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fountain pens

Why I Don’t Use Fountain Pens

by TonyB on March 13, 2013

OK, I’m going to just come out and say it: I don’t like using fountain pens.

I like looking at beautifully made fountain pens. I like handling them. And I love the idea of using fountain pens. But when it actually comes time to put ink on paper, I’ll take a good gel or rollerball pen every time. Heck, even a ballpoint, if it comes to that.

I know, sentiments like that are anathema to most pen geeks. Trust me, I’ve tried to make myself love them as much as the rest of you. But it just hasn’t worked.

To me, my reasons are valid, though.

1. Fountain pens are distracting.

I enjoy the sensory experience of feeling a good pen flow across clean paper. But, I don’t write for that reason. When I’m writing by hand, it’s for the sole purpose of putting ideas or information on paper.

When you use a fountain pen, it’s all about the pen. You have to always be conscious of how you’re holding the pen, how it’s moving, how the ink is flowing. If you let the fountain pen get out of the correct position, it won’t work. You’re forced to focus on the act of writing itself, rather than on the writing.

That’s a problem.

I want as little impediment between my brain and the paper as possible. I want to think it and see the words appear, without having to consider my pen. The beauty of the right gel pen is that you just write. It does its job – moving effortlessly, putting down vivid lines – without demanding attention to itself like a fountain pen does.

2. Fountain pens are too much work.

Look, I already have enough to worry about between car maintenance, taking care of the computer equipment I use to make a living, keeping up with little repairs around my apartment, and the general minutiae of daily living.

Fountain pens have to be cleaned carefully after use, stored just so to prevent damage or leaking, filled before use. I’m not interested in having to worry about my writing instruments like that on top of everything else. It’s just unnecessary hassle and, for me, takes all the fun out of pens.

I enjoy finding and buying and using new pens. But they have to be low-maintenance.

3. Fountain pens are too expensive.

As I’ve said before, my absolute favorite pen to date is the Pentel EnerGel, especially now that it comes in so many different variations. Not one of them costs more than about US$10.

I know that there are good fountain pens to be had for under US$50. But, let’s be honest, most of you are spending hundreds of dollars on fountain pens. Maybe I’m just cheap because the idea of parting with that kind of cash for a pen makes me cringe.

(Of course, having said that, I want and eventually plan to own a Pilot Vanishing Point for occasional use…and we all know how expensive those things are.)

The VP aside, for the cost of a high-end fountain pen, I can buy boxes of my favorite gel and liquid ink pens, all of which I would enjoy using more than a fountain pen. And I won’t end up in tears if I drop one of them on a hard floor.

So, what do you think? Ready to let me have it? Feel free to share your feelings about fountain pens in the comment section below.

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Here’s a tip for UK fountain pen collectors: If you can’t find what you want on eBay, try the police.

Among the unclaimed items that UK police forces sell through a website called Bumblebee Auctions are all sorts of writing instruments, from Lamy Nexx fountain pens to collector’s edition pen-and-cuff links sets. The prices don’t seem too bad, either, with new pens going for as little as one-third of retail.

The idea started in 1997 with Surrey police, who were looking for a way to dispose of property seized during arrests or turned in by the public that could not be returned to the rightful owners. This eventually led to the creation of online services that allowed people to report lost or stolen property, search police databases for missing property, and, in 2002, to bid on auctions of unclaimed items.

From reporter Naphtalia Loderick at Confused.com:

Site administrator Chris Leach said the appeal of the police auction site was its curiosity factor.

“With police auctions there’s a voyeuristic interest that makes the site very popular with users.

“It’s not like a supermarket where people go in to buy milk and bread – the basics. It’s more of a treasure trove where people might go for a look and end up coming away with something completely random.”

According to Leach, the most common items on the site are jewellery – “we get some very good pieces” – mountain bikes and power tools.

Exess Consultants Ltd, the company that manages the auction site, reports that 3K to 4K people visit the site each day, and that there are more than 21K users signed up to bid on auctions. More than a dozen police services in the UK use the site to dispose of property.

Recently concluded auctions included:

(Keep in mind that there are shipping costs associated with each item.)

That’s not to say that there are always pens on the Bumblebee site. It seems to be hit and miss, depending on what criminals take and what police get back. Some months, there are several excellent pens listed on the auction, some months there are none.

But, if you are a collector looking for a great deal on a pen, it’s certainly worth checking periodically.

 

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Instead Of Fountain Pens, Try These…

February 28, 2012

Fountain pens are widely considered the ultimate in writing instruments, but as popular as they are, fountain pens just aren’t for everyone. If you’ve never used one, getting started can be intimidating, what with the complexities of maintenance and decisions to be made about nibs, inks, and filling options. Or, you just might not be [...]

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The Fountain Pen Rest Stop

February 15, 2012

If you ever get an urge to take a road trip across the US, or just find yourself somewhere in Iowa with time on your hands, then there is a place every writer, penthusiast and fan of the written word should visit. Believe it or not, it’s a highway rest area. But this one is [...]

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Pilot Prera On The Shelves At Tiger Pens

January 10, 2012

In the UK? Fountain pen lover? Budget conscious? Good, because you’re gonna like this little bit of news. Tiger Pens is now carrying the Pilot Prera range of fountain pens in nine awesome colors! Normally, when someone asks about a good starter fountain pen, we recommend the Lamy Safari for its ease of use, reliability [...]

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First Time Buyer’s Guide To Fountain Pens – Part III

December 19, 2011

(Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments. Part I covered the reasons for wanting a fountain pen, and the pros and cons of choosing vintage or modern pens. Part II continued with more detailed criteria for selecting [...]

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First Time Buyer’s Guide To Fountain Pens – Part II

December 16, 2011

(Editor’s note: This is the second of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments. Part I covered the reasons for wanting a fountain pen, and the pros and cons of choosing vintage or modern pens. Part II continues with more detailed [...]

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First Time Buyer’s Guide To Fountain Pens – Part I

December 15, 2011

(Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part guest series written by Tyler Dahl, a fountain pen restorer with an extensive knowledge of these classic writing instruments.) Hello to all of you who are reading this article! My goal here today is to help you in picking out your first fountain pen! It’s a [...]

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James Gurney opens his bag, reveals Waterman Phileas

February 23, 2011

Boing Boing seems to be making a regular series out of its “What’s in my bag?” feature, and the newest one offers a nice little nod to fountain pen enthusiasts. James Gurney, creator of the Dinotopia series and a well-known artist, opens up his personal bag for a look inside. Along with his paint brushes, [...]

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What Everybody Ought to Know About Pens

July 21, 2010

There are thousands of different pens available to buy, made by numerous pen manufacturers and this can be very confusing. When buying a new pen how do you decide which one when they all look very similar? Do you know what type of pen that you are currently using? Is it a gel pen, ballpoint [...]

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