Visionnaire Fountain Pen

[mhphoto]

On a side note…

[Inkysloth]

On a side note…

I've just lost the last hour to that site... I don't need to be anywhere until 1. Sorted!

[teuneu]

Quote from Tonneau (above)

I found a nice Pelikan 140 with OB nib and I bought it. It is flying to me at the moment

 

Congratulations on finding the 140! I remember the classic green striated model from my Army days in Germany. This look became the iconic Pelikan pen, whether the 140 or the 400. By the way, back in the day at 4.25DM to the USD, the 140 would have set you back $3.50. But first you would have had to change the scrip (they paid us with Monopoly money) into DMs.

 

I am sure that owning this classic fountain pen will help make the bad taste of the Visionaire experience go away.

Thanks a lot! I was scrolling through FPN and everybody had the same answer for a 'starter' vintage FP: Pelikan. As the 400 was a bit too expensive for me at the moment, I found the 140 on a Dutch ebay website.

Haha, I'm sure the exchange rates were quite different compared to now. For us (europeans) we get quite good exchanges rates to dollar at the moment. This is helping for Kickstarter websites .

The pelikan should arrive in the nest today or tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. I have some Akkerman Shocking Blue ready for it .

[teuneu]

 

A noie to RMN and Teuneu:

Kan Sinterklaus drop de pen van uw dromen uw schoorsteen deze avond!

Laat Zwarte Piet zorgen dat Visionaire vent.

 

Sinterklaas komt niet meer bij mij vanavond . Ik ben te oud geworden...

[Dickkooty2]

Teuneu

 

Dan zul je moeten wachten op die andere kerel op 25 december

Edited December 5, 2013 by Dickkooty2

[heymatthew]

 

Another 3 here ... went for a TWSBI after a couple of hours reading on this forum. Will give my visionnaire as xmas present to someone I know will never use it.

 

Like a fruit cake.

[heymatthew]

Feeling kind of bummed because I was looking to get back into fountain pens. I have limited experience with them as I used to use a student model Parker back in college for all of my note taking and flight logbook notations and I miss the feel. I backed the Visionnaire at the 2 pen level and just found this topic on here today. I've been using the Google search function on the site looking for information about compatible refills for Oberon leather journals and hadn't joined yet. I feel kind of dumb that the listing for the Visionnaire didn't set off any red flags for me. *sigh* Lesson learned, and any future pen purchases will be researched. I trusted and took Morgan at face value.

 

I'll be receiving my pens tomorrow; my mom forwarded them to me via USPS. Had them delivered to her because I was supposed to be in the midst of a cross country move about now that has been delayed, so am just now getting them. I suppose I'll use them and hope that mine are at least functional. Wish now that I could just get a refund, but that's not possible I'm sure. I'll likely be searching for a good quality starter FP pretty soon as well. $70 isn't make or break to me, but it still stinks to have spent the money on an inferior product and I wish that I had saved my money towards something better.

 

I guess one bright spot is my Retrakts from KarasKustoms will be in the box as well, and I know and trust their products. So while not FP's, they'll at least be solid pens.

 

First off... Don't feel bummed! I'm sure you've spent more money on less. I know I have. Vegas, anyone? As for the Retrakt, though... It's pretty much pen perfection when paired up with a 0.38 G2 refill. I absolutely LOVE my KK pens, but the Retrakt is amazing. The "silent click" mechanism is really nice (almost seems like it isn't working at first) and the fit and finish is very, very nice. You won't be disappointed. I love all of my fountain pens, but the Retrakt is at my office with me most of the time as a daily jotter that my cavemen coworkers can pick up and use, too (I don't trust them with my fountain pens after a near-death experience involving my boss and a TWSBI 540).

 

Keep your head up and your pen(s) to paper. You'll find a great pen (or pens) to replace those Visionnaires and it will all be a bad dream. If you hate your Retrakts, let me know. I'll buy them.

[Centopar]

It's really lovely to see new people here as a result of it all; I'm really glad you've not been put off the world of fountain pens in general by the experience. Welcome, all; and if there's any justice your *next* pens will be terrific!

[martasoft]

It's really lovely to see new people here as a result of it all; I'm really glad you've not been put off the world of fountain pens in general by the experience. Welcome, all; and if there's any justice your *next* pens will be terrific!

