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Travelling Pen Initiative - Diplomat Pen Set


DanceOfLight

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Our world is going through some difficult times, one of the consequences is that people have not been able to travel. Usually pens would be carried during travels; since traveling in person has become challenging, maybe we as a community let some of our pens travel ? I'm sure this idea has been tried before, but here goes. I'll call this FPN-Traveling Pen Initiative (very imaginative name, i know :rolleyes: ) . The intention is simple, we let the pen travel and let others in this community try and enjoy them. Please read the rules and participate only if you agree to it.

 

we'll receive a pen from an original donor - the person now sets the pen free and gives up ownership

 

 

  • the person who receives the pen, gets to keep, use and enjoy the pen for 15 weeks
  • the receiver commits to ship the pen (at own cost) to the next randomly picked person from the list (People who have expressed their desire to do so on this thread by the date-time stated below)
    • once the next person is picked, exchange the postal address in PM so that we don't fall foul of the GDPR/privacy regulations
    • you may choose to select a person in the same country or continent if the shipping charges are significant and/or challenges with customs
  • the receiver commits to use FP specific inks, so that others can keep enjoying the pen. Avoid india-inks or shimmery inks that might clog the feed
  • please clean the nib unit thoroughly before shipping
  • if in the 15 weeks you get a chance to travel to a different country, do take that opportunity to give/ship to a person in that country (from the list), as long as it is legal to do so (export/import regulations)
  • if the pen gets lost / damaged in your custody, mention it on this thread and set another similar priced pen free on the FPN-TPI
  • when you ship it to the next person, do consider writing a nice handwritten letter
  • If every one on the initial list has had a chance to enjoy the pen, call for another one
  • please avoid sending the pen to the same person again, keep the spirit true :)
  • as soon as you receive the pen, post a pic / msg on this thread

 

Let me be the first donor - a mint set of Diplomat Marrakesh Raute FP with a 14K B nib and a matching mechanical pencil. I'll include the full package as well as a slightly used diplomat converter for ease. All entries on or before 7th Aug 2020 23:59CET will be considered for the list. I can ship within EU, the receiver may choose to widen the area, of course.

 

-DanceOfLight

 

P.S - this is works, I might consider setting more pens free on the FPN-TPI. let me know.

Diplomat_Marakesh_Raute_pack.jpg

Diplomat_Marakesh_Raute_Nib.jpg

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Not an entry, but wow, that is some pen and some initiative! Thank you for starting it, and it's mighty generous of you to seed it with such high-quality writing instruments.

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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Not an entry, but wow, that is some pen and some initiative! Thank you for starting it, and it's mighty generous of you to seed it with such high-quality writing instruments.

Very kind of you to say so. At least until now, the response seems to be tepid :wacko: ; albeit it's only been a few hours since the offer is open.

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Very kind of you to say so. At least until now, the response seems to be tepid :wacko: ; albeit it's only been a few hours since the offer is open.

 

Yes, well, … I've also found the response underwhelming when I first started my surplus pens and inks redistribution initiative. I'm not sure whether it's a matter of asking prospective participants to openly commit to wearing the postage to the next stop of the travelling thing. Thankfully, it's moving along now, and at least a few participants got into the spirit of it; I'd like to think we — including myself, surprisingly, as the box came back to me for a brief stop, before I sent it off again today — all got something out of it, even though I truly do not believe in the whole idea of "pay it forward" because it implies getting paid back eventually.

 

Give it some time. :)

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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Very kind of you to say so. At least until now, the response seems to be tepid :wacko: ; albeit it's only been a few hours since the offer is open.

I would definitely participate but international shipping charges are very high here in Canada. I would echo that this is a really generous offer on a good pen set.

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Too less ? too much ?

 

Perhaps. Three and a half months would be a longish wait if you are number two on the list. Longer still if you are number 18 on the list - this would be a very long wait.

I think it's a good idea but a week seems good enough time to play with a pen for a bit and get to know it.

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Perhaps. Three and a half months would be a longish wait if you are number two on the list. Longer still if you are number 18 on the list - this would be a very long wait.

I think it's a good idea but a week seems good enough time to play with a pen for a bit and get to know it.

Fair point Uncial. When the thread was started, I had 10 weeks in mind, but thought that people might need more time to get acquainted with the pen-pencil before they truly know it. Happy for people to ship the pen to the next person earlier of course. Let's make it a max of 15 weeks then.

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I'm interested - I had been toying with a similar idea myself. I tend to think that 15 weeks is an awful long time, too, but agree that setting a max is a good guideline. I am in the continental US, though.

 

Perhaps we need to start a traveling pen for each continent :-).

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Not an entry, but I likewise express admiration.

 

My Dad used to tell us that he never, ever loaned money. He only ever gave it away, and only if he could afford to do so. That way, he didn't have to concern himself with whether he might get it back, and doubly whether he could afford not to get it back. He would let people give it back, but he never worried about it.

