Why Cheap Pens Make Me Crazy

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1 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 368

@brentscott5359 3 года назад

Completely agree with this video. Cheap implies poor quality, inexpensive doesn't always mean junk. A higher end anything will usually put more care and attention to detail. Sadly, many of us (me) have champagne taste on a beer budget.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Maybe try champale? 😅 There are good quality budget friendly pens out there. And all depends on what someone classifies as quality

@cferracini 2 года назад

I will always recomend Platinum's Preppy. 0.5 is their M nib. Personaly I only use 0.2, the EF. But most people seem to rpefer the 0.3. The 0.2 is better (smoother for the same line thickness) than Pilot's Kakuno/Penmenship EF. There is also Platinum Meteor/Shooting star or Prefounte or Plaisir (Aluminum body) if you don't like the look of Preppy. All their parts are compatible with one another if you already have a Preppy. All below $20. If you are willing to go to bellow $30, there is always Lamy Safari. Even their EF don't go as thin as a Platinum or a Pilot but it's well know for consistency and prefectionism. Other option would be to learn how to fix the cheap pens. I do ink experiments often so cheap pens is the way to go for me. It can be fun. I even made a very smooth italic nib from a broken nib using a metal nail file and normal nail polish files. It's what I had handy at the time and worked fine. So far I only broke beyond repair 1 out of 8 pens, but it was a $1 Chinese pen that felt cheap and really poor quality even comparing with other $1 Chinese pens. It leasted 1 year so better than expected. My oldest Preppy on the other hand has 3 years, was dropped on the floor several times and it's perfectly fine. Very scratched all over on the outside but still writes like a dream. Even when I tested food coloring as ink. I like Preppy so much, I have 6 of it. I also got 4 Meteor coming by mail soon.

@FerralVideo 2 года назад

@@cferracini Great uses of cheap pens. It's better to learn repairs on a $1 Wing Sung than on a $150 Vanishing Point. I use my $1 Wing Sungs to sample new inks, since they came in a box of 16 of them. Haven't broken one yet, but I did have to fix one's nib so far. Was crazy scratchy, fixed that, then went super dry, so I fixed that. Next experiment with them is going to be eydroppering. Got some O-rings and silicone and am going to grab one to try it out with. Just haven't decided which ink yet.

@harpnant Год назад

@@FerralVideo i

@sparklefulpaladin Год назад

@@cferracini I can second the recommendation for Platinum Preppy if you want something super affordable! Lamy nibs are quite a bit broader than the Plantinum or Pilot nibs (my Lamy EF was about equivalent to my friend's Pilot Metropolitan M nib).

@alexandrevaliquette3883 6 месяцев назад

17:22 "They just work well" You just convinced me to buy a cheap pen instead of an expensive one.

@Sesquipedalian3 Год назад

Crazy? I was crazy once. They locked me in a room! A rubber room. With Rats! Rats drive me crazy. Crazy? I was crazy once...

@WaskiSquirrel 3 года назад

This was an entertaining look at quality of manufacture. And I had never noticed that about the Lamy 2000 feed. The interesting thing about Lamy is that a lot of pens use the same basic parts and design.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Glad you liked it. I can't help but look at things this way. This is the benefit of a quality manufacturer. The R&D gets done, but that can get passed onto lower price pens. A low cost pen doesn't have to be "cheap." Cheap is when quality, build, materials, longevity, all take a back seat.

@sathishrao7926 3 года назад

Yes.. Expensive pens are a product of months of R&D, specialized manufacturing, rigorous quality control.. They have better finish, perform better (more often than not), last longer and give us that pride of ownership.. But do they deserve 10 - 100 X price tag (which can drive some pen addicts towards bankruptcy 😉) ? My answer is “No” !

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Price point is tricky. To make these pens they need humans that care and put in the work. And each additional step, part, inspection, etc all add cost. And these pens typically come from places of the world where cost of living is high and employers have to pay wages that can attract the people they need. During my work when we supplied a USB cable with equipment, 100% of them had to run without 1 fault at max data rate in a thermal chamber that cycled from -20 to +50 for 14hrs plus additional shaker table tests. Clients wondered why we charged a premium for a "simple" usb cable... then they went Ooooohhhhhhh I see.

@cmac1100 3 года назад

I concur

@irvintepper5 3 года назад

another excellent evaluation of the manufacturing process. Of course the expectation of excellence in the final product should be expected in expensive pens and if made properly should go without saying, however, for me, when I get a cheap knockoff that performs properly, it is different level of satisfaction with no expectation of longevity or fear of loss.

@suryadevthakur5212 Год назад

Great comment

@steveconquest6684 Год назад

I have been collecting and working on fountain pens for quite a while. Sometimes I will purchase several originals and then buy a few knockoffs just to see if I can tune them or make a few improvements and wind up with a pen that is within spitting distance of the originals. I recently bought a house and during the move I discovered a penfolio with four Wing Sung 699s (823 copies) that I haven't touched since prior to retiring 2 1/2 years ago. They each had a small amount of old ink left in them and I wanted to see if they still wrote after being completely ignored for at least 2 1/2 years. To my amazement all four wrote immediately while I was watching this video. Inexpensive doesn't always have to mean cheap.

