How often do you see people using fountain pens?

[prf5]

So why subscribe to a fountain pen forum? It's like a vegan following a raw steak forum.

 

I think Vpen is in the right place. This person has used several fountain pens and seems interested in finding one for under $100.00 that writes smoothly and starts up without a pause. I have two that meet these criteria and several that don't. Vpen is also pointing out that in a digital work environment, reaching for a cheap ballpoint or gel pen when needed seems pretty reasonable. Why bother with a fountain pen when you spend so little time writing by hand? I suspect that's a fairly common observation and goes a long way to explaining why so few people have seen anyone else using a fountain pen.

 

My suggestion is that rather than continuing to buy on-line, even from the most reputable dealers, Vpen would do well to visit a full-service pen store and see if there's anything at any price point that fully meets their needs. If so, then it's worthwhile to look at prices.

[Vpen]

So why subscribe to a fountain pen forum?

It's like a vegan following a raw steak forum.

Because deep down I know I love them, it's just that phase where I am struggling to make the relationship work .

[Vpen]

 

I think Vpen is in the right place. This person has used several fountain pens and seems interested in finding one for under $100.00 that writes smoothly and starts up without a pause. I have two that meet these criteria and several that don't. Vpen is also pointing out that in a digital work environment, reaching for a cheap ballpoint or gel pen when needed seems pretty reasonable. Why bother with a fountain pen when you spend so little time writing by hand? I suspect that's a fairly common observation and goes a long way to explaining why so few people have seen anyone else using a fountain pen.

 

My suggestion is that rather than continuing to buy on-line, even from the most reputable dealers, Vpen would do well to visit a full-service pen store and see if there's anything at any price point that fully meets their needs. If so, then it's worthwhile to look at prices.

Thanks prf5, nice advice, I should visit a nice pen-store where I can get advice from the experts, rather than doing the hit or miss with online purchases.

[the_gasman]

Because deep down I know I love them, it's just that phase where I am struggling to make the relationship work .

Ah, so this is just part of the coming out party!

 

My suggestion is that rather than continuing to buy on-line, even from the most reputable dealers, Vpen would do well to visit a full-service pen store and see if there's anything at any price point that fully meets their needs. If so, then it's worthwhile to look at prices.

Good suggestion, prf5. I might add a suggestion to visit a pen show. I went to my first show a few weeks ago and I was like a kid in a sweet shop — I just didn't know where to look next, my eyes were all over the place. I bought a beautiful Mabie-Todd Swan for £25 and it writes like a dream. That's about the same price as a Lamy Al star in a UK high street shop. I love Lamy Al stars but to get an exquisite vintage pen with a gold nib for the same price is fantastic.

 

If a show comes anywhere near you, Vpen, try it. You won't regret it, and the vintage beauties will completely turn your head.

 

Cheers, David.

 

PS: I wasn't being derogatory in my first post, BTW, I just couldn't understand why you were here, but now I know (and understand). Don't resist; resistance is futile!

[Vpen]

Ah, so this is just part of the coming out party!

 

Good suggestion, prf5. I might add a suggestion to visit a pen show. I went to my first show a few weeks ago and I was like a kid in a sweet shop — I just didn't know where to look next, my eyes were all over the place. I bought a beautiful Mabie-Todd Swan for £25 and it writes like a dream. That's about the same price as a Lamy Al star in a UK high street shop. I love Lamy Al stars but to get an exquisite vintage pen with a gold nib for the same price is fantastic.

 

If a show comes anywhere near you, Vpen, try it. You won't regret it, and the vintage beauties will completely turn your head.

 

Cheers, David.

 

PS: I wasn't being derogatory in my first post, BTW, I just couldn't understand why you were here, but now I know (and understand). Don't resist; resistance is futile!

Thanks David, great advice. I checked, unfortunately no pen-shows near me in 2015 . Will wait for next year. Thanks.

[MarkSimenhoff]

This is a great topic. I am going to try to resurrect it by saying almost never do I see someone else using a fountain pen. Maybe once a year - at a pen show. What i will norice is a pen clip signaling the existence of a nice pen in a breast pocket. I am always amazed that so many people are satisfied with ballpoints. These days, even a gel pen offers such a better writing experience.

[fountainpenjunkie]

This is a great topic. I am going to try to resurrect it by saying almost never do I see someone else using a fountain pen.

Thank you, MSH! These days I'm excited just to see a picture of a fountain pen. I'm surprised how often one is used as a 'clip art' type digital image in online training programs. A co-worker showed me his five year tenure award gift card and there was a fountain pen nib and section depicted on it, next to the cursive script, ""Thank you!"

