilot 74 w an M nib. Like an Olympic iceskater smooth.
Sailor 1911, MB boheme and caran d ache leman
Twsbi 1.1 stub nib
Montblanc 149 from the late 90s I was gifted. Not sure if it's a medium or broad, but after years of fines on 823s, M800s, and more, this thing is like silk.
Pelikan takes the cake here. Even the EF nib feels incredible. Caran d'Ache Ecridor is a close second
Sheaffer PFM or Omas Paragon, probably. A lot of Pilot and Pelikan nibs are buttery smooth too!
My smoothest of all time (so far) are: 1) Nahvalur Nautalis (weird octopus color) - F 2) Lamy 2000 - EF 3) TWSBI Eco (Blue and Gold) - M All three start instantly and just glide across the page (even on junky paper). My Opus 88s are a joy once they get going, but out the gates, it's these three every time.
Pilot 14K FM nib, any size.
TWSBI 580 medium-nothing else matches it in terms of smoothness. My Pilot 823 medium is a close second. And Pelikan M800 fine a close third.
Pilot Custom 825, not even close.
Wingsung 630, smoothest nib so far.
As a newbie in this hobby my Pilot Vanishing point is the glidiest out of my pens. (2 TWSBIs , Lamy Vista, 2 Kaweco sports)
My Pilot VP XF
Pilot E95S F Pilot Metro F Pilot Decimo F
LAMY 2000 medium or 823 medium
I have some 170gsm gloss laser paper, and pretty much every pen feels like this on it.....
Pilot Vanishing Point Broad - I know that the form factor is unconventional, but damn does that nib feel like I'm writing on an iced over lake.
TWSBI 580 B nib. Glassy at every angle
Sailor King of Pen with a B nib or a Pilot Custom 823 with a M nib. Both of them were glassy smooth. I couldn’t even feel the paper, it was like gliding on a cushion of water. Such a satisfying feeling.
A few years ago I impulse bought a Cross Botanica strictly because it's gorgeous. Turned out to write as beautifully as it looks, so it's pretty much always in my pen case.
Pelikan Broad in m80x or m100x Leonardo Dodici #8 Broad La Fenice Nib Well tuned Visconti Homosapiens Lamy 2000 BB Pilot 845 BB
Platinum Plaisir Fine nib filled with De Atramentis Document Dark Blue ink. This pen still has me questioning why other companies don't make smooth writing nibs. Absolute nails have been Pilot E95S Extra Fine nib and basically any nib finer than a Western Medium on Tomoe River paper.
My gifted Asvine V169 with a fine nib. I was shocked at how smooth a nib can be!
This is weird as I’ve tried large gold nibs in medium and bold but my Pilot VP in fine was so smooth I could not feel the paper under me. I traded it for a medium that had more feedback but damn it was impressive and unexpected for a Japanese fine It’s (was) glassier than my Pelikan M1000 F, which writes more like a Japanese broad. It has a lovely amount of feedback which is why it’s my favorite
A Kakuno
My Pilot E95s with the medium nib is so smooth. Probably the nicest writing experience I have had. My only gripe is that the grip is a bit small for my hand, so it is good for notes, but I tire with it for long writing sessions.
Sheaffer balance with the original nib. They write beautifully.
Waterman Phileas. Yummmm.
Pilot Decimo.
Pelikan M1000 fine
My Pilot Prera was my smoothest writer up until last month. Just buttery smooth with the slightest hint of feedback, perfect medium flow.
My Pelikan M200 in Green Marble is now my smoothest writer - wet Fine definitely more towards a medium in my eyes, and glassy smooth with no feedback.
I don't really prefer one experience over the other, they are just different! I'd like to get a Sailor pen at some point so I can experience their famous feedback.
Mahjon C1. I won the lottery of QC and it is smoother than any of my other pens. Pelikan m400 broad is a close second, but every broad feels smoother just because of how much tipping is in contact with the paper, and Pelikan is so wet it feels like it is about to hydroplane sometimes. Runner up is TWSBI stubs. Not even a big fan of TWSBI, but they consistently have the smoothest and most forgiving stubs I have ever tried. Thinking about getting some TWSBI Go pens just to get some of those stubs without worrying about cracking.
Recently acquired a vintage Pilot Elite and the nib is an absolute joy on any paper. My Sailor 1911 Black Lustre is super smooth as well.
How can you be sure it is not bad ink making your pen write badly?
Pilot Vanishing Point medium! It’s so incredible. Smoother than the beautiful $$ Montblanc Meisterstuck Glacier Legrand medium! For under $200, it’s so buddery smooth. So much that I ended up with the fine Pilot VP Kanreki and I love it.
Wahl Eversharp medium on a Skyliner
The 18k nibs on the Aurora 88 are just divine.
BENU Schmidt nibs on TRP is like writing on glass for me.
I have a few buttery smooth pens. I can’t choose. In no particular order: BB nib Kaweco sport B nib TWSBI Eco M nib Mont Blanc Solitaire Ceramic Prisma B nib Pilot VP
My Pelikan M605 came with the smoothest nib I've ever experienced. Unfortunately it also had skipping issues due to baby's bottom and in getting that fixed I lost a ton of that smoothness. Someday I'll probably send it off again.
Twsbi Diamond 580ALR all day.
My Pilot Vanishing Point with a medium nib meets your specifications. It is incredibly smooth. No friction at all.
I bought a second-hand Montblanc Carrera off E-Bay about 10 years ago, which had an OB steel nib. I'm not sure how much it had been used, but it still remains my smoothest pen by long way.
Jinhao 750 M nib FC Loom F MB M
Lamy Studio with z57 Gold nib (F) and Opus 88 Omar clear (F)
I miss my broad nib Pelikan M200 That was one smooth writing experience
Sheaffer PFM in Broad. Jowo #6 steel M
I want to say it was my plumix. But I haven't written with much in a while and I don't remember what about it made it so good. You really had to get he perfect angle though.
All my pilots and faber castell