@astromiggy8894 2 года назад

thanks im angry now

@Doodlebud 2 года назад

You're welcome 😁

@pietervanerven7368 Год назад

Have to say, I'm not a big fan of the LAMY styling, but I am suddenly s lot more appreciative of their design

@raducubogdanserban8980 3 года назад

I don't agree with a lot of points: 1. My Parker Duofold Demi gets "ink boogers" if unused for more than a week or two. Not an inexpensive pen. 2. Delta Dolcevita Oversize and Montegrappa Classica barrels leave residues on the metal threads of the section. Not inexpensive pens. 3. You get bothered by the barrels of pens rattling? How many times do you unscrew the barrels per day? If anything I would be bothered by the cap of pens that unscrew if they would rattle, which by the way, all rattle on my pens..Pelikans m400, 600, 800, MB 149, etc. 4. The fact that the cap of a pen that is push-pull, rotates is bad design in my book since the cap has a bad grip on the barrel. And why would you rotate the cap on a push-pull cap pen? 5. I have a Visconti Wallstreet LE, which has the back knob not align with the barrel. For a pen this expensive with a square-ish shape this is unacceptable, seeing how much you praise the time they invest in checking these pens. Not an inexpensive pen. 6. I've seen MB starwalkers with threads that didn't catch the cap anymore. Not inexpensive pens. 7. My caran dache Leman squeaks every time the cap is unscrewed since it has metal on metal threads, and also the cap scratched like crazy even though it is one of my least used pens. Don't know what the hell is happening there, if the plating is cracking or what else might happen. Not an inexpensive pen. 8. I have a Pelikan m200 which somehow in the production process got a magnetized clip, that as long as I used it was ok, but after I let it for a year sit in a box, started to form a rusty colored deposit on it. I've checked all my pelikans metalic parts, all are nonmagnetic, and even the other metalic parts on the same pen are nonmagnetic. My point is, even expensive pens can have these flaws

@ginnfreecs2994 2 года назад

well he's just flexing and hating cheap pens. he cares more on the aesthetics than the actual performance to price ratio. well he cant bash that for sure. comparing a 10$ pen to a 300$ pen and telling why does does a 10$ pen cant write like a 300$ does and telling you to just save and buy a 300$ one instead of a 10$ starter pen. its like buying a full 100ml ink bottle and realizing its not your cup of tea instead of buying a ink sample to test if you will like it or not. its a cheap 10-20$ pen and he's asking them to perform like 100~200$ pen and up. i dont know where is his logic on that. you know what youre buying. A DIRT CHEAP KNOCKOFF PEN! NOT some well known brand.

@HJKelley47 2 года назад

@@ginnfreecs2994 : There are many pen snobs out here. They love to boast about their costly, name brand pens, and tell the other pen users that they are writing with trash. I had to learn to either put them on "hold" or go broke trying to keep up. After watching Stephen Brown's vids on nib care, I've learned how to tweak a nib and get a smooth writer. Tonite, I'm writing with my smooth TWSBI Eco and Majohn A1. Aesthetics are nice, but I am more concerned how the pen writes. I chuckle when I hear someone comparing a $300++ pen with my $30 Picasso Avignon, which writes like butter and is not gold. I buy what I can afford within my budget, and daily write with the pens I own--thoroughly enjoying myself. I have not experienced rattling at all, and I have 385 in my small collection. Could it be that he is trying to just be snarky & funny? (LOL)

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

@@ginnfreecs2994 I love my Jinhao 9056. It's a $20 pen and I save it. Daily writer. I decided to toss on a Goulet stub nib for $20 and now it's one of my favorites.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

@@HJKelley47 pen snobs are cringe lords don't listen to them. I had tried expensive pens. I'm more of a fan of buying a cheap pen and buying a nice nib for it. I love my pen bbs 456 which is my best writer. I love how I can buy a vacuum filler for $45 with lovely purple acrylic and a nib that demolishes most pens I have tried. I'm curious on how Pen BBS does their nibs because it's like a hot knife through butter it's delicious.

@grayautumnday 11 дней назад

@@MitchellJBridgesDoodleBud is the least pen snob channel I've seen on here! It's so odd that there are multiple commenters on this video implying that DB is a pen bigot when his is the main channel I go to to get the lowdown on the various inexpensive chinese pens available to decide which one to buy next.

@marctestarossa 3 года назад

I think you left out the aspect of customer service. I just watched a video of someone who bought a used LAMY 2000 for cheap because the cap was broken. He asked the customer service in Germany for a Replacement and they answered that he should send in the whole pen and they look what they can do. So he sent it over, waited for three weeks (he was from the UK) and he received the pen with lots of documentation about what they did in the service department. They completely disassembled the pen, cleaned it, inspected it, replaced one part of the piston fill system, put new grease on every moving part, made sure everything works perfectly again, replaced the cap and even reworked the finish so that the cap again matches the pen. So he flipped through the pages, scared of what price tag they would put on such a lot of work, he just wanted a new cap. And they charged him - nothing. This is customer service second to none. To a point where you just wtf... So if you ever thought 'Is the LAMY 2000 really worth this much money?', take that into account, this is actually a ridiculous level of service.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Absolutely, service is very important. A good reputable company understands their will be problems & not everyone will be happy. Treating customers great before & after is huge

@marctestarossa 3 года назад

@@Doodlebud And it's expensive. But some brands and companies really get it right. Same with Leatherman and their 'no-questions-asked' warranty. If it's broken, they'll fix it. And when you open a request online you can even check the box 'repair only in any case, no replacement, the tool has special emotional value to me'. But I digress ^^

@Kevinjimtheone 14 дней назад

@@Doodlebudmaybe Lamy should use the same level of dedication to make F or EF nibs that don’t scratch everything in existence. That’s be nice.

