ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 เม.ย. 2013
- Many people have asked me, so here's the answer.
Befriend me on facebook: www.facebook.nl/stephenbrebrown
Follow me on twitter: sbrebrown
Add me on google+: Stephen B.R.E. Brown
Talk to me on FPN: StephenBrown
Talk to me on fpgeeks.com: StephenBrown - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I have chronic pain (facial nerve injury) and at my last doctor's visit he mentioned calligraphy as a way to focus - and hopefully by thinking artistically it will give me relief from the pain. He sent me home with two old pens and a bottle of ink. So I came to TH-cam to see if I could at least make a mark on paper. I found your video on what to do if your pen doesn't write. Your helpful tips worked and I'm sitting here drawing really artistic looking lines on paper. Somewhere between my first and second mark I started liking the feel of the pen (Staedtler) - and even though it's really inexpensive I like the look of it too. So then I saw this video and listened to your story and I fear I have been bit by the fountain pen bug. I'm thinking something sleek - maybe stainless steel or then maybe a vintage pen - maybe red with swirls. And now I'm thinking of how many fountain pens I can hide in a shoe box!!! Good grief, I'm going to go now. I have more marks to make. When I'm done with that, I think I'll watch another one of your videos. Good night from the mountains of East Tennessee.
I'm glad my videos are useful for you.
I have a slightly related story. I grew up in the UK in the 1950s. Around age 9 or so we were given dip pens-basically a stick with a nib on the end that we dipped into an inkwell on the desk. Later, I used fountain pens in my early years of high school, but shortly thereafter used mostly cheap ballpoints. I didn't lose interest in pens entirely. Over the next several years I experimented with ballpoints, gels and rollerballs; some I liked, many I disliked, but pens were far from being a serious hobby,
Fast forward to 2019. By that time I’d spent most of my adult years in the U.S. and had retired to Arizona. I registered with a new primary physician, a late-40-ish fellow, and was surprised to see that he used a fountain pen to jot notes. For some reason, that visit rekindled my curiosity with fountain pens.
Shortly after that medical visit I purchased a fountain pen from a local stationary store. It was horrible: the Cross medium-nib pen was a veritable ink bleeder. Writing a check resulted in a massive indecipherable blob of black ink on the lines. I did some research and settled upon pen number two to be a Pilot Metropolitan with a fine nib. It was a great choice and is still one of my favorite pens to write with. Next, I splurged on a Pelikan M200 closely followed by a mega splurge on a limited edition M600-by far my favorite pen aesthetically, but even with its 14k nib it doesn’t write as well as my $25 Pilot.
Next, having been so delighted with the Pilot Metropolitan, I decided to upgrade to the next pen up in the Pilot lineup: the Pilot Prera. Big mistake, at least for me; the Prera is tiny-really tiny-and doesn’t fit into my medium/large-size male hand. My fault, of course. Had I bothered to do some research I’d have discovered that this pen was not for me.
Having made a mistake with the Prera, I decided to play it safe by buying two more Metropolitans, one with a medium nib, the other with the medium-italic nib.
In conclusion, my three Metro’s (fine, medium and medium-italic) are by far the best writers of my small collection and by far the pens I use the most. My M600 is gorgeous and I don’t regret buying it; I love to use it but it really doesn’t write as well as my three trusty Pilot Metro’s. The Cross, Prera and M200 I shall be replacing in the near future.
''I never watch my own videos, i find them particularly boring'' that made me chuckle.
"And now they're gone we can talk..." Hahahah brilliant...
Finding The Fountain Pen Network was one of the biggest "mistakes" of my life :P
Your videos, including this one are not boring. Actually, it's this video that convinced me that you are the go-to guy for my fountain pen reviews. You may laugh, but it is true. It's because your story was told with passion. That's something I always find infectious. Plus, within your reviews you are honest and very forth coming which is something I very much appreciate
Thank you again for all your hard work and sharing this story with us!
Thank you!
When I retired in September 2010, I started collecting fountain pens. Especially when I came across Stephen's and Brian Goulet's videos. In the last couple of years, I have gone rather wild with my purchases and now have a collection of Parkers, Pelikans, Conklins, an Edison, a couple of Deltas, Pilot Vanishing Points, Lamy Safari/Al-Stars, and miscellaneous others which I learned about through the videos. I enjoy those videos very much, Stephen. Thank you.
