Official Fountain Pen Aficionados Thread

[edinatlanta]

This is the perennial question. My pen use varies depending on what's going on in my life, but usually involves jotting notes, writing the occasional letter, and journaling. Sometimes, I transcribe a passage onto paper, mostly as a meditative experience (I like the tactile feeling of fountain pens) but it could be handwriting practice too. I know quite a few people who practice their handwriting and I should definitely join them. I also know quite a few people who sketch using fountain pens. I occasionally meet up with the local pen club. Lots of ink gets splashed on paper at those get-togethers, though it's usually from other people's pens.

A lot of people have that "saving it for the best time" attitude with stationery. In the end, I think it's better to use that ink and fancy paper. That's the whole reason we buy these things. It's not using them that would be a waste.

Continuing to wait for the right time means there never will be a right time.

 

[A Y]

I just kopped the new Dark Lilac: it looks like a sheening monster. I have no experience with the original DL. Also got the limited edition Cliff ink and the violet blackberry Safari in EF.

I write every night in two journals before I go to bed: a Rhodia Goalbook with my version of bullet journaling, as well as a Hobonichi Techo 5-year journal. I'm probably going to stop doing the bullet journaling after I finish the Rhodia: it will be the 2nd book I've finished since starting at the beginning of 2020 right before the pandemic. I do some handwriting warmups and exercises in a Clairfontaine A4 notebook first. Depending on the exercise, this can eat a lot of ink, but I've been lazy about it recently.

I keep an intermittent work journal as well, but this varies depending on what's going on at work.

I try to have only 3 pens inked at a time, and they are either very fine points or have large capacities so I refill them not very often, which is annoying when you have new pens you want to try out. Current rotation is a Platinum 3776 F in laurel green with Noodler's Blue-Black, a Lamy 2000 EF in the standard black with a particularly weak mix of Herbin Emerald of Chivor (barely any shimmer, but tons of sheening), and a Gravitas/Kyuseido Kakari in F (which feels more like a fat medium) with Noodler's Blue-Black.

Breaking my own rule, I also have inked a Wingsung 630 (a $40 MB 149 clone that doesn't cap), and a Pilot 743 in Verdigris with an FA nib ground down for Spencerian, both with Noodler's B-B, but I write less regularly with those. The Pilot is about to go empty so I can clean it and put it away for a while. The Wingsung writes amazingly nicely: it feels like a giant Sailor nib.

During the pandemic lockdown, I made it a goal to improve my handwriting and went through Michael Sull's book 1.5 times. I'd just set aside 30 minutes every night before I made dinner to go through a couple of exercises, and I saw results in about 3-5 months. I'm sort of flirting with doing Spencerian or copperplate now with an offset pen, but really haven't put the same kind of effort into it.

 

[TimothyF]

This is the perennial question. My pen use varies depending on what's going on in my life, but usually involves jotting notes, writing the occasional letter, and journaling. Sometimes, I transcribe a passage onto paper, mostly as a meditative experience (I like the tactile feeling of fountain pens) but it could be handwriting practice too. I know quite a few people who practice their handwriting and I should definitely join them. I also know quite a few people who sketch using fountain pens. I occasionally meet up with the local pen club. Lots of ink gets splashed on paper at those get-togethers, though it's usually from other people's pens.

A lot of people have that "saving it for the best time" attitude with stationery. In the end, I think it's better to use that ink and fancy paper. That's the whole reason we buy these things. It's not using them that would be a waste.

Definitely agree with the last part, that "saving it for the best time" is self-defeating. For myself a realistic assessment of my lifestyle leads to the conclusion that having a collection of fountain pens does not fit. I would say more than three is a collection, and I think many white collar desk job guys rarely have opportunities to journal or write long-form. If they have heavy career and family commitments, and assuming most of the communication is typed nowadays

I also acknowledge that, despite the salutary effects of proper writing with a fountain pen, ballpoints and markers work on more surfaces, are guaranteed to be water insoluble, and are better suited for "jotting things down", especially when standing or whenever posture is far from the ideal. So I'm divesting of pens I don't fancy and probably will never use, have only one bottle of washable ink, own no special paper or notebooks.

