Fountain Pens!

[callmeishmael]

I figured I can't be the only armadillo who loves fountain pens!

It honestly makes my day to take notes, simply due to the pleasure that is writing with a fountain pen.

So what are your thoughts armadillos? Have you tried them? A dedicated user? A former addict? I'm merely checking out the general interest/views. (I hope it's not just me who's fascinated by them)

[Silva]

Well, in my literary magazine class, the first years have to dabble with pen and ink. Maybe it was because we had to draw birds and types of line methods like hatching and crosshatching, but I really disliked it. I blotted all over the place. As a matter of fact I should scan comparisons between my friend's and mine.

[callmeishmael]

I could see how that would kill it.

I always just loved smooth, heavy inked pens. So when I realized I could have a nice one that was even smoother than the uniball visions I was going through, I was hooked.

Sorry you don't get the same joy from them. Like I said, it honestly makes my day just to take notes when I use my pen.

[krista]

To my immediate knowledge, I've never used fountain pens. However, I do have some of my own favorite pens to use.

I grabbed a few tacky pens from my college's paper during one of their free giveaways. They are obscene colors and have my college's logo on them. However, I could not love them more if I wanted to! I hope I'm able to use them for a few more months until they become dry. Once that happens, I'll have to go back and scour Staples until I find a new favorite.

[Dodger Thirteen]

They stain my fingers, but I like to think that's an act of love.

[callmeishmael]

I stained my fingers pretty well and left some nice giant blotches in the middle of my notebooks when I first started using one. Now if I get ink on my fingers it's simply because I'm being careless.

I can honestly say my 65euros were completely well spent either way. I'll write this pen into the ground.

[Dodger Thirteen]

I hold my pen too close to the tip because I get the best lines that way. Holding it farther up is just awkward to me. But anyway, since I hold it at the tip, I stain my fingertips for days.

[callmeishmael]

That would definitely do it. You should look into pens with hooded nibs if you really like the way they write despite the ink problem.

I've never used one, but it seems like it would solve your problem. Just give "hooded fountain pens" a nice google and check 'em out.

[embonpoint]

I've never actually had one, but I've tried one a couple of times. I don't really like them because I feel like I should have beautiful writing to do the pen justice, when actually, the pen just makes my writing look even worse.
I use fine-tipped Bic biros pretty much exclusively.

[Olive]

I've never gotten a chance to try one, but I would love to at some point.

Also, someone mentioned Uni-Ball. I am obsessed with my Uni-Ball micros. Seriously, I nearly tear up every time one stops working (which is rare).

[leonwingstein]

I have a bunch of disposable fountain pens and use them CONSTANTLY. They are so much better than a ballpoint. I love the way that they work, and the way that they flow...

And I use them even though they puke their ink on my fingers.

[callmeishmael]

They write so smoothly, it's just great.
Even though my writing is atrocious and barely legible in the first place, and it tends to make my writing even sloppier.

Plus I never write in cursive, but when I do, seeing it written with a fountain pen is so beautiful.

[andy]

I've always written in cursive with a fountain pen so that's sort of demystified them for me, but they're definitely my writing instrument of choice. Though I prefer the lighter plastic ones to the heavier metal models, they're more comfortable to write with for long periods of time.

[callmeishmael]

I personally use a lighter bodied pen as well. I can't stand writing with something that weighs more than my fingers.
I think my excitement over fountain pen cursive is due to the fact that my cursive looks horrendous in general, but it can look very professional if I use a better pen and take my time.

[Silva]

Due to all your enthusiasm, I am going to spend some of my graduation money on fountain pens and try writing rather than drawing with them. Hopefully I'll like it this time around.