fountain pen taboos - don't enter if you're easily offended

[79spitfire]

I don't know why my inner child is a 14-year-old boy.

What makes you think that he's alone in there?

 

That's what the voices tell me.

 

Oh, wait....

 

Except for the mime, right?

 

and a mime is a terrible thing to waste

[Trebster]

My heresy: Just say No to Pelikan.

 

My early to mid-70s school grade Pelikans ruined more shirts than I can recall. The failures were spectacular too, unlike the Osmorids, which destroyed shirts regularly but without the fireworks. I have every reason to believe that recent production Pelikans are just fine, but my memory is long.

 

The Sheaffer Targas I bought in '76 and '77 are still daily writers. The Pelikans of the era I owned are not missed at all.

[ethernautrix]

I don't know why my inner child is a 14-year-old boy.

What makes you think that he's alone in there?

 

That's what the voices tell me.

 

Oh, wait....

 

Except for the mime, right?

 

 

Who told you about the mime?

 

 

 

Shouts off-stage. WHO LET THE MIME OUT?

[Randalf]

Ethernautrix, please stop!!!

[jar]

I don't know why my inner child is a 14-year-old boy.

What makes you think that he's alone in there?

 

That's what the voices tell me.

 

Oh, wait....

 

Except for the mime, right?

 

 

Who told you about the mime?

 

 

 

Shouts off-stage. WHO LET THE MIME OUT?

 

My Mime kept me awake all night so I got out a blank CD and played it with the volume cranked up all the way the next night and kept him up.

[eric47]

I don't know why my inner child is a 14-year-old boy.

What makes you think that he's alone in there?

 

That's what the voices tell me.

 

Oh, wait....

 

Except for the mime, right?

 

Who told you about the mime?

 

Shouts off-stage. WHO LET THE MIME OUT?

 

The mime did...oh wait, it couldn't have been the mime who told me.

Edited April 29, 2010 by eric47

[riff raff]

I don't know why my inner child is a 14-year-old boy.

What makes you think that he's alone in there?

 

That's what the voices tell me.

 

Oh, wait....

 

Except for the mime, right?

 

 

Who told you about the mime?

 

 

 

Shouts off-stage. WHO LET THE MIME OUT?

 

My Mime kept me awake all night so I got out a blank CD and played it with the volume cranked up all the way the next night and kept him up.

Win.

 

:roflmho:

[DavidHandmade]

Ok - Here's one that I haven't seen mentioned here (yet):

 

I actually enjoy using L3v3nger Ink - that seems to be a "taboo" name around here, for some reason.

I've used their ink for years in my vintage and contemporary pens without a single problem.

 

One caveat: Levenger inks are, by no means, "permanent" in any way - a drop of tea will splatter the ink on a page that's been dry for days / weeks. [Perhaps that's why no one mentions it.]

 

Can't stand the Parker 51 - not enough ink flow for my taste & I own three of them.

 

Why pay top $$$ for a pen with so much attached "hardware" that it's difficult to hold and use?

 

Cheap Pens: I use $3. Preppys at the office because I don't want to take the chance that I'll damage my vintage FPs or my contemporary pens (or have them stolen). I converted the Preppys to ED Fillers & they're more than adequate for their purpose.

 

Pens & their Boxes: I keep certain pens in their original boxes because I enjoy the experience ("ritual"?) of opening a well-executed Box and removing the "fuctional work of art" within; then I ink the pen with the anticipation of pouring my thoughts out onto paper.

 

I suppose that I approach the process with a certain "reverence" for the pen's creators, and my opportunity to use the result of their work and creativity to document the same for myself.

 

That's all, for now. Thank you.

[mhwombat]

OK, my pet peeves:

 

Pen manufacturers who sell EF nibs that aren't good quality. If your EF nib isn't as good as your F and M, then don't sell an EF nib!

 

Why doesn't anyone offer a "pen system" where you choose the individual components, and all of them interchangeable in case your needs change? You could this nib, with that grip section, and that body, and that cap, and this filling system. Then a few years later, you might find that you'd be more comfortable with a different grip.

