Hi Vincenzo. Great job! Love how much effort you've put into putting this series together. Please consider putting together a "goal" pen (not necessarily grail) that you'd recommend for different price levels. I'd suggest (and only my opinion only), that the scoring should consider: - writing feel - build quality - design (passion/philosophy) - overall value Thanks for reading. Hope you consider this
Nice comparisons. Just goes to show what all's available, in the wide world of pens. May I compliment you on the effort you put into this. Your handwriting is looking very nice.
Vincenzo, this was stupendous, and a Herculean effort I'm sure, to create this extremely informative and tantalizing video on grail pen alternatives! I'm going to need to reference this video from time to time. In the meantime, I'm going to watch it again in its entirety, because there is so much amazing content, I will need to make some notes! Thank you so much! Lisa
So many ideas, thoughts, expertise and work to realize this second part of your journey. I was able to jump on your bandwagon very often, affirm your comments and will have to watch the video several times to take in as many details as possible. But your comments about the many fountain pens you have purchased over the years made me think about starting another series and publishing videos with 5 to 10 "old" writing instruments each. No in-depth reviews but a few explanatory words and a writing sample. I would also be very interested in that. And thanks for this video. I find the many info you gave again helpful.
When I first started collecting & experimenting with fountain pens, I considered the Pelikan m600 or m800 to be my grail pen. After getting an M200 & then a vintage 400nn I found that even the fine nib was a bit too thick for my preference. That did not, however, stop me from making an offer on a vintage Pelikan Gunther Wagner set with an M600. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both the pen & the ink bottle were stamped W. Germany, indicating that they were produced before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The pen has a medium nib, so I will probably look into replacing the nib, but it's still a nice piece of history. I have & LOVE the Pilot Custom 823 as well as a couple of Platinum 3776 & a Sailor Pro Gear (& did not pay full price for any of them... Lol). I think I still want a Leonardo, but can't decide which one & am hesitant to pay that kind of price, especially once you get into the gold nibs. I've been fortunate to find quite a few vintage pens with gold nibs for far less, so I may just leave that one off of my wish list for now. I love finding high quality alternatives for the more expensive pens because I've been able to use far more pens than if I had used my entire pen budget on one pen. I've also found that there seems to be a sweet spot for price where once you go beyond a certain price point, there is less & less improvement for the cost. For myself, I enjoy having a wide variety of pens to play with, but for someone else, they may be happiest with one high end pen. That's one of the great things about fountain pens, there is something for everyone! ❤
Greetings from Spain, wow just wow you make my weekend my wife and I are both enthusiasts of fountain pens and we bought our pens in pairs so money is real factor to get our beloveds writing instruments, your amazing video was a total revelation for us because we had to decide not spend more than 170 € in a fountain pen (I'm unemployed so that's why) and was very sad know that we can't get that "grail pens" that everyone talks... But then you my dear friend come with a answer to try a close version of that "grail" without not risk the apartment rent. Thank you very much for your kindness, respect and sincere appreciation for all the pens you show in the video. I'm your fan and my wife too. Saludos y sigue haciendo videos tan interesantes e instructivos como este.
Another interesting video, with insights on a lot of pens I've never even seen! However, I do feel (deeply) that for most people the term 'grail' is simply synonymous with 'want'. Truly there should be but one grail! That people go from one grail to another grail means that the term has no real meaning to them. In my opinion of course. As far as alternatives go, yes there are many, and there are more than a few that cost a fraction of the price and are actually very good pens in themselves. What the cheaper alternatives lack is the status, cachet, and/or scarcity value - which is often the driver of most 'grail' searches.
@@fountainpentherapy Oh, sure, this wasn't a criticism of you or the video. I think it's a shame though that the hobby itself promotes the spending of lots of money, when people should be happy with the pens that work for them. That's why I like your alternatives - I really should get an Asvine V200 to satisfy that Conid Bulkfiller itch!!
Thank you for your kind words. There is another video that I’m working on. All that will concentrate just on different nibs. I hope to get that out soon. I’ve been promising my viewers but time is a factor and I hope to be able to do it later in the fall.
In inglese perfetto! Complimenti! I’ve recently purchased a Pelikan M200 and for now that’s my grail pen 😂 Not super expensive, but with some heritage and of course well writing. I’m really enjoying more the time spent journaling, I’m loving it.
My favorite pen is my HongDian n9 with a Kanwrite Ultra Flex nib. Sure I had to sand the feed to look better with the slimmer nib, but it's not required. What I love is the new version of HongDian feed keeps up with flex nibs fine. But yeah it looks fine, works fine, and seems more durable than some expensive pens out there.
Fascinating! Could have been twice the length and I would not have complained! Thank You, for taking the time and caring to make this video. I have shared it on my socials! 👍🏻
Well done Vincenzo! Thank you. I have also issues with Conklin American nibs. I had to work on them to resolve the skipping but they still have hard starts and dry out easily
Glad to help! I have given them every chance. I also thought that when they switched nib manufacturers the problems would be solved. But no matter what nib I put in them the drying out is always an issue . Its in the design and built of that cap.
i agree on the point you made on conklin...just bought 2 of them from an auction but brand new... the black coronet and the all american matte black limited addition. both of their nibs needed some fiddling but the one on the coronet writes much better than the one on the all american...which costed almost triple the price of the coronet when it came out here in europe. dont like their nibs at all.
I have given them every chance. I also thought that when they switched nib manufacturers the problems would be solved. But no matter what nib I put in them the drying out is always an issue . Its in the design and built of that cap.
Very worked out vid, thank you! Another under-100 grail pen: The Divine Design Eyedropper. Similar to the Twisby Eco but more stylish. Comes in 4 beatiful colors, with #6 Jowo nibs. The M writes butter-smooth, better than the F. And with its 4 ml capacity, wide transparent barrel, you're guaranteed never to run out of ink (58:36) 😉
Thank you Mr Vincenzo 🖋️ That’s pen therapy for me for sure & had my note pad & pen in hand ✍️ learned a lot 🖋️ amazing work that you put into this video as always & very much appreciated 🖋️
I just took delivery of my green and gold Hong Dian D5 and it is a stunner. The fine nib I am using is so smooth and a great pleasure to write with. Easily my best pen so far, even though it cost so much less than some of my other pens. I will be using this pen daily for sure.
Thank you for putting this together, very useful. I have come to the conclusion that having bought several of the excellent Chinese homage pens that I won't buy anymore. I will just go straight to the grail if I decide to get one. My M1000 purchase has completely opened my eyes to what levels of quality are possible at the highest level.
Thank you very much Vincenzo for the great video and the amount of work! I'd call this Part II 'Climbing Down The Pyramide" or 'Grail Pens for Everybody'. I enjoyed it a lot and could compare my opinion with yours when it didn't inspire me for the pens I havent't tried yet. Fantastic job.
Dear Vincenzo, This is the best video you ever made! Thank you. Watched all of it in the background while doing simple tasks at work. It was super interesting and gave amazing insights on lots of pens I am interested!
I'm surprised you didn't mention any Faber-Castell models, but perhaps it is because they don't physically resemble any of your grail pens. I like to mention them whenever a discussion considers top quality steel nibs. They can't be beat, and come in a range of sizes and prices. Their E-Motion model is a near-grail for me in and of itself.
I did, albeit a very short comment in the last section "other alternatives" I referenced the recently purchased and reviewed Fuliwen 2033 Carbon Fiber which I compared to Faber-castell Guilloche.
Thank you. Very interesting. Agree with you about the Kaigelu nib. I opted for a "hand polished" one, and I think it rivals in smoothness, one that I have that Kirk Speer did. Also have the Hong Dian Year of the Rabbit. I think it's an architect nib (they call it "long knife"). Didn't like it so much and ordered some a set of replacement nibs. Have the EF in it now. Was not familiar with Fuliwen or Vazir. Will check them out.
Hi. Just saw your interview with Hemingway, very enjoyable. I really think you are in the ball-park when it comes to alternative "Grails," this comparison is important for pen lovers that have to budget. I did notice that some of the pens shown are missing from my collection, I'm off to ebay.😂 Cheers and all the best from Australia.🤗🦘
I’m pretty new to fountain pens, and I can see the expense getting out of control, so this is very helpful! My question is this Did you get the Hongdian N6 and then get the Kaigelu 6 nib and put that nib into the pen? Or did that nib come with that pen? Is it hard to change a nib? Do you have a video about how to do it? Thanks.
