Fountain Pens Are Actually Fascinating | National Geographic

[@itsjonathanku6074]

"It's a deeply personal instrument." - Couldn't agree with that more. I'm someone who loves minimalism, so naturally, my favourite pen is the LAMY 2000. Fountain pens are also really sustainable too! Many fountain pens are built to last a lifetime, (take a LAMY 2000 or Pilot Custom 823 for example), you can always keep filling them up, and not having to throw any plastic away if you use a converter. I'd highly recommend just buying one, you'll get addicted!

[@canice123]

I just bought the Lamy 2000 in San Francisco a week ago. It has a medium nib and I love it.

[@Chance57]

Fountain pens strike me as far more fafy than minimalist in the modern era.

[@itsjonathanku6074]

@@Chance57 That could be true, but when writing for long periods of time, they're just fun! I meant minimalism as in just the style and look, check it out! :)

[@AndrewsArachnids]

Richard Binder is a real professional in all senses of the word.

[@mgmmaze]

why isn't there ohh at least an hr or more of this. nib meister isn't "common" anymore but I'd love to see full length what this man does

[@philipm06]

Absolutely right - more young people are using fountain pens. I bought very cheaply an old green marble Mabie Todd Swan pen that was dirty and dried up - cleaned it up, installled a new sac and now works beautifully and I gave it to my daughter who treasures and uses it. Beware though, fountain pens are addictive.

[@opulan]

Many thousands of dollars in, I strongly agree with you

[@doodletime9041]

Mabie todd fountain pens are absolutely stunning, I love my blue/black swan, it has a full flex nib!

[@tacticalfall4505]

As a young person (and probably only one at my school to have fountain pens), my generation should look into them. Works of art that need no pressure to write. I’ve only really used Sheaffer and CROSS fountain pens (you can’t exactly get a job/money when you’re fourteen) but I’m still doing my part educating the masses. Some call them calligraphy pens (and they’re technically correct).

[@RaviKumar-cl6iy]

True..

[@deezem5294]

@@tacticalfall4505 If they're technically correct , cant you also call a ballpoint a calligraphy pen and it would be technically correct?

[@suhasinisrihari54]

I write using fountain pens, and even collect the best (though it's an expensive hobby); but it gives me immense satisfaction while writing. I feel that these pens have a mind of their own! Finding the right pen may take long but upon hitting the right one, one will certainly fall in love with life all over again!

[@sabhotep5153]

Sounds Harry Potter.

[@NickT6630]

There's lots of great cheap pens... platinum preppy, twsbi eco, lamy safari, pilot metropolitan, wingsung 3008, jinhao etc

[@chaimgoldstein3386]

Yup, the right wand

[@vernonjay561]

He just tuned 3 of my Sailors this weekend. By far, one of the best experiences.

[@GordonTillmanTexas]

Richard is a great guy. He has worked on several pens for me over the years.

[@gr8o2h2o]

I love fountain pens! I was raise in Europe where the schools I attended handwriting meant something. I noticed that nice handwriting is a trained skill. Some are just naturally better at it then others. Setting up a fountain pen correctly no matter what make is the most important thing to know and do. Either you know it or you have someone like RB to set it up for you professionally. I love the feel when the pen and your hands are one in soul and feel. You can write with artful emotion other than just words gliding effortlessly and the feed back from the pen just puts a smile on your face. Those would be my personal favorite pens. I'm glad people like Richards exist. It is sad there are fewer today that enjoy writing vs. text messaging.

[@MrCmalanis]

I 've met Richard in a couple of pen shows and he's a great person; extremely talented and always in to share his knowledge about pens!

[@MrAndrew1953]

Exactly why , once you get into fountain pens you are hooked for life. There’s always something new to learn. There’s the traditional and the new evolving functional genre.