 

Most vintage pens are too gaudy for my taste. They look like "old lady brooches". I don't like pens that look like jewellery. I don't even want my pen to look expensive; I just want it to look well-engineered and well-constructed. Having said that... if I ever do get a decorated pen, I'm going to go all out. I want a great big urushi fire-breathing dragon on it! With some maki-e Hello Kittys to keep it company. (I'm the same way about cars; I just want mine to be practical, reliable and unassuming. But if I ever do get a Range Rover it's going to have zebra stripes like the one in Daktari! Every time I see a Range Rover, I think "what a waste to spend all that money and not get the zebra stripes".)

Edited May 28, 2010 by mhwombat

[jBeckett]

I don't like German fountain pens at all, not that I think they're of note for being bad I just haven't met one I've liked.

[bluemagister]

I love Japanese pens, even the cheap ones, but every time someone asks for a cheap pen recommendation, all we hear are "BUY A LAMY 2000" and "GET A PELIKAN M800!"

[jBeckett]

I love Japanese pens, even the cheap ones, but every time someone asks for a cheap pen recommendation, all we hear are "BUY A LAMY 2000" and "GET A PELIKAN M800!"

 

That's another part of why my former mentality of "not my cup o' tea" turned into an outright sense of avoidance.

[acolythe]

Ok - Here's one that I haven't seen mentioned here (yet):

 

I actually enjoy using L3v3nger Ink - that seems to be a "taboo" name around here, for some reason.

I've used their ink for years in my vintage and contemporary pens without a single problem.

 

One caveat: Levenger inks are, by no means, "permanent" in any way - a drop of tea will splatter the ink on a page that's been dry for days / weeks. [Perhaps that's why no one mentions it.]

 

Can't stand the Parker 51 - not enough ink flow for my taste & I own three of them.

 

Why pay top $$$ for a pen with so much attached "hardware" that it's difficult to hold and use?

 

Cheap Pens: I use $3. Preppys at the office because I don't want to take the chance that I'll damage my vintage FPs or my contemporary pens (or have them stolen). I converted the Preppys to ED Fillers & they're more than adequate for their purpose.

 

Pens & their Boxes: I keep certain pens in their original boxes because I enjoy the experience ("ritual"?) of opening a well-executed Box and removing the "fuctional work of art" within; then I ink the pen with the anticipation of pouring my thoughts out onto paper.

 

I suppose that I approach the process with a certain "reverence" for the pen's creators, and my opportunity to use the result of their work and creativity to document the same for myself.

 

That's all, for now. Thank you.

 

 

Re the Parker 51. Mine are fairly wet but the very wet ones I have are the wonderful Parker 51 replicas made by Ariel kulock in Argentina

Try one you might like it

[79spitfire]

I love Japanese pens, even the cheap ones, but every time someone asks for a cheap pen recommendation, all we hear are "BUY A LAMY 2000" and "GET A PELIKAN M800!"

 

Those two pens don't fit my idea of "cheap" and I'm not fond of Pelikan pens, I do, however LOVE their inks!

 

Cheap is a Preppy, which IMHO out performs my "cheap" Pelikan that cost 8 times more...

[Vladimir]

I love Japanese pens, even the cheap ones, but every time someone asks for a cheap pen recommendation, all we hear are "BUY A LAMY 2000" and "GET A PELIKAN M800!"

 

Those two pens don't fit my idea of "cheap" and I'm not fond of Pelikan pens, I do, however LOVE their inks!

 

Cheap is a Preppy, which IMHO out performs my "cheap" Pelikan that cost 8 times more...

 

 

+1!

[aget19]

1) dont agree with how some people say the 149 is overpriced.. i have bought one (it was not for full retail price, used once and mint condition) but having written with it for many months now for just about everything i can honestly say that i would happily pay full retail for the same pen because it is just such a good writing experience.. i have quite large hands and it fits them perfectly. I plan on getting another one (with a different nib size of course!) pretty soon

 

2) dont agree with how some people can't see the point in having multiple pens "inked" - there are numerous reasons for it.. what about if you run out of ink in your main pen? (happens to me when i have a long day at university) or what if you want to write in different colours? or (in my case) you are writing on lecture notes and need a finer nib than you prefer normally to fit everything in?

