Less Is More

[Blue_Moon]

I've recently begun to cull the herd, so to speak. If I hadn't touched a pen in a year, off it went. Ten, maybe fifteen good pens that I like, and that's it.

 

Now, it's quality over quantity.

 

 

I once had over 40 pens. In one moment at a pen show I sold 20 of them to one dealer. I am happy with what I now have and I might just add one or two over the next year or so but maybe not. Although I still use my pens everyday I am not as obsessive about them as I once was. My hobby interests has drifted to other things in the last 6 months or so. However, I still use and enjoy the pens i have and I am quite happy about that.

 

That's me!

[cnjackson]

 

Although it's hard to avoid in a topic like this, my purpose was not to focus on collector vs. user, but more so the maturity process that each person experiences over the years in the fountain pen hobby. For me, it was accumulate, (although I was using them while accumulating) accumulate, accumulate. Then, I leveled off, and cut back on my purchasing. Then, I began to focus on only those that I really liked, and started decreasing my numbers. Not saying everyone takes this same path, but, based on the responses to this thread, it seems that some do.

 

This is a really interesting thread--something I've often thought about, too. My relationship with fountain pens has gone through its own evolution: and I'm not really sure where it stands right now.

 

After reading everyone's posts, I counted and found that I have 11 pens at the moment, after about 4 years of real FP use:

 

The pens I use most are:

1. A Pelikan M805 (B nib)

2. A MB 146 (M)

3. A MB 149 (BB)

4. An Edison Pearl (B nib)

5. A Lamy 2000 (F)

 

I also have a small set of pens I use for commenting on student papers (the MB and MR are beautiful writers):

6. A Lamy Vista (F)

7. A MB 244 (B nib)

8. A Monte Rosa 042 (OM)

 

And I have three more pens I almost never use:

9. A Parker 75 (F) that I received as a high school graduation gift back in 1990. I used it A LOT! and now it needs a bit of TLC--it leaks a bit at the section)

10. A TWSBI 540 (1.1)

11. A Lamy Safari (1.1)

 

Right after I started exploring FPs beyond my Parker, I did go into a sort of acquisition mode: I wanted to try as many different kinds of pens and nibs as I could afford to get my hands on. This never was a lot of pens: I think I maxed out at maybe 15-16 pens. But now I find my appetite for pens to be more considered and not as insistent as a couple of years ago. Now I find myself thinking about only pens that would add something really special (in terms of beauty and/or writing experience) to my collection. I'm interested in an OMAS in bronze arco; maybe a Nakaya of some kind; and perhaps most of all a1950s MB 146. But none of this is urgent--and I can't imagine feeling urgency about pens anytime soon. We'll see.

 

Chris

Edited April 27, 2015 by cnjackson

[prighello]

I've had about 40 but I am down to 5 that I actually use and a few for sale. For my life in general less is more in all aspects and I have been decluttering every part of it.

 

Do you possess your possessions or do they possess you?

[ac12]

Nope, I'm not cutting back. My collection keeps growing as I find more categories to collect. As a collector, I find satisfaction in having the pens to fill out a category. And even then, to be practical, I have to limit myself to just some of the pens as a representative sample.

 

I'm one of those in-betweeners. I am both a user and a collector. I have pens that I regularly use, and I have pens that will NEVER be inked, and I have pens that might rotate into use.

Edited April 27, 2015 by ac12

[Lovely_Pen]

While I consider myself still relatively new to this "love," I've somehow accumulated over twenty-five pens since I first started. Recently, I've decided to limit myself to thirteen pens...an odd number for sure, but it allows me to fill my ten pen display case and one three pen case (for on the go/daily carry). It was hard at first to set pens aside for sale, but I had to think about what those pens really offered me in the end and whether it was necessary to keep them. While it might be nice to have duplicates of certain pens, I'd rather focus my "collection" and keep pens which are unique and add something to my enjoyment of fountain pens. As I've continued to explore FPs my taste has also evolved, and I find myself desiring better quality pens which do more than "just write well." The below pens which are currently in my collection, all have that special something (for me) and are therefore worth keeping and using.

