So DH announced he wants a Mont Blanc ballpoint pen for Christmas....

[handsfree]

Well, they cost a little bit more than a bic!!

Does anyone have any suggestions of how I might be able to obtain one at a slightly more bargainous rate?

My DP has quite a few chuckled in a drawer that he never uses 😬

Btw, I didn't get dh the 2k one!....( more like £450).... but he does love it!

If he is just telling you to buy a Montblanc without even mentioning a preference for the nib and the ink then he has fallen for the marketing hook, line and sinker. Never mind things like thickness and length........

A person can be into pens the same way that others are into shoes or handbags. Yes, a simple cheap version does the job but there is more to it than that. But the pen needs to be tested and held.

Perhaps talk about a budget and then got to a proper pen shop to try out a few. There are a large number of fountain pens that are really nice but not in the same price range as a Montblanc.

Also get him to test ball points and roller balls as well to compare. I have a Lamby 2000 with black (never blue!) M63 ink refill. Its perfect for what I want in terms of day-to-day use. And far cheaper than a fountain pen.

They don't generally go on sale (though designs can be discontinued), and you need to watch out for fakes on eBay. As they're resin, if you buy used, you need to inspect really carefully for any signs of emerging cracks, etc.

If you're travelling at all, they can be cheaper in some airport locations duty free and some countries' regular shops (not sure how much cheaper, as I haven't needed to look around since the pound dropped, but I bought a replacement overseas for the one DH lost).

As I said, there are more reasonable models available...

It's ridiculous to buy a fountain pen without trying it out first unless it's cheap as chips. Lots of people swear by Lamy but in my hand they're shite. Ditto Parker and most Schaeffers I've tried made after 1978.

Why would anyone spend that much money on a pen??

Capitalism at its finest!

But "reasonable" is relative anyway. Try dividing the usual cost of his Xmas present into this and see how many years he'll be getting a token gift (or nothing) for Christmas...

Duty free - at airports around the world.

TK Maxx have them for about £30ish every so often.

A pen is a fucking pen. Ok, some are nicer to write with than others...but £2000 worth? Of course not. Why does he want one? Does he think people will be awed and impressed by it? They won't.

I won one in a writing competition once.

Bastard thing never worked.

A ballpoint not a fountain pen the OP said. I can perfectly understand why he wants one, it's like someone who wants a Mulberry handbag or Laboutin shoes or a Mercedes. We all have our own things and some of us prefer Bic, Next, Clarks or Skoda. Whether you can or want to afford it is a different matter.

Even if someone is awed and impressed by a £2000 pen, they aren't anyone whose opinion should be taken remotely seriously anyway, owing to being impressed by pens.

I've practically stopped using pens ,bar for writing memos for myself.

All my work is now paperless with occasional use of surface pen.

I can perfectly understand why he wants one, it's like someone who wants a Mulberry handbag or Laboutin shoes or a Mercedes

I can understand why people want all of those things. But I can't empathise with any of them.

Erm, did you ask him what he wants, or did he just nonchalantly saw “oh yeah, get me a Mont Blanc” ?

They are bloody expensive but if you can easily afford it, and he’s not being demanding like a teenager, then go ahead and try the pen shop linked up thread. But if you can’t afford to spend what they cost then just tell him so.

Each to his own & all that.

My friend disses my love of perfume, Jo Malone or Neom candles, lovely pens & stationery etc etc but thinks nothing of having false eyelashes applied every 6 weeks for £40 & her nails done every 2 weeks for £25 - I don't diss her loves & likes... if that makes you happy & you can afford it so be it.

I would echo that he needs to go & try some out if he hasn't already. I use fountain pens every day and now know what I like & suit my writing etc. Its a very personal thing. I hope he loves what you get him & I hope he buys you something that is meaningful to you.

I have bought at airports & in specialist stores with discounts.

Are you sure he meant the 2k one? Maybe he's seen a reasonable one somewhere.

I would love a mega expensive beautiful pen...dreams.

I once owned a mechanical pencil, it was solid silver. A thing of beauty, amazing to use...my husband left it on a park bench...cries.

Ebay

Mind you...I don't do handbags.

Good lord, sorry I asked!!
No I won’t be spending £2000 on a pen! But there are ones out there for £400/500 which doesn’t seem unreasonable. I say that as a bic girl myself, I don’t understand it all, but the point of a present is to treat someone to something they’d like and wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves, and if that’s what he’d like then what’s the problem!

I bought DP a Mont Blanc fountain pen for a significant gift. He'd coveted one for years and I saved up to get it for him - he loves it, it looks beautiful and he says it writes like a dream. People are free to spend their money as they wish and I think it's the same as spending more for e.g. a BMW or Mercedes rather than a Daewoo or Vauxhall.

I bought his from these people - they also do free engraving

Eeeek so sorry OP...have my apologies for shooting my mouth off. I shouldn't have insulted your dh...I was being thoughtless, gobby and a prat. I was outraged by anyone paying £2000 by a pen that's all. Not cool to be rude about your husband whatsoever. xx

A ball point? Lordy no. May as well get a bic.