What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[N1003U]

That sounds like great excuses for buying new pens, impulsively or not "Since I gave away that precious Lamy Safari, don't you think that I should replenish by getting a Montblanc?!"

Of course it is a great excuse! What better way to 1.) promote the fountain pen hobby/fetish/craft, and 2.) create an occasion to shop for and buy another pen (upgrades are always appreciated)?...

Edited June 19, 2020 by N1003U

[kulnet]

A kaweco sport fox with bb nib from Vanness.

[Joe in Seattle]

Diplomat Dirigible in Aluminum

[N1003U]

Diplomat Dirigible in Aluminum

 

nice pen, it's on my list of shiny new objects to consider. How do you like it?

[inkstainedruth]

I'm getting better about this; I now have a page in my journal entitled "Pondering Purchases". Only if something stays on the list for a while do I actually buy the thing. Sometimes additional research leads me to buy something better that I wouldn't have known about nor bought had I spent the money on the first shiny thing. Plus a get to use a different color ink on each line to make the items I'm pondering easily decipherable!

 

 

I have a longterm shopping list file on my laptop: pens, inks, repairs that need to be made, tools I need, etc. I keep adding and removing things as circumstances change. Some pens are things I want but can't currently afford; some are inks that I've changed my minds about actually wanting; things that I've been able to acquire have been removed, but of course new things get added.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[essayfaire]

 

I have a longterm shopping list file on my laptop: pens, inks, repairs that need to be made, tools I need, etc. I keep adding and removing things as circumstances change. Some pens are things I want but can't currently afford; some are inks that I've changed my minds about actually wanting; things that I've been able to acquire have been removed, but of course new things get added.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Exactly! My Christmas and birthday lists to be addendum/retractions rather than new...other than books.

[essayfaire]

Some time ago, I had requested a notice from a dealer in the event that a Pilot Custom Urushi in Vermilion with a Medium-Fine nib became available. Well, the notice finally came today. This is a hard-to-find specimen, and it completes my set of vermilion urushi Pilot/Namikis (No. 50, Yukari Royale, Custom Urushi, and 845), so I overlooked the price and ordered it. This could become my everyday pen at work.

This is not an impulse purchase. This is a planned (yet substantial) purchase, whose timing was uncertain.

[maclink]

Parker Duofold Big Red.

[flyingfox]

I was soooo close to buying a Franklin-Christoph Model 45 in pink and white, AKA the bacon pen, back on Wednesday at the virtual pen show. I actually had it in my cart, picked the nib, but I guess I was too slow typing in my information... It sold out before I completed the purchase process. Ah, well...

[Hanoi]

I think I need a Twisbi since many people recommend one.

[bayindirh]

I think I need a Twisbi since many people recommend one.

I'm also eyeing one but, I have too many pens and I've found out that I'm more into dependable pens. I have some desk pens in rotation and don't want to carry something around so prone to scratching.

[N1003U]

Ok, so I wasn't going to re-open this, but*******

I went into the local Staples on a whim (Don't usually find anything) and as I was leaving, I looked to my right and saw a bin of Pilot Varsity pens, buy 3 get 1 free.

So I did. Four pens (nice ones I might add) for 10.50 USD.

I think my impulse buy was justified!

BTW, does anyone know which of their inks goes in these?

I love this story! It is, with minor differences, how I got into fountain pens almost 40 years ago. I was in a university bookstore, and I saw a bin of discounted writing tools, and the disposable Pilots looked interesting (not even sure anymore if they were called Varsities back in those days). Since I atypically as a student had a few dollars to spare that day, the fountain pen thusly entered my life in a meaningful way.

[N1003U]

 

I have a longterm shopping list file on my laptop: pens, inks, repairs that need to be made, tools I need, etc. I keep adding and removing things as circumstances change. Some pens are things I want but can't currently afford; some are inks that I've changed my minds about actually wanting; things that I've been able to acquire have been removed, but of course new things get added.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I find a long-term purchase list useful as well, particularly to consult before going to shows, etc.

 

I used to keep a written list (why? well I can use my pens to maintain it, of course!), but the list got to be too cumbersome to edit, re-organize, re-write, etc., every time I change my mind about what I want (which is often).

