Submitted by Yavet Elizalde
The Wolf of Wall Street has been one of the best films made this century. Not only because of the amazing actors featured on it like Leonardo DiCaprio and Jon Bernthal, but also because it shows us many different ideas and philosophies. There are two scenes that stick in my brain. The hypnotizing spiel that Matthew McConaughey captivates us with while rhythmically explaining the intricacies and nuances of trading stocks and the stockbroker world. The other scene is tied to the line, “sell me this pen.” Is it really that difficult? If so, it would seem impossible for there to be a growing pen subculture. Yet this is exactly what is happening. Either someone has an incredible answer to that prompt, or people are beginning to seek out and use different writing tools.
From the quill to the pencil, to the fountain pen, to the ballpoint pen, to the rollerball pen and now-a-days the stylus, we have been altering and tweaking our writing tools to find the perfect fit for everyone. Whether it be a cheaper price or a longer lasting, reusable pen, there are many reasons that pens are changed, but let’s face it. One of the first things we look at when we pick up a pen or pencil is the price. While pens and pencils are cheap enough for most people, most people wouldn’t be willing to spend more than ten dollars on a single pen. The thing is most of the pens and pencils we use are disposable. Meaning they are most likely to be polluting our Earth rather than helping someone remember something. When it comes to reusable pens or pencils, we already have both. The pen in the form of a fountain pen, and the pencil in the form of a mechanical pencil. Both are reusable, but the fountain pen is the one that is more likely to be higher in price. Since the ballpoints and the rollerballs are cheaper, people tend to buy them, and as long as demand is down on fountain pens prices will most likely stay that way. As Jon Bernthal’s character explained, when he was asked to sell a pen, it could all be a matter of supply and demand, so if we’re going to raise the demand let’s look at the supply.
The world of fountain pens can be a bit daunting especially when you start looking at prices, but more materials and work go into making a fountain pen compared to your regular old ballpoint pen. The cheapest fountain pens will most likely be made out of the same materials as what we usually use, plastic, but this is the biggest similarity between the two as fountains pens are also composed of a stainless-steel nib. The other biggest difference is that fountain pens are, for the most part, reusable only leaving you to buy ink and not a whole other pen. A bottle of ink is not too expensive. Looking online at Pen Chalet and The Goulet Pen Company, I easily found an 80-milliliter bottle of ink for less than 20 dollars. This bottle is likely to last much longer than a pack of pen, and you also reduce waste as you will no longer need to throw pens away. There are also a countless number of colored ink to choose from, but I digress. While most fountain pens are not disposable, or at least shouldn’t be disposed of, there are a few disposable fountain pens. The Pilot Varsity is one of these fountain pens and it is sold for about three dollars, and the next cheapest option that is not disposable is the Platinum Preppy which goes for about four dollars. As the price goes up, the materials begin to change.
When you hit the 100-dollar range, you will see changes in the nib and body of the pen. For example, the Lamy 2000 is worth around 250 dollars for the Makrolon version or 400 dollars for the Stainless-Steel version. The Lamy 2000 is considered a staple in the fountain pen community as it’s been around since 1966 when it was created. They both come with a hooded rhodium-plated 14kt gold nib and it uses a piston-filling mechanism for the ink. Makrolon is made out of a matte black fiberglass and resin, and it was created by the German pen company Lamy. As you reach 500 dollars and up you will see the high end of craftsmanship and art that can be achieved in a pen. Namiki’s Emperor Maki-e Coral, for example, is a rare, handcrafted pen as there are only 100 in the world. It takes months to craft this elegant work of art and tool. This pen sells for about 15,600 dollars on the Goulet Pens Company website.
These pens, although expensive, have more to them than just being a writing tool. If you have the money for it, it will not only allow you to tout your wealth, but you will also be able to have an heirloom that can last for generations to come. The same goes for all of the pens on the list. Not only that, but these pens can also give you one of the most wonderful writing experiences that you’ve ever had. The experience of picking up a pen and glide across the page on the right rollerball pen will throw me into extasy, the same goes for a Ticonderoga. The sensation that you can feel when you put a pen or pencil to paper can be set to your own preference by using fountain pens. There are multiple sizes of nibs that you can get that change the feel and experience that you will have in that writing session. The finer the nib the scratchier it feels, but the broader it gets the thicker and wetter it will feel. Fountain pens give you the capability to switch nibs, so if you don’t like the size, you can always buy another to fit your preference.
As you could tell I would have a hard time to respond to the prompt “sell me this pen,” so I can’t really laugh at the couple of people that horribly failed in the movie The Wolf of Wallstreet. If I were to sell you one of these fountain pens, I would say, that they look great, they feel great and can last a lifetime. Plus, in the current fight against the use of plastic, we can stop using those disposable pens that litter our campuses and our oceans. This growing niche community either have a good salesman or a great product.