A Tremendous Loss...all Five Of My Favorite Pens!

[FayeV]

Have 2 sets/pools of pens.

#1 - Is your home pens.

#2 - Is your office pens.

 

This is exactly what I'm trying to do right now.

 

I don't have an extensive FP collection like many of you do. Until recently, I only had 3 FPs (and one of them is broken, so effectively only 2 FPs I write with). I only started reading up on FPs a few weeks back when my daughter asked me about them; this is how I found my way to FPN. Anyhow, I decided that I need to replace my EDC FP when I realized that my favorite pen is not so easily replaceable if lost. I don't think they make that pen any more and I couldn't find it for sale on the online pen stores I checked (I sell Pens, Goulet, Richard's Pens, etc). I did a search on eBay and went OMG I can't possibly replace it for what they're asking for. So I'm planning on downgrading my favorite pen to a "home" pen and am searching for a replacement "office" (carry everywhere) pen. I ordered 5 pens (1 for my 9 yr old, her very first FP, and the other 4 are for me to try out) and I have received 4 so far. The Pilot Metropolitan seems to be the favorite out of the bunch. I thought it would be the Lamy Safari, but after the first wet week, it has now become a dry writer and I'm not happy with it anymore.

[ethernautrix]

It's gutting to lose your favorite pen, much less five. My sympathies to you!

 

As for home pens and office pens, I have never separated by pens this way. Whatever pens I have inked are the ones I carry and are always near me - home, work, travel. I have lost pens, even expensive, nearly new pens, and if I lost the four that are currently inked, I would be hard-pressed to replace one of them much less all four and would likely console myself with inking one or a few from what I would still have. Bruce's oft-repeated suggestion to your contact information in your case is a very good one. I think most people finding a pen case of pens would rather return them than not.

 

Me, I'm still going to risk it, cos I like having the four pens handy, but I do check and double-check when I'm out and about to make sure they're where I think they are, having learned the hard way more than once.

[Michigan]

It is amazing what people will steal.

 

I recently visited all the dumpsters in a seedy neighborhood after my wife's purse was stolen. Someone got 8 dollars in cash from us but cost us $1,200.

 

I hope your pens turn up!

[French]

I've also lost 2 of my favorite pens in an unlabeled pen case. I've learned the lesson since then, and now have my name and phone number in the case. Based on the above posts I will probably add "reward if found" to the case.

 

That being said, it is a terrible, gut wrenching experience to lose favorite pens. I do hope you find them.

 

French

[Horseknitter]

When I read the topic of your OP I immediately felt nauseous because I know what it feels like to dash around madly looking for one pen, but 5!!!!! I did eventually find my Sheaffer Crest Laque that had been a graduation gift but it was not until months later. Just stay aware and open. You never know......

[Mari1013]

I'm so sorry. There's such a feeling of helplessness when one loses something. I lost two pens over the years -- a stunning Parker Duofold (90's model) and a smooth and easy Waterman Phileas. I got over it, but I've never forgotten those two beautiful things. I toy with the idea of replacing them, but they cost a lot more used now than I paid for them new, and I'd rather substitute them with other, more reasonably priced pens, different but just as nice. I do hope the people who were lucky enough to find them are appreciating and enjoying them -- that's better than having them rust and disintegrate in the gutter.

 

There's still a chance yours may come back. If not, enjoy the ones you have and the ones you acquire in the future.

[Sallent]

Think of this as an opportunity to buy new pens. Maybe that will make your loss slightly easier to bear. It's not fun, but these things will happen once in a rare while.

[jaelkthompson]

I am so happy to report that my pen case IS FOUND!!!!!!!!!! A young man in my congregation found the case, and my daughter saw him asking around to find out who it belonged to. Needless to say I rewarded them both with a finder's fee and thanked them immensely. What an awesome end to my week!

 

Thank you all for your encouraging thoughts and wise advice. My EDC has been reduced from five to two, and I can breathe easier now that my beauties are safe and sound back home with me!!

[Jeje3325]

Wow this is great news and makes me feel good. Its funny how a total stranger thousands of miles from me can actually make such a good feeling rise in me.

