5 Reasons To Use Fountain Pens

[XiaoMG]

I don't buy most of the justifications and don't think anyone is obliged to justify unless the hobby is financially harmful.

 

1) FPs are not more comfortable or easier to write with

2) FPs do not improve my handwriting

3) FP inks are generally more of a hassle and are more finicky about paper

4) FPs do not save me money

5) People in general have much better things to care about than what I'm writing with or why.

 

I like the decoupling of the nib and the ink supply, and I like shading. I also like the look of some nibs.

[AZBennett]

1) FPs allowed me to ENJOY the writing experience again, something I lost years ago.

 

2) I am a vintage FP guy and vintage pens feel different in my hand, like they have a soul.

 

3) Overall pen variety, there is a pen/nib/ink for everybody and no two people enjoy the exact same pen/nib/ink combinations

 

4) The written word is overlooked but is just as much art as a painting, FPs put the art back into writing and the soul of letters can be seen.

 

5) They are just plain fun, BPs/RBs are boring utilitarian tools, FPs are instruments of creation.

[masterguns]

1. Variety of ink colors available

2. Variety of nibs to choose from for a distinctive look

3. Fountain pens come in all shapes, colors, and sizes that can reflect my personality

4. "Hands on" with the nib and ink selection is fun

5. Chicks dig 'em

[pendexter]

1. fp's are more mechanically more interesting to play with.

2. italics, obliques, etc.

3. different color/viscosity inks.

4. good craftsmanship is very noticeable.

5. variety of writing experience depending on the pen, nib, ink, paper, etc.

[bluejay]

1. Inks on my fingers

2. Inks on my shirt

3. Inks on my jacket

4. Inks bleeding through every sheet

5. 100x more expensive than ballpoints

[Medsen Fey]

5. Chicks dig 'em

 

 

BINGO!!!!

[georgeb]

I just say, "I like them." Sometimes I'll add a shurg and say again, "I just like them."

 

Ah, the shrug turns life to art.

[NedC]

They're more fun, at least five times more fun;)

[pmhudepo]

They glide across the page so easily -- a joy to write with, from journaling to note-taking

 

There are many different nibs available -- EF to O3B, flexible, italic, etc.

 

There are so many colours of ink available

 

A handwritten note is much more personal than e-mail or texting, and a fountain pen helps, whether you're looking for an effect like shading or line variation, or simply because its smooth movement results in more elegant letter forms

 

You can tinker with them, replace parts, tune the ink flow, grind your own nib, mix your inks, create your own writing tools.

 

It's a lot of fun to use older pens, sometimes a few decades or even a century old, and still get your message across. Nothing against the latest smartphones, cameras or other technology, but nice to know that some things do last quite a bit longer than a few years before they're incompatible with today's world.

[pmhudepo]

5. No one wants to borrow my pen

 

So true! I've "lost" countless ballpoint pens, but never a fountain pen.

[huy3825]

Cheaper ink in most if not all cases

[Zookie]

I love to write

I'm obsessed with them

I can't stop myself

Oh No! Not another one

Please help me!!

[flatline]

"It's a medical condition."

 

Actually, I don't think anyone has ever asked me why I use fountain pens. If someone did, I'm pretty sure my honest reply would simply be "because I like them".

 

--flatline

[georges zaslavsky]

awesome and avoid to have cramps

reliable

collectible

adds to the style of a person

timeless

[sirgilbert357]

Tha main reason for me is I just like the way they move across the paper. There's more of a physical connection to the words you're laying down. It's like the difference in road feel going from an SUV (ballpoint) to a good sports car (FP). One lets you drive ACROSS the road, the other lets you FEEL it.

 

Are they cheaper? No way. Unless you buy a Pilot Varsity and refill it with the cheapest ink you can find...I've spent more on the one FP I have than I would have spent on refills for my Parker Jotter in 10 years. Since I doubt I'll own just one, I see my total investment in writing going well past "increasing exponentially", LOL. Did we forget about inks and paper? I don't even want to think about it...

 

Do they help with hand fatigue? Debateable. A gel pen or rollerball can usually achieve the same writing angle and needs little to no pressure too...I think it's all in how you hold the pen. Since adjusting my death grip to a more relaxed one, I write better with my gel pens too, so, YMMV. Maybe a FP just makes some of us more aware of how we hold it. Likely different for every person.

 

Ink choices. No contest, FP's are way more fun here. So many to choose from.

 

Style. Again, I'd say no contest. I see more style choices with FP's due to the vintage offerings and the wide range of nibs you can select from for the same pen color/body. A single pen could be offered in 5 different nib sizes and 3 different colors/materials (solid gold, steel, two-tone, etc). Try getting that with a ball point.

 

I've had someone scoff at my watch obsession before and I just said "We all have something we like to spend our money on". He straightened up and said "Hmm, never thought of it that way...I spend a lot of money TV's, iPads, iPhones, etc".

 

If a stranger asked me why I like FP's? "I just love the way they write".

[oshizemi]

Because it adds to my eccentric and misanthropic flair. No, you may not borrow my pen. No, I don't want to talk about it.

 

I haven't actually been asked *why* I use them, or heard anything negative really. I think there's general enough interest in a lot of people, familiarity with what they are, and certain associations. Most people think they're pretty cool when they see them. I generally spout off "get one on ebay (or JetPens, GouletPens, or mention the disposable ones at whatever office supply store I remember), check out Fountain Pen Network, welcome to another hobby to drain your disposable income" when they ask too many questions. Most of those people use fountain pens too now. So.

[de_pen_dent]

I agree with XiaoMG - most of us dont write enough to really claim "reduced writing fatigue" as an excuse. And barring school/college students, when was the last time the quality of anyone's handwriting mattered?

 

For me - I like the tactile feel of a nib on paper, I like using various inks, I like line variation and I enjoy the act of writing with a pen. That's 4 reasons and they are good enough for me!

[Diderot]

Because I can.

[tinysnail]

most of these come down to having more choice, for me

 

1. ink choices, independent of nib and pen body

2. nib choices, independent of ink and pen

3. Pen body choices

4. Enjoying the actual act of writing a whole lot more

5. The depth of the hobby! There's so much to read and learn

[TSherbs]

Good

 

writing

 

gets

 

you

 

sex