Thanks! Today my TWSBI mini arrived, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it, filled it with majestic blue (I love the piston system, just perfect) and started to write. No scratching, no problem at all, it just flies on paper.

Yes, my next pen is terrific.

[write to me often]

To me, it seems a bit, how to say uncharacteristic and boring. No nib options, nothing. What they set forth as an option like having a converter so that you don't need to use cartridge etc is nothing new.

 

Frankly, didn't like it and I cannot see anything worth 45 USD there.

[pigeonfarm]

Well, I got my Visionnaire pens today. And it's as I expected from reading this thread, overall pretty disappointing. The fit and finish on the pens is terrible. Both of mine have several flaws on the exterior of the body. The chrome pen has two sets of pretty big gouges on the cap and a bunch of smaller scratches on the body. The black one has flaws in the lacquer where there are bumps and a flaky texture. The lacquer just looks like thin, cheap black paint. Also, the clip is loose on that one. I barely got the converter out of the chrome one; I was honestly afraid I would break it. They both just look and feel extremely cheap, not at all an heirloom in any way shape or form. They certainly don't look or feel like they will stand the test of time to be passed down, nor would I go to the trouble of inserting a sentence or two in my will to leave them to anyone. They might fetch $.50 apiece at the yard sale when they sell off my junk, post-kicking of my bucket.

 

As for the writing experience, it's... okay I guess. Nothing luxurious, not special. The pens don't skip too much, and don't feel overly scratchy like I was afraid they might. They both at least function properly in that respect. They feel pretty much on par with the $12 drugstore Parker Vector I used to use in college. Functional, but nothing to get excited about. I'd be much more okay with the pens if the finish of their exteriors were better. As it stands, I feel like I paid way too much for them, but I will keep them and use them until they fall apart. I will probably leave them in my desk drawer at work.

 

I got my Retrakts too. Better on that front, but I have to send the aluminum one back to them because I got one of the ones that wasn't machined correctly. The tip of the G2 refill isn't able to fit through the opening, so it's unusable. They warned everyone that this was the case on some of the pens. My copper one works fine, but has a wonky thread that is slightly chewed up and ragged, as well as scratches on the body and the area on the top half exterior where the bottom part threads in. I'm going to contact them about the copper one. I know they'll fix the aluminum one, but not sure if they'll do anything about the copper one. I hope they will.

Edited December 5, 2013 by pigeonfarm

[pigeonfarm]

Also, thanks to everyone for the kind words and encouragement. If anything, the experience with the Visionnaire just makes me even more determined to find a pen I will be happy with. I'm kind of stubborn that way, determined to get things right. I plan on sticking around. I'm rather glad I've found this place, it seems like a fun community with some really neat folks. I'm happy I've found a place where I can learn, ask questions, and have fun.

[RMN]

 

A noie to RMN and Teuneu:

Kan Sinterklaus drop de pen van uw dromen uw schoorsteen deze avond!

Laat Zwarte Piet zorgen dat Visionaire vent.

 

Thanks.

 

Actually I did get a nice present yesterday on the 4th:

An office shop was advertising some FPs at 50%. Looking at them I found some nice NOS pens. When the owner saw I was a FP addict he practically gave them to me. 2 Parker Sonnets, one with gold nib, a Parker 45 flighter and a Waterman Ici et La for the sum of €84.

 

I am very happy. (oh and he gave me a bag of Pepernoten, too...

 

Besides that, the guy has terrific FP friendly printer paper and has great prices on Canon printer carts, so I'll be around again...

 

D.ick

[Dickkooty2]

Before I go on to KickStart …

… I thought I would get input for my idea from the knowledgable readers of FPN.

I was driving to Safeway the other evening, a grocery list in my pocket written on the back of a dunning notice from KFC with my Bic Writestick with the chewed-on end.. After running the red light, I had this epiphany: suppose I had been in an accident, would I want the ER team to find me with that cheap ball point in my pocket as they ripped open my shirt? No! I am better than that. My legacy deserves more! I want my survivors to be proud!

And so I have designed a writing instrument for all of us aspiring to be in the 1% that run this country. Yes, a writing instrument for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, to achieve greatness and carry a writing instrument that says “Yes, I can!”! In fact, the writing instrument will be called the “Yes, I can”!

