Happy Fountain Pen Day

The first Friday in November is officially Fountain Pen Day.

It is a day to celebrate ink-stained fingers, old-school technology, and leaky pens. In other words, it is a day to celebrate those curios and relics of writing instruments which some of us still hold dear.

Recognizing that this is a gun blog, let me put it into a firearm perspective. The difference between a fountain pen and a ballpoint or roller ball is like the difference between a Browning Hi-Power and a Glock 17. Both shoot 9mm, both have double stack magazines, both have been carried by military units, and both will get the job done. While the Glock 17 is a well-engineered, highly reliable, efficient handgun, it is still a blocky mixture of utilitarian steel and plastic just like a Bic ballpoint. By contrast, the Browning Hi-Power is a old-school sensuous blend of blued steel and walnut that comes in a variety of configurations. It was handed down to us from Heaven by John Moses Browning and delivered to us on Earth by Dieudonné Saive.

Just like the Glock and the Browning Hi-Power, the ballpoint and the fountain pen both have their place but my heart will always belong to the Hi-Power and the fountain pen.

Many of the sponsors of Fountain Pen Day are having sales and giveaways. You can find more on them here.

Next year I promise to have up photos of my fountain pens. Just like anyone who holds a Curios and Relics FFL will tell you, I have a few.