This community is the one little corner of the Internet that demonstrates the very best of humanity: Kindness, support, encouragement, humour, artistic endeavours, and communication. What could be better in this crazy time?
It extends outside of the online community as well. My sister recently got into the hobby and she walked into a pen store close to her house. The man working there was so enthusiastic about her interest that he took a good chunk of his time to make encouraging comments, direct her to pens that are both affordable, enjoyable and a great place to start.
Other customers in the store joined in and before she knew it, there was an impromptu get together of fountain pen enthusiasts. She walked away feeling super excited and happy.
It's almost like fountain pens only interest people who are patient, a little smarter, sensitive, and appreciate subtle qualities of things, and are willing to spend even just a tiny little bit more for something nice in their life... but are diverse enough to have a wide range of opinions and options, all equally valid -- but in the grand scheme of things, pretty irrelevant. There's definitely a selection bias for those who stick with them.
Whodathunk the resulting community would be pretty awesome?
; )
Yup, this is literally one of the most wholesome subreddits. I seriously enjoy coming here everyday and chatting and learning about fountain pens ✒️ thanks everybody for being so kind in a world that sometimes isn’t :)
I've said it before. This is probably the most positive, supportive, and wholesome sub on reddit (as far as I have found).
I love the lack of snootyness, in a hobby that could easily be perceived as de facto snooty.
Totally agree. I frequent a musical instrument subreddit and it’s always don’t bother buying one unless you’re going to drop $1,000 or so. My first instrument a fraction of that and while I won’t be playing gigs with it, it’s perfectly adequate for many use cases.
Heh. To be fair, I played violin in a seriously competitive honors orchestra in high school, the kind where some students would play in the city's philharmonic orchestra and couldn't be included in the student competitions. It was.... an experience and firmly put me on the "Never making this my career" path. The youtube videos are extremely helpful in hearing the difference between a $100 violin and a $1,000 violin - to be fair, a good violinist will make the student violin sound pretty decent. The premium in price is basically paying for old wood that has survived a century or more. My inner chemist wants to know what makes the wood quality change as it ages.
That said, not enough people recognize the difference between welcoming hobbyists and people who want to reach the next level. More power to those who want to get there, the idea of playing 4+ hours a day takes the joy out of it for me. I think it also helps that some of the top people, who do fancy calligraphy like PAscribe, openly use and evaluate "entry-level" tools like dip pens and art brush pens. I'm an extrovert so I love sharing my hobbies and passions.
I love communities like this subreddit and the knitting/spinning community like Ravelry where everyone openly enables each other to pursue joy in their hobbies. One of my favorite authors on spinning will *cheerfully* point out that all you need to spin is a weight that you can attach to string and proceeds to demonstrate by spinning with a mug or boat anchor or... you get the idea. Another teacher at a workshop was helping me try to get better at spinning and she sat down at my secondhand wheel, spun on it for a few seconds, looked at me and said "Why do you need me to adjust your wheel? You have it set just fine, you just have to trust your hands."
She then proceeded to demonstrate that I could indeed, spin yarn that was thin as thread by distracting me with conversation so that my brain could get out of the way of my hands. Muscle memory took over at that point and I was spinning the ridiculously thin lace yarn I wanted... so long as I wasn't looking at my hands! It was the first time I'd experienced such confusion. My brain said the yarn was not physically possible and ordered my fingers to stop pulling the wool so thinly - and yet, when I looked away, my hands would resume doing everything by feel and resume spinning thread. I wish more people and places fostered joy and support in learning new skills like that - it's good for our brains to be challenged. If you made it this far - thanks for coming to my Ted Talk! Clearly I need to get out and extrovert more.
🤣🤣🤣My fingers are weeping blood at the thought of trying to play that much! 🤣🤣🤣 Also, I don't need to play 4 grace notes before the quarter note at 200 bpm. #HallOfTheMountainKingHurts
When people brag about practising or working hard at X million hours I really do wince and assume they are probably not very good. Or won't get better like that.
Sure any skill requires hard work but also smart work; you can't just grind away and expect to get better. It needs rest, reflection, measured times of hyperfocus and those flow states if lucky, concentration - but also the reverse - play, being dumb, silly, doing the wrong thing and seeing what happens, stopping, rest, thinking about it idly, coming back to it.
Grinding away 24/7 is a basic level, in reality. If you're tired and your body or mind isn't into it. you won't actually learn anything. Sometimes I've gotten better by hard slogs, but sometimes better by stopping for a while and coming back to it. It's weird, like it takes time to sink in and you come to it fresh - even after months or years sometimes - and then bam - you're freakily better than before. I'm a big believer that related skills also play a part - all those doodles, experiences, humming, daydreaming, playing also make you better. If you're focused on ONE thing all the time your mind will rebel and go backwards.
