Pretentious, or Not?

[MidnightBlue]

I see so far there's up to 7 pages for this topic. Let's see how more we get now. Only Montblanc are pretentious.

Thanks

[clickiechick]

It could very well be, that the BP user simply likes the look, feel, size shape, grip, and general design of the MB pen. Just because a person uses ballpoints, does not mean that it is all the same to them what the pen looks and feels like! They have a right to have preferences in other aspects of the pen's design. Frankly, I don't understand the need to determine who is "justified" in their consumer choices of writing instruments and who is "pretentious". This is really all a matter of viewpoint. To many people, all fountain pen users seem extremely pretentious, and any attempt at explanation or "practical" justification on our part just seems laughable and pathetic.

 

Perfectly put! I was going to add something, but this says it better than I could.

 

[QM2]

I see so far there's up to 7 pages for this topic. Let's see how more we get now. Only Montblanc are pretentious.

 

I think you meant to say Parker 51.

[JimStrutton]

I see so far there's up to 7 pages for this topic. Let's see how more we get now. Only Montblanc are pretentious.

 

I think you meant to say Parker 51.

 

It is sort of like Poker then? I see your precious resin MB and I raise you my custom 1946 Parker "51" with the polished silver cap by Ralph Prather :roflmho:

 

But then us "51" aficionados are a pretentious bunch any day of the week................

[wspohn]

Still being curious about my original question, I asked two different litigation lawyers (in Canada we are barristers - go to court types - solicitors - stay in the office types - or simply lawyers. In the US they for some reason like the term 'attorney').

 

Both of these guys are good at sizing up the opposition. The only difference between my reading and theirs was that while they would draw no preliminary conclusion from someone pulling out, say, a Parker pen at an examination for discovery (deposition to you Yanks), they both would file the pulling out of a Montblanc pen as a possible sign of a pretentious person (one lawyer put it a bit more pithily) - BUT they would make no distinction between BP and FP.

 

I guess that is what being a FP addict brings to me - the knowledge that fewer people would put up with a MB FP just for show.

 

Which was my original question.

 

PS - on Viper drivers I am running at about 8 to 1 pretentious or whatever you'd call it to nice normal guys. The normal owner was an accountant that told me he knew the car was ridiculously over the top, but he just wanted to do that once in his life. Nice guy as it turned out.

[magnet]

I have a couple of MB pens - one fountain pen (144) that I don't think writes particularly well and a BP from the same series that writes great, has a nice balance and feel. When I graduated from grad school, I got the roller ball as a gift. I don't often carry any of them - but if I do, it's usually the BP. The FP that I carry and use are usually less expensive ones, like Lamy and cheap Pelikan's because I like the way they write.

 

I don't think carrying and using MBs or Pelikan's or whatever is pretentious. Calling attention to the fact that you are carrying them is. People have commented when I have used a FP to sign a receipt and I tell them that like lots of left handed people, my handwriting is not great, but using a fountain pen forces me to write a little slower, which makes it much neater.

 

Pretentious MB user story: When I lived in DC, I worked in defense and I went to a meeting with another company to sign some kind of partnering agreement. The guy running the meeting was wearing a suit and took the jacket off to reveal a full set of MB pens in his shirt pocket. He took them all out of the pocket and arranged them just so on the table, making sure the caps were out. He had the highlighter, the BP, the RB and a mechanical pencil and he managed to use them all. When I asked where the FP was, he commented that "nobody uses fountain pens anymore." When it was time to sign, I reached into my jacket and pulled out my MB FP (it was new at the time) and used it to sign. During a subsequent meeting with him, I noticed he had an FP and I also noticed his Rolex was fake.

[welch]

There was a time -- 1990 - 2000 or so -- when a Montblanc Meisterstucke ballpoint was a prestige item. I still have one, and used it heavily. Incidentally, the MB ballpoint refill is better than any refill I've ever found, and MB has some sort of patent that forbids other companies from making ballpoints that take a Mont Blanc refill. The reverse of the famous Gillette razor and razor blades business principle. (That is, Gillette makes its money selling blades; not selling razors)

 

Now it is much more prestigious to use a "give-away" ballpoint with, say, the name of a computer company or a drug company.

 

Why?

 

It says: "I'm so important that I use throw-away pens".

 

It's all fad and fashion.

 

 

[piembi]

I really enjoyed reading the thread. As soon as MB is involved the whole subject might become quite entertaining

 

Incidentally, the MB ballpoint refill is better than any refill I've ever found, and MB has some sort of patent that forbids other companies from making ballpoints that take a Mont Blanc refill.

Had a cheap MB Carrera ballpoint when I was a student. My mother loved the way this pen (meaning the refill) was writing and I gave it to her. Had another MB ballpoint myself that I have used for years for the very same reason. Unfortunately the pen broke and MB does no longer produce ballpoints in the price range of a Pelikan K200.....

[ethernautrix]

Pretentious MB user story: When I lived in DC, I worked in defense and I went to a meeting with another company to sign some kind of partnering agreement. The guy running the meeting was wearing a suit and took the jacket off to reveal a full set of MB pens in his shirt pocket. He took them all out of the pocket and arranged them just so on the table, making sure the caps were out. He had the highlighter, the BP, the RB and a mechanical pencil and he managed to use them all. When I asked where the FP was, he commented that "nobody uses fountain pens anymore." When it was time to sign, I reached into my jacket and pulled out my MB FP (it was new at the time) and used it to sign. During a subsequent meeting with him, I noticed he had an FP and I also noticed his Rolex was fake.

