I write with a fountain pen nearly every day. If you're looking for a good way to take a break from the tyranny of screens. Get a fountain pen and a notebook and spend some time with your personal thoughts. It's therapeutic.
@@rayh.9130 : I am another fountain pen collector, and journal and/or creative write every day using one of my many pens. Love writing with my pens; and find the flow of the many beautiful inks "intoxicating" (LOL). I also enjoy my Esterbrook Dipless Desk pen on occasion. I was taught cursive writing in elementary school many yrs ago. I remember learning how to write using the Esterbrook fountain pen, inking with Sheaffer bottled black ink.
I’m a shoe maker from Innsbruck-Austria, and every receipe that i give, it is always hand-written with germanic font, my clients collect them, awesome video🇦🇹
My mother used to write with a Mont Blanc fountain pen. I bought my first fountain pen some years ago and I have not looked back since. One of the best decisions I have ever made.
be careful. they're like drugs or butter cakes. My Gran gave me a couple of original Parker 51's I use and recently I bought a Pilot Metropolitan for everyday use. Funny thing, I find using them (so help me) calming... A Parker Jotter for work and I just buy the gel refills but all my personal correspondence is with a fountain pen.
My used a Cross . I can still see him doing the NYT cross word puzzles ever Sunday. He folded the paper comuter style, and did it holding the paper in the air, while sitting. This is an Un-reoroducable feat! Enjoy Life Chris
Please note, that the yellow fountain pen shown with the caption 'not so quality' is still a Lamy Safari fountain pen. One of the best entry level fountain pens. This was a special limited Pikachu edition which is now highly sought after.
Safaris and Al-Stars are fantastic pens for their price. I have pens triple the price that aren’t that much better than an Al-Star. The Pikachu is not cheap at all nowadays
I came here to say the exact same. I love my Safari! I use it for taking notes and the EF nib writes better on lower quality paper than any of my other pens. I'd definitely say that a Safari is still a "Quality" pen, even if it is novelty. Plus, the triangle grip has forced me into a better hand posture!
The sheer joy of drafting a letter with a fountain pen is one of life's great indulgences in this day and age. Thank you so much for the video on handwriting.
Living in Europe, I've been taught how to write with a fountain pen, and during all my studies until university, it was badly seen to write with ball points, and even more not in a cursive way. Also had the luck to have a nice control over my hands, that allowed me to imitate while I was around 14 a 19th century handwriting, that I still possess and that I made mine over time. I am always really complimented for it and it makes me quite proud.
I write in a journal each day for about 20 minutes. I use a fountain pen and have found that, as a welder, hand writing each day has improved my motor control that is so important for a welder.
En efecto: está comprobado que la escritura a mano mejora la psicomotricidad fina, cualidad muy deseable en muchos trabajos que no tienen nada que ver con la escritura.👍🇪🇸
Soy calígrafo autodidacta y he dado clases de escritura artística y funcional en una escuela de mi ciudad. Actualmente doy clases de caligrafía básica en una institución benéfica para personas discapacitadas como voluntario sin sueldo, y mi labor es muy bien acogida por psicólogos y psiquiatras de la institución ya que entienden que es muy beneficiosa para éstas personas. Por mi parte continuo practicando caligrafía artística y siempre que puedo prescindo del ordenador. He creado una nueva forma de comunicación por wash up que consiste en escribir el mensaje a mano, fotografiarlo con el móvil y enviar la foto al destinatario. Cuesta más tiempo y no siempre se puede hacer, pero tiene éxito. No es lo mismo ver la letra del remitente que los caracteres impersonales de una máquina.👍🇪🇸
I'm so glad to see that you have made a video on this topic! As a engineer, I find that many in my field have poor handwriting, but I feel the effort I make with mine gives a good first impression, and I'm proud of it!
@@c.d4936 Ah well that depends a lot of the type of engineering you're up to. But it involves a lot of problem solving! Not sure I can write a whole essay in the RUclips comments
Ditto. I fix drawing and the red line mess I get is horrendous. I have noticed, though, that after returning some of the drawing with questions like "Is this a 1, 7, 8, or 9" written in Old English font, I usually get much more legible notes now. I think some of it is the idea that nobody cares about how it looks (especially engineers who want to get back to building things), so why should you? Just showing that you do care can remind people that it does matter.
it is funny. My handwriting is superb when I am trying to write a LaTex (mathematical equation) style form. But horrendous when I am writing an essay. My friend and I included seems confuse to why
Hello there, thank you so much for the video. I am a homeschooling mother who is currently teaching my 13 year old son to write in cursive. I showed him this video and then we talked about why cursive writing has merit. I just wanted to say that having this video to show him was so helpful!
I started my fountain pen journey back in 2021 with a simple objective of trying to improve my handwriting and now I have a couple of fountain pens. We live in fast paced environment so picking up a fountain pen to write a journal entry is a luxury. It does help calm things down when they get so tight. Even with the advancement in communications I don't think penmanship will be confined to the pages of history books.
Excellent presentation! Although I (now 80 years old) was taught cursive in my elementary classes, by the time I began High School, many of my fellow students were continuing with the cursive method; however, individuality in style began to take precedence over the original cursive learned. Consequently, many, including myself, wanted to show off their recently developed flair showing this new style to promote this distancing from cursive, which became popular. At 80, I look back with regret on not staying with the cursive method I learned and have begun to practice; with the help of several fountain pens that I've recently purchased, an instructional guide and have returned with much practice to the cursive method, I learned in the very early 1950s. Thank you for the much-needed video.
Due to the pandemic, I am not in class to teach my students cursive handwriting. In the past, if my students practiced their cursive handwriting and learned the parts of a fountain pen(cap,nib, breather hole, shoulders, section, finial, barrel), then they would receive one from me. When kids are practicing their cursive handwriting, you can hear a pin drop because they are concentrating. A handwritten letter or note serves to preserve and protect the analog soul.Thank your for your presentation.
We wish there are more teachers in the US like you John. I do like fountain pens (I own few dozens) but I grew up in Europe where 45 years ago we all took cursive writing and calligraphy…
Dear Preston, Raphael and everyone at the Gentleman's Gazette HQ. Thank you so much for making this video. You might find this interesting to read but will be quite long. My handwriting hasn't been good since school. I am told that it was pretty good when I wrote with my left hand but was then asked to write with my right by tutors and others and I had just started to do so when there was a huge gap in between my daily practice. Of course I don't remember any of it, do remember the time when I faced humiliation at school because of it time and time again. Have become better at it since then but after watching this, I see Penmenship as something I should pursue because mastering this, is an added virtue. While mastering it will take time and consistency, It will be another accomplishment and one of the many significant changes I made in my life. I'm 19 right now and have done that with several areas but somehow never touched upon this. Maybe because of the reasons mentioned in the video like increased use of technology and it not getting as much importance. Was taught to write Cursive but it was more of filling the book rather than mastering it. No one to blame for that. Let this day, this comment be the beginning to me adding another great skill to my skill set Which, by the way, would be rare to find as the years would go by so this comment here could age very well. 9 March 2021 is the date let's see how well this would age. Once again, thank you so much for this video. You guys have been of tremendous help.
I a fellow user encourage you to strongly hone your handwriting skills though today’s society drifts us to use our digital tech you ‘will’ agree there’s nothing better than to droop your thoughts on paper seeing the strokes you hand muscles produce with a tactile instrument that demonstrates the gliding of your expressions..... I lost myself in thought... excuse me I have a couple of entries to write as a part of my daily regimen to always write something. Best wishes to you and your writing journey. The man and the fountain pen form an illustrious and formidable team against keeping silent; where your expressions are to be shared with self and or other - ANONYMOUS
@@simeonking2910 couldn't say it the way you did. Writing down your thoughts ot your goals on paper have an impact like bo other. Have already started since writing my initial comment. I look forward to master this skill. Will try to come back to this comment section time and time again. Cheers
Utkarsh, I hope you have a GREAT time writing in cursive and developing your own personal style of writing. Writing by hand, whether with a fountain pen or gel pen or ballpoint is is one of the pleasures of my life. I hope that will happen for you too!
