Fountain Pens: Who uses them, and why?

Most pens hold enough to get thru the day when properly filled. However, Visconti has a 'Traveling Ink Pot" in their stable of accessories for refilling on the run.

I grabbed my Pilot Knight and filled it with some Delta Black ink made for a limited edition a few years back. This Pilot is a student pen and writes amazingly smooth with the most "flex free" nib I may have ever owned, in the collectors parlence this nib is the proverbial "NAIL" type of nib. Still it is like writing on glass with this one and it's a fairly fine point too.

Great! It held enough to last for the day. I assumed you'd have to refill it quite frequently. I don't know why I assumed that, though. I might give that a go then. Thanks.

It's nice to see fountain pens appreciated. At my primary school in Melbourne in the 70s we all learned to write on standard issue parkers - it was a bit of an old fashioned place.

When I graduated from university my parents gave me a nice Mont Blanc which I used up until a few years ago when I decided to rest it for a while after leaving it in various rooms around my office building.

Since then I have used the very utilitarian Lamy AL-star, with a fine nib and I am really happy with it. It is unstoppable!

Whilst I have my fair share of luddite tendencies, persisting with a fountain pen is not really connected with that. I don't collect them. I haven't ever really been interested in vintage pens (though I could be persuaded). I just like to write with them and my handwriting is better for it.

Selvaggio said:

...Whilst I have my fair share of luddite tendencies, persisting with a fountain pen is not really connected with that. I don't collect them. I haven't ever really been interested in vintage pens (though I could be persuaded). I just like to write with them and my handwriting is better for it.

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You just described my thoughts exactly. The only vintage pens I am interested in is the one I inherited from my father. I have a Waterman medium point that now stays on my desk, but the Pelikan Souveran 600 with a Fine point is now my regular "in the pocket" pen. I am VERY well impressed with it. I guess I was expecting some amount of dragging or scratchiness with a finer point, but it is actually smoother writing than the Waterman Medium point.

I carry a Lamy Logo in brushed SS and F point almost every day to work. Since I work in an engineering and test facility, the utilitarian look fits right in, but still gives me the flair of a fountain pen. Plus to my mind the steel nib should hold up well to whatever paper I come accross.

I have a Waterman Phileas fountain as my "dress" pen that I'll carry with a suit. I want to add a gold-nib pen at some point, and really would like a Dunhill, but don't have the $ for it.

Ethan Bentley said:

... The only bladder versions I have used previously are the squeeze bladder and I could never seem to get much ink into the bladder. ...

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If these were older pens, especially if they had not been used in a while, it could be that the rubber sacs had gotten stiff with age. I had that experience with my present Parker--could hardly get it to hold any ink at all when I first got it. Since it's been repaired, which included a new sac, a refill easily lasts me a day or more.

~Rich

Speaking of ink sac replacement, All the instructions I've read have said to use orange shellac when attaching the new sac. I've only got clear shellac on hand at the moment, any reason I can't use that?

QMcK said:

I use a Parker fountain pen for writing special things. I know what you mean about ball-points making your wrist sore. But does anyone take a bottle of ink to a lecture theatre? (Imagine if it was knocked over when you had the lid off!) I have been using the cartridges, but they're expensive. I assume bottled ink is more cost-effective. It would be more feasible if desks still had those ink well holders.

Gel pens are nice, but they can be a bit deer, too. However, I do think gel pens would be much more conducive to everyday use.

Good on you for using fountain pens. They really are lovely to use.

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If it makes you feel any better, I regularly took two fountain pens + bottle of ink to university every single time.

Good thread. I've been collecting vintage pens for years. Sold most of them to support a knife hobby...Sold most them too to support a watch hobby....Sold most of them too to support an art glass hobby....sold most of them too to support tie collection hobby...sold most of them too to support... I think I now have only a few among the things I used to collect but they are the very best that passed through my hands. There are simply too many beautiful things in this world.

I know this is a loaded question, but...

Without reading through EVERY page of this thread, what's the general consensus on a good starting point pen that doesn't cost an arm and leg? New/vintage/old/not so old but used doesn't matter to me, really.

Like I said, it's loaded because there are as many opinions as there are pens [well maybe more opinions than pens [huh] ] but any input would be appreciated.

