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For five years, around 1980, I worked for a pen manufacturer, as designer and ingeneer. During this time I discovered that not everything that works, can be or needs to be explained. For an ingeneer, to accept magic and let it exist in his work is a huge step. Thirty odd years later, fountain pens still fascinate me, their function in particular. Therefore, I started publishing my memoires on my web site titled Fountain Pen Magic. You can / will find there all sorts of interesting things relating to technology, function and manufacture, as much as I can remember. The link to my site is https://fountainpendesign.wordpress.com/ Come and visit and let’s initiate communication amongst technically interested fountain pen lovers. At the moment, I write what I believe you are interested in. Writing can be a lonely task. Engagement with you will be a highlight. Enjoy reading and discovering Amadeus W. Penmacher Ingeneer PS: In case you wonder about my spelling of ingeneer… https://ingenioust.wordpress.com/about-ingeneering/engineer-ingeneer-spelling-etymology/

Hey all, I'm hoping the more computer-oriented here can help me with a computer-assisted DIY need: I want to figure out how I can design my own planner layouts and arrange them in the right order (pagination?) so that when I print them out, I can assemble them into a single-signature booklet with the pages in the right order. Basically, I want to make my own Midori TN-style planner insert, from scratch. I've got the booklet-making part down. I'm already making most of my inserts myself, the ones that have just lines or dots or sketching paper. I can make one in like 15', so I've kinda become spoiled by the convenience of not having to anticipate when I'm going to be running out of space on my current one to go out and buy a refill (or worse, re-order online & hope it arrives in time). The only insert I can't make yet but also can't replace with something I can is the planner, unless I draw it all out bullet-journaling style, and for a variety of reasons that's just not practical. So I need some sort of an application that would let me 1) design the layout (quickly draw straight lines, boxes, etc and repeat them as needed, input things like dates and days of the weeks, that kind of thing) and 2) arrange them in the right order so that when I print, it's not all out of order with eg march following September or whatever. Ideally, it would also have a built-in allowance for cutting - there's actually a technical term for this, I just can't find it right now, but basically it's a little extra space at the edges of some of the pages that are going to get bound into a booklet that accounts for the way that, to make a signatures edges all equal, you trim them after binding - the allowance is there to ensure you don't wind up cutting off content on any of the pages that come out shorter (seems really nit-picky described like this, I know, and this doesn't matter when you're just printing off dots or a grid for writing paper, but for a planner layout it could matter). I'm definitely not opposed to paying for software, but I would rather not spend more than $100, absolute maximum (staying under $50 suits my budget better, but I can stretch it up to 100ish if you really think it's perfect for my needs). I'd also rather stay away from any software/application that's a little too indie/artisanal because it'd be a bummer to go through the hassle of learning the ins and outs of it only to find it's no longer available or not being updated in some critical way because it was just a side project for some programmer to stay busy during the lockdowns or something lol. I appreciate all ideas though. I often find in these situations that the best solution ends up coming out of some more lateral sorts of paths 🙂

Dear All, We're writing here this time to announce that we have launched a Design Competition entitled "The Future of Stationery' We have already published it in all the main design websites, Here a resume: The future of stationery. 2020 Venvstas Italy design competition. ​ What's on your desk and what will continue to be on it in the years to come? ​ ​​​ Although we are living in a time where the bulk of our information is produced by computers, there's still room for the analog. Most of what we draw is on paper, calligraphy is considered an art and greatest designs and artistic ideas start as a small sketch or a note of some kind on a piece of paper. Venvstas was founded in 2014 as a branch of a design office (Lucio Rossi design/U75). Today it has its own life and its producing some of the most interesting writing instruments and accessories one can find. We think that the tools we use have to be inspiring, have to be holders of a certain quality and a design that has to resist the test of time. Make now something for today but thinking about tomorrow. We believe in objects that are to be kept through the years, meaning that they will not be part of the current cycle of fast introduction and disposal. If something is well designed, well made and looks beautiful, it will be more likely to be kept. The current times are tough ones for each of us although they show as a test, an opportunity where hopefully designers will start to understand such values, as the ones that are the pillars of our brand, the Vitruvian triad, that can apply to anything that's designed or built, not only architecture. Firmitas. A building has to be strong. Vtilitas. A building has to serve to a purpose. Venvstas. A building has to have the qualities of Venus. It has to be beautiful. If any single object that's designed in our planet would follow these simple principles, (or at least one) the situation regarding waste and obsolescence would be a different one. If a product is made to last, recycling is not anymore the issue it is nowadays, as little of what's produced and labeled as recyclable ever gets recycled being at best up-cycled. Since we are still too far from a “cradle to cradle” model we should start focusing in producing less waste and we strongly believe that one way is by doing better objects and fostering endurance, both in built quality and design. Our contribution to the current crisis is to make you to think on this reality and the different opportunities it could bring. It's a time not to be still, it's a time for ideas and movement, it's the time to think on how we're going to live in the near future, it is not anymore just a matter of the planet we'll leave to future generations, but the planet we live in now. ​​ The task: ​Design a concept, an object or a product that is in line with the theme: The future of stationery. This refers to any product that fits the category «stationery», like writing equipment, notebooks, desk accessories or anything that you may feel belongs to a desk and can be suitable for home or office use or both. Products can be aimed at the general public, professionals or hobbyists alike. The entry is FREE, there's no fee. Submission is via the internet. More: https://www.venvstas.com/ Thank you!

