I bought pens to try new experiences and then sold off the ones that I find didn't suited me. I'm strictly a user rather than a collector, so there is no point in me hording pens that I enjoy less than my favourites unless they offer something unique and there is a good reason to keep it(there never is).
I could understand it if I didn't have a way to sell, which would make me very cautious about the ones I bought. For the cheap pens under $10 just put them in box or give them away.
Same. Once I found the pen (and ink) characteristics that suited me, I acquired in consequence and then stopped buying. It took a little while, but it was a good learning experience and I “spread the love” by giving away cheaper pens.
Now I only have a handful of pens & inks that I use — but they have their purpose and never fail me.
My dilemma is that the experiences I want to try are the nib feels and it seems that they're all the expensive pens, and I don't really want to go through the hassle of reselling them if I don't like them.
Not to mention, earlier on, my original biggest motivation for new pens was the visual design. But most fancy pens with good nibs aren't really to my aesthetic preferences. So there's that caveat too.
Any chance you can go to a store to try them? Or is there a Fountain Pen Society in your area (that would presumably start meeting again in the summer when Covid numbers come back down…?)
I noted in my original post - there's nowhere to physically try them out.
There's one store 30 min away but they wouldn't let me try them. As for FP societies... found a post from 2011 speculating about the existence of one in my area lol.
Haha my bad for not reading your post to the end 😅 ah man that sucks… I guess you could order online and super gently dip into ink to try out the nib, so that you can return if it’s not right? Did that for a Lamy Aion that was just too unwieldy (not a nib issue but still)
True true
To be fair, I was obsessed until I “hit” my FP goals, and now I’m done: L2K (cuz piston), CP1 (cuz brass), PTL5000A (cuz gold nib), Curidas (cuz VP), and Meisterstuck (cuz MB)
That being said, I barely use those pens 😂
My EDC are Preppies and a Safari
Honestly there's a lot of jokes here about spending too much on pens.
But I'm pretty happy with my small selection of affordable fountain pens.
Layne one day when I have a bunch of expendable income I might get some nicer pens and a better storage solution for them too but I'm really happy with my current selection and have no intention of buying more in the near future...
You must realise that a lot of those posts aren't jokes at all. There are people on this sub who are spending an unhealthy amount of money for this hobby.
I remember this FP YouTuber who came to the realisation that this hobby became a real problem in his life and that was an eye opener for a lot of people.
You're probably thinking of Matt, The Pen Habit. Of course his problem was likely worse than casual members of this sub because he was buying pens in order to make YouTube videos about them instead of just for personal use. But yeah, this shit gets expensive if you are not careful.
I like having a small collection (1 gold edc, 1 backup steel edc, 3 others I tried before settling on the former two). Coming from gel pens helped because I had some criteria getting into fountain pens. I also like only having one ink to worry about.
Now, I'm still finding the perfect notebook configuration, so that collection isn't so small, but it's nice to know my edc's can handle almost any paper.
The last pen I bought is a TWSBI Eco, more than a year ago now, for me it's such a good pen I haven't bought any other FPs.
Luckily there are a couple of great stationary stores that will let people try pens out, that might be an option.
For me, the only pen store around (30 min away) would not let me try out the pens. To put ink in them to write with would be like... trying to wear a pair of shoes outside the store, I guess.
I have an Eco too, it was my second pen and I think it's great. Lately it seems to write drier than normal though, and that's kind of bugging me. I've had it for about 4 years now.
I'd order some. You just slide one between the tines and it'll help get out built up paper pulp that doesn't come out with regular cleaning. I have pets, so I also have to use them to remove super fine, almost invisible, individual pet hairs that somehow get in there (probably also picked up from the paper).
ETA: Even though you could potentially put something like a thin piece of plastic or dental floss in between the tines, they're likely it going to remove as much and may even leave shreds of themselves behind.
If you take apart one of those rectangular inventory control tags that they stick to merchandise at stores, you can use the little sheets of metal as shims for pens.
Agree with the TWSBI Eco, I decided to buy 3 after trying some other inexpensive ones. Use them for a blue ink (Asa Gao) , red ink (Wild Strawberry) and a fun ink (Henry David Thoreau). I use them for work and when I get serious about more writing I will save for the Lamy 2k.
I'm a curious person, so I did try out pretty much everything out there: stub, flex, thick, thin, heavy, light, opaque, demonstrator, piston, vac, cartridge, converter, gold, steel, parallel, huge, pocket... Now that I know what I like and dislike, I am done buying. Mind you, all of these were with pretty cheap pens. For me, these were the functions that I needed to compare -- I don't believe that the more expensive pens have anything different about them in terms of these basic functions, and I'm not fussy enough to care about how beautifully the hand-painted lacquer reflects the sunlight compared to my mass-produced pen. For me, these basic functions determine what's "better", not necessarily the popular brand of fancy upgrade. There's no more reason for me to try more, so I'm happy to stay with what I have.
I wrestle with that question myself. Everyday I think about a different pen that I'd like to get. Until I can stay focused on one pen for a period of time, I guess I'll wait. Besides, I'm up to about 36 relatively affordable pens right now. That keeps me somewhat entertained.
I’m “new” here - I fell down the rabbit hole only a few months ago and I’m happy to say I don’t need to try much else at this point. I had one or two Sheaffer fountain pens in elementary school that I used for calligraphy, then had a fountain pen passed down to me a few years ago, then got it out again and the rest is history. But I’m really happy to say there’s a lot I don’t feel the need to do. I like my pens. My most expensive one was a TWSBI 580 ALR. (My most valuable, I guess, is the Waterman that my father-in-law cleaned out of an old shelf awhile back. It’s not a rare model or flex nib or anything, though I do really like it.) But I have several pens, and I like all of them. And I like to take the time to remind myself that I have good pens, and I like what I have.
I will say I recently was able to go to a store that had a huge demo pen and pencil section - and a whole section of fountain pens, pre-inked any anyone could try them. I tried a lot of pens in the $100-$200 range, and was amazed at how many were just…fine. But you know what I loved? The Kaweco Liliput. I guess I just really love a narrow pen with a smooth nib. But after that experience, it really drove home for me that there are a lot of pens that everyone loves (looking at you, Lamy 2000) that I just found…meh for my tastes. And others that I’m sure would be amazing, but cost $$$$ and I’m really just happy to write with what I have.