Randy

..maybe something like this.

http://www.lamy.com/eng/b2c/al_star

I use this as my everyday pen. It is easy to use and reliable. Looks fairly sharp and is a nice size. You have the option of using cartridges or, as I do, a refillable bladder.

I use a fine nib and I would recommend this to a new user as well - but try before you buy.

They're not expensive and easily found in most good pen shops.

Buying a fountain pen is like buying a nice watch or a good car. There's lots of things to take into consideration. Not because they're so weird, but because fountain pens can literally last for decades. Once you buy one, it'll last until you die. So it's really a long-term investment.

Starting out cheap, pens from companies such as Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, Lamy and maybe Conway Stewart, might be good places to look. There are several places online (www.richardspens.com is one of them) that sells restored and working vintage fountain pens for a good price, if you want to check them out.

theinterchange said:

a good starting point pen that doesn't cost an arm and leg? Randy

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You're better off putting a dollar figure here for the best answer, If not...

Go buy some Pilot Varsity pens on line or at a good office supply store first to see if you like fountain pens, then consider how much you want to spend. Everyones Arm & a Leg concept is different.

John's right. We need to know your budget, first.

Here are a few things I tell anyone when they want to buy a fountain pen.

1. Fountain pens last a VERY long time. Like a good mechanical watch, a nice house or a fine car, given proper maintenance...they will literally last forever. Or at least for as long as you're going to live.

2. Because they last so long, fountain pens are very personal items. Back in the 20s, 30s and 40s, along with your house, your watch and the family car, a good fountain pen was one of the few nice things you owned. You took good care of it and it was YOUR pen. Not just some 50c Bic you nicked from the bank. With this in mind, make your selection of your pen CAREFULLY. Pick what you like, what you're comfortable with, what you can afford.

3. There are lots of factors that go into buying a fountain pen. These include:

- Filling-system. If it's a modern pen, that's decided for you; it's a c/c filler, 90% of the time. But if you want vintage, there are literally dozens of filling-systems to pick from, some more convenient than others.

- Weight. Do you want a heavy pen or a light pen? Personally, I use my fountain pens for every kind of writing in the world, so I like them light and comfortable, good for long stretches of intensive writing. Some people prefer heavier, heftier pens because they only use them occasionally and aren't bothered by weight.

- Material. Do you want metal or plastic? Almost invariably, metal pens are heavier, but this isn't always the case. You can get a nice metal fountain pen which is light and comfortable. Metal pens are smoother and if you're prone to sweaty hands, the pen might slip and slide in your fingers, something that may not happen with a plastic pen.

- Nib. This is what differentiates a fountain pen from a ballpoint pen. A fountain pen has an infinite variety of nibs. Fine, medium, broad, flexible, double-broad, extra-fine, semi-flexible, Italic...the list is endless. What type of nib is best for you is really up to personal choice. If you have large, flourishy handwriting, you might want a broad or medium nib. If your handwriting is small and/or loopy, a broad nib might let out too much ink and flood your writing. Go for a fine. Flexible nibs (nibs which bend and flex and give variable line-widths) are not something I'd recommend first-off for someone who's never used a fountain pen before; they can take some getting used to. However, if you have a background in calligraphy and use dip-pens, a flexible nib might suit you perfectly.

- Price. With a ballpoint pen, perhaps 1% of the price goes into the actual pen. The rest goes into the bodywork of the pen-barrel. So a $500 Montblanc is not going to write any better (or at least, not noticably better) than a 50c Bic Cristal. Fountain pens, however, are made to varying levels of quality dependent on price. Of course, there is a certain area where this kinda levels out and price & quality begin to not make much of a difference, but this threshold is, in my opinion, a lot higher than that with ballpoints. Pick a pen that you like, that you are comfortable with and that you can afford.

4. Buying a pen.

This can be a rather personal experience. If you're getting a somewhat expensive pen from a pen-shop or an authorised dealer, you should ALWAYS TRY BEFORE YOU BUY. Any and every good pen shop that sells quality fountain pens should allow you to do this. If they don't, pack up, get back in your car and keep searching. It's not worth spending $100 or more dollars on a pen that you can't even try out first. Do you buy a car without driving around the block? Or a house without first doing the walkthrough inspection? Same thing applies to fountain pens. A good pen shop should give you a notepad, a bottle of ink, some tissues and somewhere to write. Sit down, dip the pen (don't fill) and just write and see how the pen feels. Sometimes, the seller might hover around to ask questions and/or offer advice. Feel free to try as many pens as you like. If they don't let you try, it's their loss of your custom. Head off somewhere else until you find a place that does let you try.