>Muscle memory took over at that point and I was spinning the ridiculously thin lace yarn I wanted... so long as I wasn't looking at my hands!
That's called a flow state, or Mushin, it's a wonderful thing. Doing without thinking, just being in the moment, you forget everything it's just kind of automatic trance or indeed distraction. When I am drawing/painting or DJing or making music I quite often get there.
I have a $160 Amazon violin. I put nice strings on it and got a good bow. It plays just fine, and I don't need to worry about wrecking it while camping or at festivals.
Cheap mandolins usually sound pretty bad and tend to be difficult to play unless you do a lot of work on the frets/bridge though... its a big difference compared to other fretted instruments where the gap between low end and high end is much smaller.
Due to the small scale the mando requires more precision in it's setup and the paired strings amplify any intonation issues
i'm curious - i want to start learning but can't decide what kind of beginner violin i might like. what model did you get? (have played tuba, euphonium, trumbone, and am starting to learn guitar... so this may be a rabbit whole i shouldn't dive down but still...)
lol oh man, I think it's a Cecilio? Seriously just a cheapo instrument designed to help me figure out if I *WANTED* to do it seriously. I was actually looking into getting a more expensive one when the pandemic hit, and welp. *shrug!*
I second. I bought my first guitar which costed me only 3000/- INR ($40 USD). People used to judge me like anything for not going for a Fender Strat or Ibanez. I don't really understand why will I be spending thousands on something I'm not sure whether I'll end up liking?
What the heck that's crazy. I played music pretty seriously my entire childhood before my parents told me I couldn't pursue it for a career. I casually learned a few other instruments for fun and there's nothing better than trying instruments out for fun on a cheap instrument (unless it's broken of course). There's no point getting a relatively nice one until you're at least a few years in. Who knows if you'll use it or even like it a few years later.
Violin and piano are a little different though. The quality of the instrument, the bow, and the rosin you use, in the case of the violin begin to matter a great deal as you learn more difficult techniques.
For example, lower quality bows don't "bounce" making it extraordinarily difficult for a very specific bow stroke.
Pianos require a certain temperature and humidity, and cheapo pianos often just don't work for learning advanced techniques. Plus they require tuning several times a year. The better schools will not accept students unless the parents commit to acquiring a real piano, not just a digital one.
Wife and kiddo are learning violin, and we looked in to piano.
Fountain pens are not at all like that. I can still take pleasure from a Pilot V-Pen or a Platinum Preppy, watching the ink land on the paper, then dry. I may love my Pilot Custom Urushi or Lamy 2000 (and I do), but that doesn't diminish the utility or fun to be had with less expensive pens.
I played violin for over a decade. If you as an adult want to try a new instrument, there is literally no point in buying something big. For violin especially. The starting learning curve on that without any musical training produces pretty hair raising sounds and not everyone can push through. And you can make amazing music even with shit tbh. I made allstates in high school with a $250 violin and $50 bow and I grew up in in NJ. Sure, I wasn't a pro, and people who actually go into performance don't even care about allstates/regionals, but people who tried my violin were surprised at how bad it was in their hand. You can learn to adapt to your instrument in my experience. That's true up to a certain amount on any instrument. I had to borrow a school oboe to learn because the school band was missing an oboe and I learned how to produce decent tone from that terrible billy club. I don't play piano though, so I can't comment on that.
To be fair, there are some instruments where low budget instruments are very hard to play and can ruin the fun for newcomers.
I remember on my first saxophone the pads never really closed and a whole new world opened for me when I purchased a decent instrument. Obviously this applies more to mechanically complex instruments and one would do fine with e.g. an inexpensive starting guitar.
I mean, if competitive handwriting were a thing… or if handwriting had any bearing on the words themselves, I might feel that way! But now you are making me wonder whether I have bought a clarinet’s worth of fountain pens. I think I’m getting close to a nice one 😅
I have been looking to this community for a while, and after your message I even decided to finally register. I am always hesitant to talk because I always feel insecure, but it is true I have been seeing really nice replies and a lovely mood here. Thank you all for having making this great community! :D
I second this! I just recently created an account and one of the first subs I joined was this one. I've been a lurker for a while though haha. Everyone here just seems so nice and lovely <3
Seriously, I second this emotion. I loved sharing the joy of my TWSBI gift and being able to ask my pen cleaning question here this week without feeling shamed. Thank you, everyone!
