New To Fountain Pens, Need Advice...

[Runnin_Ute]

A Parker 45 or 45 Flighter is a good inexpensive knock about vintage/semi vintage pen. c/c filler

some were actually "school pens".

[redisburning]

why does it have to be cheap again?

 

I took 100 dollar pens to school and never lost one. At this point if I lose a pen or it gets ruined it's as a "responsible adult" with a day job.

 

forums are rife with the "starter" item whether it's the Lamy AL-Star, Spyderco Delico, Nifty Fifty, MIM Stratocaster, etc. It's always about how many people quit. But how many people quit because they started with something they didn't like?

 

The only time I think it's actually true is with motorcycles because the propensity to kill yourself with one seems to scale exponentially with displacement.

[ac12]

 

why does it have to be cheap again?

 

I took 100 dollar pens to school and never lost one. At this point if I lose a pen or it gets ruined it's as a "responsible adult" with a day job.

 

forums are rife with the "starter" item whether it's the Lamy AL-Star, Spyderco Delico, Nifty Fifty, MIM Stratocaster, etc. It's always about how many people quit. But how many people quit because they started with something they didn't like?

 

The only time I think it's actually true is with motorcycles because the propensity to kill yourself with one seems to scale exponentially with displacement.

 

Because when I went to college, IF I had lost my Parker 75 or 180, I could not afford to replace it. I could afford to replace my Parker 45s, but absolutely not the 75 or 180.

Once I started working, I had a gold Cross pen (which was a gift) stolen from my desk. At that time, just out of college, I could not afford to replace that pen.

 

If you have that much money that loosing a $100-200 pen is not an economic hit, yes go ahead and get the expensive pens.

The term "loosing" is an all encompassing term covering; loss, stolen, damage, etc. So one can loose a pen through no fault of their own, and still have to suffer the economic impact of loosing that pen.

 

And the OP has said he lost his Lamy Logo, so he has gone through this issue.

[Baric]

The only time I think it's actually true is with motorcycles because the propensity to kill yourself with one seems to scale exponentially with displacement.

 

Oops, I started with a Harley Dyna Low Rider. Lucky I'm not dead, I guess.

 

With motorcycles, I think it has more to do with the maturity level of the rider. Silly riders die young... or get seriously hurt or crippled. Displacement doesn't seem to factor into it, at least in my experience.

 

As for the inexpensive pens, it makes sense to me as long as the pen is very good quality and happily, that's very possible. Folks coming from ballpoints and rollerballs must get some very serious sticker shock when they see what's out there. Decent low end pens let people get their feet wet without scaring them away, hugging their wallet tight as they go...

[Algester]

why does it have to be cheap again?

 

I took 100 dollar pens to school and never lost one. At this point if I lose a pen or it gets ruined it's as a "responsible adult" with a day job.

 

forums are rife with the "starter" item whether it's the Lamy AL-Star, Spyderco Delico, Nifty Fifty, MIM Stratocaster, etc. It's always about how many people quit. But how many people quit because they started with something they didn't like?

 

The only time I think it's actually true is with motorcycles because the propensity to kill yourself with one seems to scale exponentially with displacement.

well I could say start your highschool with a MB 149 so... but I think thats just being... sarcastic? I could argue about getting to the 100USD range but again 100 USD isnt that "cheap" to earn when you loose it unless your a lucky gambler and 100USD is just a dime in the pocket

Edited October 17, 2014 by Algester

[Wrathen]

I'm still very new to FPs myself and while I havent tried any flex pens yet. I realy LOVE my TWSBI 580. Another great pen to start with are the Lamy Safari I have two and while they are great pens I couldnt get used to the grip. Gouletpens.com and get inks samples and try out lots of colors that so far has been the most fun for me.

[redisburning]

well I could say start your highschool with a MB 149 so... but I think thats just being... sarcastic?

 

why? when I was in highschool I had a Magic deck that was worth considerably more than new price of a 149. I managed to make it out of hs with a pocketful of cash even bigger than where I started.

 

sorry, not buying it. take care of your (bleep). if I can do it so can anyone else who puts the effort into it.

 

I think this is just an example of people letting their own BS get in their way. oh well.

 

@Baric

a propensity is not a guarantee. also, statistically speaking, new riders on large bikes are pretty significantly overrepresented in fatal crash statistics. maturity, experience, etc. play into it.

 

there is a difference between something like a pen and something whose normal operation has a realistic opportunity of causing death, such as a motorcycle, chainsaw, firearm, etc. at least there is to me. one deserves respect the other is just people being quitters.

 

ps just as an aside I have always bankrolled my own hobbies.

Edited October 17, 2014 by redisburning

[Baric]

Magic cards. That's a funny coincidence, I have 4 baseball card long boxes just full of them sitting on the kitchen table right this minute. Trying to figure out to do with them, I haven't touched them in years.

