[Leica] Re: Pens: thoughts before I leave

[jcb at visualimpressions.com (JCB)]

At 04:01 PM 5/2/2005, firkin wrote:
>Hey, I know this is way away from Leica, and I've always been a good OT 
>boy, so please forgive. I have wanted to buy a good fountain pen for 
>years, and I began looking recently again. I remember some of you have 
>favorite pens: reasons, thoughts and downright opinions now sought --- 
>what fountain pen should a letter writing LUGGER be using ;-)
>
>Alastair Firkin



I have a boat load of Mont Blanc, Rotring, Rapid-O-Graph, and Koh-i-Noor 
pens, pencils, etc, all purchased in the 60's when I worked in Germany. I 
would hate to price the stuff now. A lot of these were never imported to 
the US. The exchange rate back then was 4 Marks to 1 dollar.

A couple of decades ago, My wife and I bought  Mont Blanc Traveler fountain 
pens with oblique M nibs. Truly outstanding as they never leak, anywhere, 
even on airplanes, and they write on the first stroke, even after sitting 
for weeks or months. But alas, the Traveler is no longer made.

However, FWIW, my favorite brand among the bunch, is Rotring. Although 
Rapid-O-Graph comes in a close second. In general, I think Mont Blanc is 
way over priced for what it is. Back when I bought what I have, it seemed 
to be good stuff. And this old stuff still performs admirably. But I would 
not buy it now.

JB