@Pr4mer 2 года назад

I know it is older, Dood, but I am binging your vids as a new subscriber. The sarcasm was excellent and I had some great laughs throughout. Hopefully it isn't the only vid of its kind in your collection. Thanks!

@Doodlebud 2 года назад

Glad you got the sarcastic tone. Some missed it & got so offend 🙄

@sevurueva5138 3 года назад

I am beginning to appreciate these minor differences that end up making a world of difference over time. Especially true for FPs where "something that can write" alone isn't enough.

@ichirofakename 3 года назад

Respectfully disagree. I care way more how the line it writes looks, than what the pen looks like.

@jamesaritchie1 3 года назад

Neither is brown nosing.

@andykellens7237 3 года назад

Wonderful video. There is nothing as satisfying as discovering how clever engineering, attention to detail, and not compromising on QC can result in design masterpieces.

@mambokurtz 3 года назад

I like your channel overall, but your engineering perspective videos really stand out, even from all the other pen channels out there.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Glad you enjoyed my rant 😅

@jt_olakunle 2 года назад

THE HEIGHT OF PEN SAVAGERY!

@noam65 Год назад

It's a funny thing. I am not much into pens, but I still really enjoy your videos. Why? You speak on an almost lost subject in today's world. That subject is high quality. I just remember that most things were high quality when I was a kid. Nice work.

@Thinkrock Год назад

“Who likes squeaking?!” killed me

@JazzRadioFfm 16 дней назад

i almost punched the screen...

@asheshgaur 3 года назад

I get a unique perspective of mechanical engineering and industrial processes after watching your videos. That is very unique to your videos :)

@stefanlaskowski6660 3 года назад

I don't think I've ever seen a product video with this much sarcasm. Well done, sir! 😂

@highhorologist2430 3 года назад

Absolutely brilliant video and some of your comments really cracks me up! I can relate to many of the incidences you mentioned with cheap pens and I can appreciate all the subtle qualities of the more expensive pens like Visconti, Pelican, Montblanc, Lamy etc. I collect many variety fountain pens and found this particular videos of your the best so far. Well done! Well appreciated! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

@greendrone6255 6 месяцев назад

jinhao 100, jinhao 85, muji, pilot mr, jinhao x159, and even lamy safari are more fun per dollar compared to more expensive pens I own.

@nameissturdy1390 2 года назад

I fell for that abalone pen on Amazon! No one needs to know ok?

@stevehuffman7453 2 года назад

I'm happy for you that you can spend hundreds to thousands of dollars for a single pen ... presuming of course you actually buy the pens and the dealers or manufacturers are not giving them to you free for a review. Believe it or not, not everyone is so blessed. I find your use of the word "cheap" in your title somewhat offensive. "Inexpensive" is more appropriate. "Cheap" and "inexpensive" are not the same thing. "Cheap" is not necessarily "inexpensive" at the checkout counter. There are plenty of cheap products out there that sell at a premium price point. Do I personally need an ebonite feed and a 14k to 24k irrudium plated or tipped nib? You are mistaken if you answered "yes." I am not a professional writer. At most, aside from some doodling, taking an inventory of my pocket knife accumulation and archery gear, I might write a letter. I don't need an expensive pen for that. My Jinhao X450's and 51A (with standard number 5 nib, not a hooded nib) work just fine ... as do my inexpensive to moderately expensive ballpoints. Sorry, but to me, a $50 plus whatever brand and model pen isn't worth it. They do the same thing my inexpensive pens do: lay a line of ink on the paper. My inexpensive pens will do something most of the expensive pens don't or can't do: Use an easy to find International Standard ink cartridges If I leave the house with one, I don't have to take a bottle of ink with me, in the unlikely event I run out of ink. I can just drop a ink cartridge or two in my pocket. A question for you: When you buy a $375 plus big name pen, how much extra are you paying strictly for the brand name? As you get to the $1000 and above level, how much extra are you paying for the brand name and the model name? Does say a Mont Blanc 149 write any better than their least expensive model?

@eurotraveler6184 3 года назад

Well done!! I have both and agree. After years of collecting, I have come to realize that I'd rather ink up and use one good pen than half a dozen that might (or might not) work smoothly and reliably. If only I had put the money spent on many cheap pens and bought a good pen right away, ...

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Its something that you only figure out over time. Easy to crank out a pen that works, but not so easy to make a good quality pen that works but is also well made.

@philnaunton7181 3 года назад

Well, part of the fun with less expensive pens is working with them in order get them to be somewhat satisfying. Sometimes it hopeless, alas. All-in-all I'm much less critical of the build quality of a cheap pen than one I've spent several hundred on when I notice a manufacturing flaw, which has happened numerous times. Clips which don't clip, cracks, inconsistent feeds, awkward weight distribution, invisible operational hauntings. Or...when the $$$ ones work perfectly, then I get scared to use them too much, lest they get over worked and lose their excellence. Oh, here's one I only use in early Spring to write the occasional haiku, then wash it out and carefully put it away.