I have been teaching my son to write in cursive for a while now as he is in elementary school and they don’t teach it anymore. He uses a fountain pen made for kids that he really likes and he looks forward to trying a different ink color every time we refill it. No other kid in his class knows how to write in cursive, unfortunately, but I believe it holds many benefits.
@@gentlemansgazette thanks for your support, i really appreciate that! Anyway i feel okay as i am, i have dozen of skill that i would improve before that. Apart from it, it's still hilarious for me comparing your footage with fountain pen and my memories with it: it looked like if i was stabbing the paper 😅
I do feel that typing is a very important skill for students to learn, especially when pertaining to touch typing but I was highly disappointed when I discovered penmanship classes had fallen by the wayside. I never became very accomplished in my own penmanship while in grade school but those skills were invaluable in my ability to take notes in my post secondary pursuits. And I can only speak to personal experience and vague references to studies I've seen, but I retain far more information when I choose to write by hand than I am ever able to recall when typing notes onto a screen.
When I go through work-related training it takes me much longer than my co-workers because I hand-write MILES of notes. I have no intention of changing.
@@nictheartist I've also heard about cursive writing and the brain. Not teach children---or adults---cursive is to do them a disservice. You might be interested in the You Tube video "Why write? Penmanship for the 21st Century/ Jake Weidemann/TedxMile High" . He's an excellent speaker along with being brilliant at writing by hand and is an artist and craftsman as well.
One of the most beautiful cursive scripts to learn is, in my opinion, Spencerian. It is not easy and it takes a lot of time. But it is a fun and inexpensive way to distinguish yourself as a gentleman ✍🏻
My father taught me to handwrite with a fountain pen, & I was quite good as a child; but slow. A particular "teacher" at middle school, who saw no need for my "excessively loopy" style, put so much pressure on me to speed up that she ruined my handwriting for around 35 years! This year I picked up a fountain pen again (including some I've had since school & college) & retrained myself to writer properly. I'm a left-hander so had the additional issue of learning to under-write again. I've now achieved this & couldn't be happier. Incidentally, may I ask Preston what fountain pens he owns, & what inks he prefers? I know that Rafael uses Mont-blanc (a 149 & Irish green ink) but I'm curious if Preston's choices are different.
be careful! using quills and fountain pens can be addictive. a buddy is a calligrapher as a much-loved hobby. several years ago he and co-workers noticed he was using hand-writing normally reserved for his hobby in his work (school teacher). everyone loves to watch him write on a board and write assignments for the kids.
I am not a gentleman, I am a lady, but I think these videos on how to be a gentleman are wonderful. Thank you for your videos as they will benefit young men (and men of any age) and are very interesting for everyone to watch. :) Very classy.
I'm an elementary school teacher, I deeply agree that students need to practice how to write appropriately. Whenever I received a poor written homework, it is always a.... like what Raphael said, pain in th a**
In my schoolworks I loved my horrible handwriting. The teacher is gonna make me write an original story 4 times a year knowing that my creativity level is -4 on 1-10 scale, I'm gonna make it as hard for her to read it as she made it hard for me to write it lol on the serious note, is it really true that some places don't teach cursive? Our schoolworks had to be written in cursive (well not the english ones thank god) and 2-4 grade elem we had to write in cursive pretty much exclusively, it's strange to me that people would just ditch it
Is there an equivalent to cursive/block writing in Taiwanese? I imagine the nature of the characters forces students to be more disciplined in their writing.
@@justjoe5373 for me when i got into secondary school it became optional. A lot of people ditch it because its harder to make it look good, and for essays its very important for it to be readable.
I highly, _highly_ appreciate the fair but objective exposé of why ballpoint pens are not suited for penmanship, Preston. The part about fatigue and cramps due to the higher viscosity of the ink was especially clarifying. So from a fanatic of cursive writing, thank you! I'll keep an eye out for a good entry-level set of fountain pen and ink. EDIT: No fortune thus far, but I did find something good for those unwilling to go full fountain: Linc's ballpoint pens have amazing ink nowadays. They roll excellently with a quill-light touch on paper. I've been using a 3-color set of their fine point Scrit pens, and they punch _far_ above their class.
@@STScott-qo4pw I have been writing with fountain pens for around 3 years at this point...you can never go back to a regular ball point after using a four train pen, that's for sure
Thank you very much I could not agree more.. I love handwriting and fountain pens are my favorite. I've been into writing for 50 years and I and I love it and it will always be part of my life. It is so important and more personal to write somebody a letter. It means more to put forth the effort. Thank you so very much for your programs
I am in the process of teaching myself Spencerian and Copperplate script. I too use a fountain pen every day. I prefer vintage Waterman pens, I find the nibs extremely expressive.
My kids learned hiw to write with a fountain pen in school, just as I did. My youngest will learn this next year. Even to this day 'schoonschrift', (beautifull handwriting) is a part of education in schools here in Belgium. It doesn't have the importance that it used to have though.
Thanks for this most instructive video. I grew up in India, learning to write using fountain pens, and now that I am in the USA, I have continued using and collecting fountain pens.
Greetings "from the future"! Hungarian person here, and let me congratulate to you for saying that László so great! If you let me one very very late tiny comment on the Bíró part, it's pronounced as "Bee-roh" not "Bai-roh". I really didn't mean to nitpick or offend you though, I'm already very thankful for even including him in the video! Thank you very much for the always very detailed and educational videos, I might not be a "gentleman" but I truly love this concept and I am a huge fan of fountain pens. Also I can always learn a lot about the world of gentlemen what comes in handy when I am busy writing one! Thank you for all your hard work you put into these videos!
It is true that fountain pen is less practical but for me it is very emotional experience to write with it, much more comfortable and satisfying. I was taught to write with it since 1st grade of elementary school, and stuck with it ever since. Even the finest ballpoint cannot come close to it, purely for that emotional bond. I write for a living, and still do every manuscript by hand before retyping it. I feel that penmanship is like painting, expression of yourself, small isle of calm elegance and creativity that everybody could join in.
I was really sad about the growing trends of typing and I supported writing. I am still in school and writing is a big part here. I use fountain pens to write class notes and went far more old fashioned way and use dip pens to write out long letters. I do write letters. I would also like to thank gentleman's gazette for doing this video. It has really bought my spirit back.
An avid fountain pen user myself. I have about 40 of them already. Just got my Pelikan M1000 delivered by mail yesterday. A beauty to write with. But Montblanc is still my all time favourite fountain pen maker. I have 15 of them.
At the age of nearly 60, I've re-discovered the two cheap fountain pens I used at school. They still work, and I have started journalling. I think handwriting is far superior to any keyboard based system, as it proves that my thoughts form better being forced to slow down for my hand to write correctly. This is a feedback loop which makes both the thinking process, the handwriting and the resultant content all better.
I really liked this video from the dive into penmanship to the sharp comfortable style you presented. I am a woman who loves the atmosphere of a gentleman.
As always, informative, interesting, and a pleasure to watch. As a bonus I discovered I share my birth year with the iconic (although somewhat pedestrian, Bic Crystal). Unlike yours truly, it doesn't appear that item will retire any time soon. Once again thank you for your work on this channel.
New subscriber here. I've just watched a few of your videos about writing with fountain pens, and have decided to take up the hobby. I don't have many people to whom I can write letters or post cards, but will definitely write a journal, with therapeutic benefit. I have probably made over a couple thousand rollerball pens from kits, turned on a wood lathe, but have never really taken interest in writing with fountain pens. Time to savor some good quality handwriting now, and unplug from all this online pollution. Thank you for your very inspirational channel!
I used to love writing with a fountain pen. I currently hand write most of my notes from my reading etc, but I write on an electronic devise. I will admit, one of the apps I use has a “fountain pen” and it is my favorite to write with.
Great video…thank you! I’ve been looking for information on how our Founding Fathers learned to write so beautifully. The two books that you mentioned at the beginning of this video are still in print and available. This is exactly what I needed and very much appreciate your work!
I remember they taught us cursive in school when I was younger, unfortunately the classes only lasted a couple years of elementary school. Would've loved to do more with it.
