Why Buy Expensive Pens?

[raffaele from turin - italy]

I'm afraid i am obvious...but i prefer my MB Medici ....a little more expensive than a Bic...but i can bear it...

[mongrelnomad]

I have found that there are two types of "expensive": 1. where the expense is for materials of commonly perceived worth (gold, silver, jewels etc) and often immaginary scarcity/exclusivity, and 2. where the expense buys intricacy, skill, uniqueness, communication and personalisation.

 

Nowadays, I am loathe to pay for 1, but find that my stomach for 2 has increased rather than abated.

 

There is very little in this writing world quite as wonderful as writing with a pen that has been crafted for you, to your specification, by an artisan whose skill and experience is unmatched, and with whom you've had direct contact throughout the process. It is no coincidence that my most expensive pens are also my favourite, and my best writers. (An example.)

 

That is, IMO, the beauty of an 'expensive' pen. And, as I have learnt, you won't find it in a Montblanc boutique or in Harrods pen department...

Edited August 6, 2013 by mongrelnomad

[Opooh]

One could turn the question, why is the pen I like so expensive?

[BrandonA]

I look at it from the other direction. I can't pathom why anyone would want more than on cheap pen. Cheap pens are purely functional and have very little in terms of design and nothing really makes the unique or note worthy.

 

Expensive though is a purely subjective term though. I don't class most of my pens as "expensive" as I budget for them and I think the quality justifies the price tag. I do have some which are cheaper than most and a couple which cost more than most of them.

 

The pen which cost me the most is my Einstein, I don't class this as expensive though as it is a great pen and I believe is truly worth it's value. My Hemingway on the other hand cost slightly less than the Einstein but I hated paying the price I did and I do think it is expensive. Why did I buy this expensive pen? To complete my set and for no other reason.

[LameJane]

Personally, I don't have a reason to buy expensive pens. I'm in this fountain pen business for utility and I don't want to delve into it any further. But most people here perceive and pursue fountain pens as a hobby. And as with any hobby, there are simply no rational reasons behind spending ridiculous amounts money. Whatever makes you happy. I'm sure you can relate to this, perhaps with a hobby of yours?

[Cinnia]

People buy luxury things because they make them feel special. It`s a form of compensation.

 

Well made pens don`t have to be expensive in order to make production possible, and high prices don`t guarantee you will receive the best quality.

 

I used to believe that in order to get a good quality pen, I have to look only for the high-end, top of the range pens. But as i found out, that`s simply not true.

 

Not everyone buys expensive things to feel special nor is it a form of compensation. Maybe some people are like that, but it's a bit childish to think that everyone is like that, don't you think?

 

Honestly, expensive things tend to have better quality. Not always, but it is often the case. For example, my Lamy 2000 writes a lot smoother than my Lamy Safari. Also, what is expensive is relative. Some people may find that $100 is expensive while others may find that cheap.

[ethernautrix]

One could turn the question another way: Why does this bother you?

Edited August 6, 2013 by ethernautrix

[anandaink]

For me, I guess there's really no "need" to, but the desire is definitely there. My most expensive pen right now is a Lamy Safari. It writes like a dream and, at $29 a pop, why should I spend more?

 

Welllll, because there's this one pen made me gasp the first time I saw it. I imagine carrying it for years and never tiring of it. I imagine it sitting on my desk, next to my journal. I imagine the joy of writing with it. It's about $175, which is quite a bit for me, as a newbie, to spend on a pen. But I have a feeling I will eventually take the plunge. Not because I need the pen. But because I really want it, I can afford it, and why not?

 

There are things in my life where I find it worth spending extra money- shoes, journals, nice bedding, certain pieces of furniture. There are other things that I prefer to buy cheap or more in the more modest range- clothes, cars, cell phones. Life is short. Only you know what is worth the expense to you.

