What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[A Smug Dill]

I caved, and ordered myself a Pilot Custom Enjū.

 

I ordered a Pilot Custom Ichii from PenSachi mid-2019, when I saw it was listed as being in stock, and a small discount was offered along with free international shipping. However, I was informed later that the model has been discontinued and my order could not be fulfilled (so the status of “in stock” was patently untrue), but was offered the Custom Enjū in its stead for the same price, but I declined.

 

Fast forward three and a bit years, and I saw PenSachi offering an uncharacteristic 20% discount for Black Friday. With shipping charges, the total would come to about 11.5% less than what I would have paid in 2019, after taking into account the different exchange rates back then and now. I was tempted, but still not entirely sold. I'm still cross about how PenSachi implemented its loyalty reward scheme without making the terms clear upfront, and made the use of my reward points to get free shipping on a single order pointless.

 

Then, I checked on eBay, and approached a seller (who, on the day, didn't list what I wanted) about the pen.

 

… and I ‘saved’ 16% again on what I would have paid PenSachi, had I jumped onto its 20%-off offer in spite of my reservations about dealing with the company again. All in all, that's nearly 25% less than what I would have paid for the Custom Ichii, which had the same retail price in the Japanese domestic market as the Custom Enjū; and the pen is now on its way to me by DHL Express, so I'm expecting delivery by next Monday!

 

[Penguincollector]

I bought a Lamy cp1 Fine on Amazon for $40. 

[thx1138]

What was your last impulsive pen acquisition?

Isn't it strange that this thread is up to 226 pages.

Who would have thought.

[Gloucesterman]

1 minute ago, thx1138 said:

What was your last impulsive pen acquisition?

Isn't it strange that this thread is up to 226 pages.

Who would have thought.

Not strange at all - imho.

Keeps in mind that that number is only "so far"!

[txomsy]

And the number of reincidents... and the total amount of FPN members.

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah, a lot of my purchases tend to be happenstance finds -- at estate sales and in antiques stores, and occasionally on eBay (I get something into my head and go "Hmmm -- I wonder if..." for the eBay ones and then log in and do a search for X brand/model, like what happened with the Sheaffer Star Wars Pop BB-8 pen I just got from Speerbob.

Sometimes stuff sits for ages on my watch list -- but other times, I get lucky.  Like with the French Blue Safari -- I had been watching a bunch of the NOS listings and cringing at the prices (because after all, it's JUST a Safari and NOT worth $100+ US when push comes to shove); one of them had been re-listed and I got the notification in my inbox, and decided to see if any others had come up as well, and found the used one for a MUCH better price, including a "make an offer" option.  Haggled a bit with the seller and then said "Close enough for government work!" and hit the buy button.  Then when it came, I found that it already had a converter installed (!) so ended up paying about what I would have for a NEW Safari plus a converter....   That was a definite "no-brainer" purchase....  But still pretty impulsive, since it was a new listing and I jumped on it.  Way less expensive than a NOS one would have been for that color, and it turned out that it was coming from halfway across PA so I got it fairly quickly.  And the bite marks on the end of the barrel aren't really all that noticeable with the matte finish..... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Misfit]

I emailed a pen company asking if I could get a pen with a different section, thinking they would say no. They said yes. So now I think I’ve impulsively put myself in position to impulsively purchase a pen. Then I must stop for the year!  So easy when it’s December 1.

[ParramattaPaul]

37 minutes ago, Misfit said:

I emailed a pen company asking if I could get a pen with a different section, thinking they would say no. They said yes. So now I think I’ve impulsively put myself in position to impulsively purchase a pen. Then I must stop for the year!  So easy when it’s December 1.

I did much the same thing about 6 months ago.  I rang and asked a fly rod company that was moving premises when they would resume production of a specific rod.  The reply was, ;We have one from before shutting down production if you want to buy it.'  I couldn't say no could I?

[Gloucesterman]

21 minutes ago, ParramattaPaul said:

I did much the same thing about 6 months ago.  I rang and asked a fly rod company that was moving premises when they would resume production of a specific rod.  The reply was, ;We have one from before shutting down production if you want to buy it.'  I couldn't say no could I?

Okay, so they hooked you!😀

[ParramattaPaul]

29 minutes ago, Gloucesterman said:

Okay, so they hooked you!😀

No. The flytying material company hooked me.  An order of nymph hooks is in the post and on the way.

 

 

This /|\ to make this \|/

 

[thx1138]

21 hours ago, txomsy said:

And the number of reincidents... and the total amount of FPN members.

I think the word you may be looking for is Recidivist". 

[txomsy]

Yes, you are right. Pardon my feeble command of the English language, I'm not a native speaker. Sorry.

[USG]

23 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Yeah, a lot of my purchases tend to be happenstance finds -- at estate sales and in antiques stores, and occasionally on eBay (I get something into my head and go "Hmmm -- I wonder if..." for the eBay ones and then log in and do a search for X brand/model, like what happened with the Sheaffer Star Wars Pop BB-8 pen I just got from Speerbob.