I use fountain pens nearly to exclusion, and ball point pens only under duress. My children were taught cursive in school, thankfully -- the school districts here in Montana haven't abandoned it yet -- and I reinforced what they learned with practice at home. I didn't care for the style and method of cursive handwriting I was taught at the private school I attended, so I taught myself a few different styles until I found one I liked. I still enjoy exchanging handwritten letters with a handful of pen-pals scattered about the globe. Thank you for an enjoyable video.
Although I prefer fountain pens due to practical needs I use a Mont Blanc Meisterstruck ball point daily. I can write legible and flowing cursive script with it if I just remember to slow down and form every letter. I believe the quality of the refill (the ball and ink) along with the weight and balance of the pen allows me to do that.
Here in Brazil, the cursive letter are part of the basic alphatization curriculum, and kids start learning and practicing its writing as soon as they start in school... Therefore, since here public education is universally free, you can expect that every alphabetized Brazilian citizen is able to write and read cursive letter! However, fountain pens aren't part of the curriculum, hence rare to be seen... Its expensive and used only by artists and enthusiasts! Me myself never saw a fountain pen (i'm 33 years old). Now, thanks to this formidable channel and its inpiring videos, i'm looking forward to buy my 1st Fountain Pen and start practicing! Ty Gentleman's Gazette!
In college, I was able to get line variation with a ballpoint pen through subtle pressure variations, but only with Pilot pens and felt tips. It was also the that I discovered fountain pens. Been trying to play with flex nibs lately.
As much as I embraced technology, I still embrace writing a letter by hand. The amazement by the recipient of the letter of the time and effort as they read every word. I have a fountain pen that I still have but rarely use it.
For me my personal writing became a sorta unique mix of cursive and print I can mostly read cursive rhats like really cursive but I cant write just cursive
I was taught cursive in grade school. I think it should still be taught in school. I still write ✍️ thank you cards & correspondence cards as well. I started up my journal again and invested back into fountain pens 🖊. I love it all!!
Greetz from Europe - we still have dedicated classes for penmanship and lettering. Even in my primary school we had the subject for proper penmanship and handrwitting dedicated practices and some basic fonts. For the sake of proper handwritten letters I'm currently on my practizing routine for proper Fraktura (Old German Font). And a leightweight font for faster but yet delicate notes. Ball- and Rollerbalpens are considered for completly crushing your handwritting btw ^^
As a biologist, we were demanded to produce and ddeliver a herbarium. The classic rules were: when your plants was too long, fold it into a V or W. Flowers, fruiting bodies and seeds, leaves and stems are required. The label has to be put into the lower right corner with the right data there. Of course, it was accepted to print out the labels, but I went the extra mile and got to work. I made labels with a calygraphers pen and tried my best to produce handwritten labels (It's hard since I'm left handed and thus prone to smears... To my chagrin...). It worked out and the professor was very pleased with the plants as well as the labels. In the end, I passed. Edit: I'm from Belgium, and on the topic of learning to use a fountain pen... That was the ONLY writing utensil allowed on school property until 12 years of age, after which you could choose. We were supposed to write perfectly without smears or puddles and each year, we were required to produce a formal letter fully written in cursive. (I hated it, because, as said, I'm left handed so I've singlehandedly destroyed entire trees worth of paper...) However, in the end I'm grateful for the skills I learned because of it.
This channel produces very entertaining content! Since I was a very young child, I always talked in a dignified, gentlemanly manner. Personally, I do enjoy the revival of old fashioned traditions through this channel. Also, how dare you disrespect my beloved ballpoint pen, haha! Keep up the good work!
I grew up writing d'nealian cursive and had no idea that’s what it was! I had to teach myself block print so I could fill out college forms. Just started learning to use a fountain pen and am super glad I have penmanship I can pass down to my own children
They still taught cursive in the UK when I was in primary in the mid 2000s and made us use ball point pens so it probably explains why my handwriting has always been atrocious. I've switched to a twisby go and my handwriting has improved leaps and bounds over the last few months since I've gotten it. Someone actually complemented how neat my writing was the other day, I was so happy I almost cried as no one has ever said anything nice about my writing.
I am very old fashioned. I would love to live in the 1940's or maybe even the 1880's. The clothing. The writing and fountain pens. Even the feel of those days. I love your Gentlemen's Gazette. All of it. Great style and classy 👌. It's comforting to see that there is still something real in this crazy world. Thanks guys.
You can do all of that now. Especially since those are classic things. You also does need everyone to be doing it too. Classic things are popular anyways.
@@cccpredarmy Why be negative? Just because people like history doesn't mean they're talking about, like, or condone the bad parts. Most people are talking about cool culture. There's always bad things. Like war. Like you don't like any history?
A very good vlog, so, well researched too. A few points: Most fountain pen nibs do not allow for varying thickness. A good rollerball, such as those with ceramic balls, do allow light pressure and the whole arm to be used. The best rollerballs do not write as well as a moderately priced fountain pen. A cheap Lamy Al Star with a well tuned nib is far more pleasant to write with and does a better job, than a top of the range Rollerball with the best quality refill, such as an Ohto. Today I binned a rollerball that has been in my bag for over ten years. It was there for those occasions when I might forget to pack a fountain pen, or to offer it to someone who needed to write something down and who had failed to carry a writing instrument. It still worked perfectly, for a rollerball. I don't go with this penmanship stuff though. A fountain pen bequeaths almost an instant handwriting improvement. All that is required is ensuring one's hands and shoulders are relaxed, the pen and paper is placed correctly and one is sitting at the correct height with reasonable posture. The handwriting will then improve itself. I am far too busy doing the things I wish to do. I leave it to others for whom penmanship is an enjoyable hobby. Thanks for this enjoyable and informative video. P.S. The schools I attended in England taught Italic Script, not cursive.
I'm only 25 years old, and from the Netherlands, but still had to write with a fountain pen in elementary school! We had to first learn to write in cursive, with the D'Nealian method, in pencil, and when we were able to master that, we were allowed to use a simple fountain pen. Felt as a sort of rite of passage for me, finally being allowed to use a fountain pen! I'm really glad that I was taught writing like that, because I do think it has made it possible for me to easier adapt my handwriting-style, and always have it looking somewhat neat. I still love writing with fountainpens to this day, and use them daily, for journals, studying but also to write letters to my dearest friends. It's lovely and makes me so happy, I can't recommend it enough.
Another thing worth mentioning is that handwritten cursive documents require some level of skill to read. Without being able to read these things (pretty much every record before 1950) our history is being lost. And this includes very important documents like census records, death/birth certificates and even up to the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights as well as the letters and commentary that were made concerning these documents.
Aren't lots of documents converted to typed and online? Also, just cause people have bad handwriting or doesn't do it much doesn't mean they can't read hand written words.
I desire to own a fountain pen. I learnt cursive in the 2nd grade. I wrote in cursive up till 6th grade and switched to script in high school. Now, I'm re-learning cursive. I glad to have re-discovered its beauty.
I just have ordered my first fountain pen since school and hope to train my handwriting with it. Above all, for me it's ergotherapeutic - which I urgently need, being a Multiple Sclerosis victim. Thanks for this video!
I looooove writing with my Montblanc fountain pen 😻😻😻 I still write letters and notes :D Handwriting with a fountain pen is still compulsory in schools here (Belgium), we learn how to write in cursive and it's the only style allowed.
I like the "Gregg Handwriting" method book, even if the style isn’t to your liking, it offers excellent drills that help the hand develop a natural feel for elliptical curves
Perfect hybrid: ball point pen that feeds a refiller cartridge/converter. Especially as a to-go pen that you carry arounf in your bag for taking notes since a full blown fountain pen would be overkill. Still you combine convenience and long lasting beautiful materials and environmental friendliness. 💪
I have long wondered how the notes my friend at the university made were always so extensive and beautifully written. Now I believe I have found the answer.
I love this video. Preston your knowledge and delivery is spot on. I will practice on my penmanship. It is a lost art but it looks so beautiful when executed properly.
I have found that the Sharpie Gel pen. Works alot like a fountain pen. Not exactly, however it doesn't work very well if you don't hold it at certain angle.
A) A Pilot Metropolitan was my first real fountain pen, and I still use it every day in my Bullet Journal. B) I learned typing and cursive at about the same time, c. 1984 (I was 9).
