• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Pens in your shirt pocket: Anyone else consider it to part of their style?

Nota Bene

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2012
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
someone please explain to me how a $5000 pen is better than a $200 pen. I doubt that there is any difference at all in quality at a certain price point ...
As a forty year user of fountain pens, I must thoroughly agree with you. Moreover, most modern pens, regardless of the brand or price, lack the panache of those made before c. 1960. To the point, however- modern nibs are a pale imitation of the 14k pre-1960 (or so) nibs, and the nib is where the rubber meets the road.

A further issue with modern pens is that most either use cartridges or a converter. Why have a pen that the palette is limited by the few choices of colours offered by the manufacturer's cartridges? It seems to defeat the whole purpose. Cartridges and converters have a small ink capacity; the danger of running out in the course of the day is very real. An older piston-filler or better yet, eye-dropper pen, will write for days and days before refilling.

An answer to why more than one pen of the same brand: different colours of ink. I kno those of you raised in the ball-point/Bic era won't understand that... when on business I carry two or more pens, one sedate pen, gold nib, conservative blue, black or blue-black ink therein and another pen, more flamboyant, containing a more brilliant colour (which is used to mark up documents).

All of which begs the real reason to write (not just carry, ahem) with a fountain pen - the shear pleasure of the experience.
 

AML225

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2012
Messages
103
Reaction score
48
I actually like the idea of it but I work in engineering so I avoid the pen in pocket (and dress shirt pockets altogether) to steer clear of that stereotype.
 

randomhero88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
61
Reaction score
3
Woah. GBR, you're one harsh dude. That's 3/3 I've read from you today.

RandomHero, I can dig what you're saying, but I can't dig the idea you're promoting. It's a little gimmicky. Italian #menswear mogul Angelo Flaccavento keeps a (cheap) pen in his jacket pocket. I guess that's okay if you have the sprezzy.



I think that's a pretty fair response, and I agree with you to an extent.

A funny bit of information along the lines of what you just said, when I first started carrying a pen in my pocket I had laughs from a few guys in the office. Fast forward 6 months later and now 4 out of the 6 who gave me hell own at least one Mont Blanc (I sold 3 of them their first one).

I would recommend it to anyone else with a job in sales. It's the same as if I saw someone with a nice watch on. I would comment on their pen like I would their watch. Now if I commented on their shoes or clothes, in my area of the world that wouldn't go over so hot.
 

akatsuki

Distinguished Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Messages
2,652
Reaction score
201
I never understand why people like to collect in volume - better to have a couple of very well-chosen pieces. Sure, you can justify having more than one pen because of ink color, but realistically, I think, much like perfume, pick a color that you normally write in, one for marking up documents, and maybe another for whimsical use and call that your signature style.

Same thing happens in watches where a dude will have like 30 tag heuers of middling quality instead of a nice patek or lange or similar and a decent sports watch that means something.

Buy a nice Omas, a Nakaya, and something vintage and you have the beginnings of a good collection.

And definitely don't put them in your shirt pocket.
 

randomhero88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
61
Reaction score
3
As a forty year user of fountain pens, I must thoroughly agree with you. Moreover, most modern pens, regardless of the brand or price, lack the panache of those made before c. 1960. To the point, however- modern nibs are a pale imitation of the 14k pre-1960 (or so) nibs, and the nib is where the rubber meets the road.

A further issue with modern pens is that most either use cartridges or a converter. Why have a pen that the palette is limited by the few choices of colours offered by the manufacturer's cartridges? It seems to defeat the whole purpose. Cartridges and converters have a small ink capacity; the danger of running out in the course of the day is very real. An older piston-filler or better yet, eye-dropper pen, will write for days and days before refilling.

An answer to why more than one pen of the same brand: different colours of ink. I kno those of you raised in the ball-point/Bic era won't understand that... when on business I carry two or more pens, one sedate pen, gold nib, conservative blue, black or blue-black ink therein and another pen, more flamboyant, containing a more brilliant colour (which is used to mark up documents).

All of which begs the real reason to write (not just carry, ahem) with a fountain pen - the shear pleasure of the experience.
I think you have been the most valuable post in this thread(myself included). I noted the jab at the end and I took it lightly, but know that I of course do use every pen I own.
On I currently keep: Mont Blanc Irish Green, Waterman Royal Blue, Parker Quink Black, and a Sheaffer Chocolate Brown color. My ballpoints and rollerballs have some sort of black or blue ink with a fine, medium, or broad tipped refill.

