What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[bayindirh]

Lamy 2000 Makrolon, Medium.

 

I was planning to get one next month anyway but, it was 25% off and was low on stock there.

 

On the plus side, I've completed my "The pens I want to buy" list.

[carola]

On the plus side, I've completed my "The pens I want to buy" list.

I don´t remember anymore how often I have said that... usually right before whispering "oh... shiny..." and going for the next pen.

[bayindirh]

This is my first time saying that. Actually, 2000 was on that list for a very long time but, I was hesitant to pull the trigger.

 

I have found my grail pen early and, the rest was just collection. Japanese pens are not my exact cup of tea so, Im not very inclined to dive into that rabbit hole.

 

I have pens from all the brands which I find interesting and worth buying. Of course there will be other pens but, my acquisition rate will be much lower from now on. Same would be valid for the inks too.

[br549]

A gray Parker 21, my first vintage Parker pen. A few days before that, a Picasso 916 Malage.

[inkstainedruth]

Be careful -- that 21 could lead down the slippery slope.... I bought a 21 and liked it so much I started buying 51s. And then Vacumatics....

Just sayin'....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[JotterAddict62]

Be careful -- that 21 could lead down the slippery slope.... I bought a 21 and liked it so much I started buying 51s. And then Vacumatics....

Just sayin'....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

So True.......

[br549]

So True.......

I did try for a 51, but got sniped and outbid at the last second. Maybe a 51 will be my next impulse buy.

[inkstainedruth]

Yeah... sniped. Been there, had that happen. Lost a Cordovan Brown 51 Vac to a sniper a few years ago -- and after having built up such a lovely rapport with the seller, too: I'd ask a question and the seller would check with the pen's former owner and then come back with the answer.

Ironically, now, I"m not sure I even want that color....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[NumberSix]

Early this week, a Sheaffer Connoisseur on r/pen_swap. I have never even heard of it before I saw the listing. But it looks to be a late 80s pen with a gold nib. I will be curious to see how it goes.

 

Ugh, not sure the seller has even shipped it yet. Oh well, I will be patient. . .

[NumberSix]

I did try for a 51, but got sniped and outbid at the last second. Maybe a 51 will be my next impulse buy.

 

51s come up for sale pretty regularly on reddit at r/pen_swap. (21s less often, but it happens)

 

I just this week sold a Demi 51, a 51 Special, and two 21s.

[KingsCountyWriter]

After I said no more Custom Black Stripes, I successfully acquired a Pilot Custom White Stripe with a medium nib! I let 2 of my Black Stripes go on Reddit (all within 20 minutes!) so that this one would feel celebrated and special!

[BaronWulfraed]

Early this week, a Sheaffer Connoisseur on r/pen_swap. I have never even heard of it before I saw the listing. But it looks to be a late 80s pen with a gold nib. I will be curious to see how it goes.

 

Ugh, not sure the seller has even shipped it yet. Oh well, I will be patient. . .

FYI: Connaisseur

 

https://www.sheaffertarga.com/Connaisseur/Connaisseur%20Write%20Up.html

 

 

[A Smug Dill]

After four whole weeks of PayPal purportedly "reviewing" information submitted by ASA Pens — which I assume is just PayPal's delaying tactic to earn interest(?) while the situation remained unresolved, when Mr Subramaniam offered me a refund, and I accepted the offer communicating through PayPal, so there is no question about the validity when PayPal was told in August to proceed with processing a refund — I finally received notification that the case was "decided in my favour".

 

As it was, the refunded amount would neatly cover two Moonman 800 pens fitted with Bock nibs sent by ePacket — not that it has been an efficient service in the past few months, but at least it's trackable online, and everything I ordered on AliExpress and sent by ePacket was eventually received — so I (unwisely!) spent it on two Moonman 800 pens in the more personally preferred colours (out of four), one equipped with a Bock nib and the other a Moonman nib in the spirit of comparison (and that's the unwise part, given I heard so much about Moonman nib QC issues of late), and the remainder on yet another Kaigelu 316, given how impressed I was with the two I just received (yes, by ePacket service which took two months to deliver).

[shostakovich]

Thank you for the additional feedback. I will take it under consideration. The Cleo has a bit of a distinctive look that somehow captures my attention.

 

One does not have to work hard to convince me of the many positive features of Pelikan pens. Although there are many manufacturers represented in my collection, I am a hopeless Pelikan fanboi.

