King Charles's pen leaks

[Sailor Kenshin]

4 hours ago, vicpen123 said:

Is there anyone on this forum who does not empathise and sympathise with King Charles?

 

He uses a fountain pen and I am gratified that even the King shares our problems with our beloved pens.

 

Long live the King and long live fountain pens.

Amen.

[JosephKing]

So I routinely search fountain pen videos on youtube, and limit it only to "Today" and there were 12 videos on King Charles' problem.
 

I was immediately amused with the idea of a swathe of "pandemic users"/"not quite enthusiats" now selling their pens on the local auction sites.  What do you think... too farfetched? 

[kmcmichael]

More thought on the subject, I would carry a 149 with a custom broad bib or a double BB. I love pointed nibs but if you can’t control your paper quality the broad nib would be my preference. For flying I would get a vacuum filler or a Namiki emperor to allow cutting the ink supply.

‘I am sure people are standing in line to give the man a pen.

[GeoffMartin]

watching the video, I found at least two differences between King Charles and me:

- I don't get the least bit upset when my pen leaks.

- When my pen does leak, I don't just pass it over to my wife - or anyone else... No one gets to share in my pride of having ink-stained fingers!

[twinspark]

I can sympathise and empathise. Could happen for so many reasons. I've had no issues in flying with whatever pen I am using however that is on the basis that I actively manage things knowing I will invariably write on a flight.

 

I'm sure His Majesty has many other things to think about.

 

To this day I will not use a Bic Stick ballpoint.... one leaked in my blazer pocket when I was at secondary school and ruined a shirt and the blazer pocket and lining required selective repair and replacement....  the majority of my writing at secondary school was done with a fountain pen (Parker 25)....

 

I did notice on Saturday on the footage from the Privy Council how many were familiar with fountain pens by defaulting to trying to unscrew pen caps as opposed to pulling!

[inkstainedruth]

16 hours ago, IThinkIHaveAProblem said:

Parker “51”. I mean, it was good enough for the Queen since the 50’s. 

 

And they had (i believe it has now ended due to her death) a Royal Warrant

 

 

Yes, and that Royal Warrant was renewed a few years ago.  I went to a talk last spring at the Baltimore-Washington Pen Show given by a descendent of the Parker family about the early history of the company and he had a display including the framed warrants.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[inkstainedruth]

7 hours ago, AGF said:

Parker won't say anymore in their pen boxes: "By appointment of Her Majesty the Queen".

 

Now you will read: "If you can't bear His Majesty's Bloody pen... use Parker"

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[MHBru]

I feel badly for the guy... all this publicity around his reaction to a leaky pen ... it's not like he's under any stress or anything... I do wonder what pen it was... mostly because we all know about his mother's P51.  It would be nice to know what his prefered pen is... hopefully it's one with a nib!  EIther way, I wish him the best.

[Inkysloth]

1 hour ago, GeoffMartin said:

watching the video, I found at least two differences between King Charles and me:

- I don't get the least bit upset when my pen leaks.

 

I’m far from a royalist, but I have sympathy for a man who is bereaved, has the media scrutinising his every move, and is stepping into a very weighty role. 

[Ceilidh]

45 minutes ago, Inkysloth said:

I’m far from a royalist, but I have sympathy for a man who is bereaved, has the media scrutinising his every move, and is stepping into a very weighty role. 

Indeed. Not to mention that he was visiting his third country in 48 hours (including back and forth from Scotland twice the first day). I know the royals are supposed to take things in stride, but they're still human. He was probably tired enough to be out of sorts with anything; the unfortunate pen just happened to be in the way.

[sandy101]

The plastic seal on my MB146 cracked. The cracked. It's the bit that attached the nib to the body.

 

Chances are there's a crack in the feed or the seal resulting in a seepage of ink. MB will repair it for £100 or so.

[GeoffMartin]

2 hours ago, Inkysloth said:

I’m far from a royalist, but I have sympathy for a man who is bereaved, has the media scrutinising his every move, and is stepping into a very weighty role. 

You're right. I take it back. My apologies.

[Mr. Pink]

Could be that one of the first acts of King Chuck will be to send the keeper of the royal pens to the block.  

 

(FYI, I thought QEII was a grand lady)

 

PS  -  at least it didn't squirt him in the eye!

