Starter Fps - Why Are They So Fugly?

[sciumbasci]

Ruling out Chinese pens for the moment, there is a plethora of less known pens that fit the bill without breaking the bank, good for starters yet that wouldn't look out of place in a more business like environment, such as Waterman Graduate

 

 

The Sheaffer VFM

 

 

Or the Sheaffer Pop (ex Award)

 

 

Parker Vector

 

 

Pelikano UP

 

 

I quite like Platignum studio, although it may not be for a kid because the girth and the heft is substantial.

 

 

Then there's always good old Dollar Stationery. 717i, FP-100... Buy a pack of ten, you won't regret it!

 

 

Edited February 26, 2020 by sciumbasci

[corniche]

Hi KCat,

 

Since you've been battling depression, a fun arts project with your granddaughter might be just the ticket.

 

I concur with those who suggested the Platinum Prefounte... they're great little Preppy's that are dressed up for the Prom. Platinum even sells adapters to accept international cartridges and converters. Get her favorite color and nib size and then do this:

 

https://youtu.be/qbxa7NE913Y

 

This way, you can make your own swirly pens that will be ONE OF A KIND... and it would be a great way to spend some "fun time" with your granddaughter. 👍 They use white, yellow and red oil paints, but I would imagine you could use whatever colors you like; as long as they're OIL-based paints.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Sean

[catbert]

Just bought one for my old azz to use!

 

Couldn't resist a couple myself.

 

Hi KCat,

 

Since you've been battling depression, a fun arts project with your granddaughter might be just the ticket.

 

I concur with those who suggested the Platinum Prefounte... they're great little Preppy's that are dressed up for the Prom. Platinum even sells adapters to accept international cartridges and converters. Get her favorite color and nib size and then do this:

 

https://youtu.be/qbxa7NE913Y

 

This way, you can make your own swirly pens that will be ONE OF A KIND... and it would be a great way to spend some "fun time" with your granddaughter. They use white, yellow and red oil paints, but I would imagine you could use whatever colors you like; as long as they're OIL-based paints.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Sean

 

 

Brilliant!

[Addertooth]

Consider a vintage all metal ring/ribbon pen. Those lady-sized pens would be perfect for her young hands, and the all metal ones pack a wallop of style. The ones made by WAHL frequently sell for about 50 bucks, and usually have really nice flexy nibs. This way, you also introduce her into the beauty of some of the Vintage pens.

[txomsy]

Have a look at Online pens

 

https://www.online-pen.de/en/home.html

 

German made, German quality, school pens, nice designs. Might be an alternative worth considering.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Okay, so that's subjective.

 

The deal. My seven year old granddaughter saw my FPs earlier this month. I let her write with the ones that were inked. My Decimo and three Pelikans (a Binderized m200 and two stock m620s - my Grand Place was her favorite https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2016/5/20/the-pelikan-m620-grand-place-fountain-pen-a-review

, and Piazza Navona).

 

She's 7 but she's smart as a whip and when I showed her how to hold it and told her not to use pressure she was on it like an artist. She had it down immediately and was doodling carefully and loving my pens. I would like to make the process a little easier and a little less intimidating for her but she really loved the swirls of my Grand Place. UGH!

 

All the pens for kids are just so... kiddie clunky and ugly. (IMO). She is really so far beyond that in some ways (in a G&T program, etc.) and I don't want to treat her like a baby. But I also don't want to give her a $500 pen. Because while I'm sure she will write correctly with it, I'm not sure she won't lose it at school.

 

I looked around and just didn't see anything in the $20-$50 range that was even remotely pretty. Everything was solid plastic, single color, or clear or chunky or metal. She is petite and needs lightweight but I'd like it to be something somewhat pretty. I can give her my Pilot Prera but it's a little bland. (Beige) Prera is probably the least objectionable of all the starter pens I saw. Still not "pretty" from this little girl's POV.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Didn't see anything on Goulet that I liked and I know they have a decent selection.

It's either Jinhao or Wing Sung that produces a Prera-like writer with a clear Pilot-looking feed and that satisfying cap click. Comes in bright and subdued colors, a bit longer than the Prera. Maybe a five-dollar pen.

 

I'm sure there are other solutions.

[corniche]

Brilliant!

Thank you, Catbert.

 

 

It's either Jinhao or Wing Sung that produces a Prera-like writer with a clear Pilot-looking feed and that satisfying cap click. Comes in bright and subdued colors, a bit longer than the Prera. Maybe a five-dollar pen.

 

I'm sure there are other solutions.

Hi Sailor,

 

I think you're thinking of the WS 3003.