[corniche]

Greetings all,

 

Lately, I have to wonder why someone would buy an expensive pen - and believe me, I have a few; however, I have a few cheap pens as well. A couple of them really stand out. I have two Pilot Metropolitans that are great writers and I have three Noodler's Ahabs, (with a fourth one on the way), that when fitted with a Knox K-35 nib, writes as smoothly as any of my Pelikans ever did.

 

An example: I purchased an Ahab from ISellPens for $13; a Knox K-35 nib from XFountainPens for $9; so for $22 plus shipping, I have a pen that writes as smoothly as a Pelikan. I also love the Noodler's Ahab pens because I can adjust them to my own preferences, I can easily adjust the nib to be wet writer- try doing that with a MB 149 or Pilot 823 - and you won't find a pen that's easier to completely clean - try to thouroughly clean an MB 149.

 

One viable concern is will my Noodler's Ahabs and Pilot Metropolitans still be putting thoughts to paper 35 years from now like my gold Sheaffer Targa and Parker 51 Aerometric are doing for me today? It would be great if they did, but who can say? Since I have no children to leave them to, it doesn't much matter to me if they're still writing 35 years from now.

 

I'm happy with my Ahabs and Metropolitans; they have both satisfied me to the point where I would have to think long and hard before I decided to throw down $200+ for a single pen. Personally, I would rather take the $200+ and buy a couple of nice Ahabs (with K-35 or Goulet nibs) and give the balance to the local food bank.

 

I guess it all depends on what you're looking for.

 

All the best,

 

Sean

Edited August 6, 2013 by S. P. Colfer

[Ghost Plane]

Great art sometimes (not always) comes with a higher price tag. When I write with my Spirit of Life bespoke pen from Henry Simpole, I'm expressing myself with something I designed with Salman Khattak and Henry Simpole wrapped in a verse from Baha'u'llah's "Hidden Words" and it lifts my heart. THAT feeling is priceless.

 

The IB Conway Stewart nib writes beautifully, too. May my words someday be as beautiful as the thought, prayers and hard work that went into it.

[jar]

And the number one reason to buy expensive pens?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No one will give them to me.

[carlos.q]

I bought my Bic disposable fountain pens in Staples, in the US, so they may be fairly widely distributed.

 

I bought a 3 pack of Bic disposable pens in Wal-Mart... Waste of money IMO. Which begs the question: Why buy cheap pens?

[Runnin_Ute]

The pen of mine that seems to get used the most is my most expensive, although at $99 USD is not very expensive compared to some. A True Writer Silver Anniversary (F) by Levenger. It looks and writes like a much more expensive pen. (not that I have any experience with pens significantly more expensive) One of the reasons I like it.

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af283/Runnin_Ute/20130221_093852_zps53b62438.jpg

[GabrielleDuVent]

Well, there's also the definition of "expensive". There is a family story of an acquaintance saying "something expensive!" when she was asked where she'd like to eat on a date. My father laughed and said, "well, I'd have taken her to the worst restaurant ever. Paying any money for bad food is really expensive."

 

So, in the strict sense of terms, expensive means value < price tag. Some people will see a $500 worth of value in $500 pen. Some people won't. For people who are satisfied with Papermates, buying even a Lamy Safari would be expensive. For someone like users here, Lamy Safari is not expensive at all.

 

And then there's the question of the user. Pearl before swine is expensive indeed (interestingly, we have the exact same saying in Japan... why pearls and swine?). Pearl before Cleopatra? Not really. For someone who writes novels, or a diarist, or anyone who writes extensively, a $500 pen that gives comfort and prolonged usage is cheap. For someone who just signs names, $500 is really expensive in my opinion.

[Russ]

If you have to ask why people buy expensive pens, you probably aren't ready for any answer from others until you experience it for yourself. One of my first posts to fpn was a fairly insouciant comment about how anyone could pay more than $120 for a pen. That was years ago. Since then I have spent upwards of $700 for a pen and never had a regret.

[max dog]

I took a friend to a pen shop to buy some ink and a fountain pen once, and he asked me this very same question. My automatic response was, "if I have to do a lot of writing, why not do it with something nice that makes me happy."