As a not-really-(yet)-a-pen-nut I can hardly believe how much time I've now sunk watching these videos of yours. Seriously and strangely enjoyable (especially this more personal one), and I had no idea people could be so into fountain pens or there could be such a community. Your vids are a discovery for me.
My first fp experience was also at a very young age, when my family moved and I was transferred from a really rough state school where we used pencils to a really nice private school where fountain pens were mandatory. My first pen was also a Parker Vector and it left a deep impression. Fair to say I loved it from the beginning - the smell of the ink and watching closely how it was laid down on the page wet for a few seconds as I wrote. Ofcourse as I grew up I completely forgot about all of this, and now I'm 30 and only just beginning to rediscover the enjoyment of writing with fountain pens.
Cheers
Welcome to a large and usually nice community!
"How I got into fountain pens" stories fascinate me. This is terrific. Should anyone care, my experience couldn't have been any more different. When I was in high school in the early to mid 1980's I was in love with the 1920's, and had quite the collection of National Geographic, Life, and Saturday Evening Post magazines from that period in my collection. It soon became apparent that fountain pens were the big thing in the teens and twenties for, among other things, graduation gifts - a lifetime lasting tool wrought with all the precision of high tech machining and all the beauty, care in manufacturing, and enduring value of a piece of jewelry. I admit it - I fell under the spell of the advertising from Sheaffer, Waterman's and Parker from the teens and twenties. And why not? It was old, and proven, and a part of living in that time. In 1983 at age 16 (coincidence, Mr.. Brown?) I bought a 1928 Parker Duofold Junior in Jade green and immediately lost my mind. A perfect pen - posted, that is. What blew my mind was that I was writing with an ancient instrument that was juicy and wet, and required absolutely no pressure whatsoever to make a rewarding, dark, personal line. I was in heaven. Years passed. My poor Duofold Junior weathered the trevails of going through the washer and dryer, ultimately uncapped, in my first year of college, because I'd thoughtlessly left it clipped in my shirt pocket. Ouch. Out it came, with a slightly bent and wrinkled nib, but, though worse for wear, it still wrote beautifully. An amazing Chilton pen soon thereafter proved to be part of why I left the fountain pen world for a time. I was writing compromising entries in a journal that I was encouraged to write, and one day, I pulled its ingenious pneumatic filling system out so far that I couldn't get the barrel back to its closed position. For the time being, my fountain pen journey stopped. Years went by. Technologies came and went. I explored all the brilliant possibilities of electronic dance music making that I could, and worked as a tech for an internet service provider. Arts and technology jobs followed until one day, this spring, I used a Staples ball point pen for the last time. I just couldn't take it anymore. The section, such as it it wasn't, cracked after just a few uses. That's it, I said, and immediately bought a 1927 Parker Duofold Junior in Lapis Lazuli with a rare, flexible Z nib. The rest, as they say, is history, and the Waterman's 55's in BCHR and red ripple complete me. Long live vintage fountain pens! (I''m so glad that new pens ignite the enthusiasm and wallets of so many these days, but seriously, vintage flex is insanely gorgeous. I sure hope this Millennial generation, with its obsession with all that is new, doesn't forsake the vintage universe which, for me, is infinitely more fascinating and rewarding...).
Thank you for sharing your story!
A vintage pen is such a WONDERFUL piece of history that you can use. I often wonder, of my vintage pens, who's had them, what they've written... where the pens have been. They are little time travelers. And now they live a quiet life with me.
love the story. my story is very simple, saw your video,no turning back. Now I dont have enough money for food.
My videos sometimes have that effect :-).
Hello again..
In addition to my last comment, I take my fountain pen every where, at work people are so inquisitive and have tried my pen and they love it, they are now buying their own too and the interest is growing.
The fountain pen is coming back big time and I am so happy about this, I will be watching your reviews and ading to my fountain pen collection.
Thanks again,
Kev.
