Hello From...what Is The Date?...where Am I?

[N1003U]

Greetings from (currently) SW Germany (along the A5, between Freiburg and the Kaiserstuhl)!

 

Because of my job I travel moderately, and I have learned the time stuck in seat somewhere (whether the seat is moving or not) is a GREAT time to pull out a nice pen and some quality paper or notebook and write. Or sketch. Or draw. Often my origin/destination points of travel are either here in Umkirch or in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (both places where I live part of the time), but I travel globally and I like to use the travel time and the changing scenery for inspiration to express myself with paper and ink.

 

I was introduced to fountain pens by my father as a child (when I guess he judged my writing skills had advanced to where I could handle it), but I was a few years too late to experience the use of fountain pens in school, where the ballpoint had (sadly) become the tool of choice for educators to teach writing with ink. I didn't really start writing a lot with fountain pens until my university days (early-mid 1980s), and for about 25 -30 years, my fountain pen enthusiasm waxed and waned. I have been infected as long as I can remember (about 50 years) with the joy putting pen to paper with liquid ink, but the full fledged manifestation of the symptoms from that infection has appeared only in the past few years, and my pen inventory has increased accordingly.

 

A number of fountain pens have come and gone in my life, and some hang stubbornly around, but my collection today consists of mostly Pelikans of assorted sizes and colors, along with a few much beloved Edisons (Premier, Extended Mina, Pearlette, Herald Grande, and now the new Brockton), some Lamys (mostly sturdy, stout, and reliable Studios, plus a couple of Safaris, and a Dialog 3 not yet in-hand but firmly on the purchase list), and a couple of Montblancs, including a Thomas Mann WE, an almost-vintage Noblesse (with a spectacular broad nib), and a 35-year-old 144 that I love to hate. That 144 was my first non-disposable fountain pen, and it was a problem from almost the first day (mostly from the cap that never seems to want to close properly and stay closed, as well as from Montblanc themselves, who never seemed to really want to solve my cap problem). Over time, the pen and I have agreed to disagree, and I still use it once in a while, but it aggravates me anew almost every time. I have had other 144s over the years that have worked perfectly, but this was my first, and for me, the battle is personal.

 

In the past couple of years my collection has started to grow significantly, as I am currently acquiring pens at a much greater rate than I let them go, and because I think perhaps I am more careful than in the past with acquisitions, and I know better what I like in a pen, I find it harder to let go of my hard-won acquisitions. Thus the collection grows, and it is becoming hard to keep them all in my regular rotation (and I keep having to expand my storage). I need to let go a bit. A lot of the growth has come from Pelikan products, part of which I blame on the discovery of sargetalon's blogsite a couple of years ago, which is a super source of information for all things Pelikan, and has served to feed my need for Pelikans.

 

My favorite pen chassis is probably the Pelikan M6xx, which I have been carrying in various colors and nibs now for over 10 years, and on my desk I love picking up a Pelikan M10xx and using it to spew copious amount of ink onto paper (such very wet nibs are sometimes a particular challenge for me as a left-hander).

 

Even though I am a long time Pelikan fan, and I have or have had many production models in my flock at one time or another, I just a few months ago bought my very first M8xx, the Brown-Black M800 in M. I really like the pen, but I am not sure the M8xx chassis is my favorite. It is right on the border between posting and not (I tend to not post the M800, but the M600 definitely posts for me), and I find the M8xx just a tad big for EDC and not quite the bold, arrogant statement I like in a desk pen. For desk duty, I like to use the M10xx or lately also one of my larger Edisons (which tend to be much lighter due to their minimalist construction, but IMHO have a build quality that can compete with anything out there).

 

Every day in my pocket or planner, one is likely to find either a Pelikan M6xx in M or F, and/or an M2xx in a variety of colors and/or nibs, one of the smaller Edisons (I REALLY like the Pearlette, which posted feels a lot to me like a Pelikan M2xx/4xx, and I love the steel JoWo nibs that Edison hand tunes for each pen), and/or one of my Lamy Studios, of which one is almost always within arm's reach. Right now I am sitting at my desk in my remote European Command Center (a modest home office), and on my desk is an M1005 Stresemann inked with Edelstein Tanzanite, beside the M800 Brown-Black inked with Iroshizuku Tsukushi. Clipped into my planner is a Lamy Studio in Terracotta inked with Diamine Ancient Copper, and clipped to my shirt is a Lamy Studio in Aquamarine inked with Fritz Schimpf Gewitterwolke and a matching aquamarine ballpoint (which I think has a black cartridge in it, but I'm not sure--wait--yes it is a black cartridge.