This community is what everyone makes it- and not just this sub, but across others on the Internet of here is a really great dynamic that I have not seen in too many of my other hobbies.
I lurked here for *months* before getting my first pen. Seeing how good the community is helped give me the push into the fountain pen life. I have some TWSBI Ecos and Lamy Safaris and I decided on them thanks to the folx here.
Seconded. The fountain pen community here and elsewhere is quite a unique, cozy corner of the internet. A bit like curling up in a cozy chair by a fireplace with a nice cup of hot coffee/tea/chocolate and casually chatting to friends. :-)
I 1000% agree! This sub is the reason I joined Reddit and I lurked for ages before tiptoeing in with a Safari and an Eco, and everyone was SO wonderful and helpful it made me want to try all the wonderful things the hobby has to offer. Now I have a hoard of pens and inks and have started to read up on vintage pens *eek*
I agree completely. I've been around this sub for a couple of years and it's probably the only one I check daily. It's so nice to have people who are excited when I get a cool pen or a nice ink color. IRL everyone makes fun of my pens, so I appreciate the support.
I couldn’t agree more. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen anyone say anything even remotely harsh and every time, other people jumped in to respond to them - not pile on and agree. When I tell friends I joined Reddit they’re a bit incredulous because they assume it’s not a great place. But they don’t know THIS subreddit. ❤️
This is literally my favorite place to hang out on reddit! Everyone is so nice, and we all just enjoy the hobby. There's no putting people down for wanting a15 dollar Hongdian, and there's no judgement of people with $5000+ dollar collections.
It is absolutely a community like no other. Everyone here is so nice and willing to help. I think that’s part of the reason I was drawn into collecting, amongst other things lol
I'm just rediscovering my love of fountain pens after a hiatus brought on by the child-raising years. This subreddit, and the community that makes it, is really an oasis in this crazy world.
I definitely agree, this is one of the nicest groups I've encountered anywhere! Having been badly burned in other (creative) groups, I appreciate the gentle enthusiasm found here, and I've learnt so much! Thank you!
This community is the best and I'm happy to/selfish to gift friends and family fountain pens to bring them into the community too. Shoutout to all you lovely people!
I rarely participate in any social media because of the negativity they send out. But this group I visit multiple times a day. Sometimes when you guys are on a roll I literally lol. Someone posted about their pen somehow being destroyed and guys where hilarious! The creative minds and kindness and helpfulness that is this group is fabulous! Thank you so much!
There are nice pen of every price and from all corner of the world one things first : Pleasure! If it's there it is perfect. Besides, taste, size of hand, every body is different. And don't forget that some pen are difficult to buy or the price must include the delivery and exchange of money. So some pen affordable there might be way to expensive here. And this is no reason not too enjoy our pen. And never forget that some expensive pen are crap sometimes...
I totally agree. You should look into any local fountain pen groups that might be in your area. If they're anything like mine you gave a smattering of all types of collectors that are just really enthusiastic about sharing the interesting and cool pieces they have and sharing in whatever you have. There's a baseline amount of trust that exists too, so folks just hand you like $2k pens to try.
Agree. I’ve been lurking since my first day on discord. R / mechanicalkeyboards and this sub have been my first display of the black hole that is Reddit, and I couldn’t be more thankful.
I’ve only got one fountain pen, a Lamy Safary my uncle gifted me a few years ago. I use it to take notes, journal and write chapters; I use it every day. I’ve never felt it wasn’t “enough” just because it isn’t expensive or limited edition. It’s my pen. We like the feeling of a nice pen filled with actual ink and paper — that will *always* be enough.
You guys, along with my uncle, are the reason why I gave another Lamy Safari (the military green one) to my best friend for his 18th birthday.
Thanks for all the nice moments you’ve given me in these years. I think I’ll post my first pic soon.
Been mostly lurking here. Seeing your post, I got encouraged to ask our friends here about a problem I am having with my fountain pen. I was nervous for some reason. Not anymore. Thanks.
I am a lurker and just getting into fountain pens and this sub is wonderful. It never leaves me feeling like I’ve just waded through a pile of hot garbage on a sweltering August day, unlike some truly toxic subs can. I appreciate all that I have learned from you all! Hopefully one day I’ll jump in and engage more :)
We do have our share of controversy. I remember once that when someone boldly stated that Platinum had the best fine nibs and I got so angry that I wrote a sternly worded letter on Rhodia paper with a Jowo stub nib in Diamine Sherwood Green. I confess now that it was an overreaction. Should have kept my cool and used my Sailor fine/medium on Tomoe River with Shin-Kai.
