Fountain Pens, Anyone?

I have a Waterman which I love. Like you, I prefer bottled ink. However, I do most of my writing now on my laptop so my pen hasn't been used too much lately.

I also have a beautiful glass fountain pen, but the nib is not as fine as I like.

I'm more of a convenience person. That can't be easy to maintain those or the ink, much less actually write effectively with them..

I have a Waterman, but for daily use I used to use a Parker. It's was inexpensive but still a pretty nice pen.

I once used a fountain pen almost exclusively. Sadly, I've joined the masses and now mostly use a Pilot V5 or a Liquid Expresso (my office buys them by the crate). ;-(

Funny, back when I always used a fountain pen I would occasionally get noticed when I was writing out a check or something. Generally the person who noticed it was older. They would then make some comment that their dear (and probably departed) husband wouldn't use anything but a fountain pen either. It always seemed to please them that people still used a fountain pen.

i may have to check this out just so i can be distinguished too!

I have a Waterman which I've used for two novel first drafts. The clip on the cap has fallen off, but the pen writes beautifully. I haven't gotten beyond the convenience of cartridges. Does bottled ink vs. a cartridge make a difference?

Since I compose longhand, I've found that I can write for longer periods of time with a fountain pen than with a regular pen. The fountain pen is much easier on my hand.

I got a pretty pen for my birthday (to write my bestseller with, that's what my hubby told me ). I think I'd like a fountain pen for my next birthday. If I start collecting those it won't be so hard to think of what I want as a gift everytime.

When I write longhand, I use gel pens. Less wrist strain and not so messy as fountains.

I adore Namiki retractable point fountain pens.

I've a couple of fountain pens and a quill (goose). I've also a caligraphy pen. I love the curves with thick to thin depth of the letter. I like using it to write gothic script.

I love fountain pens, but they simply don't work for me. I wind up making a big old mess, plus my handwriting is worsening by the day because I type so much. Some days, I stand in the supermarket, stare at my list, and wonder what the hell I need to buy.

After trying Pilot Easy Touch, I haven't wanted to use anything else. The flow of ink is extremely smooth and the grip has three ribbed planes. That grip is so natural. It just stays in place with a very light touch.

btw, the "med" is actually rather fine, which is my preference anyway.

LaceWing said:

After trying Pilot Easy Touch, I haven't wanted to use anything else. The flow of ink is extremely smooth and the grip has three ribbed planes. That grip is so natural. It just stays in place with a very light touch.

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This is what I use, exclusively. I love 'em.

aadams73 said:

This is what I use, exclusively. I love 'em.

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I'll stick with my uni-ball eye line gel pen. You can't beat it.

I've always used fountain pens for fiction writing whenever I can. Note taking in lectures and exam writing was a biro, with which I could write faster.

These days I have a calligraphy nib which makes my writing look all interesting and important.

YES YES YES YES YES!!!

Anyone hear of the rOtring Cores? They look like this.

I'm also a hard core bottle user. No cartridges for me!

I also have a couple of Watermans which I love.

I must try this new phenomenon of "writing with fountain pen" It sounds intriguing.

It is. Get the wackiest one you can find, like I did.

Late to this thread, but thought I'd add anyway, thanks Bettielee .

I have an inscribed stainless steel Parker fountain pen, given to me by colleagues ages ago when I worked in a (UK) office. I adore it, the weight in my hand, the nib, the smoothness of the barrel. When I first arrived in the States I panicked that I wouldn't be able to get cartridges for it, but I stock up whenever I find a Staples that sell the right kind.

I don't know exactly what it is about using such a pen, I find it slows me right down, which is wonderful for reflective writing, such as in my journal. I get entranced watching my hand forming the letters. I try very hard to make my letters uniform, and I think copperplate is a beautiful thing, but that might be going off at a tangent...

I'd use it for all my writing but I find I tire physically far too quickly, so everything else gets done bashing away rapid-fire on a keyboard. Incidentally, I've just got a Neo, and the touch on that is also wonderful. I want to tap tap tap away on it all the time. I get very attached to my writing tools, can you tell?

bettielee said:

Quite easy. And they write beautifully. You don't have to press down, you merely touch the nib to the paper. They also adapt themselves to your writing and grow easier to use as you break them in. It's like they know you.

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Exactly right. Old friends.

Parker Jotter. £3.

They write smooth and look nice.

I have used fountain pens in the past, but I tend to murder them.

Well now I want one. I've been meaning to get one and a nice leather journal to write short stories and poetry and stuff in. Make something nice to pass on to kids later or something.

I always tend to put it off...