My Quest: To Seek The Holy Grail!

[Sblakers]

Hmm... A lot of interesting replies here. To be honest, I figured there would be a lot of mixed feedback.

 

I should really clarify the whole school thing. I only made that comment because my friends ask to try out my pens a lot, and a nice one would probably pique interest. My school is not the place where kids steal things (the caliber of people and education makes no one stupid enough to try something like that, trust me), and I don't actually fear a lot along the lines of having it break because I don't think I'll let other people even use this pen I also recognise that no human is perfect, but the level of care I put towards keeping track of my pens is directly proportional to how much I pay for them. They are either in my pen pouch or in my hand. No exceptions. I don't consider losing the pen to be something I have to fear very much, though I have certainly taken it into account.

 

I'm still pouring over reviews and, since I haven't reached my goal yet, still have time to change my mind if I really do end up disliking the idea of spending the money on the pen. I will certainly keep the advice of those with more skeptical replies in my head as I go forward. Thanks all

 

To add. Sounds like there would be no risk in getting your grail pen then. I have the Homo sapiens and it's one of the few pens I would not sell. The nib on mine is that good! Pen is incredibly durable and the filling mechanism is just plain cool

 

[pajaro]

It might make sense to jump on buying that pen if you think they might not be made any more at a later time. Some pens out of production have a tendency to disappear into collectors' hordes.

[Blade Runner]

You are 16. Spend your money on experiences. Buy concert tickets with your friends. Take a group backpacking trip to Peru or somewhere unusual. Buy a significant other a nice dinner, or take someone to the next dance. Join the skiing club for the winter. Buy a guitar and learn to play. Etc. Or just save it for college, when you'll have all those opportunities and more.

 

There is no grail pen. A $150 pen from FPH would be much better than the ones you have now. And the ones you have now are fine. I have plenty of pens in the Homo Sapiens category, but I still use a Safari.

 

Sorry to be blunt.

+1

At your age my focus was on school, not grail pens. Got my grail pen after 4 years of college, 4 years of graduate studies, 5 years of post graduate work. and two years of specialty fellowship training.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Blade Runner

[SharkOnWheels456]

+1

At your age my focus was on school, not grail pens. Got my grail pen after 4 years of college, 4 years of graduate studies, 5 years of post graduate work. and two years of specialty fellowship training.

 

Well of course my focus is schoolwork xD I can't exactly walk into a job interview with a nice pen and have someone hire me. I'm also not neglecting friends, either. I've probably sunk more money into them than I will for a very long time into pens, and every penny has been well spent. I'm simply skimming money off the top of what I spend on those two things to spend on pens, and I don't think I'll have much money to skim off the top in the future, so I'd like to make it count.

[GClef]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/2013-11-30_03-35-03_599-1_zpsffb89314.jpg

[UK Mike]

Now nibs are very subjective and personal, but I have to disagree with that. Mine is a fine and writes a very crisp, dark, well behaved line so incredibly smoothly. The sweet spot is amazingly generous and I've never had it skip. I don't know what more I could ask for.

 

It's good that your pen suits you and as you rightly say it is a personal choice, but I'm with Georges on this one. The DreamTouch nibs seem to have been introduced for cost reduction and "market differentiation" rather than any endearing mechanical properties. I have other Viscontis with better nibs than my Dreamtouch.

[msnovtue]

I think I'm going to be the dissenting voice, here. If you have done your research, carefully considered the possibilites an potential pitfalls, then I say go for it. That said, don't even *think* of letting your friends try it out. If they argue, simply tell them that unless they can afford to replace it, it's not open for discussion. I also use the explaination that if I'm the only one to use something, the only person I can get mad at if it breaks is me.

 

But really...yeah, logically, the conservative, smart thing is to save your money, wait utill after school, etc... But sometimes, you just gotta go for it. Many a soul told me not to buy my old compnent stereo system in jr high(middle school)--it was around $1000 when it was all said & done, and I could use that money for college, someone would spill beer on it, etc, so on and so forth...

 

But I got it anyway. And I loved it and enjoyed it immensely. But I watched it like a hawk, and even if they thought I was nuts, no one dared to use it without permission since I made no secret of the fact that if you break it, you buy it-immediately. As in get in the car right now, you're buying me new speakers since you just wrecked the old ones.

 

But here's the thing...... I'm 38 now. And I still have it, and it still sounds great.

 

Yeah, there were times when I wished I had more money. But I never once regretted buying that stereo.