 

For 2020, my goals are to expand my horizons in choice of ink (I am looking right now for the perfect teal, and a dense orange that still flows well and doesn't crust up the nib). For pen acquisitions, I want to complete my vertical collection of Pelikan Souverän in Green-Black stripe (I have a 1000, 600, and 300; I need a 400 and an 800), and/or I would like to find a Pink-White M600 (any nib will do) at a non-ridiculous price. If anyone is looking to part with a Pink-White M600, feel free to contact me with your list of demands. Also if Lamy comes out with a cool color for the Studio, I am likely to purchase one of those as well.

 

The Fountain Pen Network is a lovely and friendly resource! I have been lurking for many months, and I finally got around to joining. Thanks to all who encourage new members to post an introduction, and I look forward to continue to learn from this lovely and friendly forum. If anyone thinks I can provide any useful insights, feel free to ask anytime.

 

Regards,

[OCArt]

Hello and welcome to this friendly corner of the universe from a fountain pen user in San Diego. There is such a wealth of information waiting for you to discover on this site. Write On!

[ThomasB]

Hello and welcome from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Enjoy your time here

[Tom Kellie]

Greetings from (currently) SW Germany (along the A5, between Freiburg and the Kaiserstuhl)!

 

Because of my job I travel moderately, and I have learned the time stuck in seat somewhere (whether the seat is moving or not) is a GREAT time to pull out a nice pen and some quality paper or notebook and write. Or sketch. Or draw. Often my origin/destination points of travel are either here in Umkirch or in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (both places where I live part of the time), but I travel globally and I like to use the travel time and the changing scenery for inspiration to express myself with paper and ink.

 

I was introduced to fountain pens by my father as a child (when I guess he judged my writing skills had advanced to where I could handle it), but I was a few years too late to experience the use of fountain pens in school, where the ballpoint had (sadly) become the tool of choice for educators to teach writing with ink. I didn't really start writing a lot with fountain pens until my university days (early-mid 1980s), and for about 25 -30 years, my fountain pen enthusiasm waxed and waned. I have been infected as long as I can remember (about 50 years) with the joy putting pen to paper with liquid ink, but the full fledged manifestation of the symptoms from that infection has appeared only in the past few years, and my pen inventory has increased accordingly.

 

A number of fountain pens have come and gone in my life, and some hang stubbornly around, but my collection today consists of mostly Pelikans of assorted sizes and colors, along with a few much beloved Edisons (Premier, Extended Mina, Pearlette, Herald Grande, and now the new Brockton), some Lamys (mostly sturdy, stout, and reliable Studios, plus a couple of Safaris, and a Dialog 3 not yet in-hand but firmly on the purchase list), and a couple of Montblancs, including a Thomas Mann WE, an almost-vintage Noblesse (with a spectacular broad nib), and a 35-year-old 144 that I love to hate. That 144 was my first non-disposable fountain pen, and it was a problem from almost the first day (mostly from the cap that never seems to want to close properly and stay closed, as well as from Montblanc themselves, who never seemed to really want to solve my cap problem). Over time, the pen and I have agreed to disagree, and I still use it once in a while, but it aggravates me anew almost every time. I have had other 144s over the years that have worked perfectly, but this was my first, and for me, the battle is personal.

 

In the past couple of years my collection has started to grow significantly, as I am currently acquiring pens at a much greater rate than I let them go, and because I think perhaps I am more careful than in the past with acquisitions, and I know better what I like in a pen, I find it harder to let go of my hard-won acquisitions. Thus the collection grows, and it is becoming hard to keep them all in my regular rotation (and I keep having to expand my storage). I need to let go a bit. A lot of the growth has come from Pelikan products, part of which I blame on the discovery of sargetalon's blogsite a couple of years ago, which is a super source of information for all things Pelikan, and has served to feed my need for Pelikans.

 

My favorite pen chassis is probably the Pelikan M6xx, which I have been carrying in various colors and nibs now for over 10 years, and on my desk I love picking up a Pelikan M10xx and using it to spew copious amount of ink onto paper (such very wet nibs are sometimes a particular challenge for me as a left-hander).

 

Even though I am a long time Pelikan fan, and I have or have had many production models in my flock at one time or another, I just a few months ago bought my very first M8xx, the Brown-Black M800 in M. I really like the pen, but I am not sure the M8xx chassis is my favorite. It is right on the border between posting and not (I tend to not post the M800, but the M600 definitely posts for me), and I find the M8xx just a tad big for EDC and not quite the bold, arrogant statement I like in a desk pen. For desk duty, I like to use the M10xx or lately also one of my larger Edisons (which tend to be much lighter due to their minimalist construction, but IMHO have a build quality that can compete with anything out there).