I can’t recall whether the whether the name came with the pen. If you do a search on TH-cam, you’ll find plenty of videos showing how to swap nib after you’ve done one or two it becomes very simple and it’s in fact a lot of fun because you can experiment especially with some of these Chinese pens that are not too expensive and where you do not find yourself voiding a warranty on an expensive pen
The blue galaxy Admok is probably the best color I would suggest. They had run out when I purchased my green one. Inquiring Minds did a review on it recently. Check that out it will give you a better idea.
Thank you for doing this mini-series. You can still have a lot of fun and enjoy your pens even if you don't have a lot of money to spend. The Hongdian D5 Qin Dynasty is my most expensive pen and one of my favorites. My other two are the Jinhao 80 with a Naginata nib and a Wing Sung 601A with an upgraded nib from Bobby Pen. I'm not embarrassed to admit that. Almost all of my pens have upgraded nibs. I made them into what I wanted them to be and I'm very happy with the way that they write. Even if you want to buy more expensive pens later on, it isn't a bad idea to learn how to swap and tune your nibs on pens that you can easily replace. Unfortunately, a lot of these very expensive pens do not write out of the box. That's ridiculous but reality. At a pen show, there are always very long lineups at the nib guru's booth.
Question Vincenzo. When you buy the Kaigelu nibs, do you buy just the nib or the housing with the nib? And how do you know which housing will fit the particular pen. For example, I ordered the Jinhao Centennial 100, I don't have it yet. But if I don't like the nib, what option do I use as a replacement? Thanks in advance for your input.
I order just the nib, and usually I mange to fit it in almost any unit/ I have replaced Jinhao nibs with Jowo, bock, and other Chinese nibs like Fuliwen and Kaigelu.
Enjoying this review!! And just wanted to note that the Wing Sung 629 looks a lot like my Pilot Custom Heritage 912. Wing Sung tends to make Pilot dupes with nibs and feeds that fit pens like the Pilot Metropolitan and Prera, but I think the Wing Sung nibs aren’t as pleasant to write with as Jinhao nibs. Jinhao seems to be gunning for dominance in the budget market.
I would not touch the 629. I bought one and it was flimsy and really light and cheap. Not the same thing as the 630. As to the nibs, the recent No size 8 Jinhao nibs are really nice but the No 6 are stiff as a nail and often hit and miss. The wing sung nibs have improved very much. I remember just a few years ago they were horrible.
@@fountainpentherapy Good to know and thank you for sharing! I haven't tried any of the newer nibs by Wing Sung, and I agree with the Jinhao #6 nibs; they are indeed hit or miss. I am getting better performance out of the #5 nibs that come on the Jinhao 82. A little floss with a brass sheet, and I've been able to curb any flow issues with those nibs. But I still prefer to swap them for a Jowo nib from Franklin-Christoph when possible. It really does elevate the performance and makes the pen feel more expensive. I just discovered your channel and am really enjoying your content! Thank you for the reply!
I have the King of Pen which is certainly a grail pen for me. The nib is glorious. Yes it has feedback but the writing sensation is tremendous. I also have a Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 1.5. I call it that as it has the 2.0 grip but no ink window. Still with the Elastic Steel nib, it is a glorious writer and the Sand resin is mesmerizing. I do want to find a Montblanc 149 or a Pelikan 1000 at some point, though. Can you habe a grail nib? I want to get the Schon Monoc nib. It is fascinating. In the alternatives i have the Hong Dian D5, two of then actually, black and blue. Glorious pens and certainly will be on display. I have yet to write eith either but will do so in the near future. Such a design and not inspired by any other pen i know of.
Just last week I promised myself not to buy any more fountain pens. Because of this video I have to break my promise😜. On the other hand, we know that the latest fountain pen is always the next one you'll buy. Congratulations for the really well done video.
Based on your recommendation I purchased the Asvine P200 and consider it an outstanding pen both for quality & aesthetic.. I foolishly bought the Bock nib only to find the Asvine nib superior. You mention alternative nibs to 'elevate' this pen. Can you suggest those for me please. This was a TERRIFIC show - seemed to fly by!!
Recently, Shak MD replaced the asvine nib in a the V200 with a Sailor nib and the result was a super pen. I cannot say enough about Kaigelu nibs. Google it and buy a few, try them you will not regret it. if you like stubs, if you want to stay away from Bock and Jowo try the Stipule stubs.
As a Chinese person I have mixed feelings towards these Chinese brands…on one hand I feel shameful that even though we have excellent industrial capabilities to manufacture so many knockoff pens, there isn’t a Chinese brand with the aesthetic taste to create an original “grail pen”; on the other hand, I’m surprised that the Chinese brands get so much attention and recognition from the western world-I see Jinhao, Hongdian, etc. more often on TH-cam than on Chinese social media 😂 Anyway loved your videos, love from China
The quality of the Chinese pens has increased tremendously. The Hongdian pens are original and some could very well be considered Grail. In my mind the D5 with the gold nib is just that.
Thank you Vincenzo, Fountain Pen Therapy has quickly become my favorite fountain pen related channel! I've been refreshing youtube waiting for this part two!
My vote for alternative Grail pen would be Jinhao 9016 and 9019. One for 146 and one for the 149. The 9019 would be an alternative for the Namiki Emperor
Absolutely this is why I recommend purchasing lower cost pens so that you can experiment. it’s all part of the fun and therapy that I personally get from fountain pen collecting and in particular nib swapping
How would u rank your Custom 823. Top 10. Top 20. Thinking about picking one up. Ordered directly from kanwrite distributor in India 2 Kanwrite piston pens and a titanium nib Never tried titanium it was about 20 us. Love the vazir pen nibs but quite a few turns to get cap off. Funny. talking heads often make a big deal about whether a pen posts. I don’t post no matter how short the pen. Just personal left handed preference. Anything beyond 2 turns is a shame but never a deal killer. I always seem to focus on the positive of the pen. If it writes okay, I am a pig in mud on a hot day.
For me, grail pens have no alternatives. It isn’t just the writing experience…I mean, I love the way the lower end Lamy pens write. If writing experience is all it is, there are plenty of great options that won’t cost much. But “grail” ?? It’s the writing plus the joy of using the pen, looking at the pen, feeling the luxury of it in your hands. Knowing that it cost you a lot, and feeling it was worth every penny when you use it.
Great, superb comparative video. I am tickled and absolutely loving my Moonman P138 (MB Hemingway piston filler knock off from China)....clearly it is not a MB with a gold nib and I pulled the nib to open it up and make it wetter and 2 min of fiddling and quite enjoy it as a smooth writer with large capacity and an ink window. Check it out.
I have kind of mixed feelings about this approach about Grail Pens and your approach to alternatives. As you said, there is no science and this is all opinion or taste, but I would rather encourage people to find their own grails by just trying out some pens that work for them. My pens are almost all under $200 (most are much much cheaper), but I enjoy buying vintage / used and learning about the history of fountain pens along the way. What makes a pen a good writer or special pen might be about some other connection to a pen rather than how closely it looks like a traditional "grail pen." For example, I would much rather get an inexpensive Pelikan student type with a steel nib used or even better yet a vintage Pelikan rather than any of the Chinese pens that you thought looked like an M800 or M1000. Buying used/vintage also seems to be to be better for the environment and encouraging sustainability rather than just encouraging more mass market consuming of knock-off pens. When I buy something new I am doing that because I want to encourage some artisan crafts-person who is trying to keep a tradition alive or is enjoying experimenting. Even among Chinese pens I feel a different vibe from PenBBS (which started as a Chinese hobby space, according to Inkquiring Minds) compared with some of the other companies. I'm not trying to criticize you (or those pen makers), as I think your approach is more the norm in our hobby, but I think that simply purchasing pens (like any kind of shopping) can never really be therapy at least on the long run. As Dr. Brown suggested one will always want more if you simply try to find the next grail. I think having a collection full of "alternatives" might be even more depressing... especially if someone could have actually bought one nice grail pen instead of many "alternatives." It is easy to become OCD or simply never satisfied. Forgive me if I'm being too critical or defensive. I understand what you were trying to do, since some of us cannot and/or will not buy a new M1000 or Visconti Homo Sapiens, but I'm not sure if this is the best path to advise for those of us... Overall though, it was an interesting video ... although I don't think I would watch something so long if I wasn't also organizing papers at the same time. 1.5 hours is a lot for people who have normal working lives, especially with TH-cam commercial interruptions. :). I will have to check out Kaigelu nibs, as I've never tried them. molte grazie, Vincenzo.
