10 Reasons People Still Use Fountain Pens
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
- "James, why do you still use that fountain pen?!" I get that question from time to time. Here are 10 reasons, some mine, some from others. What would you add?
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I somehow find it calming. It slows things down and it's a great hobby.Even if you aren't extremely rich, there's still great fountain pens you can find.
Using a fountain pen helps to protect and preserve the analog soul. It is always a mark of honor to have ink stained fingers. Thanks for being a member of the fountain pen community.
The real question should be "why do people still use ballpoint pens?" There are lots of reasons for using fountain pens. When I was writing my MA thesis, I often tired out my hand in long sessions of writing because I used ballpoint pens. I searched for a smoother writer a lot, but I finally found jel pens. However, they were not the thing I wanted. I didn't find out about fountain pens until I finished my MA. Fortunately, for my Phd I have the joy of writing without tiring out my hand. I now use a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen with a pilot CON 40, using Parker Quink Ink and Pilot Iroshizuku.
I can say with absolute certainty that the only reason I was able to complete my two essays in my final exam for my Diploma was because I was using a fountain pen and not a ballpoint. It's an actual practical advantage that not a lot of people know about.
Because of the lack of pressure that a fountain pen makes on paper, if you fill out a lot of carbonless form sets ballpoints are still king there. A fountain pen doesn't put enough pressure on the paper to cause the information to transfer to the lower layers, so you end up filling out the forms multiple times, which defeats the purpose of that type of paper.
Outside of that, I haven't seen a reason. Introduce somebody to fountain pens and they will rarely go back unless the above mentioned scenario shows up.
@@LLJKtog Sailor Trident, checkmate ballpoint users. (It does have a fair few issues though.)
@@TheYupibear123 yes, absolutely true. Fountain pens encourage you to write more and get less bored.
@@LLJKtog good point. Except for the reason you mentioned, I no longer see myself going back to ballpoint pens.
About a month ago I finally sent off my mom’s 1930’s Sheaffer Fountain Pen to get it restored. I’m so excited to get it back so that I can write with it. I’m 67 and I feel like a kid waiting for Santa to come! So of the many reasons for using a fountain pen, connecting with the past is a big one for me.
Very cool!
So how are you liking that Sheaffer? Do you still use it?
@@darkchocolate4643 I love the pen! It writes well, though it will “blop” some ink once in awhile. I forgive her because she’s old! 😂 I love writing with the pen because it makes me think of my mom. Thanks so much for asking!!
@@stampinsan I love vintage pens because, frankly, they usually write better than their new brethren, but also because I can almost feel the history. Sadly, I hardly ever get to know what that history is as most people I buy pens from don't know or simply aren't its first owner. The fact that this Sheaffer belonged to your mom makes it absolutely priceless. Enjoy!
@@darkchocolate4643 I’m not really a collector of vintage pens. However, I got into fountain pens because of my mom’s vintage pen. In January of this year a friend found out I like fountain pens and gave me her mom’s Circa 1932 Waterman FPen and Pencil set. I just received it back after being restored and it is beyond wonderful. I’m in love! 😊
The *only* reason for me to use a ballpoint or rollerball pen anymore, is to make an impression on a multi-copy form (carbon or carbonless paper). For everything else, it's a fountain pen. I also have woodworking as a hobby, and I get the same sense of joy using hand planes as I do a fountain pen. It's enjoying the journey, not rushing to the destination.
There are manifold nibs specifically for pressing through carbon copies.
hooded stainless steel nibs do the job also if it helps.
Another good video James. For me fountain pen is an escape tool from reality and to center my self from the busy surrounding world. I like to write in slow, silence environment just to be in my own world.
My use of fountain pens is a tie to my mother, who was an artist of many media. But she had dipped pens and created magnificent pen and ink drawings. She also taught the pastor of our church to do German Black Letter as it was required for his PhD (Lutheran). I am not an artist of her caliber, but it makes me feel closer to her. I also just prefer the feel of a fountain pen... And it makes me look forward to bullet journaling.
I enjoy fountain pens for the same reason I love sports cars. Both are highly engineered for performance. And; like sports cars, there are the Miatas and MGs as well as Lamborghinis and Aston Martins. So too with fountain pens. But, no matter which one you drive you are part of the club.
The pastor gives us a fountain pen sermon. I really like that you focused on the customization aspect.
Ha! Not my intention, but now I can't unsee it.
Can't recall if this was one you mentioned, James, but fountain pens can also improve your handwriting simply because you tend to take more care when using one! Great list btw, no.9 was my reason for starting 20yrs ago. I'm a leftie and used to suffer from writers cramp from ballpoints.
