Helloooo

I was wondering how many people get worried about losing or breaking their pens? I know I handle mine with extra special care and put it in its case when I'm not using it even for a few minutes (well....not all the time). I know that accidents will happen! It is a Sailor Professional Gear and I don't take it to work for fear of dropping it (I work in a tweed shop).

(Does anyone insure their pen collections?)

Breaking/losing pen. Fear-factor...Hmm.

When I was younger - EXTREMELY SCARED. To be fair, I've never actually BROKEN a pen. I've damaged it through general wear-and-tear, but I've NEVER BROKEN ONE.

I have lost plenty, though. I think the record at the moment is half a dozen. But that was in my younger days. Now that I'm older and the addiction has set in permanently, I take greater care of my horde and when they're not in use, they sleep in my pen-chest, instead of lying randomly around the house.

These days, I'm no longer scared of breaking or losing my pens. I have developed strategies for not losing & breaking them.

I use Pelikans, great quality, never have to worry about breaking one unless i drop it from a 5 foot fall or greater (might get a few marks though). The piston system is 100% reliable.

As for loosing them, i don't loose my cell phone or keys so I don't worry about loosing my pens. Never happened, well maybe with the cheap 25 cent bics (that were so bad i was glad to loose them). But after re-discovering FPs i have never had to worry about loosing any of them.

Don't worry and just use them. Wear and tear like brassing and scratches just means you enjoyed your pens, got your money's worth after many years of use and pleasure with your FP

I don't worry about loosing my pens, as my habitual life is such that it just isn't likely. Can you say "anal"? I don't think it likely that I would break one either, although I guess I could drop it under a forklift wheel, or off a roof or something, but those are the little things of life.

Now, I don't mean to be a snit here, but I have a few words of wisdom I'd like to suggest.

If you can't afford to loose it, you can't afford to have it.

and:

Things. Never let things guide you.

The only thing I ever seem to lose are my keys. I've never lost a pen so I don't worry about it. However, I do try to take care of my FP's. The other pens get thrown around a little more.

I try my best to look after my pens: use, clean, or keep them well. But if they do get damaged or broken, I will try my best not to grieve too much over it (I still grieve, but I try to get over it asap). Impermanence is a way of life. Nothing can remain as it is forever.

purpledog

Not at all, really. I suppose my homeowners insurance covers my belongings though the deductible would probably make it not worth the bother to report one pen. Put it in its case? That seems like it would make it a bother to use.

I've cracked a couple pen bodies and bent up a nib or two learning about doing repair, but that's part of the learning experience. I have yet to see a priceless pen; the closest I've seen are my Waterman 52's, and there's still thousands of them floating around (and I haven't wrecked any of mine, yet).

I leave a couple Esterbrook J's, a Majestic, a Platinum Preppy ED and a Sheaffer Snorkel in the pen holder on top of my desk, so I guess I'm not overly concerned about losing them, either.

I wouldn't say I worry about losing a pen that much. I mean I watch them carefully, it's more a continous watch over them if that makes sense. I have yet to lose a pen though. I've misplaced one for a couple of minutes before I remember I left it somewhere. Guess I'm lucky no one has taken them. Granted everyone in our office building knows me as the pen guy so I've had people actually bring me my pens back just guessing they are mine because they are fountain pens.

I have yet to worry about breaking one. All my pens are pretty sturdy (Mostly Pelikans at this point, so I agree with the above point). I do worry about little nicks and scratches though, so most of them time when I take pens with me, they are in cases of some sort.

Quite so.

I keep pretty good track of my pens, but even if one were lost, it would not be a financial or emotional problem. I keep the one pen that I would be very upset to lose on my writing desk, and the others are nice pens, but not irreplaceable. Then again, I'm not a collector and I don't have any rare pens, so consider my comments with that in mind. As far as breaking them goes, it would be very difficult to do under normal circumstances, at least with my pens.

- R

I don't worry about the ones that can be easily replaced. I do have a few in my collection that would be nearly impossible to replace -- often for reasons that have nothing to do with the scarcity of the pen. For instance, my mother gave me a few NOS P51s. I suppose if I lost one, it could be replaced. But my heartache would have nothing to do with losing a P51; it would have to do with losing something that was given to me by my mother. Also, I learned a long time ago that anything that can be solved with money (like buying another pen) is merely an expense.

I am not particularly fearful of damaging or losing my pens. They are stored in pen cases when not in use, but I do have 4-6 of them in use at a time. It just makes sense to be mindful of their care and not be overly protective. As far as insurance, we do have a rider for our homeowners insurance policy specific to collectibles. I also collect Zippo lighters and my wife collects small antique salt sellers and figurines. We also have a separate policy that is just for collections. Detailed inventory and photos are kept in safe deposit box along with other important papers. The one thing I am a bit overly protective about is letting anyone else use one of my fountain pens. The policy is - a polite no. /Craig

I second that statement. For every issue in life that can be resolved with money, it is not really a problem, because there is an solution. An issue becomes bothersome when you realize that no matter how much money you are willing to pay, there will be no remedy to the issue, like the passing of someone you love or the loss of an item that has special significance to you. Money is not everything, but you can't do anything without money.

