Fountain Pens. What's the attraction?

Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

I like them because they take me back to what I feel were better times.
It's real writing. Seems more cultured perhaps.

I got wondering about this because I read this newspaper article about
people still prefering typwriters. And I though hmmm. I could never
throw mine out, although it is in a closet on the floor.

http://tinyurl.com/ynphvo

Anyway I was just wondering if anybody could put it into words better
than I?

John

* The Visitor wrote:
Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

After getting into fountain pens my penmenship improved as well as
muscle fatigue decreasing.

Why am I willing to put up with non-perfect pens? It's old-timey and
says a lot about perfection. I suppose I like the anachronist nature
of being a FP user.

matthew
ohio

The Visitor writes:

Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

There are many reasons for me. One of the biggest is what I would call
the pleasure of them. Writing with them "feels" better. It has better
feedback for me when I write, and using liquid inks somehow feels
smoother. It also takes less pressure to write with the pen, and this
helps me to be able to write longer. Additionally, due to the
flexibility of the pen, there is this kind of expressive quality that
I get in being able to express myself through my hand writing in an
artist way.

Besides all that, there is also the nostalgia factor. I actually use
Flexible Nib dip pens and a Spencerian style of handwriting to do most
of my correspondence. It feels better, and it is a herald back into a
time where people cared about quality and beauty.

I use a MontBlanc Extra Fine for my usual work. It's a great pen, and
it feels nice. That's basically the best way to say it. Once you start
to use a Fountain Pen, there are so many alluring qualities, that it's
hard to go back to normal pens.



--
((name "Aaron Hsu")
(email/xmpp ")
(site "http://www.aaronhsu.com"))

On Nov 7, 11:13 am, MatthewK wrote:
* The Visitor wrote:

Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

After getting into fountain pens my penmenship improved as well as
muscle fatigue decreasing.

Why am I willing to put up with non-perfect pens? It's old-timey and
says a lot about perfection. I suppose I like the anachronist nature
of being a FP user.

matthew
ohio


Also, the "ritual" of uncapping a pen, taking a nice pad or piece of
paper (not necessarily expensive) forces me to slow down. ANd hence
my handwriting is better, and my thoughts about what I will write have
time to develop. Finally, I know it's a bit of showmanship, but for
the office visitor waiting through this uncapping and writing ritual,
it shows a bit of authority and permanence to what is being written.
None of this snatch and grab scratching.

If I want to be even more "impressive," I open up a leather folder
with a pad or single sheets of nice paper.

Maybe instead of handing a business card, the relevant info is written
on a half-size pad and handed over.

Then perhaps modern technology: In notes from a discussion, writtten
on a pad shet, place the sheet on the flatbed scanner conected to the
desk computer, one button copy; hand the original to the office
visitor,and I keep the copy - printed out or computer stored later.

I know, it's theater, image, a lasting impression on the other
person's memory.
Plus the time this takes slows down the negotiating time.

j. fabian wrote:

Only one reason???


You're right, there are many.
I like mecanical watches too.
And antique clocks.

The "primitive complexity" of a fountain pen or self winding watch is
attractive to me.

I don't mind that a fountain pen has some limitations. It is the "old
world charm" that comes over my brain when I use it. Yet the fountain
pen doesn't have to be an antique. It can eve be brand new and I like it!

I just thought other peoples thoughts on the matter would be interesting
and they are. The reasons (mine) are hard for me to express. Perhaps if
I was writing with the MB in front of me, rather than typing into a
computer.

John

"The Visitor" wrote in message
...
I like mecanical watches too.
And antique clocks.

The "primitive complexity" of a fountain pen or self winding watch is
attractive to me.

Recently I got a 1956 Seamaster. How can I describe the fascination?
I'm in love wth the thing. FWIW it is older than me!

--
remove 9 to email

The Visitor wrote:
Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

My Big Red is captivating... no skinny BIC is gonna attract goils.
Actually is the fountain pen ink, the pheromones of Peman Emerald
Green attracts virgins... Omas Vespucci Red pheromones attracts hussys.

AlanJ wrote:

Recently I got a 1956 Seamaster. How can I describe the fascination?
I'm in love wth the thing. FWIW it is older than me!

(me too, barely)


Oh yeah!!!

I have a Seamaster also.

Keep it ticking!

John

"The Visitor" wrote in message
...


AlanJ wrote:

Recently I got a 1956 Seamaster. How can I describe the fascination?
I'm in love wth the thing. FWIW it is older than me!

(me too, barely)


Oh yeah!!!

I have a Seamaster also.

Keep it ticking!

John

I'm not much younger than my Seamaster either.

What's your favourite pen? I see you like MB. My current favourite is a
Noblesse, probably from the 1980s or 1990s. It's the resin one (in inky
blue). I do like the balance and poise of this thing ... it might as
well have been designed for me!

--
remove 9 for email

On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:12:34 -0500, The Visitor wrote:

Okay guys, I'm curious if anybody will share their reason for liking
fountain pens.

I like them because they take me back to what I feel were better times.
It's real writing. Seems more cultured perhaps.

I got wondering about this because I read this newspaper article about
people still prefering typwriters. And I though hmmm. I could never
throw mine out, although it is in a closet on the floor.

http://tinyurl.com/ynphvo

Anyway I was just wondering if anybody could put it into words better
than I?

John

If one reason only - well, just fun. Simply fun to write with, ink choices
are fun, and they look great.

It's certainly not because they're practical. Don't get the ink wet (yes,
even Noodlers - you can recover the message, but...). Don't fly with them
on the plane. Watch your clothing. Use plenty of paper towels changing ink.

But ... some of that is part of the fun.

Of course, ball point pens seem terrible after writing with a FP. If I have
to use one I fall back to typing on the computer. Gel ink pens are another
story, Get a good one (and the homely and ubiquitous Pilot G-2 fits this
bill) and the ink flow has some of the fun (better to say it's yet a third
type of experience) and they're considerable more pratical (watch out for
the plane trip with older cheap ones).

Harry