Inky Thought Of The Day - (Inky T O D) - What Is A Serious Pen?

[Lou Erickson]

I think the others are right; a dark colored pen with gold. Rhodium trim might be too bright; real silver might be, too. I wouldn't want an oversize pen, either.

 

The suggestion of a dark "51" works for me. I would take my Cedar Blue "51" with the gold-filled cap to any kind of appearance and be confident that I wouldn't look like a buffoon, and that my pen would write.

 

Naturally, you don't want to spoil that with Baystate Blue, Kon-Peki, or some other bright and frivolous ink. Blue-black for the win there, I think. A nice iron gall if you're really serious.

[Tanzanite]

Where I work almost everyone uses free ballpoint pens or mechanical pencils with some company name printed on it. But I chose pen for meetings according to seriousnes of the meeting. When meeting higher management people I usually bring a black fountainpen like Sailor Sapporo, Pelikan M200, Kaweco Allrounder or Visconti Rembrandt. Or one in steel.

[MusterMark]

As an academic I think we are allowed a little more freedom. An MB or Sailor Torpedo in black, my colleague uses a waterman carene, I have used a Pelikan M400 in green. I think a degree of understatement is important, but I would go to something sterling silver, not to a gold coloured pen... maybe not chrome either.

 

Current pens at work:

Pilot custom 823 x2 (tobacco and clear demo)

Montblanc 1912

Sheaffer Touchdown Imperial (sterling silver)

I agree that academics are given just a little more room in this area. When I teach, I usually go with a cheaper pen (Safaris often enough). When I'm attending conferences, though, it's all about my Lamy 2000. Black, simple--and the brushed steel makes it look like it could be something from Apple. Only elbow patches signal "grad student walking" more loudly than a MacBook Pro.

[Bigeddie]

I agree that academics are given just a little more room in this area. When I teach, I usually go with a cheaper pen (Safaris often enough). When I'm attending conferences, though, it's all about my Lamy 2000. Black, simple--and the brushed steel makes it look like it could be something from Apple. Only elbow patches signal "grad student walking" more loudly than a MacBook Pro.

 

Interesting, over here we have all gone MacBook Air crazy. It must be a 'big country' thing.

 

A nod to the Lamy 2000, I have all but stopped using mine because it sucks ink out all over itself when uncapped if less than half full this is embarrassing when conducting research interviews.

[Paddler]

At court, surely the reigning monarch sets the style.

[Sandy1]

At court, surely the reigning monarch sets the style.

 

... Ah!

 

Then it would be a Parker 51 in the Commonwealth countries: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/130638-does-queen-elizabeth-use-a-parker/?p=1292521

[MusterMark]

 

Interesting, over here we have all gone MacBook Air crazy. It must be a 'big country' thing.

 

A nod to the Lamy 2000, I have all but stopped using mine because it sucks ink out all over itself when uncapped if less than half full this is embarrassing when conducting research interviews.

That sounds awful. I guess I've never let mine get to the half-full point before swapping inks. It might be my "serious" pen in outward appearance, but I have no rules about its ink.

[amberleadavis]

It might be my "serious" pen in outward appearance, but I have no rules about its ink.

 

And on that note ... the next day's question

[Bo Bo Olson]

Amber you really need a Geha 725, in semi-flex F...which it mostly is....1000% more classy than that MB.

Costs @ €100 by Penboard.de.

Now that I got mine cheaper €50 ....during the last World Cup in South Africa, where those with money were there and those with out lost it betting on England...well I paid €50...the next week I saw for the first time two go for €25...

 

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/geha1.jpg this is not really a good picture of it. It does show how sleek it is but not how two flat gold disks on the ends, or simple lines in the clip, take it from ordinary to total classic. Two little rolled gold disks on both ends.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm300/BoBoOlson/Goldschwingnib-2.jpgwith permission of Penboard.de...in they make better pictures than I.

 

My Virgina Woolf is fancier but not as classic.

The black and gold classic tapered thin 725 medium-large rates in my top five for beautiful, is one of my three perfect balanced pens, has a semi-flex F....which is normal in this pen...I have seen M listed..would get even if it is a match for my pen model limit.

It has rolled gold trim.

Amber that is a pen for court....or any signatures one must make professionally.

 

Geha set out to catch MB with this pen...did easily...and stomped MB into a mud puddle with it. No MB of the ilk is as classic. Those of MB that is similar...just don't have the pure looks or balance...true of this type I only have a MB 320...to long, not so well balanced, no gold disks on top and bottom....well a 320 is a third tier pen, that looks it vs this pen. ..the MB is not an ugly pen, it just lacks the sleek tapered perfection of the Geha 725.

Just tapered is not quite doing it perfectly. ...It is a light and nimble pen.... :notworthy1: True words....all.

IMO it stomps any fat clumpy torpedo shaped 146-9 into the ground with it's sleek perfection.

 

Truly, IMO one of the top five pens ever made. ...was just as expensive as an MB back in the day too. It was a 360 DM- $90 dollar pen when a good rolled gold trimmed Snorkel could be had for @ $18-22. ..70-90 DM....Hell then before the P-75 no American pen cost any where as much...in a P-75 could be had for $22-25. or 90-100 DM...

Yes it matched the best MB. ...hell of a lot prettier, a world class pen. ...take out of cup...scribble.

 

Go for it Amber, take it off your taxes as professional need.

Edited April 10, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[carlos.q]

just any fountain pen will suffice and I have more style and class than a ballpoint person - most of the time that's a cheap company's ballpoint with huge advertising, even at court.

 

I agree. Almost any FP has more class and style than a Bic stic.

[ethernautrix]

I recently challenged myself to carry only one pen - and I managed to get it down to two: two Daily Carries, both Nakayas, a kuro tamenuri Long Piccolo and a matte black Piccolo (and I can't believe that the unpolished shu is uninked! It feels weird!).

 

I'm mainly using the Long Piccolo (clipless), and I think it qualifies as a serious pen. Even a Serious pen.

 

But I don't think anyone notices my pen(s) or attributes any degree of serious I might exude to my pen. Admittedly, I seldom find myself in situations these days when I have to project Serious. If I do, though, I will probably have the Long Piccolo in hand.

[Lou Erickson]

Dunno, I was at the bank yesterday, and used a "51" to sign a check, and it did get noticed, and quite impressed the banker. Sometimes, people do notice.

[Newjelan]

When I'm in a meeting with "blue suits" (ie, bank execs) I usually take my MB Starwalker in Cool Blue. It has the MB logo - they seem to like logos - it is professional but not masculine. It sends a message of "I'm a professional like you, but I'm not one of you".

 

When I'm meeting with execs from NFP's and community organisations I typically take one of my Platinum #3776 pens. The colour depends on who the group is - black for the conservative ones and any other colour for the rest.

 

With local government organisations, I find a Lamy Safari in any colour has sufficient gravitas as I've found that many senior staff seem to use them too.

[Newjelan]

Amber you really need a Geha 725, in semi-flex F...which it mostly is....1000% more classy than that MB.

 

Truly, IMO one of the top five pens ever made.

Nice pen!