How Old Are Fountain Pen Users?

[Hans-Gabriel]

I know this is taboo!

 

The image that most people have about fountain pen users is that they were born before World War I. Fountain pens were popular back then, but it seems that lately, the popularity has regained in the younger crowd.

 

I am interested in knowing how old F-P users are.

Edited September 12, 2015 by Hans-Gabriel

[spaceink]

I'm not young, but I think I'm young for fountain pen users. That said, I've noticed a new generation of enthusiasts much younger and more culturally current than most non-pen-folks would think of pen nerds.

Edited September 12, 2015 by spaceink

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Nothing wrong with the question, but it's not the whole story. Born in the mid 1950s and growing up in the 60s, I might very well have used fountain pens as a child, but I didn't. In fact, although I was vaguely aware of their existence, and they were certainly still available in office supply stores, I have no memory at all of seeing anyone using them. My parents, born in the 1920s, just told me that they were prone to leakage if you weren't careful. They always used ballpoints.

 

In fact, I didn't even think about using a fountain pen until I was past fifty. I'd discovered that gel pens could be much smoother than regular ballpoints, and happened to read some things about fountain pens as well. So I don't think it was so much a generational thing; I came to them in much the same way that a twenty year old might. If my age played a role, it was more that I already preferred to write by hand, and I was still using cursive.

[pajaro]

Born post-WW2, in Catholic school I had to use dip pens for a couple of years, and then fountain pens. The nuns didn't want to see homework in ballpoint. From seventh grade on I used ballpoints mainly. After graduating from college I bought a Parker 51 that I still use. I used mainly ballpoints in business but sometimes the 51 and a couple of Montblancs bought in 1983. Still use them. The other many pens I have are very little used, as they are all inferior.

[Jerome Tarshis]

I wasn't born before World War I, but I was born before World War II. (At least from the Eurocentric understanding of World War II. For the Chinese and Japanese, the war might be said to have begun in 1931, when the Japanese filtered into Manchuria, and was well established by 1937.)

 

As a child I used pencils and then dip pens (which we called "straight pens") and then fountain pens. I never wrote much with ballpoint pens. User of FPs from the 1940s.

 

This poll addresses two questions simultaneously: how old are fountain-pen users? and how old are active participants in Fountain Pen Network? Quite a few people of my age won 't be involved with Web message boards even if they write with fountain pens. For that matter, quite a few people of various ages who were active on FPN in the past are no longer active here, although they continue to write with fountain pens. So the results are going to reflect levels of participation on FPN as well as FP use. And also eagerness to participate in polls, now that I think of it.

[Pickwick]

I wasn't born before World War I, but I was born before World War II. (At least from the Eurocentric understanding of World War II. For the Chinese and Japanese, the war might be said to have begun in 1931, when the Japanese filtered into Manchuria, and was well established by 1937.)

 

As a child I used pencils and then dip pens (which we called "straight pens") and then fountain pens. I never wrote much with ballpoint pens. User of FPs from the 1940s.

 

This poll addresses two questions simultaneously: how old are fountain-pen users? and how old are active participants in Fountain Pen Network? Quite a few people of my age won 't be involved with Web message boards even if they write with fountain pens. For that matter, quite a few people of various ages who were active on FPN in the past are no longer active here, although they continue to write with fountain pens. So the results are going to reflect levels of participation on FPN as well as FP use. And also eagerness to participate in polls, now that I think of it.

Well, I'm the same age as you, and used pen and ink up and till the time the ballpoint pen became a reality. I defected and bought one of the first Parker Ballpoints and used up numerous refills corresponding for years until I lost it. I only went back to using pen and ink 5 years ago after I inherited a collection of fountain and dip pens along with a an old bottle of Montblanc ink a cousin of mine had bought in the 30s. After restoring them, I joined FPN to try and find suitable writing paper, and been meandering around this site ever since!! It's been a fascinating time reading about a writing instrument I'd taken so much for granted.

[Runnin_Ute]

I'm 57 and began using fountain pens around 1997 or 1998, so I would have been about 39 or 40 when I bought my Al Star. Have used them ever since. I briefly had a Sheaffer of some sort I bought a 7-11 in the late 60's. Thanks to my parents I only had it a few days.

