[SlowRobotAhead]

Am I missing the point here?

>You might be wondering, why is this a question?

Why yes, exactly my thought, please tell me...

>If you check out Unsharpen’s Ink Types Guide, you’ll see that while rollerball ink is great, fountain pen ink is quite special.

Oh, ok, so I'll follow that link, and...

>It is, of course, the ink used in fountain pens, but it takes thousands of forms. The ink can be in a bottle or cartridge, it can be iron gall or water-based, it can be handmade or produced by the vat, it can be lubricated, fluorescent, quick-drying, or any number of other qualities. [...] Fountain pen inks are a looser, more watery consistency compared to all other pen inks. This means they are free-flowing and prone to splashing, forming droplets, and doing other things that have been known to ruin countless shirts.

Ok... So if I an to recap... The only real reason to use a ball pen with fountain ink is so I can refill it with whatever ink I like? OK, HN, I have some particular interests as well, but this is about the article of least importance I've ever seen on here.

It's as if all my other problems in life have been solved and I can be a pen/ink hipster? Maybe for someone, but I guess I'm just not there yet!

[iancmceachern]

I thought the exact opposite. This is one of those cases where my professional interests (being a tech employee, product designer) and personal interests come together. I was super excited and happy to see this post. I havent been more excited about a post on HN for quite a while. For more detail I will paste my recent comment on a semi related HN topic (using text files and an organization method, which I dont, but I do use an old school notebook).

I do something similar but with paper and pen. I purchase customized laboratory notebooks that have my name and a serial number embossed on the front and otherwise blank pages. I write down every meeting I attend (or call into), the date and time of their start and stop, all the attendees names, as well as regular to do lists, action items, etc. After years of doing this I have a nicely curated collection of notebooks that look great on the shelf and give me a sense of pride and history on my work. I took the inspiration from George Washington's diarys which are in the library of congress. I also use a fancy fountain pen with beautiful blue ink which my wife purchased for me that adds an extra bit of personality to the whole experience. https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/0010/gwdiary.html

So I downvoted!

[filleduchaos]

There are many people who would react to some tech folks' passion for mechanical keyboards in much the same way you have here. I wonder if you'd think those people are being absurdly dismissive of experiences outside their own for no real reason.

[momirlan]

why are you wasting your time reading it, if you have so many important problems to solve ?

and why devote your important time to respond to it, and judge it from your high vantage point ?

please carry on saving the world, we're relying on you

[OnACoffeeBreak]

I'm not into pens, so maybe sometime who is can shed light on the specifics. In general, I see this as any other hobby that can be taken to obsessive levels. I see it as similar to, for example, building your own PC and making sure all parts are color matched and all cables are routed in an esthetically pleasing ways, or growing Bonsai.

[bransonf]

You can draw a close parallel to mechanical keyboards. If you spend all day behind a keyboard, it makes sense to invest in a good experience. If you spend all day writing, it makes sense to have a nice pen.

[fishmaster]

If you value handwriting, it makes sense to invest in a good pen and high-quality paper. I have a decent fountain pen and notebooks and it not only makes handwriting more fun, I also noticed that I remember more of what I write down than when using a PC.

[ecspike]

I've always liked to write things. I got into FPs a couple years ago because it's less pressure and the color selection.

Re: obsession/cost, it is what you make it.

I know folks who won't buy a pen over $5, others who think nothing of dropping $200-$1000. I know pen folks that have a single bottle of ink and a single pen or two. Others that have dozens of pens and shelves of inks. Ink is relatively cheap. I have a bottle that cost me $20, came with a free pen, is waterproof ink and will last me about 130-200 refills. Another one was $5 for like 60-100.

How long a refill will last depends on a lot of variables(ink qualities, paper absorbency, flow, nib size) but it is possible to do this hobby for the same amount or cheaper than buying single use pens. For example,

The cheapest good pen you can buy without waiting for a month for it to come from China is a Platinum Preppy for $4. You can buy a pack of 10 cartridge refills for 6.75. That brings the price per use down to $0.97, comparable to what it would cost for a low to mid-grade ballpoint. If you instead decide to go for the real amortized savings and buy a bottle and either refill the cartridge via syringe/get a converter, you could reasonably get down to $0.50 per refill.

Even cheaper are the pen brands from abroad that have some models that cost a dollar for the pen and the converter(converter alone can be up to $8 if bought separately with some pens). You could even beat Bic prices. Priced out to as low as 7 cents per refill if you get cartridges in bulk and don't care what the ink is(1USD for pen + ~7USD for 100 cartridges).

It doesn't have to be this bespoke money pit hobby. One thing I have noticed is that zero people borrow pens from me now so I don't have to replace the pens that used to grow legs and walk off.

