I've been lurking on various pen forums learning what I can about my new hobby. Guess it's time to introduce myself and join in. I spent many years searching for the ultimate cheap ballpoint/gel pen. On a whim I picked up a Cross ATX on sale at a pen shop in a mall. Since then I've picked up several mid-priced fountain pens from Lamy, Retro 51, Waterman and, of course, Cross. I've also bought some oldies at antique shops, to include some basic Sheaffers and an Esterbrook desk pen. My next project will be to decide on which pricier pen to escalate my addiction with.

Ron Fanning

Hi Ron--and welcome!

It probably won't take you long to escalate the addiction. Guess you've noticed that there's an FPN Marketplace forum to help you along!

Ann

Hi Ron and welcome to FPN!

Hey, I really like Retro 51 pens; excellent value for the $$.
I think you joined just at the right time because we have a brand spanking-new Cross forum here on FPN! Good timing...

Hi Ron,

Welcome to the pen addiction forum! We´re all a bit nuts here, but I think in a pleasant way. For a moment, just a fleeting moment , I thought you were a ballpoint addict . Phew! Of course, everyone over here will tell you I´ll try to convince you to get a Stipula, and since I don´t want to disappoint soem of the other members of this board, I´ll have to tell you: do yourself a favour, and get yourself a Stipula Etruria or Novecento. They are great pens, IMO, and I love all 9 I have in rotation .

BTW, I´ll forgive you in advance for not getting one, just in case. It just means there are more left for me to acquire .

Warm regards, Wim

Not entirely a coincidence. The Cross forum nudged me off the fence and into posting.

Yeah, I was wondering about that after I posted my welcome to you...
Why do folks lurk and not post for a while, anyway? Are we that intimidating around here?

Well now I've been known to let a well turned BP catch my eye. Roller balls can be k3wl too Neither compares with a nice fountain pen. Stipula is one of the contenders right now. I was going to maybe pick up the OMAS deal that's available from the OMAS Society, but I joined a couple of weeks ago and the freebie things haven't arrived yet. Makes me wonder about sending a few hundred dollars across the waves.

No, not intimidating at all. I just find it best to lurk while A; deciding if it's a group you want to participate with and B; getting a feel for the ebb and flow. An example of not doing the above was when I thought I found a new watch forum (another expensive addiction). The first post I read was from someone asking where to buy the best fake Rolex. As I was getting ready to flame away I realized that was the whole purpose of that particular forum: Fake Watches!

Ron Fanning

Hi Ron,

Just check the special deals on Giardino Italiano for Stips at the moment, especially the Etruria 991. It's unbelievable. Not even Pam had them at that price....

Giardino - pens' special

It is the first picture to appear, at the top. Check out the price...
Oh, and the picture just doesn't do it right. Think chocolate, quite dark, salted with some pieces of brown caramel and butterscotch, dark honey, with unbelievable depth... that is really a pen with a WOWOWOWOWOW factor .

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Whew! Close call, eh Ron?
Yeah, I've done the lurking thing...but I can only hold out for so long before I have to post something

(and I was kidding about the intimidation thing, of course...I think this is one of the 'Net's friendliest communities, as I'm sure you're aware. )

Chocolate? Butterscotch? Honey?

You're making me hungry, Wim!

Hi Maja, Well, I had a piece of chocolate in the mean time. Only now I realize why I suddenly felt an urge for it.. :doh:

Warm regards, Wim

BTW, did you check it out?

Yes, the 991 is gorgeous, but the "regular" (is that the correct term?) Etruria---ie. this one--looks more dark "chocolatey" than the 991 to me....but then again, many pens look different in person than they do on a computer monitor (and monitors vary)..

PS. Sorry to "hijack" your intro thread, Ron , but I just wanted to add that the Stipula Etruria and Stipula Etruria 991 above are probably the very first fountain pen reviews that I read online. When I first started getting into fountain pens in early 2002, I read fellow Vancouverite Glenn Marcus' review of them here on his personal pen website, and they looked so beautiful...

Welcome to the group, Ron.

I'm not real talky today but wanted to say hello.

KCat - not so Verbose

Sorry it took so long to answer, but I had an unexplainable urge to go visit the local confectioners . I checked out the site you mentioned. Lots of goodies there! I'll add them to my favorites and put them on my short list.

