Fountain pens - ostentatious?

Dixon Cannon · Oct 9, 2010

Now this is ostentatious. The limited edition of 70 fountains pens retail at something like $23,000! I don't think the 'Working Class Hero' would approve - he certainly never used a Mont Blanc! Amazing!

http://www.montblanc.com/john_lennon/

The full line: http://stories.montblanc.com/2010/09/montblanc-presents-john-lennon-edition-writing-instrument/

-dixon 'Beatle' cannon

HatRak · Oct 9, 2010

I've been using FP's since I was a kid. All through college, graduate school, and my professional life. The pen case in my briefcase holds a MB classic, a Pelikan, and a Cross Townsend rollerball and I hardly ever use them any more. Virtually everything I write (and my job is writing-intense) is done on my laptop. But, when I'm just studying, making notes while reading, or have to leave someone a quick note, out comes the FP.

Quick story about the dangers of FP use:

Many years ago, while still a young man, I was flying to a professional conference. Nation-wide, big-deal, major-player stuff. Got off the plane, into a taxi, and decided to jot down a quick note to myself. My hands were full so I stuck the cap of my Waterman FP into my mouth and pulled out the pen. During the flight, the change in air pressure had forced ink out of the reservoir filling the cap. A stream of blue-black ink poured out of the cap and ran down my chin, shirt, tie, jacket and pants. I looked like someone had shot me with a water gun filled with ink. I've never trusted a FP to air travel since.

Preacher Man · Oct 9, 2010

I don't think FP's are ostentatious at all. They're tools meant to be used. I'm a minister and I use FP's for all the writing I do. Note taking, note and letter writing, check writing, everything, ( I don't underline in my bibles with them, bleed through), but for everything else it's the tried and true fountain pen. Back in the day when I used a ball point or rollerball, I got to the point where my penmanship skills were non-existent. I mean I would look over my notes I had made earlier in the day, and couldn't read them myself, now that's bad writing, but it's the truth. So I got out one of my father's old fountain pens, a Parker 51, cleaned it up, inked it up, and slowly started to write with it, it slowed me down and my writing began to improve. Over the last few years I have acquired several FP's, mostly Pelikan, some with customized nibs, (Richard Binder at Richard'sPens.com) did the customizing and grinding, and my penmanship has drastically improved to the point that I now actually get compliments on my writing. That makes my day because I know how terrible my writing used to be. Fountain Pens for me are tools I enjoy using, I have learned with them. Use your FP and enjoy using it, like someone else said, it doesn't make any difference what someone else thinks about what you write with.
God Bless - Philippians 4: 13
Preacher Man

Colonel · Oct 10, 2010

Preacher Man said:
... I don't underline in my bibles with them, bleed through...
God Bless - Philippians 4: 13
Preacher Man

I use my Pelikan fountain pen for my Bible notes and underlining and have never had a problem with it. I use Noodlers Legal Lapis ink, so perhaps that makes a difference. In fact, I did some underlining this morning during Sunday School.

Take care and God Bless.

Edward · Oct 10, 2010

My minister mentioned his preference for fps during this morning's sermon; we're both southpaw fp users.

Preacher Man · Oct 11, 2010

I use my Pelikan fountain pen for my Bible notes and underlining and have never had a problem with it. I use Noodlers Legal Lapis ink, so perhaps that makes a difference. In fact, I did some underlining this morning during Sunday School.

Thanks for the pointer Colonel. I've read a lot about Noodlers but have never tried any of it. Maybe you can answer a question about it: Do you have any problems with it clogging up or stopping up your Pelikan? Does using it require you to do more cleaning to your pens? I'm glad to hear it doesn't bleed through. Thanks again for your input.

God Bless;
Preacher Man

Colonel · Oct 15, 2010

Preacher Man said:
Thanks for the pointer Colonel. I've read a lot about Noodlers but have never tried any of it. Maybe you can answer a question about it: Do you have any problems with it clogging up or stopping up your Pelikan? Does using it require you to do more cleaning to your pens? I'm glad to hear it doesn't bleed through. Thanks again for your input.

