Visionnaire Fountain Pen

[millerb7]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/730727524/visionnaire-fine-writing-instruments-0

 

No affiliation.

 

Looks neat. I was a big TWSBI fan and this seems like another inexpensive alternative for folks looking to get into fountain pens.

 

I will probably back (haven't yet). I'm a big kickstarter fan, use it almost daily.

[MisterBoll]

Looks like a nice well designed pen.

 

My favorite bit - the first question of the FAQ -

 

I'm left handed, can I use the Visionnaire.

 

[Centigonal]

I know I'm being a cynic here, but I feel as if Mr. Combes is kind of aiming his product at a niche that doesn't exist.

 

The description seems to present the pen as a kind of "prestige" pen, something you use for signing important things like birth certificates. I think the whole high price and "price of the brand" thing that's mentioned about other pens in the industry actually contributes to creating that idea of an important pen. So it would be a moderately nice pen for looking important, but nothing special.

On the other hand, the no-name nib (which may actually be good, who knows?), the all-metal section, and the big cap don't bode well for making this pen a comfortable everyday writer.

 

It is because of these reasons that I feel like the pen is stuck between being a mediocre prestige pen and a mediocre everyday companion.

 

EDIT: Be aware that I am biased by my dislike of metal sections and heavy pens.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Centigonal

[UK Mike]

I am sort of stuck in "Centigonal"'s world. The Visionnaire pen would be an interesting addition to the market and I wish them well with their enterprise, but at present the design brings nothing new to the party and is really just another cartridge/converter pen with a German nib.

 

The key to the success of the pen therefore lies not in the pen itself, which is a little generic, but in marketing and advertising. It will be plunged into a sector that is not lacking in strong competition and where dealer discounting can bring even more expensive pens into it's chosen price bracket.

 

I hope it becomes a success because it is a nice looking pen.

Edited July 1, 2013 by UK Mike

[Bo Bo Olson]

Now everyone who don't know much about fountain pens will try to learn to hold a pen weird like that picture...and find it too difficult and be cured of fountain pens.

[iamchum]

I'm a bit concerned about its positioning as a cut price alternative to established brands (which are, lets be honest, not as good as they used to be). I am entirely supportive of new makers of FPs, the more the merrier. I just hope it reaches a level where it, say, can compete with TWSBI, because that is where it is being situated at the moment. It may have difficulty breaching the truly premium level, which it seems to be aimed at, later, without something unique (e.g. twsbi has modularity and filling mechanisms going for it).

 

If a sleeker model was designed that would be funsies hehe

 

ooooo I genuinely am intrigued by the original body. reminds me of YoL

Edited July 1, 2013 by iamchum

[warblerick]

Deleted by me

Edited July 1, 2013 by warblerick

[iamchum]

whether a product is made in china or not is irrelevant (I think i have made my views clear about the negative portrayal of chinese manufacturing on this forum). it's deceptive advertising that is the issue, and I am skeptical whether it is deceptive or not at this stage, seeing as its not in production yet.

 

Who knows, a $37 pen could end up being an heirloom. Monetary value is never the essence of those things, it's about the familial or other social capital invested within it (you should know that, or do you not have any heirlooms, or perhaps, you value things in dollar terms only). Only time can tell.

 

I am surprised by how scathing your criticism is. Let's not judge the project before it's begun. I for one, want to see how it pans out, if it is meant to be, it is meant to be

 

The whole idea of kickstart is to "sell your idea", because you don't have the funds otherwise. There have been plenty a successful project that have started with advertising just like this, because that is what it is. Advertising for small scale investment capital.

Edited July 1, 2013 by iamchum

[millerb7]

An interesting pen indeed. I'm a big TWSBI fan, so I was kind of pitting this against a TWSBI, which I'm not sure if it will hold up or not.

 

That being said, for those who have never used Kickstarter in general, it is VERY safe to use, and has some FANTASTIC projects on there. Your card is actually never charged until the VERY end, IF and ONLY IF the entire project funds. If they get within a single $1 but don't reach their goal, the project is a failure and nobody's cards are charged.