 

3) multiple of the same pen? i say why not.. i love my Pelikan Souveran pens (600 and 800) and my montblanc 149 more than any other pens.. i would buy more of them.

[Vladimir]

1) dont agree with how some people say the 149 is overpriced.. i have bought one (it was not for full retail price, used once and mint condition) but having written with it for many months now for just about everything i can honestly say that i would happily pay full retail for the same pen because it is just such a good writing experience.. i have quite large hands and it fits them perfectly. I plan on getting another one (with a different nib size of course!) pretty soon

 

2) dont agree with how some people can't see the point in having multiple pens "inked" - there are numerous reasons for it.. what about if you run out of ink in your main pen? (happens to me when i have a long day at university) or what if you want to write in different colours? or (in my case) you are writing on lecture notes and need a finer nib than you prefer normally to fit everything in?

 

3) multiple of the same pen? i say why not.. i love my Pelikan Souveran pens (600 and 800) and my montblanc 149 more than any other pens.. i would buy more of them.

 

 

1) Can't afford one myself at the moment; although come to think of it; I probably spent the same amount of money on all my other pens and inks, although at the moment I view that as better value for money.

 

2) Exactly the same boat there. Long days at university, or at home studying require multiple pens, if not for variation between points/sections in lecture material, then to stave off boredom and to give an excuse for constructive procrastination...

 

3) Definitely agree. As I mentioned in my previous post, I want lots of different inks available all the time, and since I like Frontiers, Vectors and 45s, then I will get more of those to hold my inks. Since my previous post, I have also acquired a plethora of Lamys, mainly Safaris with broad nibs (the latest phase/craze for me). The beauty is, that when I go off broad nibs, I can change the nibs on my Safaris cheaply.

[Scrawler]

1) dont agree with how some people say the 149 is overpriced.. i have bought one (it was not for full retail price, used once and mint condition) but having written with it for many months now for just about everything i can honestly say that i would happily pay full retail for the same pen because it is just such a good writing experience.. i have quite large hands and it fits them perfectly. I plan on getting another one (with a different nib size of course!) pretty soon

 

2) dont agree with how some people can't see the point in having multiple pens "inked" - there are numerous reasons for it.. what about if you run out of ink in your main pen? (happens to me when i have a long day at university) or what if you want to write in different colours? or (in my case) you are writing on lecture notes and need a finer nib than you prefer normally to fit everything in?

 

3) multiple of the same pen? i say why not.. i love my Pelikan Souveran pens (600 and 800) and my montblanc 149 more than any other pens.. i would buy more of them.

1) Overpriced, because I cannot afford one. If I could, it would not be.

2) I always have 6 pens on the go at once, each with a different colored ink, and nib width variances, because in the work I do I need to differentiate easily between various types of text and diagrams and I use a color scheme to aid understanding of my notes.

3) I have several pairs of pens, identical except for variances in color, because I discovered that I liked one for a particular purpose, so I duplicated it to use with a different colored ink.

[ojars]

Fountain pen taboos? There aren't any! Some of my pens are on the cranky side, but I think of that as their personality. Each of my pens is different -- some have sentimental value, some do not work at all, some are splendid performers, some are wonderfully made and some not.

Edited May 29, 2010 by ojars

[voop]

<SNIP>

2) dont agree with how some people can't see the point in having multiple pens "inked" - there are numerous reasons for it.. what about if you run out of ink in your main pen? (happens to me when i have a long day at university) or what if you want to write in different colours? or (in my case) you are writing on lecture notes and need a finer nib than you prefer normally to fit everything in?

 

It's a daily occurrence for me to run out of ink in my black-ink-pen. I, therefore, always carry two...sometimes I manage to get through both of them in one day...

 

3) multiple of the same pen? i say why not.. i love my Pelikan Souveran pens (600 and 800) and my montblanc 149 more than any other pens.. i would buy more of them.

 

Yup, why not? When having found a tool that *works*, I do not see any reason to not stick with it. With one exception (a GvFC pen-- and that's because I do not see them often around here), I have numerous pieces of the same pen (maybe in different colors/trims/* to distinguish in which I have what color ink or which size nib).