Innovation in Fountain Pens
 

I've been thinking about how fountain pens have changed over the years
and it doesn't seem there has been anything truly innovative in the
last 40 or 50 years. Maybe there have been innovations in the
manufacture of fountain pens and there may be some new materials such
as ABS plastic, but the fountain pen is pretty much the same as it was
in the 1950's.

I'm guessing that goes for ink as well. New colors perhaps, but
pretty much just colored water. I look at the ball point and roller
ball and the introduction of Gel ink seems like a true innovation.

I was wondering if the group can think of:

1.) Any true innovations in fountain pens and ink in the last 50
years.
2.) Any innovations the manufacturers of fountain pens could or should
be working on.

David
Who spends too much time thinking about these things.

1.) Any true innovations in fountain pens and ink in the last 50 years.

Well, now there's orange ink, and fuschia ink. And bright yellow.


2.)Any innovations the manufacturers of fountain pens could or should be
working on.

There should be ($10.00) Starbucks cards included with each pen.


David
Who spends too much time thinking about these things.

satrap
who thinks David should work in a boot camp for junior high students
(OK!! I am KIDDING!!!!!)

David Heverly wrote, and satrap replied:


1.) Any true innovations in fountain pens and ink in the last 50 years.

Well, now there's orange ink, and fuschia ink. And bright yellow.


2.)Any innovations the manufacturers of fountain pens could or should be
working on.

There should be ($10.00) Starbucks cards included with each pen.


David
Who spends too much time thinking about these things.

satrap
who thinks David should work in a boot camp for junior high students
(OK!! I am KIDDING!!!!!)



Did you by chance mean me, for the boot camp?




The other David, who had a fit about it


my dog likes to camp
I like to camp
but my boots don't care

Did you by chance mean me, for the boot camp?


The other David, who had a fit about it



OOOPS! I sit corrected!

if it aint broke....

jolyon

"David Heverly" wrote in message
om...
I've been thinking about how fountain pens have changed over the years
and it doesn't seem there has been anything truly innovative in the
last 40 or 50 years. Maybe there have been innovations in the
manufacture of fountain pens and there may be some new materials such
as ABS plastic, but the fountain pen is pretty much the same as it was
in the 1950's.

I'm guessing that goes for ink as well. New colors perhaps, but
pretty much just colored water. I look at the ball point and roller
ball and the introduction of Gel ink seems like a true innovation.

I was wondering if the group can think of:

1.) Any true innovations in fountain pens and ink in the last 50
years.
2.) Any innovations the manufacturers of fountain pens could or should
be working on.

David
Who spends too much time thinking about these things.

Is that anyting that makes a standard fontain pen more useful
or dependable for everyday NORMAL use? NO!!!!!!!! Frank


Hmmm...can't see how we had to move on from eyedroppers then. I don't really
NEED anything beyond a basic eyedropper according to that logic. All the
following pens and designs from say, 1890 on - were just pointless.

Anyone have a 1957 Chevrolet? These modern cars don't cut it - just
gimmicks...new innovation never existed. :-) lolol

Scaupaug wrote:


Hmmm...can't see how we had to move on from eyedroppers then. I don't really
NEED anything beyond a basic eyedropper according to that logic. All the
following pens and designs from say, 1890 on - were just pointless.



What you need isnt the thread. All I need is a Bic and thats all
anoyone really needs, if that. Why ignore the whole thread purpose
which is has there been ANY meaningful advancement in fountain pen
technical design and performance in the last 50 years. That was the
question. The answer remains no. I could easily come up with 100 never
before done fountain pen designs in a single day. So could you. Would
any of them offer anything BETTER in reliability, dependability,
convience and performance than a 51 or a Snorkel? NO!!!!!!!!!!!!


Did the 51 in 1940 and the Snorkel in 1953 offer something both new and
better that had never been done before. YES!!!!!!!!!! Anything
since. Nope. Frank

What you need isnt the thread. All I need is a Bic and thats all
anoyone really needs, if that.

Hey hey! No Bics...it stopped at eyedroppers... Those early ball pens were
so awful that they should have given up the struggle right then. (I got your
point a while ago...but the group sure is fun knowing you are here!).

Did the 51 in 1940 and the Snorkel in 1953 offer something both new and
better that had never been done before. YES!!!!!!!!!! Anything
since. Nope. Frank

Integral nibs are like 51's that don't have plastic that can crack or plastic
sections as with triumphs - that was about 1970. You might not respect
them...but it was an innovative nib (murex, t-1, falcon, etc..). The parker
61 was not innovation? It is dead reliable in a jet as leak proof...yet it is
self filling.

Scaupaug wrote:


Integral nibs are like 51's that don't have plastic that can crack or plastic
sections as with triumphs - that was about 1970. You might not respect
them...but it was an innovative nib (murex, t-1, falcon, etc..). The parker
61 was not innovation? It is dead reliable in a jet as leak proof...yet it is
self filling.

No way. How is it BETTER? It offered no real advantage over other
style nibs. Yeah its different. Not better in any way. As I said
making a pen different is easy. better is not.

If you dont think those all metal shells and nibs cant carck you havent
seen very many. Ive seen dozens with cracks at the nib or the shell.
Whic is a far harder repair or replacement than a 51 shell obviously.
FD Frank