[@VelveteenVermilion]

This man has all my respect may he live long

[@NickT6630]

I've been collecting fountain pens since Sept 2018 but originally used one at school in the 1980s. I have about 75 at last count. Its a rewarding hobby that has a practical side as well as being creative with writing. Its fountain pen day today too!

[@Blavlahoemzaza]

That man customised the nib on one of my pens. He truely is a master at his game. :)

[@AtilioEscobar]

I just got into the fountain pen hobby. And everything he said was correct. All of my 12 fountain pens have a unique characteristic, all to their own. Love this hobby.

[@y4juhty]

When he lowers his glasses you know shit is getting real

[@nmgr30]

I love fountain pens and as he says, they are unique in one's hand, help you create and present your thoughts in an artistic way!

[@baruchben-david4196]

I've used fountain pens since the 1960's. I've always loved them. They are deeply personal. As you write, the nib wears down according to how you hold the pen. They come to fit your style of writing.

[@skycaptain141]

is here a full video of this. I wish this was longer.

[@tassiespirit]

I love using a fountain pen again after many years, as it makes you stop and think about how and what you write - words are important.

[@diogitalk]

Still a better love story than twilight

[@gndeep01]

I like to type on my smartphone but for my grocery list and for the feelings of my heart to express , i write and with a fountain pen , yes. Theres nothing like filling ink in a pen and start to write .Its a very personal experience. I stopped writing after school and came back after 15 years with lot of passion for it now.

[@ashukaushik9266]

I absolutely love writing and everything about stationary, especially Pens.

[@TheCalculatorGuy]

Would watch an entire documentary on this.

[@mig34sw]

I like my fountain pens, but I draw with them more than write! Am glad there are people who work on preserving old ways of life.

[@ThePumpkinEye]

I use love using Fountain Pens in Primary school but then everyone seemed to had switched to ballpoint and I did too. However this video had made me go buy a fountain pen tomorrow.

[@BikerBabeDK]

+ThePumpkinEye Did you buy a fountain pen again?

[@ThePumpkinEye]

+Der Meister (BMW Z4 Lover) yes

[@BikerBabeDK]

+ThePumpkinEye Excellent, what did you get?

[@ThePumpkinEye]

+Der Meister (BMW Z4 Lover) Parker Vector Black Medium Nib Fountain Pen!

[@BikerBabeDK]

+ThePumpkinEye Nice! The Vector is a good sturdy pen, good choice. :)

[@citruses]

very interesting. now i see why my dad adores fountain pens.

[@Princ3Shun]

nice，i am wondering why there is still no documentary about fountain pen especially for the growing of fountain pen community

[@bulletstothebeat1768]

This was very inspiring i own a fountain pen people forget that handwriting is still an art

[@Ryan98391]

I'm having a blast with mt inexpensive Sheaffer fountain pens. I imagine a fountain pen purist laughing at me for my eight dollar pens but I wouldn't have gotten started on this road to fountain pens if it weren't for my first refillable fountain pen. It makes handwriting so much more enjoyable over a ball point pen or felt pen.

[@maybudha]

When I was growing up in Shanghai China back in the 80s, there were still many street stalls that fixed fountain pens. (Along with stands that fix umbrellas and bicycles).

[@ChintanPandya01]

Please Make a documentary on this Nat Geo!

[@carlblaskowitz7817]

Came for the pens, stayed for that cat.

[@VinceBuffalo]

I want a longer version!

[@rknine7998]

*Fascinating!* I have eight gorgeous fountain pens and I learn something new every single day by peeling the layers and getting deeper and deeper.

[@Jugtree]

Great video of one of the world's masters. I would love to see more of the how and what is done to bring pens back to life, or reshape nibs to perform differently. This also has me thinking, who will pick up the baton when the current set of masters retire?

[@b.robinsoncecs7179]

It is a shame that Richard Binders shop is no longer open

[@AtilioEscobar]

What?!? I was just about to look him up..what happened? Is he ok?

