Cheap Fountain Pens For Primary School Kids

[butangmucat]

Today I happened to demonstrate some writing using fountain pens to a group of primary school kids where I happened to volunteer (USA). They liked it and I wonder if I can bring them some cheap fountain pens in batch (at least 10) as my gift for my last volunteer appearance.

 

I have been looking at Platinum Preppy, Pilot Petit-1, and Pilot Varsity. I wounder if there are other pens that can suit my need. Any suggestions?

[TheRealScubaSteve]

Today I happened to demonstrate some writing using fountain pens to a group of primary school kids where I happened to volunteer (USA). They liked it and I wonder if I can bring them some cheap fountain pens in batch (at least 10) as my gift for my last volunteer appearance.

 

I have been looking at Platinum Preppy, Pilot Petit-1, and Pilot Varsity. I wounder if there are other pens that can suit my need. Any suggestions?

 

Stick with your list. There are solid Jinhao's but not as reliable as the ones mentioned above. A Varsity will never run dry or require much maintenance at all since it has a wick feed. They're also available in a large amount of colors. That'd be my top pick.

[alaskazimm]

I'd be kind of concerned with the plastic of the Preppys being too fragile for primary schoolers. They seem sturdy enough if you take reasonable care of them, but reasonable care and primary school don't usually go together.

[ironwampa]

I would think twice about Chinese pens due to their poor quality control. If one kid getting a pen that doesn't work will be problem then I would stick with a brand that has impeccable quality control, like pilot or platinum.

[Linkdeath]

Yeah, I'm going to second or third the Varsity. I gave one to each of my kids (1st and 5th grade), and they are plenty durable and write like champs, plus I could get each kid their favorite color!

[subbu68]

Maped school pens are solidly build. May kid has a couple of them for past 3 years or so. no cracks. they are with a wick feed.

 

Or Lamy abc though a bit pricey and would need a Z24 converter.

[mhguda]

There are inexpensive Indian piston fillers, but I doubt you would have them in hand in time to give to them. I've given Oliver Exams to my high school students and they are a big success - never failed, they figured out how the piston mechanism works and were able to fill their pens without making a mess. But these are 16 to 18 year olds, so YMMV and probably will. Still, those are great pens and the kids won't (need to) throw them out like they probably will Varsities, which are made as disposables. If the Preppies work with standard cartridges, I'd prefer those to the Varsities, and to my mind, the Exams are better still. PM me for a contact in India to get them to you in about 3 weeks.

[Sasha Royale]

You are not setting them up with fountain pens for life. You are planting seeds, and hoping.

Let's talk cold-blooded practicality. Is this just a "brainstorm" or have you given real though to it ?

How much $$$ do you have ? How many Pilot Varsity pens do you need ?

 

It is just my two-cents worth, but there are a lot of us reading this.

[butangmucat]

You are not setting them up with fountain pens for life. You are planting seeds, and hoping.

Let's talk cold-blooded practicality. Is this just a "brainstorm" or have you given real though to it ?

How much $$$ do you have ? How many Pilot Varsity pens do you need ?

 

It is just my two-cents worth, but there are a lot of us reading this.

 

This idea happened suddenly.

I happened to work with a kid and my volunteer coordinator discovered that he has exceptionally beautiful cursive. Because my pen case has nothing but fountain pens with me today, I thought maybe showing them fountain pens and how to use them is a good idea. So I took out my two JInhao pens. I lent them my X750 (with a Noodler's flex nib) for a test run and demonstrated my cursive writing using my X450 with a Goulet stub nib (I do not dare take out my Soyuz or Faber-Castell) and they immediately became attracted. So I thought that maybe giving them fountain pens is a good idea.

 

I am a student and I need to buy at least ten pens, so I try to stick to dollar-range pens like the Preppy or Varsity that I can purchase from Amazon with a descent price.

 

Thanks for your comment.

[butangmucat]

You are not setting them up with fountain pens for life. You are planting seeds, and hoping.

Let's talk cold-blooded practicality. Is this just a "brainstorm" or have you given real though to it ?

How much $$$ do you have ? How many Pilot Varsity pens do you need ?

 

It is just my two-cents worth, but there are a lot of us reading this.