Exactly, plus when you are taking care when writing, you tend to take more time in thinking through what you are about to write. So it ends up being a much more mature process. If I am writing a shopping list, it doesn't matter if it is scribbled with a ball-point pen, but if it is an important document where each element really matters, I will choose a fountain pen every-time.
This righty is training himself to be a lefty with fountain pens for that very reason. I have a progressive musculoskeletal disorder and writing even just a short paragraph with a ballpoint can leave me aching. Less so with a gel pen - wonderful invention - but a fountain pen kicks these pens into the long grass. If I grip the fountain pen with an angry fist and mash it into the paper, as I seem to do with ballpoints, I'll break the pen, rip the paper and create an inky mess that takes days to clean away. So it requires a more gentle touch, more patience and a lighter grip. That one-paragraph cramp is much reduced as a result.
The real question should be, "Why do environmentalists use computers?" Nothing is less green than a computer. It not only uses a lot of plastic, it also uses a stunning amount of minerals and elements that are extremely rare, and not sustainable.
I started using fountain pens when I was three, thanks to being raised by people who went through the Great Depression n. I bought my first one without adult supervision when I was in second grade. Then nI became a creative writer, and found that I could think and write much better with a pen or pencil than with a computer.
Many thought this was my imagination, so it was a great relief when science proved I was right. Once we could watch the brain as we did some activity, it showed that the creative center of the brain automatically lights up when we write in longhand. This does not happen with a computer.
The reason this happens is obvious. We don't "write" letters and words, we "draw" them, and drawing requires the use of the brain's creative center. This doesn't mean great fiction can't be written with a computer, of course, but it does mean less work is required to fire up the imagination and creativity you need when you use a pen or pencil.
Oddly, for reasons no one can yet explain, a manual typewriter also does a pretty good job of activating the brain's creative center. It isn't the sound of the keys because electric typewriters make the same sounds, but don't activate the creative center.
I don't write with a dinosaur bone because I can't find one. I do, however, often write with a pen that has a barrel made from mammoth ivory. That's as close as I can come to a dinosaur. My kids, of course, think I'm so old I probably killed the mammoth myself during my cave man days.
Anyway, I write with fountain pens because they write extremely well, and because I write slower and think faster than I can with any word processor. Too many say they use a word processor because it lets their writing keep up with their thoughts. That is not at all wise. It's the last thing a writer should want to happen. Especially a new writer. Very few have first thoughts that are worth writing down. Going slow and writing well is, in the end, far faster than going fast and writing poorly.
But I love all writing instruments. I once bought 12 gross of Ticonderoga pencils. 1,728 pencils. And I used them all in just over a year. I love gel pens, rollerball pens, and even high quality ballpoint pens. Don't know where the "I have to press hard" to use a ballpoint comes from? Maybe with a ten cent ballpoint. I don't know. It seems to me that ballpoints need very little pressure to write. Maybe because I've always used higher quality ballpoints.
The only difference in ballpoint pens, rollerball pens, and gel pens is the type of ink inside, so a good ballpoint shouldn't require any more pressure than a rollerball or a gel pen. All three just roll the ink onto the paper.
I also love dip pens. I use steel nib dip pens regularly. I love writing with them. I also love using quill pens, and even making my own quill pen and my own ink. Glass dip pens are a lot of fun to write with, and may be the easiest, fastest way to test a new ink.
Really, as much as I love fountain pens, I love every writing instrument equally well. I'm an avid mechanical pencil collector, and while the mechanics of modern mechanical pencils are interesting, the way antique mechanical pencils worked is astounding. In one form or another, mechanical pencils date back nearly four hundred years, and there seems to be a peculiar mechanism for each of those years.
I use whichever I'm in the mood for most of the time. I usually, but not always, prefer fountain pens for writing letters, and mechanical pencils for anything and everything where I don't want mistakes showing. Fountain pen ink is wonderful, but pencil lead is erasable, and sometimes this matters. Too, I love the sound and the feel of 2B or 4B lead on paper. Plus, I can use a pencil on any type of paper, however cheap.
James Richie asks, "Why do environmentalists use computers?" Nothing is less green than a computer. It not only uses a lot of plastic, it also uses a stunning amount of minerals and elements that are extremely rare, and not sustainable ...." ....... The reason I use a computer--and I am an environmentalist--is for the huge amount of information I can glean with one. 1. I use mine for research. When I was transcribing my Pappy's WWII letters to Mom, I was able to ID many of the people he mentioned from records in his hometown. I found the graves of many of them, and learned more details from their obituaries. I found images of weapons he described and places he served, and added them to the transcriptions. 2. I listen many types of music: Cajun, Zydeco, Greek, CW, Classical, Rock, &c, &c. 3. I make greeting cards, finding many of the images I use online. 4. I follow the news as reported by various sources. 5. I scan and save important documents into files: Birth certificates, contracts, DD-214 and other forms from my military days, pictures from past and present; in short, electronic records that I can find easily instead of sorting through a bunch of paper. 5. I watch TH-cam videos frequently on subjects that interest me, especially fountain pen reviews, heavy equipment, politics, manufacturing processes, and product reviews on items that I'm interested in buying. Finally, in using the PC to shop without having to leave home.
