Fountain Pens

[Chocaholic]

Does anyone use one regularly? Collect, etc? No idea why, but have developed an interest. Don't even own one. I have a Mont Blanc rollerball, but something about a quality nib, ink, etc., seems intriguing. Maybe I'm just bored today.

Any recommendations or unused, unloved relics laying around? Wondering if I'll end up in the same boat...a drawer full of unused outdated fountain pens as the result of a rainy, cold Sunday.

[jyl]

I have a Parker, given to me long ago. I love writing with a fountain pen. But I don't do it enough to buy more fountain pens. Actually I can hardly write legible cursive anymore. I'm really ashamed of that.

[sc_rufctr]

I have Montblanc! Fountain and Rollerball... I use them everyday!

[Geary]

You can't improve on the Feel of a fountain pen held at just the right angle .. certainly my best penmanship.

[Danimal16]

It is a slippery slope! There are tons of them to choose from and each is unique.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jyl

Actually I can hardly write legible cursive anymore. I'm really ashamed of that.

I never been able to write in legible cursive. From the 5th through half of the 8th grade I went to a private school where everything HAD to be written in cursive. Not only that, but they graded on handwriting. There were many, many report cards that were all As or As and Bs except for a C in handwriting. Maybe I should have been a Dr.

Now, I can hardly remember how to sign my name in cursive when I have to, and I'm completely fine with that.

I think fountain pens are cool. I think a lot of things about the old ways of doing lots of things are neat, but would I trade a fountain pen for a word processor to actually have to do work. Hell no. I could see myself collecting fountain pens or having a few neat old ones if I had lots of money and space.

[5String43]

There are tons of them to choose from and each is unique.

Yep. What Dan said. I've got a couple of Montblancs and a couple of Pelikans and every one of them is different. I think I rather prefer the Pelikans but the Montblancs are more impressive to behold, I think.

FWIW, the inks are all substantially different as well, so it's good to try several to find what works best in each pen. Or at least that's been my experience.

[5String43]

Oh, and this, so your pen won't leak on your shirt, or anything else, after you fill it:

Fill it the regular way by dipping the point into the ink well and working your pen's fill mechanism. With my Montblancs and Pelikans, this is a rotating section at the end of the barrel that pushes a plunger inside the pen in and out. Out expels air and old ink, in sucks up new ink. Other brands of pens may work differently. The old Parkers, as I recall, had a thing inside the barrel that you had to squeeze, for instance.

With the pen still point-down, reverse step one so that you expel two or three drops of ink back into the ink bottle.

Now invert the pen and turn the mechanism to complete the filling process so that any residual ink on the nib is sucked into the reservoir.

There. You're done. Hope that's clear.

[Hugh R]

Not happy with my Montblanc fountain pen, it has a plastic ring thing inside that makes it snap shut when you close it, its failed 3 or 4 times in 20 years, and they charge to fix it.

[look 171]

My dad gave me a Parker when I was little. Tried to use it in school and got in trouble because they leaked and was told to never bring it on campus. I still use it sometimes for fun, but writing had gotten the best of me. Typing on the other hand, its even worst.

[devodave]

Learned block letters in Kindergarten/1st grade.
Learned cursive in 3rd grade.
Learned block letters again in 9th grade mechanical drawing class.
Developed my architectural lettering style in 11th grade architectural drafting class.
Learned block letters again at first drafting job in a surveyors office.
Learned block letters again in college mechanical drawing class.
Learned block letters again at marine engineering/naval architecture firm.

Needless to say, the only cursive I can muster anymore is my signature....and that is not legible at all!

[SilberUrS6]

I like my Parker. It's fun to use, but my writing sucks. I suppose if I wrote more, my writing would suck less...

[sc_rufctr]

There are lots of good quality fountain pens. The thing is to find the right one for you.

Pen people often comment that Montblanc pens are over priced but they do write beautifully.

The Montblanc Mozart is interesting if you like smaller pens.
Anything made in Italy is good. If you like vintage stuff then look at classic US made Parkers.

Mozart compared to the other sizes. (smallest on the right and it "Posts" using a screw threaded cap)



German made Nibs. All Montblancs are tuned by a Nib Smith.

[mjohnson]

I now use FPs for everything at work but pencil/sharpie appropriate tasks.

Rotate between a Pelikan M215 with a M400 nib and a handful of Pilots (74, 92 and 823) each day. Different colors in each help separate each day in my notebooks.

I fly with them and even use them on planes. Never a spotted shirt, though I did send a stream of ink across my office when I forgot the golden rule of "only point it at things that you plan to destroy" while opening the valve on the 823 here at 7500 ft after returning from sea level.

I find the Japanese pens usually have finer nibs at each stated size and have a bit more "softness" or spring than the Euro ones. Never tried vintage - though it looks interesting. Of course nibs can be customized though.

I was bored a few years ago and retaught myself cursive. It took a few months of writing pages of notes a day to not have embarrassing scrawl. With so many schools dropping that from their curricula some day it'll be like I'm writing in secret code!

It can be a slippery slope.

[NY65912]

My Porsche fountain pen, from the Porsche Museum gift shop. Never used, but I do love the feel of a fountain pen. I think one has more control. I pride myself on my penmanship, having won an award in the 6th grade

[Chocaholic]

Wow...very cool stuff, and great info. You guys aren't helping! Keep them coming...in the mean-time, another distraction is gaining a head of steam!

[recycled sixtie]

Mike I have just finished the book The social life of ink by Ted Bishop. It is a good read and covers the history of ink making. Also covers ball point pens and ink pens. I was expecting it to be tedious reading but there is a lot to it. I did not know before that ink can be bought online.
Guy

[sc_rufctr]

Originally Posted by Chocaholic

Wow...very cool stuff, and great info. You guys aren't helping! Keep them coming...in the mean-time, another distraction is gaining a head of steam!

Why not get a reasonably priced LAMY fountain pen and have a go?

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=LAMY+fountain+pen&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=_jDrVL6fCY_i8AX3_IGgAw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=997

It slows you down a bit getting the cap off etc but I find my thoughts are clearer.

[Rot 911]

They even make disposable fountain pens. These are the ones I use on a daily basis. I really like them as I am left handed and the ink dries quickly so I don't smear the ink as I am writing.
Amazon.com : New Design, Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen 90011, Blue Ink, Box of 12 Pens : Office Products

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by Rot 911

They even make disposable fountain pens. These are the ones I use on a daily basis. I really like them as I am left handed and the ink dries quickly so I don't smear the ink as I am writing.
Amazon.com : New Design, Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen 90011, Blue Ink, Box of 12 Pens : Office Products

I need to get some of these to try. I actually learned caligraphy with a fountain pen in HS around 2007

My cursive is horrendous though, and my block isn't much better. I need to work on my writing though as I now have to fill out lots of paperwork. An AZ purchase contract is at a minimum 15 pages.