What Is A Sane Number Of Pens?

[ethernautrix]

A sane number of pens is whatever works for you. When it stops working, then it's time to reconsider.

[erpe]

Sane would be one less than the amount (mountain?) of footwear that SWMBOAAT entertains. Or so?

 

Update: quick scan, about 200 to go...

Edited October 28, 2014 by erpe

[sirgilbert357]

Man, I just revisited this thread to find Thier's pic of the collection...that's crazy. My wife would KILL me...

 

I try to think of this hobby in terms of being a "user" and not just a "collector". I never want to have so many pens that I can't use them all. So, I think a small rotation of 3 - 5 "good" pens should be sufficient. I'll probably still keep a couple of "beaters" around too...there may be times I want to use one but not risk damage or loss to a nicer piece.

Edited October 28, 2014 by sirgilbert357

[Freddy]

Continued use..hovering at seven hundred....Collection{s}..ain't gonna go there....

 

There..hope that helped.....................................................................................................

 

Fred

nothing appears in time..but the origin itself is the time.............Hegel........................

[pen tom]

When my middle son discovered I was collecting fountain pens, he opined that "At least they take up less space than guitars" (I had 7 at the time).

 

Ha,haha I had to laugh. I collect pens and guitars. Plus a modest collection of vintage amplifiers. But, it takes up less space than collecting cars. Or farm machinery.

My wife has gotten used to it. Just keep them out of the main living spaces :-)

[Inga]

The most sane amount is probably 0. After 0 it becomes... excessive. :-P

[biancitwo]

My wife would love to know.

[islandink]

My wife would love to know.

Maybe we should poll the spouses/partners...now that would provide an interesting counterpoint. Unless of course the are codependent enablers of the pen acquisition habit.

[pgmrdan]

I'm just restarting my journey with fountain pens. At one time I owned 3. Over the years the 2 cheap plastic pens broke and I'm down to a Parker 25 that I've had for around 35 years and haven't used in a few years. I bought a new pen today.

 

After reading through this thread I keep thinking that you people need to either find or start a 12-step program really soon because you have problems. All the while I'm telling myself that this stuff will never happen to me. Then I look across my little office and see the racks of tobacco pipes and my full bookcases..

 

Hurry up with that 12-step program because I'm probably going to need it in about a year.

Edited October 30, 2014 by pgmrdan

[donwinn]

Ha,haha I had to laugh. I collect pens and guitars. Plus a modest collection of vintage amplifiers. But, it takes up less space than collecting cars. Or farm machinery.

My wife has gotten used to it. Just keep them out of the main living spaces :-)

I also used to collect vintage amplifiers, which I had to sell during a long period of unemployment. I did however keep an Elektar 10, 10W 8 in speaker, 2 tubes (12AX7 and 6L6) which sounds great. I do miss my Magnatone and my Silvertone, and even more, my Carvin 100 W 2 X 12, which can cause structural damage in rather large buildings if turned up past 5, never mind going to 11 (Spinal Tap reference inserted here).

[donwinn]

I posted previously about my bride asking me how many is enough, and I replied must be 2, because that's how many I ordered. Yesterday 1 pen arrived (Pilot CH 91 with SF nib, silver colored furniture) and today 2 pens arrived (2 Kulturs from FPN ember dblounnais). Sadly, no more pens in order; if I had ordered 3 for tomorrow, I would have the perfect start for a fibonacci chain of fountain pens. (nerd reference inserted here) ;-)

[Brian Anderson]

Maybe we should poll the spouses/partners...now that would provide an interesting counterpoint. Unless of course the are codependent enablers of the pen acquisition habit.

If that's the case, I'm screwed...

[Gloucesterman]

FYI - Sanity is way overrated. Asking how many to a pen person is like asking an artist how many blue colored paints is enough?

[Gloucesterman]

FYI - Sanity is way overrated. Asking how many to a pen person is like asking an artist how many blue colored paints is enough?

[Gloucesterman]

I posted previously about my bride asking me how many is enough, and I replied must be 2, because that's how many I ordered. Yesterday 1 pen arrived (Pilot CH 91 with SF nib, silver colored furniture) and today 2 pens arrived (2 Kulturs from FPN ember dblounnais). Sadly, no more pens in order; if I had ordered 3 for tomorrow, I would have the perfect start for a fibonacci chain of fountain pens. (nerd reference inserted here) ;-)

Fibronacci and Bernoulli walk into a bar and..

[welch]

Six. A pair of P51s; a Pelikan M600 or M400 (one pen, several M400 nibs = several pens...to borrow the Esterbrook slogan); Eversharp Skyline soft nib; one pen that accepts a cartridge / converter.

 

People used to have one or two pens, and one bottle of ink. The classic FP days, before about 1955. That's all people needed.

 

Don't do as I did: 25 Parker 51s, 6 or more P61s, another dozen Eversharp Skyline and Symphony; many Esterbrooks; a sample of modern pens: Sailor 1911M, Lamy 2K, Warterman Carene. Some pens in search of the perfect fit for my hand. Some curiosity...what is a Skyline like? Odd shape, but, wow, Eversharp had magic in their nibs!

 

Also a beautiful late Canadian Vac from the Doctor of Vacs, large nib from the late and lamented Tom "Old Griz" Mullane (still miss his phone calls to chat about pens I'd sent for repair), nib tuned by Greg Minuskin. A perfect pen. Do I need another? Oh, so tempting!

 

Then there is the quest for the "just right" PFM. Now have two, plus a modern Sheaffer "look-alike".

 

That's too many, but I've gotten sentimental attachments to many of them. Should sell some, but it's hard to give them up!

 

Best advice: don't accumulate so many!!!

[Oldane]

Ha,haha I had to laugh. I collect pens and guitars. Plus a modest collection of vintage amplifiers. But, it takes up less space than collecting cars. Or farm machinery.

My wife has gotten used to it. Just keep them out of the main living spaces :-)

I too happen to have both archtop guitars and pens. Sometimes my wife comments on the space taken up by the guitars. But then I'm lucky, I just have to mention the grand piano she inherited many years ago.

[Oldane]

..... if I had ordered 3 for tomorrow, I would have the perfect start for a fibonacci chain of fountain pens. (nerd reference inserted here) ;-)

.... or an exponential growth curve? :-)

[pgmrdan]

I too happen to have both archtop guitars and pens. Sometimes my wife comments on the space taken up by the guitars. But then I'm lucky, I just have to mention the grand piano she inherited many years ago.

I forgot about my flat top acoustic guitars. I may already need a 12-step program.

 

At least pens don't take up much space. I can fit them in my little office with all of my other (bleep), er, uh, ... treasures.

Edited October 31, 2014 by pgmrdan

[wetnoodlepens]

This has been asked many times.

 

The answer is always N+1, whereby N = the current number of pens that you own.