Best under $100?

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builtbybill

builtbybill

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Dec 17, 2014
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Clayton, NC
Hello,

I am in need of some help - I am wanting to make a fountain pen as a Christmas gift and I would like to know what is the best I can get for under $100? I would prefer to have a really nice pen with an upgraded nib, rather than the "best" pen with a kit nib. I would really like to keep it around $75 so that I can include the blank and box in the $100 total. As a little side note, where are people getting these modified "Western Emperor" kits, the ones with the different engraved front section?

Thanks,

Bill
 
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"Best" is such a subjective term and cost does not always equal best. You can get very nice fountain pen kits for $20 - $30 or you can spend in the neighborhood of $80 and up. It comes down to what are you looking for. Do you want a lot of bling or fancy ornamentation? Do you want something specific about the plating? Postable or non-postable? Singe barrel or double barrel. There are a lot of new offerings in the "JR." categories that are really nice looking or, of course, you could go for a full size pen. Silver Pen Parts offers a more custom options than the other vendors do but all of our vendors carry nice product lines.

I'd suggest you spend some time looking through the web sites of the many vendors active on the IAP. Most have Catalogs or forums in the IAP Marketplace.
 
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For my money, at about $70, the nicest high end large pen (but it is large) is the Emperor. Best source might be ExoticBlanks ... have a look here:

Exotic Blanks :: Pen Kits :: Pen Kits (By Pen Kit Name) :: Emperor Pen Kits :: Emperor Fountain Pen - Rhodium & 22K Gold

I don't know about the nib - you might want to ask Roy about that at The Classic Nib.

The full-size Statesman from CSUSA is a very nice pen too.

If you wanted a smaller size pen (Jr Gent size), then the Jr Aaron, Jr George, Jr Anthony, and Jr Abraham are worth having a look at. I think Smitty sells the last one and the other 3 are at Signature Pen Supplies.
 
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builtbybill said:
Hello,

I am in need of some help - I am wanting to make a fountain pen as a Christmas gift and I would like to know what is the best I can get for under $100? I would prefer to have a really nice pen with an upgraded nib, rather than the "best" pen with a kit nib. I would really like to keep it around $75 so that I can include the blank and box in the $100 total. As a little side note, where are people getting these modified "Western Emperor" kits, the ones with the different engraved front section?

Thanks,

Bill
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Best is relative to taste. There are a bunch of nice high end pen kits available so the idea is pick something you like. For a lot of kits you will find upgrade nibs available too but unless the recipient is a regular fountain pen user the nib that comes with the kit will probably be good enough. Even if they are a regular user they might not be hooked on expensive nibs and having the nib 'tuned' by an expert (and there are a couple of them around) might be better than getting a high priced nib.
 
Thanks for all of the help guys, I think that I have decided to go with the Aaron Black Titanium and Rhodium, with a Bellsy Colbalt Blue Big Leaf Maple Burl blank. I will be getting it from Roy since I owe him some business after all of the favors he has done for me.

Bill
 
builtbybill said:
Thanks for all of the help guys, I think that I have decided to go with the Aaron Black Titanium and Rhodium, with a Bellsy Colbalt Blue Big Leaf Maple Burl blank. I will be getting it from Roy since I owe him some business after all of the favors he has done for me.

Bill
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That will complement the components (leaf) very nicely!

I'd spring for the Bock nib too.
 
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