Why A Fountain Pen?

[SE1980]

Fountain pens are not as versatile as ballpoints as in ballpoints write on a wider range of surfaces and paper types, but fountain pens are much easier on the hands for marathon writing and the ability to use a wide variation of inks.

 

To be honest, I love filling up my fountain pens using the piston filling system and absolutely love writing with them over ballpoints. The nibs are also a work of class but don't be surprised that many people still do not know how to use a fountain pen.

[______Zaphod_Beeblebrox]

For me this has been my moto in all thing I try to do.

 

Be different. Go against the Grain. Stand out in a Croud.

 

I like fancy things and they only real way to get fancy is to buy Upscale pens. To say I like the color variation or line variation is not enought because, at least to a small degree I can get that with certain mass produced pens.

 

But when I pull out a Fountain pen it gets noticed. I have never been complemented when using a Bic or Sharpie but when I use my Montblanc Ballpoint I get complemented.

 

It's just like a Car, why drive a 2012 Toyota Camry (very dependable and everybody has one) when you can drive a Vintage L-88 (clone) Corvette track car that is street legal (sort of).

 

Dare to be different.

 

And lastly the older I get the more I like the old fashion things over their modern equivalent.

 

Tubes over solid state

Carbs over Fuel Injection

Vinyl over digital

Analog anything over digital anything for that matter

Etc. etc. etc.

[thatotherguy1]

I love the feel of fountain pens. The tradition. The habit. The fact that you have to take care of them and be careful with them. I love filling them, cleaning them, staring at the nibs under a loupe, adjusting them to my preferences, seeing the variation in the color of the ink that it puts down, feeling the tipping of a well-tuned nib dance across the page, light as a feather and bold as Poe's raven. I like the fact that I don't have to press on the pen to get it to write, that I have a chance to get to know my pen in a way I can never know a ballpoint or rollerball. I know how it fills, I know how much ink it will put down at various points in the filling, I know how long I can go between fillings, I know what the filling mechanism is like, I can fix and tune anything (or have it done) without having to just swap in another refill. A fountain pen has a soul in a way. Each one is different, and each one is dynamic in a way that no "toss the refill and buy a new one" ballpoint or rollerball can ever be (by design, no less).

 

However, I still use inexpensive(ish) ballpoints in public when I might be loaning them because, frankly, I feel much less anxious about possibly not getting the (contemporary, not the brass threads version) Parker Jotter I loaned to someone back than I would about not seeing my Lamy 2000 again.

[sailorboy]

I like the way fountain pens write, and their designs. I am also intrigued by how their designs and filling systems have evolved over the years.

[Remedial penmanship]

I am late to fountain pens the same way I am late to film: I shot two rolls of Kodachrome shortly before they stopped processing at the lone facility in KS and know that film, be it slide or black and white, is just different than digital. So many ways to debate better, but certainly different. So it is with fountain pens, and since receiving my first but six months ago I've acquired an average of three per month and am only now finding my nib. I love my Montblancs because they are beauteous and well made. I am a fool for the MOP star and went full Moon Pearl. I love my Nakayas for their different beauty, but my customized cursive italic is a joy, and I eagerly await an oblique C.I. I'm hoping I like my O3B nib on my 90th 149 that's still on backorder from Hamburg and one that's arriving from the Continent on a celluloid 144. Once I thought a fountain pen was cool and a fine nib was legible; the expressiveness with two dimensional script from an italic nib is a revelation. My handwriting still stinks, and so does my piano, but I find great enjoyment, and writing to my nonagenarian grandmothers is reason enough.

[DrDebG]

I have always been a pen-aholic. I've collected all sorts of pens over the years. But my favorites have always been fountain pens. I love the look and feel of the ink coursing through the pen to the nib to flow onto the paper. There is such an elegance to fountain pens that no other type of pen can compare with. And, for me anyway, fountain pens take less effort to write with. Finally, I seem to want to write more with fountain pens than with other types.

[chunya]

For all the reasons already mentioned, plus 1 ...When using a FP I have to dramatically reduce the speed of my writing which means that it is legible. When I use a ballpoint even I can't read what I've scrawled down.

[johnkim424]

Fountain pen offers an writing experience that no other writing instruments provide. I like my grass fed steak medium rare with salt and pepper only, vodka chilled neat, Ferrari 328 in red, 100% cotton shirt in white and woman with no makeup. To me writing is an emotional experience and I want least amount of things that get in the way of it.