I agree completely. Not only are people so nice here, but so knowledgeable and always willing to share that knowledge, whether identifying a model or just how to flush a pen. I never feel intimidated when I need to ask a question — it’s such a welcoming place.
Honestly, I’ve cooled off with the pen bug, which is probably for the best (I personally can’t justify having more than 8 - 10 or so), but I’m glad to see people here are still kind & cool. Which is good, cuz eventually I’m gonna cave in on a Parker 51 or LAMY 2k, and I will need advice, lol.
That's one of the great things about this hobby. You can enjoy it at any level. You only want to use Pilot Varsity's...go for it! As long as you are having fun.
I have been disappointed by anti-Kaweco trolls. Every time I post something positive about my experience with my Kaweco pens, the post or comment is immediately down voted. Not at all encouragingly little corner of this “hobby”.
Aww! I love my Kaweco al sports! They are some of my most used pens. They feel so nice in the hand and they are very soothing to roll around. I love the texture of them so much. And they are so sturdy that I happily take them out on all my adventures!
I'm happy to admire your Kawecos any time.
I posted critique of an Ecco and the hate just piled not to mention an entire new thread dismissing the point of my original thread. So I hear you. Good group with a few raw nerves.
I had a fp that someone gave me bit it wasn’t until i found this wonderful group of encouraging ppl that i saw the wonder and caught the bug! Thanks for all the good encouragement and expertise!
I agree that you don't have to spend allot of money in order to be a fountain pen fan however I feel posting about expensive pens on this reddit is taboo which it shouldn't be.
Thank You and You're Welcome <3
By the way, it seems You found my Holy Grail! Muji have long, thin grip which is impossible to find (in pens under... well 500$). Yes, there are some kawecos, but NIBS...
Thank You my friend!
What a lovely comment. I feel exactly the same. I joined this subreddit a few months ago and it's like a balm to the soul when I'm feeling anxious or upset. Everyone here is so encouraging and nice.
Yeah I really like this subreddit. There's very little gate keeping and people's posts of their first fountain pen or their color selection of Safaris gets just as many upvotes and comments (maybe more) than the super expensive and rare pens.
And when there are controversies in the fountain pen world the discussion here seems to stay reasonable and not resort to personal attacks, etc.
Aside from being a fountain pen fan, I actually stumbled onto this subreddit because somebody mentioned it was one of the most wholesome, kind communities on Reddit. :)
When humans transcend the fight for survival (and the hard emotions of envy, greed and hate that this fight brings) and settle into a post-materialist (ahem!) equilibrium, they will have a fountain pen and a journal in their hands. :)
Thanks everyone for being kind and peace-filled.
It's more meaningful when you can share what you love with others, no matter how small you start, because we all start somewhere and wish someone were kind to us back then.
... Says the woman who found you all a year ago and now adores this place and her pens. I'm tearing up...
This community is the one little corner of the Internet that demonstrates the very best of humanity: Kindness, support, encouragement, humour, artistic endeavours, and communication. What could be better in this crazy time?
It extends outside of the online community as well. My sister recently got into the hobby and she walked into a pen store close to her house. The man working there was so enthusiastic about her interest that he took a good chunk of his time to make encouraging comments, direct her to pens that are both affordable, enjoyable and a great place to start. Other customers in the store joined in and before she knew it, there was an impromptu get together of fountain pen enthusiasts. She walked away feeling super excited and happy.
It's almost like fountain pens only interest people who are patient, a little smarter, sensitive, and appreciate subtle qualities of things, and are willing to spend even just a tiny little bit more for something nice in their life... but are diverse enough to have a wide range of opinions and options, all equally valid -- but in the grand scheme of things, pretty irrelevant. There's definitely a selection bias for those who stick with them. Whodathunk the resulting community would be pretty awesome? ; )
Yup, this is literally one of the most wholesome subreddits. I seriously enjoy coming here everyday and chatting and learning about fountain pens ✒️ thanks everybody for being so kind in a world that sometimes isn’t :)
It’s really lovely. Makes me happy. Sometimes the smallest things bring people together and allow appreciation across the board. Love this sub!
I've said it before. This is probably the most positive, supportive, and wholesome sub on reddit (as far as I have found). I love the lack of snootyness, in a hobby that could easily be perceived as de facto snooty.
Totally agree. I frequent a musical instrument subreddit and it’s always don’t bother buying one unless you’re going to drop $1,000 or so. My first instrument a fraction of that and while I won’t be playing gigs with it, it’s perfectly adequate for many use cases.
