What Am I Missing About Expensive Pens?

[Tweel]

That gives a whole new meaning to someone looking down at their friends' new baby, and saying "Oh -- isn't she precious!"

[ReadyFireAim]

 

 

That's no Prius.

 

But I'm game:

 

http://cdn.bmwblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2006-BMW-Sauber-F1.06-FL-1024x768-750x500.jpg

You got me beat...(assuming your crewmen get it started )

BTW...The pen I've been using lately is 0.79 for the nib and $8.00 for the holder so <$10 (do I win?)

Edited March 13, 2018 by Nail-Bender

[JakobS]

Can I get my 12 speed bicycle into this.......whatever it is.......?

[stephenfountain]

Can I get my 12 speed bicycle into this.......whatever it is.......?

 

Hey, this thread is now so 'off piste', sure you can LOL

[Corona688]

I once inverted a cheap, dead bic (you all know the type, the cristal's even cheaper yellow cousin) and tried to cut the empty tube like one would cut a goose quill. The result wasn't very good, but it did write

[n1019]

Obviously quality of manufacture is one, but then does 'brand' simply suck up the £££s after that?

 

Yes, to a degree. As an owner of 100 fountain pens ranging in price from $1 to $1000 I cannot honestly say higher price always equals higher quality, durability or better writing experience, but ideally you should at least get better quality control even if the materials used are still mostly cheap polished plastic and metal. You can pay $600 and get a "precious resin" a.k.a. plastic barrel. Gold nibs aren't always soft - they can be quite firm - and have issues out of the box despite better QC in theory.

 

The pens I get the most satisfaction out of are in the mid range, like a Pelikan M200 with M400 14c gold nib fitted and priced at about £130. I just got a similarly priced Lamy 2000 and it looks like it will be another winner. I also loved my now lost Cross ATX - a much cheaper pen (I think I paid $80 AUD for it), which had a smallish steel nib and was nothing special, but was just nice to use. Beyond the low to mid-range price point I start to worry about loss or damage etc. and they don't see as much use, becoming more ornamental. Moreover, referring back to Pelikans, their larger Souveran models are essentially just bigger versions of the M200/M400 with bigger gold nibs. I have several and all work perfectly but when I think about price they are hard to justify.

 

I have an $800 Montblanc with nib issues (albeit minor and easily fixed) and a number of <$5 Jinhao X750s, X450s and 159s that work flawlessly, are pleasant to use, were built solidly and have lasted a few years with no sign of dying yet. I have also received dud Jinhaos but the vendors were happy to send free replacements.

 

If you like certain styling, nibs and handling characteristics you may have to pay for it, but more money, precious resin and precious metal doesn't always mean better.

Edited March 14, 2018 by n1019

[torstar]

That gives a whole new meaning to someone looking down at their friends' new baby, and saying "Oh -- isn't she precious!"

 

every baby or baby picture is precious

 

----- rule #35 of life....

[stephenfountain]

 

every baby or baby picture is precious

 

----- rule #35 of life....

 

Spoken like a true parent LOL As a non parent, I can't stand the little brats!!

[TSherbs]

 

every baby or baby picture is precious

 

----- rule #35 of life....

That's too many rules.

[torstar]

 

Spoken like a true parent LOL As a non parent, I can't stand the little brats!!

 

oh no, a bachelor kind of skeeved by real biology....

 

every baby picture is precious.... trust me....

[jmnav]

 

Wonderful to hear this, I heartily agree

 

I try not to judge other's preferences, but I came across a fellow who only bought Black pens with Gold nibs under the mistaken impression that that is what successful business men do and there should be no deviation. Maybe it worked for him but he was one of the most boring people I've ever met in all the aspects of his life. I couldn't help thinking that some color, even if just on a pen, could really improve things.

 

Well, since my preferences usually go towards 30~50's German piston fillers, I end up with more black boring pens than I'd want... because they are cheaper!

[sansenri]

Essentially what you are missing is an expensive pen

 

what that means to you is very much subjective (even the definition of expensive)

[inkstainedruth]

Essentially what you are missing is an expensive pen

 

what that means to you is very much subjective (even the definition of expensive)

 

Yeah, in the novel I'm writing (mostly in my head) there's a point where the protagonist gets asked "What's your most valuable pen?" and she says:

"Well I can't really answer that.... Do you mean the one I paid the most for, the one I'll end up paying the most for after it gets repaired, the one that was the best ratio of what I paid to what it's actually worth, the one that's the sentimental favorite, the one that was the "gateway" pen, the one that four guys tried to buy off me in the space of a day and a half, or the one that I'll cry the most over if I lose it?"

And of course none of the definitions of "most valuable" is for the same pen....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Dickkooty2]

@inkstainedruth above

 

Yeah, in the novel I'm writing (mostly in my head) ...

 

Nice exposition! Please favor us with some more.