 

I like things where a great deal of attention to detail, care, passion, and love went into it's creation. Often these things (like fountain pens) can be expensive, not always, but can be. If a mass produced BIC crystal or a $5 fountain pen can make you happy, then all the power to you. For me when it comes to writing instruments, what puts a smile on my face is a solid sterling silver Cross 150th anniversay ball point pen or a burgandy Montblanc No 146 Le Grand fountain pen or a gorgeous blue striated Pelikan Souveran M600 or a......etc.

[nakiana]

I've seen the same question on various forums that focus on other areas of interest. To me the question really says, "Why doesn't everyone else think the way I do?" People are different, and it is the variety that makes life interesting. I enjoy seeing people who have a passion for something, whether it be fountain pens or something else.

[GeneralSynopsis]

it is like comparing a 1970 Cadillac Eldorado or 1970 Buick Riviera with a Scion XB or a Nissan Micra.

 

A nice point, but you probably do not realise why. Nissan Micras (at least before Nissan and Renault teamed up, and maybe even now) were superbly engineered, not to appeal to the luxury market but to reliably do the job they were designed for at a price that was affordable.

 

The point is: good engineering is not synonymous with expense or luxury or even what aficionados consider "good".

 

In other fields double blind experiments usually discover that the differences that aficionados claim to be able to detect between mass market and top of the market products are illusory (It is a pity that double blind comparisons of pens is not feasible).

 

.

Edited August 7, 2013 by GeneralSynopsis

[Fleetlord]

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Whenever questions like these come up, and I have the time to do so, I like to do a little research into the posting history of the poster who has posed the question...

 

So, back on July 29 you posted this as your initial post in this forum...

 

"I've always loved writing with fountain pens but it never occurred to me that there was a world of expensive luxuries lurking behind my LAMY Safari (great pen anyhow)!

 

Anyway, having discovered this site and set my heart on purchasing a nice, medium priced fountain pen, I wondered if I could have some advice?

 

Firstly, what types of pens would you people advise in the 120-150 dollar price range?"

 

 

So, to answer your question, I would look upon your desire to "upgrade" from the Lamy Safari to the "$120-$150 dollar price range" pen...

 

Why is the Lamy not sufficient? Why are you looking to get a pen that costs 6x as much as a street priced Lamy Safari?

 

Why are you using a Lamy Safari and not a $10 Pilot Varsity?

 

You seem to be conflicted. A few days ago, you're asking for advisement for pens that cost considerably more than what your currently using, but now you're questioning why do people buy expensive pens?

Edited August 7, 2013 by Fleetlord

[lahlahlaw]

I say buy the pens you want

 

 

Whenever questions like these come up, and I have the time to do so, I like to do a little research into the poster who has posed the question...

 

So, back on July 29 you posted this as your initial post in this forum...

 

"I've always loved writing with fountain pens but it never occurred to me that there was a world of expensive luxuries lurking behind my LAMY Safari (great pen anyhow)!

 

Anyway, having discovered this site and set my heart on purchasing a nice, medium priced fountain pen, I wondered if I could have some advice?

 

Firstly, what types of pens would you people advise in the 120-150 dollar price range?"

 

 

So, to answer your question, I would look upon your desire to "upgrade" from the Lamy Safari to the "$120-$150 dollar price range" pen...

 

Why is the Lamy not sufficient? Why are you looking to get a pen that costs 6x as much as a street priced Lamy Safari?

 

Why are you using a Lamy Safari and not a $10 Pilot Varsity?

 

You seem to be conflicted. A few days ago, you're asking for advisement for pens that cost considerably more than what your currently using, but now you're questioning why do people buy expensive pens?

The OP is trying to make sense of these confusing feelings! (like when one hits puberty )

 

I'm sure we can all relate to researching that next sexy pen and thinking to oneself: "I don't need you, but I WANT you!! )

 

OP - Don't try to make sense of the madness, there's no logical explanation ... Just spend as much as your comfortable with; you'll find great writers in all price ranges.