My most prized pens are from (community) banks for which I have worked on various assignments; hierarchy of pens (usually purloined from a restaurant):
Bank that failed
Bank I worked on the sale of
Bank I worked on an acquisition for
Bank that was otherwise a strategic advisory client
Bank with an amusing story or name (or both)
I also have a Mont Blanc in a drawer somewhere (a gift) filled with purple ink a la Enzo (for purple prose, obviously)
I like the idea of having an expensive pen. When I achieve a position in our office that does NOT sit directly in front of the main door where taxpayers come in to politely complain, I will look into having a fancy pen sitting on my desk to write reprimands for my underlings. Until then, I'll keep using the very fine and yet still inexpensive Mujirushi pens I bought in Japan.
They're the same. The kanji in their name confused me when I lived there, I thought it was called Muji Ryuushin, but it's actually Mujirushi Ryouhin. They like to refer to themselves as "MUJI" but all caps makes it seem like they're shouting at me.
The father-son aspect sounds awesome. Working with my father has been far more valuable to me than I thought it'd be when I look back on it. Didn't enjoy it as a kid (being around someone who is in the process of doing a 100 point restoration of a Duesenberg, Lagonda or Rolls Royce had him come across as a bit on edge) but as an adult I am conscious of the fact he won't be able to do this forever.
At least he's going to help me do the bodywork on the Miata!
Right-handers like myself were too busy clearing cat litter boxes. I will most likely put this on my wish list. Ironically my handwriting is sometimes legible.
As someone who labors sometimes manually as well as with a laptop, I cannot be bothered to carry anything with a brand name fancier than Paper-Mate. But I was waiting for the comment that would remind us that the Apollo program revised the laws of gravity where pens were concerned!
It wasn't just fountain pens for me. All pens had ink that did not dry immediately so I adopted a "you write weird" style of writing with my hand curled above the lines I was writing. I think most lefty's have this style to varying degrees. However, the most extreme case I have ever seen is Tony Kanaan. Watch the letter to fans video from the last Indy 500. It is most impressive.
If you're inclined to experiment, I love the Uni SXR-7 0.7mm refill in the Smooth. I found it much smoother than the Pilot G2 refill the pen shipped with. It's also available in 0.5mm (SXR-5) and 1.0mm (SXR-10) sizes.
The SXR-5 is my ink! I switched to it a few years ago, after going through ~3 or so SXR-7s. My handwriting is so sloppy, the 0.5mm ink makes it a lot easier to read what I write. The SXR-7 is way smoother, but I'm just not disciplined enough to make full use of it.
Went to the website and didn't see the "Ironsides" as an option.
Don't want to date myself but I remember the good old days in Catholic grade school. Fountain pens were required which was a real problem with being a lefty. I now realize that the Nuns weren't trying to convert me to being a righty to save me from hell, it was because my papers were always a smudged mess. Of course the main competition at recess was to see who could get the ink from the cartridge to squirt the farthest by stomping on them.
When I was a mere lad in public school in the 80s I remember having to use a fountain pen once or twice. My kids' teachers have not put that item on their list of school supplies. Oldest is entering 8th grade this fall.
They do pens as limited runs -- so it will return at some point. At various times in the past year they've probably had ten different materials for sale.
I purchased one of these last year. It too took many months and a couple of nudges to get to me, but I had the same reaction upon receiving the thing. Also, I was very surprised to get prompt (sub fifteen minute) responses even when emailing late at night on the west coast. The inks are amazing as well. I love it.
Being a lefty, I cannot use fountain pens. Being a compulsive sort (I have 80-odd ballpoint and gel ink pens), this is probably for the best, given the price of nice fountain pens.
As to ballpoint pens, I *highly* recommend the pen made by Sunderland Machine Works if it ever resumes production (or anyone reading this happens upon one somewhere). It is beautifully machined from aluminum and an absolute joy to hold and to use. It is on par with Kelvin's Smooth Precision Pens but with a bit more heft. Made in Pennsylvania.
I also “collect” pens, of a sort.
My most prized pens are from (community) banks for which I have worked on various assignments; hierarchy of pens (usually purloined from a restaurant):
Bank that failed
Bank I worked on the sale of
Bank I worked on an acquisition for
Bank that was otherwise a strategic advisory client
Bank with an amusing story or name (or both)
I also have a Mont Blanc in a drawer somewhere (a gift) filled with purple ink a la Enzo (for purple prose, obviously)
For years I've referred to Huntington Bank as the pen supplier to the world. They pop up everywhere.
They don’t fit my criteria because I’ve never worked for them!
I also have a few others from various resorts, restaurants, etc. But everyone has those little tchotchkes.
I like the idea of having an expensive pen. When I achieve a position in our office that does NOT sit directly in front of the main door where taxpayers come in to politely complain, I will look into having a fancy pen sitting on my desk to write reprimands for my underlings. Until then, I'll keep using the very fine and yet still inexpensive Mujirushi pens I bought in Japan.
Are Muji and Mujirushi different pen companies?