Those are all the basics I can think of. There's a whole heap of other stuff related to vintage pens and pen-maintenance that I won't go into here.

I try to use a fountain pen as often as I can, though for practical reasons at work I tend to mostly use disposable gels and the like. I spend a lot of time rolling around in server room racks and I deal with a lot of paperwork too. So carrying anything other than a cheap disposable with me would be dangerous. Outside of work I will only use a fountain pen.

I use a fountain pen for a variety of reasons. Firstly, I find they are easier to write with and that they introduce a sort of 'speed break' in to my writing. I just seem to take my time and think more when using a fountain pen. They have an unexplainable calming effect on me. Also, I love the traditional aspects of fountain pens.

But the main reason why I love fountain pens is that my primary school taught me how to write using a fountain pen. Not only did they teach us to write using a fountain pen, we also learnt calligraphy as well. This was a recently as the late-1980s! I do hope my old school still implements this policy today.

My pen collection is basic, just a few Cross' and Parkers. Nothing that cost more than €75. I've tried really expensive pens such as Montblancs, but I just don't think they write any better than a mid-range Parker or Cross. They may be better built, but for me it's all about the writing.

I had a lovely Parker until it was stolen by a work colleague a few years ago. After that, I started using cheap Bic biros. I don't care if they get pinched.

theinterchange said:

Without reading through EVERY page of this thread, what's the general consensus on a good starting point pen that doesn't cost an arm and leg?

Randy

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Pen City has them in the $5 to $25 range. The Lamy is a good pen - you can go with the plastic barrel version of the Vista for $23.70. If you want to go refillable, they have the converter for $4.95.



For inks, I like Levengers in bottles and cartridges. Lots of colors.

Is $30-40 a realistic number to look at? Or should I broaden it a bit?

Randy

John in Covina said:

You're better off putting a dollar figure here for the best answer, If not...

Go buy some Pilot Varsity pens on line or at a good office supply store first to see if you like fountain pens, then consider how much you want to spend. Everyones Arm & a Leg concept is different.

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I did a little looking at the Pilot Varsity. That was a good suggestion as a test run, thanks!

After the Varsity as the try out you need to make all the considerations as Shangas lists above. I have close to 80 pens with the mix about 2 vintage pens for every new. I find that I enjoy writing with different pens and only ask they are smooth writers with out other great faults.

As suggested above the Lamy Safari and the All Star pens are moderately priced Student pens that write well and you can find them for about $25-40 depending on the model. I have several and like the clear Vista model the best with the Lamy fine point. I have also given these as gifts.

If you like modern gadgety look you can find a Rotring Core on Ebay pretty cheap although most now only take cartridges, ugly pen but fun. ($10-20)
I have given these as gifts.

I like Pilot's Knight which has the most unflexible nib I have ever used but writes like on glass. at about $45. Had a friend buy one after trying mine to give as a gift.

Sometimes you can find Pelikan Brand Pelikinos, Go pens and M75's in the US
these can be the choice inexpensive entry level pens.

In vintage look for a refurbished Esterbrook either a Dollar, $1.50, J, SJ or LJ model for about $25-45. What makes them great is the nibs are interchangeable so you can get a new nib and replace your old one. They made about 25 to 35 different nibs known as renew points so there are a number of styles of nib out there. I like the mediums the best. And i have given them as gifts.

When you get to about the $125-150 area in new you may find gold nibs become available, they have some advantages but most steel nib good pens write as smooth as gold.

If you want new pen that is serious and a good writer look at Pelikan's Sovreign line 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000. As the saying goes in Europe, if you want to buy a Mont Blanc get a Pelikan instead and the money you save you can take your friends to dinner.

THere are many others out there and people have favorites like Parker 45 as an entry pen too.

You should see if there is a pen club in your area, go to a meeting or two and see what's up. If you are near a big city there may be a National pen show heading your way that would be a fun day.