Although I disagree with a few points you have raised, I thank you for sharing your point of view which is really the objective. As to the length of the video, as I said to one other viewer who made a similar comment, most of the comments I received like the long format. It was meant to replace my weekly recap or a possible LIVE show which usually last 1 hour and more. But such a format is never meant to be consumed all at once. I have time stamps and it can be consumed like episodes. My problem is that sometimes I am so excited and passionate about sharing my ideas that I want to say it all and do so all in one review. I did a similar thing with my two reviews of over 100 different notebooks and journals. I could easily have made 6 if not more episodes with the 2-part series and could have benefitted from all the views that it would have generated , but i was not going to cheat my audience that way. I say it all, and if its too long and the majority say they do not like it then so be it. But from the views and comments generated, for me a a rookie and a channel that just started, the reaction has been very positive to say the least. In the end, I also want to reiterate that I tried my best to convey that we can have a lot of fun with the pens we have in our collection. To take a look back and actually use what we have forces us to re-discover pens that we have ignored. Some of those ignored pens may be gems that we have failed to appreciate. Now, we can argue that Chinese knock-offs are not to be encouraged etc etc. and that is a legitimate debate. But not all of us feel that way. In the end, what is so wonderful about the great majority of the members of our fountain pen community is that we can share our different opinions with respect and passion as you have done. That to me is extremely satisfying and it gives me fountain pen therapy. Grazie !
@@fountainpentherapy Thanks for considering my comments and understanding that I am writing you as a supporter rather than a troll. I know you do this as a service, which is why I gave you my honest feedback. I agree that respect is key, and hope you realize that you have mine. Again, I wouldn't have explained all that if not. And we certainly can agree to disagree. On the topic of searching for pens, my main point is that I think collectors or fountain pen hobbyists should try to enjoy taking time to explore the hobby. I've learned a lot from books on pens, and other videos, and especially the Fountain Pen Network and Facebook FP group. For example, I recently ordered a handmade "Scenic" ebonite fountain pen from PLP in India. It is a handmade pen using a vintage material. Just learning about that penmaker and Indian pens gave me a lot of pleasure that I would not get if I was trying to order a Jinhao 159x or Jinhao Dadao No. 9019 clone of a Montblanc. It is not about the nation where the pen is made (as this often is more of a mystery with OEM), but about the approach to making pens and to collecting them. I also like some Asvine pens and especially appreciate PenBBS, and am interested in the history of the early Hero. I really enjoy fountain pens when I can learn about a culture or the history. Maybe this all comes down to stamp collecting when I was a kid. It is boring if you are only obsessed with filling in an album, rather than taking the time to be like a Flâneur and meandering, reading about the history or context of something, and enjoying the path. I think the path you are focusing here shortcuts this, and is not the best advice for beginners. Just because someone can't afford a grail doesn't mean they should go out and buy a clone or so many clones. I think they will find the hobby very unrewarding. The pens might write, but I think part of the reason we enjoy the pens is the memories, the learning. Maybe you got one pen when you won a case or were made a partner or had your XX's anniversary, or you picked it up on a holiday. It didn't even need to be an expensive pen. You remember the work you invested to repair a certain pen or have it repaired to keep it in service. Those are associative experiences that shape your feelings about using the pen, in addition to the quality of the nib, design, etc. I think that this episode seems to be suggesting that people shortcut this. I think anyone following that road will get depressed and leave the hobby as they will have a collection of clones that don't bring the same pleasures. Again pen tastes are all personal, but I would much rather have a good inexpensive ($11+converter) Platinum Prefounte Fountain Pen in my pocket rather than a Dadao 9019. The former is a functional and affordable and authentic great writer that doesn't need to call attention to itself. Again, that's my taste, and many others disagree. Even with real Montblancs I prefer silver or chrome trim over fake gold. To be honest I prefer it over real gold or gold plate too. Bling-bling makes me think of a certain former US President who always seemed to be overcompensating for insecurity. Forgive the political commentary, but I'm still suffering PTSD from his administration ;) As to the long format, it is up to you. I am always amazed by long sessions on TH-cam like Goulet. I like long formats when doing menial work like vacuuming or cleaning the dishes, but otherwise am always a bit anxious for getting straight to the point more or less. Of course each of us have our own philosophy / style. In my profession (librarianship/academia) I often refer to an old set of Rules by Rangathan (www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/09/five-laws-of-library-science.html) which could be modified for pen casts to podcasts / vcasts are for use. podcasts / vcasts are for all; Every fan his/her own podcasts / vcasts Every podcasts / vcasts its audience Save the time of the listener/viewer A podcast/videocast is a growing organism. Of course, a podcast / videocast is not a library so it might not be a good fit. I think that many of the people who have time to fill out a survey or comments have more time, like retired people, so you might keep that feedback in mind. Most viewers will simply vote by not watching if something is too long. I know this was to replace your one hour weekly broadcast, but I think I had earlier suggested that you maybe keep it tight and use journalism approaches of putting aspects that have 'newsworthiness' up front and then leave things that are more personal (like what pens or inks you still have on order towards the end). My undergrad degree was print journalism (I know where the high paying jobs are :) and we wrote all of our articles that way since few people (even then) read an entire newspaper from start to end. Of course, I understand your enthusiasm to create such a long video. That's great that you have that information and passion to create it all, I was just suggesting that maybe you might be losing audience with this approach. To be honest I do lectures for 2.5 hours each week, so I understand how hard it is to keep going. And I do it with a class. I can imagine it is even more of a challenge to do it without any audience. It's impressive. I respect that. I just wonder if that's what your audience really wants and if that's not too exhausting for you. I can't imagine how you or Hemingway Jones or others create so much content each week, and for long periods of time without burning out. So, do go with what you like to do and ignore critics like me who have different points of view. After all, you are doing this for fun. Yours with best wishes and Aloha. ci vediamo amico
Yes I must be careful not to burn myself out. I must learn to pace myself. As to your ideas on how to enjoy the hobby, personally, i like the manipulation and writing aspect more than the sentimental value of my pens. I should get into vintage pens, but I do not have the patience nor the skill to repair and maintain such pens. Anything beyond a good nib tuning is beyond me. However, there are a few pens that do bring sentimental value to me. i have pens that were gifts from my wife which are special and I have a few pens made by Neapolitan artisans that bring lots of fountain pen therapy: delta, Gioia, maiora, Leonardo come to mind. Keep in mind that I was born in the region of Naples, Sorrento to be more exact. However, lately they have seriously disappointed me. The quality is at times not there and the pricing is outrageous. And so I have reached out to other sources, including Chinese and Indian pens. and lately Pilot and Pelikan which I ignored for a long time. This bring me to my next point. Its a shame we cannot have these discussions live in person. This is why I am looking forward to being Part of Hemingway Jones' Live show. I hope to do so soon. Even better I am looking forward to meeting him at the Commonwealth Pen Show. Are you close by? It would be great if we could meet and have these interesting exchanges. Once again thanks for sharing you thoughts and experiences.
