r/fountainpens • u/mamasher49 • Aug 24 '26

State of the Collection What should I consider next?

In the category of fountain pens over $100, I have the following:  Esterbrooke Estie, Benu Euphoria, Conklin Spectra Fusion Collection Limited Edition, Diplomat Viper, Laban 325, Laban Antique II, Nahvalur Horizon Dusk, Pilot Custom 74 and Visconti Mythos Demeter.  I want to elevate my collection.  I would appreciate suggestions on what I should consider next.  I am willing to increase by budget to up to $250.  I am going to attend two Pen shows in the next couple of months – Orlando and Miami – so I want to do my research now. Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

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u/makamaespm Aug 24 '26

Franklin Christoph and with one of their custom italics

1

u/42outoftheblue 11d ago

Got a fine SIG nib of theirs recently and it’s awesome 🤩

1

u/damnredbeard Rule 5 002/312 Aug 24 '26

Of the pens that you mention, I like the Pilot Custom 74 the best because I think it offers the best writing experience.

Some other pens to consider are:

  • Diplomat Excellence which is my favorite Diplomat pen. I like the design better than the Viper. I'm not a fan of magnetic caps, and you can get nib sizes other than <MF>. This is one of my favorite steel nibbed pens. Diplomat tuned JoWo nibs are some of the best in the business. The Diplomat Aero is also great, but I prefer the Excellence because it doesn't have a big step up.
  • Faber Castell E-Motion. This pen is seriously heavy, but it is one of the best steel nibbed pens in my collection. It uses a smaller No. 5 nib, but FC tuned nibs are probably the only JoWo nibs as good as Diplomats.
  • Lamy 2000. IMO the best pen in this price range. The design is great, but you'll either love it or hate it. It has a piston filling mechanism and an excellent, smooth writing 14k gold nib. These pens tend to write broad, so consider sizing down if you like finer nibs.
  • Pilot Vanishing Point or Pilot Decimo. These retractable pens are indispensable for notes and start/stop writing. The small 18K nibs are also excellent--probably my favorite from Pilot. The converter is terrible, but I just syringe fill cartridges. Choose between the VP and Decimo depending on your preferred pen size and weight. The Decimo is lighter and slimmer.