 

I may choose to do this with one or more of my pens. But it would be fire and forget -- there is no way I'd let myself get roped into worrying whether one recipient had moved it along or not. And I've found it to be lots more fun to give away pens in person.

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  • the receiver commits to ship the pen (at own cost) to the next randomly picked person from the list (People who have expressed their desire to do so on this thread by the date-time stated below)

Three and a half months would be a longish wait if you are number two on the list. Longer still if you are number 18 on the list - this would be a very long wait.

@Uncial, your assertion does not make sense logically or mathematically, sorry. Being number 18 on the list does not mean a candidate has a lesser chance of being chosen as the pen set's next stop; the list, as described, is not a queue.

 

My Dad used to tell us that he never, ever loaned money. He only ever gave it away, and only if he could afford to do so.

 

I personally am not quite as adamant or strict as to say never, but I do think that one ought to be psychologically and materially prepared for the eventuality that a borrower may forget, deny or abandon a compact; even when someone struck an agreement in good faith, circumstances may yet cause it not to be fulfilled (say, if a friend borrowed $50 from oneself and then unfortunately died the following week). My ability to absorb the impact of such a default would be my foremost consideration, ahead of any assessment of likelihood of a loan not being repaid or returned duly.

 

That way, he didn't have to concern himself with whether he might get it back, and doubly whether he could afford not to get it back. He would let people give it back, but he never worried about it.

 

What I failed to account for and manage, in years past, are the psychological and relationship impacts of abandoned agreements, broken promises and damaged trust. I'm definitely not above being concerned whether someone repays or returns $50, a spare mobile phone handset, an easily replaceable book or a relatively unimportant pen from my stash, even when I don't "need" it back. Friendships have been ruined over something like that.

 

I may choose to do this with one or more of my pens. But it would be fire and forget -- there is no way I'd let myself get roped into worrying whether one recipient had moved it along or not.

 

Exactly why I asserted or wanted no control of the Aussie FPN pass-around initiative, by design:

I personally don't want any oversight or control of this ‘project’ once it gets on the road; I'm just trying to kickstart a community initiative for Australian fountain pen users, and my primary motivation is in redistributing surplus pens and inks that anyone would care to donate.

If I send a pen out into the community to be passed around (for logistic reasons), exhibited and "shared", so that others can know the pen for themselves, I'm not sure which would irritate me more, between:

  • someone "losing" or "disappearing" the pen, and/or dropping out of community himself/herself, such that the pen is no longer in circulation;

     

    -and-

  • performing minor or major "surgery" on the pen — anything from smoothing the nib or widening the tine gap, to pulling out its #6 nib and trying it out in (say) his/her PenBBS 309 or 355 ("Oh, I heard such good things about this nib, but it isn't a fit writing instrument if it doesn't hold ≥3.14ml of ink, so I don't want the Diplomat pen as I do what I can reassemble to write with its nib") or jamming his/her favourite customised-by-Masuyama (or Mottishaw) nib in the pen ("because then it'd be a better pen, and I 'need' to know if that will work of I were to buy a Diplomat pen with this cool body as a glorified nib holder, but of course I don't want to take the risk and buy my own pen first to prove the concept and check the result") — because the user isn't trying to know the pen per se as it was made by Diplomat and/or offered by the donor, but leveraging it for a different personal project or experiment.

I certainly feel that (the former would be more dishonest, but) the latter would more disrespectful to everyone: the manufacturer, the donor, and everyone else downstream who would then denied the opportunity to experience the pen as made or offered, even if the original nib is since restored before the pen is passed to the next receiver.

 

It would most definitely make me fume, though, if it was a pen I donated to the cause, and someone fiddled with the nib and/or feed "to make the pen wetter" as if that attribute was universally considered better for a fountain pen, and therefore the "effort" was made in the name of community service and a contribution towards what is not a collaborative project to evolve and improve a writing instrument with every stop of its journey.

 

So, while I have all the admiration for the O.P. and his initiative, I just can't bring myself to contribute a pen without closing my eyes and cutting it loose, allowing title and rights of ownership to pass from stop to stop.

Edited by A Smug Dill

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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I am not sure if I could receive the pen in China, as packages coming from abroad by regular mail tend to arrive late or not at all.

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While I love the idea, but as with other members I must highlight a couple issues:

A. 15 weeks is too much. 2 Weeks per person would be my suggested max. You want the pen to get tried and to travel around not stay in anybody's hand for any length of time as others would be waiting,and it would be a long list.

 

B. Trust IS an issue. As much as I hate to say this, but the community keeps getting biggers, and you simply cannot just simply rely on trust on the internet. Whether it's dishonesty, or mere neglegence or forgetfulness. Especially with a valuable pen.

 

Is there a way around it to get this to kick off? There isn't a way that won't (bleep) somebody off. You can choose who goes on the list by submission and approval (you approve only people with a certain number of "useful" and helpful post history, for example). You max the pen value at something loseable and non-finanically-desieable, something that costs a couple meals, no more. People would still enjoy the experience if they choose to join. Does it have to be an upper pen? No.