 

Pens which I use everyday, but I don't consider them my "throw-around pens"

1. Esterbrook J Gray (M Oblique Stub)

2. Esterbrook J Green (M Italic)

3. Esterbrook J Copper (Broad)

4. Faber Castell Loom Violet (M)

 

My "nicer" pens which are a complete joy to use but mainly stay at home:

5. Sheaffer WASP Addipoint Green Shell (12K M)

6. Sheaffer Legacy I Black Laquer (18K M--on the F side)

7. Sheaffer Legacy I Marbled Orange "Fantasy" (18K M)

9. Pelikan M215 Lozenge (Broad--looking for a M or I)

 

My "school" pens which I use for highlighting and marginal notes:

10. Lamy Safari Neon Coral (F)

11. Lamy Safari Neon Yellow (F)

12. Lamy Safari Charcoal (F)

 

Saving this for my graduation present to myself!

13. [space reserved for one custom pen]

Edited April 27, 2015 by Lovely_Pen

[Hector67]

I maxed at 19 pens. Gave away 6 in the past coupple of weeks. And just this weekend I boxed all the pens I had not used in the past two months. I am left with 4 on rotation. Out of the 11 I boxed, I beleive I will only keep 2 or 3 and the rest will pe passed to the wife or the kids (which are no longer kids).

 

I will probably keep buying pens, but now maybe 1 or 2 a year. As many have said in this thread "Quality over quantity"

[Frank C]

I always enjoy reading these topics when they come up. I admire people who have the ability to narrow their pen collections. I also like to see which pens end up being "keepers". As for me, I have given away a few pens, but for the most part I still own every fountain pen I ever purchased. Most every pen has some feature that sets it apart from the rest. As for the others, they don't take up much space and probably wouldn't fetch much if sold.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I have 50-60. I have almost stopped buying. I have most of the nibs I need.

 

Mostly I have piston pens, many are semi-flex or 'flexi'/maxi-semi-flex.

Unfortunately, many are Black and Gold German ones.

The colorful ones are often second tier....one does need some color in one's life.

 

I'd have to get mean to my self to sell pens. I got 5 or so I could sell....but I'm lazy.

[helene20]

Years ago I only wrote with fountain pens and then when I add 3 children I had no money for my hobby. Now that they are older I am back writing with fountain pens and collecting at the same time.

 

I have 21 at the moment and my collection will be growing. I like to use them all.

 

For me it's the joy of writing with a fountain pen and trying inks. Even my cheap fountain pens give me satisfaction over writing with a roller ball pen.

[tinta]

Less is more as far as I'm concerned.

My limit is set at nine pens that are all keepers. Each nib is individually ground & adjusted to my taste.

I'm very satisfied with their performance. There is no need for me to acquire more instruments.

Besides, I can only write with one fountain pen at a time.

Edited April 27, 2015 by tinta

[Blue_Moon]

Less is more as far as I'm concerned.

My limit is set at nine pens that are all keepers. Each nib is individually ground & adjusted to my taste.

I'm very satisfied with their performance. There is no need for me to acquire more instruments.

Besides, I can only write with one fountain pen at a time.

 

[Larry Barrieau]

Less is less and more is more. Less may be better or more may be better, it depends on what you want.

[inkstainedruth]

Back when I started (about 3+ years ago) I thought I would probably max out at around 50-60. I'm now up to roughly 80, all told (but that includes stuff like the glass pen someone I know was giving away, a couple of dead Pilot Varsities, etc). Of that, about a 3rd need repairs to use.

The first year I went primarily "inexpensive" and ended up with about a dozen pens, mostly in the under $25 US range. Then I went vintage-crazy, and it was the "Ooh, SHINY!" phase. Last year I started looking at more high priced pens -- again mostly vintage or semi-vintage. So far this year, I've only bought three (plus I was gifted with a fourth).

There are still pens I want. There are still pens that I want to try. There are pens I need to get working. At some point I will probably pare down the stash. But for now I'm still in the learning phase of what I want and don't want -- and, admittedly still in the "Ooh, SHINY!" phase.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Sasha Royale]

Numbers are meaningless. Is 70 crazier than 60 ?

You have been proceeding with thoughtful deliberation. Excellent !

My advice (Certainly, somebody, somewhere, asked.) is to stop, if

you are content. When you want another pen, get another pen.

This isn't life and death, or defense of the human race. It's fun.

What number makes you happy ----- TODAY ?