 

Another thing is that I cannot think of good things that they will like. I am sorry for leaving them in three weeks. I see some of them seems to like these pens and I figured that giving only a few away is not fair, so I have to give everyone something. Then I have a slight financial bottleneck. That is why I am asking for suggestions here.

[butangmucat]

I'd be kind of concerned with the plastic of the Preppys being too fragile for primary schoolers. They seem sturdy enough if you take reasonable care of them, but reasonable care and primary school don't usually go together.

 

I haven't touched a Preppy yet but when I visit some of the Japanese stationary stores in NYC I will see it in person.

[musicman123]

Since they are still kids, I would say to go with a disposable, like the Varsity. The Varsity also comes in super cool colors, so you can bribe the kids with Purple or Turquoise.

[Phormula]

Agree on disposable pens, to keep budget down.

Some will keep using and then move to a "real" fountain pen for primary school, such as the Lamy ABC, Staedtler Learner, Schneider, ... in Germany fountain pens are still mandatory in primary schools, and all German manufacturers have a "school pen" in their lineup, i.e. a pen with a stiffer nib designed to take some abuse.

Others will throw away the pen.

[Sasha Royale]

 

This idea happened suddenly.

I happened to work with a kid and my volunteer coordinator discovered that he has exceptionally beautiful cursive. Because my pen case has nothing but fountain pens with me today, I thought maybe showing them fountain pens and how to use them is a good idea. So I took out my two JInhao pens. I lent them my X750 (with a Noodler's flex nib) for a test run and demonstrated my cursive writing using my X450 with a Goulet stub nib (I do not dare take out my Soyuz or Faber-Castell) and they immediately became attracted. So I thought that maybe giving them fountain pens is a good idea.

 

I am a student and I need to buy at least ten pens, so I try to stick to dollar-range pens like the Preppy or Varsity that I can purchase from Amazon with a descent price.

 

Thanks for your comment.

 

 

Check PM.

[Phormula]

We have an "adopt a pen" project running since years. It was born for school students but it grew to adults...

 

It all started because we realised that fountain pen enthusiasts have way too many FP than they can use in seven lifetimes.

Valuable ones can be sold, but the economical ones often end into drawers.

 

On the other side a friend of mine had a 8-years old son that was using FP in school and a lot of curiosity from his classmates.

So we started collecting leftover pens and giving them away to them, with the only condition: "use or return". If you like the pen and use it, it's yours. If you don't like, return it and we'll give to somebody else. The success was incredible, we had to buy additional pens to meet the demand. The world spread and soon we found ourselves with curiosity and interest from teachers themselves and adults. Three year after, the number fo FP enthusiasts created by this project is more than 100... and the story goes on...

[butangmucat]

You are not setting them up with fountain pens for life. You are planting seeds, and hoping.

Let's talk cold-blooded practicality. Is this just a "brainstorm" or have you given real though to it ?

How much $$$ do you have ? How many Pilot Varsity pens do you need ?

 

It is just my two-cents worth, but there are a lot of us reading this.

 

Just to be clear, my financial bottleneck is simply how much money I am willing to allocate for this bulk gift. Another thing that I have to consider is the reliability of these pens. I can in theory give them up to Ahab pens but these pens will require some fine tuning and a bottle of ink. The good thing about Varsity is that they do not require maintenance and they are very cheap when ordered in bulks.

[Thier.]

My 9 years old daughter just received his second Jinhao today.

 

She's writing with a X750 shimmering sand since 2 years and wanted a second one in order to have 2 different inks ..... She choose a golden 886 .....

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/intro/x750_ef.jpg

[butangmucat]

My 9 years old daughter just received his second Jinhao today.

 

She's writing with a X750 shimmering sand since 2 years and wanted a second one in order to have 2 different inks ..... She choose a golden 886 .....

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/intro/x750_ef.jpg

 

I personally use Jinhao as my DIY pens. I equip them with stub or flex nibs. I wounder if these kids can deal things like bottled ink.

[TheRealScubaSteve]

 

I personally use Jinhao as my DIY pens. I equip them with stub or flex nibs. I wounder if these kids can deal things like bottled ink.

 

Not only can they, but would their parents be ok with it.

[meiers]

The lamy abc is a wonderful first fountain pen.