 

I'm happy for you

 

Have a great weekend,

 

Jéjé

[Mari1013]

Congratulations! This is great news. Now go and celebrate by getting yourself a new pen. You've earned it!

[Guest Ray Cornett]

I am so sorry for your loss. I will poor some ink for you instead if pouring beer like gang members when one of their own die

This is exactly why none of my good pens really leave the house. I have cheap but nice writing FPs that I go out and about with like Jinhaos and Baoers. Brian Goulet's every day pen according to him is $160, for one every day pen.

[penspouse]

Ouch! I feel your pain. I lost a Pelikan 100N (tortoise), along with 3 others of almost equal value. Super dumb move on my part to carry them all with me. A very expensive lesson learned. Hope you find them.

[Guest Ray Cornett]

Just saw the news now after I replied. Thank goodness! I am so happy for you. I would be crushed if I lost my top 5. I would never be able to afford to replace them.

 

Oh...........home owners/renters insurance. Add them to the policy.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Ray Cornett

[KBeezie]

I am so happy to report that my pen case IS FOUND!!!!!!!!!! A young man in my congregation found the case, and my daughter saw him asking around to find out who it belonged to. Needless to say I rewarded them both with a finder's fee and thanked them immensely. What an awesome end to my week!

 

Thank you all for your encouraging thoughts and wise advice. My EDC has been reduced from five to two, and I can breathe easier now that my beauties are safe and sound back home with me!!

 

Just a finder's fee? I would have also hooked them up with an expensive fountain pen... keep the chain of addictions going...

 

Congrats on getting them back. Would be great if all of life's lessons ended on a better note.

[Tenkai]

Sorry about your loss.

 

While it is too late, here is my general advice that I give, based on having a gold Cross that was a gift to me stolen from my desk at work.

It hurt because #1 it was a gift, #2 financially, at the time (just out of college) I could not afford to replace that pen. It was an EXPENSIVE pen for a recent college grad. I was upset and MAD for a couple of weeks, and I never really got over that loss.

 

Have 2 sets/pools of pens.

#1 - Is your home pens. These are valuable, expensive, sentimental, etc. Basically, they cannot be replaced, or it would be very expensive to replace them. These pens almost never leave the safety of home. I may use them at home, they just won't leave the house.

 

Examples are; my mother's pens, gift pen from my wife, difficult to replace pens from my collection (actually collection pens is a subset of the home pens, one that is rarely if ever used), etc.

 

#2 - Is your office pens. These are less expensive pens, that if lost, damaged or stolen will not be a serious emotional or financial impact, and can be relatively easily replaced. But because they are office/work pens, they have to be functional and perform their job. IOW they cannot be cheap junk.

 

How you determine what pens to put into the pool of office pens is personal. In my case, it so happens that none of my office pens cost more than $20. This is just by chance how my selected pens came out. The $15 Pilot Metro just happened to be the most expensive in my pool. I can easily see raising this to $50 or more, depending on the finances, situation and the pen that you want to use on a daily basis at work. Like a Lamy Safari, or Lamy Studio, or Parker 51, or Sheaffer Prelude, or Lamy 2000, or whatever pen you would like to put into YOUR pool of office pens. And the pool is not stagnent. I could choose to add a Parker 45 or 51 or Lamy cp1 to the pool of office pens. You just accept that these pens are "at risk."

 

#3 - Is your special occasion pen. This is a category where you might break the rules of #1. But you know you are doing this.

 

Examples: signing a BIG contract at work, the wedding of your child, etc.

 

Ditto-ed on this. This is what I do as well, so as to not to put all your pens (eggs) in one case (basket).

 

Sorry about your loss as well.

[Ecriveur]

In the words of Shakespeare's MacBeth: "Things without all remedy should be without regard - what's done is done."

[Toll]

Thanks for sharing your story -- albeit a sad one. I hope, over time, you can find new pens that bring you as much joy.

[David_W]

The original poster's items have been found - read up the thread for the happy news.

[Blue_Moon]

People evidently don't read much beyond the OP.

[perth]

Congratulations! I hope to never face a situation like my pen case being lost again, as well!