@@fountainpentherapy Thanks for the considerate reply. I am sure you will have fun meeting Hemingway Jones at the Commonwealth Pen Show. I learn a great deal at our small fountain pen club in Honolulu. We all have different passions, from nib grinds to paper to different brands, so I'm always learning. And of course we enjoy talking about other things too. As you can see I'm pretty far from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Trop loin de Montreal aussi malheuresement. Hemingway Jones is a good example of someone who talks as much about the experience of writing (beyond pen and paper) as he does about pens. He seems to enjoy creating videos and knows how to balance making his videos personal but not about himself... especially in the videos (rather than live feed). You will enjoy meeting him and others at the pen show, I'm sure. If I was Italian I certainly would be proud of Italian pen designs, but understand that quality of the nib often seems to be an afterthought. I don't have any Italian FPs for that reason and because of the pricing. Italy is a wonderful place. When I was a kid my family spent some time in Geneva, and one highlight was a weekend in Aosta. As an adult I've only made it back to Roma for a few days. I hope to see Napoli someday. I think Pizza margherita is from there, which is heavenly. Just this weekend we binged the American show / novel "Ripley." It is in gorgeous B&W that reminds me of La Dolce Vita. There is a fountain pen in the story too, which plays a quiet but important role. I'm sort of specializing in Japanese pens, which stress writing above everything. I have family there and enjoy learning about that history. I like solid silver stripes or black pens. Actually the only pen show I've been able to attend was a vintage FP show in Tokyo. If you are interested in Japanese pens, there is a great TH-cam (Inky Rocks) and a podcast (Tokyo Inklings). I've learned a lot from them as well as books. Here in Hawai'i we have many people who are close to Japanese pens and inks and paper. After all Tokyo and California are all non-stop flights from here :) Ciao and best wishes! Aloha.
I agree particularly with Hong Dian and Asvine Chinese pens--the quality is really wonderful. I probably need to try another 699 to see if it is better. I have to say that I have two of the Pilot 823 pens, and the nib are superb and I don't think it can be compared to what you get on a Chinese pen, or a Jowo metal nib for that matter. It is not just smooth, it glides across the page, and has a lovely bounce to it that is hard to describe. The 823 is not a cheap pen, but for a gold nib and the quality it is much more affordable than other so-called grail pens, particularly if you buy it from a Japanese vendor.
Vincenzo, please stick with the weekly recaps vs live shows. Occasional diversions like the grail pen series are also great. The current format keeps things fresh and has focus. I am not that fond of the live shows. Most of the time it feels like a staff meeting at the end of which you feel like the one-hour meeting should have taken only 10-15 minutes. Your one-hour recap provides a lot of information and has focus. At the end I feel like I got a lot of information and was worth an hour of my time.
The concept of a grail pen, a grail camera, a grail wristwatch (a grail anything) is inherently an aspirational one - something that generates for an individual collector intense interest, something that at least approaches uniqueness, something that exemplifies the best of the technology or the art or the design or the usability (and typically some combination of all those assets). What you’ve presented does not seem aspirational at all, not even for penophiles with severely limited budgets. They’re just cheap knock-offs. They have their merits and they have their uses, but they’re not aspirational because the designs are direct copies (slightly different exterior decoration notwithstanding) of successful designs (that also employ better materials) created originally by Japanese, German, British, and Italian pen makers. That a few of the Chinese makers (i.e., mainly Asvine, occasionally Majohn, etc.) manage to pay more careful attention from time to time and produce a V126, P35 or P50, doesn’t alter the fact that they’re not aspirational aquistions. They’re not in any way “grail replacements” or “grail alternatives”. Rather, they’re just competently made fountain pens. I think it’s hard to understand why you feel that such fountain pens have any place in your discussion about grails.
I feel that the meaning of "grail pen" has been a litte misunderstood here. To me it is a pen that is very desirable, because of how good/beautiful it is, and more or less unobtainable, perhaps because of it's age and cost. Like a silbergrau Montblanc 146. Not any expensive pen, or something that reminds of it.
The premise of my review is to see if there any affordable alternatives to what I already identified as grail pens. Which is completely different from your self serving critique. You are identifying and defining what you believe is a grail pens. That is not what my review is all about.
Why do people try to over exagerate the french accent when saying montblanc? Even more than a native French person saying Maaw Bleaaah... Just say Mont Blanc. Please.
Well ... advertising for knockoffs and copies. I don't know. Would you like someone to steal your work and sell it for a laughable amount of money? I wouldn't.
To comment on the whole debate of the appropriateness of knock offs is fine and you have different points of view in this regard. But to accuse me of advertising goes too far and is in my view disrespectful and unwarranted personal attack. In the end the beauty of YT is that you can choose not to watch and move on.
LOL I wouldn't mortage my house for a pen, but my true grail pen costs more than my car, this hobby is just crazy 😰 Could I post a suggestion? Have you thought about making shorter videos? I recently eliminated most of my fountain pen channels subscriptions, most of them were just boring and repeated like parrots what others said or just were dedicated to show their expensive pens off, yours is one of the very few truly interesting because you're authentic and casual, but your videos are way too long 😰 Well, it's also true that I can watch them in parts like a TV series, but I just wanted to give my sincere opinion 😅
I always struggle with the length of my videos. Some would say that this video could have easily been divided in 6 or 7 parts. But I feel like I am cheating you if I do this. With my videos when they are long, use my time stamps and enjoy them in parts, like episodes. My problem is that when I get into a subject its hard for me to let go. I also want these long videos (like my recap) to take the place of the live show which usually last about an hour. Oddly enough the long videos get the most views.
Hi Vincenzo. Great job! Love how much effort you've put into putting this series together.
Please consider putting together a "goal" pen (not necessarily grail) that you'd recommend for different price levels.
I'd suggest (and only my opinion only), that the scoring should consider:
- writing feel
- build quality
- design (passion/philosophy)
- overall value
Thanks for reading. Hope you consider this
Thanks for the idea!
2:55...I am that guy....I keep getting more and more and more..lol ..I have no bug out plan..LOL
5:05... Budget pen / low price pen/ low ball pen / low cost pen / Dupe pen / Look-alike pen / inexpensive / Affordable / bargain pen / bargainous pen etc
Excellent alternatives..thanks for sharing.
thanks for sharing
Nice comparisons. Just goes to show what all's available, in the wide world of pens. May I compliment you on the effort you put into this. Your handwriting is looking very nice.
Thank you very much!
Vincenzo, this was stupendous, and a Herculean effort I'm sure, to create this extremely informative and tantalizing video on grail pen alternatives!
I'm going to need to reference this video from time to time. In the meantime, I'm going to watch it again in its entirety, because there is so much amazing content, I will need to make some notes!
Thank you so much!
Lisa
Grazie! Grazie!Grazie!
Yes its amazing
Amazing choices of pens. Made me realize I do not need the MB149 at all.😊 thanks!
You’re welcome 😊
Yesss😊😊😊
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude. By far your channel has been the most helpful and most informative to this stilogrifaca newbie 😊.
Thanks
You are so welcome.
So many ideas, thoughts, expertise and work to realize this second part of your journey. I was able to jump on your bandwagon very often, affirm your comments and will have to watch the video several times to take in as many details as possible. But your comments about the many fountain pens you have purchased over the years made me think about starting another series and publishing videos with 5 to 10 "old" writing instruments each. No in-depth reviews but a few explanatory words and a writing sample. I would also be very interested in that. And thanks for this video. I find the many info you gave again helpful.
Have you been reading my notes. Its in the pipeline. All part of the Exit Plan I spoke of in Part 1.
Thank you. Great video. Lots of options for some inexpensive and good pens. I need to find some of those Kaigelu nibs.
Glad it was helpful! Google it and you will see them being sold on Etsy and Aliexpress.
When I first started collecting & experimenting with fountain pens, I considered the Pelikan m600 or m800 to be my grail pen. After getting an M200 & then a vintage 400nn I found that even the fine nib was a bit too thick for my preference. That did not, however, stop me from making an offer on a vintage Pelikan Gunther Wagner set with an M600. I was pleasantly surprised to find that both the pen & the ink bottle were stamped W. Germany, indicating that they were produced before the fall of the Berlin Wall. The pen has a medium nib, so I will probably look into replacing the nib, but it's still a nice piece of history. I have & LOVE the Pilot Custom 823 as well as a couple of Platinum 3776 & a Sailor Pro Gear (& did not pay full price for any of them... Lol). I think I still want a Leonardo, but can't decide which one & am hesitant to pay that kind of price, especially once you get into the gold nibs. I've been fortunate to find quite a few vintage pens with gold nibs for far less, so I may just leave that one off of my wish list for now. I love finding high quality alternatives for the more expensive pens because I've been able to use far more pens than if I had used my entire pen budget on one pen. I've also found that there seems to be a sweet spot for price where once you go beyond a certain price point, there is less & less improvement for the cost. For myself, I enjoy having a wide variety of pens to play with, but for someone else, they may be happiest with one high end pen. That's one of the great things about fountain pens, there is something for everyone! ❤
Indeed there is something for everyone.