[Pingu]

5 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

Yes, and that Royal Warrant was renewed a few years ago.  I went to a talk last spring at the Baltimore-Washington Pen Show given by a descendent of the Parker family about the early history of the company and he had a display including the framed warrants.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Actually, Parker has (or had) both a royal warrant from Charles (as Prince of Wales) since 1991, as well as from the late Queen since 1962.  

 

(See my picture of this from a Parker brochure that I have...)

The warrant from the Queen will have expired automatically on her death, although I believe there is a grace period for it to be removed from branding material. Not sure if Charles’s  warrant carries over as King, or if it expired too as he is no longer PoW. Interesting that, unlike the Queen, it would appear he does not actually prefer a Parker pen, so is it the ink that he uses?

[IThinkIHaveAProblem]

8 minutes ago, Pingu said:

Actually, Parker has (or had) both a royal warrant from Charles (as Prince of Wales) since 1991, as well as from the late Queen since 1962.  

 

(See my picture of this from a Parker brochure that I have...)

The warrant from the Queen will have expired automatically on her death, although I believe there is a grace period for it to be removed from branding material. Not sure if Charles’s  warrant carries over as King, or if it expired too as he is no longer PoW. Interesting that, unlike the Queen, it would appear he does not actually prefer a Parker pen, so is it the ink that he uses?

Thank you for this. 
 

I thought i had seen that they had two warrants but I’ve been too busy to check. 
 

it is interesting that he granted  Parker a Warrant but then uses a MB…

 

 

[Inkysloth]

5 minutes ago, IThinkIHaveAProblem said:

It is interesting that he granted  Parker a Warrant but then uses a MB…

 

 

The royal warrant just means it’s something supplied for use by “the household,” which can include staff. It doesn’t mean the monarch / duke / etc etc actually uses the product personally. 
 

https://www.royal.uk/royal-warrants-0

[ParramattaPaul]

1 hour ago, Pingu said:

Actually, Parker has (or had) both a royal warrant from Charles (as Prince of Wales) since 1991, as well as from the late Queen since 1962.  

 

(See my picture of this from a Parker brochure that I have...)

The warrant from the Queen will have expired automatically on her death, although I believe there is a grace period for it to be removed from branding material. Not sure if Charles’s  warrant carries over as King, or if it expired too as he is no longer PoW. Interesting that, unlike the Queen, it would appear he does not actually prefer a Parker pen, so is it the ink that he uses?

With that, the avid collectors (AKA potential hoarders) amongst us will be busy for the next few months buying up every warranted product and tucking it away as an 'investment' to be redeemed by their heirs sometime next century.

[ianmedium]

He has had issues before with his fountain pens after flights, I’m sure it’s the same again hence his frustration. I do think his equerries dropped the ball here, especially at this incredibly emotional and intense time. One of them could have easily drained the pen for he flight then refilled it for him once on the ground and the problem would have been solved, they are meant to think of these seemingly tiny details!

 

But I’m glad in a way he had a moment to vent and let out some emotion. He is in his seventies and in the space of less than two years lost his beloved parents, had covid and problems with his son and daughter in law and now faces a new role at a time when normal people would be well into their retirement!

 

I do wonder as well if he has ever had that MB serviced? He has had it quite a while, perhaps it’s time MB had it in and give it a good going over!

[Carguy]

That pen sure looked small enough to be a burgundy Parker 51. Wouldn’t it be something if that were his mother’s pen which she cherished and he hated it?

[Sailor Kenshin]

10 hours ago, ianmedium said:

He has had issues before with his fountain pens after flights, I’m sure it’s the same again hence his frustration. I do think his equerries dropped the ball here, especially at this incredibly emotional and intense time. One of them could have easily drained the pen for he flight then refilled it for him once on the ground and the problem would have been solved, they are meant to think of these seemingly tiny details!

 

But I’m glad in a way he had a moment to vent and let out some emotion. He is in his seventies and in the space of less than two years lost his beloved parents, had covid and problems with his son and daughter in law and now faces a new role at a time when normal people would be well into their retirement!

 

I do wonder as well if he has ever had that MB serviced? He has had it quite a while, perhaps it’s time MB had it in and give it a good going over!

 
Amen.  And If Montblanc hasn't already leapt in and offered to repair the pen, shame on them.