Why Buy Expensive Pens?

[GClef]

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[Squire]

Simple answer...because I can. I don't always, but for something I use every day I want it to feel substantial and to be extremely well made. It's like a car, I'm not going to buy a corvette but I'm not going to get a geo metro to drive 3 hours round trip to and from work. Quality and dependability are everything...a little personal style is the cherry on top.

[Denpen]

I've been a collector of interesting things since I was a kid. Anything from marbles to furniture to automobiles. The "chase" is my spice of life. Waking up in the morning not knowing what I'll end up with at the end of the day has always been a treat for me. I'm into the pen thing because I've always enjoyed what they have done for me. They've made me a better writer, a better artist, a better thinker. I often buy expensive pens because like art, you get what you pay for...even though I can understand why some feel a wedgie coming on when thinking about spending more than $50.00. Purchasing 10 MBs for $20.00 per is just plain fun. Buying a $3,000 pen for $800.00 is just as much fun.....and I do it often. In the end, I know all this "stuff" is going to my children and I can't tell you how much pleasure that gives me. I do have a feeling that the more expensive pens will excite them more than the less expensive ones. They love art and some of the pens I own are not just great writers, but great art.

[fpenluver]

In my opinion here is the buying process of a collector

Look

Touch

Feel

"My heart wants it"

See how much in pocket

Pocket says yes or no.

If pocket said no, heart said someday I will have it.

 

I do not see any "expensive" in this process.

 

If you are not collector, you can get good quality fountain pen under $100, even under $50. Be warned though fountain pens are not the same as ball pens. If you get the first, it likely that the second is coming, and the third, and the fourth... not to mention the inks.

[BillZ]

Again, I'm late to the party! "Expensive" is a moveable feast. I started this pen thing with a gift pen that was expensive. I then got interested in Inexpensive(<$100) pens for a while. Then Larry Dromgoole got me hooked on gold nibs! To buy them I had to increase my budget to $200-$225. I buy pens to actually write with them so how they feel in my hand is important as well as how the nib lays down the ink. For these reasons I try to buy in house after I've actually inked the pen and written with it.

[WirsPlm]

I think as people get a better idea of what they want in an FP, they start being willing to plunk down more cash for the perfect pen. So far I'm working through a bunch of cheap pens to find out what kind of characteristics I want. If I find something that's perfect, I can see myself paying the price for it. But it would really have to be perfect, because so far my smoothest writers have all cost <$20.

[NHsueh]

Looking at it from a purely utilitarian perspective, a good gel pen (Pilot), or rollerball has the maximum smoothness, and the ability to write on almost all kinds of papers. A gel pen or roller ball won't get misaligned from hitting a surface too hard, it will always write smooth, unless you drop it from a great height. Even then, its easily replaced.

 

A fountain pen, however, works really smoothly only on good paper, might have to go through a number of different inks before finding one that works well, and can easily get misaligned. Fountain pens are also more expensive then gel pens, just by a question of how much.

 

So why write with a fountain pen? When you find the right fountain pen (and ink and paper!) and write with it, the indescribable joy you get as the nib glides over the paper, leaving a trail of ink which dries, makes up for however much you spent on it. You will find yourself taking the pen out just to admire it, even uncapping it just to marvel at the gleaming gold nib, with its 2 toned decoration. You will find yourself finding any excuse to write down something, a thought or a feeling. I find myself looking forward to writing diary entries with my Montblanc classique 145 fountain pen. And you will probably want to get a sibling for that lovely expensive fountain pen you bought. I know my Montblanc 145 fountain pen feels lonely and is longing for a sibling, maybe a Montblanc 146 or 147?

 

But yes, its purely a subjective feeling. Fortunately, even the most expensive, luxurious pen won't set you back that much. Have you seen the price of high end bags, shoes, jewelry or watches? You can do less things with them, and with the exception of watches, have less moving parts, and are way more expensive. A top of the line Montblanc 149 is around £595, but an average designer handbag can cost over £1000 easily. Pens in my opinion are an affordable luxury.