But I have strict design criteria to meet. It must be manufactured of a natural, replaceable, material. It must have an easy and non-eco-ruinous writing medium. It must be designed to allow for correction so that little waste occurs.

And style and aesthetic requirements, as well! A color that says proudly “I am here”. A length to width relationship that proclaims “I have heard of the Golden Mean”. A shape that declares “I am modern yet I am classic. I am a leader yet I am one of the folk. I am impulsive, yet I am thoughtful. I am I, and Yes, I can!”

I plan on making some vids with just a hand using the product to draw a slick car that might be a hybrid against a background of an American flag with a music theme sampled from The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I will be able to price the Yes, I can at just $39.95 for my first production run of 1000. I will offer it to that go-getter who says “I want to drive that slick car to Safeway and have a “Yes, I can” in my pocket when they rip my shirt off”.

The “Yes, I can” …

And thank you for your support of the Visionnaire. I am using that business model.

Attached Images

• 
  

[stopher]

Did you sculpt that beautiful "yes, I can" from reclaimed lumber of natural disasters?

 

Will you offer other colors?

[heymatthew]

 

The “Yes, I can” …

 

Will you offer a demonstrator model?

[welch]

 

Before I go on to KickStart …

… I thought I would get input for my idea from the knowledgable readers of FPN.

I was driving to Safeway the other evening, a grocery list in my pocket written on the back of a dunning notice from KFC with my Bic Writestick with the chewed-on end.. After running the red light, I had this epiphany: suppose I had been in an accident, would I want the ER team to find me with that cheap ball point in my pocket as they ripped open my shirt? No! I am better than that. My legacy deserves more! I want my survivors to be proud!

And so I have designed a writing instrument for all of us aspiring to be in the 1% that run this country. Yes, a writing instrument for the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free, to achieve greatness and carry a writing instrument that says “Yes, I can!”! In fact, the writing instrument will be called the “Yes, I can”!

But I have strict design criteria to meet. It must be manufactured of a natural, replaceable, material. It must have an easy and non-eco-ruinous writing medium. It must be designed to allow for correction so that little waste occurs.

And style and aesthetic requirements, as well! A color that says proudly “I am here”. A length to width relationship that proclaims “I have heard of the Golden Mean”. A shape that declares “I am modern yet I am classic. I am a leader yet I am one of the folk. I am impulsive, yet I am thoughtful. I am I, and Yes, I can!”

I plan on making some vids with just a hand using the product to draw a slick car that might be a hybrid against a background of an American flag with a music theme sampled from The Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I will be able to price the Yes, I can at just $39.95 for my first production run of 1000. I will offer it to that go-getter who says “I want to drive that slick car to Safeway and have a “Yes, I can” in my pocket when they rip my shirt off”.

The “Yes, I can” …

And thank you for your support of the Visionnaire. I am using that business model.

Attached Images

• 

 

 

 

Byte Magazine feature, April, 2003 (I think) described the ultimate word processor, complete with "character insertion point" and "character deletion point". Fully portable. Looked a lot like your "vision".

[Bill Wood]

Also, thanks to everyone for the kind words and encouragement. If anything, the experience with the Visionnaire just makes me even more determined to find a pen I will be happy with. I'm kind of stubborn that way, determined to get things right. I plan on sticking around. I'm rather glad I've found this place, it seems like a fun community with some really neat folks. I'm happy I've found a place where I can learn, ask questions, and have fun.

You are most welcome, and .... Welcome.

[Bill Wood]

Will you offer a demonstrator model?

Mathew I'm sorry things didn't work out for you. But these last 10 pages have been very educational, and in a sad way slightly entertaining. I initially looked at this project but was put off by some of claims initially then more on the kick starter pages. I think you've earned your stripes around these parts for tenacity. May the good follow you. Seasons best.

[Dickkooty2]

Further to materials for support, I have completed the video to accompany the KickStart Project, although I have taken an alternative creative route to dramatize the worth of the Yes, I Can.

 

While I have not at this point prototyped the 'demonstrator', I hope you will agree that the concept of the 'invisible hand' offers an attractive alternative. I believe it justifies the Yes, I Can initial pricing and the simple yet complex, cooperative yet individualistic, socially progressive yet market-driven character of our target customer.

 

http://ipencilmovie.org

Edited December 6, 2013 by Dickkooty2