[Amory]

Yeah, in the novel I'm writing (mostly in my head) there's a point where the protagonist gets asked "What's your most valuable pen?" and she says:

"Well I can't really answer that.... Do you mean the one I paid the most for, the one I'll end up paying the most for after it gets repaired, the one that was the best ratio of what I paid to what it's actually worth, the one that's the sentimental favorite, the one that was the "gateway" pen, the one that four guys tried to buy off me in the space of a day and a half, or the one that I'll cry the most over if I lose it?"

And of course none of the definitions of "most valuable" is for the same pen....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Very well written.

Could your novel be about finding lasting happiness through consumerism I wonder

Edited March 15, 2018 by Amory

[kazoolaw]

Yeah, in the novel I'm writing (mostly in my head) there's a point where the protagonist gets asked "What's your most valuable pen?" and she says:

"Well I can't really answer that.... Do you mean the one I paid the most for, the one I'll end up paying the most for after it gets repaired, the one that was the best ratio of what I paid to what it's actually worth, the one that's the sentimental favorite, the one that was the "gateway" pen, the one that four guys tried to buy off me in the space of a day and a half, or the one that I'll cry the most over if I lose it?"

And of course none of the definitions of "most valuable" is for the same pen....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

To which most of the people I know would respond "Never mind."

[hinky]

@OP I think Goulet posted a video about how writing performance will plateau after reaching a certain price point (I forget which particular video it was though).

 

Beyond a certain price, you pay for material (looks and feel in hand; ebonite, celluloid; titanium/gold nib, etc.), design (very subjective), type of filling mechanism (e.g. vacuum filler), brand name (insert popular expensive brand here), limited edition-ness/rarity (like vintage pens), etc.

 

Depending on your preference, you may or may not be missing out on any of the above. To be honest, I don't have a pen that costs north of $200 (not because I don't want expensive pens, I just can't afford them at the moment), and my more affordable pens can hold their own against my more expensive ones.

 

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you enjoy the pens you buy. You can be satisfied with a Jinhao or a Montblanc or whatever else floats your boat. Only you can say what does and doesn't make you happy (with your pen or life in general). 😉

 

So go ahead and experiment. Figure out your preferences. Enjoy the hobby as much as you can. Everything else is just background noise. 😎

[Sailor Kenshin]

@OP I think Goulet posted a video about how writing performance will plateau after reaching a certain price point (I forget which particular video it was though).

 

Beyond a certain price, you pay for material (looks and feel in hand; ebonite, celluloid; titanium/gold nib, etc.), design (very subjective), type of filling mechanism (e.g. vacuum filler), brand name (insert popular expensive brand here), limited edition-ness/rarity (like vintage pens), etc.

 

Depending on your preference, you may or may not be missing out on any of the above. To be honest, I don't have a pen that costs north of $200 (not because I don't want expensive pens, I just can't afford them at the moment), and my more affordable pens can hold their own against my more expensive ones.

 

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you enjoy the pens you buy. You can be satisfied with a Jinhao or a Montblanc or whatever else floats your boat. Only you can say what does and doesn't make you happy (with your pen or life in general).

 

So go ahead and experiment. Figure out your preferences. Enjoy the hobby as much as you can. Everything else is just background noise.

Hear, hear!

[max dog]

@OP I think Goulet posted a video about how writing performance will plateau after reaching a certain price point (I forget which particular video it was though).

 

Beyond a certain price, you pay for material (looks and feel in hand; ebonite, celluloid; titanium/gold nib, etc.), design (very subjective), type of filling mechanism (e.g. vacuum filler), brand name (insert popular expensive brand here), limited edition-ness/rarity (like vintage pens), etc.

 

Depending on your preference, you may or may not be missing out on any of the above. To be honest, I don't have a pen that costs north of $200 (not because I don't want expensive pens, I just can't afford them at the moment), and my more affordable pens can hold their own against my more expensive ones.

 

At the end of the day, all that matters is that you enjoy the pens you buy. You can be satisfied with a Jinhao or a Montblanc or whatever else floats your boat. Only you can say what does and doesn't make you happy (with your pen or life in general). 😉

 

So go ahead and experiment. Figure out your preferences. Enjoy the hobby as much as you can. Everything else is just background noise. 😎

Speaking of plateau, Lamy 2000, Pilot Custom 74, and Pelikan M200 are the best examples of that. Beyond these, it just gets shinier the more money you throw at it.

[zaddick]

Value and what is expensive are both personal evaluations. This concept of a plateau may hold for many but not all. For me, personal experience speaks above the opinion of others who have "Internet-based" experiences.

 

There is no best, no right, and no answer other than the one you find for yourself.

 

That said, I will throw in my observation that nibs can be a lot more specialized and customized and expensive than most recognize. Toe that extra money is not about shiny or jewelry, it is about a whole different writing experience and one I may value at 5 times the cost of an entire LAMY 2000.