Nathan Tardif Interview

[pen_master]

In case you haven't seen it, here is an interesting interview with Nathan Tardif and Brian Goulet. I thought I knew what he looked like, but I was wrong.

 

Edited July 14, 2018 by pen_master

[inkstainedruth]

That's really interesting. They did a phone interview with him a few years ago on Ink Nouveau (he was too busy to meet in person).

I've actually met him, the two times I went to the Commonwealth Pen Show. And you're right -- he does not look ANYTHING like what you expect from his videos (I was expecting some guy in his 80s... but when he talks about being a kid in the Blizzard of '78, that just proves he's younger than me, since I was a freshman in college). But the first year I went to Commonwealth, and made it through the across-the-room line for his table for the inks he'd made special for the show (all of which came with free Charlie pens), that voice was unmistakable.

Of course the two times I met him he was wearing a suit and tie. So jeans and a zipper jacket seems very weird.

Thanks for posting the link.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkstainedruth]

Really interesting video. I saw an Ink Nouveau interview a few years ago with him that was all by phone because he was too busy to meet in person, to see him actually just *sitting* is kinda weird.

And yeah, he doesn't look ANYTHING like I expected. I've met him a couple of times at the Commonwealth Pen Show, though, and that voice is unmistakable. I honestly expected a guy in his 80s from his videos -- but his comment about being a kid during "the Blizzard of '78" proved that he's not only younger than me, but WAY younger... (I was a freshman in college during that time in CT where I was going to school, but there it was just "the Great Snowstorm of '78")

Although seeing him in jeans and a zipper jacket (at the shows he was wearing a suit and tie) is also kind of... odd....

And yeah, he's right about electronic stuff. I had to have my laptop's hard drive wiped a couple of years ago and got told "Oh, sure, that 16 GB flash drive will hold everything before the new OS is installed...." Yeah, right. Not so much.... And then I compare the laptop to my 1937 Vacumatic Red Shadow Wave (which, as a lower tier model, didn't have the same level of warranty as the Pearl colors), which cost a fraction of my laptop, fits in my purse, is better looking, hasn't needed any sort of "upgrades" other than refilling with Waterman Mysterious Blue as needed, and hasn't had any flushing or nib flossing or anything else, in almost 3 years at this point. AND can't be hacked....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[jmccarty3]

Well worth watching. Thanks for posting!

[Carrau]

He reminds me of a cross between Garrison Keillor and Stephen King; an unusual mixture of educated folksiness with a mysterious/ mischievous darker side. I think the video goes a long way toward explaining some of the quirkiness of his inks, and provides needed insight into what motivates him to develop the inks and pens that he does. Practicality, affordability, and universality are clearly his bywords, and drive his efforts to meet the challenges posed by the critics of fountain pens and commercial fountain pen producers, as well as the needs of his customer base. Perhaps he sees himself as a modern day Eli Whitney of sorts, but instead of inventing a new way of engineering something, he is sort of retro-engineering something he and many others value, making it more accessible as a way of preserving it, rather than producing it just to expand profits. I’m hardly an acolyte of his, but I am grateful for many of the inks he has produced that I enjoy. The criticisms of his ink variability and cheapness of his pens’ materials are understandable but would seem rather uninformed after watching this.

[dapprman]

Just seen it. Was more interesting than I expected, though the guy is slightly mad (no harm in that) resulting in some amazing facial expressions on Brian Goulet. Does he deserve the fuss made about him in the US (the rep for his inks is mixed in the UK and Europe and nib meisters here warn against using it), doubt it. I suppose he was possibly the first small independent ink manufacturer, and the request from Ben Bernanke for specific inks really made his name. His excuse for variance in batches was just plain poor and obviously long used. Also I think it shows a difference in attitudes to fountain pens in the US (and possibly the UK) to Europe going back 5-10+ years, where usage amongst the young has dropped considerably. In Germany, Spain, and possibly France, the kids have to use them at school and as a result there are a lot of very cheap (and some nasty) ones available (always been able to get cheap ones in the UK as well).

 

Well worth watching, though I don't think it will change many views on his products (might on the man, but he's only diversive due to his views in the US).

[pen_master]

I would love to see his production line, such as it is. How is he able to produce all that ink!?

[Charles Skinner]

I will second that! Would love to see his "operation!" C. S.