[slowmovintarget]

There are many reasons why I enjoy the hobby of fountain pens in particular and pens in general. They range from aesthetic, to mnemonic, to a feeling of connection to history. For me, there are even philosophical reasons to enjoy facets of the hobby. I'll try to break them down and elaborate.

The parts of a fountain pen can be beautiful in their simplicity and in their appearance. Some of the finer pens have an exquisite beauty that comes from rare lacquers, like the Urushi process[1]; rare and dangerous tree sap turned into careful patterns. These materials change over time with use, becoming ever more personal as you use and care for them. Beautifully crafted nibs that hold patterns and designs expressing logos, orbits, flowers, coats of arms, all in a tiny space are wonderful to me. The pens themselves can be little works of art.

Underlying all of that, even in the less expensive pens, you have very basic principles of physics and fluid dynamics coming together to support one of the most basic human freedoms: self-expression in words and pictures. In some senses, this form of self-expression, when well-used, can be an elevating facet of one's daily life. I find the possibilities here beautiful, and feel a connection to that potential when using pens.

There is craftsmanship to appreciate in a well-made fountain pen. Like a well-made tool, or a well-made ship, sword, table... you name it... Using something so well-suited to the task of writing is a pleasure all on its own. Even the ritual involved in caring for a fine implement is a pleasure. Disassembling the pen into its component parts and cleaning it out holds the promise of refilling and more writing; the exploration that will come with new inks and new thoughts. This also gives me satisfaction.

Then there is the tinkering aspect. Many pens can be adjusted to the suit the wants and needs of their wielder. Swapping out nibs to gain different effects during formation of the letters, tuning nibs to your preferences, playing with different filling mechanisms... All of these also bring enjoyment.

Aesthetics, craftsmanship, and tinkering aside, there is the act of writing with these fine devices. I derive satisfaction from having filled a notebook page with text, even if it is just meeting notes. When it is actual expression, organized thought or expressed feeling, so much the better. Every stroke upon the page, every word chosen, every scribble in confusion was something I did. It was a small part of me, existing in this stream of reality, made evident on paper. No one else could have produced exactly what I did on the page, for better or worse. I'm not saying it has any intrinsic value to anyone but me, but I find it a very satisfying activity.

There have been a number of studies linking the activity of handwriting, painting, and drawing to good effects on executive function, and, in the case of journaling, to emotional well-being. I won't claim this is why I do it, but I can give anecdotal evidence that I've noticed improvements in memory and my ability to manage anxiety. I realize this is the "citation needed" portion of the comment. I'll have to search for those later [2].

Even if these weren't factors, I choose to write; for pleasure, for work (notes on paper are far quieter than rude tapping on a keyboard during meetings), and sometimes to occupy my hands. That said, I want a means that is an improvement over disposable plastic pens that get tossed in landfills. If I seek pens that are not disposable, it leads me to fountain pens and fountain pen ink. A 4.5 oz. bottle of Noodler's Ink, and the free fountain pen that comes with it, are more worthwhile than dozens of disposable pens.

Even with the more expensive pens, you will get use from them for decades, perhaps even more than one lifetime. I will admit, however, that practicality is the least of my reasons for digging in to the pen hobby.

Personally, I also get a sense of connection to history. This is so even when using the modern refinements brought to these instruments. When I use pen and ink, I join a long tradition of people who left their mark upon the page. From scribes copying manuscripts and writing digests in the catalogs at Alexandria, to the letters penned and exchanged between famous scientists, authors, composers, and politicians; I get to feel a sense of joining them. Not in significance, or in the impact of my words, but I can imagine some tenuous connection to those people. They, like me, took pen in hand and wrote. In some minute sense, I am like them.

For the pen's connection to freedom of expression, I will also forever love the hobby.

I haven't even mentioned inks in all of this, as that would extend this post far longer than I have time for.

What has any of this to do with hacking? Writing is an act of creation, just like woodworking (the original hacking), or coding. Just as we discuss mechanical keyboards, programmer's editors, and programming languages for software construction, pen, their construction, alteration, care, and the inks used with them, are similar.

These are some of the reasons I like pens. Your mileage may vary. And yes, I wrote this out with a fountain pen first.

[1] https://jpninfo.com/56468

[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/nancyolson/2016/05/15/three-way...

[ryanobjc]

Looks like you got downvoted to hell and that makes sense to me...

After all you’re on hacker news the site for people who are obsessive about things no one else cares about.

Threading models? (Or any programming thing you’re into) Sure. Whatever. Won’t save you from 2019-nCOV or global warming or nuclear war.

[coherentpony]

To each their own.