Greetings from Spain, wow just wow you make my weekend my wife and I are both enthusiasts of fountain pens and we bought our pens in pairs so money is real factor to get our beloveds writing instruments, your amazing video was a total revelation for us because we had to decide not spend more than 170 € in a fountain pen (I'm unemployed so that's why) and was very sad know that we can't get that "grail pens" that everyone talks... But then you my dear friend come with a answer to try a close version of that "grail" without not risk the apartment rent.
Thank you very much for your kindness, respect and sincere appreciation for all the pens you show in the video.
I'm your fan and my wife too.
Saludos y sigue haciendo videos tan interesantes e instructivos como este.
I am so glad I can be of service.
Another interesting video, with insights on a lot of pens I've never even seen! However, I do feel (deeply) that for most people the term 'grail' is simply synonymous with 'want'. Truly there should be but one grail! That people go from one grail to another grail means that the term has no real meaning to them. In my opinion of course. As far as alternatives go, yes there are many, and there are more than a few that cost a fraction of the price and are actually very good pens in themselves. What the cheaper alternatives lack is the status, cachet, and/or scarcity value - which is often the driver of most 'grail' searches.
No doubt. As I said this is not very scientific. It was meant to be lots of fun and a way for me to enjoy what I have and to share with you.
@@fountainpentherapy Oh, sure, this wasn't a criticism of you or the video. I think it's a shame though that the hobby itself promotes the spending of lots of money, when people should be happy with the pens that work for them. That's why I like your alternatives - I really should get an Asvine V200 to satisfy that Conid Bulkfiller itch!!
Wow…long video, but chocked full of great information, especially on the different nibs! Thanks.
Thank you for your kind words. There is another video that I’m working on. All that will concentrate just on different nibs. I hope to get that out soon. I’ve been promising my viewers but time is a factor and I hope to be able to do it later in the fall.
In inglese perfetto! Complimenti!
I’ve recently purchased a Pelikan M200 and for now that’s my grail pen 😂
Not super expensive, but with some heritage and of course well writing. I’m really enjoying more the time spent journaling, I’m loving it.
That’s what I refer to as fountain pen therapy
Fantastic video!!! Thanks for sharing your pens...and recommending some! It was a wonderful walk through!!! Cheers!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
My favorite pen is my HongDian n9 with a Kanwrite Ultra Flex nib. Sure I had to sand the feed to look better with the slimmer nib, but it's not required. What I love is the new version of HongDian feed keeps up with flex nibs fine. But yeah it looks fine, works fine, and seems more durable than some expensive pens out there.
The N9 is a nice pen. I have the red burgundy one with gold trimmings and its a gem of a pen at that price. That center band is also very different.
@@fountainpentherapy it is however an Easterbrook Estie knock off with a band added 😊
Fascinating! Could have been twice the length and I would not have complained! Thank You, for taking the time and caring to make this video. I have shared it on my socials! 👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it!
Love this topic! Just starting the video and I am excited.
Hope you enjoy it!
Great video Vincenzo & it shows the amount of time you must have had to put into making it.Congratulations👌
I appreciate it!
I love the long vids. So many amazing pens that I'll never get to use so I love seeing them write n hearing about them
BRAVO!!! This is your best video and in the top 3 videos on TH-cam in my opinion. Your hard work paid off in Spades. Magnifique⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Wow, thank you!
Well done Vincenzo! Thank you. I have also issues with Conklin American nibs. I had to work on them to resolve the skipping but they still have hard starts and dry out easily
Glad to help! I have given them every chance. I also thought that when they switched nib manufacturers the problems would be solved. But no matter what nib I put in them the drying out is always an issue . Its in the design and built of that cap.
i agree on the point you made on conklin...just bought 2 of them from an auction but brand new... the black coronet and the all american matte black limited addition. both of their nibs needed some fiddling but the one on the coronet writes much better than the one on the all american...which costed almost triple the price of the coronet when it came out here in europe. dont like their nibs at all.
I have given them every chance. I also thought that when they switched nib manufacturers the problems would be solved. But no matter what nib I put in them the drying out is always an issue . Its in the design and built of that cap.
I really appreciate this overview. Saving it for reference and am planning to buy my first Asvine, which is a new brand to me.
You should prefer the Asvines. They are proven and well liked pens. So far, in my view, the Asvine v200 is the Chinese pen of the year. Stay tuned.
there are no time stamps in this video.
also it's a great video i will share it with my fountain pen friends.
Thanks for that! By the way there are time stamps.
@@fountainpentherapy my bad, i thought you meant chapters, not time stamps in the description box. Sorry about that.
Excellent advices! Most pens that you cite as your HGs are also my HGs.
Very worked out vid, thank you!
Another under-100 grail pen: The Divine Design Eyedropper. Similar to the Twisby Eco but more stylish. Comes in 4 beatiful colors, with #6 Jowo nibs. The M writes butter-smooth, better than the F.
And with its 4 ml capacity, wide transparent barrel, you're guaranteed never to run out of ink (58:36) 😉
I will check them out. Just saw them on FPnibs.
Thank you Mr Vincenzo 🖋️
That’s pen therapy for me for sure & had my note pad & pen in hand ✍️ learned a lot 🖋️ amazing work that you put into this video as always & very much appreciated 🖋️
Thank you . Its was my pleasure.
Hey Vincenzo, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for the herculean effort. Can't thank you enough. This will serve as a reference video I'll come back to.
Thanks for your support.
I just took delivery of my green and gold Hong Dian D5 and it is a stunner. The fine nib I am using is so smooth and a great pleasure to write with. Easily my best pen so far, even though it cost so much less than some of my other pens. I will be using this pen daily for sure.
Great to hear! By the way Hongdian as just come out with a converter version of that pen.
Thank you for putting this together, very useful. I have come to the conclusion that having bought several of the excellent Chinese homage pens that I won't buy anymore. I will just go straight to the grail if I decide to get one. My M1000 purchase has completely opened my eyes to what levels of quality are possible at the highest level.
Thank you very much Vincenzo for the great video and the amount of work! I'd call this Part II 'Climbing Down The Pyramide" or 'Grail Pens for Everybody'. I enjoyed it a lot and could compare my opinion with yours when it didn't inspire me for the pens I havent't tried yet. Fantastic job.
I do not believe so.
@@fountainpentherapy ?
Dear Vincenzo, This is the best video you ever made! Thank you. Watched all of it in the background while doing simple tasks at work. It was super interesting and gave amazing insights on lots of pens I am interested!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video... Loved all the info you provide.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge comprehensively !
Glad it was helpful!
What a beautiful video, great info. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm surprised you didn't mention any Faber-Castell models, but perhaps it is because they don't physically resemble any of your grail pens. I like to mention them whenever a discussion considers top quality steel nibs. They can't be beat, and come in a range of sizes and prices. Their E-Motion model is a near-grail for me in and of itself.
I did, albeit a very short comment in the last section "other alternatives" I referenced the recently purchased and reviewed Fuliwen 2033 Carbon Fiber which I compared to Faber-castell Guilloche.
Thank you. Very interesting. Agree with you about the Kaigelu nib. I opted for a "hand polished" one, and I think it rivals in smoothness, one that I have that Kirk Speer did. Also have the Hong Dian Year of the Rabbit. I think it's an architect nib (they call it "long knife"). Didn't like it so much and ordered some a set of replacement nibs. Have the EF in it now. Was not familiar with Fuliwen or Vazir. Will check them out.
Thanks for watching and sharing.
Tremendous job. Thank You!
Glad you liked it!
absolutely incredible video, thank you for all your insight and effort
Much appreciated!
Hi. Just saw your interview with Hemingway, very enjoyable. I really think you are in the ball-park when it comes to alternative "Grails," this comparison is important for pen lovers that have to budget. I did notice that some of the pens shown are missing from my collection, I'm off to ebay.😂 Cheers and all the best from Australia.🤗🦘
Thanks for that!
I’m pretty new to fountain pens, and I can see the expense getting out of control, so this is very helpful! My question is this Did you get the Hongdian N6 and then get the Kaigelu 6 nib and put that nib into the pen? Or did that nib come with that pen? Is it hard to change a nib? Do you have a video about how to do it? Thanks.
