Me Buying A More Expensive Pen Than My Dad?! Please Help Me!

[Flippy]

Hi guys,

 

So...I'm gonna half admit that I'm a lot younger than 20, OK? I'm not telling you guys my age, but I'll bet that I'm the youngest FPN member ever. Not lying or bragging, it's just a true fact. My other classmates use Lamy Vista's and Al-stars. (That's how young I am)

 

So here is the problem

 

My dad owns a nice Parker sonnet (Black Lacquer with 18k gold nib) which has a gold nib (strange, because that model comes with a steel nib.) I was thinking of buying a Carene. (Blue Obsession) On the dark side, that's a bit more expensive. I know how to handle expensive pens so don't worry. (3776# century, now, now, don't worry about it, I'm not gonna drop it.) I have a problem where I would feel guilty if I overtook my dad with a more bigger, badder, more expensive pen, but what do you think? ("It's up to you" is NOT AN ANSWER!)

[kapanak]

As long as you have the funds and they will not cause you or anybody else financial stress, buy whatever it is your desire. Your father won't be mad (once again, if money is no big deal in this matter).

[OCArt]

+1 on kapakak and, speaking as a Dad, I think it would be cool to have a kid so into pens that they have surpassed me. IF he is a regular FP user remember that Father's Day is coming up and maybe the whole family might want to pitch in on a nice pen for Dad too.

[praxim]

We hope that our children will surpass us whilst not being unduly self-congratulatory.

[Flippy]

Thank you all for being supporting and helpful!

[Flippy]

So I guess that I'll get him a nice Premier. Those are work-oriented, and plus, my dad has a liking for Parker.

[Mastiff]

You are so cute!

[Guardy]

That's a lovely thing to be concerned about - quite frankly, my dad and I are quite happily trying to outdo each other. Not that it'd work, mind, because he has that beautiful Pelikan M800, but one day, man, one day... /wistfully stares into the distance.

 

To settle some of your concerns, too: Price is not the most important factor when it comes to a pen. I could buy the most ridiculously expensive vintage pen and my dad (who is decidedly NOT into vintage pens) would just shrug. On the other hand, if he'd buy a fancy MB at some point, I would just shrug because I wouldn't really want to own one of those myself anyway.

If in doubt, why not ask you dad if it'd bother him?

 

Also, lucky you. The Carene is way up my wish list, too.

[Mastiff]

That's a lovely thing to be concerned about - quite frankly, my dad and I are quite happily trying to outdo each other. Not that it'd work, mind, because he has that beautiful Pelikan M800, but one day, man, one day... /wistfully stares into the distance.

 

To settle some of your concerns, too: Price is not the most important factor when it comes to a pen. I could buy the most ridiculously expensive vintage pen and my dad (who is decidedly NOT into vintage pens) would just shrug. On the other hand, if he'd buy a fancy MB at some point, I would just shrug because I wouldn't really want to own one of those myself anyway.

If in doubt, why not ask you dad if it'd bother him?

 

Also, lucky you. The Carene is way up my wish list, too.

 

You are also sooo cute!

[Flippy]

You guys are so helpful!!! I've gone mad!

[Sysiphus]

You might feel guilty.

Your father might be upset

Either, neither, or both.

 

One is up to you (guilt)

One could be influenced by you (to buy or not to buy...)

One is based on your father's mindset.

[TheRealMikeDr]

Get the pen.

 

50 years from now, when you're 55 years old , you will look back at it and fondly think that it was the first really nice pen you bought when you were young and how much pleasure it has brought you over the years. Those are the kind of sappy memories that mean a lot when you get older!

[senzen]

As long as you don't think it's a competition... Bad news kid: you're turning into your dad. Usually happens 30 years later, tough luck! . Hopefully you won't be pulling your pants to waist level by the time you reach 30.

[Runnin_Ute]

Actually the answer ultimately IS it's up to you-whether you want it to be or not.

 

That being said it sounds like you need to reconcile your desire for this very nice pen with possible feelings of guilt or how your dad will feel about it. That might require a sit down conversation with him. Which at this price point might not be a bad idea anyway.

 

Especially if he would prefer you be putting money away for college.

[ac12]

"Up to you" is an answer.

 

But a few words of advice.

 

. . . Keep your GOOD pens at home. Do NOT take them to school.

 

School (or office) is a 'high risk' environment for loss, damage or theft.

 

When you take a pen out of the house, consider if it is lost or stolen. Will it be a significant financial impact to replace the pen? If not, then fine, take the pen out. If it will be, then consider taking a less expensive pen out of the house. Yes, you will take care of the pen, but stuff happens. I had a gold pen stolen from my desk at work. I was so ticked off that 25 years later I still get mad thinking about it, more so because it was a gift to me. I saw someone steal someones computer on the bus, he just grabbed the case and ran out the bus door. The computer was gone in just 3 seconds. A pen is too easy to steal. It is put in a pocket and it 'disappears.'

 

BTW, showing off an expensive pen is a good way to become targeted for a theft. Word gets around, and the guys that would steal will hear about you and your expensive pen.

 

This is also a case of 'those that have' and the 'those that have not.' Some of the other students who can't afford an expensive pen will become jealous. Jealous enough to steal your pen, and even destroy it.

 

So again, think twice about taking a pen to school that is so much more expensive than those of your classmates.

 

 

Ute makes a good point.

While you are at home, your parents are taking care of your expenses, and you are somewhat free to spend your money as your please. At some point you will be on your own, and you have to learn to budget your funds for stuff that you need, like food and housing. You might as well start thinking about such now. Maybe buy a nice pen once a year or two years, and save the rest for college. Or for a new computer in a few years, when your current computer becomes obsolete.

Edited May 22, 2016 by ac12

[Water Ouzel]

So...I'm gonna half admit that I'm a lot younger than 20, OK? I'm not telling you guys my age, but I'll bet that I'm the youngest FPN member ever. Not lying or bragging, it's just a true fact. My other classmates use Lamy Vista's and Al-stars. (That's how young I am)

I got my first Al-Star in 2012. I was 62. (I've been using fountain pens since 1964, with some gaps after the early '80s.)

 

If you can afford the pen, and you're going to use it and maintain it well, go for it.

 

As others have mentioned, keep the nice pen at home (and use it lots), use the Lamys (or inexpensive Pilots or Jinhaos) at school.

 

Hang around, we might have cookies. I keep hoping...

[ac12]

BTW, I never had the luxury of an expensive fountain pen till long after college. My college pens were a pair of Parker 45s. So consider me one of the 'have nots.'

[Runnin_Ute]

BTW, I never had the luxury of an expensive fountain pen till long after college. My college pens were a pair of Parker 45s. So consider me one of the 'have nots.'

I still don't have an expensive fountain pen. Certainly not anything close to what this Carene will cost. Everything is $100 or less.

[dadbar]

If you get 60 years of use out of it, then it will be money well spent.

 

Go for it, kid.

[dylim1]

I think 3776 is a great pen. It's lightweight but pretty durable. The pen is so comfortable to use. I currently have 2 of them.