I have long followed a utilitarian approach to fountain pens, which ultimately serve as the vehicle for inks, with a collection mainly of Lamy Vistas and Mujis; but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good looking pen, even if many of those are way out of my budget. I have better pens in terms of their nibs or ergonomics, but with the arrival of an m205 it made me think about design, as I find this pen mesmerizing, so here are my four finalists: Pelikan m205, Faber Castell Ambition in pearwood, Lamy Studio in Imperial Blue and Black. Which are yours? Pictures please!

Hello all, I have been looking around for pens to gift for a colleague. I came across Monteverde INTIMA white/ blue pen. Such a beautiful design, alas many reviews say that it has a bad nib/ scratchy and needs a change. Please suggest me such beautiful designer pens under $50.00. Also if you have time do post pics of your pens with beautiful designs.

Around 1980, I worked for a pen manufacturer, as designer and ingeneer, in Germany. During this time I got a good insight into the function of fountain pens and other pens and their manufacture. Thirty odd years later, fountain pens still fascinate me. I started a web site titled Fountain Pen Magic. You can / will find there all sorts of interesting things relating to technology, function and manufacture, as much as I can remember. The link to my site is https://fountainpend....wordpress.com/ I am happy to discuss any question you may have on those topics. Amadeus W. Penmacher Ingeneer PS: In case you wonder about my spelling of ingeneer… https://ingenioust.w...ling-etymology/

As I'm sitting here on a damp Thanksgiving, with some coffee and chocolate-pecan pie (highly recommended!), I'm just taking it easy and pondering modern style as it pertains to pens. I've actually begun a project renovating my 1965 vintage ranch style house, so the styles and fashions of that era have been much on my mind. I have to be very clear on what I mean by modern in this context. In the pen world we usually divide pens into vintage and modern, which is all about age. Even though the exact transition point can be debated, we all pretty much define it in terms of years. So. . . That's NOT what this post is about, and from this point forward I'm going to try and avoid the word "modern" and simply say "mod" instead, so everybody knows I'm talking about the design language, not the age of a pen. From where I sit, mod designs hit the pen world around 1940-1941 with the introduction of the Sheaffer Triumph and the Parker 51. The streamlined shapes, new materials, and conical nibs (on the Triumph) and hooded nibs (on the 51) were a very deliberate break with tradition. Other companies got into the act, but to me Sheaffer and Parker were the leaders in this movement. Later we saw the coming of Sheaffer inlaid nibs (notably on the Imperial and Targa series), the Pilot Vanishing Point, various Japanese pocket pens, and of course the Lamy 2000 and the Safari. To my mind, all of these are icons of mod style among fountain pens. Today it seems that we've regressed, and most contemporary pens are more-or-less traditionalist. You know, I love those 1920s style oversized flat-tops as much as anyone, and I've got my share of modern retreads of those. From today's Parker Duofold, to the 1930s-ish ultra-stodgy designs of Pelikan and Mont Blanc, to all those retro Bexleys. . . Traditionalist pens are in. For those who favor a more purist mod design, the options are limited. Sheaffer and Parker are shadows of their former selves. It seems like the only mod stalwarts today are Pilot, with the VP and E95S, and Lamy with the 2000 and the Safari and Studio and several other models that accept Safari nibs. If I'm overlooking anything out there, please point them out! I feel like perhaps we've, collectively, become too fixated on the old-fashioned-ness of fountain pens. For example, how often has somebody here on FPN rejected the Parker 51 for not having a big, open, traditional nib to show off? Perhaps we forget how design-forward some of these famous pens were in their time. Maybe we should appreciate them more?

