$200 Pen. $2 Handwriting.

After days of deliberation, half a dozen YouTube videos and input from Redditors…I finally picked up the Sailor Pro Gear 21K with a Broad Nib.

I usually write with a medium nib, and frankly the line weight on the broad nib on this thing is pretty damn close to my TWSBI Diamond 580.

As for audible writing feedback. It sounds like I’m writing with a carpenter’s pencil. People in the next room can hear me writing with this pen.

And as for writing experience. It’s buttery smooth on the right kind of paper and is a wet writer. It wants to write.

As for things I wish for? I wish there was more heft to it. I thought it would be a tad weighty’r.

80 points royalecheez

I’m right there with you. I have so many pens, fountain pens, and mech pens, and even I can’t read my hand writing sometimes 😅

No one ever said you have to be good at something to enjoy it.

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26 points redstoneredstone

This this this right here. In fact, it is almost better to be not good, rather than pursue improvement. Just enjoy a thing because you are having fun!!!

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11 points EEE3EEElol

Hell yeah, I’ve been getting into calligraphy lately and all of my results look like ancient runes or made-up Chinese(image isn’t mine though), but it’s fun

https://preview.redd.it/ptobixlcoc6g1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e4a86b8ebbc2aa826c4d672b665e173eddaa2b5

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28 points 3possuminatrenchcoat

Beautiful pen! But i must ask, what did "Kk" do to be excluded from the alphabet?

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35 points MarcusVanDough

That’s between me and “Kk”. 😆

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8 points Tweed_Kills

Look, I've been working on my cursive lately, and I'm here to back you up. K can get in the absolute bin. Reprehensible garbage. Worst letter.

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1 points REG_Synthetra

Hahahhahahahah how come?

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2 points Tweed_Kills

It knows what it did.

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1 points K-Oz_Kitty

But Ii don't?

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18 points Comfortable-Mud2755

10 months ago I got a cursive practice book, I wrote cursive it all through school but that ended once I went to work and forgot some things. Anyways I practiced with that then started modifying letters to suit my style. It didn't take all ten months but it's night and day better. Practice practice

https://preview.redd.it/553e762cn96g1.jpeg?width=2592&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=237f5dd8faf42600c66d5034e3466414a75e38ed

Top practice book, bottom where my penmanship is today, and I am trying to improve. I have nerve damage, so this has also been a physical therapy for me, less shaky now. Cheers, and bravo on your pen!

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4 points MarcusVanDough

Thanks for the encouragement! My writing has been called chicken scratch since grade school. My penmanship has been a lifelong work in progress.

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2 points bluesofti

whats the name of that practice book?

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2 points Comfortable-Mud2755

Palmer Method, Spencerian Penmanship & Copperplate Calligraphy - 3-in-1: Cursive Writing Practice Book to Improve Handwriting for Adults, ASIN B0F32G2P83 The paper is not great, but it did the job

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1 points realbigtar

I recently purchased the Spencerian Penmanship series.

It’s much more difficult than I remember.

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2 points Comfortable-Mud2755

Is that the 6 or so books in that learning package? I think I got that one too, the books are really small so I couldn't get into them, I did buy some practice paper with the lines for cursive handwriting so I might spend some more time on that. I want to get better and refine my capitals.

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1 points realbigtar

That’s the one.

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1 points Comfortable-Mud2755

That set would be awesome in A4 size, oh well, I'll give it go here soon as I'd like to take my penmanship to the next level, thanks for sharing! Love this hobby ☺️

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29 points realbeansperson

Congrats on your new pen! Love the self-deprecation.

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10 points MarcusVanDough

Ha! Any handwriting tips?

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28 points realbeansperson

Tons! Slow down. Practice tracing a page a day, or something similar. It's work, but once you learn muscle memory it sticks. Also join r/Handwriting for inspiration.

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10 points EvilDogAndPonyShow

Or to be utterly humbled by people with god-tier handwriting

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5 points berlingirl5

Tracing helps so much. I started calligraphy a month ago and my “doctor handwriting” is so much better.

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11 points ectomorfff

I've seen worse ;). What's the ink?

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5 points MarcusVanDough

It’s Diamine Imperial Blue. I felt like it deserved a regal sounding ink.

What would you have ink’d it with? Looking for a lush, rich ink that is deserving of this pen.

Something deep purple or bronze.

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2 points ElectrochemicalMoped

Diamine Scribble Purple is nearly black, and has a nice gold sheen if your paper supports it.

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2 points Aneggmatic

Diamine Imperial Purple is a nice deep purple IMO. Birmingham Pen Co also has really nice inks as well and very unique colors.

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1 points gloriousbeardguy

Diamine Golden Brown?

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11 points _Abe_Froman_SKOC

My handwriting is atrocious, the pens are there so I feel slightly better about it.

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7 points MarcusVanDough

I feel seen!

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10 points Mammoth-Interview

Any writing using a tool such as this (or any other fountain pen) is always an elevated experience and expression. Extra points for you. Enjoy your fine choice.

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11 points MarcusVanDough

What pulled me into this hobby is enjoying the writing experience. I look forward to journaling and sketching because of the tools I’ve chosen.