Sorry, I digress.


purpledog

I've had several pens 'walk away' in the past and therefore don't loan my personal pens to anyone anymore - I always carry a couple of company pens in case someone needs to 'borrow' a pen. It's good advertisement for the company and gives good rationale for not letting anyone borrow my personal pens.

I have broken or damaged pens in my briefcase - usually by them getting caught when close the briefcase. Because of that I try not to put non-metal pens in my briefcase.

How much do I worry - not too much really. Just enough to take reasonable precautions. For instance, I never leave my pens on my desk anymore - I always put them back in my pocket or in my briefcase.

I use all of my pens and take them where I happen to go on any given day. The bottom line I guess is that if you use them enough, as you should, accidents will occasionally happen. I'm prepared for that, even though it does hurt when accidents happen.

I don't worry about losing or breaking my own pens; it's almost never happened, although I had a Lamy Vista simply crumble in my hand last week! That is going right back to the company!

But should I be using a borrowed pen, I live in mortal fear of destroying it. I hold on to other people's things for as little time as possible, for that reason.

oops I forgot to explain that the pencase I use is a 1.5 inch barrel leather pencilcase with zipper so it's easy to pop the pen into it and out again.

I agree that things are only things

Never lost or broken a pen myself - but I did drop a brand-new, right-out-of-the-box-while-inking-it-for-the-first-time pen and just about turned inside out as I watched it hit the linoleum floor from a height of about 4 feet. I picked it up and it was perfect, just ink splattered everywhere.

My messenger bag has 3 pen loops and a flap. I get visual confirmation that the 3 inked for the day are there at all times.

My pen safety precautions have become so ingrained, that I don't worry that much any more. I use them, as needed, in or outside my home. There was a time, however, when I was so worried about losing or breaking my pens that I always left them safely at home.

Losing pens I'm not too bothered about - mainly because I have yet to lose one.

Breaking them, well that I am kind'a paranoid about. Mainly due to breaking the barrel of a very nice Burnham 49 less than 30 hours after recieving it. It rolled off my kitchen countertop while being photographed for my records...

... G

My one and only good pen gets put in a safe place when I'm not writing with it and never leaves home. The places where I'd need a pen most outside of the home are in fairly rough evironments so I don't bring it along with me.

Constant. It's just a fact of life when you write with something that costs more and a 12 pack of Bics. Then again, I haven't found a proper case yet...
PRAG
PS: Haven't lost a pen yet, nor have I damaged one.

I've gotten so used to carrying FPs around that loss is not much of a worry. Then again, I seem to keep riveted in my mind exactly which pens are i use at any given time. I've dropped or had roll off a desk any number of pens with some damage to the pens - nibs, barrels et.al. Like a dinged car, I take them to "ye locale B&M shoppe" first for damage assessment and then take appropriate steps for pen repair/replacement. I've had to replace barrels and nibs, others beyond repair, use them as they are or donate them for parts. I am anal about pen care, so if not in use, they are either in the queue for cleaning or in storage in their original box (how anal is that?). If only I can keep teh 11 and 13 year olds from experimenting and leaving pools of ink everywhere...hmmm

Well, I *was* worried about breaking my pens, until it actually happened to two of my favorites, Lamy 2000 with a crack in the Makrolon right below the "ears", and a Lamy Al-Star that broke clean at the junction between cap and body from a drop, the Al-Star wasn't babied, the 2000 was....

now that I've experienced broken pens, I can say it's not a world-shattering problem, just mildly annoying, in the interim, I've fallen back on my standby workhorses, a Waterman Kultur and a Rotring 600 Rollerball, the R600 seeing the lions share of the writing duties, because let's be honest here, not much can damage a solid chunk of brass like the R600 series....

I have lost two but now I am very careful. Like small children, I count going in and I count coming out so no one gets left behind. I have broken three by sheer stupidity...so now I leave well enough alone or get expert help.
Tamper in haste, repent at leisure.

Honestly, I do worry about breaking a pen. Losing, not so much. I don't have a bottomless money pit so what I have I treat well so I don't get in a position that I'll have to replace something often. I do however, understand accidents happen and that's not under my control. But stupidity is.

I didn't used to worry about losing pens. Then I started to remember all the pens I have lost... a pair of MB Bohemes probably the single most expensive loss. Pelikans, Sheaffers, Watermans... eh, I still don't worry about losing my pens.

I've stopped being completely neurotic about dinging them, too.

