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When Is Enough 'enough?'


Sailor Kenshin

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Recently I bought two ' 21-gun' acrylic lipstick case holders for my ink samples, so they wouldn't wobble around and fall and such. So far, so good. The holders work really well.

 

But...SOOOO many inks! In addition to the samples, also have about a million full-sized bottles, including several Noodler,s, many Skrips, three MB, some Diamine of different sizes, and almost all the JH colors.

 

I'm glad I got the samples because some of them are not really for me, while others will be restocked as full-size. Still, I get the urge to just dump them all into one big bottle. And then buy nothing new apart from some of the LE MB inks.

 

I've also thought, 'Why not just mix inks to get that certain color?'

 

Has anyone else ever felt the 'enough' button begging to be pushed?

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I use wooden vial racks to hold my samples.

 

Every time I look around and see the clutter in my house!!!

 

What just occurred to me after reading your post was why am I keeping the samples of inks that I now have a larger bottle of? I have also noticed some condensation on the inside of some of the samples that have been around a while. So, I think a little decluttering might be on the horizon.

Smith Premier No. 4
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This concept, "enough", what is this that you speak of? I'm not certain many on here can or will grasp this concept....

 

 

Nibbly

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I honestly have not even contemplated on when enough is enough as long as I have resources and a bit more time :) . I may slow down, but I can't imagine stopping. There are just so many pens and inks out there waiting to be experienced and enjoyed. Specially blue inks :)

Edited by JessR45
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I will restrict the inks to all kind of blue and black, one purple, one green and one red. All the rest will go out, no matter how beautiful the color might be. I am a pen collector not an ink collector.

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Yep, agree with you, Sailor. Had to clean out all the old inks that I had and keep only the inks that I really wanted to use. Still have three blacks, a blue, two browns, a rose, and a green. But am feeling the need to get a dark blue, a turquoise, a violet, AAAAAh!

 

Enjoy,

Yours,
Randal

From a person's actions, we may infer attitudes, beliefs, --- and values. We do not know these characteristics outright. The human dichotomies of trust and distrust, honor and duplicity, love and hate --- all depend on internal states we cannot directly experience. Isn't this what adds zest to our life?

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Well, I had a bunch of samples from when I was trying to get my wife on board (which didn't really work, unfortunately), and I had her go through all the swabs at GPC and pick out any that she liked. I ended up with a lot of burgundy inks, which I personally don't like using. Ultimately, I was down to less than 1ml of each of them and decided to make a brew of all the burgundy inks. Fortunately, it's a stable mix, and well, it's burgundy-colored, of course, and I still don't like it. I have a sac fragment in there to see whether this devil's brew will melt latex. No luck yet on that, but it hasn't been all that long.

 

I think in general I can't really work that well with more than about 15 ink choices. I feel a little like the Owl telling you how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop, but I really think the answer for me is probably 12 inks.

I know my id is "mhosea", but you can call me Mike. It's an old Unix thing.

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Yep, it happens to me, definitely! I think with every one of my interests (and I probably have more than is strictly healthy lol) I have found that if I need any supplies (eg punk music is an interest, but I don't need supplies for that), there's a sort of sweet spot where I have enough supplies (in quantity but most of all in range) to have options and versatility, but not so many that I get overwhelmed and develop l'embarras du choix (a sort of analysis paralysis, I guess!)

 

The tricky part is that I don't really know ahead of time where that balance point actually is - I can maybe see it coming when I'm close, but usually not with a new interest. So I end up having to take stuff out of my stash, rather than never getting it in the first place! eh, it's a work in progress lol.

 

Part of the problem is that this balance point is different not only from one interest to another, but even in different 'rounds' of engaging with the same interest. Take pens for example, I used to be way into pens in high school, then at university and just after it retreated a bit (still used an FP everyday, but just one, same ink - not multiple pens and lots of inks), then I got back into it about 18 months ago (wow, feels a lot longer lol). But when I was in high school the balance point wasn't the same it is now. If it makes sense?

 

So more often than not I end up needing corrective measures rather than preventative ones :P

 

Also, my favorite way to store samples is one of these :) Mine has 12 sections, each of which fits twelve samples comfortably, 3-4 more if you lay them on their sides and pile them up ;) So, between 144 and 192 samples in something the size of two smallish coffee table books stacked :P I used to have the ink racks but they took up too much space and I couldn't see the vials any better than I did all piled up, so I got rid of them :P

I'm not affiliated with ANY of the brands/retailers/shops/ebay sellers/whatever I mention or recommend. If that ever changes, I will let you know :)

 

Looking for a cheap Pilot VP/Capless - willing to put up with lots of cosmetic damage.