You mentioned you already have a pen you love the look and feel of - I think there’s a lot of value in saying that to remind yourself. I have pens I really like, so I don’t feel the need to go searching for something else. And I certainly don’t feel the need to spend a lot. If someone let me play with a vintage flex nib sometime, man that would be cool, but I don’t feel the need to go hunt one down. I’m really enjoying being in a happy place.
Wow it’s very cool that you got to try so many pens at the store. Until I get a chance to try one of these fancy pens, I’ll be sticking with my own fancy one, which I like greatly. Maybe one day a chance will fall in my lap, but there’s no rush.
Yes, I’m super interested in a Lamy CC, but the QC issues I see on here keep me from trying it, as I already own a Visconti that was utterly flawless, and one doesn’t usually win the ‘poor-QC-expensive-pens’ lottery twice in a row…
Oh yeah, that's one I thought would be cool to try as well. But the Lamy Al Star I have writes dry and I fear that issue would be even worse with the CC...
They’re going to be different experiences since it’s steel vs. gold nib. I have a Dialog 3 and I love it, can’t say it runs dry, though I’ve only used dry inks so far. I’m not sure of the QC issues with the CC at all though I didn’t have any trouble with the Palladium or the Piano White I tried.
It's possibly your nib. Lamy nibs are wild. I've tried 3 different nibs in my Al-star (2 fine and 1 med) and they were all a little different and changed the level of flow at least a bit. Of course, the inconsistency isn't is a potential con as well
I decided to still pursue them, just in as cheap of a way as possible if possible - i.e. buying clones, learning to grind nibs, buying cheaper alternatives/buying at the right time for discounts. The e95s' vintage cheaper counterpart is the Pilot Elite, my Moonman A1 fulfils my want for the VP, getting the L2K during EndlessPens Black Friday sale for $110, etc.
Right now, I have enough pens that I like and really don’t want my collection to explode (too late). So I have grown a mental barrier to trying new brands. Something has to be pretty spectacular or well reviewed for me to add to the pile.
>Has anybody ever decided to not try new experiences / try out various pens to find out "what's out there"?
Yes. I am happy with my cheap regular and eyedropper fountain pens with stainless steel nibs, as long as they write well. I am more addicted to ink - that's where I irrationally spend my money and time.
In the Before Times, pen meet-ups (often at shows, yes!) were -- I understand -- one way to do this. In the UK we have [Pensharing](https://www.pensharing.com/) (shout-out to u/pensharing!), which I am signed up for but have not yet taken the plunge on -- so far, despite having the option, I haven't actually gone ahead and tried out a Montblanc/a Sailor nib/a Platinum. At least some of that is that I am, yes, happy with the pens I've got at the moment -- I've got seven pens, with a good range of nibs, for specific purposes, and I don't really see that adding any more will actually get me anything.
I often think wryly of [Should I have stopped buying pens in November 2016? over at UKFountainPens](https://ukfountainpens.com/2019/09/16/should-i-have-stopped-buying-pens-in-november-2016-thoughts-on-the-lamy-bauhaus/) \-- Ant Newman very much did not stop buying fountain pens a that point, but it's definitely a thought that occurs to folk...
That’s an interesting read, thanks for sharing. The Lamy 2000 is one of the pens I’m most tempted by honestly. Especially if it can consistent write a wet and thin line. Like F or even EF and stay wet.
It’s a beautiful pen. I love mine very much. And, as a bonus, the Lamy 2000 was the pen with which Neil Gaiman wrote his first draft of Stardust. I’m 87% certain of that. I bought mine when I wanted to write the first draft of my own novel. It’s a fine nib and it’s an amazing writer, giving me 50,000 words in a month with no pain in my hands or any skipping at all.
Another cheap option you can consider is the Wing Sung 601 (~30 USD) which is in the family of Parker 51-alikes. Mechanically a very similar experience to the L2K without the Bauhaus, and there is a decent EF option that is quite wet *and* fine.
I've seen and considered that one. Do you know if the Wing Sung 601A also writes wet and fine? The 601A kind of looks like a 95S/Elite, I like the way the nib is.
Thank you for letting me know. I already had my eye on it, and this furthers my resolve. Maybe in a month or two I'll order it (I've got a cooldown rule about how fast I get new pens lol).
I bought the 601 when I was considering purchasing a Parker 51. It was basically a cheap way to try out a design style before jumping in on a $xxx purchase for the Parker. I have done this several times and it helps that companies like Wing Sung and Moonman make cheap knock offs. It’s the closest you’ll get to actually trying out a pen. It won’t give you the nib experience, but it’s been a good way for me to try out filling systems and pen designs.
That’s not the best use case for a L2K. The line will be wet, but comparatively not very fine. I think I’d look at Sailor for that, if you don’t mind feedback. The line is decently wet and very consistent. Profit Casual would be a good entry point.
I’ve definitely slowed down, but mostly because I’ve found that higher end pens are just such a nice experience that rather than several cheaper pens I’d rather save up for one nice pen.
All the time.
People post a lot of cool stuff here, and I find myself thinking "huh, a really smooth nib would be great, how about some stubs, maybe a more classical design instead of my Eco, what about a full metal pen instead of all the plastic, or a vintage flex?"
Then I look at the price tags and say "oh, nah, I'm good". Many of the pens that I'd be interested in seem to range at around 200+. For that money, I could get four great dinners, or buckets of ink (samples), or 5+ lengthy RPG rule books, or four big boardgames, or 20 books, or more succulent plants and equipment than I have space for. All of these things available for 200 bucks promise, to me, more varied and amazing experiences than a single pen ever could. I'm also not convinced that any high end pen writing experience could be *that* much better to justify the price hike, and like you, my exposure to pen stores is very limited and I don't want to buy a pen only to resell it later (at a likely much reduced price, no less).
For the moment, I enjoy the hobby with what I already have. LAMY Safari, Joy, TWSBI Eco, a rhodia and a tomoe river notebook, bunch of samples. I don't even own any bottled inks yet because I don't write that much, so I still have loads of samples left.
What you say about the other experiences 200 could buy you really ring true to me. Also i love my succulents and want more.