@gnarthdarkanen7464 Год назад

Frankly... I didn't buy the pen (even the expensive "fancy" one) to LOOK at it... I bought the damn thing to WRITE AND DRAW... If it's not going to handle the job, I wasted my money... and that's only going to happen ONCE on that name... Don't get me wrong. I like a pen or just about anything "cool looking" too. At the end of the crying and pissing and whining and bitching and moaning, however, I JUST want the g** d*** thing to WORK... period. ;o)

@morganblarue Месяц назад

I laughed all through this! Good one. I appreciate your appreciation of good engineering. 👍🏼

@stinabina 2 года назад

I'm living for the 10 straight minutes of enjoyable shit-talking 😹

@Doodlebud 2 года назад

FINALLY someone who gets it!

@richardsimms251 2 года назад

Wonderful video. RS

@TheNibNerd 3 года назад

I have a pen that I bought second hand on a fountain pen forum and it's considered a somewhat pricey brand. The when I turn the threads to unscrew the cap, the barrel unscrews from the section and the grip section stays put inside the cap. Sometimes even high end pens can have that fault as well.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Absolutely, price doesn't guarantee a flawless pen.

@Rgc571 3 года назад

My cheap pens are great. Jinhao, DeLike, Hongdin, Platinum Preppy and Windsong. No blemishes, burrs, Marks scratches or rattles. My Visconti van Gogh circa 2002 cap however simply broke off with a very clean break just above the metal cap band while unscrewing the pen recently. It is now super glued on and I gingerly hold only the cap band when screwing or unscrewing, so far so good. Just my observation. Thanks for an interesting video. One of my favorite channels.

@ichirofakename 3 года назад

Funny how I've never heard a story about a Preppie breaking.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

I think my demands are higher than most. Visconti is a brand all to its own. Sorta like an old Ferrari. Looks amazing but I'll be dammed if you can get everything running just right. Visconti could do with hiring a few German or Japanese quality control staff to iron out some of the kinks.

@Rgc571 3 года назад

I agree completely.

@martinlebl631 2 года назад

@@Doodlebud Yep, Visconti with Platinum or Pilot level QC would have all the Italian flair, and wouldn't be a lottery on whether you get a good one or not. Doubt we will see that, as they sell enough as object de art as is.

@bwhat 3 года назад

Love the insight into manufacturing design princples!

@donnajaemoon Год назад

Ink buggers?? 😂 Great demos though. Thanks.

@antoniomandelli2311 3 года назад

You forgot to mention "self cracking plastics", the real technological miracle of chinese manufacturers.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

What the hell are you on about. I had many Chinese pens and none of them broke. However I had several TWSBI econ which all broke and a TWSBI diamond 580 ALR which the filling mechanism broke. Pure junk. Meanwhile I have my Jinhao 9056 which lasted me several years which is used on the daily.

@jeffroberts532 3 года назад

Fantastic! I love your attention to detail. And with fountain pens, the smallest of details often make a large impact.

@wullgrew1 Год назад

I'm just getting into fountain pens. I have a Jinhao X450 and I love it. It just doesn't post well.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

I'd suggest a Jinhao 9056 as it's made of wood, also can be nice acrylic aswell. Also try out the asvine pens they seem to be really good aswell. If you don't want to be picky about paper stick to the waterman inks.

@user-km2bz8iy5o 2 года назад

You should add timestamps to your video. 20 mins is fairly long

@aetheralmeowstic2392 Год назад

Dollar 25 Tree sells a surprisingly good fountain pen for the price

@cmac1100 3 года назад

I do understand what you're saying, but I have a few pens over $100 and a couple that are more than that, and there are things about them that obviously weren't caught by qc, so I don't think that some of these points are necessary valid when only talking about cheap pens

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

I agree, spending big bucks doesn't guarantee a flawless pen.

@pdexBigTeacher Год назад

I'm ROFLMAO this entire video.

@nope8535 Год назад

I at first didnt grok this, now after getting my pens and writing hundreds of pages I get this hard.

@BartolomeoPestalozzi444 Месяц назад

I assume someone, somewhere has already wrote it... but to me, you're the AvE of fountain pens 😀 (you two have also a similar voice!) It Is a compliment, btw 😅

@Doodlebud Месяц назад

Yup I've heard it a few times for sure. I never knew about AvE until someone mentioned I sounded like him

@saitserhatbicer7010 3 года назад

I see those gorgeous pens and i get little upset. I'm very into pens. And unfortunately they are very expensive in my country. For example lamy safari costs more than 1/3 of my scholarship. No one around here really understands this. I just wanted to mention. I hope y'all a nice day.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

It is a global market where anyone can buy, but massive differences in standards of living unfortunately doesn't give everyone equal access. Hope you're doing well

@stefanlaskowski6660 3 года назад

Could you order one from an out of country dealer, or could a foreigner send you one? Do you know why they cost do much where you live?

@kinuuni Год назад

I agree with the video, but this is not generally my problem. I would never buy a cheap or knockoff pen. However, I am generally still looking for people to explain to me why in the world I would spend money on a Mont Blanc as opposed to a Lamy 2000 or even a TWSBI 580.

@Smootus 3 года назад

Cool video. Pelikan pens are well worth the money!

@TumescentPuma Месяц назад

Hello, Danny... Come and play with us... Come and play with us, Danny... forever... and ever... and ever..."

