What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[inkstainedruth]

@PithyProlix I keep looking at Pilot Elites but haven't ever gotten around to springing for one yet....  I don't think I've ever seen one that color before (most of the ones I've seen for sale at pen shows have either had burgundy barrels or black ones).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[PithyProlix]

11 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

OOOOOH!  I've never seen a 75 in that color before... (I now have a couple of the sterling Ciselé ones, with different nibs on them).  

 

10 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

The malachite 75 is out of this world. I love that you’re collecting the lacquer ones, they are so beautiful. I love all of the different 75 finishes, but those are next level.

 

I prefer lacquered pens - best if they are urushi, of course. The P75 was probably the most popular fountain pen ever for Thailand - we see lots of metal finishes with the sterling Ciselé being the most frequent by far. Likely the 'must-have' accessory for every middle manager here. But, even with the model's popularity, we don't see many lacquer ones. 

 

There were only eight non-prototype lacquer P75 finishes (https://parker75.com/Reference/Lacque_series/Laque_series.htm) - so far I have Thuya, Burgundy, Black, and now this Malachite. Most stunning is probably the 75-based Premier in Chinese laque (urushi), which has been elusive here so far. 

 

11 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

As for the Pineider?  That pen is HUGE!  Is it heavy?

 

It's on its way to me now. As a resin pen I don't expect it will be heavy (but I have no idea what the piston materials are). I mean, relative to, say, that Dunhill AD2000, I am sure it will feel like nothing.

[JonSzanto]

Definitely impulse and def different: I have an ebonite pen from Eureka FP, a small maker and innovator in Korea.  I've used it for around two years and enjoy it very much. I've followed the maker's prototyping and developments on Instagram and reddit, and when he started working on a cool machined dip nib, I was intrigued. His design and machining skills are excellent, and his version of a metal dip pen nib - a variant on what glass dip pens are like - went both a little further and different from the Kakimori nib. It is machined from solid titanium.

 

I received it yesterday and I opted for just the nib, as the holders were on the thin side for me. I quickly made a 'nib unit' that would hold it and I could place in a standard bespoke pen body I had. I include also one of the shots from their site, showing the lateral deep channels for holding the ink, all transmitted to the tip via eight lengthwise channels. The biggest plus of the design is the depth and number of the channels, allowing the nib to write about a page of text in one dip. Reduces need to re-dip by a lot. I don't know if it is the design or the titamium it is machined from, but the nib rinses out very easily, and handles all the inks I've tried, including (cough, cough) shimmer inks. The tip is very smooth and writes like a generous Western M. I really enjoy seeing the forward progress in all aspects of the pen world, and while not directly a fountain pen like his others, worthy of support and very handy to use.

 

[AmandaW]

1 hour ago, JonSzanto said:

Definitely impulse and def different: I have an ebonite pen from Eureka FP, a small maker and innovator in Korea.  I've used it for around two years and enjoy it very much. I've followed the maker's prototyping and developments on Instagram and reddit, and when he started working on a cool machined dip nib, I was intrigued. His design and machining skills are excellent, and his version of a metal dip pen nib - a variant on what glass dip pens are like - went both a little further and different from the Kakimori nib. It is machined from solid titanium.

 

I received it yesterday and I opted for just the nib, as the holders were on the thin side for me. I quickly made a 'nib unit' that would hold it and I could place in a standard bespoke pen body I had. I include also one of the shots from their site, showing the lateral deep channels for holding the ink, all transmitted to the tip via eight lengthwise channels. The biggest plus of the design is the depth and number of the channels, allowing the nib to write about a page of text in one dip. Reduces need to re-dip by a lot. I don't know if it is the design or the titamium it is machined from, but the nib rinses out very easily, and handles all the inks I've tried, including (cough, cough) shimmer inks. The tip is very smooth and writes like a generous Western M. I really enjoy seeing the forward progress in all aspects of the pen world, and while not directly a fountain pen like his others, worthy of support and very handy to use.

 

Very impressed! I have two Kakimori nibs in ordinary nib holders, but new ideas such as this... are indeed intriguing. Your holder too. With a cap! 

 

EDIT I ordered a nib. 🥳

And will figure out a holder when it gets here.

[Ceilidh]

On 2/1/2026 at 1:54 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

 

 

That Laque 75 is really pretty! (I have the tortoise one with an Med and like it a lot.)

[Ceilidh]

Oops, double post. 

[JonSzanto]

12 hours ago, AmandaW said:

EDIT I ordered a nib. 🥳 And will figure out a holder when it gets here.

 

My work here is done. 😎

[InkyProf]

After deciding to bail on a Lamy Studio I’d been using as a library pen, I decided to replace it with a Lamy 26P, which has the advantage of using international standard converters and cartridges, though we’ll have to see what version of that non-standard “standard” it prefers.

 

[JasonR]

Picked up a Mabie Todd Swallow from eBay this morning.  First auction from a US seller in awhile.  It’ll be nice not to have to be patient and wait 2-3 weeks or more to get my items from UK sellers.  My first Mabie Todd - didn’t require a significant investment.   

