Fountain Pens with Nib Size: F

Spring is almost here. Why not celebrate with this perky green Esterbrook SJ fountain pen? We restored it with a new ink sac. The cap and barrel are nearly perfect, except for the big chip missing from the top black cap jewel. Its fine-point steel Venus nib is a later replacement nib. We find it writes a little dry and closer to the extra-fine spectrum. 12cm capped.

Ranga hard rubber pens have taken the collecting community by storm. We love this blue Ranga 4CS fountain pen's look. In like-new condition, it has minimal wear. We fitted it out with a converter. It comes with a box that shows more wear than the pen. You will write a fairly smooth fine line with its steel Bock nib. 14.9cm capped.

Abalone shells from California's kelp forests of the 1930s dapple this black cap and barrel of this classic Sheaffer Balance. We believe Sheaffer called the design Ebony and Pearl, but it was really abalone. Our slender, full-length vintage pen looks pretty good for 80-odd years. You'll see some scratches, wear and brassing, but there are no cracks. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. The ink-viewing window is ambered, but you can still see through it. You will write a nice fine line that some might think leans toward medium with its 14k gold nib. You might feel a little feedback on ascenders and descenders. 13.7cm capped.

Here's something you don't see every day: the Eversharp Coronet! We think these vintage pens represent the very pinnacle of art deco design in pens. We especially love the red cathedral triangles on the top of the gold-plated cap. We restored this pen several years ago, and it still seems to work well. The barrel is engraved "W.F.D." The cap and barrel only have light wear from use. The 14k gold nib is marked "Semi Flex." You will find it writes more of a smooth fine, but you can push it a little for some line variation. We just urge extreme caution. The pencil design matches perfectly but is engraved "Dawco." The pencil doesn't seem to be working, although it is cosmetically in very good shape. Click the headline for close-ups.

There's nothing like writing with a junior-sized Sheaffer Lifetime. Possibly a little overlooked, these are fantastic pens with great nibs. Yes, the nibs are firm, but they also are smooth. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. It shows some wear from use and some brassing on the pocket clip and cap band. However, it remains a solid pen nearly 100 years after it was made. You will write a smooth, wet fine to extra-fine line with its thick 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. The nib photo shows a hairline crack in the nib from the section through the second 6 in the serial number and into the U of U.S.A. on the imprint. The nib seems stable and still writes well. The pen measures 11.2cm capped.

Italian artisans resurrected the lost are of orange-hard-rubber pens with woodgrain designs when developing the Stipula Novecento fountain pen. Sterling silver accents turn this pen from simply functional to a functional work of art. The piston filler is a little stiff but still works well. We restored the finish by removing all the chocolate hazing. The finish about 98% haze free and looking really sharp. You will write a fine line with its two-tone 18k gold nib. It has a little feedback. A delightful preowned luxury pen that can be a real highlight for any collection. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.9cm capped.

We have always loved the more sophisticated stylings of the Waterman L'Etalon fountain pen. It is a model that was retired way too early. Ours is in great shape with a little wear from past use. Our preowned pen comes with a working standard international converter. It also takes like cartridges. Click the headline for close-ups, and you will see its stately 18k gold nib. It writes a buttery smooth, wet, fine line. 13.9cm capped.

New Old Stock pens are always fun, even it they are from a lower tier. This Venus fountain pen bares a distinct resemblance to the Parker 51. Certainly, the hooded nib was all the rage. Unlike a 51, this pen is a lever-filler, and we just replaced the ink sac. You will see a little wear on the pen from rattling around an old drawer or box for the past 70 years or so. As it is N.O.S., we haven't dipped or written with it. Its matching ballpoint pen has a click top to engage the non-working vintage refill. Just under the clip is the refill release. A fun early ballpoint pen. Too bad they don't make these refills, any more.