God Bless;
Preacher Man

No special cleaning needed at all. In fact, I really don't clean my pens - just refill them when they start running low. I suspect that it also depends on the paper used in The Bible. The one I'm currently using is from Zondervan - it's a "Giant Print" edition (but hey, I don't need glasses with it!). I don't care for some of the "tweaking" that Zondervan has done to the KJV, so when this one wears out, I'll be getting one from a different publisher, but the paper it's printed on is good stuff.

John in Covina · Oct 15, 2010

Talbot said:
At work I was at the recieving end of a presentation from some high powered hyena's, er management consultants, the other day.

Bespoke pinstripes, siver hair, french cuffs, hard eyes and gold watches. All sharp - the full rag.

When it came time for them to take notes, out came the Miesterstuck's, the Montegrappa's and the Starwalkers. My much used daily Parker 51 was noted.

It's clear to me that an expensive pen is part of the uniform for 'Masters of the Management Universe'. An important guy only deals with important issues. An expensive writing instrument is required. A cheap rollerball just won't do.

How does that place those of us in the office that enjoy the feel of nib on good paper - pretentious?

Does a fountain pen have a certain element of over dress in the office?

T

The high end pens are for making a "statement" which is why Montblanc is so highly considered by the lawyer types and other professionals. Many fine fountain pens are of lower cost but just as serviceable and often represent a better value. There is no pretentiousness associated with using a fountain pen it's often the best choice for larger writing tasks as a more comfortable way to write. many lower end pens are made well such as Lamy's Allstar and Safari models or Pilot's Knight. My friends at Laban have Menos and Mentos which look a lot like the old Shaeffer Balance models and are much less expensive than any Montblanc. An entry pen from Waterman is their Phileas. Entry pens / student pens are made of less expensive materials usually and have steel nibs but most work really well and there is much less pain associated with loss or theft.

mrchapel · Oct 15, 2010

I don't find them ostentatious at all. A fountain pen, by nature, is just a pen. However, as with most things, there are varying degrees of quality and construction. That being said, a good fountain pen and a good piece of paper provides a very visceral experience.

Talbot · Oct 18, 2010

In a meeting just now, sitting next to my boss. "Quick, somebody give me a pen!"

He grabs my Cross Century sitting in front of me, takes off the cap and takes one look at the nib.

"What the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this?" He hands it back to me, puzzled.

I'm still smiling....

As a friend of mine says, never lend your wife or your fountain pen

Shangas · Oct 18, 2010

Aaah, fountain pens. The eternal mystery! Talbot, I've had that happen to me as well, although with not quite the same outcomes.

One of my university lecturers nicked my pen once to take a couple of notes. He handed it back saying it was a very nice writer.

A fellow student took one of my pens to fill in the class roll. I was worried because this pen was a 1920s flex-nib one. Fortunately, it came back in as good a condition as it left, so I was relieved.

miss_elise · Oct 18, 2010

I hope they're not pretentious as I use one every day. I have a Waterman Hemisphere in my handbag and a Picasso on my desk

St.Ignatz · Oct 18, 2010

Take a good look at the Noodlers site. Due to formulations of the different inks some just don't get along with the other children. I have five of their inks and like them all. The Bay State Blue is my favorite but the No Feather fills my daily writer.
Tom D.

John in Covina · Oct 18, 2010

Talbot said:
In a meeting just now, sitting next to my boss. "Quick, somebody give me a pen!" He grabs my Cross Century sitting in front of me, takes off the cap and takes one look at the nib. "What the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this?" He hands it back to me, puzzled.

I find it funny in a way because we were taught to write with dip pens and do calligraphy type stuff in Grade School using books and Speedball pen nibs so a fountain pen was not as much a puzzle to me. It's seems odd in a way to me to find people that don't really have a clue how to use them and no sense of logic to the application of the nib to paper until I realize that writing with a dip pen was never taught in their schooling.

Talbot · Oct 19, 2010

Straight from pencils to laptops in schools these days I'm afraid.

