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

[Larry Barrieau]

The TWSBI symbol reminds me of the Ontario trillium symbol.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2f/Ontario_government_symbol.jpg

[GeneralSynopsis]

 

 

People just hate to admit, that a $50 Lamy filled with MB Toffee pretty much does the same job as a $800 MB filled with MB Toffee... on paper there's really not a $750 difference. I remember when MB fountain pens were less than $300.00 the only thing that has changed with the pen all these years later is just the price more than doubled... for the same exact Resin pen... you're actually paying for German employees with 8week vacations,&nice pension plans.

 

... and Lamy pens are put together by slave labour I suppose...

 

I've seen lots of people on FPN criticising Chinese manufacturers for supposed poor conditions and pay for their workers, now we are going to criticise German manufacturers for giving their workers what we would like for ourselves in terms of pay and conditions, sometimes you just cannot please people.

 

If you don't like the product or the price don't buy it.

Edited September 9, 2014 by GeneralSynopsis

[Algester]

I hate my life for liking expensive hobbies... <_< >_>

[Christi0469]

I think Noodler's pens are wonderful, and I think much of the criticism they get is from people who don't understand the niche they were meant to fill.

My main issue with Noodlers Pens is that they should carry a disclaimer that they may take extensive tinkering. I was foolish and bought a Konrad early on my fountain pen journey. If it had been my first fountain pen it might have also been my last (I unlucky and bought one that was absolutely horrible). I worked on it for many hours, tried every recommended tweak, but could not get it to stop leaking unless I jammed the nib and feed so far up in the section that it wouldn't write at all. Sometimes I am tempted to buy a new nib (my daughter closed the cap all the way which of course bent the nib) and try again, but it would be more cost effective to buy an Ahab and be done with it.

 

If you are confident enough to take on the tinkering Noodlers may be a great choice. I merely think these pens should come with a warning and should never, ever be recommended as beginner pens. I am at the point where resaccing doesn't faze me but that Konrad does. If they just didn't have those two design flaws (thread placement and no nib notch in the section) I would happilly buy another Konrad. They are very attractive pens.

 

I was burned by Noodlers but I do think they have a place in the market. If someone asks for a recommendation on a DIY pen to tinker with I will recommend them every time.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Christi0469

[Garageboy]

I still can't get over the TWSBI name either, especially after I watched the video that explains it - kinda cheesy

[Biber]

I still can't get over the TWSBI name either, especially after I watched the video that explains it - kinda cheesy

 

Agree, though I have to admit I found the Micarta intriguing for about a minute, then I remembered the name.

 

As for demonstrator pens, I generally find them obnoxious which doesn't help my impression of them any.

[Blue_Moon]

 

Agree, though I have to admit I found the Micarta intriguing for about a minute, then I remembered the name.

 

As for demonstrator pens, I generally find them obnoxious which doesn't help my impression of them any.

 

Who cares about the name? My Micarta is a fantastic pen!!!

[Brian K]

 

Who cares about the name? My Micarta is a fantastic pen!!!

 

 

Amen!

[serpent]

i always thought it stood for Try Writing Something Bumbling Idiot

[Brian K]

i always thought it stood for Try Writing Something Bumbling Idiot

 

Well, some of us need the encouragement!

[holgalee]

The new Parker pens with their cheap and ugly looking, simplified arrow clips.

Loud and garish pens or those that are obviously expensive and overly conspicuous.

Pens with finger placement guides that penalise those of us who do not use the traditional tripod grip.

Aerometric fillers, lever fillers, button fillers, bulb fillers, etc. Modern filling systems are just so much easier to clean and dry, to me.

Pens that don't write out of the box, despite the initial flush with a smidgen of diluted detergent.

[Tadeusz]

This thread is glorious...absolutely glorious!

 

My only gripe is the constant need to bling things up...I really, really like Pelikan pens...but the only thing that keeps me from buying them is the unneccessary little ring on the edge of the section (why is it there, it is sometimes covered up by fingers!) and the double gold bands between the binde and the piston turning knob.