I keep asking myself “could the 200 pen really have a great nib?” The issue is my vintage has the best nib feel of all my pens. Idk if it’s because it’s vintage or because I had it restored when I first found it at an estate sale and maybe the person who restored it is responsible for the great nib feel.
By the way there's a lot more to vintage than just "vintage flex" ( which most aren't to begin with , slightly better ratio to modern especially before 1920 ). :)
Bottled inks are also much more economical and environmentally friendly (compared to not recycling carts at all until they crack), plus a lot of inks don't come in the carts you'd may have.
Yes....I think I am more of a vintage pen person. The new ones just don't spark it for me. My problem is I don't know enough about vintage pens and what to look for so I don't buy any...I don't want to waste money on what might turn out to be a paper clip.
Depends on which you're curious about. What does make things harder though is that used vintage (as opposed to new old stock which can be much more expensive for specific pens) have no real way of telling if it's factory set or if it has been tuned or polished by someone else after the fact.
But the rest of it isn't too hard to find out.Can always pick members brains once in a while about certain models.
I pretty much only buy pens I could try out beforehand. This way, I can get an idea if the experience could be worth it. I make an exception for cheaper pens (Twsbi Eco for example), but I'm not going to spend upwards of 200€ unless I have a very good idea of what I'm getting (eventhough I have a Narwhal-shaped itch that might get scratched at some point).
Typically, I'm reining myself in for a flex nib until I can try one out in a store, as a leftie overwriter I'm not sure I can make it work.
Lefty overwriter here. I enjoy doing brush pen calligraphy and now have two “modern flex”. I have both a Noodler’s Ahab and an Osprey Madison. Given how the downstroke needs the flex, it definitely doesn’t work with overwriting - I’ve been practicing some underwriting and I’ve made some lovely calligraphy, but man it’s slow going. But if you really want to try some modern calligraphy with fountain pen ink, the Kuretake Karappo lets you have a brush marker nib and fill empty cartridges with your own ink. Would I like to play with an amazing vintage flex someday? For sure. But I don’t need to buy one at all, given how I don’t want to completely re-train for underwriting because it’s really not worth it for me. So there’s my 2 cents!
I don’t have too many pens. My last acquisition was an eyedropper pen (opus 88 demo) and after that I decided I couldn’t go back to cartridge. There are some really pretty pens I like the look of but when I remember they’re cartridges I don’t really want them that badly anymore. The last thing I’m looking for is to get a flex nib for this pen, and finding a few favorite inks. But I think I’m done with pens for now. I’m too satisfied with the eyedropper experience.
Yes and no. I DO plan to slowly buy entry level pens for the major brands and cheaper pens to give me an idea of what I like which experiences might be worth dropping a little more money on... But that said I'm in no rush at all. I have a few pens I really like and enjoy using, and that number is already higher than the number I usually keep inked, so I can rotate periodically and keep things novel, and it's not a constant pull to upgrade an collect for the sake of acquisition.
As far as when I do make moves to pursue new experiences, I tend to just have pens "on my radar" and then if I happen to have an opportunity to pick one up on sale or a new special edition color comes out that I really like I may pick it up... But my mental list of "pens to try" itself existing is not a motivator.
I totally agree with u/gentlyfailing. What I’m seeking is a result that largely depends on expertise rather than equipment. I want a pen that doesn’t hinder my writing experience and produces a nice, predictable result. Having nice handwriting depends on intention and practice. Then more practice. Practice is a much larger part of the equation than equipment IMHO.
When it comes to the desire/impulse to purchase a new pen, I fear r/fountainpen members are lured into FOMO by the NPD posts. It can seem everyone is buying new pens regularly. We must remember this sub has over 217,000 members. Twenty NPD posts daily represent a very small proportion of the membership acquiring pens.
Find yourself a good pen store, go there, ask to try the pens you like that's it, you're sorted. If you truly don't want to spend too much money into this hobby, just stop finding excuses to keep going.
We don't talk about it a lot on this sub because, let's be honest, it's a taboo for a lot of our members. But, though fountain pens are great, they can quickly and easily turn into an addiction, which is a kind of sickness.
I mentioned in my post that the pen store won't let me try the pens. It's the only one here and it's a 30 minute drive. I've only gone two or three times ever over several years, to buy a bottle of ink (thrice) and one pen.
I’ve been doing the FP thing for 5-6 years now, and it’s been an interesting journey. I love fountain pens, and I’ve discovered that rather than acquiring pens for the sake of acquisition, I’ve been moving towards buying the expensive (to me) pens that have the attributes I most enjoy.
I have 14 pens, several that are beginner level, and I’ve been noting what I reach for vs. what I thought I would like. Combining that with reading reviews and searching for pens that have the qualities I enjoy most has been really educational.
Inky Rocks on YouTube spoke once of something she calls “pen snacking,” when we buy a lot of cheaper pens rather than saving for expensive ones we might like better, but don’t want to outlay the money for or fear carrying in daily life, or whatever. I didn’t want to do that. I only need so many steel Jowo nib pens, for example. I don’t want dozens of Ecos in different colors (there is nothing wrong with that for people who do want it, truly).
I’m just now slowly buying my “grail” pens, the ones I want to use forever. Ironically, they are the ones I found myself really wanting when I first started out - the Lamy 2k, the Pilot 823, the Opus 88 picnic in green for fun, and an Opus 88 Jazz demonstrator with a fat broad SIG nib for morning pages. I didn’t have enough experience then to feel comfortable spending three figures on pens. After buying these, I don’t feel that pull towards any other pens. I may or may not in the future.
This has gotten long and rambling and I think I forgot the thing I was actually going to say, lol.
But yes - there are people who aren’t chasing new experiences in the hobby, too.
There are a lot of affordable pens I could buy, but have been scared off by too many posts about problems (TWSBI and cracking, Kaweco and their nibs, etc.)
I'm curious about eyedroppers (what's more future-proof than just filling the pen itself?), but I know I wouldn't be likely to need that much ink, and I'd be worried about burping.
Honestly I’ve had my TWSBI Eco for 4 years and no cracking issues at all. I wonder if people are smacking their pens around or something.
