Would you ever spend a lot of money on a pen?

[TheOwlChronicles]

Not something I've particularly considered before but I've got a lovely new planner type thing and I'm being bugged for what I'd like for my birthday this month and I wondered if I'd actually quite like a posh pen!

The one I've seen that I like is a lot of money - silly money really, in the 100s. But it comes in at what this person usually would spend on me and it struck me as something I'd keep for life. Or until I lost it 😀

Anyway it got me thinking - would you just stick with any old thing or do you have a lovely pen?

Try it first. Pens are so personal, you need to see if it’s the right fit for you.

I was given a Mont Blanc ball Ben for a significant birthday and it writes beautifully.

The thing I find odd though is that I think the smoothness of the writing comes from the refills and not the actual pen 🤷‍♀️

I’d do it if you try it and find you like it but I am a bit of a pen addict following my Saturday job selling fountain pens. Have moved recently and hoping to find the box they are at some point.

Yes, I would. I love fountain pens and have quite a collection, as well as the inks to go with them. None as expensive as that - the most expensive cost £45 - but yes, a good pen is, in my opinion, worth the money.

I wouldn't spend it on myself (unless I was very VERY rich!) But if it's something I wanted and within the budget for the present giver then I would definitely ask for it as a present. Make sure you ask for exactly what you want though - some people don't understand that something like this has to be right - you don't want a cheaper alternative even if it actually writes better or has better reviews.

I have a few of the really cheap 82's, which are surprisingly nice to write with and you can mix and match the different parts, x450 which I put a Zebra G flex nib in sometimes and a Centennial 100 with a bent nib.

Nope because I honestly barely write anything anymore. I’m an English lecturer of all things so I should be writing all of the time but everything is online now including marking assignments so I just barely ever write. I often don’t even have a pen on me.

I love writing. Beautiful pens and beautiful notebooks turn an everyday activity into a joy.

Just realised that John Lewis stock some of the Mont Blanc range and I get a 25% discount off everything there so that's slightly more tempting!

That was meant to be a reply @AgingDisgracefullyHere

What a shame you didn't get to visit the best url on the web: pen island...

Yes, but I'm a fountain pen collector.

Don't waste money on Mont Blanc. The brand is the perfect example of the success of good marketing to sell a poor product. Nibs are notoriously weak & don't respond well to re-tuning, resins are cheap plastic. Staff in their retail outlets are shockingly lacking in knowledge & usher out people who do actually know pens. Virtually no-one in the FP community owns or uses Mont. They're for people who don't know pens & just know the name.

Go straight to Onoto. A British heritage brand who produce outstanding quality writing instruments. If you want something more flamboyant in style go for Visconti. Stay away from Parker or Waterman (with the exception of the latter's Carene if that takes your fancy.)

You should be looking at a gold nib at that budget. Unless you know your nib size start with a medium. Bear in mind that European nibs tend to be broader, so a Pelikan M is more like a British B. Far Eastern nibs are far more narrow, so a Sailor B (Japanese) is closer to a European M.

Then you can get into inks (start with Diamine, then head to Robert Oster.)

I don't want to turn into any more of a fountain pen bore but I'm happy to chat more over PM if that would help 🙂

I might buy an expensive pen if it were special in some way, a souvenir or something, then I'd be willing to pay a pound or two. The last time I bought pens it was a special offer, 100 for 25p. They're good pens too, worth every penny!

I have a Montblanc fountain pen (new ones currently selling for £570) that I bought about 30 years ago with money left to me by my grandmother. I wanted something special to remember her by.

I don't think I'd spend over £400 on a ballpoint pen though, however nice, not least because of the need to keep buying refills.

I got a bonus a few years ago and I bought myself a beautiful Caran d’Ache fountain pen. It cost 550 Swiss francs and I use it every day.

Go for it!

I would. I have quite a lot of pens

My dad spent £650 on a trio of pens (ink, roller and pencil) for my Mum one Christmas..she rarely uses them..
She's now lost all ability to write and in a care home.. My lovely Dad gave them to me the week he died...
One of my most treasured possessions...

I love my fountain pens, but I always get inky hands when I use them.

I would spend it on a fountain pen but not a rollerball. It's the quality of the nib and inkflow system, as well as the case, that makes it worthwhile for me.

How much are the rollerball refills?

That could be because you're holding it too close to the nib? Maybe get one that has an ergonomic grip section that forces you to hold it further up.

@Mitsouko1919
Then you can get into inks (start with Diamine, then head to Robert Oster.)

Via Troublemaker and Vinta. And Wearingeul. Not made it to Robert Oster yet. There are far too many beautiful inks out there.

And I have to give a mention to some of the smaller pen makers, like Shibui North or Scribe Pens on Etsy, there are some very talented people out there making beautiful pens.

Yes- love my Montblanc.

I received a Montblanc pen free once with a very expensive purchase. I gave it to dd, then 16. She lost it after about 2 months!

I can't get worked up over a pen.

I really would love a Mont Blanc but couldn't really justify it. I'm at an age when I think what will happen to my belongings one day 😔my DC would have no interest in it as a heritage piece but maybe I could leave it to my Goddaughter as she'd love one too.

Husband has a couple of Montblanc pens which I've bought him and he uses them at work and at home...and has never lost one.