Friday, November 7, 2014

Fountain Pen Day

Never heard of it before today: Fountain Pen Day.

My favorite OCA pen post: Five pens.

[In my pocket this first Friday of November, a Lamy Safari.]

comments: 8

The Crow said...

I never heard of it either, but what a great celebratory day! I have three in my briefcase this morning: an old Parker, bought in the early-1970s, yellow plastic barrel with shiny silver-colored cap, fine point nib, inexpensive; a newer Parker 'Sonnet', sleek, heavy in the hand, thick-walled black plastic barrel and cap with gold-colored trim, cost about twenty times more than the old one; finally, a Cross, bought as a graduation gift for grandson who doesn't like fountain pens, chunky cap with tapering barrel in deep teal metal with chrome fittings, medium tip, well balanced despite its top-heavy design, but nib doesn't hold ink very well, so this one doesn't get used too often.

Of the three, I like the new Parker best, as much for its hand-feel and consistent ink flow - which allows me to pause for thought and not have to start the flow again - as for its classic design. (Wish I could have bought it for the same price I paid for the old yellow one - which also holds ink and has its original nib and other fittings.) Each pen is convertible, but as soon as I can find the inks I used to love, I'll go back to bladders and the siphon.

So, let's hear it for fountain pens! Hip-hip-yay!

Michael Leddy said...

I’ve always liked the Sonnet, esp. the Cisele. Alas, my pen-acquiring days are pretty much done. (Enough!)

Pendemonium is a great source if you need ink. My only connection is that of a happy customer.

The Crow said...

Michael, thanks for the link to Pendemonium. Such colors! Visiting their pages made me feel like when I was a kid standing in front of the penny-candy display - what to buy first?

Michael Leddy said...

I just saw in my e-mail: Pendemonium is offering 25% off everything today for FP Day. You have to use their order form.

Michael Leddy said...

Martha, I hope you see this today — I don’t have your e-mail or I'd have e-mailed you.

Geo-B said...

Although I carry everyday in my pocket two fountain pens, one a Rotring (German), I use pretty exclusively a Waterman (French) which is a discontinued model. I think it cost around $ 350 and I've bought a bunch. The secret is that I think people once gave fountain pens to people who retired or reached a certain level of accomplishment. I think they might have used it once or twice, found it wasn't worth the bother, and put it on the shelf. So now someone (maybe estate dealers) offers them for a hundred on EBAY, essentially an old but unused pen.

The Crow said...

Michael, that was an offer to folks who've given their email to Pendemonium, which I now have done so that I'll be included in their next big sale.

sofie dot onecrow at gmail dot com

Michael Leddy said...

George, yes, the-pen-in-drawer syndrome. I’ve been to,d that the arrival of the ballpoint sent many pens into retirement.

Martha, oh well. I saw no code to use and thought it was for everyone.