How have your preferences changed?

[Z man]

Except for one category, my preferences change back and forth. Flex vs. non-flex; XXF to BB; COLORS!!! The one thing that hasn't changed is my preference for self-fillers.

It was the week after Glen Bowen's book signing at Daly's Pen Shop in downtown Milwaukee that I bought his book and began learning about self-filling fountain pens. Before that, my experience taught me all FPs were cartridge-fillers because that's all I'd seen for a couple of decades, and every one ran dry before the end of the day. I didn't know an FP could last longer until Bowen's book suggested it.

With the newly acquired information from Bowen's book and my limited, albeit lengthy experience (18 years), with cartridge fountain pens, l became a sophomore, otherwise known as a wise fool.

Some weeks or months later, Daly's sold me my first legit FP, a Parker 51 VF. At the time I didn't know or care that the pen was 40 years old. The most important thing was that it filled from a bottle and lasted more than a day without refilling.

Since then, my preference for self-fillers has not wavered. Why anyone would spend more than a few pennies on a pen that doesn't fill itself is beyond me. OTOH, why would anyone understand my preferences? OTOOH (On The Other Other Hand) who cares? This is all just whispers in the wind.

As for revisited FPs bringing renewed joy, there's the Esterbrook CX-100, my last school pen. I've had it for over 50 years. After paying the going price for NOS cartridges, this FP has been brought to life in the last few weeks, along with my memories. It's a real joy using the same pen from grade school. The one thing it hasn't changed is my preference for self-fillers.

So it goes.

[bunnspecial]

Since then, my preference for self-fillers has not wavered. Why anyone would spend more than a few pennies on a pen that doesn't fill itself is beyond me. OTOH, why would anyone understand my preferences? OTOOH (On The Other Other Hand) who cares? This is all just whispers in the wind.
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As I mentioned, I was STRONGLY in this camp for a while...but then the Duofold Centennial came into my life. After that it was the Parker 75.

If those two pens did not exist, I'd not own a C/C pen. Since they do, I view them as super pens in spite of their filling system.

[eachan]

I used to be against C/C fillers as rather dumb pens but they have their place. They can be a bit pesky to flush if you can't use a bulb.

[TSherbs]

I have become less enamored with demonstrators.

[bunnspecial]

I have become less enamored with demonstrators.

In my early days I actually detested demonstrators.

Funny enough, I've come around to them a bit. Part of what made me like them was what I'll call vintage pseudo-demonstrators like Vacumumatics(and I do have a Crystal, albeit so dark it's effectively black). The only modern one I've had was a Pilot CH92, which was okay but I wasn't wild about it and did sell it.

The past few weeks I've been working on a trade with someone on FPN that involved a couple of rare Parker 51 nibs and has turned into trading pens as well. So far we've sent a couple of packages back and forth(and I'm getting ready to send him a 61) and I think we're close to deciding if we're even or if one of us needs to kick money to even it. Where I was going with that, though, is that one of the pens in the last package he sent me was a Kullock 51 Vac demonstrator. I probably wouldn't have bought it of my own accord, but I like it and I think it's going to hang around.

[Bold2013]

I have become less enamored with demonstrators.

I go back and forth on them. I like them best with inks that don’t cling to the side which can make them look cheap/dirty.

TS do you favor clear or colored ones?

[ovachlena]

I love to draw, and for me any pen is a tool for displaying a work of art on a piece of paper.