 

Even after I started using fountain pens I still used ballpoints mostly and some Pilot G2 gel pens. In 2011 or 2012 I moved to fps almost exclusively.

[Charles Rice]

Interesting that when I asked a clerk in a local pen shop (Minneapolis) who was buying, she said a LOT of young people. (same with records)

 

Me? Truman was in the White House when I was born. (what, that long ago!!!)

Edited September 12, 2015 by Charles Rice

[atomic_doug]

I'm 35 but I grew up in Germany. I don't know how it is today, but I was using a fountain pen in 2nd grade. It was a Pelikano and I still have it. I've used them continuously since then.

[inkeverywhere]

I am 56 and have used fountain pens for years. Sadly the only other person, I personally know, who uses fountain pens is my brother, who is a couple of years younger then me.

 

Friends who know I use and collect FP's think I am a bit eccentric but I have the last laugh when I see them using a Bic throw away!

 

 

Greg

[Ichiro]

I'm 42 and have always wanted to try fountain pens. I finally started when I was 39. I use one almost everyday at work. Love the look of nibs and enjoy changing inks at will.

[YugiRider2]

I'm only 15, so fountain pens were a thing that I had never been exposed to until I started possessing an interest for it. I've always liked pens, and I often went to Officeworks to purchase hundreds of dollars of pens and paper. I am a bit of a nerd, so when googling 'best pen' (I wanted a fast pen for exams), I stumbled across a site which showed Lamy Safari, Vanishing Points, and Lamy 2000's. I got a M200 and a Safari, and for a long time, never used them.

 

I went to Perth when my parents stumbled across a MontBlanc shop. They decided to buy me a rollerball as a present, and ever since, I've been browsing and looking for fountain pens. My parents are also buying fountain pens but expensive ones such as the Montegrappa Hand-Painted Snake, while I buy cheaper ones.

 

No one in my classes uses fountain pens, and I wonder if fountain pens will still be a thing in the future when noone is forced to use or wants to use a fountain pen.

[Bklyn]

I sm 63 and have sued them on and off since I was a kid. I love them as they are toys to me. Nick colors and nibs fascinate me.

[jar]

Interesting that when I asked a clerk in a local pen shop (Minneapolis) who was buying, she said a LOT of young people. (same with records)

 

Me? Truman was in the White House when I was born. (what, that long ago!!!)

Roosevelt was in Casablanca when I was born.

 

AbE:

 

I forgot to discuss my introduction to fountain pens but that was covered here. Basically the progression was crayons, pencil, fountain pen.

[MikeGB]

I'm 26.

[amarjit]

i am 36

[jcastro1975]

I am 40

[bongo47]

I guess another question could be what age did you get your first FP, or when did you start the hobby? I was always facinated by FP, finding some dip and fountain pens in my parents' desk drawer. My mother would tell the cliche story of boys dipping her ponytail in the inkwells of school. I'm pretty sure I bought my first while in high school (early 80's). But then got sidetracked by college and life. Bought another at some point in the late 90's. But didn't start collecting until about '08. I think eBay has a lot to do with sparking my obsession again, though that's not where many of my pens now have come from.

[amarjit]

I guess another question could be what age did you get your first FP, or when did you start the hobby? I was always facinated by FP, finding some dip and fountain pens in my parents' desk drawer. My mother would tell the cliche story of boys dipping her ponytail in the inkwells of school. I'm pretty sure I bought my first while in high school (early 80's). But then got sidetracked by college and life. Bought another at some point in the late 90's. But didn't start collecting until about '08. I think eBay has a lot to do with sparking my obsession again, though that's not where many of my pens now have come from.

you are righ. My interest started around 5 years back, a friend gave his unbranded fountain pen to me to try my hand on.Really liked it but got damaged due to improper use by me leading to buying my first parker vector metallix and so on and on.

[tinta]

In grade one pencils, dip pens & ink were introduced. Printing & cursive handwriting was taught simultaneously, right from the start.

By the third grade we were writing with mechanical (clutch) pencils & fountain pens, not only in our native Magyar language (Roman script) but also in Russian (Cyrillic script).

Since then, I've forgotten all the Russian, but I can still read & write reasonably well in my mother tongue.