Schools no longer teach cursive writing so my friend taught is 11 year old son himself. His ex-wife took him to court for "Forcing" the kid to learn things unnecessary. She lost. People are crazy. Penmanship matters and we have a generation that can't read cursive or script writing. Documents only 15 years old are a different language to them.
She took him to court? You are joking, right? o.O I think this could only be possible in the US. Here in Germany it's normal that the children write with a fountain pen and cursive during the first school years ^^
While in large part I agree, I am currently doing genealogy on my father's side of my family, and I have come to curse legal documents written in cursive, especially when that cursive is _bad_. One thing that has not changed in the past couple of centuries is that doctors' handwriting is almost always illegible!
@@geneajenkins5450 Yes, this is how children in the 1st grade mainly learn to write in Germany. And they write in cursiv in the 2nd, 3rd and mostly 4th grade. From the 5th grade the children mostly can decide how they wanna write.
Thank you so much for this history lesson! I have often thought the lack of good handwriting today partially stems from most pens not being pleasant to write with, not just the rise of computers. The history of the ballpoint backs this theory up and further encourages me to teach my children with FPs and instruct them in penmanship. As I know from personal experience penmanship and typing skill are not mutually exclusive. Although while I have above average handwriting I definitely have room for improvement
Fountain pens can be fun, but they come with real disadvantages, too. In many pens, the ink can evaporate inside within a matter of weeks even if unused, leaving you with an empty pen. The ink also tends to run, or "feather" on cheap paper such as we all use. Ink can easily get on your fingertips. The ink tends to take a while to dry, and it tends to show through the other side of that cheap paper I mentioned. I think for *everyday* use, a gel pen combines the best of fountain pens (bright ink that can be fade resistant and write clean lines, low required pressure against paper which prevents cramps) with the best of ballpoints (reliable, fairly long lasting ink supply, will never spill ink).
I purchased my first ever fountain pen when I was 19 as an LDS missionary in Santiago Chile. I knew nothing about fountain pens, and once I figured out I needed to puncture the cartridge into the pen, I thought it should work right away. Of course it didn’t. But once it did, I didn’t know which side to write with and used them enter changeably. I liked the feel, even if very unfamiliar, and used it for a a couple of days, until the ink dried in the nib since I didn’t know I needed to keep it capped when not in use. I ended up throwing the pen away. Then about 15 years later during Covid I saw a RUclips video about fountain pens, and learned the does and don’ts . Have been loving the hobby ever since!!
Great video, have you considered doing one on Blackwing pencils? They've been great when taking extensive notes since the graphite flows so well on the paper. Plus the feel and texture with Blackwing pencils is much more pleasant than using a ballpoint pen when having to write notes fast.
Fortunately, I was tought cursive handwriting with a fountain pen in the late 1990's, and we still require students to write with a fountain pen to this day in multiple schools in the Netherlands and Flanders (e.g. in waldorf education). Personally I believe this is a good thing, since it requires the writer to pay extra attention to what he/she is formulating and writing.
I am a fountain pen freak and to be honest they changed my life! They made me write from a dyslexic 10 year old to a true penman I am even learning cursive to expand my knowledge..
I, too, am a diagnosed dyslexic, who overcame severe handwriting issues. (nearly zero legibility, no usable speed, and an inability to read cursive) during self remediation, using a fountain pen, and (in my case) italic handwriting manuals. I am looking to get together with fellow dyslexics/dysgraphic/otherwise neurologically affected. handwriting overcomers! My other neurological conditions, by the way, include dysgraphia, dyspraxia, ADHD, and autism. Yet I actually became a handwriting instructor/remediator - after being my own first student - and a semi-professional calligrapher, with all of these issues. How may I reach you? We need to show the world that, if people like us can get good with a pen, what’s THEIR excuse?
I love pens and handwriting! I live in the U.S. and worked for many years for a Red Cross Book Fair. Something we couldn't use but that I kept is a composition book filled in by a student named "Nuba M. Pletcher---Heidelberg---August-October 1904". The handwriting is in English, remarkably small and very easy to read. I wonder if the few ball point pens of that era could write so well. Nuba Pletcher must have had a remarkably fine-pointed pen. I learned cursive in about 1970 in the third grade, I believe. Though I'm left-handed no one tried to make me write right-handed. I don't know when that practice went out of practice but it did and I'm glad! My handwriting has changed a lot over the decades. Even very early on I admired the older writing styles and incorporated details of them into my own writing. I've been complimented on how my writing looks like it's from the 1800's but is easy to read. In the post office I use there are framed replicas of historical American documents and I enjoy looking the Declaration of Independence with it's beautiful English roundhand style of writing. The document is beautiful as a work of art. Many years before that I saw an example of Abraham Lincoln's handwriting, maybe the Gettysburg Address, and I now write my upper-case cursive "A"s the way President Lincoln did!
I'm 16 and style is something I would like to work on, I know this channel will help with understanding and finding my own style. I have decided to fix my penmanship first. I would also have to agree that penmanship has declined, mine is horrendous.
I write with a fountain pen nearly every day. If you're looking for a good way to take a break from the tyranny of screens. Get a fountain pen and a notebook and spend some time with your personal thoughts. It's therapeutic.
Just curious what's your workhorse pen?
I write everyday. It’s very good for mental health as mentioned in “meditations”
@@rayh.9130 : I am another fountain pen collector, and journal and/or creative write every day
using one of my many pens. Love writing with my pens; and find the flow of the many beautiful
inks "intoxicating" (LOL). I also enjoy my Esterbrook Dipless Desk pen on occasion. I was
taught cursive writing in elementary school many yrs ago. I remember learning how to write
using the Esterbrook fountain pen, inking with Sheaffer bottled black ink.
Just ordered my second fountain pen, plus ink and two different papers.
@@stefanlaskowski6660 : The joy begins!!!
I’m a shoe maker from Innsbruck-Austria, and every receipe that i give, it is always hand-written with germanic font, my clients collect them, awesome video🇦🇹
But your name says that you make knives! LOL
@@moviemad56 or planes... or bubble cars...
@@EmilehUnk
Actually no, messerschmidt means knife-smith.
@@moviemad56 Emile U. is referring to the german Messerschmitt AG, a company that manufactured planes and funny looking cars.
@@moviemad56 but his nickname is Messerschmitt...not messerschmidt. ;)
My mother used to write with a Mont Blanc fountain pen. I bought my first fountain pen some years ago and I have not looked back since. One of the best decisions I have ever made.
be careful. they're like drugs or butter cakes.
My Gran gave me a couple of original Parker 51's I use and recently I bought a Pilot Metropolitan for everyday use. Funny thing, I find using them (so help me) calming...
A Parker Jotter for work and I just buy the gel refills but all my personal correspondence is with a fountain pen.
My used a Cross .
I can still see him doing the NYT cross word puzzles ever Sunday.
He folded the paper comuter style, and did it holding the paper in the air, while sitting.
This is an Un-reoroducable feat! Enjoy Life Chris
Opĺĺ
I misread that as Mel Blanc, the voice actor, for a second.
Please note, that the yellow fountain pen shown with the caption 'not so quality' is still a Lamy Safari fountain pen. One of the best entry level fountain pens. This was a special limited Pikachu edition which is now highly sought after.
And people in here are still going crazy about the petrol and dark lilac!
Safaris and Al-Stars are fantastic pens for their price. I have pens triple the price that aren’t that much better than an Al-Star. The Pikachu is not cheap at all nowadays
I came here to say the exact same.
I love my Safari! I use it for taking notes and the EF nib writes better on lower quality paper than any of my other pens. I'd definitely say that a Safari is still a "Quality" pen, even if it is novelty. Plus, the triangle grip has forced me into a better hand posture!
@@sarihoffman-dachelet4491 I put a 1.1 nib on all my Lamy's
Yup! I have 4 Lamy’s that I really enjoy. Even more than my Montblanc.
The sheer joy of drafting a letter with a fountain pen is one of life's great indulgences in this day and age. Thank you so much for the video on handwriting.
But snail mail is not an indulgence - but is a pain.
Living in Europe, I've been taught how to write with a fountain pen, and during all my studies until university, it was badly seen to write with ball points, and even more not in a cursive way.