[@LaviniaDeMortalium]

@@AtilioEscobar after a bit of googling, it looks like he's fine, just stepping back from the business/retail aspect of the hobby. A few blogs did note that he was still a avid collector though.

[@mbsheisey]

There are others who do what he did. Google "nibmeisters."

[@IrishCarlaB]

The most best video to ever be published.

[@robertmorgan5173]

I so wish I could write like Mr Binder. Regrettably, a tremor I developed in my writing hand has turned my formerly reasonably elegant handwriting into scrawl.

[@caribouwho]

craftsmanship. nice

[@TristanIStheSUN2009]

yes people collect them i love the monte blanc fountin pens

[@JesseRaylabrancaro]

What a great video! Fountain pens are wonderful :-)

[@theoffstageme]

Genuinely my dream job.

[@themis1444]

literally learned nothing about fountain pens and that's honestly impressive

[@ginkgothestink-o6949]

I love fountain pens. You grow quite attached over time. Rather than other pens, which you use up and throw away, a fountain pen can last you a lifetime. It becomes quite personal.

[@nickvergara1398]

Richard Binder is amazing!

[@GoHerping]

Where can I buy one from him? :)

[@AnK11Morrison]

+dmeadville does it work? Seems to be not working for me.

[@GoHerping]

Whoa a comment I made from a year ago lol

[@dh.151]

+GoHerping I had no idea you had an interest in fountain pens

[@grapefriedrice5338]

GoHerping and another year

[@kikolektrique1737]

eyyyyy herping

[@john_karpov]

that's just beautiful

[@ot7stan207]

I bought a LAMY pen a few years back, still have it cuz I know I paid $$ for it. Its not something I use for everything but I can depend on me having an actual pen in my house if I need one. I love how I can just refill the ink and know I will never lose them like I lose all my other cheaper pens.

[@PhillipLandmeier]

Indeed, it's not that peculiar. My daughter fell in love with fountain pens 25 years ago and uses them almost exclusively. I've been using them for over 60 years. (Am I that old???) I enjoy writing with them so much I sometimes find myself looking for an excuse to write. As an engineer, I've been a student of FP repair for a very long time. I enjoy purchasing estate-sale pens on eBay, pens that have been abused, beat up, left in a drawer or box for 40 years with the ink dried solid inside, and restoring them to excellent working condition. I do it for fun. I suppose I could do it for money but am not interested in starting yet another business at my age. I know a number of people just like myself who have been repairing their own pens for a long time. It's fun to fix FP's, it's fun to write with them. I have a pen right now I'm about to fix. It's a brand new pen, very pretty, great writer, but after about a quarter page of writing it stops. It has a breathing problem. There are several things that might be wrong. Soon it will be fixed.

[@foshastajones]

Repairing pens since 2000... so that's 15 years. Pen15 club anyone?

[@Zebbeth]

saw this a while back, spent ages trying to find it again! awesome vid!

[@AnikTamu]

Respect

[@MukeshGupta-mk4bh]

Good job please keep making

[@lead-dog]

very cool. thanks

[@jude1515]

Excellent.

[@IsouDMI]

I'm a college student and I use two Pilot Vanishing Point to write everyday. And I've been using fountain pens since I was 11. You can't mimic the weight, feel and line fountain pens gives imo.

[@axiompathos7570]

I miss making fountain pens..

[@ronhutchcraft2290]

Good Video, good topic. Thanks

[@drefields4727]

I have 2 coming I can't wait to use them

[@andresisthename]

This is so amazing!

[@digitalblasphemy1100]

are we going to see more of this guy? Please tell me this isn't it

[@rileywebb4178]

He was a giant in the pen world but he seems to be slowly closing down his shop, here is his website though -www.richardspens.com/ - He has so much awesome information on the reference pages!

[@robertmorgan5173]

digitalblasphemy1100 Agreed! We need to see more of Mr Binder.

[@gofusmoholl3462]

He basically retired!

