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Why Are Expensive Pens So Badly Made?


4lex

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I guess I am interested in this because I can't answer to my self, why I am spending hundreds on dollars on fountain pens when I can get a better fountain pen for $10. I don't have an answer.

I had problems with all my fountain pens that costed more then $150, and I consider them to be expensive (for me).

On Montblanc M a bad case of nib creep.

On Pelikan M600 misaligned tines.

On Visconti Homo Sapiens Lava splayed tines and once that was sorted baby bottom.

On Franklin-Christoph 20 leaking.

 

On the other hand I never had any problem with Lamy Al Star, Safari or Pilot V Pen or Petit1. And these pens cost a fraction of the cost.

So I keep asking myself why am I so stupid to waste money on pens that are a lot of hassle before they write. I guess no one can answer that. The closest explanation to the truth that I have is that I am a sucker for a good marketing story.

 

And the question in the topic interests me. How can Pilot or Platinum have better QC on their disposable pens then Visconti, Montblanc or Pelikan on their "Fine Writing" instruments.

 

Inked: Sailor King Pro Gear, Sailor Nagasawa Proske, Sailor 1911 Standard, Parker Sonnet Chiselled Carbon, Parker 51, Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Platinum Preppy

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It could be that mass produced pens have more consistent quality, whereas smaller production runs, especially if semi-artisanal like Visconti or Franklin-Christoph, have a less precise QC.

Btw, I've had plenty of cheap pens (<$50) which did not write as well as I would have liked. Pilot have always been great for me, though.

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It could be that mass produced pens have more consistent quality, whereas smaller production runs, especially if semi-artisanal like Visconti or Franklin-Christoph, have a less precise QC.

Btw, I've had plenty of cheap pens (<$50) which did not write as well as I would have liked. Pilot have always been great for me, though.

 

Of course, and true, all apart from one cheap Chinese pens that I had were bad. I agree on Pilot, never had any problem.

Inked: Sailor King Pro Gear, Sailor Nagasawa Proske, Sailor 1911 Standard, Parker Sonnet Chiselled Carbon, Parker 51, Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Platinum Preppy

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Luck, or lack thereof. I've had a pile of cheapies that went straight in the bin because it would cost more to send them back and some sellers who simply refused to replace them when the fault was pointed out. Any issues that I have had with more expensive fountain pens have been promptly fixed with no quibble. You have bought more expensive pens with known issues though, to be fair. It is known that modern Pelikans have a QC issue regarding nibs, but the good news is that you can swap it out no problems and the only hassle is the wait time to get it back; same with Visconti. I can't speak for the Franklin Christoph, but everything I have been told and read about the Montblanc M combined with my own road testing of it in a brick and mortar store would lead me to believe that the fountain pen version of it is all looks and no substance. It was enough to make me avoid it like the plague.

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Your personal bad luck, some OCD and a lack of experience. Anecdotal information is simply anecdotal information and certainly not justification for an assertion like "Why Are Expensive Pens So Badly Made?"

 

As your experience and sample size grows you may come to far different conclusions.

 

However, if you are happier with the less expensive pens then the answer is "Buy less expensive pens and rejoice."

 

My Website

 

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I wonder if some makers of expensive pens think they're only going to be used for occasionally signing a contract or a cheque, so why make pens that can cope with extensive correspondence or note taking? In the same way, makers of high fashion don't appear to value durability very much - I once took a pair of shoes that had fallen apart on first wearing back to the shop, and received an interrogation - "You don't actually wear them to walk in, do you? Outside?"

 

I also do wonder whether having a good cheapo / school / budget range makes a pen manufacturer more likely to turn out decent writing instruments at higher price ranges? Certainly Pilot, Platinum, Pelikan, Lamy and Faber Castell all seem pretty good: I've rarely had a problem with their products at either end of the price spectrum (though I don't go as far as raden, maki-e or GvFC Pen of the Year, price-wise).

Too many pens, too little time!

http://fountainpenlove.blogspot.fr/

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A fountain pen is a complex and necessarily precise bit of engineering and in many respects has parallels with any other consumer product out there. Let's face it you can buy a cheap model of car (automobile) and it will last you for donkey's years with only the replacement of the usual consumables and a regular service. On the other hand you can buy a Ferrari and be plagued with issues from day one. In fact you would not buy an Italian car if you expected reliability so why do we assume such of a pen.

 

An expensive product simply means expensive design and materials not necessarily good design and good materials. All this is before we hand the patterns over to manufacturers who must keep costs to an absolute minimum in order to make their profits.