Thank you for this video. There is just something so special about writing with a fountain pen. I use laptop, iPad and desktop computers in other aspects of my life however I always think better when using a fountain pen.
I like your list! You included all the reasons I've had and a few more. I write a lot, and I'm a calligrapher, so I was using italic fountain pens with black cartridges for more than 30 years. In 2016 I discovered the Pilot Metropolitan, which led me to converters and stub nibs, and down the rabbit hole I happily fell. I love the versatility of nibs and ink colors and qualities at my disposal, and the ease of writing for extended periods of time without having to press into the page. I like reusing the same tools in various combinations and exploring new options of pen details. I also really appreciate the positivity and support of the online fountain pen community. Thanks for the video!
I like fountain pens because of the nostalgia and because it feels elegant in my hand. They also seem to fit my personality, like they are what I should be using. I love penmanship and a fountain pen feels like the right tool to utilize.
It may not draw new people in, but I love the ritual. Each week in my Captain's Log/BuJo/planner/thing I have a different layout, so need to choose a pen for the week, colours of inks to use & a design. The opening of an ink bottle, the disassembling, filling & reassembling of the pen: the smells, sounds & sights of those processes are a precious part of my Sunday afternoon, a time that lovingly & tenderly connects me with the tool I'm preparing for use. Sounds pretentious now I've read what I've just written, but you don't get that vibe with a biro.
I have been using Fountain pens since i was kid. I have always loved fountain pens.. if you look at a fountain pen and think you would feel this thing should not even write and thats the beauty of it, the ways its made. Everytime i think about the mechanism of the fountain pen it just amazes me. No matter cheap or expensive fountain pen itself is a work of art. And i agree with all your points as well. God video and keep up the good work.
We had inexpensive Sheaffer clear and plastic colored bodys with metal caps
When I was in elementary and highschool, I used to refill the plastic cartridges with ink. Crazy. I haven't seen them in many years. It seemed so civilized!
@@barbarajohnson1442 i guess they don't make them anymore, but there are a lot of interesting reasonably priced fountain pens you get even now which could last you a lifetime if you take care of them. If interested you could try a few, like pilot metropolitan ot the jinhao x750 or x450. Try them Barbara and you will fall in love with writing with a pen again. Have a great year.
I agree. I’m in the process of getting each of my grandkids a “legacy” fountain pen. I have 10 grandchildren and I have more than 10 pens, but not all legacy quality.
I got my 11 year old son into fountainpens, now he wants one that flexes like my Pilot 912. The bad thing is that my wife was there when I bought mine with the new feed etc.. I’m already mentally preparing for the “You gave an 11 year old a 300,- pen??!!” Part 😁😭
For her 11th birthday my grand daughter, after I brought her to a pen store, chose a Kaweco Sport Collection series in sage green. Then she chose a BB nib after some writing tryouts in the store and chose Monteverde green ink cartridges. I also bought a leather case so she would be less likely to lose the small pen. She uses it in school and her schoolmates think it is “cool.”
Nice Pen Ambassador work there, James! I agree with all your points, and would only add that the fountain pen provides a pleasant way for someone to reclaim or better their penmanship.
I'm quite pessimistic about growing the community in these digital times but I don't really care how many of us are there as long as I'm part of it. Nice video thanks James
Great Video! I personally used nothing else but fountain pens since i got my "fountain pen license" in elementary school back in 1986.
Most of my clients reactions are surprised but positive when they see me taking notes with a fountain pen. And from time to time i manage it to convince them to use one of my "guest fountain pens" on my desk to sign documents.
In my opinion, there is absolutely no reason to not use a fountain pen!
I have used one all of my life,from my school days when we used steel nibs and cheap school ink.Got my first Parker in 1963.
Stefan writes: "In my opinion, there is absolutely no reason to not use a fountain pen!" ...... There are a couple of good reasons: Most fountain pens are fragile and are easily damaged, as by dropping. They are usually attractive enough that they are subject to theft. In extreme cold, the ink freezes. Clumsy people ruin clothes, furnishings, or important documents by spilling ink on them.
Keep up the great work. I have enjoyed every video since I found you!