Also had the luck to have a nice control over my hands, that allowed me to imitate while I was around 14 a 19th century handwriting, that I still possess and that I made mine over time. I am always really complimented for it and it makes me quite proud.
I write in a journal each day for about 20 minutes. I use a fountain pen and have found that, as a welder, hand writing each day has improved my motor control that is so important for a welder.
En efecto: está comprobado que la escritura a mano mejora la psicomotricidad fina, cualidad muy deseable en muchos trabajos que no tienen nada que ver con la escritura.👍🇪🇸
Soy calígrafo autodidacta y he dado clases de escritura artística y funcional en una escuela de mi ciudad. Actualmente doy clases de caligrafía básica en una institución benéfica para personas discapacitadas como voluntario sin sueldo, y mi labor es muy bien acogida por psicólogos y psiquiatras de la institución ya que entienden que es muy beneficiosa para éstas personas.
Por mi parte continuo practicando caligrafía artística y siempre que puedo prescindo del ordenador.
He creado una nueva forma de comunicación por wash up que consiste en escribir el mensaje a mano, fotografiarlo con el móvil y enviar la foto al destinatario. Cuesta más tiempo y no siempre se puede hacer, pero tiene éxito. No es lo mismo ver la letra del remitente que los caracteres impersonales de una máquina.👍🇪🇸
I'm so glad to see that you have made a video on this topic! As a engineer, I find that many in my field have poor handwriting, but I feel the effort I make with mine gives a good first impression, and I'm proud of it!
how is it being an engineer? describe me your job/routine?
@@c.d4936 Ah well that depends a lot of the type of engineering you're up to. But it involves a lot of problem solving! Not sure I can write a whole essay in the RUclips comments
Ditto. I fix drawing and the red line mess I get is horrendous. I have noticed, though, that after returning some of the drawing with questions like "Is this a 1, 7, 8, or 9" written in Old English font, I usually get much more legible notes now. I think some of it is the idea that nobody cares about how it looks (especially engineers who want to get back to building things), so why should you? Just showing that you do care can remind people that it does matter.
@@allanroberts7129 Haha, that's a brilliant tactic, I will have to try it myself next time someone redlines a drawing I make!
it is funny. My handwriting is superb when I am trying to write a LaTex (mathematical equation) style form. But horrendous when I am writing an essay. My friend and I included seems confuse to why
All I got were thanks and amazing comments on the hand made Christmas cards I sent. Writing by hand shows the person receiving it that they matter.
Same. It's a great feeling when you go to someone's house and see what you write standing front and center on display.
Hello there, thank you so much for the video. I am a homeschooling mother who is currently teaching my 13 year old son to write in cursive. I showed him this video and then we talked about why cursive writing has merit. I just wanted to say that having this video to show him was so helpful!
I started my fountain pen journey back in 2021 with a simple objective of trying to improve my handwriting and now I have a couple of fountain pens. We live in fast paced environment so picking up a fountain pen to write a journal entry is a luxury. It does help calm things down when they get so tight. Even with the advancement in communications I don't think penmanship will be confined to the pages of history books.
I like to study by penning my own notes as I read or watch the source material. It's such a zen activity.
@@DinnerForkTongue "zen".🙄
@@repentbeforeitstoolate..8239
Eyeroll what? Say what you mean already.
Excellent presentation! Although I (now 80 years old) was taught cursive in my elementary classes, by the time I began High School, many of my fellow students were continuing with the cursive method; however, individuality in style began to take precedence over the original cursive learned. Consequently, many, including myself, wanted to show off their recently developed flair showing this new style to promote this distancing from cursive, which became popular.
At 80, I look back with regret on not staying with the cursive method I learned and have begun to practice; with the help of several fountain pens that I've recently purchased, an instructional guide and have returned with much practice to the cursive method, I learned in the very early 1950s.
Thank you for the much-needed video.
Just got off a 2hr written A-Level exam, and this is in my notifications! Oh the irony...
*smirks at the Lion*😼
Due to the pandemic, I am not in class to teach my students cursive handwriting. In the past, if my students practiced their cursive handwriting and learned the parts of a fountain pen(cap,nib, breather hole, shoulders, section, finial, barrel), then they would receive one from me. When kids are practicing their cursive handwriting, you can hear a pin drop because they are concentrating. A handwritten letter or note serves to preserve and protect the analog soul.Thank your for your presentation.
We wish there are more teachers in the US like you John. I do like fountain pens (I own few dozens) but I grew up in Europe where 45 years ago we all took cursive writing and calligraphy…
Dear Preston, Raphael and everyone at the Gentleman's Gazette HQ.
Thank you so much for making this video.
You might find this interesting to read but will be quite long.
My handwriting hasn't been good since school. I am told that it was pretty good when I wrote with my left hand but was then asked to write with my right by tutors and others and I had just started to do so when there was a huge gap in between my daily practice. Of course I don't remember any of it, do remember the time when I faced humiliation at school because of it time and time again. Have become better at it since then but after watching this, I see Penmenship as something I should pursue because mastering this, is an added virtue. While mastering it will take time and consistency, It will be another accomplishment and one of the many significant changes I made in my life. I'm 19 right now and have done that with several areas but somehow never touched upon this. Maybe because of the reasons mentioned in the video like increased use of technology and it not getting as much importance.
Was taught to write Cursive but it was more of filling the book rather than mastering it. No one to blame for that.
Let this day, this comment be the beginning to me adding another great skill to my skill set Which, by the way, would be rare to find as the years would go by so this comment here could age very well. 9 March 2021 is the date let's see how well this would age.
Once again, thank you so much for this video. You guys have been of tremendous help.
I a fellow user encourage you to strongly hone your handwriting skills though today’s society drifts us to use our digital tech you ‘will’ agree there’s nothing better than to droop your thoughts on paper seeing the strokes you hand muscles produce with a tactile instrument that demonstrates the gliding of your expressions..... I lost myself in thought... excuse me I have a couple of entries to write as a part of my daily regimen to always write something. Best wishes to you and your writing journey.
The man and the fountain pen form an illustrious and formidable team against keeping silent; where your expressions are to be shared with self and or other - ANONYMOUS
This comment makes me want to relearn this even more
@@simeonking2910 couldn't say it the way you did. Writing down your thoughts ot your goals on paper have an impact like bo other.
Have already started since writing my initial comment. I look forward to master this skill. Will try to come back to this comment section time and time again.
Cheers
@@stephtros9029 I'm glad that it did. Let's make it happen
Utkarsh, I hope you have a GREAT time writing in cursive and developing your own personal style of writing. Writing by hand, whether with a fountain pen or gel pen or ballpoint is is one of the pleasures of my life. I hope that will happen for you too!
I have been teaching my son to write in cursive for a while now as he is in elementary school and they don’t teach it anymore. He uses a fountain pen made for kids that he really likes and he looks forward to trying a different ink color every time we refill it. No other kid in his class knows how to write in cursive, unfortunately, but I believe it holds many benefits.
I'm left-handed and my handwriting is beautiful like square-toed shoes with tuxedo 😂
Practice and you may be able to get to patent leather evening pumps.
@@gentlemansgazette thanks for your support, i really appreciate that! Anyway i feel okay as i am, i have dozen of skill that i would improve before that. Apart from it, it's still hilarious for me comparing your footage with fountain pen and my memories with it: it looked like if i was stabbing the paper 😅
I'm left-handed too, practice AND good ink is key!
Thank you for this! Writing by hand is an art🎨💁🏼♀️
Being a lefty is a struggle in this world lol
I found a lot of old notebooks of my great-grandmother in which she had written many, many lines of handwriting-lessons. It's so beautiful to look at!
I do feel that typing is a very important skill for students to learn, especially when pertaining to touch typing but I was highly disappointed when I discovered penmanship classes had fallen by the wayside. I never became very accomplished in my own penmanship while in grade school but those skills were invaluable in my ability to take notes in my post secondary pursuits. And I can only speak to personal experience and vague references to studies I've seen, but I retain far more information when I choose to write by hand than I am ever able to recall when typing notes onto a screen.
When I go through work-related training it takes me much longer than my co-workers because I hand-write MILES of notes. I have no intention of changing.