The vintage Pelikans are perfect because of this...they are not flashy, but not drab because of the very nice green binde.

The last thing Pelikan should do is attempt to follow a certain company beginning with the letter before 'N' and try to get all showoff-y and flashy.

I want to write with the blasted thing, not wave it about to impress people!

 

edit: and cartridge/converters....I hate them with a passion! I mean, pen designers just sort of slap a nib and feed together in a plastic section, then pop a cartridge on....most modern pens fill the same- I like QUALITY ENGINEERING (!)...give me a mechanism that requires thought and intelligence!!!!

 

I shall descend from my soap-box now.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Tadeusz

[Biber]

edit: and cartridge/converters....I hate them with a passion! I mean, pen designers just sort of slap a nib and feed together in a plastic section, then pop a cartridge on....most modern pens fill the same- I like QUALITY ENGINEERING (!)...give me a mechanism that requires thought and intelligence!!!!

 

I shall descend from my soap-box now.

 

While I agree quality engineering is a must and I certainly appreciate the merit of the various filling mechanisms mechanisms out there, I think you (an many others, perhaps merely to be snooty) give converters short shrift. I have come to prefer them actually (not carts, mind you, they're akin to ink training wheels). I find converters offer considerably less mess and waste - I fill (dip into the ink bottle) the converter directly instead of dipping the nib/section, and they make it quicker and easier to switch inks - just pop a new one in while sidelining the old one for more timely and thorough cleaning. If they break down they can be easily replaced and don't sideline the entire pen for repair. BUT, I agree you can't have every thing. They also offer the limitation of ink capacity. Perhaps someone will someday come up with a large capacity converter.

[Algester]

 

Agree, though I have to admit I found the Micarta intriguing for about a minute, then I remembered the name.

 

As for demonstrator pens, I generally find them obnoxious which doesn't help my impression of them any.

well at least it isnt as pretentious as "canvas resin" or "carbon fiber resin" which is also of course called Micarta

Edited September 11, 2014 by Algester

[PatientType]

What's the point of Pelikan making fountain pens with an ink windows that border on opaque? I have to hold my fountain pens up to a light to see ink levels. Even that doesn't always work. The black ones are even worse that the striated in this regard. Why, with a pen with an ink window, do I sometimes have to hold the pen nib up and operate the piston knob until ink emerges in the feed just to see how much ink remains in the ink reservoir.

Don't get me wrong, I love every other aspect of Pelikan pens save the ink windows.

Edited September 11, 2014 by PatientType

[Tadeusz]

 

While I agree quality engineering is a must and I certainly appreciate the merit of the various filling mechanisms mechanisms out there, I think you (an many others, perhaps merely to be snooty) give converters short shrift. I have come to prefer them actually (not carts, mind you, they're akin to ink training wheels). I find converters offer considerably less mess and waste - I fill (dip into the ink bottle) the converter directly instead of dipping the nib/section, and they make it quicker and easier to switch inks - just pop a new one in while sidelining the old one for more timely and thorough cleaning. If they break down they can be easily replaced and don't sideline the entire pen for repair. BUT, I agree you can't have every thing. They also offer the limitation of ink capacity. Perhaps someone will someday come up with a large capacity converter.

 

I find the different filling mechanisms fascinating (maybe I should've been an engineer). Converters are fine when I want to change inks and the like, but for most of my daily out of the house writing, I need more than just a converter-full.

I agree with you in likening cartridges to training wheels-especially when they are proprietary cartridges and the brand only produces a limited range of inks.

[The Blue Knight]

 

... and Lamy pens are put together by slave labour I suppose...

 

 

Lamy's a German brand who makes there pens in Germany...

 

Edited September 11, 2014 by The Blue Knight

[Garageboy]

Lamy needs to hire new guys/repair their nib polishing/finishing machines

[kazoolaw]

 

... I think you (an many others, perhaps merely to be snooty) give converters short shrift...

 

Please be careful as you condescend from so great a height.

 

gary

[Biber]

 

Please be careful as you condescend from so great a height.

 

gary

 

Sorry about that. I suppose it does read that way. Didn't mean it to.