I remember learning cursive in the 2nd grade and calligraphy in the 3rd. This was in the 70’s
I'm an engineer and I want my tools to be not just functional, but well put together and performant. That's why I use fountain pens.
I attended third grade in 1953-1954 in Utica NY. We learned cursive using dip pens. We had inkwells, blotters and pen wipes. Strange at first, but some things are planted in our brain. In the 1950s I bought a Parker fountain pen and loved it. A love affair blossomed. Later, as a chemistry teacher, I had a problem with carpal tunnel in my right elbow and my arm was not doing well and my writing suffered for it. My surgeon told me to throw out my ball point pens and use a fountain pen. Best advice. That cemented my old love of fountain pens. I now own 7 pens and I do not ever us a ballpoint. The act of taking care of the pens is therapeutic. As an aside, I used to tell my students that their brains are in their pencil, a nod to the relationship between our thought processes and motor skills.
Utica! I've been there a few times. I've lived in NY state twice, once on Albany/Schenectady as a student and later for 9 years in Troy.
Nice video! Thanks for sharing. My addition is that over the years my writing skills have atrophied due to lack of use. Even when I write my signature, I tend to scribble. I find using a fountain pen to be one of those subtle pleasures. You pay attention to so many details, the type of nib, the flow and color of the ink, the grip of the pen, the feel of the nib/paper/ink combination. Because of that, I enjoy writing more and in the process, it has helped me improve my handwriting. I don't get the same pleasures out of pencils, ball points, or gel pens.
I make them, which means an additional dimension to buying and using a fountains pen: I choose the material and colours , the components, the overall dimensions (made to fit my hand and way of holding the pen, or the recipients; the shape and style of pen; the box and carrying case; the inks and colours, etc. I can refinish, repair, or even totally rebuild my pens if say the barrel or cap or clip get damaged. I used to have a Mont Blanc, which was ok, though I certainly don’t think worth its cost as it’s a basic shape, with flimsy resin case (which scratches easily), and good German components - I use similar German nibs for my pens, but other materials are better than commercial offerings and mine are fully custom to my or a new owners Wishes. Pen collecting of classic commercial pens also interesting, but comes at a real premium for the better ones I think. As for inks - I buy from a local company (Diamine Inks) who have been in business for more than 150 years and make more than 168 colours (Obama’s blue was commissioned by the White House, while Prince Reynea of Monaco commissioned Regal Red.
I was using felt tipped art pens and I was too heavy handed with them so they would always go flat and stop writing. Each pen was around $4 and they would only last me form one art piece that was 8 by 10. I ended up buying a fine point TWSBI eco and some noodlers heart of darkness. This pen convinced me to replace my felt tip art pens with fountain pens but also my everyday writers. I love the choice of colors, cleaning them, just being part of the whole process of putting ink to paper.
Depending on where you live and the options you have around you, fountain pens are a great way to always have the type of tip you like to write with in your color of choice. As someone who likes to write with really extra fine tips (0.2-0.3) and lives in Brazil, my only options are fineliners or to import pens from Japan (which takes forever). With fountain pens, I import something I like and don't need to worry about getting more nor refills because I just need ink and I learned dye based liquid artistic inks don't clog the pens, which makes it way easier to fill them up with endless color options. I mostly color mix myself what I want. Ecoline is a good example of that. It even unclogged my Daiso fountain pen from the ink it came with. All fountain pens are missing compared to other pens is variety of WATERPROFF inks. If that was easy to get, I would never need any other pens ever again.
Loved this video sir. Huge respect. Nobody, after watching this video can be not passionate about owning a good fountain pen. But you put it so nicely across 16 minutes!
2:20 we did square dancing in my high school a couple of months ago, who knows why?!?
I need to share this with everyone who says I’m wasting money on old pens... Let them know I am using the superior writing instrument!!! lol
To my way of thinking James, using a fountain pen to write with, has an almost Zen like quality. I get the same feeling when using both wooden and metal hand planes. All three items give me an amazing feeling of well being. Peace and love, James.
There is some science behind physiological development that goes on with children who are in the process of learning cursive writing, especially with a fountain pen. The brain is wired through the motor cortex in developing hand-eye co-ordination in learning and continually doing cursive writing, more so than with upper & lower case printing, and the fountain pen has been found to be the most effective writing instrument to do this.
James I can't draw a straight line with a ruler (LOL) The ease of writing with my
pens is joy unspeakable. I do not experience hand strain with the fountain pen
vs a ballpoint. My great grandfather used FPs, and I have those memories, One
of his favorite ink colors was sepia. I have 5 pens currently inked with different
ink colors. I also like Diamine Sherwood Green, Private Reserve Avocado Green
and deAtramentis Alexander von Humboldt.
