July 20, 2010
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Me? An addict?
Not many people know that I am a fountain pen (FP) user and perhaps, well… close to an addict. I have been using it for a few short years now, own several, and have since joined a forum online that discuss the world and love for FPs.
Recently on the fountain pen forum online, a member asked a question that made me stop and think. He was asking whether us FP owners and users, who happened to have more than an average of 2 or 3, would justify ourselves for the need to own that many. He wasn’t condemning the act, for he is too a FP enthusiast and already owns 2, but was trying to understand the craziness we all are under, and a lot of us have, when it comes to the world of FPs. Some serious collectors would own from dozens to hundreds to even thousands. That’s a good enough reason to open up a shop.
I’m sure such thought of justifying the number of FPs we own crossed to each one of us FP owners' and collectors' mind. But it is harder to justify when the more you dwelt in the world of FP, the more jewels you discovered along the way. As humans, we always want more and want what we don't have and could have.
Mine started when I wanted to acquire a nice pen for work/business. For image reason. First what I got was a high-end ball-pen, then moved on to a roller-ball pen, and then finally a FP. Once I got the hang of writing with a FP, I got addicted and abandoned my ball-pens and roller-ball pen. Then I started looking into a better quality FP. I got to try different brands and felt in love with them also. Since then I’ve been acquiring several and kept wondering what other brands out there that might be worth having and it started to snow-ball from there. And oh, don't get me started with my bottled ink collection. The obsession is even worse.
But unlike some people, I don't buy my FP (both cheaper and more expensive ones) to show off. It's merely for a personal satisfaction, and since I’m still in that learning stage, the discoveries are always heart pumping and never failed to bring in a jolt of happiness. It's a personal thing. Sure, like some people, I have tried to get rid of few of my FPs so I won't have to deal with so many, though I love them all. But with what I have, I use them and rotate them on monthly basis. So far I have 9 and countless bottled inks in different colors. Yeah, I think I may need to stop for a while. The FP I mean, not the inks
Comments (18)
i never knew anyone would be addicted to fountain pens. you're the first i've heard. i've never used one before.
does this mean you have really nice hand writing?
maybe your next post can be a jpeg of your writing with a fountain pen?
I remember you talking about that a long time ago.
We all have our vices. LOL. At least yours is safe!
I have also never written with a fountain pen before. I got a Parker pen for my birthday a long time ago. How do you put ink in it?
I have always wanted to try writing with a quill pen
As for your collecting them, I agree with Carey that it's hardly much of a vice at all! You shouldn't feel the need to justify that. It's better than Pokemon cards and whatever rubbish I used to collect. I would be interested in starting a cheap rock or coin collection though. It would be kind of cool to pick up a rock/coin every place I travel to.
Ahh... I remember your fountain pen collection. I'm brutal with pens. I lose them all the time or break them. Some are tossed in the washing machine / dryer. I used to have a Parker and from time to time still toy around with the idea of getting it to work. But I have such lousy penmanship.
I guess there is a parallel between collecting fountain pens and wrist watches.
Ahh, finally other people who admit being fountain pen users/collectors. Do you prefer modern or vintage ones?
@CurryPuffy - Interesting observation. I have noticed that, too. Maybe (expensive) watches like (expensive) fountain pens are a status symbol, symbol for power (i.e., influence)?
Hmmm I didn't know there would be thousands to collect! That's kinda crazy!
@stepaside_loser - nice handwriting? hardly! but i do write better when i do it with a fountain pen. somehow it demands your hand to move differently from using a regular pen. you can actually feel the strokes as you write and thus encourages you to write better.
@CareyGLY @Senlin - - safe? well, that depends on how you define "safe". this newly found obsession of mine can actually erode my savings and i have known to spend a month's salary on a single pen. yes, i kid you not!