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I would definitely participate but international shipping charges are very high here in Canada. I would echo that this is a really generous offer on a good pen set.

 

Hi Muddywaters, you are right; shipping across continents is indeed expensive, but I'm sure there are generous people here who may still choose to do so. Customs and tax are also a concern, hence my offer to ship anywhere within EU for now. it is indeed unfortunate, once the pen leaves my hand though, the next recipient is welcome to ship it anywhere with the understanding that the next in line understands and accepts the customs/tax implications. Thanks for your kind words on the offer, I hope this is just a start; as I said before depending on how this takes off, I may offer others pens.

 

I'm interested - I had been toying with a similar idea myself. I tend to think that 15 weeks is an awful long time, too, but agree that setting a max is a good guideline. I am in the continental US, though.

Perhaps we need to start a traveling pen for each continent :-).

 

As mentioned earlier 15 weeks does sound long, but that's the cap. One can choose to send it earlier to the next person in line. You are absolutely right, may be we should start one for each continent . Who knows, someone in this thread might be happy to ship it to you :) .

 

I am not sure if I could receive the pen in China, as packages coming from abroad by regular mail tend to arrive late or not at all.

Basterma - package getting lost is indeed a concern and a major risk. For now I'll be able to ship within EU. Thanks for the interest though.

 

 

While I love the idea, but as with other members I must highlight a couple issues:

A. 15 weeks is too much. 2 Weeks per person would be my suggested max. You want the pen to get tried and to travel around not stay in anybody's hand for any length of time as others would be waiting,and it would be a long list.

 

B. Trust IS an issue. As much as I hate to say this, but the community keeps getting biggers, and you simply cannot just simply rely on trust on the internet. Whether it's dishonesty, or mere neglegence or forgetfulness. Especially with a valuable pen.

 

Is there a way around it to get this to kick off? There isn't a way that won't (bleep) somebody off. You can choose who goes on the list by submission and approval (you approve only people with a certain number of "useful" and helpful post history, for example). You max the pen value at something loseable and non-finanically-desieable, something that costs a couple meals, no more. People would still enjoy the experience if they choose to join. Does it have to be an upper pen? No.

 

KingRoach, Hi. from the comments here on this thread, there seems to be a consensus that 15 weeks is long time, but as mentioned before, that's the max. I'm hoping that people who receive the pen, having had the feel, would be happy to pass it on, earlier than 15 weeks. on #B, I'm with you, this did cross my mind; at the same time having experienced such generosity on this forum, I'm hoping this scheme will not go awry - your suggestion on the receiver having certain number of helpful posts is indeed thoughtful; at the same time wouldn't that favour people who already have a (quite a) few pens and experience ? I'm not leaning either ways - just thinking aloud. On another note, once the pen-set leaves my hand, I do not want to control nor influence where it lands up, expect for picking the next owner (Only the one that I ship to, no further.). The longivity of the scheme is IMHO directly proportional to the trust-entropy of the system (forum) . All we can do is choose the next set of people for random picking carefully, which might in itself involve bias/es - again, not leaning either way - just thinking aloud.

 

- Edited to make one statement clear which was, on review could be labelled as ambigious.

 

Edited by DanceOfLight
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Not putting my name on the list (and I'm too far away), but just wanting to say what a marvelous, generous offer this is! Something to inspire and cheer us all, which is so needed right now!

 

(And here I was thinking that PIF meant "Play it Forward" ;-)

Moderation in everything, including moderation.

--Mark Twain

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I think this is a wonderful idea and would be honored to participate. I would be open to the 15 week time frame, however, eight weeks not including shipping time would allow one to really enjoy the properties of the pen.

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Not putting my name on the list (and I'm too far away), but just wanting to say what a marvelous, generous offer this is! Something to inspire and cheer us all, which is so needed right now!

 

(And here I was thinking that PIF meant "Play it Forward" ;-)

 

Madeline - Thank you for your kind words; you are right, we need something to cheer us all up, hopefully this will get kick-started soon. Given that The initial timeline (7th Aug 2020) I had in mind as passed, as of now it looks like not many people from EU are interested :-/ .

 

I think this is a wonderful idea and would be honored to participate. I would be open to the 15 week time frame, however, eight weeks not including shipping time would allow one to really enjoy the properties of the pen.

Hi thatgirl - Thanks for you message and enthusiasm, I see from the Geo-icon that you are located in US, and unfortunately this offer is initially open only to EU locations. Apologies; If another person down the line who receives this set is happy to ship it to US, I wouldn't have any issues with that :) .

Edited by DanceOfLight
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7th Aug 2020 23:59CET is now in the past. Since the participation is yet to pick up, I'll try extending the offer until 7th Sep 2020 23:59CET. Hopefully we'll have some valid entries. If you are interested, please make sure that you state so very clearly, thank you.

 

-DOL

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