[JasonR]

I forgot about the Kaweco AL sports I bought last week from MyGiftStop.    A black and a silver for $74 - no tax and free shipping.   January has been a month of little splurges.  

[Misfit]

On 2/1/2026 at 8:48 PM, PithyProlix said:

 

This particular pen was never listed publicly - just a friend of a friend's pen. The set of folks here that are interested in vintage fountain pens and also not focused on Montblanc seems fairly small. 

 

Though I didn't remember the seller yesterday when I contacted him, going through my records just now, it turns out that I bought this nice Elite with a Script nib from him a few months ago. 

 

Oh, I really like that color combination. Congratulations on getting it. What ink will you put in it?

[Misfit]

@JonSzanto that pen body is gorgeous. I bet it’s so much more so in person. And that nib, wow, it’s quite different. Sounds like it’s a very well thought out design. 

[Misfit]

3 hours ago, camelsuspicious said:

I forgot about the Kaweco AL sports I bought last week from MyGiftStop.    A black and a silver for $74 - no tax and free shipping.   January has been a month of little splurges.  

I’m trying to keep from buying a Kaweco AL Stonewashed Black pen. They are hard to find. My blue Stonewashed doesn’t look like most photos in that it is a lighter, less distressed blue. But it is $110 before tax. 
 

Edit: I think I know a way to justify getting the pen. I get it for my birthday. Then I wait many months until that day. 

Edited February 3 by Misfit
Maybe I can get the pen I mentioned.

[inkstainedruth]

@PithyProlix -- Urushi?  Oh rats.  I can't trust an urushi pen (or urushi ANYTHING, for that matter) to be sufficiently "cured" for it to be "safe" for me to use without getting a MAJOR allergic reaction.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Scribs]

13 hours ago, Misfit said:

 
 

Edit: I think I know a way to justify getting the pen. I get it for my birthday. Then I wait many months until that day. 

 

Tehehe, I'm likewise battling making a purchase many months in advance for my 60th... so far I'm resisting the urge, after all it needs to be one very special pen, a memorable pen, for that kind of birthday. Let us know what you end up doing Misfit!

[Scribs]

12 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

@PithyProlix -- Urushi?  Oh rats.  I can't trust an urushi pen (or urushi ANYTHING, for that matter) to be sufficiently "cured" for it to be "safe" for me to use without getting a MAJOR allergic reaction.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Not even vintage urushi??

[Penguincollector]

21 hours ago, InkyProf said:

After deciding to bail on a Lamy Studio I’d been using as a library pen, I decided to replace it with a Lamy 26P, which has the advantage of using international standard converters and cartridges, though we’ll have to see what version of that non-standard “standard” it prefers.

 

  I hope you like it! It’s definitely lighter than a studio. I really like mine, so far I have only used 4001 Blue in it, because I wanted to see how it wrote with something that would have been on the market for it at the time of release- it’s an excellent writer. My fine is more true to size than any of my more modern Lamys. I want to try either a chromashading or sheen ink next. The clip is my favorite part. 

[Penguincollector]

13 hours ago, Misfit said:

I’m trying to keep from buying a Kaweco AL Stonewashed Black pen. They are hard to find. My blue Stonewashed doesn’t look like most photos in that it is a lighter, less distressed blue. But it is $110 before tax. 
 

Edit: I think I know a way to justify getting the pen. I get it for my birthday. Then I wait many months until that day. 

 

  I think making a deliberate purchase and setting it aside for a special occasion gift is an excellent idea. With certain pens it’s best to buy them when you see them, otherwise you end up missing out. 

[inkstainedruth]

16 minutes ago, Scribs said:

 

Not even vintage urushi??

The problem is that I can't trust how cured it's been.  Even for vintage.  Yes -- I really am THAT allergic to the stuff....   And the idea of having to put on rubber or plastic gloves before using or filling such a pen just does not exactly give me the warm fuzzies.  

The last time I was treated for poison ivy, it came on very quickly and took several MONTHS and three runs of steroids to knock out.  And we had a $400 water bill that quarter because I was having to do so much extra laundry -- washing the bedding and towels pretty much every day in order to not run the risk of re-infecting myself.  

I would not wish that experience on my worst enemy....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[InkyProf]

7 minutes ago, Penguincollector said:

  I hope you like it! It’s definitely lighter than a studio. I really like mine, so far I have only used 4001 Blue in it, because I wanted to see how it wrote with something that would have been on the market for it at the time of release- it’s an excellent writer. My fine is more true to size than any of my more modern Lamys. I want to try either a chromashading or sheen ink next. The clip is my favorite part. 

 

Thanks! Glad to hear your positive reactions. I've admired this pen for a while and stumbled across a reasonably priced example in nearly perfect condition. I don't see a size designation on the nib, but it looks like it's either a F or an EF, either of which would be good for my purposes. And it's a great addition to my collection of steel pens.

 

Yes, the Studio I gave up on was the Piano Black, which I think is (maybe?) a little heavier than my all-black Studio (which I'm keeping). It wasn't so much the weight per se that bothered me; I found that I didn't like the polished section and that the pen just felt awkward to handle, more when capping and uncapping than anything else.