Are FP's really that "Unique"

zethreal · Dec 24, 2012

Last week I waltzed into a shop, picked up a spiffy new leather fedora to go with my jacket. I whipped out my Carolina Blue FC #27 and signed the CC slip. The girl behind the counter looked at it, made a remark that she liked it & asked me about it. I took a couple of minutes to go over fountain pens and I let her test it for a few seconds. She gave the pen back & I went on my merry way.

Fast Forward to yesterday... I stopped into the same shop & picked up a last minute Christmas gift. I again grabbed the pen ( yes, the same one ) and without thinking twice, started signing away. From almost the other side of the store, I hear "I remember that pen!" and there was the same girl flying up to the front of the store to look at it again! Instead of letting her borrow that one to test it out again, I took out the B&B Essential ( my #27 has a Med. Stub, the Essential has a Med. Italic ) and let her try it.

Has anyone else had the experience where you were remembered at a store you seldom shop at merely because you used a fountain pen, or am I just a magnet for crazies?

Viseguy · Dec 24, 2012

Don't know about unique, but certainly rare enough these days to stand out as different. When people notice them at all (which is rare, in my experience).

zethreal · Dec 24, 2012

I definitely didn't expect someone to recognize my *pen* from a week ago... especially as busy as they were the week before Christmas, lol.

galopede · Dec 25, 2012

What I find unique is that you are still signing credit card slips! Haven't seen one of those for many years now! It's been Chip & Pin for several years over this side of the pond. Didn't think they worked with a fountain pen though as you need the pressure of a ball point to make the carbon copies work!

FP's can't be that rare as I have quite a few!

Gareth

mdw15 · Dec 25, 2012

I walked into an office recently and started a conversation by signing a document with an M800 red striated souveran Pelikan FP. Didn't mean to, really. I'm using fountain pens again after many years and rediscovering their pleasures, without trying to make a display of it. Some other people seem to be interested as well. Maybe it's the red color.

FonGu · Dec 25, 2012

I've never been remembered at a store, but my FP is frequently commented on at various meetings when I use it.

strop · Dec 25, 2012

You're too modest. It wasn't really the pen she remembered, it was just the excuse to rush over and talk to you! :thumbup:

Shave_Rat · Dec 25, 2012

strop said:
You're too modest. It wasn't really the pen she remembered, it was just the excuse to rush over and talk to you!

That was my thought as well, and a great chance there... "While you are writing stuff to test that pen, you should write your number down..." heh

DunEdinRanger · Dec 25, 2012

zethreal said:
Last week I waltzed into a shop, picked up a spiffy new leather fedora to go with my jacket. I whipped out my Carolina Blue FC #27 and signed the CC slip. The girl behind the counter looked at it, made a remark that she liked it & asked me about it. I took a couple of minutes to go over fountain pens and I let her test it for a few seconds. She gave the pen back & I went on my merry way.

Fast Forward to yesterday... I stopped into the same shop & picked up a last minute Christmas gift. I again grabbed the pen ( yes, the same one ) and without thinking twice, started signing away. From almost the other side of the store, I hear "I remember that pen!" and there was the same girl flying up to the front of the store to look at it again! Instead of letting her borrow that one to test it out again, I took out the B&B Essential ( my #27 has a Med. Stub, the Essential has a Med. Italic ) and let her try it.

Has anyone else had the experience where you were remembered at a store you seldom shop at merely because you used a fountain pen, or am I just a magnet for crazies?

I interview a lot of students for jobs we have, and take notes with an FP. I had decided to hire this one student, but he clinched when he asked me if that was a fountain pen I was using. That told me he wasn't afraid to ask questions and find things out.

I also sign documents with the FP. One freshmen commented on that, and now he is using them as well. In fact he was given a Shaeffer Snorkel set by his dad.

strop said:
You're too modest. It wasn't really the pen she remembered, it was just the excuse to rush over and talk to you!

No, trust me, it was the pen. :biggrin1:

mdevine · Dec 25, 2012

strop said:
You're too modest. It wasn't really the pen she remembered, it was just the excuse to rush over and talk to you!

i agree. It may have been something that made you a little more memorable, but I don't imagine that the pen alone is the reason she remembered. Give yourself a little credit.

strop · Dec 25, 2012

mdevine said:
i agree. It may have been something that made you a little more memorable, but I don't imagine that the pen alone is the reason she remembered. Give yourself a little credit.

He's worried his wife will be looking over his shoulder reading this thread! :scared:

mdevine · Dec 25, 2012

strop said:
He's worried his wife will be looking over his shoulder reading this thread!

In that case, I'm sure that was incredible fountain pen that really left an impression.

zethreal · Dec 25, 2012

strop said:
You're too modest. It wasn't really the pen she remembered, it was just the excuse to rush over and talk to you!

Maybe... I'm completely oblivious to that stuff though... She did reference "you were here with your girlfriend last time, right?" ( referring to a friend that was with me ).

rotarygov · Dec 25, 2012

I never use anything other than a fountain pen -- been that way since I was 11 (I'm now 64). I used to have over 20 which I used in rotation until I discovered the Pilot Capless about 5 years ago. I sold them all and now have just 3 Pilot Capless which I use daily (filled with blue, purple and brown inks). I always carry one in my shirt pocket and it always causes a stir when people see me using it because it looks and acts like a ball point with a click action, but a fountain pen nib appears when clicked.

If you are the other side of the Pond I think they are called Namiki Vanishing Point over there but, over here, they are Pilot Capless.

All the best,

Go West Young Man · Dec 26, 2012

zethreal said:
Maybe... I'm completely oblivious to that stuff though... She did reference "you were here with your girlfriend last time, right?" ( referring to a friend that was with me ).

Could she open the door any wider???

zethreal · Dec 26, 2012

Go West Young Man said:
Could she open the door any wider???

I, unfortunately, am about as socially awkward/stupid as you can get.

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Are FP's really that "Unique"

zethreal

Viseguy

zethreal

galopede

mdw15

FonGu

strop

Now half as wise

Shave_Rat

DunEdinRanger

mdevine

strop

Now half as wise

mdevine

zethreal

rotarygov

Go West Young Man

zethreal

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