I can’t recall whether the whether the name came with the pen. If you do a search on TH-cam, you’ll find plenty of videos showing how to swap nib after you’ve done one or two it becomes very simple and it’s in fact a lot of fun because you can experiment especially with some of these Chinese pens that are not too expensive and where you do not find yourself voiding a warranty on an expensive pen
The wing sung 3013 it’s a very affordable vacuum filler as well. It’s like three dollars on eBay.
Indeed.
I watched every minute. I will be buying the Amok 800 since I won't buy the Pelikan. Rachelle in Seattle
The blue galaxy Admok is probably the best color I would suggest. They had run out when I purchased my green one. Inquiring Minds did a review on it recently. Check that out it will give you a better idea.
Thank you for doing this mini-series. You can still have a lot of fun and enjoy your pens even if you don't have a lot of money to spend. The Hongdian D5 Qin Dynasty is my most expensive pen and one of my favorites. My other two are the Jinhao 80 with a Naginata nib and a Wing Sung 601A with an upgraded nib from Bobby Pen. I'm not embarrassed to admit that. Almost all of my pens have upgraded nibs. I made them into what I wanted them to be and I'm very happy with the way that they write. Even if you want to buy more expensive pens later on, it isn't a bad idea to learn how to swap and tune your nibs on pens that you can easily replace. Unfortunately, a lot of these very expensive pens do not write out of the box. That's ridiculous but reality. At a pen show, there are always very long lineups at the nib guru's booth.
Your comments are appreciated.
Thank you for doing this. This is a wonderful episode!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello! The Admok seems nice, but I can't find it -- maybe it has changed names?
Question Vincenzo. When you buy the Kaigelu nibs, do you buy just the nib or the housing with the nib? And how do you know which housing will fit the particular pen. For example, I ordered the Jinhao Centennial 100, I don't have it yet. But if I don't like the nib, what option do I use as a replacement? Thanks in advance for your input.
I order just the nib, and usually I mange to fit it in almost any unit/ I have replaced Jinhao nibs with Jowo, bock, and other Chinese nibs like Fuliwen and Kaigelu.
@@fountainpentherapy Thank you. This opens a whole new world of nib switching for me. 😊
Enjoying this review!! And just wanted to note that the Wing Sung 629 looks a lot like my Pilot Custom Heritage 912. Wing Sung tends to make Pilot dupes with nibs and feeds that fit pens like the Pilot Metropolitan and Prera, but I think the Wing Sung nibs aren’t as pleasant to write with as Jinhao nibs. Jinhao seems to be gunning for dominance in the budget market.
I would not touch the 629. I bought one and it was flimsy and really light and cheap. Not the same thing as the 630. As to the nibs, the recent No size 8 Jinhao nibs are really nice but the No 6 are stiff as a nail and often hit and miss. The wing sung nibs have improved very much. I remember just a few years ago they were horrible.
@@fountainpentherapy Good to know and thank you for sharing! I haven't tried any of the newer nibs by Wing Sung, and I agree with the Jinhao #6 nibs; they are indeed hit or miss. I am getting better performance out of the #5 nibs that come on the Jinhao 82. A little floss with a brass sheet, and I've been able to curb any flow issues with those nibs. But I still prefer to swap them for a Jowo nib from Franklin-Christoph when possible. It really does elevate the performance and makes the pen feel more expensive. I just discovered your channel and am really enjoying your content! Thank you for the reply!
Asvine can try a number 8 Titanium nib PLUS a bulk filler mechanism and they will have lot more of Market 😅
They may get there one day.
I really enjoyed this episode, thank you!
You are so welcome
I have the King of Pen which is certainly a grail pen for me. The nib is glorious. Yes it has feedback but the writing sensation is tremendous. I also have a Leonardo Momento Zero Grande 1.5. I call it that as it has the 2.0 grip but no ink window. Still with the Elastic Steel nib, it is a glorious writer and the Sand resin is mesmerizing.
I do want to find a Montblanc 149 or a Pelikan 1000 at some point, though.
Can you habe a grail nib? I want to get the Schon Monoc nib. It is fascinating.
In the alternatives i have the Hong Dian D5, two of then actually, black and blue. Glorious pens and certainly will be on display. I have yet to write eith either but will do so in the near future. Such a design and not inspired by any other pen i know of.
Have you been reading my notes. I was thinking about doing a video on Grail nibs.
Just last week I promised myself not to buy any more fountain pens. Because of this video I have to break my promise😜. On the other hand, we know that the latest fountain pen is always the next one you'll buy. Congratulations for the really well done video.
Have fun!
Based on your recommendation I purchased the Asvine P200 and consider it an outstanding pen both for quality & aesthetic.. I foolishly bought the Bock nib only to find the Asvine nib superior. You mention alternative nibs to 'elevate' this pen. Can you suggest those for me please. This was a TERRIFIC show - seemed to fly by!!
Recently, Shak MD replaced the asvine nib in a the V200 with a Sailor nib and the result was a super pen. I cannot say enough about Kaigelu nibs. Google it and buy a few, try them you will not regret it. if you like stubs, if you want to stay away from Bock and Jowo try the Stipule stubs.
Very, very interesting video
Glad you enjoyed it
As a Chinese person I have mixed feelings towards these Chinese brands…on one hand I feel shameful that even though we have excellent industrial capabilities to manufacture so many knockoff pens, there isn’t a Chinese brand with the aesthetic taste to create an original “grail pen”; on the other hand, I’m surprised that the Chinese brands get so much attention and recognition from the western world-I see Jinhao, Hongdian, etc. more often on TH-cam than on Chinese social media 😂
Anyway loved your videos, love from China
The quality of the Chinese pens has increased tremendously. The Hongdian pens are original and some could very well be considered Grail. In my mind the D5 with the gold nib is just that.
как редко в последнее время люди не только рассказывают о своих ручках , но и пишут ими, спасибо за видео!
Thanks for sharing
A great show❤🎉
Thanks!
Very nice!
Thank you! Cheers!
Thank you. This was fun.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you Vincenzo, Fountain Pen Therapy has quickly become my favorite fountain pen related channel! I've been refreshing youtube waiting for this part two!
Glad you enjoyed that. It was a pleasure doing it.
Great show idea.
Thank you
My vote for alternative Grail pen would be Jinhao 9016 and 9019. One for 146 and one for the 149. The 9019 would be an alternative for the Namiki Emperor
Excellent comment
Simple, Jinaho 9019 is a great pen and they should produce an urushi version with gold nib and there it is!
That would be great.
I have never changed out a nib. I probably need to learn how.
Absolutely this is why I recommend purchasing lower cost pens so that you can experiment. it’s all part of the fun and therapy that I personally get from fountain pen collecting and in particular nib swapping
@@fountainpentherapy How can I learn to change out nibs. Seriously I am ignorant -- Love your channel!
Well done! But, why only Chinese pens - aren't there any pens from other parts of the world to consider as alernatives?
You’re absolutely right, but my focus was on low budget pens that wrote and felt like alternatives
The Conklin might dry up because of an air leak at the anchoring point of the clip on the barrel. Don't know how it could be fixed though
You may be right.
How would u rank your Custom 823. Top 10. Top 20. Thinking about picking one up. Ordered directly from kanwrite distributor in India 2 Kanwrite piston pens and a titanium nib Never tried titanium it was about 20 us. Love the vazir pen nibs but quite a few turns to get cap off. Funny. talking heads often make a big deal about whether a pen posts. I don’t post no matter how short the pen. Just personal left handed preference. Anything beyond 2 turns is a shame but never a deal killer. I always seem to focus on the positive of the pen. If it writes okay, I am a pig in mud on a hot day.
The 823 is top 10 in my collection
For me, grail pens have no alternatives. It isn’t just the writing experience…I mean, I love the way the lower end Lamy pens write. If writing experience is all it is, there are plenty of great options that won’t cost much. But “grail” ?? It’s the writing plus the joy of using the pen, looking at the pen, feeling the luxury of it in your hands. Knowing that it cost you a lot, and feeling it was worth every penny when you use it.
You are no doubt right but the video was just an attempt to have some fun
Congratulation !! I have a new 630 WS really a bomb !!!
Does that mean a good or bad bomb.
