Buy A Pen In Las Vegas?

[Reefallo]

I may have to travel to Las Vegas on business, and I've been mulling over traveling with a fountain pen. Read a few threads here, too.

 

Seems like one way to avoid ANY risks (TSA and/or leakage) would be to just buy a new pen when I land. Yeah, I'm always looking for an excuse...

 

SO: any suggestions where to shop? Near the airport, or downtown?

 

I'm open to a range of pens, from a Pilot Petit or a Preppy, to a vintage bargain (pawn shops???).

[Runnin_Ute]

I traveled from Salt Lake CIty to Denver in March - took about 8-10 pens - all inked - no issues with leaking with any of them. Either direction. Used them in flight even.

 

Been a while since I was last in Vegas, will let those who are more familiar with the city elaborate on what you might be able to locate in town and where.

[OcalaFlGuy]

In case she doesn't see this, ping AmberLeaDavis and ask her. She lives there. I suspect she knows all the pen stores.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[dms525]

AmberLea would certainly be more authoritative than I, but, as of last September, the only pen store in LV that I could find was a MB Boutique in Caesar's Palace's shopping mall. A few years ago, there was a Paradise Pens store, but it has closed.

 

I have a son and his family in Henderson, so I fly to LV 2 or 3 times a year. I typically travel with between 12 and 20 pens, most of them inked, in my backpack. I have had ink leakage only once, from a vintage lever-filler. I pack extra ink in plastic tubes or nalgene bottles or in ink cartridges. These go in checked luggage. I have never had a TSA issue with my pens or inks, coming or going. Traveling with sourdough starter is another issue, but you didn't ask about that, did you?

 

David

[Reefallo]

Nalgene bottles are particularly leak resistant?

 

And I just hire a mule for any sourdough starter...

[OcalaFlGuy]

Nalgene bottles are particularly leak resistant?

 

 

 

Yes.

The Perfect travel ink vial is the 1/2 oz Nalgene bottle. Good luck finding them.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[bernardo]

I may have to travel to Las Vegas on business, and I've been mulling over traveling with a fountain pen. Read a few threads here, too.

 

Seems like one way to avoid ANY risks (TSA and/or leakage) would be to just buy a new pen when I land. Yeah, I'm always looking for an excuse...

 

SO: any suggestions where to shop? Near the airport, or downtown?

 

I'm open to a range of pens, from a Pilot Petit or a Preppy, to a vintage bargain (pawn shops???).

 

I've seen Parker Sonnets and Quink bottles at the Town Square Staples, if it helps.

[sirgilbert357]

Traveling with sourdough starter is another issue, but you didn't ask about that, did you?

 

David

 

LOL. I can just *imagine* the possible conversations with TSA on that one!!!

[sirgilbert357]

 

Yes.

The Perfect travel ink vial is the 1/2 oz Nalgene bottle. Good luck finding them.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

Wouldn't a couple of those sample ink vials that the Goulets use work too? They hold a reasonable amount and screw down quite tightly. I keep a couple at work in case I have to refill midday and its saved me a few times now. Remembering to take them home, refill them AND bring them back is the hard part, lol.

[OcalaFlGuy]

 

Wouldn't a couple of those sample ink vials that the Goulets use work too? They hold a reasonable amount and screw down quite tightly. I keep a couple at work in case I have to refill midday and its saved me a few times now. Remembering to take them home, refill them AND bring them back is the hard part, lol.

 

Do you trust the ink sample container enough to fill it full of sulphuric or hydrofluoric acid and put it in your pants pocket?

 

You could with the Nalgene.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[dms525]

 

Do you trust the ink sample container enough to fill it full of sulphuric or hydrofluoric acid and put it in your pants pocket?

 

You could with the Nalgene.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

 

Is this a new way of removing those stubborn ink stains, or what?

 

David

[OcalaFlGuy]

There are 2 certainties with the Nalgene.

 

They will not stain.

 

They will not leak. Period. The 1/2 oz is the perfect size.

 

The Defense rests your honor.

 

Plus when I got my last load they were still cheap, about a dollar or so each shipped.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[LisaN]

Goulet's sample vials are leakproof biosample vials. When I worked in a structural biology lab, we'd ship precious protein samples in similar.

But as always, put the vials in a ziplock bag. I carry ink on with me, never had a problem. Ink, embroidery needles and scissors, knitting needles, etc. And I always avoid the scanner, preferring the manual scan. I refuse to have my DNA unzipped.

[dms525]

If you are worried about the sample vials leaking or getting crushed ...

 

 

 

 

Your ink vials are now safe to drive your Humvee over. (Move the Piazza Navona out of the way first though.)

 

David

[JimCouch]

A few years ago, there was a Paradise Pens store, but it has closed.

 

David

 

Sad to hear, that was a nice store with friendly, knowledgeable staff. It was one of my 'rewards' for surviving my annual Vegas trip (for a trade show)

[Reefallo]

The Perfect travel ink vial is the 1/2 oz Nalgene bottle. Good luck finding them.

 

Dumb luck, I found Nalgene bottles when I went out today. The Container Store had quite a few sizes and types, in the travel section -- genuine Nalgene brand, and dirt cheap. I bought the 1 oz size because the mouth looked big enough to get a pen in, comfortably.

[OcalaFlGuy]

The 1 oz works well for long term ink storage at home.

 

(Again) The 1/2 oz size is The Perfect size for a pocket travel vial. Most all, save the absolute largest pens, will fill from the 1/2 oz fine.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Chrissy]

The 1 oz works well for long term ink storage at home.

 

(Again) The 1/2 oz size is The Perfect size for a pocket travel vial. Most all, save the absolute largest pens, will fill from the 1/2 oz fine.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Thanks to Bruce, I have some of these 1/2 oz Nalgene bottles and can confirm that they are perfect travel sized bottles

[LisaN]

Nalgene bottles are very nice, but do be careful in the autoclave.

[Reefallo]

Update: I decided to take a Platinum Preppy. My thought was, I could install the cartridge when I got to Vegas, and just toss it before I came back.

 

But then I realized, I should perform a test. So I put the $4 Preppy in a Ziploc bag, cartridge installed, and watched it the entire flight.

No leak, no ooze, no problem of any kind. I am very grateful to report.