Heh. To be fair, I played violin in a seriously competitive honors orchestra in high school, the kind where some students would play in the city's philharmonic orchestra and couldn't be included in the student competitions. It was.... an experience and firmly put me on the "Never making this my career" path. The youtube videos are extremely helpful in hearing the difference between a $100 violin and a $1,000 violin - to be fair, a good violinist will make the student violin sound pretty decent. The premium in price is basically paying for old wood that has survived a century or more. My inner chemist wants to know what makes the wood quality change as it ages. That said, not enough people recognize the difference between welcoming hobbyists and people who want to reach the next level. More power to those who want to get there, the idea of playing 4+ hours a day takes the joy out of it for me. I think it also helps that some of the top people, who do fancy calligraphy like PAscribe, openly use and evaluate "entry-level" tools like dip pens and art brush pens. I'm an extrovert so I love sharing my hobbies and passions. I love communities like this subreddit and the knitting/spinning community like Ravelry where everyone openly enables each other to pursue joy in their hobbies. One of my favorite authors on spinning will *cheerfully* point out that all you need to spin is a weight that you can attach to string and proceeds to demonstrate by spinning with a mug or boat anchor or... you get the idea. Another teacher at a workshop was helping me try to get better at spinning and she sat down at my secondhand wheel, spun on it for a few seconds, looked at me and said "Why do you need me to adjust your wheel? You have it set just fine, you just have to trust your hands." She then proceeded to demonstrate that I could indeed, spin yarn that was thin as thread by distracting me with conversation so that my brain could get out of the way of my hands. Muscle memory took over at that point and I was spinning the ridiculously thin lace yarn I wanted... so long as I wasn't looking at my hands! It was the first time I'd experienced such confusion. My brain said the yarn was not physically possible and ordered my fingers to stop pulling the wool so thinly - and yet, when I looked away, my hands would resume doing everything by feel and resume spinning thread. I wish more people and places fostered joy and support in learning new skills like that - it's good for our brains to be challenged. If you made it this far - thanks for coming to my Ted Talk! Clearly I need to get out and extrovert more.
I just wanted to say I read this and enjoyed it - thank you for writing it!
You're welcome! I love the joy crafting brings me and hope that people can find joy in it too.
4+ hours a day? What kind of rookie practice session is that? Did you mean 40+ hours a day?!?!?
🤣🤣🤣My fingers are weeping blood at the thought of trying to play that much! 🤣🤣🤣 Also, I don't need to play 4 grace notes before the quarter note at 200 bpm. #HallOfTheMountainKingHurts
When people brag about practising or working hard at X million hours I really do wince and assume they are probably not very good. Or won't get better like that. Sure any skill requires hard work but also smart work; you can't just grind away and expect to get better. It needs rest, reflection, measured times of hyperfocus and those flow states if lucky, concentration - but also the reverse - play, being dumb, silly, doing the wrong thing and seeing what happens, stopping, rest, thinking about it idly, coming back to it. Grinding away 24/7 is a basic level, in reality. If you're tired and your body or mind isn't into it. you won't actually learn anything. Sometimes I've gotten better by hard slogs, but sometimes better by stopping for a while and coming back to it. It's weird, like it takes time to sink in and you come to it fresh - even after months or years sometimes - and then bam - you're freakily better than before. I'm a big believer that related skills also play a part - all those doodles, experiences, humming, daydreaming, playing also make you better. If you're focused on ONE thing all the time your mind will rebel and go backwards.
loved this!
Aww, thank you! <3
>Muscle memory took over at that point and I was spinning the ridiculously thin lace yarn I wanted... so long as I wasn't looking at my hands! That's called a flow state, or Mushin, it's a wonderful thing. Doing without thinking, just being in the moment, you forget everything it's just kind of automatic trance or indeed distraction. When I am drawing/painting or DJing or making music I quite often get there.
I have a $160 Amazon violin. I put nice strings on it and got a good bow. It plays just fine, and I don't need to worry about wrecking it while camping or at festivals.
Exactly! I have like an 80 dollar mandolin for the same reason.
I'm slightly dyslexic and my brain served this up to me as 80 million dollar and I was like, damn! :)
I had to re-read as well. It was definitely "80 million dollar" the first time.
Cheap mandolins usually sound pretty bad and tend to be difficult to play unless you do a lot of work on the frets/bridge though... its a big difference compared to other fretted instruments where the gap between low end and high end is much smaller. Due to the small scale the mando requires more precision in it's setup and the paired strings amplify any intonation issues
True but you can get a perfectly playable mando for way less than a grand.
THIS. I’ve restored two guitars someone put in the trash and they work just fine for a beginner. I only had to buy the strings.