Everytime my boss reaches for my pen to borrow it, just to write something, he remembers that I only have fountain pens. "UCCHHH - fountain pens!" He doesn't like them because he has memories of getting ink all over his hands as a kid. But still, at every weekly meeting, I have instituted "Show & Tell" and I share my current pen. They listen politely but they are increasingly aware that I am nuts.
It's always very cool to hear the background stories. I've watched so many of your videos that by now its like your my bro who I chill with and discuss fountain pens with once or twice a day. I too am becoming quite obsessed rather quickly and sitting down to watch your videos has become one of my favorite parts of the day. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your story. I love that you told us how Brian Goulet's channel helped you exploring more in the Fountain Pen World and that is where I am now like many of us novices in the FP World. You, Brian and Matt are my favorites.
this has been one of the most enjoyable lectures/speeches/talks that I had for a long time.
I have been watching your reviews for over a six months now and absolutely liking it ..
Great video Stephen! Thank you for sharing so many great memories with us.
This is a wonderful story, Stephen. My favorites of your videos!
Thank you for sharing that. As other users have mentioned your videos were very influential to my own fountain pen collection. I watched your videos and started to get immersed in the FP universe. Each new video would have me looking up the pen and sometimes even ordering the pen for myself before the video was over.
Thanks for the time you spend reviewing pens and ink, in addition to answering questions for the community.
You can never bore us to death, my man. You are an awesome human being.
OMG! Just stumbled upon this one and am thrilled to realize that my hook into the fountain pen world is through the exact black/chrome Parker Vector model! Always a big fan of your videos. Keep up the good work. Signed - a fountain pen enthusiast and avid user.
always have a thing for fountain pen, but not as an obsession. i was recently looking for an step-up. when i searched youtube, i found your channel. now i am following both you and Brian's and catching up the clips. i particularly like the way you make video. and i certainly learned a lot from you regarding fountain pen, and ink as well. Thanks
Love this style of videos. It makes me feel like you connect with your views on a more personal lever. I love your videos. Keep them coming forever. Thank you
Love your reviews so informative.i was taught to write italic in art lesson in school back in 1974.never looked back,always write with fountain pens,even shopping lists.Just bought the faber castell loom,watched your review and i was hooked,excellent writing tool
Thanks for sharing your story. Love watching your reviews
Just getting into pens myself. Love your style of reviews. That (along with being half Dutch on my mother's side) made subscribing an easy choice. Looking forward to watching many more videos.
Hi Stephen. Fascinating to hear the story of how your interest has developed - and especially that things have only "escalated" fairly recently! I have had a dormant fascination with FP's which has been awakened recently - largely through watching your vids. Absolutely love your style, humour, humility and accessibility - and the information as well of course. thank you!
Stephen, you rock! I was surprised it had only been a few years. I started watching your videos a few year ago but it seemed like you had been doing it all your life!
Thanks for another great video, Stephen. Got my first fountain pen when I started the 5th grade which was 50 years ago. I think I still have it someplace. It was a Shaffer with a clear barrel and chrome cap. I had it through high school. I did get my hands on some old pens that used a bladder but they were to difficult for me to keep using. Didn't get another pen until 1986 when I got a MB 149. From then on, my collection grew slowly. Got some as gifts. The rest I bought. Your videos ARE useful.
It was very nice to hear your story!
Wow Stephen, I believe this is one of the best videos I have seen from you so far. Excellent job.
Stephen! You are never ever boring. I enjoy your videos. And they are always useful. :)
Thank you!
Very interesting video. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, and it wasn't boring in the slightest.
+Dick Baumgartner Thank you for sharing your story! I'm glad you're enjoying my videos.
Stephen, what a delight - not a boring epithet, within. Having watched this video, it is clear why you have such a passion for the scribe.
I too, started school life with the obligatory pencil, graduating to a hideous looking blue & black plastic BIC (in the days when they held the monopoly for supplying educational establishments with cheap, functional, fountain pens). This thing was about 22cm long, closed cap - it was the Spear of Destiny, when posted !!I digress.
