Ballpoint Vs Fountain Pens

[ksharin]

How come people are always buying more ballpoint pens as opposed to fountain pens when it clearly looks like collectors items are mostly fountain pens?

Is it as valuable from an investment standpoint to collect ballpoints as opposed to fountain pens?

Edited September 5, 2008 by ksharin

[BearsPaw]

How come people are always buying more rollerball pens as opposed to fountain pens when it clearly looks like collectors items are mostly fountain pens?

Is it as valuable from an investment standpoint to collect rollerballs as opposed to fountain pens?

:bonk:

 

I don't know for sure, but I can guess. Most people that buy them are probably not collectors, they are people that decide to buy a pen or two, maybe as a gift. These kinds of people probably don't use fountain pens, so they go to a store, look at the selection, and decide to buy a rollerball. On the other hand, the people that are really into pens probably use fountain pens, so fountain pens become collectors items.

[shoppy]

My first pen was a MB roller ball, reason being cost and on the basis that my hand writing was and still is chicken scrawl. My wife brought me a fountain pen for my birthday and I love to write with it. I have started learning to write cursive again and so I have also brought a fountain pem of a member here to use as my every day pen. I am by no means a collector buy just like pens. I will be buying another pen soon a ball point.

[BP3]

How come people are always buying more ballpoint pens as opposed to fountain pens when it clearly looks like collectors items are mostly fountain pens?

Is it as valuable from an investment standpoint to collect ballpoints as opposed to fountain pens?

 

I have an almost equal number of ballpoints, rollerballs, and fountain pens. For me, it's primarily a matter of practical utility. I used rollerballs for quite a few years, until I discovered Parker gel inserts for ballpoints. The gel inserts write as smoothly as a rollerball refill and, unlike my rollerball refills, I've never had a Parker gel leak on an airplane. Moreover, with ballpoints, I don't have to worry about losing the cap in some distant and vaguely-remembered conference room.

 

My fountain pens are strictly for home use. I'm afraid that if I pull one out at a business meeting, some wag will ask if I need to take a break to pinch some snuff and sneeze into my lace handkerchief. Also, fountain pens don't travel well and, at least with me, using them seems to generate a certain daydreaminess of attitude. Good for private journaling, but not so much for bullet-point business precision.

 

[dadoody]

I absolutely hated writing back in school. I hated writing in college. I hated it in high school. I hated cursive and found no redeeming qualities in it.

 

It wasn't until 3 years ago, 5 years out of schooling, that I picked up a Cross fountain pen. When I put pen to paper, it glided smooth and serenely. Writing acctually became a joy, but it fell out of favor with me when the pen started corroding and the ink started to fade.

 

It wasn't until 6-7 months ago when a man I knew died and the family gave me his old gold Cross Century fountain pen that I again put pen to paper and was absolutely pleased with the results. More so than with that ATX Cross pen I had 1st picked up. I came back onto this forum, and started reading about cheap Chinese pens that wrote smooth. That got me into replacing all roller ball pens with cheap fountain pens as daily writing pens.

 

And then you guys turned me onto Noodler's Inks........I think the Noodler's changed writing for me. The Eel inks turn a mediocre pen into a smooth gliding joy. The fact that they don't smudge after drying also ensured continued enjoyment. I also feel content that all contents from ink to bottle are made in the USA. You can really tell that the company LOVES to make ink. They don't just make ink to make it. I like people/companies that stand behind and take pride in their products.

 

My parents, who grew up in rural Thailand, used fountain pens growing up were perplexed as to why I would use such an antiquated/outdated/messy instrument, but were extremely surprised when they tested my pens and felt how smooth the writing was AND that when they ran their fingers over the words they just wrote the ink didn't smudge and get all over the place like it did when they were children.

 

I've been giving away cheap, but beautiful looking and smooth writing Chinese made fountain pens out as gifts this year to people I know who like to write and included a bottle of Noodler's Ink. I think I'm starting to make more converts.

Edited July 8, 2009 by dadoody

[niksch]

Dadoody-

 

DUDE--you completely resurrected this post from the dead. Like, WTH?

 

Glad to hear you like to write with FPs now. Still don't know why this is in the MB forum, but I'll bet there are a few here that will let us know why BPs are better (or different) than FPs.

 

[Dodging the sticks and stones!!!]

Edited July 8, 2009 by niksch