I'm still careful! But I'm not neurotic about it. Use 'em if ya got 'em. Relax, enjoy. Otherwise, what's the point?


(Get it? What's the point? Nibs? I know -- stretch. Sorry.)

I can get other pens, there are things in life that would be harder to replace.

I'm carrying around my Pelikan Lighthouse of Alexandria today, but I haven't inked it yet.

I'm generally careful with my pens and would certainly hate to lose or break any,but am particularly careful(never take them from home)with those that belonged to my parents. JohnnyT

I do try to be very careful about avoiding damage to my pens, especially vintage ones. And it has caused me to seldom use my rarest of pens... I did buy them more for just appreciating the design, rather than putting them to use, as they will also continue to appreciate in value (at least that's my expectation--not substantiated by any official documentation, but just witnessing average auction closing price increases). I think the best way to get over that hurdle is that when you buy an uncommon vintage example in mint condition, also find one in user grade condition and then put that one to use mostly. When you've got a pristine example and it gets damaged, it's a very sad feeling... and I'd rather avoid having to go through that. I've experienced it once already. Although still keenly aware that these are all just "things" that we are essentially renting during our brief time on Earth, so I try not to get too hung up on them.

But yes, exercising good caution is definitely laudable. And using a padded case to transport them around helps ensure against damage.

On that note, how many of you travel around with your most prized of pens? Do you dare take them on a flight with you to some place remote?

Back about 1993 I was working as a sales person in an electronics store and dropped my Montblanc ballpoint pen while trying to put it in my pocket. It hit the hard linoleum floor and shattered into pieces. Sick!

About the same time I lost my one and only at the time MB 144 FP. Sick, sick, sick...! It was not a good season for pens in my life.

The good news was that I gathered up the pieces of the ballpoint and sent it off to MB and it was repaired free of charge. I only paid shipping so I was ecstatic! I still have this pen today.

A little later on in the year I found my MB FP!! I still have this one also.

So, with that said it is always in the back of my mind. I find myself unconsciously feeling in my pocket several times a day when I carry an expensive pen. I don't think this is worry, just prudence.

I especially take them when I travel. I figure they're safer with me than unguarded at home.

Having said that, I'm not bringing them (all) to New York. New York is going to be an exercise in Zen packing.



Sort of.

Agreed! I love to travel with my best pens. I have no issues and usually pack 3-4 of my favorites when traveling.

Unguarded at home? I take it there are others who might like to borrow yours while you're away?

I had heard of a horror story where, during the early days of very tight airport security, someone had their fountain pen confiscated because of the "sharp tip". Nasty. Anyway, doubtful that would happen today. I would definitely take them along in the carry-on, not checked in though.

Ah, New York in late March--good time to come. The weather is beginning to warm up. Whereabouts are you visiting?

I recently did the same thing after inking my new 1911 (one of those matte-black 18-K-fine ones that popped up on eBay a month or two ago) for the first time . . . except it made like a dart and embedded the nib in the floor. The actually seems to have kept the ink from getting everywhere, but it certainly didn't do the alignment of the tines any good!

That said, I don't tend to worry about that kinda stuff. In this case, a few weeks later I took it with me to the Long Island Pen Show and got Richard Binder to take a look at it. A mere five minutes and thirty dollars later, I'll wager that it's now better than new (not that I'd know since I dropped it before I ever got to write with it).

I always take my best pens with me. If I'm going somewhere for a long time, I want to have something to write with that I LIKE, don't I???

No point in taking junk with you on holiday!!

I have two simple "rules" that I always keep in mind when buying a pen:

1. I never buy a pen that I wouldn't use.

Pens are for writing! I know some people are collectors, and that's cool, and, in fairness I have some pens that I don't carry around as daily writers, but my bottom line is I purchased them to be used.

2. I never spend more on a pen that I could comfortably "lose".

Either on an evening out, or at a blackjack table.

At some point, I'll lose a pen. Or drop it. Or leave it somewhere. Or it will get stolen. Sure, I'll feel bad, but I won't lose any sleep over it. If I spent $1000 on a pen and lost it, I'd be kicking myself and fretting about it for months. For a pen that's less than a couple of hundred dollars, hey, I wouldn't want to lose it or break it, but I wouldn't be kicking myself over it either.

These two simple "rules" help me keep in check what might otherwise turn into very expensive money sink, filling my shelves with essentially (for me) useless items.

For me it depends on the kind of holiday. If it's somewhere civilized, I'll take nice FPs without hesitation. However, if i'm trekking, climbing, rafting, kayaking, I no longer take my FPs. I am quite careful, but on that kind of holiday, I've found there's too much chance for damage, leakage, or loss, and nice fps become a hindrance. Of course I do miss them in camp, hotels and flying, so I'll probably buy a good but inexpensive pen that takes carts for this kind of holiday, a pen that I can lose or damage without feeling too bad.