I loved your pro-tip of the week ... the sacrificial cup of pens. I've used that trick for years. But, not at work. At home. It worked beautifully! When my wife or kids needed a pen they would come to my desk. And yes, the good ones are out of sight and out of mind.
I also went from ballpoints to gel pens. Then, to fountains pens because writing with them required less pressure. Then, along came ... computers, and for decades, writing was on a keyboard. But one day, I found that writing was being distracted by the program. Thinking about the program distracted from brain to paper. Now I find it more flowing to go from brain to hand, strings of words and rough sketching, than keyboard and mouse moves. For me, there's a different rythym writing by hand, and that rythym is more satisfying. And if I then want a digital copy, I scan it on my printer. For me, ideas to paper is more effective written/sketched by hand. And when the power fails, I don't feel discomboobulated. And as the occasion demands, I can still keyboard a copy. For green inks, I like both Noodlers Gruene Cactus and Herbins Lie de The.
Thank you for another great video James.
After getting those super cheap 14 dollar for 4 fountain pens, I never really could go back to normal writing utensils. For assignments and tests I use a drafting pencil/mechanical pencil, but for everyday use, they have been amazing. Just recently got a Wing Sung 659 and it has been treating me well. Even if the pen isn’t the best quality, I got it for more of the color. A really nice darker turquoise pen. Going back to what you were saying, it looks sort of like some of the pens my grandfather used, so that was the main reasoning behind my purchase
I'm a college student and using a fountain pen was a great improvement, you can write faster, with less pressure, your hand takes way more to get tired, you tend to write better (my hand writing went from very bad to just bad) and writing just feels good.
Yeah they are more expensive than ball points and you have to buy ink every now and then, do some mantinence around one a month and If you write frequently you have to recharge ink around twice a week, but its all worth it, can cheaper on the long run and it's better for the environment (as long as you don't use disposable cartridges (if you don't refill them)).
I only own two pens for now (a fine and a extra fine) and even when they are Chinese low budget "no brand" pens they are an absolute improvement.
My points are ease of writing since I suffered hand cramps in school as a child and my quest for more comfortable pens as an adult and my love of know I'm the only person at work using my ink, Diamine Oxblood 🙂
I just like how it feels and the look of the writing. Ballpoints definitely have their place imo. They're more flexible in their application. But fountain pens are better to write with and give much more beautiful results.
I have a green Sheaffer Triumph Sovereign II that was manufactured in the 40's that I've owned for at least 20 years. I use nearly every day.
Nice!
I got my first real fountain pen a few days ago. The Wing Sung 699. I absolutely love it. For a budget pen I’m amazed at the quality. It flows so well with no effort what so ever. So I’m addicted. I keep a journal and always wanted to try a fountain pen so I’ll be building a nice collection soon. New subscriber here so thanks for the video and the cool info. 👍
The cross townsend is a pen model that has been available for over 100 years :) pretty wild.
The customization has made me WANT to write and send notes! I’ve purchased my share of inks for the year, but love being able to use the color that suits me. And I’m thinking of color coding a recipe book that I bought to fill with our favorite recipes. My biggest problem still yet is finding THE pen (I’m not a collector) that I can write with without my hand hurting. I have RA in my writing hand and have had several surgeries on it, so I’m looking for a lightweight, longer pen. The Metropolitan is too short, the x450 is a bit heavy although mine writes well; but I need one with a medium or broad nib made for longer fingers. I love my Noodler’s Konrad, but my fingers slip down to the nib itself. But yes, I’m LOVING writing with fountain pens!
Maybe something like the Platinum Carbon Desk pen would help.
Sharon oddlyenough I’ll check into this!
Vintage fountain pens for the nostalgia of USA made products and all the factories that produced them almost all of which are now closed.
I have many artistically beautiful fountain pens, which are a pleasurable to use. The nibs I use range from fine to broad. I have several stub nibs and oblique nibs. There are specialty nibs, such as architect, italic, cursive italic and flex. Many pen brands have interchangeable screw-in nibs.
Along with durability and repairability is ecology! I have a few vintage Parker Vacumatics made in the 1930's...yup, the 30's and still writing! I fill 'em (most all of my pens) from (glass) bottled ink so both the pen and the "supplies" are both green!
Yes, you are absolutely right about it and I'm 100% with you! Especially in our time where the environment is endangered by human activity related to industrialization and the endless hunger for raw material (such as oil, wood etc). But if you consider the cost of an ink cartridge, even of an ink bottle, does it come cheaper for an average salary person ? I've never managed to figure it out..!!
8:00 Speaking of classics that one can still purchase brand new: The Opinel Carbone! I own three of them; inexpensive, slicey-dicey and Made in France.
