Anybody here not into vintage even after years of FP collecting/using?

[penwash]

The other day I wondered if there are people who collect pens for decades and *never* kept a vintage pen, and have absolutely no plan to acquire one.

(To be clear, by "vintage" I meant pre-1950)

Are you one of these? Or have you ever heard of someone that fits this description?

EDITED: Never once own a vintage pen is too extreme, what I meant was that they ended up not keeping it for whatever reasons.

[gwgtaylor]

I've been disappointed by vintage if that counts. I tried a few old Parkers and Sheaffers and don't see the appeal. I've sold what I can and given away the rest. Modern pens are more robust with bigger and prettier nibs. I also prefer the rigidity of modern nibs and particularly enjoy B and BB nibs.


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[SeminarianMike]

In all I also have been disappointed in the vintage I have bought. I really do want a nice vintage mb flex pen! Ahem ahem pen wash


God Bless You! Michael W. Howard

[Jon Szanto]

To each their own. I see very, very few contemporary pens that interest me, and many that actively repel me. I also find few that are in any way functionally superior to the best of the past, and many that don't even come close. Fortunately, there still seem to be enough for everyone!

[Sammyo]

The following is the opinion of Sammyo only and is not intended to reflect on the general populous of this forum... (please read with a sense of humour, as it is intended)

I have owned vintage pens and have no interest in getting anymore. Typically, in my experience, they are much more hassle and difficult to clean and maintain.
There is usually an element of "but I love the quirkyness of..."; "you just have to accept that with a pen this old..."; etc... I don't want that, I want a reliable pen, that is easy to clean and does not need to be re-sacked, or adjusted, or has to be sent to a specialist to repair. A pen that is available at a number of price points, but if you want a good one, you must keep it in a temperature controlled environment and only handle it with cotton gloves.
I understand why people love them; I understand why people covet them, some of the materials and nibs cannot be recreated or found in modern pens... but for me, personally, I am happy with the modern pens that are affordable, reliable and maintainable.

[SaoDavi]

I think in the olden days, all pens were fountain pens. As such, most of them were cheap; intended for the masses. Much like ballpoints are today.

Today, fountain pens (and mechanical watches) are generally luxury items. As such, they are more expensive and better made than the fountain pens of yore.

Heck, even cheap pens like the Metropoliran and Lamy Vista are better made than the cheap pens of yesteryear.

IMO, the only reason to own an old fountain pen is for nostalgia or history. They certainly aren't "better" than modern pens.

[katherine]

Not I. Bought an Ahab, then a Metro then pretty much my next ten pens were vintage. >____>

I find them much better value and more reliable than many modern pens.

[Jon Szanto]

I think in the olden days, all pens were fountain pens. As such, most of them were cheap; intended for the masses. Much like ballpoints are today.

Today, fountain pens (and mechanical watches) are generally luxury items. As such, they are more expensive and better made than the fountain pens of yore.

Heck, even cheap pens like the Metropoliran and Lamy Vista are better made than the cheap pens of yesteryear.

IMO, the only reason to own an old fountain pen is for nostalgia or history. They certainly aren't "better" than modern pens.

I think the above set of statements speaks of a very significant lack of experience with quality vintage pens. I'm sorry, but some of that is just flat-out wrong.

[Farmboy]

I think in the olden days, all pens were fountain pens. As such, most of them were cheap; intended for the masses. Much like ballpoints are today.

Today, fountain pens (and mechanical watches) are generally luxury items. As such, they are more expensive and better made than the fountain pens of yore.

Heck, even cheap pens like the Metropoliran and Lamy Vista are better made than the cheap pens of yesteryear.

IMO, the only reason to own an old fountain pen is for nostalgia or history. They certainly aren't "better" than modern pens.

I think the above set of statements speaks of a very significant lack of experience with quality vintage pens. I'm sorry, but some of that is just flat-out wrong.

I tend to agree with you Jon.

[Lady Onogaro]

I enjoy both newer pens and vintage pens. Right now, I'm pretty fond of a Diamond Point. I always have a Parker 45 inked, as well as a Lady Sheaffer. They're just cool and retro. Maybe they are cool because they are retro.

I don't think the Metropolitan and Lamy Vista are better made than the "cheap pens of yesteryear," which, by the way, were not really cheap if you take into account the value of the dollar (that is, its purchasing power) at the time they were made. Some vintage fountain pens were quite expensive investments. I am always impressed that most of them have stood the test of time in a way that a lot of today's pens will not.

I don't think there is a question of "better" with respect to vintage fountain pens, though I do like celluloid pens quite a lot and would love to own one of the Platinum celluloid "Koi" pens. But I don't think "modern" = "better" anymore than "vintage" = "better."

[mcorrea]

I have been into fountain pens for almost 30 years. I have owned both modern and vintage. However, my experience with vintage has been worse than with modern. Today I have some parkers (21, 2 51's and a vacumatic pen and pencil set) some Onotos (2 lever fillers and a vac filler) and one waterman hooded nib. The one I have used most is the Onoto vac filler, it has a very flexi medium nib. I have owned this pen for about 20 years and have had the filler gasket replaced twice. Both times it lasted about 2 to 3 years and died. It's been sitting in my pen case for the last 5-odd years because it won't fill (again the gasket).