Sometimes stuff sits for ages on my watch list -- but other times, I get lucky.  Like with the French Blue Safari -- I had been watching a bunch of the NOS listings and cringing at the prices (because after all, it's JUST a Safari and NOT worth $100+ US when push comes to shove); one of them had been re-listed and I got the notification in my inbox, and decided to see if any others had come up as well, and found the used one for a MUCH better price, including a "make an offer" option.  Haggled a bit with the seller and then said "Close enough for government work!" and hit the buy button.  Then when it came, I found that it already had a converter installed (!) so ended up paying about what I would have for a NEW Safari plus a converter....   That was a definite "no-brainer" purchase....  But still pretty impulsive, since it was a new listing and I jumped on it.  Way less expensive than a NOS one would have been for that color, and it turned out that it was coming from halfway across PA so I got it fairly quickly.  And the bite marks on the end of the barrel aren't really all that noticeable with the matte finish..... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

+1

It's always enjoyable reading about your adventures. 🙂

 

On 12/1/2022 at 7:30 AM, txomsy said:

And the number of reincidents... and the total amount of FPN members.

 

4 hours ago, thx1138 said:

I think the word you may be looking for is Recidivist". 

 

We have Recidivists?  😵

[inkstainedruth]

3 minutes ago, USG said:

We have Recidivists?

Well, there are a lot of people who might be considered "repeat offenders" in their buying habits -- but I HOPE there aren't too many actual criminals here....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[USG]

1 minute ago, inkstainedruth said:

Well, there are a lot of people who might be considered "repeat offenders" in their buying habits -- but I HOPE there aren't too many actual criminals here....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

It's so hard to turn off the bubble machine. 

[carola]

Went into a stationery shop today to buy a few non pen related things... Came out with a Kaweco Sport in olive green. Who would have thought this could happen?

 

At € 21 I really didn´t see any need to discuss the issue with myself any further.

[Misfit]

I suspect because those olive green Kaweco pens are quite attractive.

[BinaEliora]

A short while ago I went through a series of impulsive pen acquisitions. One thing triggered the next. I can say that I outdid myself. 

 

It all started with a vintage Pelikan 140 NOS in Box, but it was sold already.  With my buying desire nowhere to go, I directed it towards Pensachi and ordered a Pilot 742 in black with a Waverly nib and a bottle of Asa Gao. Lovely pen. 
 

While waiting for the pen to arrive I found a brown marbled Waterman’s Stalwart from the 40ies. Bought that one as well. Very nice pen and I did not have a Waterman from the fourties yet. 
 

Still not satisfied, I bought a Pelikan DM nib unit from the 50ies. Realized I need a pen to put it in and ordered the brown marbled M200. The one with the best price had a B nib; I am not a fan of B nibs. The pen came, and I put a 120N F nib (modern) in it to bridge the time until the DM nib arrived. I ended up loving this combo and needed yet another Pelikan. I ordered a black M200. This one ended up with the DM nib, they are a good match. I ordered the two M200 from Amazon at a very good price. 

To top it off I ordered a Pelikan M400 Streseman from Cultpens. The price was good and it came with a free bottle of Edelstein ink. Shipping was very fast and free. 

 

Now I better lock up my wallets, digital and analog 😜

 

 

[Tashi_Tsering]

S.T. Dupont Défi Titanium. Large pen in futuristic design (on photo compare to Montblanc 146). But steel nib, plastic parts of body. Interesting pen, but I think, it's to expencive. 

 

 

 

 

[USG]

8 hours ago, BinaEliora said:

A short while ago I went through a series of impulsive pen acquisitions. One thing triggered the next. I can say that I outdid myself. 

 

It all started with a vintage Pelikan 140 NOS in Box, but it was sold already.  With my buying desire nowhere to go, I directed it towards Pensachi and ordered a Pilot 742 in black with a Waverly nib and a bottle of Asa Gao. Lovely pen. 
 

While waiting for the pen to arrive I found a brown marbled Waterman’s Stalwart from the 40ies. Bought that one as well. Very nice pen and I did not have a Waterman from the fourties yet. 
 

Still not satisfied, I bought a Pelikan DM nib unit from the 50ies. Realized I need a pen to put it in and ordered the brown marbled M200. The one with the best price had a B nib; I am not a fan of B nibs. The pen came, and I put a 120N F nib (modern) in it to bridge the time until the DM nib arrived. I ended up loving this combo and needed yet another Pelikan. I ordered a black M200. This one ended up with the DM nib, they are a good match. I ordered the two M200 from Amazon at a very good price. 

To top it off I ordered a Pelikan M400 Streseman from Cultpens. The price was good and it came with a free bottle of Edelstein ink. Shipping was very fast and free. 

 

Now I better lock up my wallets, digital and analog 😜

 

 

 

I know, it's a vicious cycle.  You get a another pen then decide you need a different nib, so you get another nib.  Then you realize that now you have an extra nib and no pen to put it in, so you buy another pen, with perhaps a less desirable nib (at a better price) and replace the less desirable nib with the nib that was in your first pen.  Now you realize that you underestimated how well the less desirable nib wrote and need a pen to put it in......  🥸

 

 

3 hours ago, Tashi_Tsering said:

S.T. Dupont Défi Titanium. Large pen in futuristic design (on photo compare to Montblanc 146). But steel nib, plastic parts of body. Interesting pen, but I think, it's to expencive. 

 

 

 

 

 

Oooh, would you look at that!!! My absolute favorite nib design.  I have a similar nib in my Waterman Liasion.  Tough choice.  When in doubt, get both, worry later. 😁