Looking For Fpa Chapter - - 'fountain Pens Anonymous'

[MISSOURI]

I started buying fountain pens about six weeks ago. Wanted to improve my cursive writing. After 70 years it was still awful.

At any rate I bought a fountain pen. Then another...

The trend is obvious. I now own 15 fountain pens with another 4 on order.

Not all of them are cheap.

I am a sick man and desperately need an intervention...

Is there an organization where I can get help?

Jon

[inkstainedruth]

I'm afraid you've come to absolutely the *wrong* place. We're all shameless enablers here. Five and a half years ago I stumbled onto here with just a couple of pens, mostly looking at reviews of inks that weren't blue or black. I'd never heard of Parker 51s. Now? I have Aerometric models in Black, Plum, Teal Blue, Burgundy, Midnight Blue, and Navy Gray; plus a black and 2 Cedar Blue 51 Vacs. Plus, a 21, a 51 Special, and a stumbled-upon 41 I paid fifty cents for at an estate sale a couple of years ago August. Not to mention a bunch of Parker Vectors, three Parker 61s, three Parker 45s, a couple of Laidtone Duofolds and a handful or so (er, more like eight at this point ) of Vacumatics -- and this was after I swore up, down, and sideways I didn't like the Art Deco styling of the Vacs, to the guy who runs the Parkercollector.com website.... He's probably still laughing himself sick -- and he's on FPN himself every now and then. And they're not even the most expensive pens I own (that would be the Pelikans: two M405s, followed by a vintage 400 from the 1950s, and a 1990s era M400 Brown Tortoise). Add in a fistful of Sheaffer Snorkels (plus currently caretaker of my husband's grandfather's Balance Oversize) a number of second-tier vintage pens (and some halfway decent 3rd tiers), a dozen or so Noodler's pens, a few other modern pens.... And a bunch of vintage Esterbrooks. I went from going "Oh, I can't imagine pay more than $25-30 for a pen" to "Hey! I got that X for under $100? SWEEEET....!" (Of course, my first "good pen was one of those Vectors -- and I remember back when I bought *it* I was thinking "Wow! Did I just pay nine whole dollars just for a pen?"

Yeah, twenty in two months is a bit of diving in headfirst. I didn't think I'd be that way at first, but then I fell down the vintage pen rabbit hole.... For the past couple of years I told myself "This is the year I'm cutting back...." But every time I say that I end up going "oooh, shiny...." Or, "ooh, only sort of shiny but pretty cheap" which is how I ended up with a number of this year's pen purchases, including what turned out to be a Cross Verve for a buck at a thrift store.... And I've also held off on some purchases in favor of getting pens repaired....

So.... waddya got? And what inks are you using?

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[mbankirer]

This place is full of knowledgeable ENABLERS!

You are in good company! There is no 12-step process that will cure you from this affliction...I find that I can get some discipline with my wallet by going for inks and papers, occasionally, appeasing the purchasing urges with something cheaper than pens...or I buy more Pilot Petits or Platinum Preppy's....or....

[Sailor Kenshin]

I started buying fountain pens about six weeks ago. Wanted to improve my cursive writing. After 70 years it was still awful.

At any rate I bought a fountain pen. Then another...

The trend is obvious. I now own 15 fountain pens with another 4 on order.

Not all of them are cheap.

I am a sick man and desperately need an intervention...

Is there an organization where I can get help?

Jon

You can send them all to me, and if you still want them after 20 days, I will dole them back to you one by one.

 

I'm kidding, sorta. Because I am far worse than you.

[Parker51]

Well, at 70 years of writing you likely are retired, so if you can afford it and you want to take on writing full time, go for it.

Too many people when they hit retirement don't have an interest and do end up drinking, so consider yourself lucky.

Plus, if you do get tired of the Fountain Pen habit, you can cash out. No, you won't recover your purchase cost fully, but empty used fountain pens do sell for a lot more than most empty used beer, wine and spirits bottles as a percentage of origonal cost.

[robert1962]

I'm not sure that a tavern is the best place to inquire about where the local AA group gets together.

 

Bob

[TheRealMikeDr]

Sounds normal to me - nothing to worry about.

[LizEF]

I started buying fountain pens about six weeks ago. Wanted to improve my cursive writing. After 70 years it was still awful.

At any rate I bought a fountain pen. Then another...

The trend is obvious. I now own 15 fountain pens with another 4 on order.

Not all of them are cheap.

I am a sick man and desperately need an intervention...

Is there an organization where I can get help?

Jon

 

Unlike some, I think you've come to the right place. First, you need to tell us all about these pens, their nibs, the inks you're using, what you like / dislike about each one. Then, once we have the facts, we can tell you before you place your next order which ones to consider, and which ones to rule out.

 

If you aren't into ink yet, we could introduce you to ink samples, which should stave off the "new pen lust" for a while.

 

If you haven't explored at least 3 brands of high-quality paper, we can help there too, further delaying "new pen lust".

 

We can advise you to revisit each of your pens, comparing them to each other with various papers and inks until you begin to not want some, and prefer others. This will take some time and ensure that the next pen isn't "just another pen".

[Runnin_Ute]

This is a down year for me. Only one (I think) bought. Of course, it was my most expensive by about 50%. There is another I would like for Christmas (the wife knows), a Pelikan M200 brown marble. Before I found FPN? I had two fountain pens - a Lamy Al Star and a Waterman Phileas, and had them for 15 years. In the five years since (Dec 2012) since, not counting the 8-10 pens that either got lost or were given away as a PIF, I now have 30.

[AAAndrew]

As others have pointed, out, this is a rather enthusiastic group of enablers. We will happily grease up whole new slopes upon which we will put you, and then give an hearty shove. Have you seen Esterbrook desk pens yet?