The April 2016 issue of Monocle magazine includes ‘Our debut timekeeping and penmanship supplement … a 32-page special on why it’s all in the wrist’. For those unfamiliar with the publication, Monocle bills itself as ‘A briefing on global affairs, business, culture and design’. Most of the supplement is devoted to watches and watchmakers, including five full-page watch ads. On the penmanship side, an essay by Simon Garfield, author of Just My Type (on typography), extols the virtues of writing with pen and paper and there are two double-page pictorials of pens and stationery. Part of the intro, to give an idea of the tone: 'The flourish of a poised* pen or, if you're more artsy, the sweep of a swish pencil across a clean white page: these finer nuances are what it's all about. Here's a sharp edit of desk accessories and writing implements to make sure your workspace looks as smart as you do.' (*Actually it says 'posied', one of several typos.) I count eight fountain pens among the 29 writing instruments depicted: Omas Tokyo Montegrappa NeroUno Hermes Nautilus Kaweco AC Sport unidentified Waterman (Expert?) Faber-Castell Ambition Lamy 2000 Montegrappa NeroUno Linea Clearly someone at Monocle really likes Montegrappa. Notable ballpoints include: Montblanc M S.T. Dupont Classique Lamy Pico Sailor Professional Gear two unidentified Sheaffers two unidentified Crosses There's just one pen advertisement - a full page by Lamy. Copy reads: Happy Anniversary! 1966-2016 50 years of Lamy design. Celebrating a timeless icon. Lamy 2000 Design. Made in Germany. The image appears to be a standard makrolon Lamy 2000 with coloured confetti falling all around. Make of that what you will.

Hi Guys, I have a question about Japanese design, i.e., what do Japanese people actually like in a pen? I'm getting more and more interested in Japanese design and from what I can see, there seems to be a certain "dicothomy" in design styles, not just in terms of pens. In a way, it seems to me that there is something that we "Westerners" like and associate with Japanese design, namely, the minimalist-looking, Zen-ish stuff such as this, this, or, to stay in the field of pens, this, or, more broadly speaking, this kind of aesthetics. This seems to be reflected in a lot of high-end Japanese pens, such as Nakayas, Hakase, the Namiki Emperor series, the Sailor King of Pens, and pretty much everything that is urushi-coated or maki-e: very minimalistic design, maybe with highly elaborated decorations, but on very plain background. We're all quite familiar with this kind of aesthetics from movies, books, and of course, drooling over pictures of amazing urushi pens that most of us probably cannot afford. I'll call this the "Samurai" tendency. However, my theory is that this is probably not what Japanese people really like/want/seek. This is because if one looks at what Japanese companies offer in terms of mid-to-high-range pens (i.e., below the level of things like the Sailor KOP or the Namiki Emperor, but within the range of what most people can probably afford), it's hard to stumble across anything minimalistic/Zen-ish: look at the range of Pilot customs, or Sailor's pens. Everywhere one sees a lot of gold hardware, a clear reference to Western pen design, re-interpreted in a form that remains rather unique, without the ostentatious design of, say, a MB 149, an Omas or a Pelikan M800: Japanese pens tend to be smaller (probably only the larger Pilot Customs or the Platinum President can compete with the MB 149 in length), very rarely show off their logos, and sometimes have rather "kitsch" details (such as the new clips on Sailor pens or the clip of the Platinum President, or the cap band on the Sailor king professional gear) or use colour combinations that are either long out-of-fashion in the West, or are of questionable taste to say the least. I'll call this the "Businessman" tendency. So, considering that... - The current Japanese aesthetic seems to be more oriented towards the post-modern (and the Kawaii) style than the traditional styles usually associated to Japan; - There are probably 1.000 "businessman" Pro Gear with their kitsch cap band sold for every super-elegant minimalistic "samurai" Namiki Emperor Urushi, even though... - ... minimalist/"Zen" design is not necessarily more expensive (quite the opposite: look at LAMY!) and could therefore be easily used on mid-to-high-range-end pens; urushi is not always needed, after all; - There seems to be a lot more variety in the design of mid-to-high-range pens, looking at least at the experiments done by Sailor on their Sapporo/Pro Gear lines; - Maki-e coated pens were initially popularized by Dunhill for the Western market; - Companies such as Danitrio and Nakaya that clearly target primarily the non-Japanese market specialize in "Samurai" design; - The pens in maki-e and urushi seem to have boomed in the period of the Japanese economic stagnation after 1991, when the internal market contracted and manufacturers had to look for alternatives; ...I tend to believe that a Japanese person would probably prefer something like a Pilot 845, with its 6 (six!) gold rings, than a plain Sailor KOP, regardless of the price, and probably sees our beloved "Samurai" pens as something that "only foreigners like". I'm talking here of what people like, not what people can afford. After all, if the "Samurai" style really were the "best" in terms of tastes in Japan, shouldn't we see a lot more pens being offered in minimalist designs? Shouldn't we see Platinum, Sailor and Pilot behave more like Lamy or Faber Castell, with their cheaper, affordable Studio or Ondoro lines? Maybe I'm just talking nonsense, but I'd love to hear what you think about this (especially if you are Japanese or live there). Cheers, Fabio