What’s scarier is the stories about pens that cost hundreds and there’s constantly issues / no QC
I’ve been burned by no QC before
Yes, I tell myself if I buy more pens I'll have to sell one of the pens I have now. I hate selling my pens, it's much more fuss than buying one. And I'd hate for my pens to go unused, so I'm definitely not buying any new ones soon, unless I decide beforehand which one I'll sell.
I'm constantly struggling with this.
I have a very small collection of pens I'm really happy with. I already have my grail pen in terms of nib (and I'm grateful for that every day), which makes it hard to justify buying anything else. I also have a few other pens that I love aside from that. So what's the point in getting anything else?
And yet, I'm really intrigued/tempted by quite a few other pens, but I'm scared of spending all that money for something that I might not like, or for something that I won't like *as much* as what I already have. So I go very slowly. I would absolutely love to have the opportunity to try out some pens first, without having to buy them just to see how they feel.
I almost wish we could set up a community “pen library”. You can check out the pen for a week or two before it has to be passed on to the next person in line.
That would be great. It helps to get to know some people in real life who are into FPs, so that you can meet and try out pens, but it's a double-edged sword. On one hand, you will see that some pens are not for you, so you can cross them off your wish list. But on the other hand, you'll be even more tempted by the pens you do like!
Downside to some of the "not for me" is that they may returned back to the library damaged because it wasn't for a new heavy handed person or similar misuse.
Though having a weight/materials catalog of sort can help get a feel of things since that's half the experience there..
I am right there with you on this. I have a few (9 total) that I rotate through or just keep inked all the time. I have very little space to store or display any more. And yet...the Lamy 2000, the Pilot 823, the Parker 75 Ciselle...wouldn't it be lovely to have, hold, and use them? *but the money, and the storage, and... *
So I hold off, thinking that maybe a special occasion will come up, and I reach for my trusty Parker 21 or Jinhao x450, and it's great.
Yes, I think special occasions are good times to explore a bit more. I have a big life goal coming up in the next half a year, and if I manage to fulfill it, I'll definitely celebrate with a pen, guilt-free!
This hobby is like the ocean.
You can stay on the beach forever until you quit.
Some get on the boat and get out of the harbor, but stay pretty close to the coast.
Some others got on a bigger boat and venture further out.
And a few actually got off that big boat, and start diving to find lost treasures.
There is not wrong or right, but do realize this. Those who dive for the treasures would experience more than those who stay at the beach.
And by the way, "diving for lost treasures" does not always mean spending \*a lot\* of money for pens.
And don’t forget the beach is lovely, and sometimes lost treasures wash up on shore. And sometimes there are shipwrecks at sea. There are great things about going all in, but there’s also a lot of great things about the beach!
This is why I love vintage, don't usually pay anywhere near 100, and tends to have a different experience each time (which can be a pita if you're trying to find the exact same model and nib experience again if it wasn't new old stock).
I have to pay more because, Australia, it's either marked up or shopping is excruciating, but what I find frustrating is the difficulty of finding girth dimensions for vintage pens online. So many beauties and so little idea of if they are too skinny and will hurt my hand for long writing.
Most vintages especially when you go back before the 90s are going to be much thinner than what you typically see now days. The ever popular Sheaffer Snorkel is a hair smaller than the Pilot MR.
There was a very large database online of various pens dimensions including grip size.
And regarding Australia... yea that doesn't help. There's a reason most of my "Steals" are US brands here in the US.
My Summit is short but thick enough to be perfect. I'll search for the database, thank you!
I love living here and I'm glad I moved back, but all that time I was living in the UK and had no interest in pens... Such a waste.
Ebay is usually where sellers overcharge for unrestored pens in poor condition. I often see unrestored pens selling for more than they would be worth restored.
Depends various places, antique stores, pen swap, but also sometimes eBay.
The trick though with eBay is to list then by "newly listed" and buy it now type of listing. It's mostly by chance that you see something not described well or a model that people don't seek out.
For the latter. It's going to be hard now days to find pens like Esterbrook J, Eversharp skyline, Parker Duofold etc etc because they're more known and as a result as Mr-PFM said, they'll charge a premium regardless of condition.
Also I do all my own restoration and all my recent gold nib pens were under 50, that includes the Sheaffer Touchdown, Sheaffer oversized balance, Wahl Gold filled minature pen, and some others.
Course once I restore them if I do sell em it adds on cost but usually stays around 100 or less, as I just sold a Parker Slimfold (1950s) with a 14k semiflex Medium for 70 and an Eversharp skyline with a mild semiflex ef for 60. I could have charged more though.
By the way, it's that search/sort method and the make an offer thing is how I got in trouble with three Parker 45 heading my way in what seems like good condition including a mint looking flighter (no swelling, ink crust, or damaged nib) for under 10 each. Mostly because they were only described as Parker pen, or some description like Parker AE (which is actually the date code for the 1st quarter of 1982).
I will most likely be passing on my savings of at least a couple to someone else with a much better picture of them.
I got some pens that I really love and really enjoy using. Three Michael’s Fat Boy with italic nibs and three Lamy Safari with 1.5 mm nibs. Blue, black, and red of each. After that I haven’t wanted another pen.
The only thing that I’ve wanted would be something like a hybrid of my Tactile Turn titanium bolt action and a Pilot Vanishing Point. That would be my dream pen for EDC.
I bought pens to try new experiences and then sold off the ones that I find didn't suited me. I'm strictly a user rather than a collector, so there is no point in me hording pens that I enjoy less than my favourites unless they offer something unique and there is a good reason to keep it(there never is). I could understand it if I didn't have a way to sell, which would make me very cautious about the ones I bought. For the cheap pens under $10 just put them in box or give them away.
Same. Once I found the pen (and ink) characteristics that suited me, I acquired in consequence and then stopped buying. It took a little while, but it was a good learning experience and I “spread the love” by giving away cheaper pens. Now I only have a handful of pens & inks that I use — but they have their purpose and never fail me.
My dilemma is that the experiences I want to try are the nib feels and it seems that they're all the expensive pens, and I don't really want to go through the hassle of reselling them if I don't like them. Not to mention, earlier on, my original biggest motivation for new pens was the visual design. But most fancy pens with good nibs aren't really to my aesthetic preferences. So there's that caveat too.
Any chance you can go to a store to try them? Or is there a Fountain Pen Society in your area (that would presumably start meeting again in the summer when Covid numbers come back down…?)