 

Just lost a Lamy Safari the other day. I wear Hawaiian shirts to work and the one I was wearing had no pocket. So I slid the pen between the buttons and clipped it to the placket (?). My heart sank when I pulled it out for note taking in class and only the empty cap came out. I'd only walked about three miles that day. It was gone. If anyone needs an extra fluorescent yellow safari cap, let me know.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I just got back from a trip. When I was waiting for my departing flight on the 14th, I noticed somebody writing in a day planner with a fountain pen, something similar to a Pilot Custom Heritage 91, but not necessarily that model. He was evidently busy, so I didn't speak to him. But this was the only time since I started using fountain pens myself, five or so years ago, that I've noticed another person using a fountain pen. It's fairly uncommon.

 

One woman I know recently noticed me using a Platinum 3776, and mentioned having a Montblanc of some sort at home. She said that she rarely uses it because it has too broad a line for her. I've only seen her using ballpoints though.

Edited March 23, 2016 by ISW_Kaputnik

[maus930]

Rarely , if ever -- one doctor I use has Pelikan

[katm201]

Other than family members (husband, mom, aunt) and pen shows, the only other person I've seen using a fountain pen was a guy I met at Maido - a Japanese stationary store in San Francisco. I had my Lamys, TWSBIs, and Pilots with me, he had his Sailors and Pelikans, so we spent some time trying each other's pens out. It made me want a Sailor badly enough to ask my mom for one for my birthday! We shall see if I get it...

[Ecriveur]

A few months ago, while on a trip to Portland, OR, I found myself sitting at a table near a woman who was using what I immediately recognized was a Pilot Vanishing Point. I think that's the only time in many years that I've seen another person using a fountain pen, obviously excluding people I see at pen shows and in fountain pen stores.

[RJRM]

Very, very, very rarely. A coworker broke one out yesterday and it's the first I've seen in use at the various offices my company has around the world in the 10 years I've travelled them. I have seen more meteors in flight than fountain pens in action.

[Gofixmix]

Good question. Sadly, NEVER.

Have to go to the pen show...

[ppdiaporama]

I can't remember the last time that I saw someone outside my circle of influence use a fountain pen.

 

I did get my daugther into fountain pens, and now she is getting some of her friends into fountain pens too and at the office I've gotten a couple of my employees hooked on fountain pens.

[Guardy]

Some people at university use fountain pens; mostly the younger ones who still use their old Lamy Safari or AL-Star they used at school*. I also see a few of the cheaper Online pens and similarly affordable student-grade pens every now and then.
It's not the most common writing implement, but also not exceedingly rare.

 

My dad uses fountain pens, too.

 

*the handful of students over 30, interestingly, seem to prefer pencils, while anything between 23-30 seems most likely to use ballpoint pens or laptops.

[pajaro]

Never.

[fountainpenjunkie]

Well, my lab partner in my networking class recognized my Pelikan M200 as a fountain pen and told me of a pretty impressive Chinese eye dropper that he believes was stolen from his backpack. He described it as having silver filigree around the barrel and a jade ball on top of the cap. It was a gift and he loved it and used it all the time.

He asked for a recommendation on a pen to buy. After showing various Lamys and Pilots online. I ended up gifting him a couple Waterman pens. Turned out he is a Harley Davidson fan and that worked out great, cause I had a pen I received in a trade, it had graphics on it that were not my cup of tea. He was thrilled to receive it and I am thrilled with his remarkable computing skills that have us near the top of the class. Since he is very patient with the old, slow, dumb guy, I also found the version of Waterman Harley pen that I've gifted to several of my motorcycling friends. It's the one with a cap and clip that resemble an engine cylinder. The one I found was NOS with the gas tank presentation case. Gave that to him last night with my sincere thanks for all his assistance in the class. He was using first the pen so much he asked about the ink hanging up in the converter. I hadn't seen that before, but know it's not right. He thought the converter knob was supposed to be turned to supply more ink t o the nib. I let him know the ink is supposed to flow with gravity and not stay at the top of the converter. Anyone have a solution for that?

[Manalto]

I think it's a surface tension issue and have been told that one drop of dish detergent in the bottle of ink should resolve the problem. (I haven't tried it.) I've also heard that putting a tiny, non-corrosive ball bearing or spring inside the converter, or finding one that already has either, will work. Again, I've never inserted a surface-tension breaker in a converter, but I have a couple of pens with converters that already have the bead inside, and have found that there is never the gravity-defying hang-up of ink problem that you describe. I hope this helps.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Manalto

[lovemy51]

well, when i was living in San Francisco, CA USA i saw an average of maybe one per month -these are random people, not friends i knew they owned FP's... i'm now residing in Greenville, South Carolina -for a bout a year and few months- and aside from a friend whom i gifted a FP, NO ONE carries a fountain pen......... they are obsolete in this town!!!

Edited February 10, 2017 by lovemy51

[Freddy]

Since this post..........https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/46742-how-often-do-you-see-people-using-fountain-pens/?p=3063945

 

Nada

 

 

Fred

 

Meat's meat..and a man's gotta eat.

Vincent Smith