 

May you have joy, and a little madness.

[Dronak]

Wow. That's great that you were satisfied with those four pens for a long time.

 

There were probably a number of reasons for that, one being my interests wax and wane over time. Back then, it wasn't a major hobby or anything, so I just bought a few fountain pens to use. Being in school, I couldn't afford to spend a lot. When I graduated and got the Cartier Diabolo from my parents, that basically satisfied me and I used it almost all the time I wrote in ink. But the cap got damaged somewhere along the way, and I recently brought it to a Cartier dealer to fix. I think there was a bit of withdrawal at that point, even though I had other pens, and that kind of sparked my interest in fountain pens again. Combined with having more disposable income now, I decided to buy some more pens.

 

Today I found out that my Cartier is back, I just have to go pick it up, and I bought one more pen (a Pilot Metropolitan) to get free shipping on an Amazon order. I think that's going to be it for a while now. While I'm sure there are lots of pens that would be nice to have, I don't have much that I strongly desire on my wishlist now. I've got a dozen, and that should be enough. Plus, having just bought a number of cheaper pens, I'll probably want to go up a tier and buy somewhat more expensive pens next, meaning I'll need to save up a bit before purchasing again.

[LuckyKate]

Actually I started with great advice and a wonderful pen that has lead to several more great pens. I have all the great pens I will ever need. 6 or 7 sounds good.

 

So now I am crazy about cheap gaudy tacky pens. Anything less that 10.00 with bamboo or dragons on it.

Edited April 28, 2015 by LuckyKate

[ethernautrix]

Numbers are meaningless. Is 70 crazier than 60 ?

You have been proceeding with thoughtful deliberation. Excellent !

My advice (Certainly, somebody, somewhere, asked.) is to stop, if

you are content. When you want another pen, get another pen.

This isn't life and death, or defense of the human race. It's fun.

What number makes you happy ----- TODAY ?

 

May you have joy, and a little madness.

So often, I enjoy your comments. I agree--find your own number. Whatever works.

[JimCouch]

I have been slowly and steadily reducing my pens over the past few years. A number of pens that did not show up in rotation have been sent down the road. I am in the process of getting rid of more pens. The only thing that will stay are my favorites, pens that get regularly used, pens that have a particular trait or use, and those that have some kind of sentimental value. If I have not used a pen in a while or cannot articulate a good reason to keep a pen it is headed out the door.

[The Blue Knight]

I do agree less is more. The more you have, the less time you can use the pens that really matter to you. I cut things down from 20+ to 12 over the past year and have become very picky in terms of what I will consider I'm looking to maintain a collection of pens at this number however the one thing I can tell you is things are a lot less varied when you change your outlooked from a user to a collector. I've drawn up rules in my mind such what collection should be however. Things are a lot less varied this way. There are a number of pen I would like to own however these don't conform to the rules of my collection so I can't add them. I don't know weather I will go back to a large collection one day?

 

 

Less is more results in less variety however it does lend itself to a more organised collection.

 

A lot of the pens I know own are fixtures of my collection so there is a very small fraction of pens that are mobile.

 

The way I see my collection is 4 groups of 3 pens Germans and Parkers.

 

Budget / Everyday

Parker Frontier (Chrome Flaire, Flighter, Twilight)

 

Better (lower mid tier)

rotring Freeway (blue), rotring Esprit (Touroline), Parker 15 (red GT)

 

Mid tier and upper mid tier

Diplomat Excellence A (Carya), Pelikan M200 (GT), Parker Sonnet (Dark Grey GT)

 

Upper Tier (Pens I am saving up to own)

 

Diplomat Excellence A (Venezia 14k nib), Parker Duofold Centennial, Pelikan M800 (with the last 2 pens I hope to go for special editions of them)

 

Vintage will be a different story which I will start once I finish this collection however I will probably go for 12 pens again.

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2015 by The Blue Knight

[WilsonCQB1911]

Like many on here, I tell a similar story. I have owned close to 50 I'd guess as I try to figure out what works for me. I've sold most of those and have four remaining. Those are my favorites and work quite well for me and I can enjoy them. I've done similar things with my ink supply.

 

I imagine I will still buy more pens, but it will be at a much slower pace, more carefully considered, and even those may or may not be kept after I've tried the.