Edited June 18, 2015 by johnkim424

[Opooh]

LOL , how people try to rationalise the irrational.

[Drawing61]

Ballpoints give me hives, roller balls make me drowsy.

[Zdenek]

... why to shave with a straight razor instead of an electrical shaver, .... why to prefer coffee to tea, ... why to wear a shirt and not a T-shirt, ... why to be vegan instead of eating meat, .... why, .... why, ..

 

So, why am I writing with an FP? Simply because I have been doing it more than 50 yrs.

 

Why am I using non-proportional font? Because I like it. Therefore.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Zdenek

[prf5]

In public or in groups, a fountain pen that has an elegant and professional look conveys importance and adds credibility. I carry one pen in my shirt pocket. It's a fountain pen, but not an industrial-looking pen, a demonstrator, or anything ostentatious. I also carry a ballpoint in my briefcase and folders. I use a ballpoint to sign credit card slips and a fountain pen to sign contracts. If I'm taking occasional notes at a boring meeting, if the presentation is poor, or if I want to keep a low profile, I use a ballpoint.

 

Matters that pertain to the public face of a fountain pen are over and above the personal benefits of a fountain pen as a writing instrument.

[FredRydr]

In public or in groups, a fountain pen that has an elegant and professional look conveys importance and adds credibility.

 

Or it may convey eccentricity, especially if the ink stops flowing or leaks.

 

But who cares?

 

Fred

[prf5]

 

Or it may convey eccentricity, especially if the ink stops flowing or leaks. But who cares?

 

Distinctiveness and value are desirable; eccentricity, not so much. Running out of ink poses no problem, owing to the ease of shifting to another pen. Over the years, I have had two pens that leaked. One is a treasure and began to leak after decades of constant use. It was sent for repair. The other went directly to the trash.

[johnkim424]

Why? Why not? or Just because. Take your pick.

[canibanoglu]

I have always been fascinated by pens, not just by fountain pens but pens in general. I remember spending all my pocket money on various colors of disposable "Uni-ball" roller pens. Then there is my uncle. He is a fountain pen nut as well and I have always admired his pens, the way the nib looks has always had a romantic effect on me.

 

I love colors. Not just in pens but in everything. The sheer amount of colors in the fountain pen world is staggering. Then there is the way the ink looks on the paper when it's still wet. Then there's shading. Even more striking (for me), there is sheen.

 

I love the fact that fountain pens stick with you for a very long time, in most cases they outlast you. I like to imagine that I infuse my pens with my being as I'm using them and that when I'm no longer around, people who love me will see it as that. If I have children, maybe they will cherish that I wrote their mother many love letters with those pens. Maybe they will cherish them because of the letters I'm going to write to them, the small notes that I'm going to leave under their pillows wishing them a good night, a good morning, a good day, whatever.

 

I love it when you give fountain pens away. More often than not people are more excited about fountain pens compared to other types of pens. I love it when they ask me questions about how their new pen works, how they should care for it and how they should fill it. I love it when they share my inks with me, I love the way they smile when they find a color that they like very much.

 

I love being part of a community that is as crazy about these as I am. Fountain pens seems to have something about them that captures other people's imagination, maybe not in the same way it captures mine, but it is comforting to know that there are people out there who understand my infatuation with them. I love it when people here on FPN comfort me when I spend too much money on pens, telling me that the pen already has a story now.

 

I love lusting after a fountain pen. I love the process of trying to learn as much as you can about a pen after seeing a photo of it somewhere. I love pondering over a purchase non-stop for weeks on end.

 

I love the way fountain pens write. I love it that there's a concept of line variation in your writing. I love it when you push on the nib, it spreads its tines for a wider line, a darker color.

 

I love the whole process of caring for your pens. I love it when I notice that I have run out of ink and that I have to clean my pen. The whole process is like a ritual. Remove this, put that to the side, keep twisting the piston until the water comes out clean etc. I love it when the ritual of cleaning pushes me to mix my own pen flush. I love to remember the stupid things I did when I first started out. I still burst out laughing when I got ammonia from the pharmacy for my pen flush and made the mistake of sniffing it, that smell stayed with me for a couple of days.

 

I love walking around aimlessly around town, visiting every shop that has the potential for a new find. I love it when I visit a new city and I know that there's at least one thing that I know I will do.

 

And that's why I use fountain pens.