Apparently, this has also been found in studies, because we use different parts of the brain when writing cursive.
@@nictheartist I've also heard about cursive writing and the brain. Not teach children---or adults---cursive is to do them a disservice. You might be interested in the You Tube video "Why write? Penmanship for the 21st Century/ Jake Weidemann/TedxMile High" . He's an excellent speaker along with being brilliant at writing by hand and is an artist and craftsman as well.
In the electronic age, a hand written note is more difficult to hack.
If you burn a handwritten document - it's gone. Write anything on the Internet and it will last as long as computers do.
@@scottjessee4152 have you heard of fire proof paper?
And also you do know computers are also flammable
@@scottjessee4152 unless the datacenter burns like OVH's where vapor (cloud) turned to smoke ^^
@@James-en1ob yes but have u heard of The cloud
Everyone is dumber having read your comment.
One of the most beautiful cursive scripts to learn is, in my opinion, Spencerian. It is not easy and it takes a lot of time. But it is a fun and inexpensive way to distinguish yourself as a gentleman ✍🏻
I’m going to check it out
I’ve been working on my Spencerian. It’s challenging, but very gratifying when you get the slant just right.
English Roundhand Copperplate any day of the week.
I'm going to have to search that up.
@@kingquinn3897 I like copperplate too. I’m not familiar with English round hand. I’ll look it up.
My father taught me to handwrite with a fountain pen, & I was quite good as a child; but slow. A particular "teacher" at middle school, who saw no need for my "excessively loopy" style, put so much pressure on me to speed up that she ruined my handwriting for around 35 years! This year I picked up a fountain pen again (including some I've had since school & college) & retrained myself to writer properly. I'm a left-hander so had the additional issue of learning to under-write again. I've now achieved this & couldn't be happier.
Incidentally, may I ask Preston what fountain pens he owns, & what inks he prefers? I know that Rafael uses Mont-blanc (a 149 & Irish green ink) but I'm curious if Preston's choices are different.
That's wonderful how you re-gained your writing style!
@@andrewbrendan1579 thanks. I'm very glad that I did.
Literally started looking into calligraphy yesterday and then you guys post this. Very nice
be careful! using quills and fountain pens can be addictive. a buddy is a calligrapher as a much-loved hobby. several years ago he and co-workers noticed he was using hand-writing normally reserved for his hobby in his work (school teacher). everyone loves to watch him write on a board and write assignments for the kids.
I am not a gentleman, I am a lady, but I think these videos on how to be a gentleman are wonderful. Thank you for your videos as they will benefit young men (and men of any age) and are very interesting for everyone to watch. :) Very classy.
I'm an elementary school teacher, I deeply agree that students need to practice how to write appropriately. Whenever I received a poor written homework, it is always a.... like what Raphael said, pain in th a**
In my schoolworks I loved my horrible handwriting. The teacher is gonna make me write an original story 4 times a year knowing that my creativity level is -4 on 1-10 scale, I'm gonna make it as hard for her to read it as she made it hard for me to write it lol on the serious note, is it really true that some places don't teach cursive? Our schoolworks had to be written in cursive (well not the english ones thank god) and 2-4 grade elem we had to write in cursive pretty much exclusively, it's strange to me that people would just ditch it
Is there an equivalent to cursive/block writing in Taiwanese? I imagine the nature of the characters forces students to be more disciplined in their writing.
@@justjoe5373 for me when i got into secondary school it became optional. A lot of people ditch it because its harder to make it look good, and for essays its very important for it to be readable.
You guys do a wonderful job of paying homage to the beautiful and elegant aspects of civilized life. Thank you!!!
I highly, _highly_ appreciate the fair but objective exposé of why ballpoint pens are not suited for penmanship, Preston. The part about fatigue and cramps due to the higher viscosity of the ink was especially clarifying. So from a fanatic of cursive writing, thank you! I'll keep an eye out for a good entry-level set of fountain pen and ink.
EDIT: No fortune thus far, but I did find something good for those unwilling to go full fountain: Linc's ballpoint pens have amazing ink nowadays. They roll excellently with a quill-light touch on paper. I've been using a 3-color set of their fine point Scrit pens, and they punch _far_ above their class.
Great video Preston. A gentleman always carries a quality pen with him. I love all of the content on this channel.
I just started to Write with my Fountain pen again today! This video was perfect and perfectly well timed! Amazing!!
Keep. Going. Fountain pens are subtle and seductive in their own way. Have fun!
@@STScott-qo4pw I have been writing with fountain pens for around 3 years at this point...you can never go back to a regular ball point after using a four train pen, that's for sure
Thank you very much I could not agree more.. I love handwriting and fountain pens are my favorite. I've been into writing for 50 years and I and I love it and it will always be part of my life. It is so important and more personal to write somebody a letter. It means more to put forth the effort. Thank you so very much for your programs
I am in the process of teaching myself Spencerian and Copperplate script. I too use a fountain pen every day. I prefer vintage Waterman pens, I find the nibs extremely expressive.
I bought a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen about a year ago because of the video your channel made about entry-level fountain pens.
My kids learned hiw to write with a fountain pen in school, just as I did. My youngest will learn this next year. Even to this day 'schoonschrift', (beautifull handwriting) is a part of education in schools here in Belgium. It doesn't have the importance that it used to have though.
Thanks for this most instructive video. I grew up in India, learning to write using fountain pens, and now that I am in the USA, I have continued using and collecting fountain pens.
I learnt cursive in school using the Vere Foster method, used the Vere Foster workbooks starting in 2nd Grade.
Mr. Preston, once again you have made a excellent video. I do appreciate this. You have taught me greatly.
Greetings "from the future"!
Hungarian person here, and let me congratulate to you for saying that László so great! If you let me one very very late tiny comment on the Bíró part, it's pronounced as "Bee-roh" not "Bai-roh".
I really didn't mean to nitpick or offend you though, I'm already very thankful for even including him in the video!
Thank you very much for the always very detailed and educational videos, I might not be a "gentleman" but I truly love this concept and I am a huge fan of fountain pens. Also I can always learn a lot about the world of gentlemen what comes in handy when I am busy writing one! Thank you for all your hard work you put into these videos!
It is true that fountain pen is less practical but for me it is very emotional experience to write with it, much more comfortable and satisfying. I was taught to write with it since 1st grade of elementary school, and stuck with it ever since. Even the finest ballpoint cannot come close to it, purely for that emotional bond. I write for a living, and still do every manuscript by hand before retyping it. I feel that penmanship is like painting, expression of yourself, small isle of calm elegance and creativity that everybody could join in.
Just purchased my first fountain pen (since elementary school) last week!
Have a great time with the new pen!
@@andrewbrendan1579 thank you!
I was really sad about the growing trends of typing and I supported writing. I am still in school and writing is a big part here. I use fountain pens to write class notes and went far more old fashioned way and use dip pens to write out long letters. I do write letters. I would also like to thank gentleman's gazette for doing this video. It has really bought my spirit back.
An avid fountain pen user myself. I have about 40 of them already. Just got my Pelikan M1000 delivered by mail yesterday. A beauty to write with.
But Montblanc is still my all time favourite fountain pen maker. I have 15 of them.
At the age of nearly 60, I've re-discovered the two cheap fountain pens I used at school. They still work, and I have started journalling. I think handwriting is far superior to any keyboard based system, as it proves that my thoughts form better being forced to slow down for my hand to write correctly. This is a feedback loop which makes both the thinking process, the handwriting and the resultant content all better.
I’m so happy to see these type videos. Thank you.
I really liked this video from the dive into penmanship to the sharp comfortable style you presented.
I am a woman who loves the atmosphere of a gentleman.
As always, informative, interesting, and a pleasure to watch. As a bonus I discovered I share my birth year with the iconic (although somewhat pedestrian, Bic Crystal). Unlike yours truly, it doesn't appear that item will retire any time soon. Once again thank you for your work on this channel.
His voice is so soothing.
Not only was the letter addressed to me but it had a caustic message too
New subscriber here. I've just watched a few of your videos about writing with fountain pens, and have decided to take up the hobby. I don't have many people to whom I can write letters or post cards, but will definitely write a journal, with therapeutic benefit. I have probably made over a couple thousand rollerball pens from kits, turned on a wood lathe, but have never really taken interest in writing with fountain pens. Time to savor some good quality handwriting now, and unplug from all this online pollution. Thank you for your very inspirational channel!