 

For me, I only slowed way down on my fountain pen purchases by replacing one obsession with another. Now it's dip pens. At least they are relatively inexpensive, unless you go the gold pen route, then all bets are off.

 

Enjoy your new found hobby. Perhaps try out your pens for a while so that your next purchase will be made with a bit more knowledge of what you like and don't like. I'm not the only one who likes to sit in front of the tv and instead of watching, I just write down random lines from whatever is on. It's a great way to work on penmanship, and enjoy a pen at the same time.

 

Welcome!

Andrew

Edited November 16, 2017 by AAAndrew

[Qoan]

 

Unlike some, I think you've come to the right place. First, you need to tell us all about these pens, their nibs, the inks you're using, what you like / dislike about each one. Then, once we have the facts, we can tell you before you place your next order which ones to consider, and which ones to rule out.

 

If you aren't into ink yet, we could introduce you to ink samples, which should stave off the "new pen lust" for a while.

 

If you haven't explored at least 3 brands of high-quality paper, we can help there too, further delaying "new pen lust".

 

We can advise you to revisit each of your pens, comparing them to each other with various papers and inks until you begin to not want some, and prefer others. This will take some time and ensure that the next pen isn't "just another pen".

 

I completely agree. It hasn't to be about cutting it short, but making a reasonable consumption, adequate to your like and may enjoy.

[LizEF]

We will happily grease up whole new slopes upon which we will put you, and then give an hearty shove.

 

 

I'm not the only one who likes to sit in front of the tv and instead of watching, I just write down random lines from whatever is on.

 

That moment when you realize you're not the only weirdo in the room:

[vicpen123]

It's clear you need some sage advice on how to control your new found addiction.

 

It's just that you have come to the wrong place for advice on how to resist but to the right place for how to get more enjoyment out of your collection.

 

I try to apply the "who needs it" test. Unless the pen offers me something that my existing collection does not, who needs it? Pick your own test.

 

My other attempt at self control is the "counting sheep" test. When I can't fall asleep readily, instead of counting sheep I count the pens in my collection.

 

If I recall all of my collection before I fall asleep, then I need to add more pens. If the reverse happens, then I need to drink more coffee before bedtime.

 

Life to too short to worry. Enjoy.

[LizEF]

If I recall all of my collection before I fall asleep, then I need to add more pens. If the reverse happens, then I need to drink more coffee before bedtime.

 

[Precise]

Only 15 pens! You are probably the "least sick" person here. Most of us passed that mark centuries ago.

[Pickwick]

I started buying fountain pens about six weeks ago. Wanted to improve my cursive writing. After 70 years it was still awful.

At any rate I bought a fountain pen. Then another...

The trend is obvious. I now own 15 fountain pens with another 4 on order.

Not all of them are cheap.

I am a sick man and desperately need an intervention...

Is there an organization where I can get help?

My dear friend, it looks as though you and I are around the same age, and the same thing happened to me. Whatever you do don't listen to these enablers, they are like the Sirens luring mariners onto the rocks of lunacy. Believe me I was one of their victims and have managed to escape from their clutches! I became aware of my insanity six months ago and have managed to reduce my collection to just five. You, I hope will be aware of the same condition you find yourself very soon I hope.

[vicpen123]

It's like going through the 7 stages of grief.

 

With fountain pens collecting, it starts with shock at realising that you are hooked, then denial how it could happen to such a self controlled person like me, then the guilt at becoming a willing victim, then starts the bargaining with yourself on why you need more pens, then you rapidly bypass anger and depression that are incompatible with the beauty and magic of fountains pens so that you can get to acceptance and hope as quickly as possible. There is no set time frame for these stages but they are always quick

 

Best wishes for your journey from one of many who has passed this way before and survived to indulge our passion.

[SoulSamurai]

My advice is: after a while, start looking at the pile of pens that you haven't used recently. Do you still care for them? If so, then no regrets. If not, then perhaps you feel some regret at buying some of them. The next time a pen catches your eye, think about that pile of pens and think: will this pen end up in that pile?

 

Maybe it won't, making it a worthy purchase. Maybe it will, but it will have been a worthwhile experiment. Or maybe it will just prove to be a waste of money all round. Hopefully this thought will lessen the impulse a little; now it's time to do some research. Read some reviews, watch some videos. Try to honestly consider whether this pen has a use for you, or if you will enjoy using it enough (even if it's just for a short time) to justify the cost. Spend a bit of time on it: often the desire for something is a temporary impulse and will fade if you don't immediately indulge yourself; then you can make more intelligent and responsible decisions.

 

 

Well, that's what I'm trying to do these days anyway, and I think it's helping. A little.

[SpecTP]

I started buying fountain pens about six weeks ago. Wanted to improve my cursive writing. After 70 years it was still awful.

At any rate I bought a fountain pen. Then another...

The trend is obvious. I now own 15 fountain pens with another 4 on order.

Not all of them are cheap.

I am a sick man and desperately need an intervention...

Is there an organization where I can get help?

Jon

 

This is like going into a crack house and asking to abstain...

 

I started like you did.. came out fast and furious by buying pens right and left.. then I realized I really want quality because I can't use all these pens and I don't buy them to collect them. That slowed down my purchases quite a bit.. but the cost went way up from the moderately priced pens I started with.

Edited November 17, 2017 by SpecTP

[Studio97]

I have slowed down on buying fountain pens. Now if I could do that on other stuff. Just bought another stack of journals.

I have convinced myself to not buy any more expensive pens. Have not bought any fountain pens in several months and then none over $20.00. And I already have too many hobbies.

Edited November 18, 2017 by Studio97