Renting Pens

[Cryptos]

Okay, so I've been mulling stuff over. Given the impossibility of trying before buying anything other than a Lamy Safari here, what other options do I have? How about I "rent" pens?

 

What am I talking about? Well, in the last few days I have purchased a collector grade Waterman 52, a Pelikan 100N, a Parker Duofold Streamline in red, and an Aurora 88p (Chrome cap, semiflex nib). These were all pricier than I normally would go for, but I figure that if I don't like them I can always move them on with relatively minimal loss - hence the 'renting' of the title. I can consider this loss as the price of discovery.

 

Anyone else take this approach?

[FarmBoy]

I call it a form of tuition.

[Cryptos]

It's definitely that too. I don't expect to keep any of the four mentioned, as they are too rich for me, but I really wanted to see what they were like. This was the only realistic way to do so.

[Bo Bo Olson]

As long as there is not a Crash, or Bubble Popping. Before the last Depression a P-75 in good shape went for $225.

During the Depression you could get them for $75.

I believe the price is closing in on pre'Depression prices.

[Uncial]

If anyone wants to rent out their Aurora to me I'd be interested. I love the look of Aurora pens, but have never bought one because pretty much every single review says the nibs are very feedbacky or just plain old scratchy. I'd like to get a sense of it, but there is nowhere here that I can try out or even see an Aurora.

[mhguda]

There has been, in the past, an initiative to send round a pen for others to try - the only cost was the postage to send it on its way to the next person on the list. It's how I experienced the famous/infamous TWSBI and decided it was not for me... And there's the Estie loaner program, that does the same thing for Esterbrooks. In fact it was how I first learned about them, and I bought a few afterwards.

Of course those are relatively inexpensive pens, and sometimes things do go wrong - I think the TWSBI got lost in the mail...

 

E_o_C, maybe you should consider renting out your pens like that and recover some of your costs... or you could just move them along like you suggest and consider the loss the rent you pay...

[TheRealMikeDr]

I've yet to get rid of a pen. I wouldn't purchase a pen I couldn't afford and don't consider them to be investments or financial losses. They're something I enjoy using and tinkering with and that's good enough for me!

 

I can see how true collectors may view things differently.

[mhguda]

I understand you don't see the attraction, most Europeans and Americans cannot even imagine what it's like to be off the beaten path - but for those of us for whom shipping costs can be a major obstacle when considering more expensive pens, I think it's a good idea and it could be very useful for some of us.

[TheRealMikeDr]

I understand you don't see the attraction, most Europeans and Americans cannot even imagine what it's like to be off the beaten path - but for those of us for whom shipping costs can be a major obstacle when considering more expensive pens, I think it's a good idea and it could be very useful for some of us.

 

Of course you're 100% correct - we're very spoiled in the US when it comes to having access to pens that others certainly don't.

 

With regards to EOC and his post - I think he's' talking more about how he would view a monetary loss if he didn't like a pen and had to sell it (just pretend he was renting the pen and that was the cost to rent it) - as opposed to actually renting a pen.

[mbankirer]

Might be a new business opportunity here...there are places you can rent expensive designer purses...why not rent a great pen?

[pajaro]

Might be a new business opportunity here...there are places you can rent expensive designer purses...why not rent a great pen?

 

That's a good way of looking at it. I have sold some pens, and I have traded some pens. Some form of leasing would make it easier to get rid of the ones that don't work out.

 

Frankly, most of the pens I have tried have turned out to have issues like drying out or clogging, requiring wetting, purging, refilling or flossing on a more or less regular basis. Leasing or renting would have been better than ownership.

 

I like Farmboy's answer of tuition. in my case, foolishness seems to spring eternal.

[sciumbasci]

If anyone wants to rent out their Aurora to me I'd be interested. I love the look of Aurora pens, but have never bought one because pretty much every single review says the nibs are very feedbacky or just plain old scratchy. I'd like to get a sense of it, but there is nowhere here that I can try out or even see an Aurora.

You sure it wasn't Visconti?

[Barkingpig]

"Tuition," is good........

 

I have been spared many pen purchases I believe by some of the purchases I have made; I have also made better purchases thanks to many of my residents, so I will go with "tuition."

 

(UNLESS, of course, we are merely "renting," WHATEVER we have custody of!)

[mhguda]

With regards to EOC and his post - I think he's' talking more about how he would view a monetary loss if he didn't like a pen and had to sell it (just pretend he was renting the pen and that was the cost to rent it) - as opposed to actually renting a pen.

You're right of course, and I did understand that - however the idea of renting a pen to try it out still seems to me like a nice compromise... or even, as in the case of the traveling TWSBI or the Estie loaner program, having, as a subgroup of FPN as one possibility, some pens do the rounds for members of the group to play with for a limited time.

 

I also like the idea of seeing it as tuition, by the way...

[PS104]

The drawback, of course, is getting the pen back in at least the same condition as when you sent it out. When you rent a car both you and the renter go over it to see if there are any defects and note them. Then when you return it they check everything besides the gas, going over it with a fine tooth comb. You are responsible for anything that is not listed on the pre drive-off check list. With fountain pens it seems an impossibility to perform any such checks and balances. Most likely you and renter are many miles apart and will never see each other. More than likely any damage to the pen will be borne by you. As will the cost of repair. Thank you but I'll keep my Jinhao and you keep your money.

[eharriett]

Yeah. This was my education as well. And I'm about ready to wrap it up and say it is time to get rid of those which I did not like and get another or two of those I do. I learned a lot about my writing habits, actually, doing this. I do not regret it. Although I think I regret the amount of ink I have gotten and don't see a clear path to getting rid of all the samples and several bottles

[Driften]

If you think about it as the price you pay vs the price you sell it for, it is like renting the pen. With the way some people abuse pens I don't think I would want to rent/lease out the type of pens that would be worth doing that with. It's not like you can get a deposit of its replacement value. If they could do that they could just buy the pen to try it.

 

I think the only way it would work if it was backed by the pen makers, and I don't see that happening.

 

It is a cool idea and would be willing to rent/lease a MB 149 or other luxury model to try them out.

[ethernautrix]

I've always sold my pens at a loss -- and philosophized it as a sort of rent. I've learned to embrace "cut your losses." Do that and move on. Works for me.

[Zeeppo]

There is a business in Florida that rents Circus Equipment to various performers. This includes everything from costumes to acrobatic equipment. When I was living down that way I would fix costumes for them in the off season. About on in three costumes that was returned needed repaired. I also remember a fair amount of damage to the juggling and other performing props.

 

If you are going to rent something like this your should probably expect a quarter to third of what you rent out to be damaged.

[pajaro]

Charge a deposit. Renting pens makes it easier to let go than selling owned pens, which always takes me a lot of time to overcome the bother of taking pictures, etc.

Edited April 2, 2017 by pajaro