What Your Pens Have Taught You

[Cryptos]

Amazing! Never thought there would be another member here. Always felt so isolated in this hobby.

 

Bit on the windy side today, ay!

[Sandy Fry]

Have a brother who used to live in Dunedin...now in CC. Did you know that Dunedin got it's name from Dùn Èideann which is Scots-Gaelic for Edinburgh?

 

Anywho...Learned that a pen is a pen.

 

Also, the FPN community are a "fountain" of knowledge and a mostly friendly bunch.

 

Learned that even though folks rave about a particular brand/pen it might not be my cup of tea.

 

Learned I have an affinity for Italian pens.

 

Learned lever fillers are a royal pain in the you-know-what to flush clean.

 

Learned I have to improve my handwriting so that my beautiful pens can stop writing chicken scratch!

 

Learning ( slowly ) about inks.

 

Mostly I have learned that I am not stark raving mad for having more pens than any reasonable person needs nor do I need to justify to anyone the oodles of money they have cost me so far.

 

David

[Cryptos]

 

Have a brother who used to live in Dunedin...now in CC. Did you know that Dunedin got it's name from Dùn Èideann which is Scots-Gaelic for Edinburgh?

 

I did, even though I am not a Kiwi. I used to live in CC, now here. Funny old world.

[Mastiff]

Yes it is crazily windy here today, I thought something might break!

I grew up in CC!

Funny old world indeed

[NibDog]

Expensive pens ($250+) are more often than not disappointing and it's hard to compete with the comparative deal on Japanese pens bought from Japan (living in the U.S.)

[willow92]

I have learned to slow down, take my time, appreciate, enjoy and love.

Strange yes, but fountain pens helped me to appreciate the finer things in life, the material helped me discover the immaterial.

[Invictus Maneo]

I've learned that something I once hated doing (writing ) can become something I look forward to every day.

 

I've learned that this can quickly become an expensive hobby if I don't keep myself in check.

 

I've learned that with practice, practice, practice I CAN change my handwriting.

 

I've learned that ink is so much more than just black/blue/red.

 

I've learned that writing can be very therapeutic .

 

I've learned that I have SO MUCH more to learn!

[cobalt]

Patience. Fountain pens are slow food for the mind.

 

I have come to appreciate ink and that has brought joy to the average page. Things aren't supposed to be this much fun.

 

Some widely praised pens are spectacularly ordinary.

[TSherbs]

I have learned to slow down, take my time, appreciate, enjoy and love.

Strange yes, but fountain pens helped me to appreciate the finer things in life, the material helped me discover the immaterial.

love the irony

 

so true

[Bentlink]

I really like variety.

A lot of fantastic pens were made before I was born (mid 1960's)--making them work is a heap of satisfying fun.

I like green ink.

[fly_us]

Things i learn from my pens and inks:

 

- A person should be fine with less than 5 pens. I used to have more than 40, but decided to shrunk the collection down to 5 and still happy.

 

- A person should be fine with less than 3 inks. Although i still have 50+ bottles, but i only use 3 of them most of the time.

 

- Instead of keep a pen in a drawer, you will happy more if you know that the new owner will treasure a pen out of your rotation more than you.

 

- Choose a pen you like is a long journey. A long and expensive one.

 

- There is no Grail. Or at least you won't be able to get it no matter how hard you tried.

 

- Everyone want to get a full flex pen only to discover that they couldn't use it properly.

 

- You won't be happy with half of the nibs of your pens. Either learn how to adjust them or send them to nibmasters.

 

For brands:

- Pelikan: the older the pen is, the better it is. Nothing can beat a vintage Pelikan.

 

- Montblanc: Either get a celulloid version or just ignore it.

 

- Lamy: Everybody advise new persons to get a Safari/Al Star/Vista but not everybody fond of it tripod grip.

 

- Italian pens are good to view, but you will hear a lot of mehs when use.

 

- Parker: sooner or later, someone will suggest a 51 in a Recommendation thread.

 

- Japanese mass-producing pens (i.e. Pilot, Platinum, Sailor): they are only good when be bought from Japanese sellers. The local price in US is ridiculous.

 

- Custom pens (Nakaya, Hakase, Edison, Newton...): people are more than willing to pay an absurd price for a pen they don't know how it's looked until they get it after 1/2 or a year. And sooner or later, they will thrive for more and more expensive options. I'm here and still work like a slave to get some $ for my Hakase after several Nakayas.

Edited October 6, 2015 by fly_us

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I've learned to enjoy the actual process of getting ink on paper, a bit different from the enjoyment of getting my words there.

 

That sometimes a comparatively expensive pen really is better than an inexpensive one.

 

That nevertheless, there is a point of diminishing returns, lower for someone like myself who has no interest in pursuing pens as works of art.

 

That there is great satisfaction in getting a vintage pen working reliably enough to be a daily user.

 

That I really don't care that much about subtle differences in ink colors, but do care about water resistance.

 

That fountain pens have increased my irritation with the sort of people who never carry their own pens.

