How often do you see people using fountain pens?

[Manalto]

Why would anyone use a fountain pen? They're leaky, unreliable, stain your fingers, your writing totally disappears if you get water on it and you have to line up the nib or it won't write correctly - if it will write at all. People who use fountain pens are bonkers. I'm glad I'm not one of them.

Edited February 10, 2017 by Manalto

[Mihailo]

I have spied about 4-5 people in my 7 months of addiction to fp usage. Both a professor and a fellow student using a Lamy safari, a fellow at my local coffee shop using a Namiki (don't know model), and 2 of the workers at Iwan Riese.

[Arkamas]

Sadly, I have yet to see anyone else with one...

[oldrifleman]

There are very few in my office area. I did happen to be in a meeting with one a couple of weeks ago and we were both really surprised when we noticed the pens. I had one of my Pelikans and she had a Vintage Shaffer.

[matteob]

My dad has used one for years and got me into them again. I have not seen anyone else use one though in a long while. Maybe they keep them at home. I must admit I sometimes don't carry mine about.

[fountainpenjunkie]

A friend just point out an article in which Debra Messing is a fountain open user.

Edited January 7, 2019 by fountainpenjunkie

[surprise123]

All 4 physics teachers and one chem teacher at my school use fountain pens. One Vanishing Point, one Parker 51, one Pilot Varsity, Osmoroid (said they saw Neil Degrasse Tyson using one), and the chem teacher hoards vintage pens.

[WLSpec]

Never, besides pen shows. I am always looking, though.

[A Smug Dill]

So, I am curious if you folks see a lot of others using or carrying fountain pens?

Not 'a lot', but I see my fiancée using fountain pens almost daily. It helps that I bought her about twenty (not all of them expensive or 'premium'!) pens of her own, and we now have about 120 fountain pens inked available for her from which to choose, when she wants to write something down in her journal or just on a shopping list. We don't have as many ballpoint pens and rollerballs in the house!

 

This is what I've learnt: giving family and friends the stuff I/we 'like' gives them the opportunity to try them at their leisure and create some sort of 'obligation' (or psychological pressure) for them to do so. Giving one of my best mates some of the new running gear, packable knapsacks, etc. I bought led to his favouring them and using them, even if he may not go out of his way to buy them himself and/or spread the word. If we really want to foster interest in the wider community for something, perhaps we ought to be like 'dealers' and offer the first 'hit' at our own expense.

Edited January 8, 2019 by A Smug Dill