Another one I really want to love is the Parker Vacumatic. Again, I had the filler fixed and it just does not fill very much, I can get a little ink inside, maybe enough for one page, and that's it.

I find that today, at least buying online, you cannot get anything decent below 100 EUR. At this price point I have a choice of very nice modern pens that will not give me all the trouble of my vintage ones.

Matias

[Jon Szanto]

Another one I really want to love is the Parker Vacumatic. Again, I had the filler fixed and it just does not fill very much, I can get a little ink inside, maybe enough for one page, and that's it.

As before, I reiterate: I'm not attempting to argue with people's personal choice. However, just taking that one example quoted above, this is very clearly one of two situations: a poor restoration job, or user error (not knowing how to properly fill a Vacumatic). The thing is, one of the great features of this pen is that the entire barrel is the ink reservoir, and when filled properly has a sizable capacity (I believe the Standard size Vac can hold over 2.5ml of ink). This pen may have been a disappointment for you, but it was not the pen's fault (at least not if properly working).

[migo984]

If someone confiscated all my modern pens I'd be unhappy. If someone confiscated my Waterman W5 I'd be bereft.

[Sammyo]

Another one I really want to love is the Parker Vacumatic. Again, I had the filler fixed and it just does not fill very much, I can get a little ink inside, maybe enough for one page, and that's it.

As before, I reiterate: I'm not attempting to argue with people's personal choice. However, just taking that one example quoted above, this is very clearly one of two situations: a poor restoration job, or user error (not knowing how to properly fill a Vacumatic). The thing is, one of the great features of this pen is that the entire barrel is the ink reservoir, and when filled properly has a sizable capacity (I believe the Standard size Vac can hold over 2.5ml of ink). This pen may have been a disappointment for you, but it was not the pen's fault (at least not if properly working).

But I think that is one of the key points. You need to get it restored properly at cost... or pay through the nose for a good working example.

[Sammyo]

P.s. Not arguing ☺️
I think one of the things I have noticed here is the understanding of vintage. The opening post says pre-1950's. I own three Parker 45, an old Sonnet and a Scheaffer Target Touchdown that I love, but none of them fit the description of vintage set forward in this thread.

[mcorrea]

Another one I really want to love is the Parker Vacumatic. Again, I had the filler fixed and it just does not fill very much, I can get a little ink inside, maybe enough for one page, and that's it.

As before, I reiterate: I'm not attempting to argue with people's personal choice. However, just taking that one example quoted above, this is very clearly one of two situations: a poor restoration job, or user error (not knowing how to properly fill a Vacumatic). The thing is, one of the great features of this pen is that the entire barrel is the ink reservoir, and when filled properly has a sizable capacity (I believe the Standard size Vac can hold over 2.5ml of ink). This pen may have been a disappointment for you, but it was not the pen's fault (at least not if properly working).

But I think that is one of the key points. You need to get it restored properly at cost... or pay through the nose for a good working example.

Exactly my view. Too much hassle and cost to get a pen that will write reliably for a long time.

[SIR]

Not I. Bought an Ahab, then a Metro then pretty much my next ten pens were vintage. >____>

I find them much better value and more reliable than many modern pens.

I'm not surprised!
I loved my Ahab for all of about six weeks of near daily refills, then the threads began to shear... soon I needed to threadlock everything and, not long after, the whole pen elbeit minus the nib went in the bin.

...

Good solid piston fillers such Pelikans and Montblancs I am happy with, but I tend to stay away from most other vintage pens - particularly those with sacs, and especially those with levers!

[Cob]

I think in the olden days, all pens were fountain pens. As such, most of them were cheap; intended for the masses. Much like ballpoints are today.

Today, fountain pens (and mechanical watches) are generally luxury items. As such, they are more expensive and better made than the fountain pens of yore.

Heck, even cheap pens like the Metropoliran and Lamy Vista are better made than the cheap pens of yesteryear.

IMO, the only reason to own an old fountain pen is for nostalgia or history. They certainly aren't "better" than modern pens.

I think the above set of statements speaks of a very significant lack of experience with quality vintage pens. I'm sorry, but some of that is just flat-out wrong.

Yes absolutely. I would happily concede that the modern converter filling sytem is convenient and indeed efficient, but a pen is really a nib and clearly the poster has never, for example, written with a Mabie Todd nib!

Cob

[top pen]

I think the oldest pen I had was from the 70's I've been buying fountain pen for about 3 years. So I fall in to that "extreme". Many people seem to chase vintage pens looking for flex but it simply doesn't interest me.

I really consider modern and Vintage pens two different as separate "entities" with significant overlap. Just never quite been ready make the jump. I'm not saying I won't in time however especially with restoring pens it takes some time and commitment that I can't put in at the moment.

[catbert]

Modern pens are more robust with bigger and prettier nibs. I also prefer the rigidity of modern nibs and particularly enjoy B and BB nibs.

Robustness aside, pretty much the same reasons I tend towards vintage. I prefer low-key pens and finer, springier nibs. To each their own, and plenty to go around.

Only a handful of my pens are vintage by the standards of this thread and, apart from the Esterbrook Js, I wouldn't use them as knockabout pens. Robustness is one reason, but ease of replacement or repair is also a factor.