Search the Community

Hello from the UK, As a retired person I'm that age where we were brought up at our UK primary school using pencils. At the age of 8 years old we transferred to fountain pens and bottled ink, Stephen's or more usually Parkers Blue/Black. The pens were Osmiroid and the nibs; well italic unusually. What a trial and traumatic experience that was, even worse for Lefties as their nibs were 'crooked' to the left. On to secondary school and fountain pens were still used although ball points were becoming all the rage. Still, at 16 years old, I did school exams with my fountain pen, plus slide rules were now allowed instead of using Log Tables. I went on to an Engineering Apprenticeship to be a draughtsman hence got into Rotring Isograph pens and script nib pens. Another traumatic experience having to relearn writing suitable for drawings as were weren't allowed to use stencils. Moved from draughting to Field and Plant engineering so succumed to ball points and pencils but at the age of 40ish decided to do a degree. The full degree was undertaken doing notes, submissions and reports with a fountain pen even though computer word-processor documents were allowed, old habits die hard. Since the degree I've used most writing implements, except probably hammer and chisel, and found fountain pens to be the most useful and comfortable long term, a shame paper has not kept up with their use. Lack of paper availability at a reasonable price for everyday use, and that works well with ink, is disappointing. Being a lifelong motorcyclist Arthur Itus has become a companion around the base of both thumbs, using a fountain pen has easily become my most comfortable writing instrument. The pen I used during my degree is still in use, Sheaffer 565 with bladder style filler, although the filler is past its best. I have used ink cartridges for convenience at times when I don't wont to travel with a bottle or need to use different colours, but the pleasure of using bottled ink is comforting. The Sheaffer pens size and weight suits me but its getting noticeably scratchy now and the bladder is well worn. Looking to purchase a new pen I see most shapes appear to mimic ball point pens, too thin for me, plus the prices for pens with gold nibs Phew. Anyway, that's my story and experience too date.

Salutations ~ New to FP Network but not new to FPs. When I worked for the DC Metro, down the street from Fahrney's, I had a bad habit - every payday I would visit their store and pick out a new gem from Fahrney's vast and delicious assortment. Amassed a nice enough collection of MBs, ltd editions, and at least one each from most of the big names.... time marched on, one mortgage morphed into two and I could no longer afford my $500 a pp habit. Well, I've been retired and living at the beach now for 10 years nearly, and I find that FPs no longer have to cost a car payment to write flawlessly and feel and look stunning on a nice chunk of stationery. So now I get to discover a new generation of FPs and inks, with newcomers (to me at least) like TWSBI, Noodler, Edison, Lamy, etc. Life is Good, and it truly does get better! Mare