How often do you see people using fountain pens?

[Woodie]

When I was in seminary many of the students carried FP's. That's where I got the bug. Just a couple weeks ago I was on an elevator when I saw the MB white star emblem sticking out of a man's shirt pocket across from me. I asked if he carried a MB he nodded and when I asked if it was a FP he smiled and now we are lifelong friends, even though I don't know his name or where he was from or even if I would recognize him again. Still, best friends

[tedd]

When I sold fine pens, I met and sold supplies to regulars. Out in the world, only rarely did I come across a fountain pen user. My friend Jason (who is probably a member here) is one of a few that I know of (I got him started into looking at fine pens). A co-worker of mine also had some fountain pens- Pelikans and/or Cross pens I believe.

[Centopar]

We are a very small team, but a few of my colleagues started using FPs after they saw mine (and I think it's less uncommon here in the UK than it is in the US; here many of us learned to use them at school). So I see them being used most days; one of my engineers uses one exclusively now for his notes, and some of the guys in the design team do too for draughting. Another colleague was already using them before he joined us; he has a beautiful italic hand which I envy horribly.

 

A very nice thing happened last month: we had a visit from a member of the Royal Family (they do this occasionally to promote UK business). Our office manager hadn't printed any name-cards because the printer didn't accept that format of card, so I hand-wrote them with a lovely Mabie Todd wet noodle in my best Spencerian (which isn't very good, but it's prettier than nothing). Someone moved to take theirs, and I said: "Can you hold off a minute? It needs to wait to dry, or else I can blot it; but if I do, it won't look so nice." So he waited, while one of the engineers said snarkily: "There *are* these things called ballpoints, you know. You'd be done by now."

 

So I held up one of the namecards to show him. He said: "Oh. Man. I take that back. God, that's *beautiful*."

 

And later on, the Royal Personage came in and said: "Who is the artist? Those badges are beautiful."

 

I have been walking on air ever since.

[Aquinata]

Never. Not once.

 

Unless you count the gent who used to run the old pen and shaver store downtown where I bought my first Waterman. That was 35 years ago and the shop is long gone.

[maus930]

None --- it is a BIC culture

[camoandconcrete]

I have a professor at RWU who uses LAMYs. I've seen a lime green Safari and a silver Al-Star in his breast pocket.

[AnnieB123]

I hang with the science nerds... and I live in Europe, so honestly I see people with fountain pens more often than most, probably. I would say that I see people 'in the wild' using FPs weekly, or maybe slightly more often.

 

I've also had several maths and/or chemistry professors who used (and collected) FPs. In fact one or two of them are probably members of this forum.

A gazillion years ago when I was at school we were required to use FPs for our examinations and essays. My mum -still- has notebooks and composition books -filled- with Latin declensions I did during the last geologic era years ago.

 

Remember these things?

and

http://twopeasinapoddesigns.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/composition_book.jpg

 

Anyhow, yes.. I still see students and professors and the occasional coffee-shop-journal-writer using FPs.

Edited November 2, 2013 by AnnieB123

[larsbj]

Other than my wife (which lends one of mines now and then), currently none. At work the last boss had a MB146 in a desk stand for signing documents. And a friend of mine from grad school used hers to take notes at lectures, as I did to. But thats about 16 years ago, and she lives 2000km away and do not count now.

 

So, to sum it up, I'm the odd one.

[Biff]

I have never seen a person use a fountain pen. Once my boss asked to borrow my pen. When he saw that it was a fountain pen, he refused it. My own family scorns me.

Edited November 3, 2013 by Nicolas_Rieussec

[Biff]

Good god ... the man at the table next to mine at a local café - grey-haired, hooded sweatshirt, loafers - has a fountain pen in his hand).

Sounds like the Unabomber.

[ravantra]

Sounds like the Unabomber.

[Bill]

FP users cut through all sections of life but I think the frequency of FP encounters mostly depends on your work or social circles.

 

When I posted to a similar thread years ago, I rarely saw another FP user. But now I spend most of my time in DC and overseas, and often encounter another user or users at one time. Last month I sitting at a conference table with people I had never met before and three of us were using fountain pens. That might help explain the 6+ pen stores in metropolitan DC.

[Regulateur]

The only other person I have seen using a FP in my 25 years + professional life was the representative of one of our supplier. The guy was from Toronto. Besides him, I am the only one at work using a FP. I sometimes feel as if I am from another planet.

[fpconverted]

ALso a professed fountain pen user I am always on the lookout for other members of our ELITE group *smile*! Its rare to see another fp user at least I can say almost never. Ive yet to see another fountain pen user actually.

[ravantra]

I know two acquaintances that collect FP s but have never seen them use one. Strange.

[Guernseytim]

only when I look in the mirror!

my daily writing pens are a Neon Lamy Safari and a Carbon Fibre Fabre Castell and I get funny looks from both clients and colleagues who seemingly think I'm posh for using fountain pens!

I have a very ostentatious chinese Jinhao which looks far more expensive than it is and I daren't take that into work as they'll misjudge it.

 

Most people I know use those nasty cheap biros that you have to warm up before use.

[Geeman]

One of the partners in my firm uses a Parker Sonnet and to most of our colleagues and clients our FPs are something of an oddity.

I have recently noticed that several of the judges at the local court use Lamy Safari pens.

[LWJ2]

I see a few students from Hollins and Roanoke colleges using them at Mill Mountain (our local coffee roaster/shop). Other than that, one or two of the older physicians with whom I worked prior to retirement. I was the only FP user in a radiology department of 50+ people, and at that I was forced to adopt a ballpoint eventually because of Carilion's sad addiction to NCR forms.

 

Once I retired, I went back to daily use of FPs and not infrequently get comments, usually from youngsters who haven't seen a fountain pen or who remark that dad or granddad used to use one. Almost invariably they remark on how pretty my pen is, even if it's my run-of-the-mill Reform 1745. I may have corrupted ruined converted some of them. I blame it on Baystate Blue, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

Leon

[Tadeusz]

Just one other, in a high school of 4,000. Many claim that they do, only to not know the difference between a feed or nib from a stick of pencil lead. I have tried to convert, but people will use the pen feed side up.... And then...they..... PUSH DOWN as though they were using a ball pen..., I've lost many a pen that way.

[jvmadhavan]

In India atleast in the part where I live all school kids suppose to use fountain pens, even they distribute the same as birthday gifts to fellow students. Everyone has atleaset two or three, but they are all, in most cases, inexpensive pens.

Edited November 6, 2013 by jvmadhavan