There is, without doubt, an enduring romance about pens & ink - it is the texture -tactile experience that (I) devolve from their usage; it brings about my passion for the hand printed word - I've always maintained that a personally written letter evokes an emotive response in the recipient, and, for all of today's technologies (text-speak, computerised algorithms, et al), people have forgotten how to communicate; insofar as that stands - I have nothing against same - but it's very sterile & disseminate. I suppose it is mine (& clearly, many others') railing against the twenty-first century's expedition into the realm of rapidity.
As a child, my first fountain pen, was a Platignum cartridge filler - cannot recall the precise name of it, but it came with six Royal Blue units, & was silver & blue; on my birthday, or at Christmas, my Mother in particular, would encourage 'thank you' notes to the family members living further afield who had generously sent presents through the post - it was also considered polite (not something that is encouraged in many youngsters, anymore). Coincidentally, I bought my son his first fountain pen about five years ago - a Parker Vector, too. He religiously sends those thank-you's, handwritten, which makes me immeasurably proud. I cannot say with any conviction, that he will carry the same passion as I do, but he understands my love for all-things-fountain pen, & similarly, enjoys writing to relatives - posting it off, & receiving a missive in return.
For me, whilst I have a few modern favourites, my speciality (if you might call it that), is for older writing implements, &, whilst not the most proficient, I can readily rectify a fault with any of the models in my possession. I have watched your Mont Blanc 149/146 piston disassembly video, & managed to grease the stressed out mechanism on mine, so that they are now fully functional - thank you for that.
As mentioned in another of your videos, I have only recently joined your subscription list, yet managed to watch nearly all of them - my partner & son are a little bemused by my late night forays to my laptop, with a large mug of tea & a notebook at my elbow; your presentations are friendly, unassuming, honest, very funny on occasion, wholly entertaining, & very informative. I also think the inclusion of your partner co-hosting, fun, too.
You mention at the beginning of this blog, your discovery of how diverse the use of fountain pens still is - I was very surprised at the size of the community, myself - & that reinforced my inown recognition - as a fountain pen geek; I still get a kick from peoples reactions when I withdraw a fountain pen to make summary notes at meetings - the looks on their faces are, at times, incredulous; It is as though I've just arrived from another planet !
Ok, it's pretty late, here, I need to hit the sack - keep 'em coming, Stephen.... Slan go faoil as we say in Ireland.
No boredom here and certainly entertaining... Thank you for bringing back many memories. When I started infants school in the early 1960s, we all had filled inkwells built into our desks. From memory, and this is from age 5 to 6, we may have used pencils... but the inkwells were definitely for dip-pens...and I believe we had to regularly fill those inkwells. I can't remember using the dip pens or the writing instruction (but I can remember a lot of other stuff from the era, like food-poisoning from eating a bad pie for lunch!). Later, in primary school I transferred to a very 'modern' school where we went straight to ball points while being taught 'modified cursive' handwriting :-) My first fountain pens were given to me by my Mother--an early Conway Stewart 58 Tiger-Eye and some years later a Parker "51" broad Custom in Burgundy--owned by my Grandmother and Grandfather respectively :-) Now I have a whole drawer full of various pens and a house full of similar vintage/ antique items that most modern people would neither recognize or perhaps appreciate. When my time arrives, I hope they find great, loving homes as we are all only caretakers of such items for short periods.
Stephen, you're a great guy. I'm happy to have found out the fountain pen community and to have gotten into that through your videos. Thanks for every shared thought!
Excellent video. Thank you
Awesome man . I am really enjoying re watching your vids
I know this video is old but I’m just stumbling upon it now. I love your channel and I appreciate your reviews and it’s so nice to get to learn a little more about you and your pen journey as well. You are a university instructor and have a family and I am very appreciative that you do all this pen stuff as a hobby and because of your passion for fountain pens. Although I’ve had a Parker sonnet as my very first fountain pen 30 years ago, I didn’t get truly into the hobby until this pandemic slowed my life down to a crawl. Fountain pens filled the void. I found I had a keen interest in different nib sizes and grinds and I love the different materials of pens and the inks has been a whole other end of the pen spectrum as well as the relentless pursuit of the best fountain pen friendly paper, notebook, notepad, etc. I’m also a writer and an avid pen pal for over 35 years so I have ample scope for actually using all my pens, inks and papers. I also appreciate roller balls, ballpoints and gels! I just love all kinds of pens but I’ve concentrated mostly on fountain pens these last few months. The Goulet pen company was also my first foray into fountain pen education. I stumbled upon his videos and I’ve watched hundreds of hours of video on different pens and how to clean and ink them as well as videos on different inks. It’s a whole big pen world out there and before March of this year I didn’t even know such a large community existed! Thank you for all that you do!