 

I probably could go on, but I think I should stop now

[Frank C]

I have always been fascinated by pens, not just by fountain pens but pens in general. I remember spending all my pocket money on various colors of disposable "Uni-ball" roller pens. Then there is my uncle. He is a fountain pen nut as well and I have always admired his pens, the way the nib looks has always had a romantic effect on me.

 

I love colors. Not just in pens but in everything. The sheer amount of colors in the fountain pen world is staggering. Then there is the way the ink looks on the paper when it's still wet. Then there's shading. Even more striking (for me), there is sheen.

 

I love the fact that fountain pens stick with you for a very long time, in most cases they outlast you. I like to imagine that I infuse my pens with my being as I'm using them and that when I'm no longer around, people who love me will see it as that. If I have children, maybe they will cherish that I wrote their mother many love letters with those pens. Maybe they will cherish them because of the letters I'm going to write to them, the small notes that I'm going to leave under their pillows wishing them a good night, a good morning, a good day, whatever.

 

I love it when you give fountain pens away. More often than not people are more excited about fountain pens compared to other types of pens. I love it when they ask me questions about how their new pen works, how they should care for it and how they should fill it. I love it when they share my inks with me, I love the way they smile when they find a color that they like very much.

 

I love being part of a community that is as crazy about these as I am. Fountain pens seems to have something about them that captures other people's imagination, maybe not in the same way it captures mine, but it is comforting to know that there are people out there who understand my infatuation with them. I love it when people here on FPN comfort me when I spend too much money on pens, telling me that the pen already has a story now.

 

I love lusting after a fountain pen. I love the process of trying to learn as much as you can about a pen after seeing a photo of it somewhere. I love pondering over a purchase non-stop for weeks on end.

 

I love the way fountain pens write. I love it that there's a concept of line variation in your writing. I love it when you push on the nib, it spreads its tines for a wider line, a darker color.

 

I love the whole process of caring for your pens. I love it when I notice that I have run out of ink and that I have to clean my pen. The whole process is like a ritual. Remove this, put that to the side, keep twisting the piston until the water comes out clean etc. I love it when the ritual of cleaning pushes me to mix my own pen flush. I love to remember the stupid things I did when I first started out. I still burst out laughing when I got ammonia from the pharmacy for my pen flush and made the mistake of sniffing it, that smell stayed with me for a couple of days.

 

I love walking around aimlessly around town, visiting every shop that has the potential for a new find. I love it when I visit a new city and I know that there's at least one thing that I know I will do.

 

And that's why I use fountain pens.

 

I probably could go on, but I think I should stop now

 

You put it very well, canibanoglu. I would like for you to go on. You have such enthusiasm for your fountain pens.

[DrDebG]

I have always been fascinated by pens, not just by fountain pens but pens in general. I remember spending all my pocket money on various colors of disposable "Uni-ball" roller pens. Then there is my uncle. He is a fountain pen nut as well and I have always admired his pens, the way the nib looks has always had a romantic effect on me.

 

I love colors. Not just in pens but in everything. The sheer amount of colors in the fountain pen world is staggering. Then there is the way the ink looks on the paper when it's still wet. Then there's shading. Even more striking (for me), there is sheen.

 

I love the fact that fountain pens stick with you for a very long time, in most cases they outlast you. I like to imagine that I infuse my pens with my being as I'm using them and that when I'm no longer around, people who love me will see it as that. If I have children, maybe they will cherish that I wrote their mother many love letters with those pens. Maybe they will cherish them because of the letters I'm going to write to them, the small notes that I'm going to leave under their pillows wishing them a good night, a good morning, a good day, whatever.

 

I love it when you give fountain pens away. More often than not people are more excited about fountain pens compared to other types of pens. I love it when they ask me questions about how their new pen works, how they should care for it and how they should fill it. I love it when they share my inks with me, I love the way they smile when they find a color that they like very much.

 

I love being part of a community that is as crazy about these as I am. Fountain pens seems to have something about them that captures other people's imagination, maybe not in the same way it captures mine, but it is comforting to know that there are people out there who understand my infatuation with them. I love it when people here on FPN comfort me when I spend too much money on pens, telling me that the pen already has a story now.

 

I love lusting after a fountain pen. I love the process of trying to learn as much as you can about a pen after seeing a photo of it somewhere. I love pondering over a purchase non-stop for weeks on end.

 

I love the way fountain pens write. I love it that there's a concept of line variation in your writing. I love it when you push on the nib, it spreads its tines for a wider line, a darker color.