Hi Ron, I only gladly help in the corruption towards the addictions called confectionary, and fountain pens .

Warm regards, Wim

Ron,
I just wanted to 1) welcome you to the FPNuthouse, and 2) warn you about whom you associate with around here - some are very eager to corrupt others and lead them astray into their fold .

Welcome aboard!!!

I noticed! I'm commuting by bicycle to lose weight. I've lost about 30 pounds by eating healthy and biking 10 miles a day. I'll have to pedal an extra 20 miles to lose the bonbon calories now!

Hello, Ron!

All this talk of confections... you know, I have a TEN POUND bar of Wilbur chocolate that my husband gave me for Christmas... so far I have somehow resisted the urge to break off a chunk... I don't think I could ride a bike far enough to work off all the calories for ten lbs of chocolate!

Vanessa,

You are just in time. What luck - imagine.

Although we barely know each other, I find myself in a position where I can offer to store your large bar of chocolate - free of charge, right here up in Canada, where it likely won't melt (no, not much chance of that... )

We have a special on Chocolate storage. Nothing down, and no payments till - heck, no payments at all.

Just PM me, and I'll provide a secure mailing address, guaranteed to work.

In addition, I can confidently promise (predict at least) a reasonably substantial weight loss, or avoidance at the very least.

Waiting to serve you,

I remain.. your humble servant etc. etc. etc...

Gerry

Oh, yeah...

Hi Ron - welcome to the FPN.

Got any Chocolate?

Gerry

Nope, not a bit. It's all been er....ah....disposed of in an epa approved manner.

Thanks to all for the warm welcome.

Ron Fanning

Dear Gerry,

Thank you so very much for your gracious offer. Far be it from me, however, to contribute to chocolate temptations in Canada. I would never do something so heinous to a fellow FPN poster.



Regards etc. etc. etc.

Hi Ron,

Welcome to FPN !!!

Vanessa,

If your husband decides to go for a 10-pound Toblerone next time, I'll volunteer to recycle it

awww maaaan.. you just had to go there, didn't you.

when I was a kid, I thought a Toblerone was just the absolute perfect chocolate bar.

Would walk to the tube station just for a Toblerone (if mum gave me the money.)

fond memories.

I've actually not had Toblerone.

Samples cheerfully accepted.

I should really ban myself from reading these posts.

Every time I get here, I end up searching some nice piece of Swiss or Belgian chocolate, and eating it, all...

Warm regards, Wim

Hi Ron:

Welcome aboard, and I am sure you will like it here a lot. You might want to checkout a nice Aurora or Sailor for some very nice pens that are sure to delight you.

Funny you should mention. . . The Aurora Ipsilon I ordered last week arrived yesterday. It's a sweet writing beauty in satin orange. I also found a Sheaffer snorkel in "aqua" blue with matching pencil and case this week. A trip to the local pen guru (Charles at Sutton Hoo jewelry) and it's a great user. Gotta get me a camera so I can show them off.

Thanks for the welcome.

Ron Fanning

Hi Ron --

Welcome to FPN. I am not very active here at FPN, haven't noticed this thread. I live in the Denver area (Littleton, to be precise) and have made some contact with a few others who are fond of fountain pens here. There are at least two other folks, aside from me, who have expressed interest in some sort of face-to-face event for FP enthusiasts here.

Don't know if you're interested in that, but if so, let me know.

I noticed your reference to a Sutton Hoo jewelry store - haven't heard of it. Does it have a decent selection of pens? New and vintage?

Best,

John aka Chela

I would have sworn I answered this yesterday. Musta pushed the wrong button.

Anyway, yes, I would like to meet fellow Colorado pen buffs. My problem is that I travel a lot for my work. Within the next couple of months I'll be going to Palm Springs, Kentucky, Minnesota and Ireland. I do normally have internet access wherever I go so let me know when a meet is scheduled and I'll try to squeeze it in between trips.

Charles at Sutton Hoo has some new pens, but specializes in rebuilt older ones and makes some himself. I haven't seen it, but one of his overlays was pictured in an article in one of the pen magazines about the Chicago show. He is at 111 North Tejon in Colorado Springs.

Ron Fanning