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Amazing

[@robinrai4973]

Just bought a Noodler's ahab and I'm also restoring a very old Sheaffer!

[@2008aq9999]

0:56 sir ur handwriting I don’t have words to explain! I need a fountain pen write now

[@francineshimizu2205]

What a great video!

[@LatinoWebStudio]

really interesting video.

[@Pb_2266]

I prefer a fountain pen since it feels a lot like a pencil when writing. And iv'e used pencils all my life and struggled to keep my handwriting neat with the frictionless-ness of a ball point pen.

[@Catchinteresting]

O my god , respect you.

[@k.ganesanganesan6825]

You and I are opening new chapters in the use of FOUNTAIN PEN.

[@larrychapman824]

Pelikan rules! Richard has done amazing nib work for me.

[@gowthamudhay2836]

this is nice

[@msprincesss115]

interesting video..i would like to try using a fountain pen..

[@Merlin012001]

Arrrrrrggggg i came for more that a 5min blurb on fountain pens!!!!

[@apontutul]

Nothing equals like writing with a fountain pen

[@diannepasia7413]

TRUE OH MY GOD

[@georgelovesnopain]

Fantastic handwriting! For someone like me it’s like alien🤔

[@Susazeu]

Some of those digital techniques were developed by people that love to write. I started collecting pens at age 13, but, of course, I wanted more. I'll never give up on my pens, but, I still love what the digital techniques enable us to do.

[@mfcoom9485]

Never knew richard binder looks like this

[@lerkomsmartgf3992]

Очень толковые книги по вопросу чернильных ручек написаны уважаемым Ричардом. Рекомендую!

[@soresgerdevrim]

Where can we watch the full version of this?

[@TheRealOfficialGator]

I mean there's a lot more than just six fountain pen repairmen, but then again that was 2015. Fountain pens have been coming back recently.

[@karenfallon8488]

Yes, repairmen. But not many as unique and in tune with the finer craft of pens.

[@rdn658]

nice

[@gracerideshorses7309]

Woohoo NH!

[@tehranimh]

Hi, Which month's and years issue is this National Geographic magazine ? And can someone tell me the National Geographic magazines months and years issue which have articles about Fountain pens ? Thanks.

[@ranpoolz]

I like my fountain pen.

[@nelsondcunha3156]

I have in the moment 5 fountain pens and I am waiting for a bottle of ink of Parker....

[@kato2395]

"Fountain Pens Are Actually Fascinating" well you bet natgeo 😎

[@ashokdad]

Excuse sir, may I more Richard Binder, please?

[@co2mx]

0:23 is still probably in the process in repairing fountain pens

[@9878061159]

haaa same here I m little crazy for fountain pens Nd also repair it

[@YinesaLai]

0:22 ginger kitty

[@shortforruthless]

I would love to be his apprentice.

[@sen7826]

I learned less from this video than I expected to when I clicked on the thumbnail.

[@am7265]

0:55

[@jeremiahpua94]

Does anyone know what the title of the music track was?

[@DylanLanham]

That vacumatic tho

[@54858251]

This is why I sometimes hate technology. It makes old methods 'boring' according to those who don't use them. In reality, the old ones are the best and the new generation sees them as boring because they haven't tried them yet

[@54858251]

dmeadville Won't they be ignored by the majority? Technology is slowly driving this to extinction because of the rising popularity of computer text. It's sad to see (sometimes unnecessary) advancements in the way we live ruining old stuff

[@54858251]

dmeadville Thanks for reassuring me a little. Compared to what I've heard in the past, I see people now and they're becoming more(this term may be inaccurate) mechanical as in only caring about stuff that concerns them and interacting less

[@solstar4778]

Would you use a ultrasonics to clean a fountain pen ❓

[@exlforever]

This is why people spend thousands on fountain pens

[@Extremebananalover]

Haha. I'm left handed 😭 makes it difficult without adopting an awkward hand position or paper angle.