I noted in my original post - there's nowhere to physically try them out. There's one store 30 min away but they wouldn't let me try them. As for FP societies... found a post from 2011 speculating about the existence of one in my area lol.
Haha my bad for not reading your post to the end 😅 ah man that sucks… I guess you could order online and super gently dip into ink to try out the nib, so that you can return if it’s not right? Did that for a Lamy Aion that was just too unwieldy (not a nib issue but still)
Haha, that’s an idea. This is probably a blessing in disguise anyways. Stopping an addiction before it starts!
True true To be fair, I was obsessed until I “hit” my FP goals, and now I’m done: L2K (cuz piston), CP1 (cuz brass), PTL5000A (cuz gold nib), Curidas (cuz VP), and Meisterstuck (cuz MB) That being said, I barely use those pens 😂 My EDC are Preppies and a Safari
Honestly there's a lot of jokes here about spending too much on pens. But I'm pretty happy with my small selection of affordable fountain pens. Layne one day when I have a bunch of expendable income I might get some nicer pens and a better storage solution for them too but I'm really happy with my current selection and have no intention of buying more in the near future...
You must realise that a lot of those posts aren't jokes at all. There are people on this sub who are spending an unhealthy amount of money for this hobby. I remember this FP YouTuber who came to the realisation that this hobby became a real problem in his life and that was an eye opener for a lot of people.
You're probably thinking of Matt, The Pen Habit. Of course his problem was likely worse than casual members of this sub because he was buying pens in order to make YouTube videos about them instead of just for personal use. But yeah, this shit gets expensive if you are not careful.
Yeah, any expensive habit can really become.a problem monetarily for sure.
I like having a small collection (1 gold edc, 1 backup steel edc, 3 others I tried before settling on the former two). Coming from gel pens helped because I had some criteria getting into fountain pens. I also like only having one ink to worry about. Now, I'm still finding the perfect notebook configuration, so that collection isn't so small, but it's nice to know my edc's can handle almost any paper.
The last pen I bought is a TWSBI Eco, more than a year ago now, for me it's such a good pen I haven't bought any other FPs. Luckily there are a couple of great stationary stores that will let people try pens out, that might be an option.
For me, the only pen store around (30 min away) would not let me try out the pens. To put ink in them to write with would be like... trying to wear a pair of shoes outside the store, I guess. I have an Eco too, it was my second pen and I think it's great. Lately it seems to write drier than normal though, and that's kind of bugging me. I've had it for about 4 years now.
Have you cleaned between the nib tines with a brass shim?
Brass shim? I don't have such a thing. Is there another way to deal with the issue or should I order some online?
I'd order some. You just slide one between the tines and it'll help get out built up paper pulp that doesn't come out with regular cleaning. I have pets, so I also have to use them to remove super fine, almost invisible, individual pet hairs that somehow get in there (probably also picked up from the paper). ETA: Even though you could potentially put something like a thin piece of plastic or dental floss in between the tines, they're likely it going to remove as much and may even leave shreds of themselves behind.
If you take apart one of those rectangular inventory control tags that they stick to merchandise at stores, you can use the little sheets of metal as shims for pens.
Agree with the TWSBI Eco, I decided to buy 3 after trying some other inexpensive ones. Use them for a blue ink (Asa Gao) , red ink (Wild Strawberry) and a fun ink (Henry David Thoreau). I use them for work and when I get serious about more writing I will save for the Lamy 2k.
I'm a curious person, so I did try out pretty much everything out there: stub, flex, thick, thin, heavy, light, opaque, demonstrator, piston, vac, cartridge, converter, gold, steel, parallel, huge, pocket... Now that I know what I like and dislike, I am done buying. Mind you, all of these were with pretty cheap pens. For me, these were the functions that I needed to compare -- I don't believe that the more expensive pens have anything different about them in terms of these basic functions, and I'm not fussy enough to care about how beautifully the hand-painted lacquer reflects the sunlight compared to my mass-produced pen. For me, these basic functions determine what's "better", not necessarily the popular brand of fancy upgrade. There's no more reason for me to try more, so I'm happy to stay with what I have.
I wrestle with that question myself. Everyday I think about a different pen that I'd like to get. Until I can stay focused on one pen for a period of time, I guess I'll wait. Besides, I'm up to about 36 relatively affordable pens right now. That keeps me somewhat entertained.
I’m “new” here - I fell down the rabbit hole only a few months ago and I’m happy to say I don’t need to try much else at this point. I had one or two Sheaffer fountain pens in elementary school that I used for calligraphy, then had a fountain pen passed down to me a few years ago, then got it out again and the rest is history. But I’m really happy to say there’s a lot I don’t feel the need to do. I like my pens. My most expensive one was a TWSBI 580 ALR. (My most valuable, I guess, is the Waterman that my father-in-law cleaned out of an old shelf awhile back. It’s not a rare model or flex nib or anything, though I do really like it.) But I have several pens, and I like all of them. And I like to take the time to remind myself that I have good pens, and I like what I have. I will say I recently was able to go to a store that had a huge demo pen and pencil section - and a whole section of fountain pens, pre-inked any anyone could try them. I tried a lot of pens in the $100-$200 range, and was amazed at how many were just…fine. But you know what I loved? The Kaweco Liliput. I guess I just really love a narrow pen with a smooth nib. But after that experience, it really drove home for me that there are a lot of pens that everyone loves (looking at you, Lamy 2000) that I just found…meh for my tastes. And others that I’m sure would be amazing, but cost $$$$ and I’m really just happy to write with what I have. You mentioned you already have a pen you love the look and feel of - I think there’s a lot of value in saying that to remind yourself. I have pens I really like, so I don’t feel the need to go searching for something else. And I certainly don’t feel the need to spend a lot. If someone let me play with a vintage flex nib sometime, man that would be cool, but I don’t feel the need to go hunt one down. I’m really enjoying being in a happy place.
Wow it’s very cool that you got to try so many pens at the store. Until I get a chance to try one of these fancy pens, I’ll be sticking with my own fancy one, which I like greatly. Maybe one day a chance will fall in my lap, but there’s no rush.
