Last Pen...

[lightless]

If one is a pen user strictly and has no desire to be a collector or, in many cases, an accumulator... three to seven pens seems a good number. The problem I've had is, I look for a "be all" pen and I know that just does not exist. I seriously want only 5 pens. Five pens that I know I will use.

My imagined fountain pen plan looks something like this: a small core of pens with rounded nibs for super-easy writing; the most frequently used. Two or three stub/italic grinds, possibly an architect's point, or even a nib with an italic on one side and a round nib on the other. Rounding off the group of friends would be a flex specialist. All the pens would have their own unique and appealing personality, design-wise. It probably won't end up quite like imagined, especially since this is a very rough sketch, but the idea is to span a variety of writing characteristics and finishes/materials with a small group, instead of having 7 similar pens made of black resin, or something. I guess the deciding factor is when it feels "just right", however long that takes. Like you said, having too many pens means some of them unfortunately go unused if you're just looking to pick something up and write. Right now, I have my sights set on a modern 88, a Pelikan M600, something in ivory, something with a urushi finish, and an older pen with flex, all of it liable to change, as we all know.

 

Jeez, re-reading this post, it sounds so awfully serious.

[Edwaroth]

Well, your handle IS Lightless...

Edited September 21, 2013 by Edwaroth

[lightless]

Well, your handle IS Lightless...

Hah!