I can listen to you talk all day long! Your stories are fascinating. You've convinced me to use a fountain pen. I too, find inking these pens from an ink bottle very classic and magical
Thank you very much, that is most kind!
18:06 "Cotton stick, ball thing, like an object."
Brian's videos are very helpful, and his site is an amazing resource especially when it comes to inks and available colors. I'm glad you've been making vids, too, though, because you aren't selling something, and that actually lends you some credibility. Anyway, of all the videos that I've seen on pens, (and I've seen many) I like this one best. You come across as thoughtful, genuine, and remarkably sharp. Those things quite appeal to me.
Thank you.
Neat video and story! It fact your videos played a big part in my inspiration to buy my first fountain pen just a few hours ago (Pilot metropolitan) that wasn't some calligraphy set.
Also I love how you actually reply to nearly all comments, something most youtubers don't do nowadays. Please, do keep up the fantastic work!
I really don't know why, but even after 2yrs or so i'm still returning to watch this video.. More amazingly (but not unrealistically), your videos are still at the top.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. Very interesting
It's always a pleasure to hear you talk about fountain pens!!
YAY for the Visconti Traveling Inkwell! It also got me fascinated, hence my Homo Sapiens, the finest pen I have ever written with! Years previously I had a Parker Duofold in a rare lapis lazuli! ♥️ oh boy, it was pride and joy. Until someone stole it. I couldn't find one ever again, and then I discovered Visconti, and subsequently bought that great rock of a pen!
It accidentally fell on the floor, but to my great relief it hadn't broken. But it could well have cracked our limestone floor. Haaa! So I am glad you have that splendid Visconti and its wonderful Traveler's Inkwell. I'm never without it.
Again, I loved your video presentation. You brightened up quite a cloudy, dull day. Thank you! And happy fountain penmanship.
Thanks for sharing, Stephen. I can trace my fountain back to....well, you! Your videos helped to spark my interest, along with fpgeeks! How enthralled was I when you combined! Keep up the great reviews. You are helping to create the next wave of enthusiasts. Thank you again!
Around 2 1/2 years ago, I stumbled across your channel through the endless journey that the "related videos" bar can bring you on, and it was my first exposure to fountain pens. Being an American, I had very little exposure to fountain pens at a younger age. If I would have known more about them, I would have most likely started using them earlier. Needless to say, I was hooked. Thanks for all of your helpful insight!
This is wonderful, wonderful, wonderful story. Thank you for sharing. I remember the first time I watched your video was someone in FPN made a shoutout for you and saying "this guy is funny". The video was the one you showed pen / gun holster. As a fountain pen fan, I greatly appreciate your splendid contributions to the fountain pen world. As a not rich fountain pen fan, I had so much fun enjoying eye candy in your videos. One million thank you and my hat off for your channel's prosperity :)
I kinda never really got out of them myself. I still have my first high school fountain pen. Over the years, well...I had a secret admiration for them. Lately, I've begun to accumulate them again. Your reviews are never boring, and thank you!
1
I love how passionate you are about pens! I could listen to you for ages. I wish I knew somebody who shared my love for fountain pens 😞
Stick around: there is a huge online fountain pen community.
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Just wanted to drop by and tell you thanks because you got me into fountain pens. I started out with the Lamy CP1. Awesome starter in my opinion. You're videos informed me what's best for me in terms of nib size, pen size, etc, etc. Also love your inkcyclopedia as well as the paper/journal reviews, especially the recent Gatz Journal review that had to insta order that. Keep up the great work, gladly appreciate the time you take to please the fans :)
I'm glad to hear that.
Thank you for sharing your story, it was great to hear! :-)
My first pen was a broad Lamy Safari, still carry it around everywhere, that's what got me hooked, how personal the pen becomes, that it forms part of your everyday experience with the world around you.
