A Refillabe Pen Seems To Be A Hard Concept To Grasp For Some People.

[andreasn]

Sometimes when I tell people that one of my pens cost around 40 euros, they say something like "how can you write with it, what do you do when the ink runs out. Isn't it just a horrible waste of money when you have to trow away a pen that cost that much." or something similar.

 

I just don't get how someone can think the a 40€ pen is a disposable!

[JotterAddict62]

I keep telling some co-workers that if they have a Fp they would save money in the long

run instead of buying the cheap disposables all the time. Some of them say; well I keep losing pens

and I say if you have a good Fountain pen you would not lose it..

 

Some people just don't get the concept.

[watch_art]

I think they would lose it. As a teacher I see broken phones every day and hear of lost about once a week.

I don't think they wouldn't lose it just bc it's more expensive.

Some people just have a harder time keeping up with things.

[Sasha Royale]

Yup ! It is not easy. However, the ability to manage the concept comes with an opposable thumb.

 

Okay. You people stop looking at your thumbs !

[ndw76]

My students see my fountain pen and ask how much it cost. When I tell them they tell me that their ball point pen only cost 10 baht. About thirty USA cents. Then imagine their confusion when I tell them that their pen is far more expensive.

[J85909266]

I am routinely mocked for bringing my Lamy 2000 to work and using it all day. I try to tell them that the pen will likely outlive me, but the still treat me like a weirdo. My advice: do not tell people how much your pen costs.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

If I bought nothing but Bic Cristals at the best bargain prices I could find, and used up all the ink in each one before moving on to the next, it's quite possible that they would be cheaper in the long run that any one of my favorite fountain pens. If I took every opportunity of scrounging a legitimately "free" ballpoint, hung on to them, and used them up, it would definitely be cheaper. Of course the writing experience is another matter.

 

But it's hard to say why some people don't get the concept of refillable pens. You can buy refills even for a Pilot G2, which is almost cheap enough to use as a disposable (but the refills are cheaper). If you go to an office supply store, the pen section will have a big selection of ballpoint and rollerball refills, with perhaps a few FP cartridges in there. Obviously, some people do get it it, but others just have this notion that all pens are disposable.

[WaskiSquirrel]

I had my Lamy 2000 delivered at work, so I naturally had to ink it up right away. I impressed my lone class of junior high kids with the whole concept of a refillable pen. It's likely none of them had even considered that such a thing was possible.

 

My high school students are used to my strange pens.

[lmarine0510]

I think it is the fact that today's society is disposable in general combined with the fact that 99% of people today only really use bic sticks or something similar. Everybody throws away everything these days. Nothing is made to last anymore, and that definitely reflects in people's attitudes towards just about everything.

[ndw76]

I am routinely mocked for bringing my Lamy 2000 to work and using it all day. I try to tell them that the pen will likely outlive me, but the still treat me like a weirdo. My advice: do not tell people how much your pen costs.

People at work think I am a weirdo anyway.

[HandLikeAFist]

I don't talk to people about the monetary value of my possessions.

[mike.jane]

I think in most people's mind it follows this simple line of reasoning: (All) Pens = (are made of) plastic = cheap disposable stuff = not worth caring for.

 

This said, I don't think that the argument: Fountain pens save money in the long run actually applies. Why? I don't know anyone who doesn't have a jar/pot/drawer/basket full of ballpoints at home that were in fact absolutely free. You can't beat free. Now, of course the writing experience won't be the same, but that's beyond the argument.

 

Even if those weren't free:

You can buy a box of pencils, let's say 20-30 pieces, and they will last you for many years, and they'll still only cost a few dollars. For example 30 Dixon Ticonderoga HBs (they are absolutely fine pencils) at walmart, less than 6 bucks. 20 cents/piece.

I'd think writing out 30 pencils will take most people a long long while. And for the cost of even one Lamy Safari + converter+ (let's say) 2 bottles of ink , you can easily buy more than 200 pencils.

Edited October 26, 2014 by mike.jane

[Bo Bo Olson]

When got back to fountain pens after decades of being a Ball Point Barbarian, I had over 200 free ball points; some rather nice with rubber front, some good, others just as cheap as can be. Many were sold at the flea market.

 

I did of course and still do have a few ball points...P-75, Jotters, a couple of Parkers, not Jotters. Old '50's Pelikans-an old MB from when MB had three tiers still. Some to a set.