Ultimately I think a hobby makes little sense if there's no genuine need for the activity in our lives. I'm not going to go out of my way, buying fancy paper, forcing myself to journal or scribble around, just to exercise the pens. I think many people here have way too many watches and pairs of shoes, but at least we wear one of each during the day!

 

[edinatlanta]

Definitely agree with the last part, that "saving it for the best time" is self-defeating. For myself a realistic assessment of my lifestyle leads to the conclusion that having a collection of fountain pens does not fit. I would say more than three is a collection, and I think many white collar desk job guys rarely have opportunities to journal or write long-form. If they have heavy career and family commitments, and assuming most of the communication is typed nowadays

I also acknowledge that, despite the salutary effects of proper writing with a fountain pen, ballpoints and markers work on more surfaces, are guaranteed to be water insoluble, and are better suited for "jotting things down", especially when standing or whenever posture is far from the ideal. So I'm divesting of pens I don't fancy and probably will never use, have only one bottle of washable ink, own no special paper or notebooks.

Ultimately I think a hobby makes little sense if there's no genuine need for the activity in our lives. I'm not going to go out of my way, buying fancy paper, forcing myself to journal or scribble around, just to exercise the pens. I think many people here have way too many watches and pairs of shoes, but at least we wear one of each during the day!

I am mostly with you. Im also a former journalist so I like knowing i can always take notes of something i see. Also like these pens are what? 150ish and even a voluminous collection takes up little space. Other than the Montgrappa Papal Jubilee pen i dont think there's any other pens I need or want I am sure ill buy one more. But people who buy many pens i get it.

 

[Marshdrifter]

Ultimately I think a hobby makes little sense if there's no genuine need for the activity in our lives. I'm not going to go out of my way, buying fancy paper, forcing myself to journal or scribble around, just to exercise the pens. I think many people here have way too many watches and pairs of shoes, but at least we wear one of each during the day!

I feel like that's the point of having a hobby. There are so many things in my life that are a value add without actually fulfilling any sort of genuine need: my cat, the art on my walls, any of my clothes that are worth mentioning on CM, the books I own (ok, I need some of them for work), watches, &c. &c.

But, to go back to the point of the conversation, I use at least one of my fountain pens at least once a day without really even trying. They're not for everybody, though. I think the important thing is for a person to find what works for them, whether it's having only one fountain pen that you keep permanently inked up or it's giving them up altogether.

 

[soender]

Started using two pens this summer. Have found benefit in using a notebook instead of hiding behind and often getting distracted on a pc.
And since drawing and notebooks are already used in my industry, using a fountain pen, is just seen as being a fancy boy.

 

[TimothyF]

I am mostly with you. Im also a former journalist so I like knowing i can always take notes of something i see. Also like these pens are what? 150ish and even a voluminous collection takes up little space. Other than the Montgrappa Papal Jubilee pen i dont think there's any other pens I need or want I am sure ill buy one more. But people who buy many pens i get it.

Very good points. I think what everyone is converging on is there's some ideal quantity of writing stuff for each individual, dependent on factors such as profession, interest, background etc. Going far beyond that ideal point, I would argue, the hobby transforms more into a chore to maintain all that stuff, and the initial interest turns into obsession

 

[Rickr]

Very good points. I think what everyone is converging on is there's some ideal quantity of writing stuff for each individual, dependent on factors such as profession, interest, background etc. Going far beyond that ideal point, I would argue, the hobby transforms more into a chore to maintain all that stuff, and the initial interest turns into obsession

I agree, there's a point at which "collecting your favorites" becomes "accumulating more stuff", and at that point it's not fun anymore.

 

[Rickr]

May I ask y'all still in the hobby, how much opportunity do you get to write by hand? I can go days without. And if I need to jot down something quick I often feel wasteful to use the "good ink", and instead pick up one of the dozens of ballpoints lying around. Thank you cards are not frequent occurrences

I "returned" to my fountain pen collection 1-2 years ago, inked up my first one, planning to rotate every some weeks. I'm still on that pen; it works just fine!

I used to write a page a day in a journal, and I kept up that pace for several years, but lately I only manage about a page a month.

I still use my "desert island pen" when I can (a Pilot Custom 743 with a Falcon nib, bought from Tokyo Pen Shop Quill), and it still feels great.

