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Hello From Minnesota


stonedlion

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Hello - everyone! I've been lurking and stalking FPN for awhile, decided I really should register and participate at least a little bit.

 

My name is Richard, I am an IT guy (I could tell you what I actually do, but it's boring AF, even to me), a small business entrepreneur and of course a fountain pen user.

 

I recently started using a fountain pen again after a 20-year hiatus. Long story short, a nasty divorce upended my life, costing me a small but prized collection of pens in the upheaval. Pens got pushed waaaaay down the priority list. I don't know what prompted me to look at them again, but I was astonished to see that not only are new fountain pens widely available but very reasonably priced (in some cases) and old favorites have been finding their way back into use. And the inks! OMG! So many greats that I really want to try!

 

Sites like the FPN did not exist in 1997 or at least I didn't know about them. I always figured I was the lone wolf weirdo who actually liked fountain pens and bottled ink.

 

So here I am today, with freshly ink-stained fingers, making my introduction.

 

To date, my collection is modest but growing:

Lamy Safari

Pilot Metropolitan

Parker 21

Sheaffer Imperial (1965-70)

 

Currently In Transit

2 Jinhao X750's for experimentation, I picked up a couple of Goulet's #6 nibs to use with them. The nibs are here, but the pens will be another week yet.

 

I am absolutely in love with how nicely the Sheaffer writes, I picked up a converter for it and inked it with Diamine Green Black.

 

I journal just about every day. I am one of those people who has an idea and if he doesn't commit it to paper it will escape and frustrate me when I try to recall it. I also frequently create to-do lists for myself.

 

I look forward to reading your posts and for once, being able to reply and engage.

 

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Welcome to our little corner of the universe from a pen user in San Diego.

...............................................................

We Are Our Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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Greetings and welcome to FPN from Islamabad, Pakistan. Hope you enjoy your time here with us - pen nerds. :)

Edited by mitto

Khan M. Ilyas

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Hello and Welcome to FPN!! Glad to have you as a member!!

PAKMAN

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Welcome aboard, from Charleston, SC. Although you aren’t technically a newbie, you might look at the Reference Pages on a website called Richard's Pens: it has a wealth of info about the basics of fountain pens, their use and care, and may not have been available to you in 1997. A couple of other websites with useful information for newbies include PenChalet, Jetpens and the Goulet Pen Company. Goulet has made quite a few videos available on their website and on YouTube, which are helpful with some procedures related to FP use. There is a series of posts here, called A Newbies Guide to Inks, which is worth reviewing (you’ll find it as the first pinned topic under the Inky Thoughts Subforum). Enjoy, and good luck.

Mike

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Welcome and greetings from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

 

I have fond memories of Minnesota - some years ago, I was an international student at the University of Minnesota. Believe it or not, I actually miss the Minnesota winter very much. My favorite winter activity was to take the Blue Line to Fort Snelling, take a brisk walk down to Pike Island, and find a park bench or some comfortable spot on the Mississippi riverbank to settle in for a few good hours of reading and study. Enjoyed so many hours of perfect solitude that way.

 

(I'm one of those people towards whom those "whoever is praying for snow, please stop" signs are directed. Yep.)

 

Back to the subject of pens - I have to warn you, those Imperials are very dangerous gateway drugs. One day you might wake up to find a vast panoply of inlaid and triumph nibs on your desk, and wonder what happened. Good luck. ;)

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Welcome aboard, from Charleston, SC. Although you aren’t technically a newbie, you might look at the Reference Pages on a website called Richard's Pens: it has a wealth of info about the basics of fountain pens, their use and care, and may not have been available to you in 1997. A couple of other websites with useful information for newbies include PenChalet, Jetpens and the Goulet Pen Company. Goulet has made quite a few videos available on their website and on YouTube, which are helpful with some procedures related to FP use. There is a series of posts here, called A Newbies Guide to Inks, which is worth reviewing (you’ll find it as the first pinned topic under the Inky Thoughts Subforum). Enjoy, and good luck.

Mike

Thank's Mike!

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Welcome and greetings from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

 

I have fond memories of Minnesota - some years ago, I was an international student at the University of Minnesota. Believe it or not, I actually miss the Minnesota winter very much. My favorite winter activity was to take the Blue Line to Fort Snelling, take a brisk walk down to Pike Island, and find a park bench or some comfortable spot on the Mississippi riverbank to settle in for a few good hours of reading and study. Enjoyed so many hours of perfect solitude that way.

 

(I'm one of those people towards whom those "whoever is praying for snow, please stop" signs are directed. Yep.)

 

Back to the subject of pens - I have to warn you, those Imperials are very dangerous gateway drugs. One day you might wake up to find a vast panoply of inlaid and triumph nibs on your desk, and wonder what happened. Good luck. ;)

I know the area you are speaking of, It is a nice way to kill an afternoon.

 

The Imperial is indeed a gateway drug. Seriously, it is smooth as soft butter! The model I have isn't even all that great but has it where it counts. I know I will be keeping my eyes open for more, I choose to embrace the madness.

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Richard, hello and welcome from Indiana!

Please visit my store A&D Penworx.

Brands we carry: Benu Pen, Conklin, Kaweco, Monteverde, TWSBI - Diamine, J Herbin, KWZ- Clairefontaine, Field Notes, Rhodia, Whitelines

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Welcome from a neighbor in North Dakota.

 

Like you, my interest in fountain pens was long before this forum existed. Never fear: this forum is full of wonderful people and useful information in this niche interest.

Proud resident of the least visited state in the nation!

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Welcome from Melbourne Australia

Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts - Winston Churchill

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Welcome, Richard !

 

Writing by hand engages a different area of the brain, than keyboards. It also stimulates creativity.

I am glad you have discovered that you are not the only crazy person on earth.

 

Write with joy.

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

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Hello and welcome to FPN, from Cape Town, South Africa.

To sit at one's table on a sunny morning, with four clear hours of uninterruptible security, plenty of nice white paper, and a [fountain] pen - that is true happiness!


- Winston Churchill



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