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4 points KeyRepresentative718

I do as well

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6 points Isa21MM

Same

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6 points sea-jewel

I’m glad the line width worked out for you! I really love Sailor feedback. Nothing like it!

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7 points MarcusVanDough

Thanks again for your help!

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5 points mltnmhfls

Curious, how is it buttery smooth and also makes noise? I hadn't given much thought to sailor since i'm not a fan of feedbackiness. if it's so smooth, I can hardly believe I'm writing, that's ok by me.

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13 points MarcusVanDough

I’m pretty convinced Sailor is breaking some sort of Laws of Physics to when they designed this nib. Best way to describe it is it’s like writing with a pencil that’s hasn’t been sharpened for a while.

It’s not, smooth like writing on a tablet, where you don’t feel connected to the page. But you feel 1% friction when writing. If anything the auditory feedback sound implies you’re writing on a toothy paper, but physically the pen writes like you’re glides on the page.

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4 points kidde1

You meant to say “$200 Pen. Handwriting a work in progress!”

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4 points MarcusVanDough

Growth mindset 👍🏼

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3 points spotspop

😅

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3 points Gtstricky

I feel this.

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3 points ronniebabes

I can’t even write in cursive

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3 points jaymo1977

That’s good value effective communication! (Except Kk 😜)

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3 points TheDrewscriver

Don't undervalue yourself. I will give you...3.50 😜

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2 points Zealousideal_Let_439

Damn loch ness monster!

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3 points FlyingNeonPoop

I personally love your handwriting! It has character, and it’s always nice to see someone have fun with their pen!

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2 points MarcusVanDough

You’re making me blush ☺️

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2 points SquirrelTG

Same here! I can read mine….mostly

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2 points According-Fly4965

For some reason that song lyrics ‘third rate romance, low rent rendezvous’ went through my head when I saw your title.

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2 points BayPhoto

Don’t knock your handwriting too much. For all we know you might be a doctor! lol

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1 points MarcusVanDough

Oh I wish!

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2 points Most_War2764

I too suffer from this condition.

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2 points MarcusVanDough

A condition I was hoping a fancy pen would cure. Maybe the next pen will fix it 😜

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2 points brotherkinney

If yours is $2 handwriting then mine is worth 2 cents!

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2 points bokolobs

Could you please provided the model number of the pen? I’m thinking of getting one myself. Thanks!

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2 points Aneggmatic

You’re in good company, my friend. That’s how I feel any time I write with any of my fancy lad pens. I’m committed to starting the Michael Sull program starting 1/1/26. Beautiful cursive, here I come!

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1 points MarcusVanDough

Is it a course or a workbook? Sounds like a fun project.

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2 points Aneggmatic

https://www.paperinkarts.com/artcrsbk.html

It’s a workbook plus a lot of great information, exercises, etc.

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1 points PixelRodeo

I can totally relate to this!!!

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1 points JobeX

Sigh that’s me… dozens of pens… horrible handwriting

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2 points MarcusVanDough

Don’t worry. We’ll find that pen that magically cures our poor penmanship!

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1 points moctezumae

I like most of your handwriting 😃

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2 points MarcusVanDough

“Most” is better than none. 😆

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1 points wana-wana

The Black Luster 1911 has a metal section for added weight.

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1 points MarcusVanDough

Oh really…🤔

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1 points wana-wana

On the other hand it comes with a coated nib, and a piece of paper saying only to fill it with Sailor ink.

I usually don't pay any attention to that but have in this case.

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1 points Pen-dulge2025

On the contrary I have a $2 fp and produced some gems of handwriting. Great fp though. Congrats

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1 points ChillyNobBillyBob

Yes, but look at the quality of the lines.

Bad handwriting looks better with a good pen/ink/paper combo, and feels nicer too.

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3 points MarcusVanDough

You should see what it looks like with a Bic 🙃

Nice pens make my atrocious penmanship somewhat legible and pleasing to the eye.

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1 points digitalgraffiti-ca

Practice practice practice.

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1 points ellieamazona2020

We have similar handwriting 😁

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1 points MarcusVanDough

Twinsies 👯‍♀️

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1 points JackyVeronica

Where's Kk

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1 points MarcusVanDough

You’ll never know…😜

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1 points various_convo7

seen lots of people at my local FP shop who buy way more than I do and have way worse handwriting than I expect for some folks with pricey pens. not uncommon

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1 points REG_Synthetra

This subreddit is about fountain pens and not handwriting, I cant write well too but I love doing it, there’s no shame about that.

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1 points FragileExprezz

Well, my handwriting is 50cents. 🤣😅

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1 points Dangerous-Trees

Handwriting is great! Who wants to be like everyone else?

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1 points ObsidianSiren9225

Pfft who says it’s gotta be perfect? If you enjoy your pens that’s all that matters

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1 points mclaughlinsm

Good description.

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1 points NinjaNoafa

Real 😭 I have a gorgeous, century-old parker and my cursive is buns

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1 points isn12

https://preview.redd.it/8zgaf1qn9f6g1.png?width=2216&format=png&auto=webp&s=918f92bb9a987abdc126c02fd29ef9ad3bf04efe

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1 points MarcusVanDough

Ha! 😆

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1 points ktka

I have $1, $5, $10, $100 handwritings.

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Where's Kk