Fountain pen, someone?

[Roger Hicks]

Old Parker. But as with cameras, I feel less and less need to have many to choose from.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Ezzie]

There's a difference between most used and favourite. My job craves the use of computers for all communication and documentation. But I would rather write things by hand, and then with Schaeffers preferably.

 

[dogbunny]

I use a Sailor 1911 and Sarasa with indigo ink.

 

[Arjay]

Hm - no writing tools fetishism for me. Some decades ago, I had the last ink stain after a transcontinental flight, and that was the end of fancy handwriting tools for me.

Nowadays, I use anything that comes to hand for handwriting (pencils, ballpoint pens, felt pens) - just writing post-it notes and the odd signature.

The rest - and the majority - of my writing is done by dictating into speech recognition software, and some odd bits by typing into my computer (corrections of my dictated stuff, as well as what I'm typing right now).

 

[bigeye]

Parker. P-51s, Vacumatics, original and a UK big red.

 

[breathstealer]

I like the Parker 75, and the various Chinese copies it inspired. Yes, even pens, like cameras, get to be copied in China.

The copies are pretty good too. I use a pair of Hero 329 with Pelikan inks, and they're unbeatable for the price. The pen is cheaper than a roll of film!

 

[icemendicant]

I do like fountain pens but never get to use them in practice - my wife bought me a lovely Mont Blanc pen about 12 years ago but sadly it rarely sees much action. I sign hundreds of things a day at work, using the nearest handy biro - pens tend to evaporate at work so I wouldn't want to risk taking my Mont Blanc there. At home, I rarely need to handwrite anything these days - everything is on computer.

 

[jljohn]

I am partial to Pelikans.

Jeremy

 

[ottluuk]

In 1st grade, fountain pens where compulsory, supposedly to help develop good handwriting skills. Well, it didn't work for me. I have, in fact, hated fountain pens ever since. I use cheap rollers (I lose them a lot, too) on cheap spring bound notebooks for field notes and a computer for any serious work-related or creative writing. I like light touch / short stroke keyboards, full screen capable writing applications and airy sans-serif fonts 😀

A MacBook, Bean.app and Euphemia UCAS is pretty darn perfect for me at the moment. That said, I am aware that a lot of people will refuse to use anything but pen and paper for serious writing and it's cool.

 

[bobkonos]

Pelikan M800. And the Citroen DS of pens, the Parker 51.

Great analogy.

 

[bobkonos]

I'm a bit a fountain pen fan myself. Flirted with the addiction and stopped just in time... My collection:

Cross Aventura (M), Pilot Vanishing Point (M), Rotring 600 Black/Gold (F) and Art Pen (F), Uranus Unfall Old Man (M), Aurora 88 (M), Pelikan M405 (F), Diamond Point (EF-flex), Montblanc Carrera (M), Cross Townsend Lapis (F), Danitrio Convertible (M) and Tac Carry II (M)... Fueled by Waterman's Black and Florida Blue, Noodler's Luxury Blue, Widow Maker, Marine Green, Habanero and La Couleur Royale.

The Aurora 88 is one fine writer, as is the Pelikan M405. The Noodler's Habañero ink is sick. One of my favorite pens is the Cross (lapis and gold) Townsend - more rare than the jade version and more in-line with my ancient Egypt fetish:

I just got some Noodlers Habanero and I agree, it is really special.

 

[ZorkiKat]

The copies are pretty good too. I use a pair of Hero 329 with Pelikan inks, and they're unbeatable for the price. The pen is cheaper than a roll of film!

Then there is the Parker 51 "H-33" copy by "Hero" 英雄, perhaps the most popular Chinese pen brand. These pens can cost less than $15, for a pack of 10(!) on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...537827&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3813wt_905



The quality tends to be iffy- some good, some leak, but most of the ones I got tend to work. I like the flexible nibs of the Chinese pens- they're able to do those thick and thin strokes which I can't seem to do with Parkers.

The Chinese made Hero Ink is also one of the better ones. They used to be so available and cheap. Now I don't see them anymore. The black Hero ink makes a fuller black than Quink.

And does anyone go for Sheaffer too? They have a retro, inexpensive "popular" line. But these too appear to originate from China.

 

[Robert Lai]

People express a worry about losing a fountain pen. In a couple of words - you won't! Because it's valuable, your mind will keep track of it. I've lost many a Bic pen, and some Parker ballpoints (had a Cross ballpoint stolen once), but I've so far not lost any fountain pens in over 20 years of continuous use.

In the same vein, you may lose a disposable camera, but probably won't lose your Leica due to sheer forgetfulness. I know someone occasionally posts here about losing their Leica on the subway because they fell asleep, but I think this happens rarely enough that it is worth of mention.

 

[Robert Lai]

Parker 51 and 75 are still common enough that I don't see a need to buy a copy made elsewhere! They work wonderfully when made by the original manufacturer.

 

[RHaroldP]

40 year old Rapidograph.

 

[breathstealer]

Then there is the Parker 51 "H-33" copy by "Hero" 英雄, perhaps the most popular Chinese pen brand. These pens can cost less than $15, for a pack of 10(!) on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...537827&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_3813wt_905



The quality tends to be iffy- some good, some leak, but most of the ones I got tend to work. I like the flexible nibs of the Chinese pens- they're able to do those thick and thin strokes which I can't seem to do with Parkers.

The Chinese made Hero Ink is also one of the better ones. They used to be so available and cheap. Now I don't see them anymore. The black Hero ink makes a fuller black than Quink.

And does anyone go for Sheaffer too? They have a retro, inexpensive "popular" line. But these too appear to originate from China.

Have a look at the item description again - those are 329s! That's the new version though, which doesn't seem to be quite as well built as the older ones I use (recognizable by their bullet shaped caps). I have both types and the new one doesn't get regular use.

 

[SteveM(PA)]

Daily pens: Huashilai 3000, Haolilai 850 (Noodlers ink), also Rotring Quattro, Aurora Thesi. I would love a Parker 51 someday, but I'm on a Hero budget : (

 

[mervynyan]

I have Montblanc Starwalker fountain pen and roller ball, don't like the MB fountain pen much because they use pre-filled expensive cartridge and only medium nib, not good for small drawings, so I sold the fountain pen. I have also a defunct Parker 51, lovely and simple but no longer work, sadly it has long been discontinued.

 

[ErnestoJL]

My favourite fountain pens are:
Rotring Tintenkuli (a 1930´s design)
Parker 45 (born in the ´6s I guess)
I use them as often as I can, and get weird expresions from people around. BTW, I still keep my dad´s 1932 Parker 21 in good shape.
In response to previous posts, I don´t use quartz watches, instead I have a blue faced Seiko, and some other mechanical watches.
I use old cameras too...
Cheers
Ernesto

 

[Joerg]

Just have two, dont really want/need more.
Pelikan M800
Nakaya, which gets most of the use.

Ciao
Joerg