Edited September 2, 2013 by NHsueh

[akustyk]

For me, some expensive pens are worth the price, others are not. For example, a Sailor with a Naginata Togi is worth the price because it offers a very unique writing performance. A hand-made, makie-e, or a completely custom-made pen, especially if made of some rare material, such as celluloid or ebonite, is also worth a higher price. However, once we go past a good gold nib, and the material itself, all the limited edition pens, very ornate pens, rare pens, etc., do not offer any advantages in terms of performance, or build quality, or sturdiness, or any other features related to daily usability. Such pens are not worth the high price for me, but they are to many, many collectors.

[fpconvert]

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

Thanks!

 

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

Thanks!

 

I'd like to chime in about this topic!

 

I'm in the xy generation and I'm not certainly old and I like the classic writing tools for writing. Yes, I do have my smartphone, tablet, and laptop but there is still an old world essence writing with a fountain pen in peacock blue ink on classic brilliant white paper.

 

I recently came over to the dark side myself as I was impressed with how smooth writing is with a fp. I have always been a user of cross pens. Thought my career I've used pretty much all of the lustrous chrome cross pens, pencils, and multifunction pens. My tech 3 recently saw it's demise being rolled over by my office chair and then bent into a "irrepareable" "L" shape. In the interim waiting for my new tech 4 to arrive I bought a cross fountain pen to try in black lacquer. It wasn't one of their higher end models or anything but I liked the silver trim and I fell in love right away and was amazed how smooth the writing is with a fp.

 

Here's the thing higher end pens have better nibs and are constructed with better and more precious materials. Would never pay 1000$ + for a clear convertor but I would in a higher end fp. But personally I would still stick with all silver trim. Never been a fan of gold detailing.

[fpconvert]

Another reason to buy expensive pens, see the price evolution of early MB LE.

Like the man who took all his savings and bought a Ferrari. " It is surely a greater sight than a suitcase of greenbacks " he said.

I agree. I saved and splurged. I bought an Aurora Optima demonstrator in a med nib for about a 1000$us.

 

The pen writes buttery smooth and I also use Private reserve ink in blue suede. I do get looks when I'm at coffee shops writing in my journal. A clear pen with turquoise colored ink really is an eye catcher. People always ask me about my pen whenever I use it in public. Most people think it's cool.

[collectingfool]

I agree. I saved and splurged. I bought an Aurora Optima demonstrator in a med nib for about a 1000$us

 

Damn, I've had it wrong all these years! Save, then splurge. No wonder I always feel broke!!

[trax]

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

Thanks!

 

If I buy an expensive pen it is first to rein myself in, kind of keep myself under control while I save and wait, so I don't buy so many cheaper pens instead. I do not want a large collection.

Secondly I dream of finding "the one pen" the one that by it's looks and artistry awakens memories/feels in me that make me come alive, feel strong/new/filled with childlike wonder, making me remember something I knew as a child but had long since forgotten. And to me so far only the right Nakaya can do that, can bring a childhood sunset where time stood still back home into my memory and heart.

Having said that my daily writers are two Sheaffer No Nonsense italics, M and B nibs. I go nowhere without

[fpconverted]

People buy luxury things because they make them feel special. It`s a form of compensation.

 

Well made pens don`t have to be expensive in order to make production possible, and high prices don`t guarantee you will receive the best quality.

 

I used to believe that in order to get a good quality pen, I have to look only for the high-end, top of the range pens. But as i found out, that`s simply not true.

 

People buy luxury things because they make them feel special. It`s a form of compensation.

 

Well made pens don`t have to be expensive in order to make production possible, and high prices don`t guarantee you will receive the best quality.

 

I used to believe that in order to get a good quality pen, I have to look only for the high-end, top of the range pens. But as i found out, that`s simply not true.