Very interesting video. Great story.
Very interesting. I love how much your family was involved with your fountain pen beginnings. Sounds to me like you have a great family.
Your videos are not boring at all. Even old ones like this one are still fun. How different stories can be. I personally would say that I have never been out of fountain pens. I'm writing constantly with them since I got my first one in primary school. In fact I introduced the Lamy Safari to the teachers at my school who had never seen that pen and were extremely skeptical wether this is an appropriate pen for pupils. I used up a whole bunch of Safaris, unscrewed them and did my own colour combinations though at that time there weren't as many options as today. I always loved the more expensive pens in shops but my parents didn't even think about buying me one of those. One day I decided to buy a set of Lamy cp1 black fountain pen and twin pen. That is about 30 years ago. My parents were upset because of the waste of money. Nevertheless I appreciated these pens and they are still with me every day. For many many years my collection didn't exceed ten pens, partly because I lost some, partly because I've been satisfied, partly because my children discovered them and took them out of house into their schools. The most hurting loss was a set of Pelikan Souverän 250 series fountain pen and ball pen. The M 250 sported the 18k bicolor gold nib. I signed my marriage with it. I still don't know wether it has been stolen or wether I have lost it. My collection is growing slowly because I'm very picky. For example I didn't buy any Monteblanc, just because they felt wrong in my hand whenever I tried them. I sorted out both Pelikan M 800 and 1000 because I couldn't imagine wanting to write with them regularly. And indeed, I reduced my use of Safaris because at some point I disliked their bulkiness. You got the idea.
Thanks for sharing that. The Japanese swords behind you made me think that perhaps you had spent time in Japan and appreciated fountain pens there. Thanks for sharing your own story. I have my grandfather's Parker too, and just had that Vacumatic repaired in Tokyo recently. Happy writing.
Great story. Loved it. Thank you. I work a few minutes away from Fortnums but have never been to their stationery dept- will have to now!
It's a nice place!
I have been a subscriber for over a year, perhaps two, and am a very regular watcher of your pen reviews. I stumbled across this video when searching, out of curiosity, for your most popular videos. I have never commented on your videos, but found this video so engaging that I feel compelled to respond and let you know how much I have enjoyed all your videos. As an avid pen collector who got into the hobby around the same time you did, I have spent many hours smiling and laughing with you while learning the ins and outs of fountain pen collecting. You've even converted me to a broad nib enthusiast. Please keep up the great work and thank you.
Thank you very much: I highly appreciate it!
Almost 40,000 subscribers later. I have seen the progression of this channel from the beginning, and I can't think of a better person to inherit such success. You are not only inspiring when it comes to fountain pens, but in life as well. I am humbled and grateful.
Keylan Roberts Thank you very much, I really appreciate that!
My first fountain pen was also a bruynzeel at primary school, but my 'real' first fountain pen was a waterman apostrophe (similar to yours but blue). My grandfather got it as a corporate gift too and he gave it to me. I still really like it, mine isn't scratchy at all and I still love writing with it :).
Thank you so much for your nice,nice videos!I am from the "planner-front"and now hooked on fountain pens!You reviews+storys are phantastic!! :o))
Love your videos, never boring. I have learned a lot with you. Thank you for sharing.
You're very welcome!
Loved to hear the start!
I got a poorly-tuned-from-the-factory Parker Sonnet with an 18k nib as my first serious FP. It sat unused for about five years (because it was a dry writer to the point of being unusable). When I started getting back into FPs I learned how to tune nibs, got out the Sonnet, and now it's one of my favorite to use. :)
Great video. I admit I got emotional when you talked about your grandfather. The pouch he gave you is very nice and so is his desk :-) I got into fountain pens in a different way, buying a pen I fell in love with but hardly used since, a Sheaffer legacy, (I was using ballpoints!) and then one day I ran into your channel and the flame came back stronger. Since that day I've been collecting pens and of course I've been enjoying your videos. Thanks!
Amazing video. This video and another one from a school kid has gotten me back to fountain pens. Thanks.
I had pretty bad handwriting right until I was in college. My dad wrote fabulous cursive. I loved it but didn't have the discipline and focus to improve my handwriting.