@Doodlebud Месяц назад

"Perhaps they need a good talking to, if you don't mind my saying so. Perhaps a bit more. My girls, sir, they didn't care for the Overlook at first. One of them actually stole a pack of matches, and tried to burn it down. But I... "corrected" them sir. And when my wife tried to prevent me from doing my duty, I... "corrected" her." - Delbert Grady

@TumescentPuma Месяц назад

@@Doodlebud Hair of the dog that bit ya Lloyd…..

@nathansimonton5163 Год назад

I luckily don’t know the difference 😅

@fountainpeninsanity3344 3 года назад

Well done! Lots of good points and entertaining at the same time.

@davidanderson3425 3 года назад

You have taught me to look at my pens differently, both the cheap and the slightly more expensive. I am no engineer but I can appreciate good design when it is explained to me. Thanks for the video.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

You are so welcome!

@ironmic9244 3 года назад

Ink Booger. BWAH HA HA HA. Wasn't that the Platinum retractable pen?? Platinum usually has good QC, and start up even after sitting for a year of two.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

That was the cheap knock off version. It makes ink boogers, so guess that's a design feature

@ironmic9244 3 года назад

@@Doodlebud It was?? Damn, that looked just like the real thing.

@TylerEaves Год назад

I think I more dislike is for medium expensive. I’m talks about stuff like Conklin where they shove a jowo nib with no tuning into a Chinese body and sell it for $80-$100. But I quite like my Jinhao X159. It’s really pretty liberating to have a pen you don’t have to care about. Like, if I lost it or cracked the barrel… I’d probably be more annoyed with the lost ink than the lost pen, since you can buy ‘em in bulk for under $10/each.

@jennypai1776 7 месяцев назад

Jinhao nibs are even better than Conklin 😂

@MorganScorpion 2 месяца назад

I hated my Conklin. Very unpleasant writing experience.

@paulwyand6204 Год назад

Looking at the beautiful Visconti pen, that never writes out of the box.... Chinese pen may not last, but writes straight out of the box and is smooth.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

What are you talking about not lasting. I had my Jinhao 9056 for almost 2 years and it goes under heavy use. Not a single scratch and the way the threads are done is lovely. I'm more worried about my Lamy safari not lasting because it feels so weak when putting on the cap.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

Also it depends what model you buy. No the Jinhao 992 will not last. But when you buy a Jinhao 9056 it's made out of solid wood and brass threads which will last much longer. It feels like a lot a more expensive pen than what it is.

@ragnorak56 Год назад

Great video. The only thing I will say is that the title is not 100% accurate although I understand why you went with "Expensive vs Cheap" as a title. I feel you did a great job demonstrating good brands vs no name/bad brands. As you demonstrated the Lamy Safari can't be categorized as expensive but wow is it one of my favorite writers and works beautifully. Even the way the Lamy Safari screws on to perfectly align to show the ink window is a sign of quality engineering and QC.

@afinkeln 2 года назад

and that's a well earned sub right there

@AntoineViau-00 6 месяцев назад

THIS is priceless! 🤩🤩🤩

@pbpickett7210 3 года назад

Speaking of pens that are not "cheap" -- I hate to get too personal. But in a recent vid, you mentioned that you had found your "dream" Montblanc 149 that you sought in a certain configuration at a certain price. I am not asking about the price, but I am curious about the configuration? I think you said it was a "W. Germany" pen, which tells me about the rough time frame when Germany was reunifying. But what more are you willing to share? Inquiring minds want to know.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Lol, there's nothing overly special or secretive about my MB 149. I got a stellar deal on the pen. "New old stock" from the mid to late 80's. It has a fine nib, which I in turn ground to a fine cursive italic. Spent time to ensure I left tipping material for longevity & got the gap just where I wanted it for the ink flow I was looking for. Hope that helps 😁

@markritchie7059 Год назад

Holy moly. Twelve minute introduction... priceless.

@JJPanozzo1 10 месяцев назад

Clever and entertaining

@gilgameshlfx7006 2 года назад

After 5 minutes, I had no idea where you being legit or sarcasm.

@Doodlebud 2 года назад

A little from column A and a little from column B

@shadow.chicken Год назад

lmao i was here when you hit 9k!

@janeyannachicken9053 2 года назад

If you want a pen that you can write with comfortably, there are a lot of cheap pens that are a lot better than a lot of expensive pens. If you want to sit down and look at your pen with a loupe to evaluate the materials and manufacturing, some expensive pens are better than most cheap pens.

@happytrouble5561 2 года назад

I love all my pens. I think the whole thing is very subjective. If you treat your pen ( cheap or expensive ) harsh and with a mindset as well as an expectation for it to be " indestructible ", none of them would hold too well I think. And you were kind of " angry " :D especially with your cheaper pens, and I know it was done to kind of prove your point but no one really in a real life would treat a pen they own and care for like that. At least I hope. Of course there are going to be differences in manufacturing processes because the cost of each pen tells us that much. But I personally experienced expensive pens failing me in the terms of functionality and smooth writing sometimes, as oppose to a cheaper pen which writes like butter but can be more likely to encounter a scratch or two on its body a little faster than a better looking or better manufactured pen. If I like the way the pen looks and I enjoy the writing experience, I don't care if it's cheap or more expensive. It's up to me as well, to take care of each one to protect and prolong their longevity as much as I can. They are all just a products of a human craftsmanship, therefore they can all still fail. You are funny though. Nice video. :) Greetings from UK

