Calling All College Students Using Fountain Pens!

[lancecreeks]

1. Early 20's, studying medicine at a local university

Late 2012. I was researching FP's for a friend's birthday gift, and got bitten by the bug.

Mainly and only for journalling. I tried using it for other stuff, daily things like taking notes and studying, but it didn't work out. There was too much anxiety regarding the nib drying up, dropping the pen or having it stolen. So mainly for home use now.

Pelikan M205 F and Lamy Vista EF are the ones I use the most, but I also have Pilot Vanishing Point, Pilot Metropolitan and Kaweco Special AL.

In said trial above, I did bring a fountain pen to class for a while, but it was a low-profile Pilot Metropolitan and nobody noticed It's still nice to see old notes written with Sailor blue-black though!

Just something about the way the ink pools around and shades that kept me hooked. It's also nice to have pens exclusive to an activity, i.e. journalling. It seems to be the only time where I can listen to my thoughts, if you know what I mean...

[stevedacahil]

Still in middle school but use fountain pens!

1.13

2. 1 year ago

3. Writing

4. Kaweco classic sport, Pilot Metropolitan, Pilot Cavalier, a ton of Platinum Preppys, etc

5. Peers want to try them

6. Smoother writing

[fryguy128]

1. 18, Junior year studying Computer Science, I normally attend a university in Kansas but, I'm studying abroad in England now

2. My Freshman year of high school, five years ago

3. Everything that you can use a pen for, mostly notes

4. I carry my TWSBI vac mini everywhere.

• 4x Lamy Safaris
• Lamy Al-Star
• Monteverde Poquito
• A bunch of chinese pens
• Lost Lamy Studio
• Lost TWSBI 580

5. Why do you spend so much on a pen? (Fountain pens aren't widely used where I'm from)

6. Life's too short for an unreliable pen. (Plus ink color)

[Aquaria]

1. Age: Older than dirt. School: Alamo Community Colleges (I split classes between campuses). Major: Mathematics and Japanese.

 

2.When did you start using pens?

 

Do you mean fountain pens? I used them in the 70s, but had a hard time finding ink for them where I was from. I returned to fountain pens in 2014 because my hands were in so much pain from writing so much for classes.

 

3. How do you use them?

 

I use them for everything--notes for class, journals, letters, lists, creative writing--you name it.

 

4. The pens in your collection...

 

Pens I have inked up/will have inked up:

 

Dollar. No idea about nib size. These are the pens that I use for test drives of new inks. Current test runs: Iroshizuku Aji sai and Tsuki yo, Caran d'Ache Vibrant Green, Sailor Yamadori. I also keep one inked up with Aurora Black, because I enjoy the irony of putting Aurora ink in a cheap pen. Come to think of it, the inks I'm testing right now in Dollar pens are all expensive! I didn't even notice until now.

Parker Sonnet, Medium--I'm assuming the ink that came with it is Quink, but I'm not sure which blue it is. Whatever it is, I hate it, so I'll be switching it to Diamine Chocolate Brown.

Pelikan M200 Demonstrator, Extra Fine--Diamine Pumpkin

Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Fine--Iroshizuku Asa Gao

Pilot Metropolitan Medium nib--Namiki Blue

Platinum 3776 Century, Fine--Noodler's Baystate Concord Grape, but will be switching to Sheaffer Skrip Red.

TWSBI Eco, Extra Fine--Diamine Hope Pink

TWSBI 580 AL, Extra Fine--waiting for my new bottle of Waterman Tender Purple.

TWSBI Vac 700, Extra Fine--Omas Green

Waterman Hemisphere, Fine--Waterman Serenity Blue

 

Other pens I have, but don't use, or I'm not using them right now:

 

Conklin Duragraph. Fine. I'm thinking about putting one of my "fun" colors in this one, maybe Diamine Purple Pizzazz.

Lamy Safari Fine.

Lamy Vista Extra Fine.

Jetpens Chibi

Jinhao model that I can't remember the number of right now. Medium nib.

Jinhao 159. Medium Nib.

Pilot Custom Original. Fine.

Pilot Crystal. Extra Fine.

Pilot Vortex. Fine.

Pilot Elite 95S Extra Fine.

Pilot Prera Fine

Pilot Parallels. The orange and green models (can't remember the nib sizes right now).

Pilot Varsity

Platinum Preppy Whatever the 03 is.

 

Pens on my acquire soon list:

 

Levenger Facets

Sheaffer Prelude

Waterman Expert

Visconti Rembrandt

Lamy Safari in Dark Lilac

 

Pens on my "if I win the lottery" list:

 

Visconti Homo Sapiens

Pelikan M600/M800

Waterman Edison

Parker Duofold

Montblanc 146

Sailor Realo

Sailor King of Pens

Edison Menlo

Aurora 88

Namiki Maki-e

Montegrappa Fortuna

 

 

5. Whats the general response of others(peers)?

 

"Cool!" "What kind of pen is that? It's awesome!" "How does it work?"

 

6. Why use a fountain pen?

 

I came back to fountain pens because I suffered a hand injury that made writing with ballpoint pens painful. The Jetstream pens worked for me, so did the Sheaffer VFM, but they could be hard to find refills for, plus they were far too expensive for how quickly they ran out. I did some more research for alternatives and someone recommended fountain pens. I bought my first (a Lamy Safari), and never looked back.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Aquaria

[Totl]

Hi there

 

Medical Imaging And Radiotherapy student here.