They're the same. The kanji in their name confused me when I lived there, I thought it was called Muji Ryuushin, but it's actually Mujirushi Ryouhin. They like to refer to themselves as "MUJI" but all caps makes it seem like they're shouting at me.
Cool. I like Japanese pens and buy a lot of those as well.
I'm totally and shamelessly biased in favor of Japan. Half my family is Japanese, after all.
The father-son aspect sounds awesome. Working with my father has been far more valuable to me than I thought it'd be when I look back on it. Didn't enjoy it as a kid (being around someone who is in the process of doing a 100 point restoration of a Duesenberg, Lagonda or Rolls Royce had him come across as a bit on edge) but as an adult I am conscious of the fact he won't be able to do this forever.
At least he's going to help me do the bodywork on the Miata!
Hmm. Sinisters are overrepresented in the comment section. Selection bias?
There are a LOT of you, aren't there?
Right-handers like myself were too busy clearing cat litter boxes. I will most likely put this on my wish list. Ironically my handwriting is sometimes legible.
All us lefties have to make do with Fisher Space Pens in order to feel special.
My son just made Technical Sergeant in the CAP and I had a Fisher Space Pen engraved for him.
As someone who labors sometimes manually as well as with a laptop, I cannot be bothered to carry anything with a brand name fancier than Paper-Mate. But I was waiting for the comment that would remind us that the Apollo program revised the laws of gravity where pens were concerned!
It wasn't just fountain pens for me. All pens had ink that did not dry immediately so I adopted a "you write weird" style of writing with my hand curled above the lines I was writing. I think most lefty's have this style to varying degrees. However, the most extreme case I have ever seen is Tony Kanaan. Watch the letter to fans video from the last Indy 500. It is most impressive.
As a Southpaw, I will never know the joy of writing with a fountain pen.
We'd never make it as calligraphers, that's for sure.
Might buy one for the wife who loves pens.
I will get by with my Smooth Precision pen in copper with G2 refills
If you're inclined to experiment, I love the Uni SXR-7 0.7mm refill in the Smooth. I found it much smoother than the Pilot G2 refill the pen shipped with. It's also available in 0.5mm (SXR-5) and 1.0mm (SXR-10) sizes.
The SXR-5 is my ink! I switched to it a few years ago, after going through ~3 or so SXR-7s. My handwriting is so sloppy, the 0.5mm ink makes it a lot easier to read what I write. The SXR-7 is way smoother, but I'm just not disciplined enough to make full use of it.
I'm also in the SXR-5 club!
Thank goodness us CORRECT HANDERS have a club to belong to.
Some times you want to go WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR HAND
I'm using and enjoying a .38mm but find the .5mm not too wide for my (awful) handwriting.
I'll check them out - no adapter needed?
Nope - drops right in. Uni makes refills as fine as .28mm, so there might be one that fine for the Smooth. Check JetPens.com
Nice .
I too am a southpaw, I learned that weird crab hold of writing instruments but I still write like a drunken retard, oh well .
Like many I tried fountain pens, too much fooling with them so I gave it up .
This one looks very nice .
-Nate
Went to the website and didn't see the "Ironsides" as an option.
Don't want to date myself but I remember the good old days in Catholic grade school. Fountain pens were required which was a real problem with being a lefty. I now realize that the Nuns weren't trying to convert me to being a righty to save me from hell, it was because my papers were always a smudged mess. Of course the main competition at recess was to see who could get the ink from the cartridge to squirt the farthest by stomping on them.
When I was a mere lad in public school in the 80s I remember having to use a fountain pen once or twice. My kids' teachers have not put that item on their list of school supplies. Oldest is entering 8th grade this fall.
They do pens as limited runs -- so it will return at some point. At various times in the past year they've probably had ten different materials for sale.
At least you got to use a pen. My Catholic school enforced pencils for pretty much everything all the way through eighth grade!
In post communist Russian elementary school you wrote the draft with pencil, and re-wrote it with blue ballpoint.
I agree with this.
Post 9/11 American public elementary school had us do the same thing... and in cursive.
ugh. want.
You guys are just flaunting your privilege......I'm left handed.
Ah, but does it write better than my 70 year old Parker 51 or Vacumatic?!
A little, yeah. You'd be surprised!
I purchased one of these last year. It too took many months and a couple of nudges to get to me, but I had the same reaction upon receiving the thing. Also, I was very surprised to get prompt (sub fifteen minute) responses even when emailing late at night on the west coast. The inks are amazing as well. I love it.
I have been an extremely loyal Noodler's customer since I started using fountain pens a few years ago, but may need to branch out a bit.
Being a lefty, I cannot use fountain pens. Being a compulsive sort (I have 80-odd ballpoint and gel ink pens), this is probably for the best, given the price of nice fountain pens.
As to ballpoint pens, I *highly* recommend the pen made by Sunderland Machine Works if it ever resumes production (or anyone reading this happens upon one somewhere). It is beautifully machined from aluminum and an absolute joy to hold and to use. It is on par with Kelvin's Smooth Precision Pens but with a bit more heft. Made in Pennsylvania.