@FerralVideo 2 года назад

Heh. I can see the points you're making just by looking at my own pen collection. My Twsbi Eco still feels and performs like new despite rather heavy use. It has accumulated some scratches and dings though. I love this thing. The Moonman T1, despite bringing a Twsbi Eco price tag, shows signs of cheapness. Most notably in that the cap threads are showing a little wear. Same can be said for my Moonman C1, which also has visible wear on the cap threads despite not having a huge amount of cycles on it. Unusually based on what I've heard, both of these pens perform perfectly fine. I've never had starting or skipping problems from either. The knockoff piston fillers feel gritty and gruddy, and need like three twists to the Twsbi's one. Oh, and the piston knob is loose and rattly. They write okay though. Now that's just my thread cap ones. My snap caps are ... a little more interesting, and not in a good way either. My Hongidan Black Forest has definitely shown the wear I hammered on it over the past two years. The cap no longer secures, and has fallen out in my pocket more than once. I have the ink stains to show for it. A substantial amount of its paint has also worn off, giving it a distinctive patina. The Wing Sung 16-pack of all plastic cartridge converter pens threatens/promises the same weak snap cap fate. The Arteza disposables seem to be a little more reliable than the Wing Sungs, but also they're disposable, so nobody's going to shed a tear if the cap stops sealing after a few hundred cycles because they'll be in the trash by then. I can't speak for the Platinum Preppy or the Pilot Petit1 yet, as I haven't been using them long enough. Given the pedigrees behind both of these pens, I wonder if they can save the reputation of snap caps from my disdain and disappointment.

@katie4623 3 года назад

I feel much better about spending money on my expensive pens now. Poor jinhao ….

@erha1032 Год назад

I have a pelikan m400 and a twsbi eco pen which I see you also have

@Doodlebud Год назад

Solid pens

@ladyredl3210 Год назад

I will defend my metropolitans to the death, and some of my Jinhaos, but I understand people who have the money going for better quality pens. I have 2 Shooting Stars on the way!

@Doodlebud Год назад

I'm thinking of doing an update on this video to clarify. Cheap isn't so much a price thing to me rather than a quality thing. I have a $3 Zebra fountain pen that I think is made phenomenally well for the price. Cheap in price but not cheap in quality. Some of the tiny design details they considered for that pen are beyond some pens I have that sell for 200X the price. To me cheap is when corners are cut or problems are left in a design unresolved. You have to be more cleaver when it comes to design, materials, coatings, etc when working with a low target retail price. Great pens can be had at all price levels, but corners can also be cut at all prices levels.

@ladyredl3210 Год назад

@@Doodlebud yeah agreed. Pretty sure my pilots will outlast me, see you on Reddit, good sir!

@siyuanxu3537 3 года назад

I have seen 2 Pelikan M600 (one of them is mine) with slightly twisted strips, and at least 2 Pelikan nibs with misscut. But I totally agree with the material (resin) used in the exp. pens and the nib/feed units are far better than the cheap ones, besides the customer service from exp. pen cpmpanies (like Pelikan) is unbietable. Thanks for the video, enjoyed watching it.

@IamKittySweets Год назад

😂😆🤣🙈🤣

@derekdavis5720 3 года назад

I suppose cheapness is in the eye of the pen purchaser. What winds me up is when a cheapish but otherwise really decent pen is badly let down by a thoroughly downmarket cartridge converter which hardly does the job. I had one such pen which with a bit of “love” I managed to fit a Schmidt International Converter this totally transformed the pen. I have at least 3 more like this. Fingers X’d they’ll take a decent Cartridge Converter international fitting like Schmidt. May even double the cost of the pen but worth it. Interesting educational video. Good job Doodle Bud.

@Leptospirosi Год назад

The devil is in the detail! 😈

@JuceePeachz67 3 года назад

Another fantastic video! Love the comparison and the sarcasm was in point. Thank for pointing out the differences in the manufacturing of the pens.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Glad you liked it. These are some of the details I look at with pens regardless of price point. Just passing on what I see with my OCD lol

@JuceePeachz67 3 года назад

@@Doodlebud we, your subscribers and viewers appreciate your OCD. I believe the majority are somewhat OCD, as I am! Keep up the great content.

@paulmchugh1430 3 года назад

As you mentioned, it is the time and attention to detail that matters the most, regardless of price. Visconti made their name with innovation of material and design and attention to detail. So has TWSBI and as far as I can tell penBBS, to name a few. It is the desire to make a quality product more than anything else that is the dividing line between a great pen and a horrible pen.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Absolutely agree. I should have calmed myself down during the video to clarify cheap lol. Cheap isn't price. Cheap is poor build, assembly, material choice, & lack of attention to detail. You can find a quality built pen at any price range. Just as we've all had poorly made pens at higher price points. To me when something is cheap, it's laziness & lack of care.

@paulmchugh1430 3 года назад

@@Doodlebud I have a Pelikan M800. It just oozes quality. At half the price you can get a Sailor 1911L or a Leonardo Furore. I am just talking pens with gold nibs. Steel nib pens are also great quality like Benu or even the Platinum Procyon. Quality is not just price, as you inferred.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

TWSBI is pure garbage. And Visconti has QC issues as far as I seen. I'd stick to my Jinhao pens. Maybe some day I may get an Edison.