I used to love writing with a fountain pen. I currently hand write most of my notes from my reading etc, but I write on an electronic devise. I will admit, one of the apps I use has a “fountain pen” and it is my favorite to write with.
Great video…thank you! I’ve been looking for information on how our Founding Fathers learned to write so beautifully. The two books that you mentioned at the beginning of this video are still in print and available. This is exactly what I needed and very much appreciate your work!
I remember they taught us cursive in school when I was younger, unfortunately the classes only lasted a couple years of elementary school. Would've loved to do more with it.
I use fountain pens nearly to exclusion, and ball point pens only under duress. My children were taught cursive in school, thankfully -- the school districts here in Montana haven't abandoned it yet -- and I reinforced what they learned with practice at home. I didn't care for the style and method of cursive handwriting I was taught at the private school I attended, so I taught myself a few different styles until I found one I liked. I still enjoy exchanging handwritten letters with a handful of pen-pals scattered about the globe. Thank you for an enjoyable video.
The apple pen and samsung s pen are helping keep handwriting alive and solve a lot of issues you mentioned about ball point pens.
Although I prefer fountain pens due to practical needs I use a Mont Blanc Meisterstruck ball point daily. I can write legible and flowing cursive script with it if I just remember to slow down and form every letter. I believe the quality of the refill (the ball and ink) along with the weight and balance of the pen allows me to do that.
Here in Brazil, the cursive letter are part of the basic alphatization curriculum, and kids start learning and practicing its writing as soon as they start in school...
Therefore, since here public education is universally free, you can expect that every alphabetized Brazilian citizen is able to write and read cursive letter!
However, fountain pens aren't part of the curriculum, hence rare to be seen... Its expensive and used only by artists and enthusiasts!
Me myself never saw a fountain pen (i'm 33 years old).
Now, thanks to this formidable channel and its inpiring videos, i'm looking forward to buy my 1st Fountain Pen and start practicing!
Ty Gentleman's Gazette!
Well you've convinced me. Not used a fountain pen since I was around 10 years old. That won't stop me learning to use one with proper penmanship.
In college, I was able to get line variation with a ballpoint pen through subtle pressure variations, but only with Pilot pens and felt tips. It was also the that I discovered fountain pens. Been trying to play with flex nibs lately.
As much as I embraced technology, I still embrace writing a letter by hand. The amazement by the recipient of the letter of the time and effort as they read every word. I have a fountain pen that I still have but rarely use it.
I remember learning cursive apparently around the same time as Preston. I also have kept up writing in cursive.
For me my personal writing became a sorta unique mix of cursive and print
I can mostly read cursive rhats like really cursive but I cant write just cursive
For me cursive is THE way to write. I find printing tedious and slow.
@@andrewbrendan1579 agree even printing on forms is annoying to me.
I was taught cursive in grade school. I think it should still be taught in school. I still write ✍️ thank you cards & correspondence cards as well. I started up my journal again and invested back into fountain pens 🖊. I love it all!!
I love the fountain pen. I'm always writing. The parker Sonnets my utter favourite! I write everything and anything
Greetz from Europe - we still have dedicated classes for penmanship and lettering.
Even in my primary school we had the subject for proper penmanship and handrwitting dedicated practices and some basic fonts.
For the sake of proper handwritten letters I'm currently on my practizing routine for proper Fraktura (Old German Font). And a leightweight font for faster but yet delicate notes.
Ball- and Rollerbalpens are considered for completly crushing your handwritting btw ^^
As a biologist, we were demanded to produce and ddeliver a herbarium. The classic rules were: when your plants was too long, fold it into a V or W. Flowers, fruiting bodies and seeds, leaves and stems are required. The label has to be put into the lower right corner with the right data there.
Of course, it was accepted to print out the labels, but I went the extra mile and got to work. I made labels with a calygraphers pen and tried my best to produce handwritten labels (It's hard since I'm left handed and thus prone to smears... To my chagrin...). It worked out and the professor was very pleased with the plants as well as the labels. In the end, I passed.
Edit: I'm from Belgium, and on the topic of learning to use a fountain pen... That was the ONLY writing utensil allowed on school property until 12 years of age, after which you could choose. We were supposed to write perfectly without smears or puddles and each year, we were required to produce a formal letter fully written in cursive. (I hated it, because, as said, I'm left handed so I've singlehandedly destroyed entire trees worth of paper...) However, in the end I'm grateful for the skills I learned because of it.
This channel produces very entertaining content! Since I was a very young child, I always talked in a dignified, gentlemanly manner. Personally, I do enjoy the revival of old fashioned traditions through this channel.
Also, how dare you disrespect my beloved ballpoint pen, haha!
Keep up the good work!
I grew up writing d'nealian cursive and had no idea that’s what it was! I had to teach myself block print so I could fill out college forms. Just started learning to use a fountain pen and am super glad I have penmanship I can pass down to my own children
They still taught cursive in the UK when I was in primary in the mid 2000s and made us use ball point pens so it probably explains why my handwriting has always been atrocious. I've switched to a twisby go and my handwriting has improved leaps and bounds over the last few months since I've gotten it. Someone actually complemented how neat my writing was the other day, I was so happy I almost cried as no one has ever said anything nice about my writing.
I am very old fashioned. I would love to live in the 1940's or maybe even the 1880's. The clothing. The writing and fountain pens. Even the feel of those days. I love your Gentlemen's Gazette. All of it. Great style and classy 👌. It's comforting to see that there is still something real in this crazy world. Thanks guys.
...the World War 2...
@@cccpredarmy ah yes because we don't have any wars in the world these days
You can do all of that now. Especially since those are classic things. You also does need everyone to be doing it too. Classic things are popular anyways.
@@cccpredarmy Why be negative? Just because people like history doesn't mean they're talking about, like, or condone the bad parts. Most people are talking about cool culture. There's always bad things. Like war. Like you don't like any history?
@@user-gu9yq5sj7c As if ww2 was "like any other war"
A very good vlog, so, well researched too.
A few points:
Most fountain pen nibs do not allow for varying thickness.
A good rollerball, such as those with ceramic balls, do allow light pressure and the whole arm to be used.
The best rollerballs do not write as well as a moderately priced fountain pen. A cheap Lamy Al Star with a well tuned nib is far more pleasant to write with and does a better job, than a top of the range Rollerball with the best quality refill, such as an Ohto.
Today I binned a rollerball that has been in my bag for over ten years. It was there for those occasions when I might forget to pack a fountain pen, or to offer it to someone who needed to write something down and who had failed to carry a writing instrument. It still worked perfectly, for a rollerball.
I don't go with this penmanship stuff though. A fountain pen bequeaths almost an instant handwriting improvement. All that is required is ensuring one's hands and shoulders are relaxed, the pen and paper is placed correctly and one is sitting at the correct height with reasonable posture. The handwriting will then improve itself. I am far too busy doing the things I wish to do. I leave it to others for whom penmanship is an enjoyable hobby.
Thanks for this enjoyable and informative video.
P.S. The schools I attended in England taught Italic Script, not cursive.
I'm only 25 years old, and from the Netherlands, but still had to write with a fountain pen in elementary school! We had to first learn to write in cursive, with the D'Nealian method, in pencil, and when we were able to master that, we were allowed to use a simple fountain pen. Felt as a sort of rite of passage for me, finally being allowed to use a fountain pen! I'm really glad that I was taught writing like that, because I do think it has made it possible for me to easier adapt my handwriting-style, and always have it looking somewhat neat.
I still love writing with fountainpens to this day, and use them daily, for journals, studying but also to write letters to my dearest friends. It's lovely and makes me so happy, I can't recommend it enough.
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. I find a lot of interesting articles on this channel.
Another thing worth mentioning is that handwritten cursive documents require some level of skill to read. Without being able to read these things (pretty much every record before 1950) our history is being lost. And this includes very important documents like census records, death/birth certificates and even up to the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights as well as the letters and commentary that were made concerning these documents.
