What Was Your Last Impulsive Pen Acquisition?

[Penguincollector]

On 2/1/2026 at 6:55 PM, inkstainedruth said:

@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

 

   I have a few vintage Elites that are varied in color. In the 1980s, there was a line of pocket pens called Elite Lady that were both metal capped like today’s burgundy model or all plastic like the black one. Some have a big cursive “L” (like Laverne’s sweaters) inlaid on the cap. They’re not very expensive unless they’re NOS with a rare nib type. If you’re at a show where Nik Pang has a table, he often has some nice examples of Pilot pocket pens for a good price. Platinum and Sailor also made these, I really like the Platinum ones.

[inkstainedruth]

A couple of years ago, when I was in NYC over the holidays, went to the Lamy SoHo store (sadly, since closed) with the express purpose of trying and maybe buying a Studio (I'd been drooling over the blue one for while at that point).  But it turned out to be a bit too heavy for me to use, and that got crossed off my wish list.  Ended up buying the Harry Potter "Ravenclaw" al-Star (the original version with the engraved barrel) instead....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedrruth

[Penguincollector]

15 minutes ago, InkyProf said:

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.

 

  Awkward is an excellent descriptor for the Studio, it’s a great looking pen that’s not quite right. For some people it’s the weight, others the slippery section (or disintegrating rubber coated ones), and the un/capping can definitely make or break the use of a pen. 

[JonSzanto]

14 hours ago, Misfit said:

@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. 

 

Yes, the fellow behind Eureka FP really is an engineer, first and foremost, and his designs work very well. Not everything they do floats my boat but this little nib is pretty remarkable - just a couple of tweaks to an old concept, aided by modern design and tools. It's funny about the old pen body: it's one I got years ago from Peyton Street, might have been to host an old Sheaffer inlaid nib, but unfortunately the cap isn't a great sealing cap, so pens would dry out. Using it this way it is a non-issue, so I can use something that I had relegated to the non-use drawer. Win-win.