@ILoveFountainPensCdn Год назад

Great video!

@afroditim.421 3 года назад

Haha well done!

@cd3694 Год назад

Ink boogers! Lol😄

@johnnyjet3.1412 Год назад

the difference between new engineers that design things to break, so that manufacturers can make the profit, and old school engineers that design things to last almost forever to create a fan base that will buy more because they like things that work.

@MitchellJBridges Месяц назад

It also depends what the pen in question is designed like. Some pens are made to be disposable and some a lifetime.

@scriptkeeper8243 3 года назад

You lost me when your out of the box was a Pelikan. QC on those nibs has known to have issues. I've got some Chinese pens that write just as smooth as gold nibs. There are better cheap pens out there, you just gotta do a better job looking. Maybe a better title would have been 'poorly made' pens and components. And you didn't even discuss Jowo and their current nib housing issues? Which like 100% percent of American pen makers kowtow to.....and TWSBI lol? Their plastic cracking issues? We won't even get into what a pain it is to disassemble a Pelikan or a Lamy 2k for a complete cleaning....They cut a lot of corners on the piston shaft of the Lamy 2k as it strips very easily.

@vageli 3 года назад

funny ✅ witty✅ sarcastic ✅ thoroughly enjoyable ✅

@user-km2bz8iy5o 2 года назад

Any top 5 reccs on what pens to buy under $50?

@christiancastillo3043 Год назад

Lol

@moonlightfilms5279 9 месяцев назад

watching this while I'm currently taping up some wrenches to hopefully not mar up my Kaweco brass sport that is sealed up because the threads oxidized:')

@williamkea1461 2 года назад

LOL

@Emerald.She-Ra 5 месяцев назад

4:12 That nub on the lip of the Platinum Curidas hurt my fingers so much that my "Crystal" Curidas a.k.a. transparent Curidas now has washi tape wrapped around the nub above the nib. In the UK, the Curidas starts from circa £75+ (approx $95) depending on where you buy, and what colour/version. I've had mine inked since Christmas 23, and so far no ink snot between a few weeks of no usage.

@Izanuela22 4 месяца назад

I was confused at first because I only own cheap pens since I cannot afford the expensive ones…. But then came the section with the Lamy Safari (which can be a very cheap pen here in Germany but lasts literally for your whole school time…). So you are actually referring to super super cheap pens for 1-3 Dollars? Because pens like Kaweco Sport, Lamy Safari or Platinum Plaisir are fantastic writers for everyday writing (in my opinion) but really not expensive since you can get them for 10-25€ (yes I know 25€ can be expensive already for some people, but when a pen lasts for decades it really isn’t actually… ) Maybe if I will one day be able to afford a 200 € and upwards fountain pen I will see that the feeling of a pen can be even more fantastic, but for now I am happy with my 10-40€ pens (especially since they also include vintage 14k gold nib pens…there are some from Geha that are not very pretty and a lot of them have engravings, but if you want a wonderful gold nib that is flexible you only have to invest 30€…)

@PhytonG1642 2 года назад

Cheap pens are not perfect pen, but good for showing off without killing your wallet or you just a person who enjoys only the nib writing or didn't care about the pen looks. Overall, price to quality matters.

@strshooter7399 3 года назад

DB, your engineer is showing 😉. Good, solid performing fountain pens do exist at low cost. Sorry, but Jinhao equals junk in Chinese. Ya, sure you might get one that writes good, doesn’t dry out in 15-20 seconds uncapped, and has been performing great since Babe Ruth was in short pants… . I don’t Ike the Chinese manufacturers for their blatant copying, and doing it so poorly! It’s not flattery, it thievery, and it’s wrong IMO. On other issues, nothing is more frustrating and irritating then having your $200.00 and up fountain pen write poorly, leak ink, and in general be a disappointment. Poor quality products exist at all price levels. Buying a well known “Brand” insures nothing, but I think chances are better with a known manufacturer. Sure Yugos are cars, and they may even work well, but given the choice and the cash, I’d buy a Lexus if it fit my needs/wants etc.. . Brand name recognition usually is earned. I think DB’s rants and raves are his particular buttons that get pushed when he jumps in his Jinhao and it doesn’t start, it’s what you get for an $8.00 buck fountain pen. If you want to drive a Jinhao, by all means, enjoy. I drive what I can afford. BUT If you want to sit at the adult table at Thanksgiving, and experience the luxury of fine, expensive gold nib fountain pen dining, then save your dollars and jump in at the deep end. Life is pretty short, (ask your Grandparents) to not have at least one really well made fountain pen that is a pleasure to be enjoyed. Of course, you can still make marks on paper with a lump of coal.

@Doodlebud 3 года назад

Haha, loved the write up. Good you speak your mind and express your thoughts, even if it might infuriate others. Like you said, brand recognition is earned. Whether is be known as a great brand or a poor quality one, either way its earned.

@strshooter7399 3 года назад

@@Doodlebud Hey, I don't hate Porshe, Bentley, or Ferrari owners. I can't play at that level, so what... . I really like Pilot Customs (and Namiki too :-) ) and that's a place I can play. This was a good video, let the chips fall where they may. ;=) I'm definitely definitely, getting a Lamy 2K :-)

@stefanlaskowski6660 3 года назад

Given their shenanigans regarding Covid-19 and their genocide against the Uigars and other minorities in China, I will not knowingly purchase any pens or accessories made in China. I realize it may be impossible, but I'll do my best.

