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Am I flying ? That rules out a few of my vintage pens that don’t travel well. How long will I be away? Pen’s ink capacity becomes a consideration.
Last week I attended a conference out of state. I chose an old Parker 75, a Lamy Studio and a Lamy Safari. Also a couple of Clairefontaine notebooks but that’s another story.
At the conference I pulled out my Lamy Studio to start making notes. It soon became the conversation point with two fellow delegates somewhat taken aback that people still use fountain pens. When was the last time someone asked you about the ballpoint you were using? It doesn’t happen.
We talked about why fountain pens are still made and why I would choose to write with one (several actually).
Fountain pens really have character. I find that using a fountain pen actually helps me write. It becomes an extension of my hand as you get a response from writing with a nib rather than a small ball that adds nothing to your writing experience.
You can feel the nib on the paper – in fact the combination of the two works together to provide the writing experience. I find a ballpoint just rolls over the paper. It’s a boring experience for me. Try a fountain pen and you will soon understand what I mean.
You can’t just write any old way with a fountain pen. You need to have the pen on the right writing angle to get that smooth flow of ink to paper. A ballpoint just lets you write anyway you want. No character, no feeling.
If you haven’t tried a fountain pen since you were at school (showing my age now), or maybe you have never had the experience at all, then now is the time to take that step.