 

If it reaches it's goal, your card is charged. If you pledge, you have until the very end (before the funding date) to remove your bid and it's like you've never placed it... no charges at all etc.

 

Anyways, that's how Kickstarter itself works... this project specifically has my interest (obviously, since it's a fountain pen)... but again, I'm just not sure. To me the price range $37 means nothing... I'm a big fan of the TWSBI and that's a relatively inexpensive pen as well. Also, the Safari's are pretty inexpensive, and I like those a lot too. I have my fair share of really expensive pens, but getting some of these more "economical" ones are nice as well.

 

I still have not bid... but the early adopters black ones are almost out (I would get the chrome one anyways if I did bid).

[Bo Bo Olson]

Some pens made in China are good, Duke, Cross and Parker and few others whose name I forget not being into Chinese pens....it's the nib not the country where the pen is made. I'm semi-flex snob.

.

Others are vastly over priced slave labor made made in dangerous deadly factories, like Levies and many other 'market' jeans.

Wrangler are now made in Mexico, Poland and Turkey where the worker makes a living wage.

 

In you have very little choice of where the product is made or out sourced to you just have to check your local consumer reports to see if you can find quality.

[tanalasta]

I shop through Kickstarter quite a bit ... mostly in the fashion section.

 

This pen interested me. It's a nice looking pen. But not enough to drop money on it. It looks like a metal pen with the generic iridium point nib - the latter itself is fine but isn't to my personal taste. The style somewhat classic but reminded me of those lower end Parker/Shaeffer pens.

 

I found however, the attempt to market it as a special 'hand it down the generation' heirloom type pen turned me right off. TWSBI at least market their pens as no nonsense, designed for the user.

 

This is just an all-metal pen being sold at steel nibbed pen prices.

 

And having just purchased a Lamy al-star (new black) ... for not much more, I'd pick the Lamy.

 

I also own a TWSBI 540 ... amongst other pens.

Edited July 2, 2013 by tanalasta

[SimonOW]

Aren't there enough bland pen designs around? It doesn't seem to differentiate itself in any way.

[jar]

I cannot imagine buying anything from anyone that would stick a pen in their jeans pocket.

[Wolverine1]

The guy needs to familiarize himself with fountain-pens and the fp culture a bit, before he goes out and raises funds for manufacture of his pens. Learning a bit more about pens would allow him to design a much better pen instead of the pen he has designed so far.

[tomkeb]

I don't see how a nameless stainless stell nib from Germany could be passed to another generation… If it was at least compatible with some nibs to interchange, I'd think about giving it a try.

[inkstainedruth]

It would be interesting to see this guy go on some show like "Shark Tank" and pitch this to the folks who have deeper pockets than people on Kickstarter. Of course, I wouldn't be holding my breath as to them giving him a whole lot of money....

I was hoping that it would be some sort of unique fill system, given that the seller claims to be an engineer.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[rudyhou]

this looks like a must-have fp. nice and simple

Edited July 11, 2013 by rudyhou

[Ruinz]

I emailed to ask what size the nib is. He says that it is a #5, which is what I guessed. I am not sure how hard it will be to remove the nib. I am tempted to buy one and order a few #5 sized nibs to find out.

[whitedot]

 

Looks like a nice well designed pen.

 

My favorite bit - the first question of the FAQ -

 

I'm left handed, can I use the Visionnaire.

 

 

 

This is my favourite bit.

 

What types of ink can I use to refill my Visionnaire?

 

Visionnaire is compatible with most inks on the market. You can purchase a Parker bottle of ink at a local art supply store or amazon for about $9. A bottle will last most people 10 years.

 

 

It's obvious that the creator knows next to nothing about fountain pens. I am surprised that it has done so well on Kickstarter.

[tenney]

I asked what nib he was using. The response was "No specific Brand name on the nib. Even though the company I have chosen for the built is making pens for the top brands."

 

Didn't make me want to pledge for it.