I've been a pen hoarder in general for as long as I can remember, just like my dad! (my mom used to say that there was no way she could ever let the 2 of us loose in an office supply or stationery store unsupervised... Lol) I have also always been enamored with anything historical or antique, so combine those 2 things & I've been an admirer of fountain pens since at least middle school. I even used to try to make quill pens any time I found a substantial feather. My ex-husband once gave me a gift card to an office supply store for Mother's Day. My friends thought that was horrible! Not me, that was the best gift ever! I bought a leather vintage-looking journal, & a respectable fountain pen, nothing fancy, just a stainless steel Parker if I remember correctly. Recently I've revived that love of fountain pens & goodness! I have a variety of nibs & filling systems & inks & the combinations are infinite!
I know that this is an older video, but I have two points to make.
1. There is a ton of scholarly literature that proves that if you take written notes (like you do) when studying, you retain the information better.
2. I can’t think and compose at a keyboard. I hand wrote my doctoral dissertation (with fountain pen) and then used Dragon to transcribe my written notes onto the computer.
I really like how you started this list haha.
WHY NOT!! :D
Excellent overview. For me Mortimer Alder said it right: you are not learning if you are not marking up the pages of a book, taking notes. I also think there is a huge somatic experience to fountain pens and tactile writing instruments. There is a community in many areas - it is nice to flow between them - watches and books as example - you could replace pens with these hobbies and would not recognize the difference between the communities. ;)
Yes, the tactile experience of writing with a fountain pen is important, especially for children who are learning cursive writing and are thus wiring their brains for hand-eye co-ordination.
As a freelance photographer I often need to take a note of some kind. Many of the people's names are next to impossible to get correct so I hand them my fountain pen so they can print it for me. In the past few years, a dozen or so have commented about not seeing a FP in years while others comment about how they wish they had one. (Yes I informed them where to get one.).
The main reason I like the FP for my work is because I can write something on a single sheet of paper without use someone's back or a hard surface. That comes in real handy watching birds in the field. (Another hobby of mine.)
I love my fountain pens, but honestly, there is still a place for a ball point pen. I really like the TUL pens from Office Depot. It's a great pen for work where you have no idea what kind of trash paper you are going to need to write on. But given the choice, I'd rather use a fountain pen.
Yep, I’m 48 and we learned cursive and calligraphy! I loved it
Good video James. .. my colour is the purple family of inks but I do have a bit of a pond of ink.
Writing with fountain pens is a kind of Zen for myself. .. when I returned to fountain pens and dip pens a few years ago I felt like a weirdo but my goal was to write better and do calligraphy (still can't, it's a gift) ... THEN I discovered the wonderful wonderful pen community and it was a home coming. The reviewers taught me everything and expanded my desire to write well.
Bics were a part of my writing faults and the tremendous pressure needed to write triplicate and sextuplet legal documents destroyed what little was there as penmanship.
The lure of pen and ink goes back to my senior school years ( 11 _ 15) whatever 'grade' that is now, ,, two school masters insisted that we use pen and ink. ..school dip pens produced some fantastic psycho splodges in my books till I got a fountain pen. .. its the thoughts of those wonderful schooldays (honestly) that brought me back to pen and inks.
This is a nice video James ,,, and your very right. ... why not !
Keep posting your doing good.
Best wishes to all PenPeople.
LeZc
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Thanks for your wonderful insights. I remember how my father used to write with a fountain pen, and back then I wondered why? Recently I tried it out with a basic one, and I was surprised at how it eases the hand strain! I am going to get on board and I thank you and others for showing the way.
I started using fountain pens in high school (early 1980s), when I found several old lever fill ones in my folks' barn (left by the previous owner. Most were 1940's-50s.)
I used them virtually exclusively from then on, until I went to college. (I did calligraphy, and before I had a stroke, my handwriting was similar to copperplate because of this.)
Sadly, I got away from them in college, and those old pens are lost...
After the stroke, I have difficulty with severe cramps from ballpoint pens, plus I have never liked the basic stick ballpoint pens, so I started looking around for an alternative, so I could continue writing letters and such (plus other things.) I now have the fountain pen addiction again. I have a single dimestore lever fill Arnold, 3 Jinhao pens (x450, x750 and my personal favourite, the "primary size crayon in the hands of a very small toddler" 159, as well as over 20 other pens on the slow boat from China heading my way. Will I get nicer ones? Sure. I'm sold on the old lever fill pens. My next 2 of those will be an Osmiroid (probably a 75, as they also have a calligraphy set that fits them) and an Esterbrook. Being on disability means I have to save up for those.
I agree with your reasons to use a fountain pen. My biggest problem with not getting back to them sooner was availability in my area. (Thanks to the internet, not such a big deal, any more. 😉) I got the others for just the reason you said: to play around and see what I like the best.