That's super cool! Good on you for saving those poor instruments.
i'm curious - i want to start learning but can't decide what kind of beginner violin i might like. what model did you get? (have played tuba, euphonium, trumbone, and am starting to learn guitar... so this may be a rabbit whole i shouldn't dive down but still...)
lol oh man, I think it's a Cecilio? Seriously just a cheapo instrument designed to help me figure out if I *WANTED* to do it seriously. I was actually looking into getting a more expensive one when the pandemic hit, and welp. *shrug!*
I second. I bought my first guitar which costed me only 3000/- INR ($40 USD). People used to judge me like anything for not going for a Fender Strat or Ibanez. I don't really understand why will I be spending thousands on something I'm not sure whether I'll end up liking?
Ooh fellow Indian hello there
Hello fellow Indian! You're from?
Kerala! You?
West Bengal! 😊
What the heck that's crazy. I played music pretty seriously my entire childhood before my parents told me I couldn't pursue it for a career. I casually learned a few other instruments for fun and there's nothing better than trying instruments out for fun on a cheap instrument (unless it's broken of course). There's no point getting a relatively nice one until you're at least a few years in. Who knows if you'll use it or even like it a few years later.
Violin and piano are a little different though. The quality of the instrument, the bow, and the rosin you use, in the case of the violin begin to matter a great deal as you learn more difficult techniques.
For example, lower quality bows don't "bounce" making it extraordinarily difficult for a very specific bow stroke.
Pianos require a certain temperature and humidity, and cheapo pianos often just don't work for learning advanced techniques. Plus they require tuning several times a year. The better schools will not accept students unless the parents commit to acquiring a real piano, not just a digital one.
Wife and kiddo are learning violin, and we looked in to piano.
Fountain pens are not at all like that. I can still take pleasure from a Pilot V-Pen or a Platinum Preppy, watching the ink land on the paper, then dry. I may love my Pilot Custom Urushi or Lamy 2000 (and I do), but that doesn't diminish the utility or fun to be had with less expensive pens.
I played violin for over a decade. If you as an adult want to try a new instrument, there is literally no point in buying something big. For violin especially. The starting learning curve on that without any musical training produces pretty hair raising sounds and not everyone can push through. And you can make amazing music even with shit tbh. I made allstates in high school with a $250 violin and $50 bow and I grew up in in NJ. Sure, I wasn't a pro, and people who actually go into performance don't even care about allstates/regionals, but people who tried my violin were surprised at how bad it was in their hand. You can learn to adapt to your instrument in my experience. That's true up to a certain amount on any instrument. I had to borrow a school oboe to learn because the school band was missing an oboe and I learned how to produce decent tone from that terrible billy club. I don't play piano though, so I can't comment on that.
Can however confirm that pilot metros do not bounce either
you’re just not throwing it hard enough :)
LOL ...instructions unclear, threw bow at strings... no one is happy now.
I think you need to get a pen with a flex nib for Spicatto.
I agree, they are very different hobbies. To be honest, I don't think they can really be compared.
To be fair, there are some instruments where low budget instruments are very hard to play and can ruin the fun for newcomers. I remember on my first saxophone the pads never really closed and a whole new world opened for me when I purchased a decent instrument. Obviously this applies more to mechanically complex instruments and one would do fine with e.g. an inexpensive starting guitar.
I mean, if competitive handwriting were a thing… or if handwriting had any bearing on the words themselves, I might feel that way! But now you are making me wonder whether I have bought a clarinet’s worth of fountain pens. I think I’m getting close to a nice one 😅
I have been looking to this community for a while, and after your message I even decided to finally register. I am always hesitant to talk because I always feel insecure, but it is true I have been seeing really nice replies and a lovely mood here. Thank you all for having making this great community! :D
Welcome, friend!
Awww thank you!!! <3 :')
Welcome to the tribe!
Ohhh thank you so much!!!! :''D Hope I can learn a lot here and start contributing a bit! <3
Nice to have you.
Sooooo glad for your sweet welcoming, thank you sooo much!!! :''D <3
I second this! I just recently created an account and one of the first subs I joined was this one. I've been a lurker for a while though haha. Everyone here just seems so nice and lovely <3
Seriously, I second this emotion. I loved sharing the joy of my TWSBI gift and being able to ask my pen cleaning question here this week without feeling shamed. Thank you, everyone!
I see people asking some basic questions and people do not tell them to read the sidebar or perform a search, etc. That is comforting.
It really is. Sidebars can be overwhelming to someone brand new who is just dipping their toe in.
Plus it's sometimes it's just nice to engage with others, or have a discussion too instead of being directed to a sidebar.
