Not so new to fountain pens, new to the real thing

[MikeLip]

Hi. I have been interested in fountain pens for a while, but never rekindled my interest until recently when I was re-introduced to them on the Poor Mans' Watch Forum - many members are fountain pen devotees.

 

My current favorites are a Waterman Phileas and a Duke Carbon and a Mini-Torpedo, with another two Dukes and a Pelikan 250 incoming. I was reading Richard Binders' site, and ran across the old Shaeffer school pen I used sometimes back in the 70's, while I was in high school. It was very odd to be using a fountain pen and not a ballpoint at the time! However I soon lost interest after ruining several of them (although the ink cartridges made great tools for practical jokes), and wrote with ballpoints through college and the last bunch (lots) of years.

 

I picked up the Waterman and discovered what a pleasure it is to write with a real pen. I now keep several journals; personal, professional and coaching (I coach kids bowling) and find myself with the Waterman or Duke Carbon in my hands much of the time. Next is a trip to Columbus Ohio in November for the pen show!

 

I'm enjoying this forum so far. It's informative and fun.

[Ruaidhri]

Hi Mike,

 

enjoy the ride

 

Regards,

Ruaidhrí

[Nihontochicken]

Poor Mans' Watch Forum

 

I dare not look. Watches are (hopefully) a past addiction (though I imagine your site is more for wrist watches as opposed to my nemesis, two to three hundred year old pocket watches). Vintage pens are so much easier! An order of magnitude less painful for a mistake (well, for a 60 year old pen as opposed to a 250 year old watch!!!). In any event, welcome to FPN, and best of fortune in changing addiction! :roflmho:

[JimStrutton]

Welcome to the slippery slope Mike :ltcapd:

 

Jim :bunny1:

[playpen]

Hi Mike,

Funny you should mention the mini torpedo....I love the pen myself. It is adorable! Have fun on this board but be forewarned...you're going to need ten jobs to keep up with the purchases around here!

[MikeLip]

Thanks for all the welcomes - I'm looking forward to a lot of fun stuff! As for watches, watches and pens just go together somehow!

[mike1]

Welcome to FPN. You've the start of a collection there. Before long I predict you will have more and more. Enjoy yourself.

 

edited for grammar correction

Edited September 30, 2006 by mike1

[johnr55]

I am also a watch man, though I'm not familiar with the cheap watch forum.

 

It is never surprising that watch people tend also to be fountain people. In the days before silly gold chains and, God help us, various piercings, there were really only 5 pieces of jewelry that men would consistently wear: tie pins/tacks; cufflinks where necessary; wedding rings; watches; fountain pens.

 

As with watches, fountain pens were a major investment once someone got past the $2 watch and $1 pen. There was a reason they were conservative; ordinary people couldn't own a pile of pens to suit each mood any more than they could with watches.

 

Sounds like you were like me, right on the end of the fountain pen era. By the time I left high school in 1973 we still weren't allowed to use Flair-type pens, only ballpoints and fountain pens.

 

I'm so glad to hear you're back; use your FP's daily as the tools they were meant to be, and in no time you'll just tuck one in without thought. Then, one day you'll turn around and notice that, hey, you've been using a certain pen or pens for decades! Given a modicum of care, they are all great investments.

 

Welcome!