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Yes, I think enough. Until the next shiny object appears, or when I can't find just the right properties. (Oh, my mixing experiments have had mixed results).

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Enough is when I realize there are bottles of ink that have been sitting on my shelf for months, untouched.

 

If it ain't bein' used, might as well sell it to someone who'll use it.

 

It's funny---some users have a concept of rotating their pens or inks. I use all of mine simultaneously---that's around 12~14 pens at a time, each with a different shade, all within the day. I find it liberating to take notes in rainbow colors~~

 

So anything that doesn't get filled into a pen, gets sold.

 

Also helps to discipline my ink collection. (I did try a lot of samples first before buying my "final choice" inks in bottles, so it's not like I was selling ink every month or anything...)

Sheen junkie, flex nib enthusiast, and all-around lover of fountain pens...

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Yep, it happens to me, definitely! I think with every one of my interests (and I probably have more than is strictly healthy lol) I have found that if I need any supplies (eg punk music is an interest, but I don't need supplies for that), there's a sort of sweet spot where I have enough supplies (in quantity but most of all in range) to have options and versatility, but not so many that I get overwhelmed and develop l'embarras du choix (a sort of analysis paralysis, I guess!)

 

The tricky part is that I don't really know ahead of time where that balance point actually is - I can maybe see it coming when I'm close, but usually not with a new interest. So I end up having to take stuff out of my stash, rather than never getting it in the first place! eh, it's a work in progress lol.

 

Part of the problem is that this balance point is different not only from one interest to another, but even in different 'rounds' of engaging with the same interest. Take pens for example, I used to be way into pens in high school, then at university and just after it retreated a bit (still used an FP everyday, but just one, same ink - not multiple pens and lots of inks), then I got back into it about 18 months ago (wow, feels a lot longer lol). But when I was in high school the balance point wasn't the same it is now. If it makes sense?

 

So more often than not I end up needing corrective measures rather than preventative ones :P

 

Also, my favorite way to store samples is one of these :) Mine has 12 sections, each of which fits twelve samples comfortably, 3-4 more if you lay them on their sides and pile them up ;) So, between 144 and 192 samples in something the size of two smallish coffee table books stacked :P I used to have the ink racks but they took up too much space and I couldn't see the vials any better than I did all piled up, so I got rid of them :P

 

Pretty.

 

I have one that I use for... tea.

 

Now? I'm afraid I'm getting into bottle shapes. Three shapes of MB, etc...need an Akkerman! And then that's it. Really.

My latest ebook.   And not just for Halloween!
 

My other pen is a Montblanc.

 

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I pushed the "enough" button a few months ago for both pens and inks. After several years of testing, I finally reached the point where I have several preferred inks in every color and enough comfortable, good writing pens that can meet any of my needs. Too many good pens and inks aren't getting the use they deserve, so it's time to step back and stop accumulating more of them. I'm satisfied with what I have.

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I don't know that you can ever say enough for good, but I've reached my enough point for the moment. I'll be at 9 pens and 19 bottles of ink when some purchases come in. I only had one fountain pen until this year. Once I bought my second, things got a little crazy...

 

Needless to say, my wife wants me to wait a bit before making any more purchases! ;)

May your ways be green and golden, and the wind be at your back.

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For me, it was when my ink drawer became full, after this year's Triangle Pen Show. No more ink purchases until I use up, give away or sell some bottles!

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

 

Lisa in Raleigh, NC

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I'm reminded of the comedy bit about being really good at quitting cigarettes because I do it every day. I think "enough!" sometimes, but it's usually a 24-hour bug.

http://katexic.com/clippings/

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When you have had enough you stop buying. If you continue to buy then I guess it wasn't enough.

Change is not mandatory, Survival is not required.

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One is enough. Nobody needs more than one. The next 79 are joy.

Anything over 80 is obsession. Then the fun begins.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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I only use Parker black any more. One is enough.

 

Living on the frontier here in Tecumseh, Michigan, there is only Staples in fortunately far away Adrian. They only carry Parker black. Drive to the county seat for ink. Sounds like the old West. If it weren't for the Internet we wouldn't get stuff.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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It's time to quit when you no longer enjoy it, when your possessions OWN you, or when you are no longer excited.

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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