What Do People Say To You When You Whip Out That Pen?

[casualmerlinconstant]

"Can that thing use blood for ink?"

 

--flatline

I strongly suggest you invest in diamine oxblood and carry it with you the next time you see her/him xD Edited April 30, 2014 by superglueshoe

[casualmerlinconstant]

Also have we finally run out of whipping jokes? Cos they were coming fast and furious a few months ago hahahaha

[Mezzie]

My students have pretty much exclusively responded with, "What IS that?" After I explain it, they all think it's pretty cool, especially since I can fill them up with any color I like.

[Octo]

Signed one check and endorsed another at the bank teller's cage today. "That's a BEAUTIFUL pen," she said.

 

The pen was a blue conical-end Sheaffer cartridge (school) pen with a nib "decorated" by Legal Lapis, which sort of matched.

[Harman Singh]

I go to school and when I take out my pen.....my adjacent student, what's. That?

Me:- fountain pen...

He:- can I use it.

Me:- yes but dont fiddle.

He:- (writes) but ink wont come out.

 

Me:- you held it with the nib upward.

.

.

.

.

.

Another one:# what. Is that???

 

And another one:- a james bond weapon perhaps a dart gun.

 

other one::- MAM!! See Harman has a strange pointed object ....

 

Teacher:# whats that??

Me :- a fountain pen??(sigh)

 

She:- can I use it?

Me:- NO!!!

[BT-7274]

Walking back to elevator in dorm building (I lived on the seventh/top floor, so it was justified):

 

Two girls walk by from the entrance of the building.

One looks at my pocket and says, 'he has a knife!'

She promptly turns and very quickly runs away. Her friend follows right behind her.

 

......

 

I know I looked tired that day, but jeez, a Lamy 2000 passing for a knife? Even I can't fathom w...Oh. Right. Heavy duty clip? Check. Clipped to a pocket that counts as quick to reach? Check. Similar profile to a knife clipped to chest pocket? Check. D'oh!

 

Note to self: next time, don't stay up until 6am programming the same day.

Also perhaps why UMass is called a zoo...All sorts of reactions!

[Vgimlet]

I work at the busiest desk of a very busy public library. I started using a FP and a large barrel mechanical pencil thanks to bad gamer's thumb - it helps, because I write a lot every day.

 

Mostly from those under 30 I hear, "cool pen! What kind of pen is that? Is that a fountain pen?"

 

Over 30 groups usually says, "I haven't seen one of those in years!"

 

But I've mostly gotten "Nice pen" (Nemosine Singularity demonstrator) or once in a great while "Hey, you're into fountain pens?" And the conversation begins.

 

I will say the library is near a couple of hospitals, and also on the wealthy side of the Puget Sound. So maybe FP's are not quite as unusual to see "in the wild". I work in a library which may possibly help me escape the perception of being a snob because I use a FP.

[WilsonCQB1911]

Walking back to elevator in dorm building (I lived on the seventh/top floor, so it was justified):

 

Two girls walk by from the entrance of the building.

One looks at my pocket and says, 'he has a knife!'

She promptly turns and very quickly runs away. Her friend follows right behind her.

 

......

 

I know I looked tired that day, but jeez, a Lamy 2000 passing for a knife? Even I can't fathom w...Oh. Right. Heavy duty clip? Check. Clipped to a pocket that counts as quick to reach? Check. Similar profile to a knife clipped to chest pocket? Check. D'oh!

 

Note to self: next time, don't stay up until 6am programming the same day.

Also perhaps why UMass is called a zoo...All sorts of reactions!

 

Where do you live that a knife prompts such a response? I can't tell from the flag. I'm more dismayed that some populations have been instilled with such a fear of pocket knives by their governments that their response has become one of blind terror. Common sense isn't common anymore.

[BT-7274]

 

Where do you live that a knife prompts such a response? I can't tell from the flag. I'm more dismayed that some populations have been instilled with such a fear of pocket knives by their governments that their response has become one of blind terror. Common sense isn't common anymore.