The only dancing I remember doing in school was the "Hokey Pokey" in kindergarten, thank goodness.
My favorite pens are the ones that seem to have a symbiotic relationship with ink and paper, and simply flow without effort while still having perfect control. I often wonder about people who want to force line variation out of every fountain pen they handle, as if that is the sole purpose they were created for. They gripe about how horrible a ball point is and then proceed to use a fountain pen in the same manner; illogical in my mind.
Oh, and I wish I'd known of the "Wood & Graphite" channel before, because I enjoy and use pencils when they fit the job I'm performing.
I've only been writing with fountain pens for three years. Love em. I tend to prefer heavily back-weighted, heavier pens in the 45-55 gram weight range. And since I always post my pens, the heavier the better for me.
A couple of thoughts. In terms of history, a used pen could have a mystery behind it. Was it used to convey words of wisdom? To educate? To pontificate? For hate speech or rhetoric? We just don't know. We use them to express our own words and feelings, so maybe the next user might wonder what was written by us with that instrument. Secondly, I'm getting back into fountain pens as a 50+ adult who hated them as a child because I didn't understand them, was too hurried, too rough. My body is wearing out and I foresee a time when I may no longer be able to write with my dominant right hand. So, I am training myself to write left-handed as a sort of insurance policy. Should that ever happen, I will be that much more prepared. It feels FAR easier to do this with a fountain pen as it more or less forces the hand to relax, take more time, concentrate, consider what I am trying to achieve. As such, the contemplative nature can be quite calming.
(Bonus point: here in the UK most consumer-grade cars still have a manual transmission..)
Love your videos James, this one is a Diamond my friend.
"all over the United States and Texas" (LOL) Texas is so big, it is its own country. Fell in love
with fountain pens 30+ yrs ago when Dr. Weiss walked in my office to sign some papers using
a Waterman Phileas. His pen caught my eye, and, Dr. Weiss purchased one for me. I have been
hooked since. Gave up on ballpoints at that point, Can write for extended periods of time with-
out hand cramps; the sense I feel as the pen flows across paper is intoxicating; my pens start up
conversations with total strangers; there is that sense of history and relating to my great grand-
father; the unique beauty and functionality of each pen in my small collection (275); I don't feel
like part of the herd by using a ballpoint. I still have that original Waterman, and ink it up every
so often.. I ordered a medium nib for my Waterman, and love it even more. In reality there are
reasons which are philosophical, esoteric and pragmatic--whatsoever I do love my pens, and the
inks which make writing with my pens such a joy. Love the green ink Diamine Sherwood Green--love
it, love it, love it!!! And I also love Robin Hood (LOL)
Fun, Improve handwriting, Nostalgia, Weight and balance of the pen, Line width variation (depending on the nib), More choices besides Black, Blue, Correction Red, and rarely green you are limited to with a ballpoint. There are six of the reasons I use fountain pens.
This was an incredible... insanely awesome video... thank you so much, James... wow... wonder of wonders... this list was so poignant and very informative. Again, thank you. I have been writing with nib pens since eleven... I love my pens... seriously.... I love them like they were children... each and every one. And each point totally underscores why... Stay safe...
James, that was well presented, as always. Did you know that we here in the UK folk _still_ usually order a manual car, so automatics are in the minority? Ah, how I look forward to post-lockdown when we can once again drive out to some big pen show! It's a great community and we'll want to overdose on communal activities when that all-clear finally comes. For now, let's buy a few stamps and start writing letters. Little is more comforting, as that other James would have testified, than to receive a hand-written epistle from a friend.
I'd wondered about manuals in the UK. We were there last March, and I was surprised my rental was an auto (a hybrid, too). The last trip there I'd driven a manual, and expected most rentals still were. My wife lived in Nottingham a little while before we married, and we love visiting the UK.
I bought a fountain pen just because it's cheaper. I'm not a hobbyist or a enthusiast. But I love the way fountain pens write. I actually have the pens he's holding right now and it is absolutely wonderful.
Only 2 pens to my name... So far... Haha
great topic I had a fountain for 5 years didn't use it much until I got 2 retractable fountain pens one black and one red for two different colors, and been using them 5 to 6 times a week which is a lot more often than the one I got 5 years go
Noodler’s Big Bad Gator is a really nice green ink.
Comfort,clarity,ease, and availability! And beats the heck out of a quill esp. sharpening the quil with a pen knife !
Not really. I love sharpening a quill with a pen knife. Fountain pens are not perfect by any means, and it's easier to sharpen a quill than to keep many cantankerous fountain pens up and running.
