Proper writing

singist · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:26

Having read the "texting" thread, it reminded me of a conversation about writing .......

When I went to school (long time ago) everyone HAD to own and use a fountain pen for school work; no biro allowed.

I was wondering, how many of you younger people have ever used a proper fountain pen and do you ever write anything other than with a keyboard? Just another "skill" that seems to be getting lost.

Maybe I'm wrong and you all own a fancy/expensive fountain pen? ....

KaHn · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:26

singist said:
Having read the "texting" thread, it reminded me of a conversation about writing .......

When I went to school (long time ago) everyone HAD to own and use a fountain pen for school work; no biro allowed.

I was wondering, how many of you younger people have ever used a proper fountain pen and do you ever write anything other than with a keyboard? Just another "skill" that seems to be getting lost.

Maybe I'm wrong and you all own a fancy/expensive fountain pen? ....

I own a pretty expensive fountain pen but also own a pretty decent biro which i use everyday.

KaHn

ballistic · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:27

i've never understood why anyone would use a fountain pen, they're just crap and inconvenient. I use hybrid gel pens exclusively now.

penski · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:28

I own an expensive fountain pen; used when writing letters.

At work I use throwaway biros.

At home I use a decent ballpoint.

*n

SexyBetty · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:28

Biro for me, fountain pens are just messy and a PITA!

divine` · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:29

I generally use Bic biros, not bothered with a fountain pen for years.

RandomTom · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:30

I'm left handed and my style of writing means that fountain pens just suck - I really like using "uni-ball eye fine black" pens, they're good. My handwriting however isn't, I don't write cursive type really I only join up a few letters together but it's legible.

semi-pro waster · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:31

I have used a few fountain pens albeit not proper ones that you have to dip in ink(cartridge only) and find them nice to use on occasion but more frequently they are simply inconvenient for writing fast and they do nothing for the legibility of my writing. Therefore I normally use a biro or gel pen which is smoother and more convenient.

jonnyc90 · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:32

At school I use fountain pen the whole time because it is neater I think, but it can get smudged a bit. But sometimes the nibs break if people knock them on the floor

ballistic · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:32

no one uses fountain pens in university, they are a PITA, there's no point.

_dogma_ · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:34

I own a fountain pen and I really like using them for letters. Though, I do use biros most of the time.
I like handwriting things, it's more personal than an email or text.

geeza · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:37

When i was at school i was making an amplifier for a project and this lad decided to poke in the speaker cone i was using. I then proceeded to sand his gold nibbed fountain pen to a stump for him

I was tought to write in 'full nelson' for a year then to write small and neat so now i have writing that looks like a spider **** on the page. Much easier using pencil/biro for notes and a keyboard

Trifid · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:37

I have used my Mum's fountain pen which is very old (no not my Mum

), and my writing looks really fancy (mainly due to the blotches.) but it was scratchy and I couldn't write fast with it. I have owned a nice Parkers but that isn't fast to write with either.

shifty_uk · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:38

Again, I have a decent and expensive fountain pen, although I hate it, I can never write with it, and the ink seems to always come out at the wrong time

I usually use decent ballpoint pens, and do write quite often, usually at college.

iCraig · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:38

I cut my finger and then write in blood.

</emo>

shifty_uk · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:39

Trifid said:
I have used my Mum's fountain pen which is very old (no not my Mum ), and my writing looks really fancy (mainly due to the blotches.) but it was scratchy and I couldn't write fast with it. I have owned a nice Parkers but that isn't fast to write with either.

Am I write in thinking those Parker pens can punch holes in cans?....That must be a bonus

MNuTz · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:40

actually im 25 and we never used fountain pens in school (although i did use them out of school) until i went to secondary school and that only lasted a year. Too many idiots flicking ink at you so you need to remove it with one of those eraser pens.

However, both my youngest brothers had to use fountain pens for the last 3 years of primary school. Ones now 13 and the other is 8.

shifty_uk said:
Am I write in thinking those Parker pens can punch holes in cans?....That must be a bonus

No thats those JML ones, my nan has a set but wont let me try

It does say on the advert and box now that doing so may effect the writing quality!

geeza · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:40

also remembered the fun that could be had with those ink cartridges! :eek:

Freeman · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:40

School and fountain pen = bad!

Miss my cartridge exploded can i go to the toilet?
Anyone have a spare ink cartridge please?
I've run out of ink so i couldn't do my work!
Miss can i go to the toilet, Jimmy flicked ink at me.
Ink cartridges get thrown around the room and against the walls.
And there always ONE kid who sucks on their pen and gets a gob full of ink!

Quillian · 14 Jun 2006 at 17:43

_dogma_ said:
I own a fountain pen and I really like using them for letters. Though, I do use biros most of the time.
I like handwriting things, it's more personal than an email or text.

I'm not sure it is more personal, its just more old fashioned surely. Text is more impersonal if it's heavily abbreviated, yes. I suppose it's the fact that it requires a little more effort to hand-write a letter, put it in an envelope, whack it in the post box. Is the amount of effort spent directly proporsional to the impersonality of the message?