Fountain pens are still a thing

Fountain Pens Are Still A Thing

By: The ADHD Accountant – Krid

Welcome to our little community. We’re all around you; you may know one of us. You might even be on of us. Let me give you a quick tour of how I ended up down the rabbit hole; I’m no Alice but you may find a wonder land like I have. And you too may find Wonder Pens to be enabling…

It started as a child, as these things often do. A sickly and shy child I turned to books and was captivated by the potential of the imagination and the ability to sculpt reality. The written word was a medium that didn’t require robust health, or interactions with my peers. It didn’t rely on weather or my fickle flesh. All it took was imagination and passion. Well, it seemed simple as a child. And it started with pencil.

I can recall spending minutes getting the point just right and sharp enough that I could write three lines of text within a ruled page. Something that my teachers did not care for. Something that may have motivated me to continue. The grey was also much more appealing to me than the Bic blue which I despise to this day.

I don’t recall much of my doodles and noodles from those days but, I remember the excitement at the beginning of the school year with fresh supplies and the promise of notebooks filled with pages that could contain anything; perhaps even some school work. Stories, poems, drawings, notes, assignments. Every page endless possibility. New pencils and pens to write with, in as many colours as I could convince my parent to buy me. Which meant it had to be affordable and located in small town Alberta.

At one point I was gifted, as children often are, by a Sheaffer calligraphy set. One pen body, three nibs, and I think there were three ink cartridges. Fine, medium, bold italic nib, and black, red, or green ink. It was great and awful. Great because this was an unique experience. Fabulously adult in some ways and artistically anarchistic in others. As these things do in children, and those of use with ADHD, the set died suffering from rough handling, loss, and a lack of supplies which was awful.

I got it into my head also that fountain pens were expensive; the writing tools of the current elite and the past generations, affordable only to those of means. The Queen, the President, executives of the ‘c’ suite. I moved on to mechanical pencils and gel pens, and never again buying a cheap calligraphy starter set because there was no way to get refills, get more nibs, and I was busy doing other things. And, years passed.

Computers, home computers, personal cell phones, tablets, et al came along with emails, irc, bbs, et al… Excel. The world changed and my life after school became all modern business accoutrements. My hobbies shifted to cycling and wing nights. No longer the child I once was due to modern medicine I had a vast range of things to do, and to spend my money on.

I went back to school as an ‘adult’ learner. Not a straight path there, I had decided to earn my accounting designation. It was in a refresher course, those of you who have been out of school for a few years hopefully understand the importance of refreshing the basics, that I rediscovered fountain pens. A classmate of mine who joined our little study group, a key to any scholarly success of mine, had TWO fountain pens, all shiny and interesting in his pocket. Both pens were the same: Noodler’s Konrad with steel flex nibs. Piston fillers (don’t worry about terminology) that were made of a clear material. You could see the ink slosh; one red, one black. I was, as you can imagine at this point, captivated. Upon questioning, or enthusiastic interrogation if you prefer, I learned that these were modern, mass-produced, and affordable. I was given the website for Goulet Pens (just follow this white rabbit, please; don’t be late) and fell in love again.

I ordered 3 inks and 3 pens for under $100. I was like a kid at Christmas waiting; I was checking the tracking two, three, twenty times a day waiting for my pens. I consumed 101 (how-to) videos and bought a few notebooks (though I was assured that Moleskine was ‘safe’ for fountain pens). I planned on all of the ways I could use them; and once more paper graced my days with boundless promise.

It didn’t change my life, and certainly took some practice, patience, and a few pennies, but it did help fill it. Gave it more meaning, more depth. And the first example was my Nana. She never got a computer. Her cell phone, the newest one she owned even if she couldn’t figure it out, was a flip phone. There was no skype, no text, to email. Though I visited as I could, and called weekly, I found that writing a letter was a marvelous gift for her. Treasured. Monarch envelope with parchment paper and a wax seal they garnered attention and filled her with pride that she had such an attentive and dutiful grandson.

I have her writing desk now, and the last letter that I wrote her sits within it, unopened. A legacy of a special relationship that is now ended. I have no regrets that she didn’t know how much I cared. And, I am grateful to have all of the memories indelibly inked over the years, that changed with arthritis and dementia, but is a source of comfort even now.

It is on that writing desk, teak with a leather writing pad inset in the pull out shelf which is linked to the shutter mechanism, that I attend to most of my (often one way) correspondence. I write for myself first. Christmas cards, birthday cards, anniversary cards; all of these have become defunct in the face of a handwritten letter. Once I thought Hallmark was on point, and now I find their messages to be overly wordy and no longer impactful. Too flowery by far. The light shines out of your… well, so overblown as to seem insincere.

I do have a few pen pals, but it is not an easy thing in this day and age to engage in a correspondence that will last without strong bonds existing beyond a single passion. Currently I have had the most engagement with a teacher. In this case it is our differences which have provided the material of our discourse.

Journaling has become a staple of my days as well. Cathartic, therapeutic, introspective; I have no idea. I can put anything in there and ponder while I pen about this, that, and the other things that are going on in my life. Perhaps an idea for a poem, a story, or shopping list. Or, to just bitch and moan. I have several years worth now, using an assortment of journals but most often Paperblanks filigree (they have clasps) in the ultra format. One to two a year. Calender year. Much like my browser history I hope someone burns them without reading! But perhaps one day I will make something of myself and they can help biographers tell my tale.

Lists are more satisfying with pen and paper. I make many (ADHD) every day for all kinds of things. Crossing something out is a nice jolt of ‘you did it!’ And, taking notes for me allows much more flexibility to scribble and scribe my impressions. Studies have shown a higher efficacy for retention with pen and paper. Minimum of three colours for notes please. Colours can make everything better.

It isn’t all good; there are many good reasons that fountain pens fell out of favour. I have accumulated over 60 pens and would estimate that the total cost of ink, parts, pens, and other materials reach towards $5,000. They can’t be left where they could get too hot or too cold. They can’t be shaken too much and they need regular cleaning and filling when in use. Though, for me, that time is usually satisfying and routine. I’ve dropped one and ruined the nib which cost almost as much as a new pen to replace – and that’s assuming you can even get the part!

And, best of all, I’m not the only one. The internet has allowed this community to form. Facebook, Instagram, forums, websites, pen shows (go away covid), et al have allowed a small niche community to make connections and support one another. Several businesses and hobbies and part time industries have developed. There have been multiple articles in recent years about the growth of old things and the benefits of pen and paper.

It is certainly not for everyone. It is certainly for a lot of us. Here’s a few names; Neil Gaiman, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Peter Straub, Stephen King, Christpher Paolini, Sylvester Stallone, Peter Jones, Kirsten Stewart.

Whether it is a brick and mortar like Reid’s stationers in Calgary, or one of many online boutique sellers like Goulet Pens, Wonder Pens, and numerous others, there are now more options than ever. You can find modern and vintage fountain pens, parts, and people to repair them. YouTube videos and FAQ’s abound. And, most of all, you will find a warm and welcoming community to encourage you even deeper down the rabbit hole…

Write on.

<<END SONG: Frank Sinatra - I did it my way >>