Pen experts, advice please.

[Sixshooter]

Hi everyone, I am looking for a graduation gift for my brother in law who is about to receive his Masters degree. I was thinking a Montblanc pen would be a nice, useful gift. However, I know next to nothing about pens, so I wanted to solicit the advice of those here. What would be a good "starter" pen for someone who (as far as I'm aware) isn't into pens, and doesn't yet own a nice one?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Etschell]

There is a sub forum on here. I can't really help though.

[Sixshooter]

Originally Posted by Etschell

There is a sub forum on here. I can't really help though.

Thank you, I had forgotten that. I haven't been on TRF in a while!

[artschool]

I have a montblanc pen. they are nice to write with but fragile.

[Goin2drt]

PM jar on here. No one on here or anywhere else probably for that matter could be more of assistance on fine writing instruments.

[swils8610]

Love my MontBlanc. I don't find it fragile at all. I've been writing with mine for at least 15 years. Great gift idea.


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[G8RDPM]

I have about 5 MB's.
My daily was a gift that I have been using since 1990.
It was a great gift.

Hope I didn't jinx myself here.

[jar]

Getting his masters is quite a worthy accomplishment to commemorate.

First, what is his area of interest?

Does he have a hobby?

What would he use a pen to write?

[bdex75]

What is his masters degree in and what will he be doing for a living?? I think a Mont Blanc is a great start. Probably a ballpoint, maybe a rollerball. I like and use my Legrand roller balls daily. (Top 3). The 4th one down is a JFK rollerball that stays in my office as the cap does not post. And the one in the bottom is a Leo Tolstoy fountain that stays in the safe for the most part.


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[aczaja10]

I have some very nice pens, many of which my father gave me, including some rare Mont Blanc pens. My favorite, however, are Cross ballpoint with broad refills. You can buy a high end Cross pen for the same price as an entry level Mont Blanc. I much prefer the Cross ballpoint with broad blue ink refills. Some of the gold offerings are simply wonderful, especially the larger ones.

[rr-nyc]

Mint Blanc would be a fantastic present. They're durable and well made. I would never consider one to be fragile.

I've had a few but one in particular. I received one as a gift 20+ years ago and used it daily until 2013 when I lost it.

I have others but that particular pen had a lot of sentimental value.

[Bisquitlips]

I would suggest a Montblanc 146 with a medium nib. It is a lovely fountain pen, the right size, and typically a good price from most online dealers.

If you don't think he would like having to deal with bottled inks, you could get him a Montblanc 147 Traveler which uses cartridges instead. I have both and they are equally a pleasure to write with.

The think about Mountblanc pens is that they are the most recognized writing instrument universally. When you are seen using a Montblanc it makes a statement about the user. Like wearing a Rolex makes a statement.

Here is a link to a nice 147 Traveler.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182549139548...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Good luck!

[Sixshooter]

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies! Also I'm sorry I abandoned this thread for a few days.

Richard, I am thinking a pen with cartridges might be the way to go, I'll take a look at the 147.

He is going to be a college professor, and as far as I'm aware doesn't own a quality pen. He is also involved in some other business that warrants the daily use of a pen, so I thought this might be a useful gift. I just had no idea where to start looking!

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

[jar]

Originally Posted by Sixshooter

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies! Also I'm sorry I abandoned this thread for a few days.

Richard, I am thinking a pen with cartridges might be the way to go, I'll take a look at the 147.

He is going to be a college professor, and as far as I'm aware doesn't own a quality pen. He is also involved in some other business that warrants the daily use of a pen, so I thought this might be a useful gift. I just had no idea where to start looking!

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

What will he teach?

[jar]

Some alternate PRON.

[jmiicustomz]

And visconti offers some great pens and a lot of band for the buck. I have several, several mb and visconti, along with others. If you are worried about fragile(I have yet to have an issue with any of mine from various brands and I am rough on stuff) you might also look into yard-o-led. They make WONDERFUL solid Sterling pens and they write quite well to boot. Being made of billet Sterling and thick at that, they offer a nice "heft" and don't bend, or crack, unless you run them over with a forklift. The soft patina they develop with daily use is really nice and looks very old wise and scholarly. I carry my several probably more than any other pens I own.

To know the future is to be trapped by it

[Bisquitlips]

Originally Posted by Sixshooter

Thank you everyone for the helpful replies! Also I'm sorry I abandoned this thread for a few days.

Richard, I am thinking a pen with cartridges might be the way to go, I'll take a look at the 147.

He is going to be a college professor, and as far as I'm aware doesn't own a quality pen. He is also involved in some other business that warrants the daily use of a pen, so I thought this might be a useful gift. I just had no idea where to start looking!

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

If he travels at all he will certainly appreciate the leather pen / cartridge case that you can get for it.

I believe it is seen in the photo of the link I included in my first response to this thread.

[artschool]

Originally Posted by swils8610

Love my MontBlanc. I don't find it fragile at all. I've been writing with mine for at least 15 years. Great gift idea.


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mine has broken the barrel & the cap twice.

[Formulansx]

Originally Posted by artschool

mine has broken the barrel & the cap twice.

The ruthenium plating is wearing on one of mine

[Bisquitlips]

I have broken one MB pen in the last 30 years. Dropped it on a concrete floor from chest height.

They are resin so they can be fragile, but not something I would worry about.

[Formulansx]

I have to note that I'm fairly convinced my Faber-Castell E-motion is actually bomb proof! That's with the cap installed. Let's not get crazy here with uncapped bomb proofing! The anodizing on that pen has to be mil-spec hard coat. I have no fear of scratching that pen save for the small mark under the clip

[artschool]

Originally Posted by Formulansx

The ruthenium plating is wearing on one of mine

oh thats long gone on my starwalker.

I still like the pen even though it is like triggers broom

[Formulansx]

Originally Posted by artschool

oh thats long gone on my starwalker.

I still like the pen even though it is like triggers broom

I don't get why Montblanc can't handle plating ruthenium. That stuff is supposed to last forever! The Starwalker midnight is a beautiful pen but the plating........

[Bisquitlips]

The Faber Castell pens are also very nice. I favor the Pernambuco wood in the brown.

The write very well.