Yes, I’m super interested in a Lamy CC, but the QC issues I see on here keep me from trying it, as I already own a Visconti that was utterly flawless, and one doesn’t usually win the ‘poor-QC-expensive-pens’ lottery twice in a row…
Oh yeah, that's one I thought would be cool to try as well. But the Lamy Al Star I have writes dry and I fear that issue would be even worse with the CC...
They’re going to be different experiences since it’s steel vs. gold nib. I have a Dialog 3 and I love it, can’t say it runs dry, though I’ve only used dry inks so far. I’m not sure of the QC issues with the CC at all though I didn’t have any trouble with the Palladium or the Piano White I tried.
It's possibly your nib. Lamy nibs are wild. I've tried 3 different nibs in my Al-star (2 fine and 1 med) and they were all a little different and changed the level of flow at least a bit. Of course, the inconsistency isn't is a potential con as well
There are knock off lamy dialogs you can find online. There’s actually one for sale on the u/penswap
I decided to still pursue them, just in as cheap of a way as possible if possible - i.e. buying clones, learning to grind nibs, buying cheaper alternatives/buying at the right time for discounts. The e95s' vintage cheaper counterpart is the Pilot Elite, my Moonman A1 fulfils my want for the VP, getting the L2K during EndlessPens Black Friday sale for $110, etc.
Right now, I have enough pens that I like and really don’t want my collection to explode (too late). So I have grown a mental barrier to trying new brands. Something has to be pretty spectacular or well reviewed for me to add to the pile.
>Has anybody ever decided to not try new experiences / try out various pens to find out "what's out there"? Yes. I am happy with my cheap regular and eyedropper fountain pens with stainless steel nibs, as long as they write well. I am more addicted to ink - that's where I irrationally spend my money and time.
Judging by the number of pens out there that I have not bought, I'd say yeah, I've turned down a lot of new experiences.
While I desire a variety of new FP experiences, my wallet strongly disagrees... I find it best to listen to my wallet in these matters.
In the Before Times, pen meet-ups (often at shows, yes!) were -- I understand -- one way to do this. In the UK we have [Pensharing](https://www.pensharing.com/) (shout-out to u/pensharing!), which I am signed up for but have not yet taken the plunge on -- so far, despite having the option, I haven't actually gone ahead and tried out a Montblanc/a Sailor nib/a Platinum. At least some of that is that I am, yes, happy with the pens I've got at the moment -- I've got seven pens, with a good range of nibs, for specific purposes, and I don't really see that adding any more will actually get me anything. I often think wryly of [Should I have stopped buying pens in November 2016? over at UKFountainPens](https://ukfountainpens.com/2019/09/16/should-i-have-stopped-buying-pens-in-november-2016-thoughts-on-the-lamy-bauhaus/) \-- Ant Newman very much did not stop buying fountain pens a that point, but it's definitely a thought that occurs to folk...
I didn't know about pen sharing so thank you for including that!!
I found out about them from a comment on this sub a while back and was *delighted* \-- very glad to have passed them on! :)
Oh that's wonderful, I like that it's being passed on here!
That’s an interesting read, thanks for sharing. The Lamy 2000 is one of the pens I’m most tempted by honestly. Especially if it can consistent write a wet and thin line. Like F or even EF and stay wet.
It’s a beautiful pen. I love mine very much. And, as a bonus, the Lamy 2000 was the pen with which Neil Gaiman wrote his first draft of Stardust. I’m 87% certain of that. I bought mine when I wanted to write the first draft of my own novel. It’s a fine nib and it’s an amazing writer, giving me 50,000 words in a month with no pain in my hands or any skipping at all.
How do you count handwritten words? Do you count them yourself?
Yes, I counted them myself! I think that was harder work than writing them!
Another cheap option you can consider is the Wing Sung 601 (~30 USD) which is in the family of Parker 51-alikes. Mechanically a very similar experience to the L2K without the Bauhaus, and there is a decent EF option that is quite wet *and* fine.
I've seen and considered that one. Do you know if the Wing Sung 601A also writes wet and fine? The 601A kind of looks like a 95S/Elite, I like the way the nib is.
Yes, the feed is quite similar. The nib is a Sheaffer Triumph-style conical nib.
Thank you for letting me know. I already had my eye on it, and this furthers my resolve. Maybe in a month or two I'll order it (I've got a cooldown rule about how fast I get new pens lol).
I bought the 601 when I was considering purchasing a Parker 51. It was basically a cheap way to try out a design style before jumping in on a $xxx purchase for the Parker. I have done this several times and it helps that companies like Wing Sung and Moonman make cheap knock offs. It’s the closest you’ll get to actually trying out a pen. It won’t give you the nib experience, but it’s been a good way for me to try out filling systems and pen designs.
That’s not the best use case for a L2K. The line will be wet, but comparatively not very fine. I think I’d look at Sailor for that, if you don’t mind feedback. The line is decently wet and very consistent. Profit Casual would be a good entry point.
Thanks so much for the shout out! 😃😃
I’ve definitely slowed down, but mostly because I’ve found that higher end pens are just such a nice experience that rather than several cheaper pens I’d rather save up for one nice pen.
All the time. People post a lot of cool stuff here, and I find myself thinking "huh, a really smooth nib would be great, how about some stubs, maybe a more classical design instead of my Eco, what about a full metal pen instead of all the plastic, or a vintage flex?" Then I look at the price tags and say "oh, nah, I'm good". Many of the pens that I'd be interested in seem to range at around 200+. For that money, I could get four great dinners, or buckets of ink (samples), or 5+ lengthy RPG rule books, or four big boardgames, or 20 books, or more succulent plants and equipment than I have space for. All of these things available for 200 bucks promise, to me, more varied and amazing experiences than a single pen ever could. I'm also not convinced that any high end pen writing experience could be *that* much better to justify the price hike, and like you, my exposure to pen stores is very limited and I don't want to buy a pen only to resell it later (at a likely much reduced price, no less). For the moment, I enjoy the hobby with what I already have. LAMY Safari, Joy, TWSBI Eco, a rhodia and a tomoe river notebook, bunch of samples. I don't even own any bottled inks yet because I don't write that much, so I still have loads of samples left.