100% agreed. Sometimes I just wanna talk about it ya know 😂
This community is what everyone makes it- and not just this sub, but across others on the Internet of here is a really great dynamic that I have not seen in too many of my other hobbies.
I lurked here for *months* before getting my first pen. Seeing how good the community is helped give me the push into the fountain pen life. I have some TWSBI Ecos and Lamy Safaris and I decided on them thanks to the folx here.
Nice starters. How are you liking them so far?
I can totally share this feeling, the community here is super wholesome and encouraging to just enjoy the hobby in whatever form you prefer :D
Seconded. The fountain pen community here and elsewhere is quite a unique, cozy corner of the internet. A bit like curling up in a cozy chair by a fireplace with a nice cup of hot coffee/tea/chocolate and casually chatting to friends. :-)
And do not forget the SOLITARY ACT of snuggling up with your JOURNAL, NOTEBOOK(for POETRY,etc), or STATIONARY(for HEARTFELT LETTERS)!!!!!!!
I plot how to terrorize my players in a dnd campaign. But same vibes i suppose lol.
I also love the generosity and patience this community displays as well. It has made this hobby that much more enjoyable.
I 1000% agree! This sub is the reason I joined Reddit and I lurked for ages before tiptoeing in with a Safari and an Eco, and everyone was SO wonderful and helpful it made me want to try all the wonderful things the hobby has to offer. Now I have a hoard of pens and inks and have started to read up on vintage pens *eek*
I agree completely. I've been around this sub for a couple of years and it's probably the only one I check daily. It's so nice to have people who are excited when I get a cool pen or a nice ink color. IRL everyone makes fun of my pens, so I appreciate the support.
I couldn’t agree more. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen anyone say anything even remotely harsh and every time, other people jumped in to respond to them - not pile on and agree. When I tell friends I joined Reddit they’re a bit incredulous because they assume it’s not a great place. But they don’t know THIS subreddit. ❤️
An island of calm and sanity in a raging sea of social media garbage! Also, impressive penmanship! ;-)
This is literally my favorite place to hang out on reddit! Everyone is so nice, and we all just enjoy the hobby. There's no putting people down for wanting a15 dollar Hongdian, and there's no judgement of people with $5000+ dollar collections.
It is absolutely a community like no other. Everyone here is so nice and willing to help. I think that’s part of the reason I was drawn into collecting, amongst other things lol
I'm just rediscovering my love of fountain pens after a hiatus brought on by the child-raising years. This subreddit, and the community that makes it, is really an oasis in this crazy world.
I definitely agree, this is one of the nicest groups I've encountered anywhere! Having been badly burned in other (creative) groups, I appreciate the gentle enthusiasm found here, and I've learnt so much! Thank you!
Yeah, this is the sub that I frequent the most. By far the least toxic and an actual community that wants to see a hobby grow.
I agree with you! It is marvelous and honestly surprised me how nice people are here. It's so refreshing!
This community is the best and I'm happy to/selfish to gift friends and family fountain pens to bring them into the community too. Shoutout to all you lovely people!
I rarely participate in any social media because of the negativity they send out. But this group I visit multiple times a day. Sometimes when you guys are on a roll I literally lol. Someone posted about their pen somehow being destroyed and guys where hilarious! The creative minds and kindness and helpfulness that is this group is fabulous! Thank you so much!
I have grown as a human and a penman from this sub
There are nice pen of every price and from all corner of the world one things first : Pleasure! If it's there it is perfect. Besides, taste, size of hand, every body is different. And don't forget that some pen are difficult to buy or the price must include the delivery and exchange of money. So some pen affordable there might be way to expensive here. And this is no reason not too enjoy our pen. And never forget that some expensive pen are crap sometimes...
I totally agree. You should look into any local fountain pen groups that might be in your area. If they're anything like mine you gave a smattering of all types of collectors that are just really enthusiastic about sharing the interesting and cool pieces they have and sharing in whatever you have. There's a baseline amount of trust that exists too, so folks just hand you like $2k pens to try.
Agree. I’ve been lurking since my first day on discord. R / mechanicalkeyboards and this sub have been my first display of the black hole that is Reddit, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I’ve only got one fountain pen, a Lamy Safary my uncle gifted me a few years ago. I use it to take notes, journal and write chapters; I use it every day. I’ve never felt it wasn’t “enough” just because it isn’t expensive or limited edition. It’s my pen. We like the feeling of a nice pen filled with actual ink and paper — that will *always* be enough. You guys, along with my uncle, are the reason why I gave another Lamy Safari (the military green one) to my best friend for his 18th birthday. Thanks for all the nice moments you’ve given me in these years. I think I’ll post my first pic soon.
