Hello from Boston

[GregPQ]

Hi,

Just found your forum via a (very) long thread on one of the shaving forums. I used to use those Shaefer see-through cartridge pens in high school. Everybody did.

 

It so happens I was looking for a new digital camera, and I just couldn’t warm up to this nice Canon because it didn’t feel right in my hands. I guess I wanted it to feel more like a good tool. Like my 1985 Minolta 35mm SLR. Or my Merkur HD safety razor.

 

So I did a quick study on your wonderful forum, looking for recommendations for beginner’s pens. And so it came that yesterday, on one of the most miserable days in quite some time, I made my way—on foot—through slush and sleet to the Bromfield Pen Shop in downtown Boston. I’m the newest of newbies here, but if you are ever in Boston, you owe it to yourself to visit this store, which is practically across the street from the Old Burial Ground, in the heart of tourist Boston.

 

I bought a Waterman Phileas (green) fine point, and a bottle of their Havana Brown. It works great and I am enjoying the change of pace: I am an application developer and always on the verge of carpal tunnel syndrome. Grasping the substantial Phileas is a nice change from keyboard and mouse. It has comforting ergonomics for me, both physically and mentally. I’m old enough to remember a time when my parents and grandparents all used fountain pens routinely and every day. Especially for writing checks. So the FP brings back a lot of memories…

 

OK, didn’t mean to ramble on quite so much. Just wanted to end by saying that you have a great forum here, a boon to curious newcomers. I like the photos and scans members post. This is the most beautiful forum I’ve seen. And now to improve my penmanship!

 

Greg

PS- Il parait qu’on parle français ici, de temps en temps..

[Mac in Alberta]

Welcome, Greg.

I too started writing with a fountain pen in a Catholic elementary school in the 1960s, though my school had no ruler-wielding nuns. And I definitely remember both parents using fountain pens.

Hope you enjoy the forum.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Welcome!!

 

I live at the border of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

 

Dillon

[Slush99]

Welcome from next door! (RI)

[JimStrutton]

Welcome from the UK, but I did live for a while in NH back in the late '80s and New England is one of my favorite locations in the US, so I thought I would get my .02 worth in.

 

Hope you enjoy it here.

 

Jim

[chainwhip]

Welcome Greg - as you've stated, it is a great change of pace to write with a FP... I sit in front of screen and keyboard all day as well - and I find writing in my journal w/ my fountain pen to be very therapeutic.

 

Here's some links that I've found useful in the penmanship arena:

 

1) James Pickering (He's on this board): http://jp29.org/itdr.htm

 

2) Random Link somebody posted on this forum: http://www.paperpenalia.com/

[southpaw]

Hello Greg and welcome! Many here like the Phileas a lot and WM HB is a wonderful ink, or so I've heard (don't have a bottle myself . . . yet). Hope to see you around.

[emrecan]

Hi Greg,

Welcome to the da House!!!FPNut house!!!You make a good selection Phileas is a good starter pens and Havana Brown is great brown color have great intensity and nice lubrication properties.Welcome again!!

 

Take Care,

Emrecan

[Bill]

>...the Bromfield Pen Shop in downtown Boston...

 

Greg,

 

Welcome!

 

What can you tell us about Bromfield's? Selection? Prices? Is there a direct way to walk there from the Marriott Copley Place (hard to tell on Mapquest)? Do they do onsite nib work?

 

Bill

[GregPQ]

If it's a nice day and if you like to walk, you could walk from Copley Pace to Bromfield St, it would make a nice stroll through a beautiful (and totally safe) section of Boston. Bromfield St is off Tremont Street and, is near the northern end of the Boston Common, the Park St end. You could walk from Copley up to Boylston St until it hits Tremont then keep the Boston Common on your left. Or, you could hop on the MBTA to Park Street station and you'd be all set.

 

They do some repair work onsite--I've seen their setup in the window.

 

I found their prices to be competitive, but I'm a total newbie. I purchased a WM Phileas on sale for $37 if that gives you any indication. Also a nice Clairefontaine 80-sheet pad for $6.

 

Hope you enjoy your visit to Boston!

 

Greg

[Bill]

Greg,

 

Thanks for the useful info. By comparing the subway map with the street map it looked like walking would be shorter but I'm not familiar with that part of town. I'll be there in warmer weather and will be in the city proper so probably won't rent a car this trip (I've "tried" to drive Boston a few times).

 

Thanks a lot,

 

Bill

[dmorgen]

Greg,

 

Welcome from just outside Boston. I'm also a software developer. The Phileas was either my first or one of the first few pens I bought. You'd think I'd remember even though I've been doing the fountain pen thing for a long time ... it's almost a full year! I've since added a second. Good pens, especially for the money!

 

The Havana Brown is one of my more recent ink purchases. Great ink!

 

In case you're interested, a Boston pen club has just started/restarted. I think there's a meeting this Sunday. If you're interested, a search here might get some info, or let me know & I'll dig it up.

 

Enjoy!

 

Dave

[heidi]

Welcome! I'm actually flying to Boston in 10 hours, for an interview - but I made sure to schedule in a few extra days for pen and paper hunting. I'll try to convince my friends to go with me to Bromfield's! You're off to a great start with the Phileas and Havana Brown (I just got some of this ink myself - fabulous!).

[GregPQ]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome. I wanted to add that Bromfield Pen Shop in Boston carries quite a selction of Ink also. I just got a new camera (Canon S80), and snapped some shots of the store couple of days ago, including their repair desk, viewable from the street.

 

Greg

Edited March 5, 2006 by GregPQ