 

I certainly would not advocate HS with an MB149. While I had a fairly good time in high school, I still had my share of problems with others just like everyone else. And invariably they would target something I liked, a book (I read everything in school), my pens (regular stuff, not FP's), the fancy new calculator or whatever. I NEVER took my precious calligraphy pens to school, way too high a chance of my having an accident or some poser giving me a hard time until I set him straight. A 149 is just too much of a target, not to mention setting you apart for the others. I just wanted to fit in like so many of us, so a fancy fountain pen would just stick out and become just a prime target of someone looking to showoff.

 

College of course is a totally different experience, I used an MB Classique ballpoint all through school until it finally met a dog it couldn't handle ;-)

 

As for the motorcycles, we'll have to agree to disagree. Taking reasonable precautions just like driving a car will take care of the vast majority of problems. As always, it's the other guy you have to look out for, the ones fated to lose in the Darwin Sweepstakes. And I'm as safe as can be with my firearms, it's the other folks that worry me. My few experiences with a chainsaw felt waaayyyyyy too much like hard work.

 

I bankroll my own hobbies too.. doesn't everybody? Not sure what you mean here.

[Fox Point]

Leftie underwriter, flex fan and college student here. Flex and lefties are awesome. Italic nibs suit my right hand better (kind of ambi). I use my nib creapers for notes - flipped if I want to write with a fine, very fast line with no possibility of bending, or right way up for flair in parts I want to emphasize. And I always find plenty to time to do headings and subheadings with full flex . Otherwise, though Ihave only one nice pen, I do take everything to class, and use anything which gives a fine enough line. The lovely cheap, fun fude nib which was recommended to me has a fine italic used upside down which is not at all picky about how I hold the pen, or whether I rotate the nib along a line (a habit I'm working on), which makes it perfect for quick notes, and legibility. My softest pen, an old cavalier, I only use for moderate speed because the hairiest of hairlines only appears if I write with good control. So to me fineness and lack of fussiness are what make a pen a good class pen. I also always keep my pens in a hard case strapped to my notrbook bundle, so they are safe even when I drop it, and that bundle is as much an extra limb attached to my hand as my phone so I am not concerned about leaving it anywhere. I tend to trust my system and take even my one valuable pen everywhere - I just make sure it is in the case when I'm not using it, and never hand anyone the body and cap together (tip from fpn, wish I had learned it before The Denting). I also tend to always carry a loaner, generally the preppy. That pen is going on four months from one fill and a water dilution of that fill despite frequent use. Capacity.

 

If you don't mind tinkering, I highly recommend the Noodler's nib creaper (more flex than the bigger ones, slimmer, cheaper - but no other nib options yet!), or the sailor fude de mannen for non-flex stroke variation fun (ridiculously long but comfortably slender, though not slim. The tinkering here is in taking advantage of the potential ink capacity through diy extra long bulb-cartridge monstrosities. Woth it!) and a platinum preppy for hazardous ink (or other) experimentation. Preppies are also great lab pens, if you want something dedicated. It rather seems to defeat the purpose of gloves if everyone just takes them off and continues using the same pen without cleaning it.. If funds weren't an obstacle, I would want some form of vintage or custom flex which shares that stiffness of the reverse property of the nib creaper which I use so often. Multiple function nibs are the best.

 

Fox Point

edited for Friday night

Edited October 18, 2014 by Fox Point

[Algester]

why? when I was in highschool I had a Magic deck that was worth considerably more than new price of a 149. I managed to make it out of hs with a pocketful of cash even bigger than where I started.

 

sorry, not buying it. take care of your (bleep). if I can do it so can anyone else who puts the effort into it.

 

I think this is just an example of people letting their own BS get in their way. oh well.

 

@Baric

a propensity is not a guarantee. also, statistically speaking, new riders on large bikes are pretty significantly overrepresented in fatal crash statistics. maturity, experience, etc. play into it.

 

there is a difference between something like a pen and something whose normal operation has a realistic opportunity of causing death, such as a motorcycle, chainsaw, firearm, etc. at least there is to me. one deserves respect the other is just people being quitters.

 

ps just as an aside I have always bankrolled my own hobbies.

I'm not getting into BS either but sure... yeah I do know about magic cards that have some pricey stuff but K I also once swore I have a lego collection (technic, Bionicle and the general bricks) also worth to that amount of value but I kind of gave it all away :< but I think the magic cards have a better opinion against your peers well beyond to pens I mean am I right about that? Edited October 18, 2014 by Algester

[georges zaslavsky]

Try a parker vacumatic or a sheaffer triumph, you won't be disappointed

[Algester]

ok I just want to clarify something we can keep recommending some pens but the end of it all you have to narrow down something you can comfortably "wear" like clothes you know you want something that would make your feel stuffy and awkward and keep on worrying... and keep in mind there's always a chance you might get mugged one day so... think about it

Edited October 18, 2014 by Algester