 

Massachusetts. It still wasn't that surprising, considering how terrible I looked at the time; tiredness + somewhat emotionless face = not a good combination.

[ravantra]

"Can that thing use blood for ink?"

 

--flatline

What's the deal with that? I've heard the same line three time in the last few weeks.

[flatline]

What's the deal with that? I've heard the same line three time in the last few weeks.

 

I blame hollywood. When making a deal with the Devil, it's always sined in blood and usually a dip pen. Most people seem to think that dip pens and fountain pens are the same thing.

 

--flatline

[Tanzanite]

Most people seem to think that dip pens and fountain pens are the same thing.

 

--flatline

Yes, and that is a reason why many people think that they don't like fountain pens. They have tried dip pens at school, which have been scratchy and messy.

[discopig]

 

I blame hollywood. When making a deal with the Devil, it's always sined in blood and usually a dip pen. Most people seem to think that dip pens and fountain pens are the same thing.

 

--flatline

 

I've noticed that too. People also seem to think fountain pens are only used for calligraphy.

[Lyander0012]

Walking back to elevator in dorm building (I lived on the seventh/top floor, so it was justified):

 

Two girls walk by from the entrance of the building.

One looks at my pocket and says, 'he has a knife!'

She promptly turns and very quickly runs away. Her friend follows right behind her.

 

......

 

I know I looked tired that day, but jeez, a Lamy 2000 passing for a knife? Even I can't fathom w...Oh. Right. Heavy duty clip? Check. Clipped to a pocket that counts as quick to reach? Check. Similar profile to a knife clipped to chest pocket? Check. D'oh!

 

Note to self: next time, don't stay up until 6am programming the same day.

Also perhaps why UMass is called a zoo...All sorts of reactions!

 

Thanks for sharing this. It made for a good laugh, made all the more jolly by my being a proud owner of a Lamy 2000 as well!

For the record, though, I've yet to have anyone mistake any of my FPs for weapons. Maybe it's my non-threatening appearance? XD

 

 

Kevin

[Tanzanite]

Thanks for sharing this. It made for a good laugh, made all the more jolly by my being a proud owner of a Lamy 2000 as well!

For the record, though, I've yet to have anyone mistake any of my FPs for weapons. Maybe it's my non-threatening appearance? XD

 

 

Kevin

I had my pens referred to as weapons today. I took my penroll out of my bag at work and someone said with a smile "so you bring your weaponcase out and chose one". Edited May 12, 2014 by Tanzanite

[Kristene]

I've never had anyone comment one way or the other... though it is true that I haven't had my pens for very long. Either no one has (yet) noticed my fountain pens, or they just don't care. I'm almost surprised by this as I have them splayed out across the desk, and am constantly un-capping/re-capping pens (to use different colors for certain things) during my college lectures... But then again I go to school in Portland, so they could just be thinking "oh god, another hipster!" lol

Edited May 12, 2014 by Kristene

[planet]

I work on an engineering team at Google, and I'm not shy about bringing pens to work, or using them. Most people who actually notice that I'm using a fountain pen in a meeting, or at my desk, are intrigued. They ask questions, and want to see just how it works. Many express appreciation at the engineering and craftsmanship of the instrument.

 

I've uncovered some FP users among my colleagues, and have converted others! Just today, I noticed a colleague using a titanium Lamy pen, and we got into a conversation about Noodler's inks. Fantastic!

[sail1942]

The other day I was having a Power of Attorney notarized and I signed it with a Pilot Varsity and the notary said, "Nice pen."

[legitimate3]

A lot of people actually recognize it and ask to borrow it. I give them a Varsity.

[TheModernGent]

I've received the "is that a weapon" or "you could stab someone with that" response. Mainly it's just "oh cool where did you get that". To which I reply "a pen store"