Have You Gifted A Nice Pen To A Young Person?

[penaholic75]

In September I was at my sister's home, and I noticed my nephews' and niece's writing instruments. I believe they were Papermate stick pens, and I felt bad for them. I remember growing up using similar writing tools, and I remember receiving my first Cross Century pen and never looking back.

 

So, I decided to gift the kids new writing tools. I purchased for each of them a Retro 51 metal rollerball with a design that aligned with their personalities. I told them they were only to use these pens at home. I also bought them each a Pentel Energel Alloy pen for classroom use.

 

I know these are not pricey pens, but my intent was to help them appreciate a better writing tool. When they actually tested their pens, at my insistence, the reply was the same: "Wow..."

 

So, have any of you done the same for a child in your life? I felt a strange joy watching them use their first "good" pen.

[inkstainedruth]

Yes, a couple of years ago I gave one of my husband's nieces a Parker Vector FP and BP as a high school graduation present, because she was valedictorian of her high school class. Her sister was not also valedictorian, but at some point I will probably give her a pink Vector I picked up last year. (Her cousins didn't get pens when they graduated from high school or college because they're all enough older that I wasn't into pens back then).

Someone in either that generation (or the next -- my husband is now a great-uncle) will get the (now) restored Sheaffer Balance Oversize that was my husband's grandfather's pen (I have it now, and it's a nice writer -- it's a little big for my hand, but still lightweight enough for me to use).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[max dog]

Yes, 6 years ago my 7 years old nephew came to spend the summer with me. He took a liking to my fountain pen collection.

 

After the summer as he was leaving I gifted him one of my pens in my collection. A sheaffer Prelude. I thought the faceted gripping section would help him hold the pen properly and the robust steel Sheaffer nib might have a fighting chance of surviving a 7 years old. Well 3 years later I saw him and to my surprise when I asked him about the pen, he pulled it out of his pocket along with marbles, toy cars, and other things 10 year olds are into. He took good care of the pen and it still wrote like a charm. It was really great that I could develop a connection with him, among other things, with fountain pens. It really made me happy.

 

I saw him again last year, and he is 13 now and starting Junior high and he still had that pen making good use of it. Anyway, my MB 145 now has a new home with an aspiring 13 years old.

Edited January 30, 2017 by max dog

[jar]

Only fountain pens but lots of those.

[carlos.q]

I have given a Parker Vector to a young friend and a Lamy Al-Star to another.

 

I have a nephew that admires my fountain pens so I recently bought a Pilot Metropolitan as a gift for him.

[AL01]

I am considered to be young but I like vintage pens...

 

I must have been mighty helpful, eh?

[Newjelan]

I had a part-time employee who was a Uni student. After graduating (at 22), she left to work full-time in her chosen field. She cultivated a love of fountain pens while working with me and I gave her a green Visconti Salvador Dali, Visconti green ink and a Tomoe River journal as a farewell present. She cried! It was lovely to receive a thank you and "career progress" card from her in the ink about 6 months later.

[ac12]

My college classmate's nephew and his girlfriend got Levenger fountain pens for Christmas.

He got a Parker 45, for his birthday the prior year. This was kinda fun, as I used 45s in college, but the 45 was older than he.

 

Now to think about what to give him this year.

Edited February 1, 2017 by ac12

[flatline]

I've been giving Fisher chrome Bullets for years as graduation or new job gifts. I figure having a reliable pen that's easy to keep with you is a good start on adult life. Also, everyone seems delighted to tell me later that they've discovered that you can file your nails with the chrome bullet pen.

 

However, I've noticed over the years that once someone finishes college and starts working, the tendency is to quit using pencils entirely, so I'm playing with the idea of giving a quality mechanical pencil or lead holder to encourage their continued use of pencils in their adult life.

 

--flatline

[Pichak]

When I was in grade 1 my dad gave me a Pentel mechanical pencil. It was my first nice writing instrument. Later he still gave me Rotring and other mechanical pencil. Until I was grade 5, it was first time I can use pen in my school. My dad gave me a nice orange Pentel Tradio rollerball pen, I was so excited.

