How Many Pens Do You Keep Inked At One Time?

[Fountainpenfanatic2016]

I'm just getting into fountain pens,and was wondering how many pens everyone keeps inked for action at one time.

And also how long can I reasonably keep a pen inked for ?

 

How often do you use each of your inked pens?

 

Thanks for your help and information

 

My current roster:

Twsby diamond 580 eXtra fine nib

Pilot Metropolitan fine nib

Cross Bailey medium nib

Pilot varsity medium nib

[jar]

Usually one or two.

[NinthSphere]

Usually around 9 lately. Currently 11, down from 12, as of a few hours ago when I cleaned up & put away a P1. All of my inked up pens get used at least every other day. If I find myself not using a pen too much longer than that, I evaluate my need to keep it inked & either put it back into use or clean it up for storage.

 

How long a pen *should* stay inked depends on the pen. Some pens seal better than others, see more use than others, etc. I've had pens continuously in use since I got them months or years ago, but of course they get refilled & flushed if they're getting a different ink.

[Jjf1989]

Usually two or three. Any more than that and I'll forget.

[mmg122]

On average, 3...with blue, black and red ink...in a 3 pen Visconti case. I flush and refill every Sunday evening. All 3 pens are used on a daily basis.

 

Parker 51 Aero - Broad Stub

Esterbrook J [2284]

Scriptorium Bespoke Pen - Broad Stub

[praxim]

Three to five, most often three or four. I usually exercise three a day, because they are there.

[Runnin_Ute]

It's about 8-10 right now. Have had nearly double that at times.

[JotterAddict62]

Two for now, I have others that I forgotten about and need to clean.

[praxim]

The Waterman 32 ran out an hour ago so I am down to three. One more and I will ink three new, all of which will be untried previously (as inked rather than dipped) . Basically, I am after at least one of each classical major colour, or in the same paddock, and prefer one fine nib among the mediums I commonly use. More pens than five I would feel I would take too long to exhaust.

 

That is my own balancing act. What is yours (asking generally)?

[ksm]

I categorize pens into two groups:

 

Handwriting pens:

I try to keep no more than three inked pens in this group. Currently I've culled this population down to one.

 

Italic Calligraphy pens:

I've used to keep up to four inked pens. ie. 1.3, 1.6, 2.0 & 2.4 mm italic nibs. But currently I've got it down to single pen: 3.8 mm Pilot Parallel, at the same time I've switched to practice with dip pens.

Edited August 22, 2016 by ksm

[NinthSphere]

That is my own balancing act. What is yours (asking generally)?

 

Generally, 3 pens for my edc. These used to be a fine, a medium, & a 1mm stub 51, but a bit back went to a fine & medium 51 accompanied by a medium M200. Then, idealy 3-6 other pens with stubs &/or italic nibs of various sizes, but I've ended up with a few strays that have ended up occupying single sleeves because I don't have any other pouches to contain them. My only guideline wrt ink is that I don't like having multiples filled with the same color unless it looks drastically diferent from one pen to the next, as has been the case a couple of times.

[catbert]

Up to six pens for general writing, equivalent to the number of slots in my desk drawer. Currently five in the rotation because I'm expecting a new pen next week.

 

This number does not include some specialty and utility pens that are almost always inked: Pilot Parallel, Staedtler MarsMatic, Charlie, Preppy.

 

All the general writing pens get used daily for - you guessed it - general writing, though not necessarily extended writing.

 

It may take days or weeks to write a pen dry before refilling or taking it out of rotation. Some have been inked for months with no ill effect. The Preppy has lasted almost a year. Noodler's pens are prone evaporation, though.

Edited August 22, 2016 by catbert

[shawndp]

I used to have an embarassing number of inked up pens, but then went on a quest to write them all down to empty... Now I have 4 pens inked up - three at work in different colours (different aspects of notes / orders) and one at home. If I "ink up" another pen, it will likely involve switching the cartridge from my current ones into the next pen - there is something oddly satisfying about getting to the bottom of an ink tank.

[mcorrea]

I have six inked at the moment. But am trying this new 'system'.

 

I use my pens mostly for my bullet journal. I write with italics or stubs most times. I always have two italics or stubs inked; one is the main I'm using and the other is a backup for when I run dry in the middle of something. Apart from this I have one fine nib pen inked for when the italic/stub is not convenient (like when I need to draw something or write on crappy paper). My fourth 'system' pen is a pocket pen, a Kaweco sport with M nib for times when I'm without my journal/pen and need to write something.

 

I use the same color on all pens for a week and then change to a different color during the weekend. I find that this helps me fidning stuff quickly in my journal if I know more or less how many weeks back I need to look. All four pens are inked in the 'current week's' color.

 

There are always the odd 'non-system' pens/inks that creep up, but at some point I'll straighten up.

 

Matias

Edited August 22, 2016 by mcorrea

[furious]

As many as seven some weeks, but lately I have been reducing that number down to about 3-4.

[amarjit]

One

[PaganArcher]

30. I'm writing fantasy and every chapter is done in a different ink.

[cjr]

I have anywhere from 4 to 10 inked at a time. I usually keep a permanent black ink, a red ink, an blue ink, and a green ink. Then, I throw in ink and pen combos that I feel like trying, so I might have a stub with a shading ink or trying out a new permanent in a fine. I keep red in my Platinum 3776 that never seems to dry out. I have a Prera near my computer at home for making notes loaded with Pilot Blue-Black or Black. Seems I can never get down to just three or four!

[carlos.q]

Today it is seven:

 

At the office:

Pelikan 120 desk set

Lamy 2000

 

EDC:

Pelikan 205

Parker 51

 

At home:

MB 149

MB 146

Pelikan 805

[jar]

Usually two, often with the same ink.