Aren't lots of documents converted to typed and online? Also, just cause people have bad handwriting or doesn't do it much doesn't mean they can't read hand written words.
it's only from the start of 2022 that I now write with a fountain pen - I also bought a how to write cursive for adults to get my form back in shape!!
I desire to own a fountain pen. I learnt cursive in the 2nd grade. I wrote in cursive up till 6th grade and switched to script in high school. Now, I'm re-learning cursive. I glad to have re-discovered its beauty.
Me too. We were required to write in cursive in primary school, but I've forgotten most of it now
I only use script for headings and emphasis in my notes, the copy is all cursive.
Pilot metropolitan fountain pens are about $15. You can get ink convertors for them too.
What a beautiful presentation!
I just have ordered my first fountain pen since school and hope to train my handwriting with it. Above all, for me it's ergotherapeutic - which I urgently need, being a Multiple Sclerosis victim. Thanks for this video!
I looooove writing with my Montblanc fountain pen 😻😻😻 I still write letters and notes :D
Handwriting with a fountain pen is still compulsory in schools here (Belgium), we learn how to write in cursive and it's the only style allowed.
I like the "Gregg Handwriting" method book, even if the style isn’t to your liking, it offers excellent drills that help the hand develop a natural feel for elliptical curves
Perfect hybrid: ball point pen that feeds a refiller cartridge/converter. Especially as a to-go pen that you carry arounf in your bag for taking notes since a full blown fountain pen would be overkill. Still you combine convenience and long lasting beautiful materials and environmental friendliness. 💪
These refillable rollerball pens exist, you can use any fountain pen ink with them and there is no landfill factor.
I have long wondered how the notes my friend at the university made were always so extensive and beautifully written. Now I believe I have found the answer.
That letter to Raphael is a perfect example of insult sword-fighting.
I love this video. Preston your knowledge and delivery is spot on. I will practice on my penmanship. It is a lost art but it looks so beautiful when executed properly.
I have found that the Sharpie Gel pen. Works alot like a fountain pen. Not exactly, however it doesn't work very well if you don't hold it at certain angle.
I love a gel pen. You're right, it has the closest look, on the paper. They run out quickly, though.
But so do most fountain pens.
So true, people close to me love that I write a real letter when discussing serious personal topics rather than a soulless email or text.
A) A Pilot Metropolitan was my first real fountain pen, and I still use it every day in my Bullet Journal.
B) I learned typing and cursive at about the same time, c. 1984 (I was 9).
Schools no longer teach cursive writing so my friend taught is 11 year old son himself. His ex-wife took him to court for "Forcing" the kid to learn things unnecessary. She lost. People are crazy. Penmanship matters and we have a generation that can't read cursive or script writing. Documents only 15 years old are a different language to them.
She took him to court? You are joking, right? o.O I think this could only be possible in the US. Here in Germany it's normal that the children write with a fountain pen and cursive during the first school years ^^
While in large part I agree, I am currently doing genealogy on my father's side of my family, and I have come to curse legal documents written in cursive, especially when that cursive is _bad_. One thing that has not changed in the past couple of centuries is that doctors' handwriting is almost always illegible!
@@Blumenkatze They are still teaching cursive in Germany?
@@geneajenkins5450 Yes, this is how children in the 1st grade mainly learn to write in Germany. And they write in cursiv in the 2nd, 3rd and mostly 4th grade. From the 5th grade the children mostly can decide how they wanna write.
What about people who know Latin. No one speaks it anymore, but it's used in Biology Science and Law!!!!
Thank you so much for this history lesson! I have often thought the lack of good handwriting today partially stems from most pens not being pleasant to write with, not just the rise of computers. The history of the ballpoint backs this theory up and further encourages me to teach my children with FPs and instruct them in penmanship.
As I know from personal experience penmanship and typing skill are not mutually exclusive. Although while I have above average handwriting I definitely have room for improvement
Here you go again once again fantastic vedio form Gentleman Gazzate...
Fountain pens can be fun, but they come with real disadvantages, too. In many pens, the ink can evaporate inside within a matter of weeks even if unused, leaving you with an empty pen. The ink also tends to run, or "feather" on cheap paper such as we all use. Ink can easily get on your fingertips. The ink tends to take a while to dry, and it tends to show through the other side of that cheap paper I mentioned. I think for *everyday* use, a gel pen combines the best of fountain pens (bright ink that can be fade resistant and write clean lines, low required pressure against paper which prevents cramps) with the best of ballpoints (reliable, fairly long lasting ink supply, will never spill ink).
I purchased my first ever fountain pen when I was 19 as an LDS missionary in Santiago Chile. I knew nothing about fountain pens, and once I figured out I needed to puncture the cartridge into the pen, I thought it should work right away. Of course it didn’t. But once it did, I didn’t know which side to write with and used them enter changeably.
I liked the feel, even if very unfamiliar, and used it for a a couple of days, until the ink dried in the nib since I didn’t know I needed to keep it capped when not in use. I ended up throwing the pen away.
Then about 15 years later during Covid I saw a RUclips video about fountain pens, and learned the does and don’ts . Have been loving the hobby ever since!!
I truly love your videos
Great video, have you considered doing one on Blackwing pencils? They've been great when taking extensive notes since the graphite flows so well on the paper. Plus the feel and texture with Blackwing pencils is much more pleasant than using a ballpoint pen when having to write notes fast.
Funny timing, I have a Montblanc 149 currently in transit to me.
Fortunately, I was tought cursive handwriting with a fountain pen in the late 1990's, and we still require students to write with a fountain pen to this day in multiple schools in the Netherlands and Flanders (e.g. in waldorf education). Personally I believe this is a good thing, since it requires the writer to pay extra attention to what he/she is formulating and writing.
Hey, where did you get my handwriting sample for the cautionary example?! ;)
That's actually mine, as my scribbles basically are identified as hieroglyphs...
@@onerandombruh Oh, mine are not that elegant! There is a certain style in hieroglyphs. :)
Wonderful video! Very informative and enjoyable! Thank you!
I am a fountain pen freak and to be honest they changed my life! They made me write from a dyslexic 10 year old to a true penman I am even learning cursive to expand my knowledge..
I, too, am a diagnosed dyslexic, who overcame severe handwriting issues. (nearly zero legibility, no usable speed, and an inability to read cursive) during self remediation, using a fountain pen, and (in my case) italic handwriting manuals.
I am looking to get together with fellow dyslexics/dysgraphic/otherwise neurologically affected. handwriting overcomers!
My other neurological conditions, by the way, include dysgraphia, dyspraxia, ADHD, and autism. Yet I actually became a handwriting instructor/remediator - after being my own first student - and a semi-professional calligrapher, with all of these issues.
How may I reach you? We need to show the world that, if people like us can get good with a pen, what’s THEIR excuse?
Good to find That I'm not the only one preferring fountain pens.
I love pens and handwriting! I live in the U.S. and worked for many years for a Red Cross Book Fair. Something we couldn't use but that I kept is a composition book filled in by a student named "Nuba M. Pletcher---Heidelberg---August-October 1904". The handwriting is in English, remarkably small and very easy to read. I wonder if the few ball point pens of that era could write so well. Nuba Pletcher must have had a remarkably fine-pointed pen.
I learned cursive in about 1970 in the third grade, I believe. Though I'm left-handed no one tried to make me write right-handed. I don't know when that practice went out of practice but it did and I'm glad! My handwriting has changed a lot over the decades. Even very early on I admired the older writing styles and incorporated details of them into my own writing. I've been complimented on how my writing looks like it's from the 1800's but is easy to read.
In the post office I use there are framed replicas of historical American documents and I enjoy looking the Declaration of Independence with it's beautiful English roundhand style of writing. The document is beautiful as a work of art. Many years before that I saw an example of Abraham Lincoln's handwriting, maybe the Gettysburg Address, and I now write my upper-case cursive "A"s the way President Lincoln did!
I'm 16 and style is something I would like to work on, I know this channel will help with understanding and finding my own style. I have decided to fix my penmanship first. I would also have to agree that penmanship has declined, mine is horrendous.
I love writing with fountain pens and practicing my cursive. It forces me to slow down a bit and I find it pretty relaxing
Well done Sir, well done! You should the looks I get when I pull out my fountain pen.