 

Every day in my pocket or planner, one is likely to find either a Pelikan M6xx in M or F, and/or an M2xx in a variety of colors and/or nibs, one of the smaller Edisons (I REALLY like the Pearlette, which posted feels a lot to me like a Pelikan M2xx/4xx, and I love the steel JoWo nibs that Edison hand tunes for each pen), and/or one of my Lamy Studios, of which one is almost always within arm's reach. Right now I am sitting at my desk in my remote European Command Center (a modest home office), and on my desk is an M1005 Stresemann inked with Edelstein Tanzanite, beside the M800 Brown-Black inked with Iroshizuku Tsukushi. Clipped into my planner is a Lamy Studio in Terracotta inked with Diamine Ancient Copper, and clipped to my shirt is a Lamy Studio in Aquamarine inked with Fritz Schimpf Gewitterwolke and a matching aquamarine ballpoint (which I think has a black cartridge in it, but I'm not sure--wait--yes it is a black cartridge.

 

For 2020, my goals are to expand my horizons in choice of ink (I am looking right now for the perfect teal, and a dense orange that still flows well and doesn't crust up the nib). For pen acquisitions, I want to complete my vertical collection of Pelikan Souverän in Green-Black stripe (I have a 1000, 600, and 300; I need a 400 and an 800), and/or I would like to find a Pink-White M600 (any nib will do) at a non-ridiculous price. If anyone is looking to part with a Pink-White M600, feel free to contact me with your list of demands. Also if Lamy comes out with a cool color for the Studio, I am likely to purchase one of those as well.

 

The Fountain Pen Network is a lovely and friendly resource! I have been lurking for many months, and I finally got around to joining. Thanks to all who encourage new members to post an introduction, and I look forward to continue to learn from this lovely and friendly forum. If anyone thinks I can provide any useful insights, feel free to ask anytime.

 

Regards,

 

~ N1003U:

 

Welcome to Fountain Pen Network!

Your comprehensive self-introduction shows that you're in the right place.

The Pelikans in your collection sound excellent.

May 2020 be a pleasant and productive year of pen and ink writing for you.

Tom K.

[Pen Nut]

Your introduction kind of lost me but hey ho welcome to the forum

[RMN]

Hi, and welcome to FPN.

 

 

 

D.ick

[northstar]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

[N1003U]

Your introduction kind of lost me but hey ho welcome to the forum

 

Yes, I know. I can be long winded. I have a technical background and I like to be as thorough as possible with my explanations.

Also, why use a picture when there is an alternative to use 1000 words?

[N1003U]

Hi, and welcome to FPN.

 

 

 

D.ick

 

Thanks for the welcome.

[N1003U]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

Thank you, and I look forward to interacting with this interesting community.

[N1003U]

 

~ N1003U:

 

Welcome to Fountain Pen Network!

Your comprehensive self-introduction shows that you're in the right place.

The Pelikans in your collection sound excellent.

May 2020 be a pleasant and productive year of pen and ink writing for you.

Tom K.

 

Thanks, Tom Kellie. I always enjoy your comments, and I look forward to more interaction in the future. Likewise I wish you and yours a lovely 2020 full of interesting pens, inks, and papers!

[Tom Kellie]

 

Thanks, Tom Kellie. I always enjoy your comments, and I look forward to more interaction in the future. Likewise I wish you and yours a lovely 2020 full of interesting pens, inks, and papers!

[HeidiB]

I thoroughly enjoyed your introduction! No detail is too long nor too technical.

 

Although I am personally in the infancy stage of my fountain pen journey (education and collection), your introduction served to fuel my goal of learning as much as possible in this community.

 

Every kernel is greatly appreciated by “this” retired CPA (which may explain a lot!), now practicing pointed pen calligrapher.

 

Welcome!

[ygv]

Welcome to FPN!

[Henricum_Tropen]

Hello and welcome to FPN, from Cape Town, South Africa.

[N1003U]

Welcome to FPN!

 

Thank you!

[Gloucesterman]

Valley Forge? Do happen to know a guy named Washington who winter camps around there sometimes?

 

Even if you don't know him, welcome to FPN and enjoy yourself.

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

[Wahl]

[Parker51]

Welcome. I am somewhat curios as to your use of the Edison Pens in Germany in regard to what sort of reaction you get, of any.

And thank you for your introduction, much better than a polite game of asking questions back and forth.