What Is A Sane Number Of Pens?

[islandink]

At what point (or pen count) does simply using and enjoying writing with fountain pens and not giving it much thought morph into:

 

--an interest ?

 

--a hobby?

 

--a passion?

 

--an obsession?

 

--a disease/hoarding disorder?

 

--and a happy state of recovery?

 

What was the greatest number of pens you owned at one time and what is the stable number that you are comfortable with?

 

 

[ac12]

If you collect vs. use, there is no upper limit, because you are not using them.

 

As for the threshold, that depends.

• The upper limit is the number of pens you can practically use and not let them dry out from lack of use.
• If you rotate the pens, you could have several dozen pens, and simply take 5 out at a time, to use. This avoids the dry out problem.

[spotted and speckled]

The upper limit for sane is one pen more than you already have.

[JotterAddict62]

Pen collecting and using is better than booze. When the hangover is gone what is left?

With Fp's you still have the pleasure of using for days to come...

 

My name is JotterAddict62 and I'm a Fp addict....

 

 

Ken

[Bo Bo Olson]

There are if you alternate CI&Stub some 45 or so different widths and flexes.....so to have a more or less complete set you need 45 pens with no doubled nibs.

Of course that's hard to do....don't know if I have 35 or 40 different nib widths and flexes.

Got @ 60 pens.

 

I can remember way back when I thought having 15 pens would be enough, or 25..... .

 

That's not even talking about having small collections of Pelikan, Osmia, Esterbrook.....never ever thought I'd have a small collection of MB's. Have 6 :yikes: . One of which is a 234 1/2 with a semi-flex KOB...but the K/kugal/ball is actually a Waverly tip.

Yep, one needs a few Waverly tipped semi-flex...sigh...more pens needed perhaps some English pens; got to look up which company made the Waverly tips back in the'20-30's.

 

Can see 75...others might need this and that color P-51......is it 51 different P-51's or what?

Edited October 22, 2014 by Bo Bo Olson

[MKeith]

It depends entirely on the degree of sanity one has and the medication you are on at the time.

[Veltri]

24

 

1 extra-fine blue

1 fine blue

1 med blue

1 bold blue

 

 

1 extra-fine red

1 fine red

1 med red

1 bold red

 

1 extra-fine black

1 fine black

1 med black

1 bold black

 

One set for home and another for work.

 

Anything more (or different in any way) is insane.

[The Pantaloon Duck]

24

 

1 extra-fine blue

1 fine blue

1 med blue

1 bold blue

 

 

1 extra-fine red

1 fine red

1 med red

1 bold red

 

1 extra-fine black

1 fine black

1 med black

1 bold black

 

One set for home and another for work.

 

Anything more (or different in any way) is insane.

I like your way of thinking:-)

[Art]

At what point (or pen count) does simply using and enjoying writing with fountain pens and not giving it much thought morph into:

 

--an interest ?

 

--a hobby?

 

--a passion?

 

--an obsession?

 

--a disease/hoarding disorder?

 

--and a happy state of recovery?

 

 

What was the greatest number of pens you owned at one time and what is the stable number that you are comfortable with?

 

 

 

--an interest ? 2 or less

--a hobby? more than 2 but less than 30

--a passion? 30 to 90 functioning pens

--an obsession? 91 minimum -- there is no maximum on obsessions

--a disease/hoarding disorder? More pens than you can count or view in a normal week.

--and a happy state of recovery? Yes I am. Thank you!!!

 

What was the greatest number of pens you owned at one time and what is the stable number that you are comfortable with?

I currently have 44 pens with another 6 on order. That's fountain pens only. I do not know how many other pens I have. My daily use stack contains 13 pens with 10 different ink colors.

[PAKMAN]

Some are happy with 1, some 5, some 25, for me it's around 125. I keep 4-8 inked at a time and rotate as necessary for max enjoyment!

[Quintane]

Quite interesting topic. Perhaps you might find interesting ideas here in this other post:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/268456-a-paradox-on-pen-addiction/

[pen tom]

According to 99% of the population a sane number would be 1. But, alas we are 1 percent-ers

[Andrea_R]

count yours and add 1

[Ernst Bitterman]

A sane number? Probably one.

 

This really isn't the right place to be asking.

[HamFist]

According to 99% of the population a sane number would be 1. But, alas we are 1 percent-ers

Just make sure you don't wear that as a patch

[gweimer1]

42.

 

It's the answer for everything.

[jar]

500-1000.

[LeonW]

Three, two, one, okay add zero, and that adds up to 3210 total.😊

[Randal6393]

Yes, sanity is highly overrated. Go for the most number that gives you fun.

 

Enjoy,

[jdllizard]

Just ONE more then I'll quit....., I promise!