The pen is mightier...
As people more dedicated to the feel of things than the average person, I know I won't have to explain to most here the lure and luxury of a fine writing instrument. It is true that we have almost gotten to the point where one is never required to hold a pen, but that means the luxury of a good one is all the more prominent (and in this I speak as a man who takes notes in MA classes where the professor does not allow computers, and who engages in actual paper & pen correspondence.) I've been writing with a fountain pen since my high school years, and it is, in every way, my favourite way to jot something down. Fountain pens are special, they're much more personal (the good ones even slowly adapt to your hand so that you become in effect, the only person who can write with it.) Now, thankfully, fountain pens remain one of the old luxuries that are sill popular and prominent enough for there to be a good supply of them available in all price ranges. You can choose between slim and sleek, big and hefty, and have them made out of metal, plastic, and even glass or stone. They are, by their very definition, tailor made for our style and predilections, but even amongst them, there is one that stands out as particularly steampunk in my mind: The one I write with on a day to day basis:
The Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point. It is the only fountain pen with a retractable nib - the same action that you find in over half the ballpoints we all write with. This feature makes it very useful for day-to-day use - suddenly you can use a fountain pen without having to worry about the cap, and it makes nib damage much less likely. I've used this pen for 10 years, and absolutely adore it. I love it smooth clean lines (both the construction of the pen and its writing style, if you'll excuse the rather bad pun) and I've always loved it's marriage of traditional with more modern technology, which is exactly what, in my book, makes it steampunk. So I thought I would share it with you fine people.
The Namiki/Pilot Vanishing Point. It is the only fountain pen with a retractable nib - the same action that you find in over half the ballpoints we all write with. This feature makes it very useful for day-to-day use - suddenly you can use a fountain pen without having to worry about the cap, and it makes nib damage much less likely. I've used this pen for 10 years, and absolutely adore it. I love it smooth clean lines (both the construction of the pen and its writing style, if you'll excuse the rather bad pun) and I've always loved it's marriage of traditional with more modern technology, which is exactly what, in my book, makes it steampunk. So I thought I would share it with you fine people.