"Good" FP kit for gift?

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MyKidsDad

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Joined
Nov 27, 2008
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146
Location
Edmond OK
I've only made one other FP before and had issues with it leaking. I don't konw if it was the kit, something I did while assembling it, something my son did while carrying/using it, etc. but the first time we refilled it and my son carried it in his pocket, it leaked all over the place.

I have a colleague at work that I would like to give a FP to and don't want to have any issues with the quality of the kit, the ink leaking etc. Just looking for recommendations for a "good" kit FP.
 
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I've turned several Classic American FP's that have been just fine over the last 3 years. I will caveat it with a couple of things though - we use the inserts and not the vacuum ink well. I don't like turning these kits because of the center band tennon that needs to be turned.
 
At this point I would probably recommend a Jr.Gent ... actually I'm sure I would recommend a Jr. Gent! :biggrin:

Or if you want to spend a little more ... a Majestic Jr.
 
PSI changed it so that there is not a need for a tenon, I bought quite a few that still need them before they changed them. They are relatively inexpensive and look nice I second the Jr Gent or majestic JR
 
Depending on size , either a Baron or jr Gent II . The Baron is a smaller pen very good quality and good platings . The jr Gent is a little larger but still with quality platings and good quality . The Classic pens are ok but only come in 24k gold platings which won't hold up to frequent use very well .
 
Well, there is a woodcraft right down the road from you, they carry the navigator (baron) in black ti and sterling silver, the el grande/Cambridge and all the flat top/euro fountain pen kits if they are stocked up. depending on what you want to pay they run from 10 to 32 bucks. If your feeling flush, the Black TI navigator is probably the best quality of the bunch. The chrome el grande is the best bargin, at 10 bucks, if they have replaced the plastic nib connector with the metal one. The flat top and euro's all still have the metal to metal threads in the cap, and the all plastic fountain pen sections, which are not great, and some of them are more expensive than the better quality kits.

If you would like to see some finished examples of these and a few others, drop me a pm and come by the shop sometime. I have most of them sitting around here in one form or another.
 
I will always recommend the El Grande, Churchill, or one of the other variations of the same pen because it has the best stock writing nib of any kit-pen. Yes, they are a large pen, but they aren't any heavier than the smaller pens, and they write much better than any of the pens that use the smaller nib.

If you choose one of the smaller pens, you should consider getting one of Lou Metcalf's stainless steel nibs. For about $10 you will have a pen that writes far better than the stock nib.

For another $5, you can get a Schmidt ink reservoir that will feed the ink to the nib much better than the plastic stock nib.

Nobody said fountain pens were cheap, but we should go the extra few dollars to make them as good as we can.
 
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