Amazing video…
Watched it twice! I love the rhythm of your speech. Amazing to attain info.
Thank you! Cheers!
Great, superb comparative video. I am tickled and absolutely loving my Moonman P138 (MB Hemingway piston filler knock off from China)....clearly it is not a MB with a gold nib and I pulled the nib to open it up and make it wetter and 2 min of fiddling and quite enjoy it as a smooth writer with large capacity and an ink window. Check it out.
I have done a review on it and I fully agree.
First time viewing, very interesting, but my attention kept wandering to the red monstrosity in front of you.🤔👍
LOL
Hallo, what is the Name of the first pen (146 alternative) ?
I’m not sure which one you were referring to, but it must be the Majohn p136
In rejecting a BB nib, you have not evolved, you have regressed! LOL love BB nibs, especially MB's pens, love yr video
Evolved in the sense that now I can enjoy a Fine and medium nib as well as a broader nib or a stub. LOL
You can not do it to us any more! Our wallets sit empty and cry. 😬
LOL.
Please post a copy of your notes / writing sample pages.
what are you referring to excatly?
Your writing samples. Thanks in advance for considering this.
You have a very good idea. Posting them may be difficult on youtube, but I may consider doing so on my website.
thanks for sharing.
I have kind of mixed feelings about this approach about Grail Pens and your approach to alternatives. As you said, there is no science and this is all opinion or taste, but I would rather encourage people to find their own grails by just trying out some pens that work for them. My pens are almost all under $200 (most are much much cheaper), but I enjoy buying vintage / used and learning about the history of fountain pens along the way. What makes a pen a good writer or special pen might be about some other connection to a pen rather than how closely it looks like a traditional "grail pen."
For example, I would much rather get an inexpensive Pelikan student type with a steel nib used or even better yet a vintage Pelikan rather than any of the Chinese pens that you thought looked like an M800 or M1000. Buying used/vintage also seems to be to be better for the environment and encouraging sustainability rather than just encouraging more mass market consuming of knock-off pens. When I buy something new I am doing that because I want to encourage some artisan crafts-person who is trying to keep a tradition alive or is enjoying experimenting. Even among Chinese pens I feel a different vibe from PenBBS (which started as a Chinese hobby space, according to Inkquiring Minds) compared with some of the other companies. I'm not trying to criticize you (or those pen makers), as I think your approach is more the norm in our hobby, but I think that simply purchasing pens (like any kind of shopping) can never really be therapy at least on the long run. As Dr. Brown suggested one will always want more if you simply try to find the next grail. I think having a collection full of "alternatives" might be even more depressing... especially if someone could have actually bought one nice grail pen instead of many "alternatives." It is easy to become OCD or simply never satisfied.
Forgive me if I'm being too critical or defensive. I understand what you were trying to do, since some of us cannot and/or will not buy a new M1000 or Visconti Homo Sapiens, but I'm not sure if this is the best path to advise for those of us...
Overall though, it was an interesting video ... although I don't think I would watch something so long if I wasn't also organizing papers at the same time. 1.5 hours is a lot for people who have normal working lives, especially with TH-cam commercial interruptions. :). I will have to check out Kaigelu nibs, as I've never tried them. molte grazie, Vincenzo.
Although I disagree with a few points you have raised, I thank you for sharing your point of view which is really the objective. As to the length of the video, as I said to one other viewer who made a similar comment, most of the comments I received like the long format. It was meant to replace my weekly recap or a possible LIVE show which usually last 1 hour and more. But such a format is never meant to be consumed all at once. I have time stamps and it can be consumed like episodes. My problem is that sometimes I am so excited and passionate about sharing my ideas that I want to say it all and do so all in one review. I did a similar thing with my two reviews of over 100 different notebooks and journals. I could easily have made 6 if not more episodes with the 2-part series and could have benefitted from all the views that it would have generated , but i was not going to cheat my audience that way. I say it all, and if its too long and the majority say they do not like it then so be it. But from the views and comments generated, for me a a rookie and a channel that just started, the reaction has been very positive to say the least.
In the end, I also want to reiterate that I tried my best to convey that we can have a lot of fun with the pens we have in our collection. To take a look back and actually use what we have forces us to re-discover pens that we have ignored. Some of those ignored pens may be gems that we have failed to appreciate. Now, we can argue that Chinese knock-offs are not to be encouraged etc etc. and that is a legitimate debate. But not all of us feel that way.
In the end, what is so wonderful about the great majority of the members of our fountain pen community is that we can share our different opinions with respect and passion as you have done. That to me is extremely satisfying and it gives me fountain pen therapy.
Grazie !
@@fountainpentherapy Thanks for considering my comments and understanding that I am writing you as a supporter rather than a troll. I know you do this as a service, which is why I gave you my honest feedback. I agree that respect is key, and hope you realize that you have mine. Again, I wouldn't have explained all that if not. And we certainly can agree to disagree.
On the topic of searching for pens, my main point is that I think collectors or fountain pen hobbyists should try to enjoy taking time to explore the hobby. I've learned a lot from books on pens, and other videos, and especially the Fountain Pen Network and Facebook FP group. For example, I recently ordered a handmade "Scenic" ebonite fountain pen from PLP in India. It is a handmade pen using a vintage material. Just learning about that penmaker and Indian pens gave me a lot of pleasure that I would not get if I was trying to order a Jinhao 159x or Jinhao Dadao No. 9019 clone of a Montblanc. It is not about the nation where the pen is made (as this often is more of a mystery with OEM), but about the approach to making pens and to collecting them. I also like some Asvine pens and especially appreciate PenBBS, and am interested in the history of the early Hero. I really enjoy fountain pens when I can learn about a culture or the history. Maybe this all comes down to stamp collecting when I was a kid. It is boring if you are only obsessed with filling in an album, rather than taking the time to be like a Flâneur and meandering, reading about the history or context of something, and enjoying the path. I think the path you are focusing here shortcuts this, and is not the best advice for beginners. Just because someone can't afford a grail doesn't mean they should go out and buy a clone or so many clones. I think they will find the hobby very unrewarding. The pens might write, but I think part of the reason we enjoy the pens is the memories, the learning. Maybe you got one pen when you won a case or were made a partner or had your XX's anniversary, or you picked it up on a holiday. It didn't even need to be an expensive pen. You remember the work you invested to repair a certain pen or have it repaired to keep it in service. Those are associative experiences that shape your feelings about using the pen, in addition to the quality of the nib, design, etc. I think that this episode seems to be suggesting that people shortcut this. I think anyone following that road will get depressed and leave the hobby as they will have a collection of clones that don't bring the same pleasures.
Again pen tastes are all personal, but I would much rather have a good inexpensive ($11+converter) Platinum Prefounte Fountain Pen in my pocket rather than a Dadao 9019. The former is a functional and affordable and authentic great writer that doesn't need to call attention to itself. Again, that's my taste, and many others disagree. Even with real Montblancs I prefer silver or chrome trim over fake gold. To be honest I prefer it over real gold or gold plate too. Bling-bling makes me think of a certain former US President who always seemed to be overcompensating for insecurity. Forgive the political commentary, but I'm still suffering PTSD from his administration ;)
As to the long format, it is up to you. I am always amazed by long sessions on TH-cam like Goulet. I like long formats when doing menial work like vacuuming or cleaning the dishes, but otherwise am always a bit anxious for getting straight to the point more or less. Of course each of us have our own philosophy / style. In my profession (librarianship/academia) I often refer to an old set of Rules by Rangathan (www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/09/five-laws-of-library-science.html) which could be modified for pen casts to
podcasts / vcasts are for use.
podcasts / vcasts are for all;
Every fan his/her own podcasts / vcasts
Every podcasts / vcasts its audience
Save the time of the listener/viewer
A podcast/videocast is a growing organism.
Of course, a podcast / videocast is not a library so it might not be a good fit. I think that many of the people who have time to fill out a survey or comments have more time, like retired people, so you might keep that feedback in mind. Most viewers will simply vote by not watching if something is too long. I know this was to replace your one hour weekly broadcast, but I think I had earlier suggested that you maybe keep it tight and use journalism approaches of putting aspects that have 'newsworthiness' up front and then leave things that are more personal (like what pens or inks you still have on order towards the end). My undergrad degree was print journalism (I know where the high paying jobs are :) and we wrote all of our articles that way since few people (even then) read an entire newspaper from start to end.