Then one day, out of the blue, I decided I had to change my handwriting. So I went and bought the school kids handwriting training books, the ones that have the dotted lines alphabets so that those could be traced over.
Most importantly, I started using fountain pens (dad's strong suggestion).
I was actually able to write cursive in a few weeks and my parents were surprised to see how my handwriting had improved.
But I couldn't write fast cursive so during thw exam studies had to use the print style.
There was a major difference though. Due to the fountain pen usage, my print type handwriting had considerably improved.
Years of working in IT has mauled my handwriting. So planning to get back to fountain pens.
Another fine video. I am a newbie in the fountain pen genre but I must say your videos are informative, interesting and just way fun to watch. I have acquired the first eight(the easy ones to get) of your GOAT pens. Thanks again.
You're very welcome!
I love your videos! You inspired me to get into pens and calligraphy!
Nice story! I started with a Parker Jotter and I stil use it. I got into fountain pens when i saw some documents of 19th century, written of course with fountain pen, and looked amazing to my eyes.
Stephen,
I enjoyed watching the video on how you got into pens. I have been watching your you tube videos and I find them to be very informative and of value. Thanks for your posts and I am learning a lot about pens.
Kind regards,
Thank you!
This is a great video thanks, I got into fountain pens when I was much younger simply because I was a history fanatic. Writing 400 years ago was an art form, and that is what I loved to study. Now a history major going for a Phd fountain pens and the art of writing lets me connect to history in another way.
You really are one of the best shows on TH-cam for this subject.
Great video,and I had always been into fountain pens ever since my sister got one from my parents, I fell in love with the ability ti change the nib between writing and calligraphy nibs, and the ability to use different inks for different things, we had mis placed that pen and I never got one again until a friend of mine also started getting in fountain pens and had purchased a lamy safari, so I decided to look into getting one something cheap and easy for college and found the nemosine singularity and instantly feel in love with fountain pens again (this is quite recent too) I also found one of our old dip pens the had a brause no. 361 flex nib on it and have been using that to make little signs, im in the near future planning to buy a noodles Ahab and a nice higher quality pen. Also alot of your reviews have really opened the gates to the fountain pen world for me so thano you for that aswell
managed to hold onto to it. I can't say I've been a collector until now, thanks to you!
Thank you for sharing the evolution of your interest in fountain pens. I wish that, like you, I had been exposed to fountain pens earlier in life. While I've always had an interest in pens (as a child I often opted for an office supply store over a toy store), I didn't understand the allure of fountain pens until I received one as a gift (Levenger "true writer"), and now I'm hooked. I'm learning a lot from your videos and will attend my first pen show this weekend in Chicago. Thanks you!
I have a Waterman Expert with a finish that seems to be same than your Harmony, and you're right, it looks beautiful.
smoothness of writing, so after a while I decided to try fountain pens again. I was torn between getting a Sheaffer VFM and a Parker IM, that’s when I stumbled upon a Mr Stephen Brown on TH-cam. I went for the parker and fell in love with it. My hand cramps stopped being so severe and through your reviews, the world of fountain pens opened up to me. There were so many, and I wanted them all! So, slowly, my collection began to grow. On the way I got interested in calligraphy and got into that as
Great story, thanks for sharing. It's a great feeling to take the pens apart, clean them, ink them up and see all the ink on your fingers. This may sound geeky but you feel close to the pens. Well it was useful and thanks again for sharing.
Your reviews are fantastic and very enjoyable. My wife wasn't getting my interest in pens until today when I let her use my pen. She commented how her handwriting was better with a fountain pen. Actions speak louder than words. My obsession started with watching your reviews and I am grateful you spend the time and energy sharing.
You are very welcome! I'm glad I got you hooked.
Thanks for sharing you FP story. Loved te
"I was... gripped." *hohohoho*
Great vid. Thanks for the insight on how you started out with fountain pens.
