What's a good first fountain pen?

[CHARLES STOPCZYNSKI]

I've held off for so long on doing one. Now the bug has bitten me to make a personal carry pen for myself in a fountain pen.
As a youngster I suffered through many a leaking fountain pen on my school shirts. We were not permitted to write with those new ball point pens, they were almost spoken of almost as if it were sinful. We were not allowed to posses one in all 8 years of grade school. When graduating high school I was given a lovely fountain pen/mechanical pencil set as a gift. Can't find it.

Please give a few details as to why. Also name of kit supplier. I'll go into kit less another time.

Charlie

 

[Soup]

I just started with my first FP a few weeks ago. I made a Navigator from WC. It is a very nice kit. Its also the same as the Baron, and is much cheaper from some of the vendors here. I have gotten a couple from Exotic Blanks.

 

[watch_art]

My first kit fountain pen was a Berea and it was excellent. Pretty good nib, too!
It was also shaped right. Fat section for a fat pen unlike so many of these that have really long skinny sections on a big fat pen. Those are just terribly uncomfortable.
El Grande™ - Fountain Pen Chrome Pen Kit Making Supplies Berea HardWoods

It doesn't have a threaded barrel end either, which is a huge plus to me. Very comfortable, good writing pen.

 

[Mike Powell]

I have made a few of the classic from Woodturningz. The one I sold sold at first site, the others are personal ones.

 

[dwarmbrodt]

My first one and vote goes to the Triton from Exoticblanks. I got the combo kit that provides the hardware for both FP and RB.

 

[Penultimate]

I recommend the Prestina (Timberbits) from Classic Nib with the Bock nib upgrade. I used it for a long time before making a custom FP.

 

[Pjohnson]

Check out Smitty's site ... He is running a closeout on a FP/RB convertible pen. I bought a set yesterday and it hit the mail today.

Great pricing - Service (answering my silly questions) Awesome!

 

[its_virgil]

The El Grande is one, if not the one, of my favorite fountain pens. I've had excellent performance using the stock nib that comes with the kit. No, not every one but a large percentage of the nibs prove to perform well. Why these and not other stock nibs?
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[Brooks803]

Charlie, do you have a daily carry RB? If so see if there's a FP kit for that model. Typically there isn't a difference in the ergonomics between the two. That way you'll already be comfortable with the kit.

 

[plano_harry]

I don't think there is a "best" FP. Pick the style you like best and get the FP version as stated previously, even swapping out the section on a pen you already carry if it is a rollerball. Lots of good tutorials online for tuning a nib. If you like a style that Classic Nib carries and get a Bock nib upgrade, you might be able to talk Roy into tuning it for you for

 

[Dolphinjon]

I've not made many fountain pens, but I've made a couple of different styles. My wife has a Presimo and she loves it. The nib is pretty decent, it wasn't very expensive from either Exotics or Woodturningz and it requires a 10mm drill bit so I didn't have to get a new drill bit when I made it. That saved a few bucks when trying a new kit.