I noticed something that no one else has commented on. Gerry said he had a El Grande Streamline that weighed 38 grams and Anthony said he had one that weighed only 14 grams? So I did a little more looking and found out we were comparing apples and oranges. Turns out Anthony's pen is modified and had most of the tube removed, no end cap and he was only weighing writing part of the pen as if it was a non-posting pen. I assume Gerry's quoted weight was for a stock pen and cap.
Personally, I don't care for pens that don't post. I have big hands and they feel awkward to me. Sort of like when I was a kid and used wooden pencils that had been sharpened down to a nub. Also, I don't like the balance of an unposted pen. For those that don't care, a posting or non-posting kit will both work......just leave the cap off the posting pens..... so it is important to know exactly what the customer is looking for.
Russ's comment about scales puzzles me a little? I have no doubt that what he says is correct; but i also think the kind of scale he is using is probably overkill for weighing pens. You can find digital scales at Wal-Mart in the kitchen section or the office supply section for about $20 that measure in ounces or grams in 2 gram increments up to about 4 pounds ±. You can get a similar scales from most office supply stores for a few dollars more and you can even order a scales from the USPS web site.
I doubt that any but the most sensitive of us could detect a one gram difference in the weight of a normal fountain pen. A penny weighs just a hair over 2 grams so you are trying to detect a weight difference of about a half penny. As an analogy, that would be like picking up 40 pennies and figuring out, by heft, whether you had 40 pennies or only 39!!
If you don't have a digital scale around the house, I highly recommend getting one. it's amazing how handy they are for a variety of uses. Mine gets turned on at least once a week and frequently more often. I bought it originally to keep track of my Sugar Gliders; but it gets much use in the shop, the office and kitchen as well.[^]