Of course, I understand your enthusiasm to create such a long video. That's great that you have that information and passion to create it all, I was just suggesting that maybe you might be losing audience with this approach. To be honest I do lectures for 2.5 hours each week, so I understand how hard it is to keep going. And I do it with a class. I can imagine it is even more of a challenge to do it without any audience. It's impressive. I respect that. I just wonder if that's what your audience really wants and if that's not too exhausting for you. I can't imagine how you or Hemingway Jones or others create so much content each week, and for long periods of time without burning out. So, do go with what you like to do and ignore critics like me who have different points of view. After all, you are doing this for fun.
Yours with best wishes and Aloha. ci vediamo amico
Yes I must be careful not to burn myself out. I must learn to pace myself.
As to your ideas on how to enjoy the hobby, personally, i like the manipulation and writing aspect more than the sentimental value of my pens. I should get into vintage pens, but I do not have the patience nor the skill to repair and maintain such pens. Anything beyond a good nib tuning is beyond me.
However, there are a few pens that do bring sentimental value to me. i have pens that were gifts from my wife which are special and I have a few pens made by Neapolitan artisans that bring lots of fountain pen therapy: delta, Gioia, maiora, Leonardo come to mind. Keep in mind that I was born in the region of Naples, Sorrento to be more exact.
However, lately they have seriously disappointed me. The quality is at times not there and the pricing is outrageous. And so I have reached out to other sources, including Chinese and Indian pens. and lately Pilot and Pelikan which I ignored for a long time.
This bring me to my next point. Its a shame we cannot have these discussions live in person. This is why I am looking forward to being Part of Hemingway Jones' Live show. I hope to do so soon. Even better I am looking forward to meeting him at the Commonwealth Pen Show. Are you close by? It would be great if we could meet and have these interesting exchanges.
Once again thanks for sharing you thoughts and experiences.
@@fountainpentherapy Thanks for the considerate reply. I am sure you will have fun meeting Hemingway Jones at the Commonwealth Pen Show. I learn a great deal at our small fountain pen club in Honolulu. We all have different passions, from nib grinds to paper to different brands, so I'm always learning. And of course we enjoy talking about other things too. As you can see I'm pretty far from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Trop loin de Montreal aussi malheuresement.
Hemingway Jones is a good example of someone who talks as much about the experience of writing (beyond pen and paper) as he does about pens. He seems to enjoy creating videos and knows how to balance making his videos personal but not about himself... especially in the videos (rather than live feed). You will enjoy meeting him and others at the pen show, I'm sure.
If I was Italian I certainly would be proud of Italian pen designs, but understand that quality of the nib often seems to be an afterthought. I don't have any Italian FPs for that reason and because of the pricing.
Italy is a wonderful place. When I was a kid my family spent some time in Geneva, and one highlight was a weekend in Aosta. As an adult I've only made it back to Roma for a few days. I hope to see Napoli someday. I think Pizza margherita is from there, which is heavenly. Just this weekend we binged the American show / novel "Ripley." It is in gorgeous B&W that reminds me of La Dolce Vita. There is a fountain pen in the story too, which plays a quiet but important role.
I'm sort of specializing in Japanese pens, which stress writing above everything. I have family there and enjoy learning about that history. I like solid silver stripes or black pens.
Actually the only pen show I've been able to attend was a vintage FP show in Tokyo. If you are interested in Japanese pens, there is a great TH-cam (Inky Rocks) and a podcast (Tokyo Inklings). I've learned a lot from them as well as books. Here in Hawai'i we have many people who are close to Japanese pens and inks and paper. After all Tokyo and California are all non-stop flights from here :)
Ciao and best wishes! Aloha.
I bought a 699 and it fell apart after a week of use.
That is most unfortunate. I have 3 of them and so far they all work splendidly. Sometimes its hit and miss. But they are getting better every year.
I agree particularly with Hong Dian and Asvine Chinese pens--the quality is really wonderful. I probably need to try another 699 to see if it is better. I have to say that I have two of the Pilot 823 pens, and the nib are superb and I don't think it can be compared to what you get on a Chinese pen, or a Jowo metal nib for that matter. It is not just smooth, it glides across the page, and has a lovely bounce to it that is hard to describe. The 823 is not a cheap pen, but for a gold nib and the quality it is much more affordable than other so-called grail pens, particularly if you buy it from a Japanese vendor.
Vincenzo, please stick with the weekly recaps vs live shows. Occasional diversions like the grail pen series are also great. The current format keeps things fresh and has focus. I am not that fond of the live shows. Most of the time it feels like a staff meeting at the end of which you feel like the one-hour meeting should have taken only 10-15 minutes. Your one-hour recap provides a lot of information and has focus. At the end I feel like I got a lot of information and was worth an hour of my time.
I am glad you like it.
Very well done !!!
Una cosa, però... quel beverone non è un'espresso !!! Nun se pò vedé
Un abbraccio da remoto, CIAO
Its a triple espresso with just a bit of milk.
The concept of a grail pen, a grail camera, a grail wristwatch (a grail anything) is inherently an aspirational one - something that generates for an individual collector intense interest, something that at least approaches uniqueness, something that exemplifies the best of the technology or the art or the design or the usability (and typically some combination of all those assets). What you’ve presented does not seem aspirational at all, not even for penophiles with severely limited budgets. They’re just cheap knock-offs. They have their merits and they have their uses, but they’re not aspirational because the designs are direct copies (slightly different exterior decoration notwithstanding) of successful designs (that also employ better materials) created originally by Japanese, German, British, and Italian pen makers. That a few of the Chinese makers (i.e., mainly Asvine, occasionally Majohn, etc.) manage to pay more careful attention from time to time and produce a V126, P35 or P50, doesn’t alter the fact that they’re not aspirational aquistions. They’re not in any way “grail replacements” or “grail alternatives”. Rather, they’re just competently made fountain pens. I think it’s hard to understand why you feel that such fountain pens have any place in your discussion about grails.
I feel that the meaning of "grail pen" has been a litte misunderstood here. To me it is a pen that is very desirable, because of how good/beautiful it is, and more or less unobtainable, perhaps because of it's age and cost. Like a silbergrau Montblanc 146. Not any expensive pen, or something that reminds of it.
The premise of my review is to see if there any affordable alternatives to what I already identified as grail pens. Which is completely different from your self serving critique. You are identifying and defining what you believe is a grail pens. That is not what my review is all about.
no timestamp yet
They are in the description. TH-cam is supposed to automatically apply them to the video, but the algorithm is not rock solid
I did not realize that the time stamps may not appear right away.
Why do people try to over exagerate the french accent when saying montblanc? Even more than a native French person saying Maaw Bleaaah... Just say Mont Blanc. Please.
We all have our quirks.
Well ... advertising for knockoffs and copies. I don't know. Would you like someone to steal your work and sell it for a laughable amount of money? I wouldn't.
To comment on the whole debate of the appropriateness of knock offs is fine and you have different points of view in this regard. But to accuse me of advertising goes too far and is in my view disrespectful and unwarranted personal attack. In the end the beauty of YT is that you can choose not to watch and move on.
@@fountainpentherapy Aren‘t you praising these knockoffs?
LOL I wouldn't mortage my house for a pen, but my true grail pen costs more than my car, this hobby is just crazy 😰
Could I post a suggestion? Have you thought about making shorter videos? I recently eliminated most of my fountain pen channels subscriptions, most of them were just boring and repeated like parrots what others said or just were dedicated to show their expensive pens off, yours is one of the very few truly interesting because you're authentic and casual, but your videos are way too long 😰 Well, it's also true that I can watch them in parts like a TV series, but I just wanted to give my sincere opinion 😅
I always struggle with the length of my videos. Some would say that this video could have easily been divided in 6 or 7 parts. But I feel like I am cheating you if I do this. With my videos when they are long, use my time stamps and enjoy them in parts, like episodes. My problem is that when I get into a subject its hard for me to let go. I also want these long videos (like my recap) to take the place of the live show which usually last about an hour. Oddly enough the long videos get the most views.
There are no 'grail alternatives'. Just buy the real thing.
For those who cannot, there are plenty of alternatives.