Pompidou · Oct 19, 2010

I would love to own a quality fountain pen in the future. That said, it's not a high priority right now, because I very rarely write. Nobody loves throwing away money on frivolous purchases to look cool than me, but I can't justify a hundred or two dollars just for signing checks. Some day though. I have taken note of the brand names listed here. I always used to carry a Cross pen and pencil set, but the pen wasn't fountain and I'm not a fan of mechanical pencils - more hassle than they're worth, though I suppose I wouldn't carry any other type of pencil if I had to carry one.

the snake's hips · Oct 19, 2010

My husband has one like that "#14." I don't know if it is a 14, but it is a Mont Blanc and it has that star on top. He got it when his grandmother died. That and a very fancy lighter.

Widebrim · Oct 20, 2010

Colonel said:
No special cleaning needed at all. In fact, I really don't clean my pens - just refill them when they start running low. I suspect that it also depends on the paper used in The Bible. The one I'm currently using is from Zondervan - it's a "Giant Print" edition (but hey, I don't need glasses with it!). I don't care for some of the "tweaking" that Zondervan has done to the KJV, so when this one wears out, I'll be getting one from a different publisher, but the paper it's printed on is good stuff.

fftopic: What tweaking has Zondervan done to the KJV? I tend to use the New Geneva NKJV, although it's not based on the earliest manuscripts...And I use a fountain pen to write my notes, too.

Anyway, back to fountain pens...No, I don't think that they're ostentatious, unless one uses them in order to be seen. A friend went to a seminary here in SoCal, and was encouraged to use fountain pens (why, I don't know), so he does. I don't think he would have done so if introduced to the writing instruments by a "mere" friend; the president of his alma mater (who is also his pastor) uses them, so that's good enough for him.[huh]

Mid-fogey · Oct 20, 2010

John in Covina said:
I find it funny in a way because we were taught to write with dip pens and do calligraphy type stuff in Grade School using books and Speedball pen nibs so a fountain pen was not as much a puzzle to me. It's seems odd in a way to me to find people that don't really have a clue how to use them and no sense of logic to the application of the nib to paper until I realize that writing with a dip pen was never taught in their schooling.

Times change in sometimes sad ways, but people rarely use all sorts of older tools. These were not designed to be endearing, but useful. That doesn't stop me from being sad as I see things go...

Blake · Oct 21, 2010

Mid-fogey said:
Times change in sometimes sad ways, but people rarely use all sorts of older tools. These were not designed to be endearing, but useful. That doesn't stop me from being sad as I see things go...

I bought my teenage daughter Pilot Disposable Fountain Pens (amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pilot-Disposable-Fountain-Assorted-90029/dp/B00092PRCA $10.80) as she showed an interest in my pens (vintage Esterbrook desk set, daily use Waterman, and Namiki "vanishing point") -- and she has an interest in art. Once she "learned", she became a convert - not just for art, but for note taking and more.

On the other hand - I have a friend who lives in Tokyo (expat American) - and his son just started 1st grade (I think) and is learning Japanese (and English cursive) with fountain pens.

It is sad how poor our penmanship (as a country) has gotten in the US. I read somewhere that they are "simplifying" cursive since it is "hard" for kids to learn and "allowing" kids to mix block and cursive writing -- yet another article correlated quality, fast cursive writing with higher SAT scores...

I think there is tremendous value in using the "older" tools to keep the "art" of penmanship alive - like the carpenters that still work with hand tools for certain quality projects. We certainly couldn't build modern office buildings with hand tools, but I would prefer a hand-made bookcase or entertainment center over a particle board robot-made one.

Fountain pens - ostentatious?

My Mail is Forwarded Here

Familiar Face

A-List Customer

One of the Regulars

A-List Customer

One of the Regulars

New in Town

One Too Many

I'll Lock Up

Practically Family

Call Me a Cab

One Too Many

One Too Many

New in Town

I'll Lock Up

Practically Family

New in Town

Similar threads

Log in

Forum statistics