 

I got my first fountain pen when I was grade 7. My grandfather gave me an old Sheaffer Fashion 240. I suddenly fall in love with this kind of writing instrument. After I learn more about fountain pen, my dad gave me a Sailor 1911 Standard and some others.

 

On my important days as New Year, Birthday, my dad also gave me a nice fountain pen as a gift just like a Pelikan M200 on my 2015 New Year, a Delta Delcevita Stantuffo on my 2016 birthday. The recent New Year my father gave me a vintage Waterman Starlet.

[Flippy]

I received my first pen after I got the highest score in an English test. It was a Parker IM, which I no longer have

 

I have given away some ink samples to fellow fountain pen enthusiasts in my class, and gave away a couple Pilot Petits.

Edited February 2, 2017 by FlippyThePen

[Tasmith]

Not to young persons yet, but I gave my wife a red Parker Sonnet ballpoint as a thank you several years ago for doing our taxes. She was using cheap gel pens before.

 

She now has at least 6 Parkers in various models, 7 Retro 51s (have to use just the right pen theme for the season or special occasion!) and several Fisher Space Pens plus a custom made ball point.

[JordanN]

I would be quite willing to gift one of my pens to a young person if I saw that they had an interest in fountain pens. I probably wouldn't give a pen otherwise, as it'd most likely serve as a dust collector.

 

I think it's important that he initiates the interest (a pull transaction), so that I'm answering a perceived need he has already felt.

 

I don't want to push a pen at him, and he feel obligated to take it and use it briefly out of politeness where internally he has no idea why he'd use one.

 

In a related example, my grandfather years ago, and recently my wife's grandmother, gave me a handkerchief set. From their perspective, a gentleman isn't complete without a handkerchief in his pocket. From mine, and others of my generation, handkerchiefs are gross and we don't carry them.

Edited February 2, 2017 by JordanN

[Jamesbeat]

I am currently in the design phase of making my six year old daughter a custom fountain pen.

I'm going to give it to her when it's finished, safe in the knowledge that I can fix it if she is too heavy handed.

 

She might well be the youngest person who has their very own custom fountain pen

 

I still haven't decided whether to make it a kid-friendly shape like those crazy Pelikan ones, or a proper 'adult' pen that she can use when she's older.

 

I'm leaning towards the latter, despite the fact that it may make it more difficult for her to learn with right now.

[ac12]

 

 

In a related example, my grandfather years ago, and recently my wife's grandmother, gave me a handkerchief set. From their perspective, a gentleman isn't complete without a handkerchief in his pocket. From mine, and others of my generation, handkerchiefs are gross and we don't carry them.

 

The handkerchief in the outer jacket breast pocket was in many cases for decoration, NOT for use.

The one in the pant pocket was the one that was used.

[Jamesbeat]

 

 

The handkerchief in the outer jacket breast pocket was in many cases for decoration, NOT for use.

The one in the pant pocket was the one that was used.

One for show, one for blow as the saying goes...

[Mulrich]

One of the first people that triggered my interest in fountain pens was a high school student I taught an early morning religion class to. I gave him a Pelikan M200 for graduation in appreciation for my new hobby.

My own kids can earn a fountain pen once they demonstrate some effort in learning penmanship and responsibility (usually around 6-7).

[Flippy]

I would be quite willing to gift one of my pens to a young person if I saw that they had an interest in fountain pens. I probably wouldn't give a pen otherwise, as it'd most likely serve as a dust collector.

 

I think it's important that he initiates the interest (a pull transaction), so that I'm answering a perceived need he has already felt.

 

I don't want to push a pen at him, and he feel obligated to take it and use it briefly out of politeness where internally he has no idea why he'd use one.

 

In a related example, my grandfather years ago, and recently my wife's grandmother, gave me a handkerchief set. From their perspective, a gentleman isn't complete without a handkerchief in his pocket. From mine, and others of my generation, handkerchiefs are gross and we don't carry them.

This post made me laugh.

[ac12]

 

 

One for show, one for blow as the saying goes...

 

[AlexLeGrande]

I gave my granddaughter a Pilot Metropolitan turquoise fine nib pen, and half a bottle of Lamy Turquoise ink. I placed the other half of the bottle in an old Montblanc shoe., which I kept for myself.