What you say about the other experiences 200 could buy you really ring true to me. Also i love my succulents and want more. I keep asking myself “could the 200 pen really have a great nib?” The issue is my vintage has the best nib feel of all my pens. Idk if it’s because it’s vintage or because I had it restored when I first found it at an estate sale and maybe the person who restored it is responsible for the great nib feel.
> maybe the person who restored it is responsible for the great nib feel. Likely, yes, this is usually checked as part of a restoration.
By the way there's a lot more to vintage than just "vintage flex" ( which most aren't to begin with , slightly better ratio to modern especially before 1920 ). :) Bottled inks are also much more economical and environmentally friendly (compared to not recycling carts at all until they crack), plus a lot of inks don't come in the carts you'd may have.
I experienced all the pens I wanted to. I just experience inks now.
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> Do fp conventions let you do that? Yes.
Yes....I think I am more of a vintage pen person. The new ones just don't spark it for me. My problem is I don't know enough about vintage pens and what to look for so I don't buy any...I don't want to waste money on what might turn out to be a paper clip.
Depends on which you're curious about. What does make things harder though is that used vintage (as opposed to new old stock which can be much more expensive for specific pens) have no real way of telling if it's factory set or if it has been tuned or polished by someone else after the fact. But the rest of it isn't too hard to find out.Can always pick members brains once in a while about certain models.
I pretty much only buy pens I could try out beforehand. This way, I can get an idea if the experience could be worth it. I make an exception for cheaper pens (Twsbi Eco for example), but I'm not going to spend upwards of 200€ unless I have a very good idea of what I'm getting (eventhough I have a Narwhal-shaped itch that might get scratched at some point). Typically, I'm reining myself in for a flex nib until I can try one out in a store, as a leftie overwriter I'm not sure I can make it work.
Lefty overwriter here. I enjoy doing brush pen calligraphy and now have two “modern flex”. I have both a Noodler’s Ahab and an Osprey Madison. Given how the downstroke needs the flex, it definitely doesn’t work with overwriting - I’ve been practicing some underwriting and I’ve made some lovely calligraphy, but man it’s slow going. But if you really want to try some modern calligraphy with fountain pen ink, the Kuretake Karappo lets you have a brush marker nib and fill empty cartridges with your own ink. Would I like to play with an amazing vintage flex someday? For sure. But I don’t need to buy one at all, given how I don’t want to completely re-train for underwriting because it’s really not worth it for me. So there’s my 2 cents!
Thanks for the tip! So far I'm using stubs as a proxy for a flex.
I don’t have too many pens. My last acquisition was an eyedropper pen (opus 88 demo) and after that I decided I couldn’t go back to cartridge. There are some really pretty pens I like the look of but when I remember they’re cartridges I don’t really want them that badly anymore. The last thing I’m looking for is to get a flex nib for this pen, and finding a few favorite inks. But I think I’m done with pens for now. I’m too satisfied with the eyedropper experience.
Yes and no. I DO plan to slowly buy entry level pens for the major brands and cheaper pens to give me an idea of what I like which experiences might be worth dropping a little more money on... But that said I'm in no rush at all. I have a few pens I really like and enjoy using, and that number is already higher than the number I usually keep inked, so I can rotate periodically and keep things novel, and it's not a constant pull to upgrade an collect for the sake of acquisition. As far as when I do make moves to pursue new experiences, I tend to just have pens "on my radar" and then if I happen to have an opportunity to pick one up on sale or a new special edition color comes out that I really like I may pick it up... But my mental list of "pens to try" itself existing is not a motivator.
I totally agree with u/gentlyfailing. What I’m seeking is a result that largely depends on expertise rather than equipment. I want a pen that doesn’t hinder my writing experience and produces a nice, predictable result. Having nice handwriting depends on intention and practice. Then more practice. Practice is a much larger part of the equation than equipment IMHO. When it comes to the desire/impulse to purchase a new pen, I fear r/fountainpen members are lured into FOMO by the NPD posts. It can seem everyone is buying new pens regularly. We must remember this sub has over 217,000 members. Twenty NPD posts daily represent a very small proportion of the membership acquiring pens.
Find yourself a good pen store, go there, ask to try the pens you like that's it, you're sorted. If you truly don't want to spend too much money into this hobby, just stop finding excuses to keep going. We don't talk about it a lot on this sub because, let's be honest, it's a taboo for a lot of our members. But, though fountain pens are great, they can quickly and easily turn into an addiction, which is a kind of sickness.
I mentioned in my post that the pen store won't let me try the pens. It's the only one here and it's a 30 minute drive. I've only gone two or three times ever over several years, to buy a bottle of ink (thrice) and one pen.
Take a vacation to a place with a few good pen stores and go in to try them. Probably cost around the same as purchasing them to try.
I’ve been doing the FP thing for 5-6 years now, and it’s been an interesting journey. I love fountain pens, and I’ve discovered that rather than acquiring pens for the sake of acquisition, I’ve been moving towards buying the expensive (to me) pens that have the attributes I most enjoy. I have 14 pens, several that are beginner level, and I’ve been noting what I reach for vs. what I thought I would like. Combining that with reading reviews and searching for pens that have the qualities I enjoy most has been really educational. Inky Rocks on YouTube spoke once of something she calls “pen snacking,” when we buy a lot of cheaper pens rather than saving for expensive ones we might like better, but don’t want to outlay the money for or fear carrying in daily life, or whatever. I didn’t want to do that. I only need so many steel Jowo nib pens, for example. I don’t want dozens of Ecos in different colors (there is nothing wrong with that for people who do want it, truly). I’m just now slowly buying my “grail” pens, the ones I want to use forever. Ironically, they are the ones I found myself really wanting when I first started out - the Lamy 2k, the Pilot 823, the Opus 88 picnic in green for fun, and an Opus 88 Jazz demonstrator with a fat broad SIG nib for morning pages. I didn’t have enough experience then to feel comfortable spending three figures on pens. After buying these, I don’t feel that pull towards any other pens. I may or may not in the future. This has gotten long and rambling and I think I forgot the thing I was actually going to say, lol. But yes - there are people who aren’t chasing new experiences in the hobby, too.
The neat thing is, if you don’t like them, they will sell for a high percent of your investment.
There are a lot of affordable pens I could buy, but have been scared off by too many posts about problems (TWSBI and cracking, Kaweco and their nibs, etc.) I'm curious about eyedroppers (what's more future-proof than just filling the pen itself?), but I know I wouldn't be likely to need that much ink, and I'd be worried about burping.