 

Sean

[pen2paper]

Platinum Plaisir is lightweight, fits a small hand, in nifty bright colors too..mine was !Ruby! red.

Also sending a ((hug)), gentle suggestion of “Norman The Button” book. Norman’s simple imaginative 2” red plastic perspective reasonings around life changes are surprisingly profound for all ages.

[bemon]

I bought one of these for my daughter. It's lightweight and writes brilliantly. I'm sure many other junior pens share this feature, but the fact that the nib is easily replaceable is a huge bonus. Because your munchkin WILL drop it nib down at least once.

 

The only downside is, at least in the case of her pen, is the cap is a little tough to snap on and off. Little hands might need some help.

 

I get that it's not pretty and yes she enjoys my Edision Collier Blue Steel for it's swirls and sparkle. But the ABC isn't a terrible looking pen. Feels like real wood too.

 

Also, good job on your 7 year old learning any form of cursive. My 36 year old self can barely print legibly.

LAMY abc

 

https://www.lamyshop.com/fuellhalter-lamy-abc.html

 

--- my 7 y/o son ist just learning upright-cursive with it. Yeah, upright-cursive is a thing, at least in some parts of Continental Europe

Edited February 26, 2020 by bemon

[sansenri]

hmm... lots of suggestion but if you need to go pretty like the Grand Place at a fraction of the price your best bet is very likely one of the suggested PenBBS or Moonman.

Moonman m600s

 

 

there is a very nice purplish one on offer at around $24

 

check also the M100, slightly smaller for girly hands

 

PS the M600s is a lightweight pen and well balanced too, it's the size of a Parker Centennial (being an unashamed copy...) the nib may need your attention before handing it to your grand-daughter as comparison with the Pelikan nib may be unforgiving

Edited February 26, 2020 by sansenri

[txomsy]

Another possibility is a Reform 1745, NOS. They usually sell for ~10-15 USD, it is a school pen, made to tinker with, looks like a more expensive Pelikan and does not break the bank.

[sansenri]

no, come on, a Reform 1745 for a 7 year old that's in love with a Grand Place?

She'll throw it at you... (no offence, the 1745 is a great pen, but you can't say it's pretty, flashy, and would fascinate a 7 year old girl).

 

what about a Moonman M800 (you said price is not an issue, this is about $50, far less than a Grand Place...) swirly enough?

[sansenri]

here is another she may like (Live In You - LIY marble) - going up in price somewhat (depends how much you want to please her...)

 

[sansenri]

one more swirly LIY

[sansenri]

Back down in price, $13, a PenBBS 308? pink-purple swirl?

[corniche]

Back down in price, $13, a PenBBS 308? pink-purple swirl?

Pretty pens, indeed; sansenri, but don't they typically ship from China, (and China is shut down)?

 

Sean

[sansenri]

one more pretty pen at $19, PenBBS 480

 

[sansenri]

check Etsy out, I think they're active

[MuddyWaters]

Insult pens that others certainly enjoy then complain others are being snarky back at you. You see interesting people here on fpn.

[A Smug Dill]

Insult pens that others certainly enjoy then complain others are being snarky back at you.

 

Pens are inanimate objects. How can they be insulted?

 

People can be insulted, but I'm not seeing any overt claims that someone has poor taste or lack sophistication because they enjoy certain pens. Personal tastes and sentimental attachment need not be validated or shared by others or be regarded as having standing, either authoritatively or statistically, in the community and/or the market; nor do they need to be justified. People like what they like, and it's perfectly OK to stand alone — and even be shown to stand alone through others' declaration that those preferences are not shared, which is not an insult to the individual by any means.

 

Some of our fellows just read too much into things.

 

I personally have no problem with a peer declaring that particular pens I like or even love are subjectively "fugly" to him or her. I have more of an issue with unqualified or blanket statements applied to an entire class of objects, though; and the logical response is to explore whether the person making those claims has exhaustively considered all members of that class, especially when I have (what I consider to be) some counterexamples on hand in my personal collection. The initial (albeit erroneous, or at least questionable) statement in the open forum is not an affront to me; and my response to prove it wrong equally in the open is not intended to cause personal affront to anyone.

 

If the initial claim was, "Goulet only sells 'fugly' starter fountain pen models!" or, "All starter fountain pens in Goulet's range are 'fugly'!" then I probably wouldn't have bothered looking for and proffering information on exceptions to the claim, since I don't know enough about its product catalogue already and am not particularly interested in finding out more, since I never buy from Goulet myself, on account of its pricing and shipping charges.

Edited February 28, 2020 by A Smug Dill