 

[pasadena man]

I enjoy the haptics of cursive writing with a FP and it helps me to think better on certain topics.

Don't take my word for it though, it's science:

Handwriting may boost brain connections more than typing does

Students asked to write words showed greater connectivity across the brain than when they typed them, suggesting writing may be a better boost for memory.

www.sciencenews.org

 

[ValidusLA]

I'll post a state of the collection later. Have def added some nice ones in the last 6-12 months.

I carry a fountain pen everyday. I have always kept a notebook, and getting one made for fountain pen writing is very easy.

Along w/ my notebook, I sign checks and receipts with them and just use one as my pocket pen.

I also keep a journal. I don't artificially force myself to do X per day, but I do it multiple times per week, usually between 1-4 pages per entry.

As @pasadena man says, I think it focuses my mind on what I'm doing and creates a nice point of contact.

I think there is a lot of hand wringing across all sorts of collections about people just "acquiring more stuff." Collections are, essentially, acquiring more stuff.

If you aren't having fun, stop. If you don't care for the items anymore, sell them or give them away.

Everyone on this forum collects something, whether its watches, selvedge denim, or horribly colored ****** Allen Edmonds shoes. People trying to justify these collections by "At least I use them X per X" is nonsense.

If you like the stuff you buy and aren't going into debt for it and its not stopping you from responsible life choices and it makes you happy....its good. Doesn't matter how "useful."

 

[chobochobo]

I have one or two favourite pens that I have accumulated a dozen or so copies of, but that's just the hoarder in me.

On my desk at home, I have a pen holder that has a MB Agatha Christie set at the ready. I mostly use the ballpoint (waiting for it to run out so that I can put in the Monteverdi Rollerball refill into it) and sometimes the fountain pen. The pencil in the set is unused.

I also have a couple of p51 with Kullock caps that I also use for more extensive jotting with FPs when I'm in the mood.

Finally, if I want to write with a flexible nib with line variation then my go-to is a no name safety with a vintage Pilot nib (don't ask me how it got there) that is a pleasure to write with. I'll use it when writing letters/ cards now and again.

 

[bdavro23]

Whats the general consensus on S.T. Dupont? I met their rep at the menswear show last month and he has been trying to get me to open an account. I suppose it makes sense that selling custom clothing puts you generally in the same clientele pool with expensive pens, lighters, and other accessories. That said, they are expensive even at wholesale and I dont have a ton of experience with the brand, though I am fairly familiar with their cigar stuff.

Just curious what the group think is in here. I'll be looking for the same feedback from the Cigar thread.

 

[pasadena man]

Very good points. I think what everyone is converging on is there's some ideal quantity of writing stuff for each individual, dependent on factors such as profession, interest, background etc. Going far beyond that ideal point, I would argue, the hobby transforms more into a chore to maintain all that stuff, and the initial interest turns into obsession

To edinatlanta's point, they're cheap. My current DW's are: Parker Vacumatic, Pelican 140, and Parker 75. I keep all inked and usually use all daily (different color inks. I often color code edits, marginal notations, etc.).

The three are on some lists of top ten models all time. They cost about $500 total. How much would it cost to have three of the top ten watch models? $20K?, $50K?. If you are going to have an obsessive hobby, this is an inexpensive one to have.

There is also an opportunity for an almost infinite number of opportunities to interact with the pen and customize the experience using different inks, colors, and nibs. A watch; you can change out the strap/bracelet occasionally.

 

[heldentenor]

Whats the general consensus on S.T. Dupont? I met their rep at the menswear show last month and he has been trying to get me to open an account. I suppose it makes sense that selling custom clothing puts you generally in the same clientele pool with expensive pens, lighters, and other accessories. That said, they are expensive even at wholesale and I dont have a ton of experience with the brand, though I am fairly familiar with their cigar stuff.

Just curious what the group think is in here. I'll be looking for the same feedback from the Cigar thread.

I don't have experience with the lighters, but the fountain pens at least are in the same category as modern Waterman/Parker: nice as jewelry, but utterly wrong as writers in every respect (nibs, weight, balance, filling system). On the other hand, they might make sense as a signature pen for someone who doesn't want to be bothered with the sometimes cranky aspects of fountain pens that make them great/unique.