 

1. Im 23 years old now, and study MIRT in the city of Groningen. Im in my third year now.

 

2. I've started using FPs when i was in High school. During which i lost my Parker (can't remember what model). Then came the dark ages but i've seen the light again and bought a Parker 45 a few years ago and a Diplomat Traveller last year. I'm lookinh to expand the collection with a Diplomat Excellence A

 

3. At the moment i use my pens to fill out forms of patients. These are forms with information that get archived at some point. As such i've chosen to ink them up with De Atramentis Document Black, as its a permanent ink.

 

4. The pens in my collection currently are: Diplomat Traveller, Parker 45, and Parker Vector.

 

5. Most people don't notice, but the few who do are usually surprised by the fact people still write with Fountain Pens. The most recent quote on that would be: "Now thats not something you see every day."

 

6. Customizable, more control, better writing experience and more legible Handwriting are the main reasons i use Fountain Pens. Also i think they're pretty fancy

[Kiaxa]

1. 21, Boise State University, electrical engineering: embedded systems

 

2. Since last summer

 

3. Note taking, grading, occasional drafting (I really can't afford a full set of Rapidographs and accessories, so I use the next best thing FPs)

 

4. Quite a few can't remember all of them so I'll give the highlights of my collection:

 

Platinum #3776 Century Bourgogne: medium

Parker 51 Special: fine (I think)

Sheaffer Triumph Statesman vacuum filler: extra fine (I think)

 

5. I normally get the typical "cool pen" or "hey an ink pen, neat"

 

6. I use fountain pens to better my handwriting (which has improved but is still not where I want it to be), I also think they are a lot of fun, but I think one of the biggest reasons is that I have a bad habit of collecting hobbies although this is one of the more productive hobbies in my "collection"

[Rufio]

1. I'm 20 and am a Chemistry student at The Ohio State University.

2. I started using fountain pens when I was 17 during my senior year in high school.

3. The biggest thing I use them for right now is note taking during class, and recopying notes from my Organic Chemistry class that I use a pencil to take during lecture.

4. The pens that I have right now are:

I generally have 5 or 6 of these inked up at a time each with a different ink color

2 Lamy Al-Stars with fine nibs

2 Pilot Vanishing Points 1 with a fine nib and 1 with a medium nib

Lamy 2000 with a medium nib

3 Noodler's Ahabs

Sheaffer Ferrari 100 with the tire tread barrel and medium nib

2 TWSBI Ecos, 1 with a medium nib and 1 with a broad nib

Lamy Logo with a medium nib

TWSBI Mini with a 1.1 mm stub

Pilot Metropolitan with a medium nib

 

5. I don't get too many reactions when I use my pens in class, mainly because I use my Lamy 2000 or Vanishing point most of the time which don't have huge nibs that stick out. So people either don't notice or don't care enough to ask about them.

6. I originally started using a fountain pen because of the smooth writing but the ink is really what made me become so addicted to them. There are so many good colors and interesting inks that it makes it much more fun to use fountain pens for me. I also seem to have much better handwriting when I am using my fountain pens compared to other writing instruments.

 

 

[oceanlover4evr]

1. Fordham University

2. Started using fountain pens mid-January after I picked up two cheap school fps on my trip to China

3. I use them for anything that's written, really. Homework, notes, essay planning, some art.

4. The pens that got me into fountain pens are of the Aihao brand. I also have a Jinhao 599A from Goldspot, a Hero 901, a Reynolds LégendR Color, and a Noodler's Nib Creaper Flex, though it's less likely to see use in my daily life.

5. "Is that a fountain pen?"

6. i like to use fps because of the ink choices, but even in general it makes writing a more enjoyable experience, something that I need since most of my classes are lecture or seminar format.

[Tayanna]

1. Age(if desired), The school you go to, Etc...

 

Mid twenties. Utah State University. Biochemistry Major.

 

2.When did you start using pens?

 

I started using calligraphy and dip pens when I was 8 or 9 years old.

It started as a fascination and has grown into a hobby as I have gotten

older.

 

3. How do you use them?

 

I think the better question is when I DON'T use them. I use them for notes,

letters, random thoughts and some doodling.

 

4. The pens in your collection...

 

I have a Lamy Nexx (EF), Lamy Safari (EF), Faber Castel E-motion (Bold) and

a Lamy Studio (M).

 

5. Whats the general response of others(peers)?

 

Most people don't notice but when they do, merely consider it another of my

eccentricities. Some people do notice and ask lots of questions. Those who

are really interested want to know about good entry level pens that aren't

too expensive.

 

6. Why use a fountain pen?

I studied abroad in China for two years. Between the note taking and required

character practice, I developed carpel tunnel. While my hands are now working,

I find it easier to use pens that require little or no pressure. I also find that by

using a fountain pen, I am calmer, resulting in clearer letters and more creative

and interesting handwriting. It is also fun to turn in work that has several colors

of ink on it. So far, none of my professors have commented on it!

Edited March 24, 2016 by Tayanna