Hi Guys, I have a question about Japanese design, i.e., what do Japanese people actually like in a pen? I'm getting more and more interested in Japanese design and from what I can see, there seems to be a certain "dicothomy" in design styles, not just in terms of pens. In a way, it seems to me that there is something that we "Westerners" like and associate with Japanese design, namely, the minimalist-looking, Zen-ish stuff such as this, this, or, to stay in the field of pens, this, or, more broadly speaking, this kind of aesthetics. This seems to be reflected in a lot of high-end Japanese pens, such as Nakayas, Hakase, the Namiki Emperor series, the Sailor King of Pens, and pretty much everything that is urushi-coated or maki-e: very minimalistic design, maybe with highly elaborated decorations, but on very plain background. We're all quite familiar with this kind of aesthetics from movies, books, and of course, drooling over pictures of amazing urushi pens that most of us probably cannot afford. I'll call this the "Samurai" tendency. However, my theory is that this is probably not what Japanese people really like/want/seek. This is because if one looks at what Japanese companies offer in terms of mid-to-high-range pens (i.e., below the level of things like the Sailor KOP or the Namiki Emperor, but within the range of what most people can probably afford), it's hard to stumble across anything minimalistic/Zen-ish: look at the range of Pilot customs, or Sailor's pens. Everywhere one sees a lot of gold hardware, a clear reference to Western pen design, re-interpreted in a form that remains rather unique, without the ostentatious design of, say, a MB 149, an Omas or a Pelikan M800: Japanese pens tend to be smaller (probably only the larger Pilot Customs or the Platinum President can compete with the MB 149 in length), very rarely show off their logos, and sometimes have rather "kitsch" details (such as the new clips on Sailor pens or the clip of the Platinum President, or the cap band on the Sailor king professional gear) or use colour combinations that are either long out-of-fashion in the West, or are of questionable taste to say the least. I'll call this the "Businessman" tendency. So, considering that... - The current Japanese aesthetic seems to be more oriented towards the post-modern (and the Kawaii) style than the traditional styles usually associated to Japan; - There are probably 1.000 "businessman" Pro Gear with their kitsch cap band sold for every super-elegant minimalistic "samurai" Namiki Emperor Urushi, even though... - ... minimalist/"Zen" design is not necessarily more expensive (quite the opposite: look at LAMY!) and could therefore be easily used on mid-to-high-range-end pens; urushi is not always needed, after all; - There seems to be a lot more variety in the design of mid-to-high-range pens, looking at least at the experiments done by Sailor on their Sapporo/Pro Gear lines; - Maki-e coated pens were initially popularized by Dunhill for the Western market; - Companies such as Danitrio and Nakaya that clearly target primarily the non-Japanese market specialize in "Samurai" design; - The pens in maki-e and urushi seem to have boomed in the period of the Japanese economic stagnation after 1991, when the internal market contracted and manufacturers had to look for alternatives; ...I tend to believe that a Japanese person would probably prefer something like a Pilot 845, with its 6 (six!) gold rings, than a plain Sailor KOP, regardless of the price, and probably sees our beloved "Samurai" pens as something that "only foreigners like". I'm talking here of what people like, not what people can afford. After all, if the "Samurai" style really were the "best" in terms of tastes in Japan, shouldn't we see a lot more pens being offered in minimalist designs? Shouldn't we see Platinum, Sailor and Pilot behave more like Lamy or Faber Castell, with their cheaper, affordable Studio or Ondoro lines? Maybe I'm just talking nonsense, but I'd love to hear what you think about this (especially if you are Japanese or live there). Cheers, Fabio