 

 

Aww... that makes me feel sorry for the guy. He just wants to feel important. Poor guy.

[JHeels]

Magnet, that is a hilarious story!

 

Aside from welch's point about MB refills requiring MB pens, I always chuckle a bit when someone makes a big deal out of using a very high-end BP. It's not necessarily then pen that writes well, but rather whatever mechanism the pen employs to put ink on the paper. To me, the beauty of the FP delivery system (and the differing levels of quality in FPs) that make FPs such fine writing instruments. My Pilot Varsity trumps virtually any BP, at least in my world.

 

Though I should note, I do love some BPs, especially the Cross Century, a perfect pocket pen.

 

James

 

 

Pretentious MB user story: When I lived in DC, I worked in defense and I went to a meeting with another company to sign some kind of partnering agreement. The guy running the meeting was wearing a suit and took the jacket off to reveal a full set of MB pens in his shirt pocket. He took them all out of the pocket and arranged them just so on the table, making sure the caps were out. He had the highlighter, the BP, the RB and a mechanical pencil and he managed to use them all. When I asked where the FP was, he commented that "nobody uses fountain pens anymore." When it was time to sign, I reached into my jacket and pulled out my MB FP (it was new at the time) and used it to sign. During a subsequent meeting with him, I noticed he had an FP and I also noticed his Rolex was fake.

 

[I am not a number]

Attention all shipping.

 

This is not to devolve into an anti-MB user thread.

 

That is all.

[Deirdre]

Magnet, that is a hilarious story!

 

Aside from welch's point about MB refills requiring MB pens, I always chuckle a bit when someone makes a big deal out of using a very high-end BP. It's not necessarily then pen that writes well, but rather whatever mechanism the pen employs to put ink on the paper. To me, the beauty of the FP delivery system (and the differing levels of quality in FPs) that make FPs such fine writing instruments. My Pilot Varsity trumps virtually any BP, at least in my world.

There are contexts in which a ballpoint is a nice thing, though. Tyvek envelopes are the most common reason I use a ballpoint or a Sharpie.

 

Up until a few months ago, I owned a MB rollerball, and it was a nice backup pen. I currently have a CS ballpoint, an Ancora rollerball, and a few Stipula and Visconti rollers and ballpoints.

 

For me, what I like is the sheer variety of inks I can use.

 

I really happen to like the way MB rollers and ballpoints feel -- the quality of their refills is top notch.

That said, I am more enamored with Visconti's simply because their style suits me more.

[DrPJM1]

I had a patient tell me that I should buy a new MB just like his new "toy of the week" and keep my old pes in a drawer.

He was grinning until I whipped my 1929 Sheaffer OS Balance in black and pearl with factory stub nib to write his prescription in perfect italic lettering. He made the point that his pen did not write the same as mine, so his MB had to be defective!?!?! The man then said that he was taking his prescription to the MB store and get the manager find him a pen that would write like that. He could not believe me that MB did not have italic/stub nibs.

[Gehaha]

Pens are not pretentious. (Some) people are pretentious.

 

Couldn't have said it better!!!

 

[Ghost Plane]

I had a patient tell me that I should buy a new MB just like his new "toy of the week" and keep my old pes in a drawer.

He was grinning until I whipped my 1929 Sheaffer OS Balance in black and pearl with factory stub nib to write his prescription in perfect italic lettering. He made the point that his pen did not write the same as mine, so his MB had to be defective!?!?! The man then said that he was taking his prescription to the MB store and get the manager find him a pen that would write like that. He could not believe me that MB did not have italic/stub nibs.

Altho' my B is quite stubbish and I'm still waiting to get my hands on an OBB

 

That being said, I find it amusing that this thread is onto 8 pages. I suppose a certain contingent really does care what people think. :hmm1:

[wspohn]

Magnet, that is a hilarious story!

 

Aside from welch's point about MB refills requiring MB pens, I always chuckle a bit when someone makes a big deal out of using a very high-end BP. It's not necessarily then pen that writes well, but rather whatever mechanism the pen employs to put ink on the paper.

 

When it was time to sign, I reached into my jacket and pulled out my MB FP (it was new at the time) and used it to sign. During a subsequent meeting with him, I noticed he had an FP and I also noticed his Rolex was fake.

 

 

 

Yup, great story. As for the MB (or any othert high end) BP, I have always thought that a nice cheap Pilot V5 rollerball writes better than any BP I've used. Having said that I do have a MB BP for use as a pair with the FPs I own.

 

In your story, had the guy shown both the FP and BP MB models in his pocket, I'd probably not have considered him a possible pretension case. If he'd had only the BP, it would have been cause to at least wonder.

 

And to stress again, we (well, me, anyway) are not just talking about MB, we are talking about any high end pen, but are using MB as a tag just as we might use Rolex as a similar tag for possibly pretentious watches because they are widely seen as iconic AND because (and for that reason) they are owned by a certain number of people more interested in impressing than in telling time.

 

I don't personally see this as devolving into anything like an anti-Montblanc thread, but obviously some have expressed a concern.

 

Bill (still carrying a MB 146 today, nonpretentiously, I assure you!)

[Bill]

Add a bit of precious duct tape and, voila...no more pretentiousness.

 

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm82/spanielgang/miscellaneous/mb146taped.jpg

 

 

[ethernautrix]

Add a bit of precious duct tape and, voila...no more pretentiousness.

 

 

Nice one, Bill!

[troglokev]

I dunno, Lisa. Nothing screams "amateur" like wrinkles in the duct tape.

[George]

Bill,

 

That is the best picture on FPN.

 

George