 

That it doesn't bother me in the least to have more pens than I need.

Edited October 6, 2015 by ISW_Kaputnik

[Quynhlii]

My pens have taught me that it's never okay to wear white pants. Ever.

[hbdk]

"Italix: Sometimes a pen everybody seems to love can turn out to be a Jinhao in disguise" +1

 

That more expensive pens are sometimes just that

 

Safari, AL-star – their design was cool back in the 80'ies when I was young; I don't find it that cool anymore – but they are still the best writers that I have.

 

Nemosine Singularity – a classic look does not have to be expensive, and (like the Safaris) – a good writing experience does not have to be expensive either.

 

Platinum 3776 – that spring mounted nibs can be very nice – but that took me a looong time to figure out...

 

Except from the 3776 I have learned that I prefer smooth nails

 

P51 – made me realize that I do not like hooded nibs!

 

Chinese and vintage pens in general – tinkering can be fun...(up to a limit), and that I am quite a bit more handy than I thought possible

 

That with a little patience (and an good fountain pen) I am actually able to write legible (don't think my handwriting will ever be beautiful, but legible is a great step ahead)

 

There probably is no grail - it is all about the quest...

Edited October 6, 2015 by hbdk

[Bklyn]

Things i learn from my pens and inks:

 

- A person should be fine with less than 5 pens. I used to have more than 40, but decided to shrunk the collection down to 5 and still happy.

 

- A person should be fine with less than 3 inks. Although i still have 50+ bottles, but i only use 3 of them most of the time.

 

- Instead of keep a pen in a drawer, you will happy more if you know that the new owner will treasure a pen out of your rotation more than you.

 

- Choose a pen you like is a long journey. A long and expensive one.

 

- There is no Grail. Or at least you won't be able to get it no matter how hard you tried.

 

- Everyone want to get a full flex pen only to discover that they couldn't use it properly.

 

- You won't be happy with half of the nibs of your pens. Either learn how to adjust them or send them to nibmasters.

 

For brands:

- Pelikan: the older the pen is, the better it is. Nothing can beat a vintage Pelikan.

 

- Montblanc: Either get a celulloid version or just ignore it.

 

- Lamy: Everybody advise new persons to get a Safari/Al Star/Vista but not everybody fond of it tripod grip.

 

- Italian pens are good to view, but you will hear a lot of mehs when use.

 

- Parker: sooner or later, someone will suggest a 51 in a Recommendation thread.

 

- Japanese mass-producing pens (i.e. Pilot, Platinum, Sailor): they are only good when be bought from Japanese sellers. The local price in US is ridiculous.

 

- Custom pens (Nakaya, Hakase, Edison, Newton...): people are more than willing to pay an absurd price for a pen they don't know how it's looked until they get it after 1/2 or a year. And sooner or later, they will thrive for more and more expensive options. I'm here and still work like a slave to get some $ for my Hakase after several Nakayas.

Simply brilliant.

[Bklyn]

My pens have taught me that it's never okay to wear white pants. Ever.

This is a BIG truth

[Intellidepth]

Great thread.

That many different coloured inks in my pens gives me joy.

That I need fine or finer nibs for legibility.

That I can learn a completely different style of cursive handwriting that looks lovely instead of printing scrappily.

That I love flex for casual writing.

Being an ink mixologist is crazy fun: pipettes, vials, food additives, glitter, inky fingers, spills and all.

Jinhaos: that I can grind and smooth nibs. That I don't like heavy metal pens. That quality control matters.

Lamy: That converters beat cartridges.

Vintage fp's: for the dollars, wish I'd skipped the vintage flex in my price range and spent the money on modern custom/flex nibs. My two sac pens dry out too quickly. I'm scared to pull them apart due to fragility, unlike all the modern pens. I change inks so often that vintage lever pens are perhaps not the best, in hindsight.

Pilot with Posting nib: that writing 3 hr exams with a fountain pen can be done successfully, non-stop and without fear.

[Uncial]

 

 

I've learned that writing can be very therapeutic .

 

This is a lesson I keep getting taught.

 

*oops, sorry. I can't seem to get the quote thingy to work.

Edited October 15, 2015 by Uncial

[CAG_1787]

1. De gustibus non est disputandum

2. It is easy to enjoy buying, but practice to enjoy possessing

3. Price tag does not necessarily equal quality

4. Sometimes the old ways are best - but not always

5. How an ink can be controversial - both loved and hated (and feared)

6. Sharing hobbies deepens friendships

7. Good design is sometimes more felt than seen

8. Maybe the scribes were on to something

9. Learn how to communicate with neophytes without overwhelming them

10. Sometimes putting something down for a while is the best way to ultimately enjoy

[Sasha Royale]

UGLY fountain pen = UNPOPULAR fountain pen

 

UNPOPULAR + 65 YEARS = RARE = VALUABLE

 

Alice Mann was crude, ugly, and had B.O. She was unpopular in 6th grade. When she turns 75, she will not be VALUABLE.

 

LESSON FROM FOUNTAIN PENS : People are not the same as Parker Duofolds.