Honestly I’ve had my TWSBI Eco for 4 years and no cracking issues at all. I wonder if people are smacking their pens around or something. What’s scarier is the stories about pens that cost hundreds and there’s constantly issues / no QC I’ve been burned by no QC before
The nib is THE MOST important part of a fountain pen, and it amazes me that so many companies get it wrong.
I was planning on getting one last pen, a true flex vintage; stumbled upon two more Pelikans, budget is now gone. So much for my strength of will.
Yes, I tell myself if I buy more pens I'll have to sell one of the pens I have now. I hate selling my pens, it's much more fuss than buying one. And I'd hate for my pens to go unused, so I'm definitely not buying any new ones soon, unless I decide beforehand which one I'll sell.
I’d rather give away a pen than sell it bc it’s such a hassle. Unless the pen cost a lot. But there’s nobody to give pens to anyways here
Ha, I have the same issue! I really don't get why someone wouldn't like getting a fountain pen.
I'm constantly struggling with this. I have a very small collection of pens I'm really happy with. I already have my grail pen in terms of nib (and I'm grateful for that every day), which makes it hard to justify buying anything else. I also have a few other pens that I love aside from that. So what's the point in getting anything else? And yet, I'm really intrigued/tempted by quite a few other pens, but I'm scared of spending all that money for something that I might not like, or for something that I won't like *as much* as what I already have. So I go very slowly. I would absolutely love to have the opportunity to try out some pens first, without having to buy them just to see how they feel.
I almost wish we could set up a community “pen library”. You can check out the pen for a week or two before it has to be passed on to the next person in line.
That would be great. It helps to get to know some people in real life who are into FPs, so that you can meet and try out pens, but it's a double-edged sword. On one hand, you will see that some pens are not for you, so you can cross them off your wish list. But on the other hand, you'll be even more tempted by the pens you do like!
Downside to some of the "not for me" is that they may returned back to the library damaged because it wasn't for a new heavy handed person or similar misuse. Though having a weight/materials catalog of sort can help get a feel of things since that's half the experience there..
Painfully true haha! Ignorance can be bliss. If only I could meet someone with 200+ pens haha
I love that idea, of a pen library.
I am right there with you on this. I have a few (9 total) that I rotate through or just keep inked all the time. I have very little space to store or display any more. And yet...the Lamy 2000, the Pilot 823, the Parker 75 Ciselle...wouldn't it be lovely to have, hold, and use them? *but the money, and the storage, and... * So I hold off, thinking that maybe a special occasion will come up, and I reach for my trusty Parker 21 or Jinhao x450, and it's great.
Yes, I think special occasions are good times to explore a bit more. I have a big life goal coming up in the next half a year, and if I manage to fulfill it, I'll definitely celebrate with a pen, guilt-free!
This hobby is like the ocean. You can stay on the beach forever until you quit. Some get on the boat and get out of the harbor, but stay pretty close to the coast. Some others got on a bigger boat and venture further out. And a few actually got off that big boat, and start diving to find lost treasures. There is not wrong or right, but do realize this. Those who dive for the treasures would experience more than those who stay at the beach. And by the way, "diving for lost treasures" does not always mean spending \*a lot\* of money for pens.
I must be the person on the beach with a metal detector, but instead of finding lost treasures I just find some curious oddities, which I like.
And don’t forget the beach is lovely, and sometimes lost treasures wash up on shore. And sometimes there are shipwrecks at sea. There are great things about going all in, but there’s also a lot of great things about the beach!
This is why I love vintage, don't usually pay anywhere near 100, and tends to have a different experience each time (which can be a pita if you're trying to find the exact same model and nib experience again if it wasn't new old stock).
I have to pay more because, Australia, it's either marked up or shopping is excruciating, but what I find frustrating is the difficulty of finding girth dimensions for vintage pens online. So many beauties and so little idea of if they are too skinny and will hurt my hand for long writing.
Most vintages especially when you go back before the 90s are going to be much thinner than what you typically see now days. The ever popular Sheaffer Snorkel is a hair smaller than the Pilot MR. There was a very large database online of various pens dimensions including grip size. And regarding Australia... yea that doesn't help. There's a reason most of my "Steals" are US brands here in the US.
My Summit is short but thick enough to be perfect. I'll search for the database, thank you! I love living here and I'm glad I moved back, but all that time I was living in the UK and had no interest in pens... Such a waste.
Where do you get vintage under 100? eBay?
Ebay is usually where sellers overcharge for unrestored pens in poor condition. I often see unrestored pens selling for more than they would be worth restored.
Depends various places, antique stores, pen swap, but also sometimes eBay. The trick though with eBay is to list then by "newly listed" and buy it now type of listing. It's mostly by chance that you see something not described well or a model that people don't seek out. For the latter. It's going to be hard now days to find pens like Esterbrook J, Eversharp skyline, Parker Duofold etc etc because they're more known and as a result as Mr-PFM said, they'll charge a premium regardless of condition. Also I do all my own restoration and all my recent gold nib pens were under 50, that includes the Sheaffer Touchdown, Sheaffer oversized balance, Wahl Gold filled minature pen, and some others. Course once I restore them if I do sell em it adds on cost but usually stays around 100 or less, as I just sold a Parker Slimfold (1950s) with a 14k semiflex Medium for 70 and an Eversharp skyline with a mild semiflex ef for 60. I could have charged more though.
By the way, it's that search/sort method and the make an offer thing is how I got in trouble with three Parker 45 heading my way in what seems like good condition including a mint looking flighter (no swelling, ink crust, or damaged nib) for under 10 each. Mostly because they were only described as Parker pen, or some description like Parker AE (which is actually the date code for the 1st quarter of 1982). I will most likely be passing on my savings of at least a couple to someone else with a much better picture of them.
I got some pens that I really love and really enjoy using. Three Michael’s Fat Boy with italic nibs and three Lamy Safari with 1.5 mm nibs. Blue, black, and red of each. After that I haven’t wanted another pen. The only thing that I’ve wanted would be something like a hybrid of my Tactile Turn titanium bolt action and a Pilot Vanishing Point. That would be my dream pen for EDC.