Ball point pen vs FP

[fungm]

Its my way of opting out of the Rat Race.

[carlmaloschneider]

I agree with Lorna, well said! And they're DIFFERENT. In fact, also, I was never really interested in how good or bad my writing was until I got a Fountain Pen. I teach in a prison, and was thinking the need to slow down with a Fountain Pen might be a good way to teach the students (many who have neverseen a Fountain Pen before) how to write neatly. I think just the fact of using something a little different, especially in regard to vintage Fountain Pens, adds a little something to one's, at times, mundane workday. It's the little things that count.

[missnibs]

So many answers to choose from... Obviously, ink variety and line variation are important, but once you've held a well-made fountain pen you know you don't want to go back to using ballpoints (all the time). It feels good to hold, and the actual writing experience feels even better. Plus, nibs are a joy to look at since each nib is distinctly different from the other (whether the differences are obvious due to two different pen brands, or because we know handmade nibs simply are one-of-a-kind). What I also love about nibs is that they look sofisticated and, well, special, like a complicated piece of machinery as opposed to the simplicity of ballpoints.

 

I wouldn't say that I'm in it for the collection part... but I definitely wouldn't stop at just one or two. Three or maybe even four fountain pens makes for quite a large collection IMHO.

[Oops]

For me, the main reasons I prefer FP to BP are qualities such as shading and absorption on the page that FP ink has compared to BP ink.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Oops

[streeton]

Paper quality and good left frontal lighting (right for a lefty) are the two things that make my writing experience enjoyable whether I'm using a Fountain Pen or my Parker Jotter Ballpoint. Nothing is enjoyable with poor quality paper and poor lighting.

Edited November 28, 2010 by streeton

[Katu]

I have several reasons for switching to FPs and staying there. The biggest reason is fascination. Fascination with the nib, the feed system, the feel, simply everything about a fountain pen fascinates me. I like the procedure of using and caring for a fountain pen as well, in much the same way that I like the procedure involved in shaving with a straight razor.

 

In addition to that aspect, there is also the greater ergonomic feel of writing with one. A good FP can be used with no pressure at all, and my often sore fingers (from work) definitely thank me for that. With the reduced pressure required for writing, there is less of a need to have a death grip on the pen, which allows me to relax not only my hand, but additionally makes me relax my whole body. So, after writing a 3 page letter, which I used to consider painful and troublesome, I feel relaxed, if even a little de-stressed.

 

Then there is the factor of variety. You can select different pens with different nibs, filled with all manner of filling systems with an absolutely astonishing variety of inks. I find that after cleaning and flushing a pen, the next most difficult task is selection the color of ink to fill it with (and I only have 8 different bottles of ink colors! I know some members have over 100!!). So, I like the ability to pick and choose my ink, which I sometimes match to certain pens for their particular flow characteristics.

 

Additionally, there is the line variation. Since shading is not listed separately, I can only assume that it is included in this category. Rollerballs can get some semblance of shading in their ink, but nothing compares to the sheer amount of variation that can occur in a single letter that was written with a fountain pen. The FP can have the italic nib, which allows for a set amount of width one way, and a set amount the other. Or, it could be fitted with a flex nib, where the slightest change in pressure will change the thickness of the line anywhere in the letter being formed. Both of those factors can kind of govern the third, that of shading. As more or less ink flows onto the paper in a thicker or thinner line, it may or may not pool in very fun and interesting ways. As that ink dries thicker or thinner, the color changes noticeably, further adding to the variety.

 

And of course, there are the factors of aesthetics and collectibility. All manner of people like all manner of pens, and set about finding the pen that fits their criteria in both feel in writing and their aesthetics. They may want a pen with more or less weight, more or less decoration, or more or less shaping. Some like their pen to not have a clip, while others rely on the clip. With so many different tastes or requirements in a pen, there is surely all kinds of selection when it comes to buying a pen. With all of those options, some people like to collect everything, while others just want to fill out their collection in such a way that they have all the options in writing that they want. Others may only want to have the collection, but I want the variety in writing styles available with multiple pens.

 

Some may require that the feel get changed in order to meet the requirement of writing feel/feedback, so the pen gets sent off to a nibmeister, who can then control flow, line size, flex, and other aspects of the pen. So, if the perfect aesthetics are reached on a pen, but it just doesn't feel right, it can be changed and corrected to suit.

 

So, with so many options, and so many reasons to write with a fountain pen, why not?

[blewis001]

A lot of what Katu says is true for me; I use a fountain pen because it fascinates me. I don't have a wide range of inks yet (Looking ahead to when I have more room than a dorm room for that!) but still, I'm fascinated by how my pens interact with the few different inks I have. Also, I'll admit I use a fountain pen because it is something that sets me apart. I use it because it is different, and enjoyable. I get double-takes from people when I'm writing, and that's interesting. I get to explain some cool physics every time that happens (which pleases my inner physicist.)

 

Finally, I use it for the efficiency in terms of waste stream. I like that I'm not throwing out a large cartridge every week or two weeks (or a whole pen, in a lot of cases,) since I'm using bottled ink. I can simply refill from the bottle, and once I run out of ink, I can use the bottle for something else. I'll find something to do with it ... but that's a few months, if not longer, away.

[Pickwick]

For me it's much easier to write, others have expressed no pressure is needed and I find I don't have to put the pen down frequently, therefore y thoughts are not intrrupted and I can write a three to four page letter without pause. Also the character of each letter takes on a more personsble shape with line thickness and the ink colour is no longer anonymous but also projects ones feelings to the one we are writing to.

 

Kind regards,

 

Pickwick

[Ann Finley]

Poll has been closed due to age.