@almis4396 2 месяца назад

Yes, QC is a major issue for cheap pens. I agree. But I have to admit that cheap pens are also tempting if you don’t know anything about pens and also if you don’t have a lot of money. The main problem I see is that they may become trash very easily and that’s a problem. Having said that, I really like the hong Dian 1892. Are they knock off of any well made pen?

@josephaziz785 Год назад

True in part. Chinese copies are getting better and have supplanted Japanese pens in Japan. Some Chinese copies of Rolex for $1000 have been tested and found to be superior to Rolex--every part--it used to be only 99% of parts. Copying is unethical. Customer service for better pens is not what it used to be due to buyer abuse. Cross, Parker are not what they used to be. Seiko has no customer service--terrible ratings in US. Citizen is still quite good in US. Lamy gave me a brand new pen years ago & Waterman also gave good service years ago--not so sure about today.

@DLFfitness1 Месяц назад

I’m new to it all. I have 4 pens at different price points. They are all very different. I have learned to go for the better quality. Nothing over $100, but not budget either. I will say that the budget pens that I have work very well. There is just no comparison to the more expensive ones, when it comes to usage.

@zdzislawaprzyborska5653 Год назад

I have been looking for a pen for myself for 8 years. I cannot count the number of viscontis, pilots, pelikans, platinums... I have held mb 149 side by side with jinhao 150, and jinhao with a custom made nib won all the time, except for Santini - but it was made out of acrylic only and I need a workhourse... if that would be polycarbonate I would propobly swallow the low range of nibs to choose from...

@tatcyr206 7 месяцев назад

Curidas knockoff was unusable. Thing with Chinese fountain pens are that they either work just fine or it doesn’t at all. Sometimes I can find good product much cheaper than twsbi, but I’d argue if the 50$ is too much to pay, go with the disposable fountain pen at dollar store. If it’s from big companies, it works just fine and sometimes you can even refill it.

@MCRoadk1ll Год назад

I like all the sarcasm! keep it up 👍

@Doodlebud Год назад

I was in a mood that night LOL

@Tokoroegao Год назад

I'll probably end up having 1-2 higher quality pens and a bunch of cheap ones to mess around with, try a million different inks and papers, take them anywhere, abuse them, switch nibs, ...

@grayrabbit2211 6 месяцев назад

A Motel 6 and the Four Seasons both offer hotel rooms which have a bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower. The room will likely have a bed, TV, and mini fridge / mini bar. So why does one cost 10x more? The details.

@alanmooney 8 месяцев назад

Hey Doodlebud, Didn't anyone tell you can't tell the truth, I love your Chanel. Great video , whatever about the $10 electrical kitchen appliances from china, no wonder house catch on fire

@katieevans6017 6 месяцев назад

I'd never buy another Faber..at any price point. I want a pen that if I leave it for three days, when I pick it up it works. Hello Wing Sung, they just work.

@zacharyradford5552 Год назад

It’s not so much as cheap vs expensive as quality control and care. I mean I’ve seen $1000 pens with imperfections in the finish and some that are leaky hand grenades.

@stereodreamer23 10 месяцев назад

Visconti pens are fantastic if you are a Ferrari owner--they have the same reliability, and like ALL Italian engineering, they spend more time in the shop getting "fixed" than they do actually performing their supposed function--but darn it, they sure do LOOK sexy, even if you spend 10 times the original cost of the pen in shipping fees to keep sending it back to the factory trying to make it write over it's lifetime...

@Michelt007 8 месяцев назад

I felt the same about cheap pens... a bit infuriating. One extra thing is the cheap screw on top of the cap (that holds the clip) that, amazingly enough, is not rust-proof, as if someone forgot that fountain pen ink is water-based....

@Cloudydawn25 5 месяцев назад

I was just gifted a Hongdian Black Forest, it does many of these things, but it was gifted to my by my best friend, therefore it’s even better than a million dollar pen, maybe even better than a billion dollar pen.

@vijjreddy 11 месяцев назад

THAT IS THE PROBLEM - YOUR EXPENSIVE PENS ARE REALLY FINE, BUT WHAT YOU CALL CHEAPER PENS ARE NOT REALLY CHEAP IN YOUR COUNTRY... BY THE TIME YOU CAN BUY THEM, THEY WOULD COST 4 TIMES MORE, WITH DIRECT MARKETING STUFF IT IS EVEN WORSE, IT COULD BE COSTING 5 TIMES HIGHER THAN FOR WHAT PRICE IT SHOULD SELL - SO IN COMPARISION YOU FEEL CHEAPER PENS ARE NOT WORTH IT. BUT WHERE THEY ARE MADE, THESE CHEAPER PENS - THEY WOULD COST MAY BE ONE-TWENTIETH TO ONE-FIFTYTH PRICE.. AND THEN YOU WOULD SAY, OKAY, THESE CHEAPER PENS ARE REALLY BETTER. SAY A 3 DOLLAR COSTING PLATIGNUM PEN, ESPECIALLY WITH A FINE CALIGRAPHY NIB WOULD REALLY WRITE MUCH BETTER THAN 70 DOLLAR COSTING PILOT PEN OF SAME SPEC...