What Do People Say To You When You Whip Out That Pen?

[Donald2]

They stare at my pen.

Edited January 10, 2020 by FountainPenGuru

[Donald2]

Pen is a black fat long Waterman Phileas FP.

Edited January 10, 2020 by FountainPenGuru

[bemon]

I get the odd comment, but I try to fly under the radar with my L2K which. The steel version isn't as stealth as the makrolon as I'm discovering.

 

It ranges from "Do you prefer fountain pens?" To "Check out mine!" and someone proudly reveals a Montblanc ballpoint and insists I try it. Usually a Starwalker which is in fact a very nice pen.

[inkstainedruth]

Mostly nobody notices, even now.

But yesterday I was in a local yarn store to get a specific size crochet hook (I had gotten an inexpensive set at Michael's -- there's a sock pattern in a book I have that calls for adding beads to places in the pattern, but was afraid that the hooks in the set would either be too large to fit through the holes in the beads, or too small to hook the yarn); the ONE crochet hook cost more than the set of six did.

When I went to sign the credit card receipt, I ignored the proffered pen and pulled out one of the pens I had with me -- the pink TWSBI 580-AL, B nib. And the woman in the store said "Oh, that's a pretty pen!" So we had a nice chat about some of the other pens I have in my stash, particularly the vintage ones.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[praxim]

Someone managed to say something today.

 

I was signing an affidavit before a JP. He looked to be in his early to mid fifties. When he saw me use my own pen rather than the proffered ballpoint, he commented,

"I haven't seen a .. pen for a while, one that uses ink."

 

While he filled in routine bits I added to the conversation by commenting that it was an Omas fountain pen from the 1950s (it was a 556). He replied,

"That's the word I was looking for! A fountain pen."

 

 

edit:typo

Edited July 6, 2020 by praxim

[Estycollector]

The last time someone said something it was a fellow employee. He said he thought they were cool. I ordered and gave him a Lamy Safari. He said now thats the only pen he uses. I've noticed it in use during our Zoom meetings.

[Tom Kellie]

~ Nothing at all.

Ever.

Tom K.

[chromantic]

Just tonight a guest I was checking in said "wow, that's a nice pen" when she saw my little black M300.

[pajaro]

A couple of pc support guys used to make fun of me when I would use a fountain pen, as something hopelessly outdated. I passed over it in silence.

[wangjianwei]

99.9% of the time nobody said anything. I guess people don't notice stationery items anymore.

 

There's only one time when a lady commented that my black Waterman Taperite looks nice. Just one time

[Fermata]

The last comment was 'Is that a Parker 51'

 

Time before that was 'thats a nice pen' from a hotel receptionist.

 

And before that 'look at you writing with a proper pen'

[KingsCountyWriter]

Some of my students (the ones that will spend $400 on a pair of sneakers) will gasp and make fun of my for spending $$ on a Myu or an Izumo. The loudest one I enrolled in a class of mine that looked at typography and fountain pens and I led them through NYC looking @ fonts, artwork and museums. At the end of the class, EVERYONE asked to keep their pen and some ink.

 

I often share photos from Yahoo Auction with some of my kids to let them know that writing with quality instruments didn't start yesterday.

[MBDostoevsky]

All i receive is

 

"Seriously! You really are old school"

[PAKMAN]

They call me the pen guy. They usually don't notice the pen unless I don't have one in my pocket and they say, looks like the pen guy forgot his pen!

[antarmukhee]

Mostly people don't notice.

[Antenociticus]

Usually no one notices, or they notice and don't care. I can remember only a handful of ho-hum comments in recent times.

 

Colleague (as we brainstormed some ideas, me writing them down): "Nice pen!" (Lamy 2000)

 

Old friend I hadn't seen for years (as I pulled the writing gear out of my travel bag): "Wish I had a nice notebook like that! And you've even got a proper fountain pen!" (boring grey Leuchtturm 1917, white Sailor Pro Gear Slim; after I got home, I sent him a Leuchtturm and a Kaweco Sport)

 

Oh, and another old friend (emptying the bag in which she'd stashed my stuff when we went to the beach): "I put the notebook and your very nice fountain pen on the table here." (different Leuchtturm, same white Sailor)

 

The guy who sells fake Mont Blancs at the Russian Market in Phnom Penh asked to look at my TWSBI, and muttered with mild surprise as he handled it, "Taiwan? You can't get green ink here in Cambodia." "The ink is from Poland," I told him. (KWZ IG Green #3, Vac Mini)

[JonSzanto]

On a side note, I miss seeing the OP, Gabrielle, posting here on FPN. Always enjoyed her content and thoughts.

[Fermata]

On a side note, I miss seeing the OP, Gabrielle, posting here on FPN. Always enjoyed her content and thoughts.

 

I find that a great deal with some of the older threads, the thought of 'I wonder what happened to them'.

 

People come and go Jon, we are like some giant snooker table with a thousand balls flying in every direction, sometimes we roll alongside each other, sometimes we crash and fly off in different directions, sometimes we fall into the pockets and are never seen again.

[ParramattaPaul]

I was in hospital last year and one of the nurses saw the fountain pen (a Lamy) I had with me, asked about it and tried it out. The subsequent half hour long conversation included where to buy, etc.

[br549]

No one usually says anything, except one of the times I went to buy ink at a local pen and stationary store. When I was using my Baoer model 3013 to sign the receipt, the store owner commented, "That is a really handsome nib. What brand of pen is that?"

Edited August 6, 2020 by br549