I've been lurking around here for some time now on a nightly basis. I am a 20yr old College student from New York living in Western Mass. while going to school. I'm a biology major who is graduating in December and applying to Optometry school. As for pens.... I have a few Chinese FPs I've bought from Isellpens.com, mainly because I cant afford much else. I love the look of many vintage pens but certainly cant afford the price tags that accompany them. Than again, I dont think I'd want to take a 100+$ pen out from my apartment. For ink I currently have Noodlers red black and ottoman azure as well as PR fast drying black. On the way I have a few more Chinese pens and a bottle of PR American Blue and Noodlers Nakita. I use my FPs mostly for school work and studying for my OATs (optometry admissions test). In terms of collecting, I also collect vintage shaving gear (straight razors, DE razors, etc). I'll just keep on lurking around here and admiring all the pens which I cant afford. Maybe one day I'll save enough to pick up a vintage pen on the forums classifieds.

Regards,
Jay


Edit: I figured I'd also mention that I use an Ampad pad for notes and work at home. For school I plan on using (and currently use one) Red and Black pad. I like them both, although they are sort of expensive. The way I see it, I rather spend a few extra dollars on pads and enjoy writing and taking notes in class on paper that will stand up to FPs and college abuse. So far the Red and Black pad with the plastic soft cover is doing well. The Ampad pad is beginning to unbind it self and pull apart, but thats okay.

Hello Jay. Welcome to FPN. Good luck on your OATs.

Thanks! I'm taking my Kaplan class now and working working hard at it.

Ciao Jay,
better to save some beer money to get some nicer FP... it will be hard to resist in a week time!! (my prediction )

Welcome to FPN,

Hello Jay and welcome to FPN. Glad to have you here with us and best of luck in your studies.

cheers

Welcome to the forum!. When you get back home, pay a visit to Fountain Pen Hospital, is a great place to buy Pens and inks, I believe. Buying online is convenient, but if you take a good look at the forum, you'll find a great community to buy and exchange pens. One of the best pens is also very affordable, the Lamy Safari/All Star collection. More than recommended.

Welcome to the group my friend, good luck with your studies!

Mark

Thank you very for the warm welcome. I unfortunately don't drink much because I have class 6 days a week so I dont have much beer money to begin with. So saving that up wont get me very far. I also interned for the first half of the summer for free, so that left a nice hole in the pocket when I could have been making some money. I'm a bit reluctant to go to the FPN because I'm just going to drool and walk out empty handed. At some point though, I will definitely pay the place a visit just to check it out. In terms of all steel nibbed, cheaper pens, I have a Pelikan Pelikano and some pilot varsity pens which I enjoy writing with. I have seen some beautiful pens for sale by members but to be honest, the pelikano is the most expensive pen I own (25$?). I'm thankful for the Chinese pens at a few dollars a piece so I can have some variability in the pens I use. One I finish optometry school I'll pick up some more expensive pens

Hi Jay! and welcome. Don't worry, we all have to start somewhere. I only have 9 pens (I think) and I never take my best ones out of my home. Another approach for you might be to examine this that and the other FP here and decide on a really good but affordable pen (e.g. a Pelikan M215*) and then buy it since such a one-single-pen is always better than 1-2-3 cheapos. *No, I don't work for Pelikan.

All The best and see ya soon
Mike

Thanks for the advice! I think if I were going to spend 100$ on a pen I'd most likely get a used Eversharp or Scheaffer Valor (most likely one of the previous models NOS or used). I also like the looks of the MB 149. The simple lines of unadorned pens do it for me.

Hello and welcome to FPN!!

Greetings and welcome! It looks like you have an "eye" for pragmatism (no pun intended).

Thank you everybody!

Than again, the infamous Squid Pen is pretty cool looking. But I would never actually want one. I could think if other things to spend that kind of money on

Welcome to FPN.

Hello and welcome to FPN.