 

I love the whole process of caring for your pens. I love it when I notice that I have run out of ink and that I have to clean my pen. The whole process is like a ritual. Remove this, put that to the side, keep twisting the piston until the water comes out clean etc. I love it when the ritual of cleaning pushes me to mix my own pen flush. I love to remember the stupid things I did when I first started out. I still burst out laughing when I got ammonia from the pharmacy for my pen flush and made the mistake of sniffing it, that smell stayed with me for a couple of days.

 

I love walking around aimlessly around town, visiting every shop that has the potential for a new find. I love it when I visit a new city and I know that there's at least one thing that I know I will do.

 

And that's why I use fountain pens.

 

I probably could go on, but I think I should stop now

 

Outstanding word pictures here! Yes, those are many of the same reasons I love my fountain pens, only your descriptions are so much better than mine. Well done!

[josephfabry]

I have always been fascinated by pens, not just by fountain pens but pens in general. I remember spending all my pocket money on various colors of disposable "Uni-ball" roller pens. Then there is my uncle. He is a fountain pen nut as well and I have always admired his pens, the way the nib looks has always had a romantic effect on me.

 

I love colors. Not just in pens but in everything. The sheer amount of colors in the fountain pen world is staggering. Then there is the way the ink looks on the paper when it's still wet. Then there's shading. Even more striking (for me), there is sheen.

 

I love the fact that fountain pens stick with you for a very long time, in most cases they outlast you. I like to imagine that I infuse my pens with my being as I'm using them and that when I'm no longer around, people who love me will see it as that. If I have children, maybe they will cherish that I wrote their mother many love letters with those pens. Maybe they will cherish them because of the letters I'm going to write to them, the small notes that I'm going to leave under their pillows wishing them a good night, a good morning, a good day, whatever.

 

I love it when you give fountain pens away. More often than not people are more excited about fountain pens compared to other types of pens. I love it when they ask me questions about how their new pen works, how they should care for it and how they should fill it. I love it when they share my inks with me, I love the way they smile when they find a color that they like very much.

 

I love being part of a community that is as crazy about these as I am. Fountain pens seems to have something about them that captures other people's imagination, maybe not in the same way it captures mine, but it is comforting to know that there are people out there who understand my infatuation with them. I love it when people here on FPN comfort me when I spend too much money on pens, telling me that the pen already has a story now.

 

I love lusting after a fountain pen. I love the process of trying to learn as much as you can about a pen after seeing a photo of it somewhere. I love pondering over a purchase non-stop for weeks on end.

 

I love the way fountain pens write. I love it that there's a concept of line variation in your writing. I love it when you push on the nib, it spreads its tines for a wider line, a darker color.

 

I love the whole process of caring for your pens. I love it when I notice that I have run out of ink and that I have to clean my pen. The whole process is like a ritual. Remove this, put that to the side, keep twisting the piston until the water comes out clean etc. I love it when the ritual of cleaning pushes me to mix my own pen flush. I love to remember the stupid things I did when I first started out. I still burst out laughing when I got ammonia from the pharmacy for my pen flush and made the mistake of sniffing it, that smell stayed with me for a couple of days.

 

I love walking around aimlessly around town, visiting every shop that has the potential for a new find. I love it when I visit a new city and I know that there's at least one thing that I know I will do.

 

And that's why I use fountain pens.

 

I probably could go on, but I think I should stop now

 

I have a similar situation.

 

Ever since I was a kid collecting football cards, then beer cans.... then cars, watches and fountain pens 40 years later; I have been a victim of the Search For The Grail Hero tragedy.

 

There is always a "shiny thing"- the thing to be searched for, wherever I am. The shiny thing that holds promise that my ordinary life can be extraordinary.

 

Over 300 fountain pens later, and well over $ 100,000 invested, I'm sad to say that the Grail remains elusive.

 

Still searching.

 

Forever searching.

 

Love,

 

Joe

[Frank C]

 

I have a similar situation.

 

Ever since I was a kid collecting football cards, then beer cans.... then cars, watches and fountain pens 40 years later; I have been a victim of the Search For The Grail Hero tragedy.

 

There is always a "shiny thing"- the thing to be searched for, wherever I am. The shiny thing that holds promise that my ordinary life can be extraordinary.

 

Over 300 fountain pens later, and well over $ 100,000 invested, I'm sad to say that the Grail remains elusive.

 

Still searching.

 

Forever searching.

 

Love,

 

Joe

 

That's some serious searching. At least, would you post a list of your top 10 favorites?