I actually started out with with dip pens and calligraphy. whenever i went to an office supply place i fawned over the nice parker and cross pens on the racks. sadly i could not afford them at the time because i was still a teenager and i forgot about them. then i saw one of your review videos, completely by chance, it was recommended due to watching an art vid. So i watched and now lust after fountain pens. Thanks
I am just totally in love with your channel ... *all of the things* ... I noticed (in one amazingly talented drawing video), that your friend the Professor has a telescope... are you into astronomy too? :) I have been forever into pens... kind of like how little people who want to be superheroes wear masks... I wanted to be a writer, and ya gotta look the part! But ink, paper... always my favourite toys... Thank you for so much JOY!!!!
Nice video Stephen. Like many others, I too was curious about how you got into fountain pens. Thanks for sharing.
Great video. I loved your story. As a story teller myself, I can tell you that you are very personable and open, and that comes through very well. It sounds like you come from a great family. The only thing missing, IMHO, is the opportunity to be sharing a drink and/or a cigar while hearing the stories. Cheers..............Bob
Thank you!
Stephen you are the best, why do I keep watching your videos after having watched them more than 4 times already? Would you consider doing more videos like this? I really like these videos with a story behind them.
I'm glad you enjoy the videos so much!
Thanks for the nice story Stephen, I got into fountain pens quite on my own. In grade school I bought my first NoNonsense fountain pen and used it off and on for many years. I, too, got a good quality FP; the Frontier, from Sam at pendemonium. I used that pen for a couple years, then wanted a gold nib and got a Pelikan M250 14k medium nib, and the enthusiast fuse was lit. I now have pens from every decade in the last 100 years. My latest is a fantastic custom pen from John E. Brady. Cheers
Excellent. Thanks!
Thanks for your review. I got a Parker Frontier around the same age as yourself but my first fountain pen was a Pilot V-Pen which my mum happened to buy me for whatever reason and I loved it. Unfortunately they became hard to find in Australia and so it was back to ballpoints for a while. What really got me back into it was that I had bought a few over the years and then forgotten about them, but when we moved house I found them again and was like "yeah, that's right, I used to love writing with fountain pens!". So now I'm slowly getting back into collecting and ofcourse only write with a fountain pen anymore. Funnily enough I too was reintroduced by some of Brian's videos and soon discovered FPN when I needed to find out some details about ink and converters and stuff like that.
*reviews
Thank you for this. I enjoyed it.
Thanks for sharing. I didn't realize you had only been into FPs for such a short time - I just assumed you had been collecting and using fountain pens for many years. My first fountain pen was a Lamy Safari that I got last year - never used one in school, and I was glad to have been able to learn about pens from You Tube / FPN.
It is an interesting and emotional video. And it is very interesting to hear "your Story"! Thank you very much!!
Daniel Stanke You're very welcome!
Very interesting. Thanks.
A delightful recounting of your fountain pen life, Stephen. I learned to write with fountain pens (long ago, in the U.S.) but they were rudely swapped for ballpoints. I was appalled because "they didn't make the words look good", but more favorable for the messy writer child. Not until high school graduation did I receive a beautiful Parker 45 fountain pen from my best friend. Used it constantly and have it still. It was never messy & to this day, filling it from the bottle is a ritual I adore!
I have a vector fountain pen like in the video and it writes beautifully and excellently. I love it!
Thank you for sharing your intriguing and certainly romantic story with us Stephen, your reviews on many fine fountain pens had significantly aided my inevitable fall into the wonderland of pens and ink. I must say that you had some of the most impressive fountain pen collections to start with as you built up your interest in pens~!
For me it started after being gifted a Parker IM about a year ago. I decided to look up how to take proper care of it as I had no idea fountain pens were still being produced, and had no idea where to start. I stumbled upon your (at the time) recently uploaded IM review, and watched 10-15 more videos before calling it a night.
I have been infected ever since, trying not to let you spend ALL of my money ;b
Great video as always, and I hope you keep up the good work ^.^
Thank you for the amazing videos how I got into fountain pens is one day me and my grandma went to a art store and she said to pick one thing so I picked up a calligraphy starting kit and it came with a fountain pen when I picked it up I instantly fell in love with it now I watch your videos so I can get really good advice so thank you and what a wonderful tale
Thanks for sharing that!
I appreciate your videos and the information you provide. I was introduced to fountain pens by my friend, Marty. My first one was a Nimosene and I'm slowly but surely hoping to increase my collection and knowledge of these beauties.