Fountain Pens with Nib Size: F

Let's face it, sometimes we just buy the pen for the nib. Our Parker Sonnet is a hearty and loyal daily writer, but it has a ton of deep scratches and is even missing some of its finish on the tail of the pen. Click the headline for close-ups. Its brass-barrel construction makes it far more durable than other preowned luxury pens. The real treasure of this pen is its bouncy, fine-point 18k gold nib. It doesn't qualify as a true semi-flex nib, but it does have some nice bounce to it. Also included is a Parker converter. This pen also takes Parker cartridges. 13.3cm capped.

Harkening back to 1920s black hard rubber with "chasing" designs, this Waterman LeMan Opera fountain pen is a stunningly handsome modern luxury pen. The cap and barrel are in nearly perfect condition. The gold-plated trim has just a little schmutz and wear on the tail end. Click the headline for close-ups. Its two-tone 18k gold nib writes a nice fine-medium line. It is a soft nib that responds to light pressure, but this is not a conventional semi-flex nib. The thin 18k gold is easily sprung. The pen includes a box and papers. 14.4cm capped.

Parker Royal Challengers are handsome vintage pens that offered a slightly less expensive option for pen users who couldn't afford the flagship Vacumatics. This pen is nearly perfect, except for its nickel-plated trim, which is heavily worn. We restored this pen with a new ink sac. It is a button-filler like the older Parker Duofolds. Its ink viewing window is ambered. You will write a nice fine line with its 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. It has a clean imprint that states it is from the first quarter of 1940. 12.2cm capped.

Pale blue makes for a handsome Esterbrook CA fountain pen. These were Esterbrook's cartridge-only pens. Unfortunately, there are no Esterbrook cartridges that are officially available. However, we've heard rumor that you can tweak a Sheaffer cartridge into working. No cracks mar the cap or barrel. You will see a little light surface wear, but, overall, the pen is in great shape. It comes with a steel 1551 nib that we find writes a fine-medium line with a little light feedback. 13.1cm capped.

Even people who aren't into lady's pens have to shout when they see this Parker Duofold. A streamlined model, it still looks really sharp today in its orange permanite cap and barrel with reblackened hard-rubber end caps. Only the tassie shows brassing. Overall, the pen does show some wear from use, annnnd there is a crack in the barrel threads. However, if you write with a light hand, it should be okay. We restored this pen with a new ink sac, button and pressure bar. It still has its Christmas-tree inkfeed. You will write a fine line with a little feedback using its 14k gold nib. 11.8cm capped.

Among the more sought after features on Esterbrook Dollar Pens are the incised cap bands, such as the ones seen on this copper-colored model. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac and are happy to say it is free of cracks. However, that does not mean it is free of cosmetic flaws. Click the headline for a close-up. There's a little divot that you can see is missing from the tail end. Plus, there is general wear all over the cap and barrel. Its chrome parts lack their original luster and we couldn't get them to buff back up to a good shine. One of the highlights is this pen's upgraded 2668 nib, which writes a very smooth fine line. 12.1cm capped.

In our not-so humble opinion, the Wahl-Eversharp Doric was one of the most attractive art deco pens ever made. Sadly, many of them are decomposing through a process many call krazing. Wahl-Eversharp might have mastered design, but they hadn't, yet, perfected the formula for celluloid. Happily enough, this ruby red pen and pencil show no signs of krazing! They do show a fair amount of wear from use, but there are no cracks and the pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. Click the headline for a close-up. You will write a very smooth, slightly dry fine line with its 14k gold nib. The pencil is an early clicker that still works. The nose cone is heavily brassed, as such we are hesitant to polish the clicker in the tail. Junior sized instruments. Pen measures 11.9cm capped.

A shiny vintage pen can brighten anybody's day, and we think this Parker Deluxe Challenger Jr. might brighten your's. We love the vibrant green and black marble design. This pen has been fully restored with a new ink sac. There are no cracks or deep scratches, but there is significant brassing, a little wear and a couple bite marks on the blind tail cap. Nice crisp imprint. You will write a nice fine to fine-medium line with its 14k gold nib. It is on the shorter and slender side. Click the headline for close-ups. 11.8cm capped.