 

I think that if we are honest with ourselves we purchase expensive items because advertising (generally) leads us to believe that the ownership of such products says something about ourselves not about the manufacturer. There are many other reasons of course but given the revenue from 'designer' products it is a common enough human condition.

 

Stripped down to the basics a pen is a simple tool and like all tools there is a bandwidth in which we expect the tool to function reliably over a sensible period of time. Below that bandwidth we take our chances and above the bandwidth the same is true. However we are only human and whilst one half of us sift through the midden for a gem the other half is sifting through the treasure chest for functionality. Both are going to be disappointed.

 

There is a problem that unlike cameras (for instance) there is no profession to demand minimum specification. Professional spec does not guarantee the best but it does attempt a reliability and functionality demanded by those who make their living from the tool. Pens are all consumer grade regardless of cost and in a world where many are content to own a brand for its own sake it is hardly surprising that manufacturers take full advantage at minimum cost to themselves...minimum cost does not mean cheap either ;-)

 

In the end people who get the most pleasure out of the products are those who accept imperfection and indeed get a satisfaction from working with imperfection. How much we spend depends on the disposability of income and in my experience it is those who buy beyond their means who expect the most from their purchases.

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Your personal bad luck, some OCD and a lack of experience. Anecdotal information is simply anecdotal information and certainly not justification for an assertion like "Why Are Expensive Pens So Badly Made?"

 

As your experience and sample size grows you may come to far different conclusions.

 

However, if you are happier with the less expensive pens then the answer is "Buy less expensive pens and rejoice."

 

I can accept that sample of 100-odd cheap and 60-odd expensive pens that I used in last couple of years is not big enough for a serious study. But I think that experience makes expectations higher not lower. After all, the pens I am moaning about all write. And if I would handle a pen that is scratchy or has ink flow problems years ago I would hardly notice. Now when I pay $500 for a pen I expect perfection and not seeing an inverted Grand Canyon slit under the loop.

Inked: Sailor King Pro Gear, Sailor Nagasawa Proske, Sailor 1911 Standard, Parker Sonnet Chiselled Carbon, Parker 51, Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Platinum Preppy

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I can accept that sample of 100-odd cheap and 60-odd expensive pens that I used in last couple of years is not big enough for a serious study. But I think that experience makes expectations higher not lower. After all, the pens I am moaning about all write. And if I would handle a pen that is scratchy or has ink flow problems years ago I would hardly notice. Now when I pay $500 for a pen I expect perfection and not seeing an inverted Grand Canyon slit under the loop.

And that is why I added the factors of OCD and Bad Luck in what I posted. Of the hundreds of pens I have and have accumulated over the last half century I have found none that I would call badly made and none that even suggested I needed to look at the slit under a loupe for anything more than tip alignment.

 

I'm sorry that your personal expectations have not been met but that has little to justify your assertion that expensive pens are not well made.

 

My Website

 

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I think the nature of the product offering changes as the price goes up.

 

An inexpensive pen must write well to succeed--its only function is to write. So manufacturers design inexpensive pens to come off the manufacturing line writing well.

 

A moderate-priced pen is likely going to an enthusiast Experience has taught manufacturers that enthusiasts will accept a pen that doesn't write, so long as it is interesting and attractive, and a combination of adjustment and exchange will fix it. They don't have the volumes to build precision into the manufacturing process or the margins to hand-test each individual pen, so they let the buyer do the inspection.

 

Really expensive pens are more often than not going to collectors who would be appalled at the thought of ink touching them. And if by chance the buyer actually wants to write with the pen, they have so much sunk cost by the time they find the pen to be a poor writer that they will put up with nearly anything, even sending the pen to a nibmeister, to get it writing again. There is no reason for the manufacturer to care about writing qualities.

 

As the OP suggests, it seems that a company with strong experience in low-priced pens is likely to have a more conscientious attitude toward the writing qualities of their expensive pens as well. Perhaps this is why you see a cult following for some high-end pens (such as Namiki or Nakaya) among users.

ron

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Fascinating read.....Thank you.....

 

Note: As a member of FPN in good standing, it is your

right and privilege to air your opinion.............

 

Fred

your friend and mine..........................................

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... An inexpensive pen must write well to succeed--its only function is to write. So manufacturers design inexpensive pens to come off the manufacturing line writing well.

 

A moderate-priced pen is likely going to an enthusiast Experience has taught manufacturers that enthusiasts will accept a pen that doesn't write, so long as it is interesting and attractive, and a combination of adjustment and exchange will fix it ...