Two bottles of P.W. Akkerman ink arrived by post this afternoon. One bottle is called “Shocking Blue;” the other, “Het Zwarte Pad,” or The Black Path. P.W. Akkerman is a boutique pen store located in Den Haag, the Netherlands. The ink and bottle is exclusive to them. I have wanted at least one Akkerman ink bottle to add to my collection of encre for years now, but I was put off by the high cost, especially for shipping. Each 150ml bottle runs 13.64 euro or about $18 each with an additional $30 to transport both bottles to the United States. What changed my mind? Well, look at the design of the bottle, to begin with. It’s beautiful; a marvel of industrial design. The rounded base is actually made up of eight beveled sides. You see that blue marble-like ball in the bottle neck? That ball keeps the ink inside the neck when it is made to stand straight. The ball effectively creates a small reservoir in the neck ready for dipping. Look at the cap on the center bottle. It has a tiny air-pistol built into the cap which acts as a sort of ventilator. That little needle nose helps decrease any internal air pressure that invariably occurs every time you turn the cap closed. It also prevents the ink from spouting like a geyser when reopened. The label, calligraphy, and artwork on the bottle itself as well as on the box it comes in is just old world charming. It is these details that distinguish this brand of fountain pen ink and make it easier for me to justify the high cost of shipping. What made me feel better about spending the $65 for two bottles, including shipping, was knowing that the design is unique to P.W. Akkerman. To the best of my knowledge, you cannot find these bottles made by any other pen company. And while $65 may seem like a lot of money, the bottles are big, 150ml or 5 fluid oz. Even so, 30 bucks is still a lot of money, but cheaper than swimming the Atlantic for it, I guess. In the end, pride in my Dutch heritage was the tipping point. There is so much pleasure in writing with a fountain pen, and for the past few years I have begun to collect fountain pen inks in the same way that wine connoisseurs collect bottles of vin. The P.W. Akkerman fountain pen ink bottle is really a smart set up as far as ink bottles go. The only other bottle design that comes close to being as much fun to use and to look at are the 4.5 oz Noodler’s bottles with the eyedropper tops. I’m impressed with how the folks at P.W. Akkerman packed the bottles. They actually opened each box before hand, wrapped the bottle in a tiny plastic bag and then added Styrofoam peanuts to the box before putting it inside the larger cardboard box meant for shipping. It was thoughtful and actually quite a brilliant idea to pack this way because if they hadn’t taken this extra step, the bottle would certainly have bounced around during its flight to New York City and could have broken as a result. Attention to detail is the mark of excellence in my book. Thought I’d share this fountain pen ink moment with you in the hope that you take as much delight in the art of writing as I do.

Imagine you wanted a wax seal relevant to your family and able to be used by both males and females in the next generation or two. What questions would you ask yourself when attempting to identify symbols for inclusion? Assume there are no classical pieces of history to draw on (knights etc) and that the concept is commencing with this generation.

I've always looked for a FP that wrote very well, with a very fine line, and that could load a lot of ink. My search took me to different gorgeous FP, all of them fantastic in one or another sense, such as Graf von Faber-Castell Classic, Parker Duofold, Pelikan M1005 or Sailor KOP. After all these years, I've found the best thing of each, but I've also discovered their weak points. I know that perfection doesn't exist, but I kept looking for it... until I got my Delta Dolcevita Oversize. His EF nib is wonderful, smooth, never scratchy; his ink capacity is unbeatable as I use it as an eyedropper, and his design... Well, it's an italian FP! Well, after several months of pleasaqnt writing I must admit that my searching has finished. This Delta Dolcetivia is my best FP!

C'mon. Everybody has an idea for a fountain pen. Share your concepts, ideas and designs here! It may be your dream pen, or just a concept. Yes, I know fantasising is ridiculous, but I wanted to see the community's ideas. Diagrams and sketches are welcome. For example: One of my ideas is inspired by the F-117 Nighthawk stealth bomber. http://www.combataircraft.com/aircraft/ff117_p_02_l.jpg I thought the facets and panels on the plane looked pretty cool and interesting. So, I'm thinking maybe a pen that had similar facets all around and was completely matte black. Just to add to the fantasy: a large titanium/ ruthenium-plated nib, piston filling system, slightly concaved, faceted grip section, large feed, and very heavy. Your turn

