Fountain Pens with Nib Size: XF

Oh so sleek and glassy finished, our oversized Sheaffer Balance Lifetime fountain pen is a beautiful vintage pen for many a collection. Ours has been restored with a working "vacuum-fil" system. The piston rod feels a little stiff, but it pushes out air and draws in water when we tested it. Not visible in the photo is an impressive double-helix design visible through the ambered ink-viewing window. Minimal if any wear. You will write a firm, extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib. Expect a some feedback. Not terrible but noticeable. No brassing, cracks or deep scratches. Nice crisp imprint. 14cm capped.

A ruby-red vintage pen is just what this holiday season needs. Our Esterbrook LJ has been fully restored with a new ink sac. It sports a steel 1555 Gregg nib, which meant the nib was originally for anyone who took shorthand. Think secretaries and journalists. This can be thought of as the long, slender version of the J-model pen. The cap and barrel have some wear from use, but there are no cracks or major scars. Nice, clean imprint. You will write a surprisingly smooth extra-fine line, if you have a light touch with this firm nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 12.8cm capped.

What are the most desirable features on a Montblanc 149 fountain pen that connoisseurs love most? 14k gold nibs and a split ebonite feed! That is exactly what our preowned luxury pen sports. The one feature it doesn't have is the brass piston fitting under the blind cap. Our pen was made during that brief window after German unification where the clip band had the word Germany but no serial number. In excellent working order, the piston fills the pen nicely. You will write an extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib. There's a little feed back from its firmness. No cracks. No brassing. Light wear from use. Click the headline for close-ups. 14.8cm capped.

Composer, conductor and pianist Johannes Brahms was one of the great romantics of classical music. This renowned German artist gets his due in this limited edition pen by Montblanc. Part of Montblanc's Donation Pen series, the Montblanc Brahms comes as a complete box set that includes a tuning fork and booklet. Our preowned luxury pen looks like new, and likely was only written with once given the minimal ink on its extra-fine, rhodium-plated 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. Guaranteed authentic.

Hailing from Canada is another great Sheaffer Craftsman. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. Click the headline for close-ups. It is easy to read the Canadian imprint, but you will also see some wear from use. No cracks nor brassing. We love the simplicity of the TouchDown filler. You will write an extra-fine to fine line that is a little on the drier side with some feedback. The tip of the nib seems aligned well, and we suspect regular use will help smooth out the feedback with a little time. 13.1cm capped.

Hailing from Canada, this is a Sheaffer Craftsman fountain pen made in 1940s Toronto! We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac and O-ring. Click the headline for close-ups. The pen is a little worn and the blue is a darker with age. No cracks. You will write a nice smooth, extra-fine line with its 14k gold nib and a light touch. It starts to dig a little if you use any pressure. 13cm capped.

Glittering yellow dust swirls through the black acrylic of this really stunning Karas Kustoms Vertex fountain pen. Unlike other Vertex pens that we've seen, this one has an amber "jewel" in the top of the pen. We aren't sure if that is from the factory or a former owner's bedazzling. Sporting minimal wear, this preowned pen comes with a standard international converter. You will write a firm extra-fine line with its steel nib. It does have some feedback, as most extra-fine nibs seem to have. 13.5cm capped.

Golden Brown striations make for a very handsome Sheaffer Balance Lifetime fountain pen. The clear imprint finishes with the number 875. Though not a model number, it helps to identify its slender but standard-length size. It also represented the original price of $8.75. We restored this vintage pen with a new ink sac. Closely examine the pen and you will see wear and a couple of deep scratches that are small. However, the design pattern obscures most of that at a casual glance. No cracks. Light brassing on the ball of the pocket clip. You will write a very smooth extra-fine line with its two-tone 14k gold nib. Click the headline for close-ups. 13.7cm capped.