[inkstainedruth]

There was a thread several years ago where people joked about breaching his "fortress" and the "catfish filled moat" around it... (I wanted to sit on the sidelines running the concessions stand...).

I suspect it's more like he has a very large basement....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[WaskiSquirrel]

It was an interesting interview. At the same time, there were parts I could not understand, which surprised me after watching his videos. It's probably a combination of how Brian miked the interview and my own hearing issues, as well as Mr. Tardif's own speaking style.

 

I would call him an iconoclast and an artist. But these things do make for a difficult personality. But, people like this have an outsized influence. His pens and his inks are fascinating. I think they really pushed the industry forward. His personal product may not last, but his influence really will last.

 

I had seen some photos of him, so his youth didn't surprise me. But the photos I've seen could not have been him. Does he have a misinformation campaign out there?

[cellmatrix]

I felt bad for him when he said putting down a certain group of people was one of his greatest joys in life. But the guy is an ink genius no can argue that.

[jmccarty3]

I felt bad for him when he said putting down a certain group of people was one of his greatest joys in life.

 

He didn't really say that he enjoyed putting them down--he said he enjoys getting them upset, which is a bit different. To me, that was the best part of the whole interview.

[cellmatrix]

Yes thanks - I mis spoke - he greatly enjoys making other people feel bad- not everyone just a certain group of those people

[wimg]

Yes thanks - I mis spoke - he greatly enjoys making other people feel bad- not everyone just a certain group of those people

 

He only does so when people treat him badly in the first place . And he tends to do so in clever ways.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Freddy]

Ah..yes the young protege of the man who in his youth blew up Waterman 58's with firecrackers......

Yup that's him......................

Fred

[cellmatrix]

people who enjoy hurting others are bullies not clever. Who started it I don't know, but this video clearly tells me who enjoys perpetuating it. FPN's no ink bashing policy at least keeps the situation from escalating.

[Charles Skinner]

I really wish I knew what you folks are taking about!!!!! To me, he is just another "pen and ink man!" Is he hated by some ----- or so it would seem ----- because of his vast knowledge of his "craft?" ----- Is he hated because of his "business success?"

 

Clue me in!

 

C. S.

[Mulrich]

I really wish I knew what you folks are taking about!!!!! To me, he is just another "pen and ink man!" Is he hated by some ----- or so it would seem ----- because of his vast knowledge of his "craft?" ----- Is he hated because of his "business success?"

 

Clue me in!

 

C. S.

Some people dont like his inks for various reasons. Others have issue with some of his political views which can sometimes creep into his ink labels. But regardless of his politics, he has done a lot for the fountain pen community which Im grateful for.

[monquito]

I really don't see how his politics can bother anyone. A guy who lives in Massachusetts and complains about taxes is hardly new or rare. (Although they never seem to acknowledge that if the state didn't have a FLAT income tax their property taxes could be lower and that even those taxes don't crack the top ten highest in the country.) Plus at his particular age he would have grown up hearing nothing about state politics other than rampant corruption in what happened to be a Democratically controlled state. Most of his labels are at least historically informed. Being critical of what he sees as feckless use of resources by the government is light years away from supporting the stripping of people's rights or the harming of society's most vulnerable and supporting his business and innovation is even further removed from that! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Nierd]

I really wish I knew what you folks are taking about!!!!! To me, he is just another "pen and ink man!" Is he hated by some ----- or so it would seem ----- because of his vast knowledge of his "craft?" ----- Is he hated because of his "business success?"

 

Clue me in!

 

C. S.

 

There has been a very large war of ideas over inks - notably a very well regarded nibmiester said things (still up on his website) that made huge waves - and I'm sure affected Nathan's business and ability to live directly. Nathan kept going and has weathered that storm - and continues to be successful despite a large group of people who attempted to convince everyone that his inks were incredibly dangerous.

 

The thing is - if you go to all the online shops - and check 'inks by volume sold (popularity)' every site sells Noodlers as a #1 ink - so essentially all the 'dangers' would be all you read about considering his inks are pretty well used.

 

When he says it gives him pleasure - I can understand. To my knowledge he never made it his mission to upset people - but almost had his life's work ruined by some - and to cause those same people upset *by virtue of simply existing and doing his work* - well that's not his problem - and I can't fault him for having a perverse sense of glee/pride in the fact that he causes upset to people who would have seen him destroyed .