If they were all the same, I would just own 1 or 2 pens, but each one has it's own story to me(some cooler than the others). I've bought every single one when the price is right and if nothing else, they've been investments for me as I can sell every single pen I own for more than I bought it for.
 

Gdot

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
5,247
Reaction score
294
I'm wondering if anyone here frequently flies with their pens in their pockets.

It's been a long time since I kept fountain pens - but when I did I found that even the 'better' brands were not immune to massive leakage with changes in air pressure. (Mont Blanc being the brand in question.)
 

Crane's

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
6,190
Reaction score
518
I tend to keep my nice pens in a pen case, in the pen loop of my leather moleskine cover or in a jacket/vest pocket made specifically for a pen. IMO dress shirt pockets just don't work well for pens.

I don't consider myself a collector even though I own a few decent fountain pens. I do know if I did I would be considered a type collector. All the fountain pens I own are demonstrators. My daily pen is a Pilot custom 74 with a medium nib. It's a great writer and one helluva conversation starter.
 

DerekS

Guyliner
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
8,338
Reaction score
4,743
you need to branch your pen collection out. ;) I like MBs...kinda the allen edmond of the pen world....but try out montegrappa or krone...couple of my personal favorites.

I carry one in my inner jacket pocket, and on my desk i have a nice crystal skull pen holder my wife bought me awhile back.
 

curzon

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2011
Messages
1,135
Reaction score
112

You use the words "low-end starter pens" so eloquently.


A statement of fact given with the eloquence it deserves.

Don't came here looking for 'atta boys when you been bamboozled to pay top dollar for middling quality. I've given you an honest appraisal and a legitimate course of action to step up your game. You like pens, so get ones worthy of your effort and money.

Post your collection at the fountain pen network if you'd like real derision.

And keep 'em out of your shirt pocket.
 
Last edited:

Crane's

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
6,190
Reaction score
518

A statement of fact given with the eloquence it deserves.
Don't came here looking for 'atta boys when you been bamboozled to pay top dollar for middling quality. I've given you an honest appraisal and a legitimate course of action to step up your game. You like pens, so get ones worthy of your effort and money.
Post your collection at the fountain pen network if you'd like real derision.
And keep 'em out of your shirt pocket.


That bunch can be brutal for sure.
 

I am DIL

Distinguished Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Messages
1,434
Reaction score
151
There's a ******* network?
icon_gu_b_slayer[1].gif


I've decided that I now like fountain pens.
 
Last edited:

DerekS

Guyliner
Joined
Sep 17, 2010
Messages
8,338
Reaction score
4,743

There's a ******* network?  
icon_gu_b_slayer%5B1%5D.gif



I've decided that I now like fountain pens.


yep. its a forum a lot (maybe a little) like SF. beware...that place can drain your wallet faster than B&S here.
 

Metlin

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2008
Messages
3,043
Reaction score
20

I'm wondering if anyone here frequently flies with their pens in their pockets.

It's been a long time since I kept fountain pens - but when I did I found that even the 'better' brands were not immune to massive leakage with changes in air pressure. (Mont Blanc being the brand in question.)


I fly a lot, and just don't use fountain pens for that very reason. Makes it a lot easier, and less messy.

And to OP's question, jacket pocket, but sometimes they do find their way into my shirt pocket (usually when the jacket is hanging off the back of the chair). I don't particularly care about it strongly one way or another.

But I love how the OP's genuine question on style transformed into a wiener swinging contest and bashing. Well done.
 
Last edited:

JubeiSpiegel

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
5,405
Reaction score
1,041
This thread demonstrates clearly why SF is a great place to visit. If there was ever anything truly "SF approved", it would be this kind of bashing... :deadhorse:
 

JubeiSpiegel

Distinguished Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
5,405
Reaction score
1,041

you need to branch your pen collection out. ;) I like MBs...kinda the allen edmond of the pen world....but try out montegrappa or krone...couple of my personal favorites.
I carry one in my inner jacket pocket, and on my desk i have a nice crystal skull pen holder my wife bought me awhile back.


+1

I know a that a thread like this, replacing MB pens with AE shoes, would be met with equal disdain and snark. That is why we have an AE thread to post such things in :D. Maybe there is potential for the OP to start a "Mont Blanc Appreciation Thread"... :confused:
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 36.2%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 59 38.8%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.2%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 26 17.1%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 26 17.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,158
Messages
10,578,879
Members
223,881
Latest member
Abhidshek yadav
Top