 

My own experience bears this out to some degree. I have accumulated a number of inexpensive pens from China and Asia and have had close to 100% success with them. Practically all have written very well from the outset.

 

Among the more expensive pens, I would say that at least half have required some sort of tinkering to get them writing well.

 

I don't believe any of my more expensive pens are badly made. They all seem to be well constructed using decent materials and I have no concerns regarding their durability.

Andy sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled ...

(With apologies to Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson)

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someone is offering to take my $10 pen for their Montblanc?

 

I assure you my $10 pen writes like a charm, right out of the box.

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I think the nature of the product offering changes as the price goes up.

 

An inexpensive pen must write well to succeed--its only function is to write. So manufacturers design inexpensive pens to come off the manufacturing line writing well.

 

A moderate-priced pen is likely going to an enthusiast Experience has taught manufacturers that enthusiasts will accept a pen that doesn't write, so long as it is interesting and attractive, and a combination of adjustment and exchange will fix it. They don't have the volumes to build precision into the manufacturing process or the margins to hand-test each individual pen, so they let the buyer do the inspection.

 

Really expensive pens are more often than not going to collectors who would be appalled at the thought of ink touching them. And if by chance the buyer actually wants to write with the pen, they have so much sunk cost by the time they find the pen to be a poor writer that they will put up with nearly anything, even sending the pen to a nibmeister, to get it writing again. There is no reason for the manufacturer to care about writing qualities.

 

As the OP suggests, it seems that a company with strong experience in low-priced pens is likely to have a more conscientious attitude toward the writing qualities of their expensive pens as well. Perhaps this is why you see a cult following for some high-end pens (such as Namiki or Nakaya) among users.

ron

I was going to make points similar to these, but I could not have expressed them half as well as you did. So I just want to cosign on your post.

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My Visconti's inconsistency has grown to be it's charm... sure, it occasionally runs dry ... but compared to my Waterman and Sheaffers which write consistently the exact same way ... i love the variation in ink flow that I get from Visconti ... every ink that I have looks better when used with my Visconti then with my other pens.

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Your personal bad luck, some OCD and a lack of experience. Anecdotal information is simply anecdotal information and certainly not justification for an assertion like "Why Are Expensive Pens So Badly Made?"

 

As your experience and sample size grows you may come to far different conclusions.

 

However, if you are happier with the less expensive pens then the answer is "Buy less expensive pens and rejoice."

Ooooh. This has so much potential.

 

"You are not happy that your BMW Isetta has a Pioneer car radio? You are just OCD".

"You think I misuse 'OCD'? You are OCD".

 

... I have to start to use this with my clients and employer.

You do not have a right to post. You do not have a right to a lawyer. Do you understands these rights you do not have?

 

Kaweco Supra (titanium B), Al-Sport (steel BB).

Parker: Sonnet (dimonite); Frontier GT; 51 (gray); Vacumatic (amber).

Pelikan: m600 (BB); Rotring ArtPen (1,9mm); Rotring Rive; Cult Pens Mini (the original silver version), Waterman Carene (ultramarine F)

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I also love the misuse of 'anecdotal information'. In the absence of a clearly defined study ALL the information that comes from private buyers is anecdotal.

 

The OP's experience has led them to believe that QC is inversely proportional to price. They have every justification for asking the question.

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I also love the misuse of 'anecdotal information'. In the absence of a clearly defined study ALL the information that comes from private buyers is anecdotal.

 

The OP's experience has led them to believe that QC is inversely proportional to price. They have every justification for asking the question.

Edit:

 

Blah, words fail me. Essentially "+1"

You do not have a right to post. You do not have a right to a lawyer. Do you understands these rights you do not have?

 

Kaweco Supra (titanium B), Al-Sport (steel BB).

Parker: Sonnet (dimonite); Frontier GT; 51 (gray); Vacumatic (amber).

Pelikan: m600 (BB); Rotring ArtPen (1,9mm); Rotring Rive; Cult Pens Mini (the original silver version), Waterman Carene (ultramarine F)

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Well, my girlfriend has a fountain pen that was a gift from her parents, I dont remember the brand, It's not any luxury brand, the pen cost something like 70€, which may be considered cheap. When she saw my Lamy Safary she felt bad for the comparison between the two, being the Lamy Safari of better quality (better ink flow, smoother ...)

"He who obeys, does not hear himself"


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https://www.instagram.com/aalexangelov/



Alex

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Question: If a nib be excellent in all other respects, then is "nib creep" really a fault? or rather, is it best viewed as an irrelevant, cosmetic result of a particular nib-ink combination?

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