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Thread: Fountain Pen Fads?

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    Default Fountain Pen Fads?

    Having been about for a while I've seen a few trends come and go. The ones that come to my mind are shimmer inks and cheap flex nib pens? What other fads have I missed?

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Scheduled disassembly of pens.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by top pen View Post
    Having been about for a while I've seen a few trends come and go. The ones that come to my mind are shimmer inks and cheap flex nib pens? What other fads have I missed?
    Facebook

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Scheduled disassembly of pens.
    Only for the psychotically OCDs.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Artisanal swirly acrylic.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Scheduled disassembly of pens.
    That is a good one.

    The old saying of 'just because you can doesn't mean you should'.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by An old bloke View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by guyy View Post
    Scheduled disassembly of pens.
    Only for the psychotically OCDs.
    I wish that were true, Guyy. It is now prevelant among younger/new users of fountain pen, promulgated by influencers and even places like Goulet. Breaking down pens to clean them has become common, without any thought to what it might entail for pens that aren't meant to be treated that way.

    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Artisanal swirly acrylic.
    My though exactly. Not just a lot of bespoke makers these days, but a lot of new, flavor-of-the-month materials.

    Quote Originally Posted by Fermata View Post
    The old saying of 'just because you can doesn't mean you should'.
    Everyone is going with "can" these days!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Twsbi and Ahab are at fault....and too many too early toilet trained looking for invisible ink behind the piston......
    .....found otherwise only in demonstrators....where a tiny spray of ink drops can be found with a big honking magnifying glass.

    Wow, Pelikan makes cheap plastic, after yanking the 100n/200/400/600 apart only 7-9 times for it's weekly cleaning, it leaks out the back and had to be glued back in....will sell in I can't clean it no more.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Inks so pale and lifeless they look like the after shot of a water resistance test.

    Blacked out "tactical pens".

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Big stacked nibs.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Big stacked nibs.
    I saw one in person, and I still don't get what's so cool about it, or its usefulness.

    Probably excites the same mindset that rejoice at a scooter wearing tractor tires.

    I'd rather see a good vintage nib re-tipping job.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Artisanal swirly acrylic.
    Plus, "minimalist" a-stick-of-acrylic-on-lathe. And suddenly you can claim making "bespoke" pens.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by penwash View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Big stacked nibs.
    I saw one in person, and I still don't get what's so cool about it, or its usefulness.

    Probably excites the same mindset that rejoice at a scooter wearing tractor tires.

    I'd rather see a good vintage nib re-tipping job.
    Again, another faddish thing completely driven by online/influencer stuff. You would not *believe* how much this is talked about, and people buying and commissioning them, on the Pen Addict slack. It's a hobby, they can do whatever they want, but what a waste. I could go on, but I won't.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Mega-sheening inks that smudge still three days after writing.

    Uber-oversized pens that even a giant can't hold.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    Inks so pale and lifeless they look like the after shot of a water resistance test.
    Not sure this is a fad; Quink Washable Blue has been sold for years.

    The fad that springs to my mind is the Repackage The Same Ink In Smaller Bottles And Charge More one. Not a good fad.
    In the words of Paul Simon, you can call me Al.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by penwash View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Artisanal swirly acrylic.
    Plus, "minimalist" a-stick-of-acrylic-on-lathe. And suddenly you can claim making "bespoke" pens.
    I've been saying that for ages, but I usually get slammed for doing so.

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    Inks so pale and lifeless they look like the after shot of a water resistance test.
    Super-saturated inks in garish colors

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by Empty_of_Clouds View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by penwash View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by catbert View Post
    Artisanal swirly acrylic.
    Plus, "minimalist" a-stick-of-acrylic-on-lathe. And suddenly you can claim making "bespoke" pens.
    I've been saying that for ages, but I usually get slammed for doing so.
    To be fair, not all colored sticks are created equally. There is a variety of skills and aesthetics out there, some worthy, some not so. End user should choose carefully. If nothing else, it speaks to the popularity of fountain pens at the current moment, which in the larger picture isn't such a bad thing.

    But, holy hell, some people pay a ton for the ugliest pieces of junky plastic!
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Fads for the money-soaked: anything custom.

    One or two custom urushi artists that people vie to see how many pens they can have done. Same with how many Nakayas can you own. How many people can make it into the "50 Franklin-Christophs" pen club. Lots of money burning holes in people pockets.

    Last thing: the precipitous rise in "catch and release", people who don't know what they want and buybuybuy and sellsellsell constantly. Remarkable.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: Fountain Pen Fads?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Fads for the money-soaked: anything custom.

    One or two custom urushi artists that people vie to see how many pens they can have done. Same with how many Nakayas can you own. How many people can make it into the "50 Franklin-Christophs" pen club. Lots of money burning holes in people pockets.

    Last thing: the precipitous rise in "catch and release", people who don't know what they want and buybuybuy and sellsellsell constantly. Remarkable.
    Hey... Anyone lookin' for a Narwhal?

    Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

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