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'forefinger-Up Grasp' And The Pilot Vanishing Point


daTomoT

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Recently, I managed to break my long-time death squeezin' jackhammer pen grip. Bo Bo Olson spent about two weeks - this was quite a hard habit to break - trying to teach me the forefinger up method of holding a pen. I'm not feather-light yet, but I'm a lot better. But I digress..

 

I'm sure you know the grip; forefinger between 12:00 and 1:00, thumb at 9:30 and middle finger at about 16:00, ending at 18:00. I really hope this is correct, eh!

 

So where is the clip on a VP? 12:00. So, does anybody whom uses the FF-Up hold, and held a VP? Does the clip really get in the way? I'm sort of considering buying one. I love the look of the design, but less so the price tag.. being a student and all!

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That's not my normal writing grip, but I tried it between a typical round pen and my VP. It seemed more awkward with the VP because holding a finger on the clip kept making me rotate it while writing. Using the up-grip on my Ranga was still slightly unnatural but not as awkward as with the VP. It's hard to describe, but without the clip under the finger it feels like there is more surface contact on the finger. It's hard for me not to recommend the VP because it's a great pen, but if you want to use the up-grip I think you might dislike the VP. For reference, my grip is my forefinger and middle finger on the right side of the clip, thumb on the left side of the clip (almost pinching it), with my ring finger on the bottom around 5:00 or 6:00.

- - -

 

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So you have four fingers on the grip? Interesting. I could probably adapt my grip, as I know the pen is a very good pen. It'll join the ever growing list of pens to buy; following a good few vintage.

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Now with Increasing Fountain Pen Related Posts!

Pelikan M200, Hero 608, Parker IM, Serwex 162, Manuscript Calligraphy Pen, Lamy Vista, Guanleming 956, Mabie Todd 200/60, Noodler's Konrad. Grail Pen: Yard-O-Led Viceroy Victorian.

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Tom's down to three fingers like most folks and it was only a three days, not two weeks. That because of from where he started; with a four finger grip.

It just may have felt longer; because I write so pithy. :rolleyes:

 

I like the word grasp, in to me it means less force than grip.

Strong grip, no one says strong grasp.

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Yup !

That is pretty much the way I hold my fountain pen.

All three fingers are extended, but in a slightly relaxed curve.

I like a fatter-heavier pen that settles into my hand by gravity,

rather than muscular force.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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Hmm, that is how I have always held my writing instruments, except that my forefinger is at about 12:30 or 1 o'clock. If you extend a line from the slit of a fountain pen nib to the grip section, the line would run between my thumb and forefinger. With that grip, I have no problem with a Vanishing Point. Maybe you can move your forefinger just a bit clockwise when using a VP.

 

For all this time, when Bo Bo said "forefinger up," I thought he meant UP, off of the pen, as in pointing away from the pen, gripping the pen with only the thumb, middle, and ring fingers. I never understood how that could possibly work, but I was afraid to say anything. Apparently that fear spared me a great deal of embarrassment. :roflmho:

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I say hold the pen the way YOU want to hold the dang pen and enjoy yourself.

 

If your natural pen hold does not lend itself to the VP then the VP may not be for you.

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I find the VP conforms more to the German Modern than the Finger Atop tripod posture. They are closely related; the former is just a rotation of the latter, and either is in keeping with the "no white knuckles" policy of fountain pens. I happen to have a picture of both in action:

http://dirck.delint.ca/beta/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tripods.jpg

As Glenn says, it may happen that the VP is not for you, but that depends on how flexible the writer is :thumbup:

Edited by Ernst Bitterman

Ravensmarch Pens & Books
It's mainly pens, just now....

Oh, good heavens. He's got a blog now, too.

 

fpn_1465330536__hwabutton.jpg

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+1 Ernst

In reference to P. T. Barnum; to advise for free is foolish, ........busybodies are ill liked by both factions.

 

 

The cheapest lessons are from those who learned expensive lessons. Ignorance is best for learning expensive lessons.

 

 

 

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Interesting, this is how I hold my pens, and always has been, perhaps that's why ballpoints hurt my hand so....

Increase your IQ, use Linux AND a Fountain pen!!http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/kk11/79spitfire/Neko_animated.gif
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Thank you, Ernst, for the photos! I've always wondered if my grasp was the finger-up method or not. I believe it is :)

Tamara

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It's called a tripod grasp and was for years before bo bo started calling it something else and confusing people. The vp works fine with that sort of grasp (it's what it was designed for) but it doesn't work for some people. Only way to know if it works for you is to try it.

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It's called a tripod grasp and was for years before bo bo started calling it something else and confusing people. The vp works fine with that sort of grasp (it's what it was designed for) but it doesn't work for some people. Only way to know if it works for you is to try it.

 

Mark me down as confused. I thought "forefinger up" meant the first finger was oriented at 12:00 with relation to the nib, putting the finger on top of the VP clip. The regular tripod is obviously the ideal grip for the VP.

- - -

 

Currently trying to sell a Pelikan M400 White Tortoise. PM if you're interested. :)

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