What Do You Write With Your Fountain Pens?

[Jughead]

What does everybody write with their fountain pens?

Me? I've been collecting them for quite awhile and have a collection that can be described as ridiculous; at last count over 175 of the things.

Journaling and fountain pens seem to go hand-in-hand but I've never felt an urge to journal or be creative. I just like writing with different fountain pens using different inks and papers and I can count on one hand the number of different pens/nibs I didn't end up liking and got rid of. It's fair to say I'm not too picky about fountain pens: they can pretty much all write better than I can.

My current writing pastime is simply copying down the lyrics to all the Grateful Dead songs and that will keep me busy for awhile.

My only pen that "earns its keep" is the steel-nib Pilot Capless I use at work.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I have managed to stop at only two pens, a Pelikan M600 inked with Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, and a Cross Apogee inked with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red. I use them both every work day at my desk to make notes and reminders. I do write a journal and do not use a fountain pen at any other time, preferring a ballpoint for shopping lists etc. Welcomr to B&B

 

[blethenstrom]

What do I write with my fountain pens? Everything that I write is with fountain pens. All I use at work is fountain pens, I journal, I carry little notebooks with a small edc fountain pen instead of writing them on the phone. I find enjoyment in stepping away a bit from technology and use analog stuff.

 

[JCinPA]

Wow! 175!

I found I didn't enjoy the pens per se but that I write better with them. My handwriting still stinks, but it stinks less with fountain pens. I have some old Cross pens and some newer Chinese stuff, but the only ones I actually use are 3 Lamy pens, two mediums and a fine. They work for me. I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum from you on the collecting score.

I take work notes with it and keep a bullet journal.

 

[DesertIguana]

When I was working for Nation Life & Accident out of Nashville, in the San Fernando Valley I use a Cartridge Fountain Pen, with Green Ink to write DEBIT POLICIES. The manager& home office staff were frustrated with my Green Ink, I told them in so many works I was not changing, as the application was White & Green, plus my Green Ink was money in my pocket.

Quit after being offered promotion to Staff Manager, and having to work harder for less money. Promotion was not promotion. Never recall were that Lucky Green Inkv Pen went?"

 

[Saxonbowman]

Before I retired I used to take copious notes in the meetings I was forced to attend. I didn't need the notes but it was good handwriting practice. My writing still isn't any good.

 

[psfred]

I write in a journal quite a bit, and everything at work gets written in Noodler's Black with my trusty Sheaffer Statesman with PdAg accountant nib. My favorite pen -- I've been using it at work since 2007.

I have no idea how many pens I have (too many), but I only use Accountant, extra fine, or fine nibs. Anything wider I can't stand, nor can I read what I've written.

I should really sell off most of the pens I have, I won't use them anyway.

 

[gpjoe]

Thoughts, shopping lists, greeting cards, any random tidbit of info that may be useful at some point, notes from phone conversations, car maintenance log, to do lists, love notes (sometimes apology notes), doodling, labels for various jars and bottles (tobacco and aftershave storage), mail-in ballots, check writing (only when no other method of payment is accepted)...so everything...at home.

I've got maybe 15-20 pens, most solid entry-level pens: Lamy Safari and Al-Star, Pilot Metro, TWSBI Eco and Diamond 580AL, Parker IM, and a few Kaweco Sports including two brass, one F and one M...along with a pile of Jinhao pens. The great majority are M nibs.

I mostly use my brass Kaweco M and TWSBI 580AL M, and I rarely carry a pen. If I do, it's a throwaway, retractable gel pen.

 

[Leverspro]

I presently don't write anything with a fountain pen. I need to try again. I use pens a lot at work and I've tried many times to make fountains work for me, but have never been successful and I give up.

 

[KW Driver]

Pretty much everything. I keep a journal, used them in the office, pocket notebook for out and about that doesn’t always have a pocket fountain pen with it in the hot weather due to temp changes in and out. That gets a Sheaffer Jotter with a G2 gel that replaced a Fisher Space pen from back in the day.

I keep an M200, TWSBI mini, and a Kaweco sport inked. The last two as travelers, walking around pocket pens. all XF, maybe a F here and there.

My writing is legible and/or complemented. Which doesn’t seem to be a high bar or a huge accomplishment these days, so I don’t get a big head about it

 

[GaryTha]

24 08 17 I write my studies

 

[D.Gray]

I use my fountain pens for check writing (yes, I write about two to four checks a month). I also use my fountain pens for checkbook ledgers, signatures, signing credit card transactions, note taking, and even the occasional personal letter.

I have a 1.1mm stub nib Opus "Jazz" demonstrator eyedropper fill fountain pen and a Conklin Duragraph with the flex nib inked up currently.

 

[Vespasian]

I use one pen, a Kaweko Sport Classic, for everything. Herbin violet ink, in carts. I edit books; I am the last editor in captivity who edits pen-to-paper rather than on a computer screen. So my pen gets a real work-out. I do have a sterling silver Montegrappa that I use only occasionally, usually for writing a diary entry or writing a letter.

 

[Phil1-6]

I use my fountain pens for check writing (yes, I write about two to four checks a month). I also use my fountain pens for checkbook ledgers, signatures, signing credit card transactions, note taking, and even the occasional personal letter.

I have a 1.1mm stub nib Opus "Jazz" demonstrator eyedropper fill fountain pen and a Conklin Duragraph with the flex nib inked up currently.

I have six pens; the cheapest being a Parker Vacumatic knock-off from China. It's EF so it gets the task of writing my 4-6 checks a month as it is filled with a Noodler's blue-black that is somewhat water proof. I need to get back to journaling.

 

[The Blackadder]

I use them for grading my students’ tests and I also try to write encouraging letters for friends, colleagues and neighbors who are having a rough time, or also to congratulate them when they’ve had some good news

 

[Breen]

I have a collection of around two dozen modern fountain pens, and around half of that amount in vintage fountain pens. I've been using a fountain pen every day for work for note taking etc for the last ten years or so.

About a year ago I found a Waterman 55 and got the sac replaced and it's been my daily driver ever since.

 

[Tirvine]

I have managed to stop at only two pens, a Pelikan M600 inked with Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, and a Cross Apogee inked with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Red. I use them both every work day at my desk to make notes and reminders. I do write a journal and do not use a fountain pen at any other time, preferring a ballpoint for shopping lists etc. Welcomr to B&B

I used a Pelikan with Pelikan blue black when I worked, along with a Waterman inked with Waterman red for editing. These days the Pelikan writes the odd check, letters, lists, notes, and journal and calendar entries.

 

[Vacumatic]

I work in an industry where 90% of the people use fountain pens and most use the same color of ink throughout their career in order that they can recognise their signature or mark on any future document.

I have known of documents returned that have been signed in ballpoint to be resigned in FP. This request was a one-off by a US Lawyer who wanted some certainty on authenticity.

An aged friend has written a daily journal until recently, always with is P51. He has had to stop when he developed a cataract in one eye, attended hospital, they operated on the wrong eye.

Another friend has a daughter that he adores. Her wedding day was approaching and wanting something special for her. He tired and tried to improve his handwriting which became legible, he bought a beautiful leather bound journal and set out all his memories of her childhood and his hopes and dreams for her future. of course it was the best gift of the day.

 

[5whiskey]

I take notes during interviews, draw crime scene sketches, signature paperwork to approve it, write citations, write down scores and notes on the range during training... you know, the usual.

 

[Greglam]

Journal entries when I journal, random notes or thoughts through the day in a "brain dump" notebook that I keep with me most of the time, shopping lists, price tags for items I am selling at stamp or card shows, etc.