@Senlin - a fountain pen comes in 2 types. one that is a piston fill-type where you turn the bottom end of the pen to fill the ink into the pen through the nib, as you dip it into an ink bottle. another is the converter-type where you'd have to turn the converter inside the pen to fill the ink into the pen as you dip the nib into the ink bottle. this converter-type is what is commonly found in a fountain pen as it allows you to use disposable cartriges instead of refilling the ink from ink bottles. i don't have a parker so i'm not sure which one you have. it's safe to assume it's the converter-type.
@ElusiveWords - that happens to a lot of people, especially when you have a regular pen. but when it comes to a fountain pen, one rarely neglects it since it costs a lot more to begin with and requires a regular maintenance. so one tends to always be automatically extra careful with his/her fountain pen.
@CurryPuffy @beowulf222 - - yes, you're right. both can cost an arm and a leg. that is quite understandable considering the technical aspect behind the making of it and that both would last longer than the owner's life if proper care is given. the only difference, in my opinion, is that a fountain pen encourages you to write and to write better. where as a watch is more about showing off, i think, since it's a jewelry after all.
@beowulf222 - since i'm still new in this, i don't have much knowledge on vintage pens. i find myself attracted to the wooden ones as they give a much warmer feel to the pen. all of my fountain pens are either wooden or japanese lacquer. so far i'm a fan of japanese brands since their nibs are generally finer than those of the european and american brands. yes, i write small.
@brooklyn2028 - yes, crazy indeed for the majority of us. from my understanding, it's the accumulation of purchases and collecting from many many years. i'm sure those are mostly people with a much seniority in age and higher income level. either that or they are doing so for business reason.
@rudyhou - Japanes pens are very nice because of the nice nibs. I think you would also like the vintage nibs (up until the 1940s). They tend to be fine and flexible. Really a joy!
@beowulf222 - i'm not even sure where to begin to search for vintage pens here. i doubt it's available at all. not many people use fountain pens here in indonesia. i actually have to go to an exclusive pen store to find a fountain pen and they don't sell vintage pens, and i don't want to order online either because i prefer to try the pen before the purchase.
@rudyhou - I agree that it is difficult to find vintage pens in this neck of the woods. There are some good shops in Sillypore (also offering vintage pens) and there is a good shop in KL (also selling online) called PenGallery (http://www.pengallery.com/).
@beowulf222 - thanks. i actually have been to pengallery.com. they have great selections of FPs. but how would i know whether or not they are vintage? just by the design alone?
@rudyhou - Well, PenGallery has only modern pens as far as I know. Getting vintage pens here is difficult. How do you know if a pen is vintage? Yes, it would be by design, mechanism, etc.
@beowulf222 - you seem to be knowledgeable in the area of FP. have you been a long-time user of FP? i started back in 2007 and have not-long-ago joined a fountain pen forum online called the fountain pen network. have you heard of it?
@rudyhou - Yes, FPN is pretty good. Not specialized on vintage pens but good nevertheless. I am more interested in vintage pens because of the different nibs (more flexible) than modern ones (stiffer) but like all old things they have their "moods".
I started collecting vintage pens a few years ago but it's difficult to find nice things (i.e., in good conditions) and reasonably priced.
Fountain Pen, I remember I own one when I was in SD/SMP and we have to use it to write in one of our writing class. I hate it when it start to leak.
@beowulf222 - yes, from FPN i learned that those who prefer vintage ones, they do so due to the more flexible and finer nibs. unfortunately for me, as much as i prefer a more flexible and finer nib, most of the designs are not suitable to my taste. i heart those that are made of wood and starting to fancy the clear demonstrator ones too. but i dislike anything yellow gold, which most vintage pens have on their clips and nibs.
@vsan79 - i assume it was probably not a good quality one, considering it was many years ago and indonesia has never been known to be a country of a fountain pen fan, thus choices were limited. i personally have always thought such pen to be used back in the ancient era, not in the 20th century, let alone in the new millennium. however, ever since i acquired one back in 2007, i haven't stopped loving it. if anything, the interest has grown even more. if i had used one back in SD like you used to, i would probably be a veteran in using it and have an extensive collection by now.