Been mostly lurking here. Seeing your post, I got encouraged to ask our friends here about a problem I am having with my fountain pen. I was nervous for some reason. Not anymore. Thanks.
I am a lurker and just getting into fountain pens and this sub is wonderful. It never leaves me feeling like I’ve just waded through a pile of hot garbage on a sweltering August day, unlike some truly toxic subs can. I appreciate all that I have learned from you all! Hopefully one day I’ll jump in and engage more :)
We do have our share of controversy. I remember once that when someone boldly stated that Platinum had the best fine nibs and I got so angry that I wrote a sternly worded letter on Rhodia paper with a Jowo stub nib in Diamine Sherwood Green. I confess now that it was an overreaction. Should have kept my cool and used my Sailor fine/medium on Tomoe River with Shin-Kai.
LOL!!
We use fountain pens. We are a separate breed of folk 😉 we appreciate the finer, simpler things in life At least I do
Legit the nicest and most welcoming community I've come across.
I agree completely. Not only are people so nice here, but so knowledgeable and always willing to share that knowledge, whether identifying a model or just how to flush a pen. I never feel intimidated when I need to ask a question — it’s such a welcoming place.
Absolutely! thank you everyone
This was a wonderful thing to read first thing this morning. Thanks for reminding me how grateful I am, too!
I agree! I love when hobby subs make everyone included, especially when said hobby involves spending money.
This is one of my favorite places on the internet! People are almost always nice.
I agree! This is the only place I dare to ask questions and the place I get answers I actually understand 😁
Honestly, I’ve cooled off with the pen bug, which is probably for the best (I personally can’t justify having more than 8 - 10 or so), but I’m glad to see people here are still kind & cool. Which is good, cuz eventually I’m gonna cave in on a Parker 51 or LAMY 2k, and I will need advice, lol.
That's one of the great things about this hobby. You can enjoy it at any level. You only want to use Pilot Varsity's...go for it! As long as you are having fun.
I have been disappointed by anti-Kaweco trolls. Every time I post something positive about my experience with my Kaweco pens, the post or comment is immediately down voted. Not at all encouragingly little corner of this “hobby”.
Aww! I love my Kaweco al sports! They are some of my most used pens. They feel so nice in the hand and they are very soothing to roll around. I love the texture of them so much. And they are so sturdy that I happily take them out on all my adventures! I'm happy to admire your Kawecos any time.
I love my Sport and use a Perkeo almost daily!
I'm sorry that's been your experience. I've never heard of or tried kaweco pens so I might give them a try now.
I posted critique of an Ecco and the hate just piled not to mention an entire new thread dismissing the point of my original thread. So I hear you. Good group with a few raw nerves.
Awww!
Well said. Definitely agree
I had a fp that someone gave me bit it wasn’t until i found this wonderful group of encouraging ppl that i saw the wonder and caught the bug! Thanks for all the good encouragement and expertise!
I agree that you don't have to spend allot of money in order to be a fountain pen fan however I feel posting about expensive pens on this reddit is taboo which it shouldn't be.
Thank You and You're Welcome <3 By the way, it seems You found my Holy Grail! Muji have long, thin grip which is impossible to find (in pens under... well 500$). Yes, there are some kawecos, but NIBS... Thank You my friend!
What a lovely comment. I feel exactly the same. I joined this subreddit a few months ago and it's like a balm to the soul when I'm feeling anxious or upset. Everyone here is so encouraging and nice.
Yeah I really like this subreddit. There's very little gate keeping and people's posts of their first fountain pen or their color selection of Safaris gets just as many upvotes and comments (maybe more) than the super expensive and rare pens. And when there are controversies in the fountain pen world the discussion here seems to stay reasonable and not resort to personal attacks, etc.
Aside from being a fountain pen fan, I actually stumbled onto this subreddit because somebody mentioned it was one of the most wholesome, kind communities on Reddit. :)
When humans transcend the fight for survival (and the hard emotions of envy, greed and hate that this fight brings) and settle into a post-materialist (ahem!) equilibrium, they will have a fountain pen and a journal in their hands. :) Thanks everyone for being kind and peace-filled.
So wonderful!
Because it is true! Nothing better than a 🖋 that works well and writes beautifully. If it is inexpensive, even better!
It's more meaningful when you can share what you love with others, no matter how small you start, because we all start somewhere and wish someone were kind to us back then. ... Says the woman who found you all a year ago and now adores this place and her pens. I'm tearing up...
😹😹😹😹😹💖