 

I may have been a little to hard on the Cleo as it appears to be pretty good and has not really stalled over several days now. Being a new pen it may take a few weeks to bed in and I find it a nice pen to write wth. It certainly does look distinctive and I have very few black pens. I only keep three pens inked up, two Pelikans (M400 and M200) and the Cleo so they all get quite regular use.

[Estycollector]

I've noticed that if I win an auction where make a bid is an offering, the seller takes forever to ship and then uses the least costly method. My standard feedback is "received" with a minimal of stars.

[Tas]

WingSung 3013 EF. Green. £3.88 delivered.

Already giving my Vac 700 a run for its money 🙂

[pajaro]

I've noticed that if I win an auction where make a bid is an offering, the seller takes forever to ship and then uses the least costly method. My standard feedback is "received" with a minimal of stars.

Do they give you the level of shipping you are paying for, or are they spending less on shipping, packing and postage costs, than what you are being charged for? If you are getting the shipping you are paying for why complain? If they are shorting you, bleep 'em.

[inkstainedruth]

I've noticed that if I win an auction where make a bid is an offering, the seller takes forever to ship and then uses the least costly method. My standard feedback is "received" with a minimal of stars.

Do you mean when an item has languished (to the point of repeatedly being relisted) and the seller makes an offer to the potential buyer(s)? Or do you mean when "Make an offer" is an option? Because I haven't particularly noticed that being the case either way. But then, I don't shop on eBay as much as some people probably do.

In fact, in one case, I found the OPPOSITE to be true. I had gone through a lot of hassle with eBay's dumb IT people when a seller I had bought from in the past had a number of pens listed in different colors (you were bidding on one, in your choice of color). I got outbid (bummer) but then a couple of days later got a "Second Chance Offer". Apparently the winner bidder hadn't read the "You're bidding on ONE pen" part. Well I actually wanted SEVERAL colors only I couldn't get the mechanics to work right (the "I want THREE at [my price] times three). The poor seller was in Europe and probably got NO sleep that night because of the back and forth messages (mostly me going "I cannot BELIEVE how bad eBay's IT is! This is a NIGHTMARE!" Guy finally PULLED the listing and relisted it as a "BiN" at my price so I was able to say "this one, this one and this one at X price times three" and I finally was able to purchase the three pens and have the transcription go through around dinnertime HERE.

The next time I saw a pen that I wanted from that seller, there was a notice on the listing that the seller was away for a few days. I don't remember if it was an auction or a BiN, but I got the pen and was like, okay, I've paid, wonder how long this will take since he's away... And he got back to me almost immediately.

Honestly, I think you may just have been dealing with a bad seller. I've had a few that were complete a-holes (maybe 3 or 4 bad transactions), but for the most part I've been pretty lucky.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

ETA: What pajaro said. If you're overpaying for shipping, you should take it up with eBay (it could just as easily be them and not the seller, unfortunately).

Edited September 27, 2020 by inkstainedruth

[inkfade]

Pilot Decimo w/broad nib and Lamy 2000 w/medium nib.

 

I've bought and sold/returned two VPs/Decimos before, though because the VP was too heavy and I wasn't happy with the thin nib I purchased with my Decimo. I think the broad will be very nice, as I like juicy mediums.

 

I originally bought the 2000 in fine because I read so many places that the 2000 generally runs a bit wider than its actual nib size and I like mediums, but my fine with most of the inks I've tried has been kind of like a M-F. It's still a great writer, but I'd like a a little more flow than what I'm getting now. If I prefer the medium, I'll sell my F, or vice versa if the M turns out to be a little too broad for my taste.

[bayindirh]

Pilot Decimo w/broad nib and Lamy 2000 w/medium nib.

 

I've bought and sold/returned two VPs/Decimos before, though because the VP was too heavy and I wasn't happy with the thin nib I purchased with my Decimo. I think the broad will be very nice, as I like juicy mediums.

 

I originally bought the 2000 in fine because I read so many places that the 2000 generally runs a bit wider than its actual nib size and I like mediums, but my fine with most of the inks I've tried has been kind of like a M-F. It's still a great writer, but I'd like a a little more flow than what I'm getting now. If I prefer the medium, I'll sell my F, or vice versa if the M turns out to be a little too broad for my taste.

I'm using a medium Lamy 2000 today. With wet & spreading inks (like Lamy Black) it writes broad-medium in above than average quality paper and writes straight broad on the lower cost ones. The nib is lovely though. Will try with something more tidy next time.