I got into using fountain pens because I got into watercolour painting, and I am relearning how to draw. A couple artists who are very well respected suggested a Lamy Safari. I like that all I need to keep it working is to clean it sometimes and refill the ink. When I was a kid, I thought all that fountain pens were for was calligraphy, because I was gifted several cheap calligraphy sets. They have a sense of ritual to them, like a tea pot in the age of single-serve tea bags.
Some of the reasons seem to refer to “why do I use pens ?” as against “why do I use Fountain pens ?”
Most of what you said are applicable to well made ball-point pens also.
Checking all the boxes!
I have just recently found your channel and love your very pleasant style!
Really enjoyed this film , absolutely agree with every word too .
Fountain pens are fun and one only needs to not drop them on their nibs. Other than that, they're robust.
11) Fountain Pens are widely known to improve one’s handwriting because the flexible nib adapts to your unique grip and hand motions over time.
The more you write with a pen, the better it writes! That's amazing, isn't it? A cheap biro doesn't do that :)
Great presentation! My first exposure to your channel, and I subscribed before I got to the end of this epsode. I love pens too. Also love great presentations. Don't know if you scripted this, but I doubt it. If your job is not some form of public speaking, maybe it should!
Thanks!
Great list.
It is greaner, even if you buy some of them, because you don't throw them away. More ecological than a cross pen, if you don't use cartridges, because you can buy the ink in glass bottles, which are much more easy to recicle than plastic cartridges for fountain pens, pens, or rollers.
Nice explanation and good reasons
#12. The joy of writing with a fountain pen. It feels differeent than writing with either a ballpoint, or a gel pen.
Fountain pens are friendlier to the environment than ballpoints and gel pens. The refills that are thrown away end up in the oceans and landfills, and eventually in the food chain. In contrast, nothing is thrown away in fountain pens. Even the inks come in glass bottles which can be recycled easily. Of course, there are fountain pens with cartridges that are meant to be thrown away but unlike ball pen or gel pen refills, these can be refilled and reused very easily.
Perfect reasons!
I just purchased a Yard-O-led Viceroy Grand Victorian and wanted to know what you thought of that pen.
I've no experience with Yard-O-Led, but they have quite a history, and that looks like some impressive craftsmanship.
My fountain pens are like my Timex ( I have other brands also )watches; they work for a very long time no matter how inexpensive I paid for them or how high I paid for them.
Cheapest watch is 10 $, my cheapest pens are 4 Parkers i got for 8 dollars, a pack of Varsity I got 3 for 6$, and when I bought my Retro 51 Goldline and Rebel, the store threw in 5 cheapo plastic FP with decent nibs, I use these still, going away on trips.
My Retros, Cross, Auroras, Visconti and Hero are for office work or home.
Craftsmanship - oh my.
Thank you.
I have my father's Cross and his Sheaffer! Where did you buy the 1948 pen??? EBay or are there penshops that sell used pens?
I got this one from eBay.
There are dealers that specialize with vintage and custom pens. One that I've bought from is Peyton Street Pens in Santa Cruz, CA. There are a lot more once you start digging around, too.
My 4 favorite inks: Scheaffer Skrip ,Waterman Serenity Blue, Waterman Red and Mont Blanc Emerald Green.
I have used fountain pens in the past but found them not conducive in a work setting. When carbonless (NCR paper) was in vogue, fountain pens were not very good (I did use a Parker 25 for months until the pressure from pressing down broke the nib and section. There is a place for ballpoints, rollerballs and gel pens but with the advent of more digital forms to be competed and less use of carbon or carbonless forms, fountain pens have a place at work.
At home it is a no brainer. I love using my pens for writing journals, letters and signing documents. I hardly use my ballpoints or gel pens. Rollerballs are still used as needed.
I wish I were artistic, but I'm not. I use fountain pens because I'm cheap and i like them. Even if you buy a really expensive pen and fancy ink, you will still save money in the long run compared to expensive gel pens and refills, if you can even find them.
I am 19 yo i use fountain pen man it's so cooooool
Best reason. WHY NOT.
Thanks
1. Fountain pen has soul.
2. I hate my handwriting when using ballpoint.
3. I like the rituals surrounding fountain pen ise
I was using a TWSBI Diamond 580 in class the other day and a girl said she liked my fountain pen… I took her on a date! 😊 So, one could say it helps with the rizz game
Mr. T.J. Cosgrove of Wood & Graphite.....I've been following him since the beginning...Very interesting young man.
Another interesting channel is VWestlife, for analog audio equipment and early computing essentials. I am a nerd for analog.
My reason for using a fountain pen: It improved my handwriting. Because I had to s-l-o-w d-o-w-n.
I like fountain pens because of how uncommon they are. As well as all the reasons you mentioned