 

So, I finally broke down and made an electronic list as well. Over the course of a few years I have whittled my long-term shopping list down to just a few pens (7 at present), and 4 of those are Special Editions or Limited Editions that are either difficult to find or above my budget threshold at present, so I only have really three production pens on my list, which are waiting for the simultaneous occurrence of a good deal from a vendor combined with some spare change in my pocket.

 

So I suppose most of my acquisitions going forward could be classified as "impulsive acquisitions". Since my inventory of pens is now also about a large as I can comfortably manage and still keep in a semblance of a rotation, I have invoked a self-imposed "pay-it-forward" rule that for every future "impulsive acquisition" I make, I need to sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of something to make room for the new acquisition. I find such a rule really limits my new acquisitions, because when I see some shiny new bauble, I first have to ask myself, "which pen am I going to get rid of to make room for this one, and do I really like it that much that I am willing to give up something else to acquire it?" I find this process is a wonderful technique to limit new, especially unplanned purchases.*

 

Since my purchase list has shrunk significantly over time, I may re-visit the idea of making it a handwritten list again, but the electronic copy is darn convenient for inventory management, budgeting, insurance documentation, etc..

 

*I discovered this technique initially after moving from a 3000 sq.ft. house in Florida to a 682 sq.ft. apartment in New York City, and it is for me a powerful one. In that situation, I was forced to brutally prioritize what personal property I really wanted to keep and what needed to be disposed of, and every time I saw something interesting (furniture, art work, books, etc.), I needed to think very specifically about where the item would physically fit into my living space, and if it was worth it. A similar technique is now helping me to control the (over)expansion of my pen collection.

[TitoThePencilPimp]

I think I need a Twisbi since many people recommend one.

 

Have you tried an Opus 88 Kolero? I prefer it to the Twisbi. Although the filler mechanism is different, it holds roughly the same amount of ink IRC. It can be had for $65 with free shipping (after a 10% discount for new buyers) from penchalet.com.

 

Im really happy with my purchase, and I own more expensive pens.

[bongo47]

 

Have you tried an Opus 88 Kolero? I prefer it to the Twisbi. Although the filler mechanism is different, it holds roughly the same amount of ink IRC. It can be had for $65 with free shipping (after a 10% discount for new buyers) from penchalet.com.

 

Im really happy with my purchase, and I own more expensive pens.

Agreed. I like both my TWSBIs and my Opus 88 Kolero, but maybe the Opus a touch more. Great for traveling with its huge capacity and plug system. But remember to open the plug with the nib pointing up after air travel.

[maclink]

Agreed. I like both my TWSBIs and my Opus 88 Kolero, but maybe the Opus a touch more. Great for traveling with its huge capacity and plug system. But remember to open the plug with the nib pointing up after air travel.

 

I too prefer the Opus pens. My favourite is the Opus 88 Omar. I prefer their tuning etc of the #6 nibs vs the #5's. I have both a Koloro and a Picnic as well. I've been through x3 of the #5 nibs and all had to be ground a bit to get to my liking though none of them are there. OTOH, I have two Omar's and a Clear Demonstrator model. All mediums and all the nibs have been smack on target. Among my favourite Bock nibbed writers.

[BaronWulfraed]

Pardon? Did Opus 88 change production?

 

Both of my Omars have Jowo nib units... My Belas have Bock units (as I discovered after having bought a set of Opus 88 nib units only to find they wouldn't fit the Bela; so I ended up buying generic Bock units.

[mauckcg]

Leonardo Speranza Etna. It is a really neat red green and other colors ebonite. Couldn't resist.

[BaronWulfraed]

Whilst in Staples to buy printer ink (Office Max had one each of Black and Yellow, had to go down the block to get Magenta and Cyan (and should have bought two each to balance my supply)

 

• Cross Bailey Light (F) in Blue (and a pack of plain blue cartridges, since no converter is provided)
• Cross Aventura (M) in Starry Blue (or, translating the French: Night Blue) (and a pack of blue/black cartridges)

 

I glanced at the chrome/gold Sheaffer VFM, but as that model does not take regular Sheaffer cartridges/converters, and Staples didn't stock the type it does use... No thank you.

Edited June 24, 2020 by BaronWulfraed

[maclink]

Pardon? Did Opus 88 change production?

 

Both of my Omars have Jowo nib units... My Belas have Bock units (as I discovered after having bought a set of Opus 88 nib units only to find they wouldn't fit the Bela; so I ended up buying generic Bock units.

 

You're right. They use Jowo nibs.