[WilsonCQB1911]

It's good that your pen suits you and as you rightly say it is a personal choice, but I'm with Georges on this one. The DreamTouch nibs seem to have been introduced for cost reduction and "market differentiation" rather than any endearing mechanical properties. I have other Viscontis with better nibs than my Dreamtouch.

Better in what way?

[pajaro]

You might consider a used sample of the pen. I have bought many pens gently used, and you save letting someone else absorb the depreciation. With nice pens like this the used samples are often in almost new condition.

[warblerick]

I am in the "buy it" camp on this one. From your posts, you sound very responsible, so I don't think losing it, having it stolen, damaging it, etc. are a big issue. And, being young and having (ie; saving) the necessary funds for your grail pen (no matter what it is), well that will make it way more special to you for years to come. Buying it so young also means many more years of writing and owning pleasure than you would have if you were to wait until you were older. Example: my daughter and I are both birders and I waited until I was pretty old to buy my "grail" binoculars, working my way up through at least 6 lesser pairs over the years. When my daughter became interested in birding (in college), my wife and I decided that we would get her a really fine pair of Swarovski binoculars, while she was still fairly young, when we could afford them. Now she has them, and can enjoy them for perhaps another 20 years or more before her eyes change and she may need something else. So I think the same applies to you. If you get your grail pen now, you have a lifetime to enjoy it, and use it, appreciate it, etc. Another grail pen may (certainly) come along, but in the meantime, I say go for it now. I don't think you will regret it.

[SharkOnWheels456]

http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/gclef1114/Tutuguans/2013-11-30_03-35-03_599-1_zpsffb89314.jpg

 

The first time I heard about the pen, I found it to be very captivating. It was the first vacuum filler I'd ever heard of (aside from the TWSBI, but I didn't like demonstrators at the time... tastes certainly develop, as I'm actually fairly partial to the look of them now), the two-tone nib was striking, the material was wonderfully unique, and the design was simple, yet striking.

 

To be quite honest, I've written with other Dreamtouch nibs, but have not specifically written with the HS. They were a joy. I have also written with pens that are a very similar size and shape, though, so I am aware of what I can expect in relation to a writing feel. Of course, I will be trying out a couple of different nib sizes in the store before I even think of purchasing the pen. On top of that, I've heard of plenty of people who say it is one of the best (if not the best) writers they own, and that they would never part with it. That is enough to allow me to assume (for now) that I will have a good writing experience.

 

The aesthetic attraction... is hard to explain. There's something about the pen that is very nice. It's certainly not attractive in the way an Omas or a Conway Stewart pen is, but it is very striking to me. I also appreciate the fact that the bronze will change over time... not to mention that I won't have to freak out about micro-scratches on a very nice celluloid or something like that.

 

And, since we're throwing back and forth hard hitting questions...

What's eating Gilbert Grape?

Where's Waldo?

Dude, where's my car?

[sandy101]

I'm not saying, don't buy it, but I recently acquired a Hero Doctor (616 Jumbo) which comes with an EF nib. It is not such a nice writer as my more expensive pens, but it does superbly on cheap paper with no bleed. Probably to do with it laying down a thin, dry line that means the ink dries quicker than a relatively thicker, saturated medium pen.

 

This means you don't get as nice colour variation, but you do get something that writes on cheap paper and it won't break the bank if it you friends disappear with it. A good pen for lecture halls and being out and about and you can get one for less than £5.

 

I'm not for one minute suggesting that everyone should dump their Visconti's and Parkers and use the Hero instead, but I think it is an appropriate tool to use for the circumstances you describe. It is the best FP equivalent of a cheap biro (although it costs twenty times more) I can think of.

 

If you do buy the Visconti, keep it at home for correspondence and any hand written assignments you need to do.

[remaker]

You are 16. Spend your money on experiences. Buy concert tickets with your friends. Take a group backpacking trip to Peru or somewhere unusual. Buy a significant other a nice dinner, or take someone to the next dance. Join the skiing club for the winter. Buy a guitar and learn to play. Etc. Or just save it for college, when you'll have all those opportunities and more.

 

There is no grail pen. A $150 pen from FPH would be much better than the ones you have now. And the ones you have now are fine. I have plenty of pens in the Homo Sapiens category, but I still use a Safari.

 

Sorry to be blunt.

 

 

 

Yes I'm on board with Laura here. You're too young to have such expensive taste and especially for something with little in the way of utilitarian value. Learning to curb desire would be a more valuable lesson here which would serve you in the long run. Go see the world and take your Lamy Safari with you.