Hello, I've always toyed with the idea of illuminate some of my works but never give it a try until yesterday when I say a YouTube video [1] quite funny which shown a fast-timed "see how easy is" decoration on manuscript illumination and, hence, I had to try it. I wanted to send something different to a friend in Turkey. So, I gave it a try and were 4 hours on it. Here's the result of all-first-time: first drafts [from video showcase], inked with iron gall ink using Esterbrook 355 over them, pseudo-gothic letters... invented as go [first time with an stiff nib... painful], watercolored except gold [ink] and capital letters' silvered [ink], first time writing in arabic [bismillah... sorry if it says otherwise... I really tried but it's strange], etc. all in crappy (truly, crappy) cheaper-impossible paper but surprisingly it holded the gall ink and the watercolors perfectly without traspassing it... Oh, almost forgot, the paper size: an A5 (half A4). Click HERE to see it at 600dpi (~3400x5000px, 1.49MB, JPEG) Just a final note: as it was all over a draft, I didn't try to keep lines horizontal, spacing and other issues. After all, it all begin with a pencil and was meant to be nothing else, but who can resist retouching this and that? http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/541/m1r7.jpg I hope you found it interesting, at least. Sincerely, Franz

Dear friends it’s my pleasure announce you the out printing of my book, The Secrets of writing instruments - History, design, materials, production. A depth research on the topic of writing instruments, with a new and dynamic ways of reading with historical curiosities, information on the materials and methods of production, research supported with the laboratory analysis whose the methodology it’s explain to appendix . you can find it online and in the bookshop. http://bupress.unibz.it/it/i-segreti-degli-strumenti-di-scrittura.html faithfully A. Titone http://bupress.unibz.it/media/catalog/product/cache/2/small_image/290x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/i/m/image_101.jpg

Obviously, I cannot be the first to have observed this, and as a relative noob, I pray you'll indulge my moment of "Ahhhhh." I recently acquired a Bexley Corona cartridge filler in Blueberry and Cream. The pattern and color reminded me of a pocket knife my grandfather owned. It is the second largest pen in my modest collection. Although I don't have extremely large hands, I find that larger pens with thick sections are more comfortable for my chunky fingers to grip and control. Alas and alack, most of the popular and readily available pens in that category are beyond my means. Finding the Bexley was like finding Santa at the North Pole. I was immediately struck by how light it was - it contained, of course, no brass piston-filler. I inked it with a standard international cartridge to give a go. It took a while to get comfortable with the pen. I seem to be most comfortable with it unposted. It's posted form seems extremely long and a little top heavy. To me, this change in balance makes controlling the tip difficult. It feels skittish. And thus, the inspiration for my observation. I was struck by the way the typical fountain pen presents three profiles: Capped, Uncapped, and Posted. In the Bexley these are strikingly different. I had paid little attention to these differences before - pens were either capped or posted. How else could a person with ADD be expected to keep up the cap!? Capped, the Bexley is imposing, elegant, but not too ostentatious. Uncapped,it is simple and understated but still well dressed by the section and endcap - only it's nib giving it away. Posted, the change is like a peacock in full display. It is long, imposing, the Blueberry & Cream resin layered between the black and gold of section, endcaps and furniture. Wow. Is this effect an intentional goal of the design? Is there a formal name to describe the transition from one form to another? As an aside, jealous of the capacious write out of piston-filler owners, I moded this pen to accept a Waterman (long international) cartridge by boring out the endcap. This also allows carrying an extra standard international if being used instead of the Waterman style. This is just a confession of my own misdeeds - I cannot endorse the proceedure in any way. v/rBuckshot

So it seems to me, after the year or so that I've been into pens, that most fountain pens are designed with a much more stayed, classy look that looks best worn with a suit. Meisterstucks, Sheaffer Valiants, Parker 61's are great, but really they look silly clipped in a madras shorts pocket, used by a guy with a bandana, long hair sticking out, and a beard (guess how I know this). On the other end, there are Pilot Varsity's, Petits, Preppy's, and other similar pens that are great, have a cool look, but are similar to any cheap normal BP or RB pen sold in blister packs. Let's talk about pens that are stylish, but look best clipped to a Banana Republic or Gap shirt. Something nice, but modern. Also, I'd love to hear about anything that's hit a nice point in its age where it's retro-cool, maybe a Wing Sung 233. Here's my picks: Pilot Prera (any bright color works) Picasso 916 Malange (again, bright colors work best) Nemosine Singularity demonstrator Sailor pens in bright yellow (especially not the 1911 cigar shape) Borderline too fancy but still pretty modern looking: Visconti Wall Street Delta Dolce Vita David Oscarson Harlequin