 

Agreed! But luxury is expert craftsmanship and is available in all price ranges. I would pay upto 1500$ for a Mont Blanc but no more.

[Tom Aquinas]

...also I think you get what you pay for.

[Lyander0012]

Admittedly, while some may argue that the price of a high-end pen is rather off-putting (who in their right minds would shell out over a thousand dollars on something that is, ultimately, nothing more than a glorified inkwell with a feed and nib attached?), some would argue that the exclusivity of owning the thing is in and of itself the whole point.

 

I'm not saying that everyone who buys high-end FPs is a snobby elitist or too wealthy for their own good; despite my being a college student, with all the financial difficulty that implies, I'm hoping to some day own a Sailor 9 fountain pen. Yes, I'm a fan of Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and pretty much all the rest of Matsumoto Leiji's other works; I'm aspiring to eventually own that pen because I find it beautiful, because it was designed by a person who made many anime series that I love, and because owning such a pen would simply be fun.

 

I recall reading somewhere on this forum that fountain pens and watches are the equivalent of jewelry for men. This doesn't mean much to me, seeing as quite a number of the members of this forum are, I perceive, of the fairer sex, but it says something about the amount of import this niche society places upon fountain pens; they are utilitarian jewelry, instruments that lend an air of formality, of beauty to an act very nearly as old as humankind.

 

 

So, those are the reasons I believe people buy expensive fountain pens: they're very fun to collect, they're generally nicer performers that many budget options (though you start paying more for the design than the writing performance once you exceed a certain price point, which anyone has yet to pinpoint to my satisfaction), because they might have been made by a person that the consumer admires or is a fan of, and because it's part of human nature to want to own beautiful things.

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Admittedly, while some may argue that the price of a high-end pen is rather off-putting (who in their right minds would shell out over a thousand dollars on something that is, ultimately, nothing more than a glorified inkwell with a feed and nib attached?), some would argue that the exclusivity of owning the thing is in and of itself the whole point.

 

I'm not saying that everyone who buys high-end FPs is a snobby elitist or too wealthy for their own good; despite my being a college student, with all the financial difficulty that implies, I'm hoping to some day own a Sailor 9 fountain pen. Yes, I'm a fan of Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999, and pretty much all the rest of Matsumoto Leiji's other works; I'm aspiring to eventually own that pen because I find it beautiful, because it was designed by a person who made many anime series that I love, and because owning such a pen would simply be fun.

 

 

Cheers!

 

Kevin.

Well. Now I HAVE to know what a Sailor 9 is.

[Chrissy]

I think people buy expensive pens because they can, and that's what they want to spend their money on.

[fpconverted]

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

Thanks!

 

Hey everyone,

 

Since joining FPN I've been bothered by the same question... why buy expensive pens? And for those who do, why build such extensive collections of luxury pens?

 

A recurring theme that I have encountered is that of the older, more experienced members, generally with better handwriting, exclaiming that 'the pen does not make the writer/writer maketh'. Therefore, I would really like to know why so much money is spent on pens?. (Don't get me wrong... I also love the feeling of a new pen... but why?)

 

Do higher end pens actually make a difference or is it aesthetic?

 

 

 

Thanks!

 

Well I'm neither young nor old but I feel at some point I should splurge and add a Mont Blanc Solitaire II Le Grande silver to my collection so been shopping around. I'm seriously thinking about fountain pen hospital what yall think? Edited September 24, 2013 by fpconverted

[Hellmark]

For me, I'm in the boat, where I wanted a decent, durable pen that felt comfortable. Preppy's and such didn't quite fit the bill. Then I got seduced by Pelikans, and TWSBI. Now, I really don't want to spend any more than a hundred or so for a pen. I feel like the pens I get in that range are good daily drivers, but still something I can pass on.

[ethernautrix]

I think people buy expensive pens because they can, and that's what they want to spend their money on.

 

I know, right?