 

Last year was 'shocked' at how much a Jotter cartridge costs....shouldn't have been, they were always expensive...as a school kid too expensive to buy as refill. Had the old 10 for ten cent re-fills...and then the Bic came in. Ended up with half price Schmidt cartridge.

 

I still occasionally use a BP...most of the good ones I've acquired (Lamy's given 'free' in case I buy another apartment by my Realtor or at the Factory tour or part of a new pen set, since given my wife....who don't take them to work...in fear of them being stolen...A cheap BP has it's place.

If lost or stolen, who cares.

 

I being a snob, only take BP's worth stealing out the house.

Wouldn't want to be caught dead with a cheap one.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[Riayain]

My university has a stationery re-use area where you can take home all the pens that you want for free, so this inability to grasp this concept especially applies to people in my university. Why buy pens when you can get them for free?

 

When they tell me things like this, I just smile and say that I buy fountain pens because:

• I can't get them for free.
• They're easier on my hands.
• They write really well.

And I leave it at that. They usually have enough sense to leave me well alone!

[Algester]

But a muji pen is refillable and costs like 2 usd... How is that hard to grasp and you can select oil or gel inks to

[Ecriveur]

People who work in offices just use the pens that their company provides. Many of them haven't bought a pen in years and can't imagine why anyone would pay any money at all for one.

[Parker51]

Sometimes when I tell people that one of my pens cost around 40 euros, they say something like "how can you write with it, what do you do when the ink runs out. Isn't it just a horrible waste of money when you have to trow away a pen that cost that much." or something similar.

 

I just don't get how someone can think the a 40€ pen is a disposable!

They think this because the frame that they are using does not include a non-disposable writing instrument. Many people use a lot of framing as they literally do not like to think. This is not because they can't. I have long experience with children and adults with compromised cognitive skills and they can and do learn new concepts such as this. It is usually the average person who has more than enough brain cells and intact brain structure who because of extended periods spent avoiding thinking logically that does this, unfortunately, this type of ignorance while annoying is harmless, but the reality that they do this with most of their life is not. Be very careful around these types. They can be successfully dealt with, but they can never be truely trusted to think logically.

[Randal6393]

They think this because the frame that they are using does not include a non-disposable writing instrument. Many people use a lot of framing as they literally do not like to think. This is not because they can't. I have long experience with children and adults with compromised cognitive skills and they can and do learn new concepts such as this. It is usually the average person who has more than enough brain cells and intact brain structure who because of extended periods spent avoiding thinking logically that does this, unfortunately, this type of ignorance while annoying is harmless, but the reality that they do this with most of their life is not. Be very careful around these types. They can be successfully dealt with, but they can never be truely trusted to think logically.

Hmmm ... Think we are getting into some dangerous areas here. Don't feel that you are wrong, just feel uncomfortable extending this thought to other areas.

 

Enjoy,

[SteveE]

People who work in offices just use the pens that their company provides. Many of them haven't bought a pen in years and can't imagine why anyone would pay any money at all for one.

 

. . . and then there are people like me. I work in an office. I could have them order supplies for me. But, since they do supply perfectly usable pens and paper, which I choose not to use, I supply my own pens, ink and FP-friendly paper pads. I'm never criticized for the weird pens I may bring around, but even the company president knows that if he reaches for my fountain pen, I will slap his hand!

[dkim87]

I keep telling some co-workers that if they have a Fp they would save money in the long

run instead of buying the cheap disposables all the time. Some of them say; well I keep losing pens

and I say if you have a good Fountain pen you would not lose it..

 

Some people just don't get the concept.

 

 

I would have to say that the argument of saving money in the long run is quite ineffective. As one person posted earlier, if we were to just stick with bic pens (both free and cheap) it would certainly be much cheaper than one expensive custom pen (~$200). Furthermore, this is not even considering the fact that most people have a hard time just buying a single fountain pen, or a single color of ink to stick with. Just look at the posts where people have "addictions" and overspending problems. I don't know of too many people who have a spending problem with bic pens.

 

This argument is performed much better with things such as Safety or Straight razors vs. disposables where the cost can actually be seen as real savings.

 

I think it would be better to argue for fountain pens based on its other traits. For the most part, a better writing experience, a uncommon writing instrument, beauty, etc.