Is your Grail pen your Favorite pen; Is you EDC you favorite or your grail?

[amberleadavis]

I must thank my enablers because I would never have acquired my obsession without @dcpritch. My dream pen without the inksters and @Sinistral1, my impressive pens without help from someone who didn't want to be named, some of my bucket list pens from @Frank C and @tringle. And my EDC and test pens from @TheGreatRoe.

 

And all of these people I've met on fpn.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

5 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

I must thank my enablers because I would never have acquired my obsession without @dcpritch. My dream pen without the inksters and @Sinistral1, my impressive pens without help from someone who didn't want to be named, some of my bucket list pens from @Frank C and @tringle. And my EDC and test pens from @TheGreatRoe.

 

And all of these people I've met on fpn.

Hi, we do try and help where we can lol, glad to be of service 

[corniche]

I try not to "enable" people, per se, because I wouldn't want any addictions on my conscience; my own addiction is difficult enough to cope with.

 

However, if anyone ever compliments me on a pen; I'll tell them what it is and where I bought it... and if I'm ever asked any questions, I'll answer them freely, but I always close with the admonishment: "What so ever you do; never visit FPN."

 

- Sean

[Mark from Yorkshire]

@corniche I think @amberleadavis was making a general observation about all members on here. I don’t consciously enable or intententionally enable. It might be a “happy accident” despite my semi sarcastic response above

[inkstainedruth]

Well, given that Amberlea Davis was an enabler in pushing me over the edge to try Noodler's Kung Te Cheng.... 

Of course a few years ago I told my husband that I didn't have NEARLY as many inks as either her or Sam Capote -- and his response?  "This ISN'T a competition!" 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[countrydirt]

I started this hobby with a charcoal Lamy Safari and a Waterman Phileus (sp?).  Soon enough I chased quite a few different pens of varying values from cheap Chinese knockoffs to Pelikan and vintage Parkers and Esterbrook. 

 

At some point the Lamy 2000 became my "grail" pen and I searched and searched for a decent used pen so I wouldn't pay too much.  Welp, I ended up with 2 of them.  But at the same time I discovered the Lamy Studio and subsequently purchased about 5 different colors and nib combinations.   

 

My 2K with a F nib is still my favorite, but those Studios are the ones that are in daily carry rotation.  I almost always have a 2K inked up and on my home desk as it is just a fantastic pen for my hand.  

 

Now I am retired and unencumbered with a spouse spending all of the disposable income, but I have no desire to chase any other "grail" pen, even though I can now with only asking myself for permission.  

[kestrel]

13 hours ago, corniche said:

However, if anyone ever compliments me on a pen; I'll tell them what it is and where I bought it... and if I'm ever asked any questions, I'll answer them freely, but I always close with the admonishment: "What so ever you do; never visit FPN."

 

- Sean

This site needs a big (really big) banner across the top of every page that reads, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

Thanks to Amber my cache of ink has been declared a public health hazard.  Its sheer mass is causing the area around my home to slowly sink.

[corniche]

15 minutes ago, kestrel said:

This site needs a big (really big) banner across the top of every page that reads, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

Thanks to Amber my cache of ink has been declared a public health hazard.  Its sheer mass is causing the area around my home to slowly sink.

I wonder if it would work... I know those driver's ed films in high school didn't stop me from speeding and those VD films in sex ed didn't stop me from chasing girls... although what surprised me was how many girls must have been on the track team... they were all fast runners. They must have also been in the choir, too, because they'd all scream what sounded like opera as they ran.

 

- Sean

[amberleadavis]

37 minutes ago, kestrel said:

This site needs a big (really big) banner across the top of every page that reads, "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."

Thanks to Amber my cache of ink has been declared a public health hazard.  Its sheer mass is causing the area around my home to slowly sink.

 

You are one of my enablers!  I have pens inked with samples from your stashes.  

[amberleadavis]

1 hour ago, countrydirt said:

I started this hobby with a charcoal Lamy Safari and a Waterman Phileus (sp?).  Soon enough I chased quite a few different pens of varying values from cheap Chinese knockoffs to Pelikan and vintage Parkers and Esterbrook. 

 

At some point the Lamy 2000 became my "grail" pen and I searched and searched for a decent used pen so I wouldn't pay too much.  Welp, I ended up with 2 of them.  But at the same time I discovered the Lamy Studio and subsequently purchased about 5 different colors and nib combinations.   

 

My 2K with a F nib is still my favorite, but those Studios are the ones that are in daily carry rotation.  I almost always have a 2K inked up and on my home desk as it is just a fantastic pen for my hand.  

 

Now I am retired and unencumbered with a spouse spending all of the disposable income, but I have no desire to chase any other "grail" pen, even though I can now with only asking myself for permission.  

 

You have given me an idea for a new topic.  

 

 

[kestrel]

On 4/10/2023 at 11:17 PM, kestrel said:

 

Bucket List pens:   The one pen on my bucket list that is possibly achievable is a vintage Conklin S4 crescent.  My entry into vintage pens came about when I discovered that I could own and use the same models of fountain pen that one of my favorite authors, Mark Twain, used.  Over the years I have acquired a MacKinnon Stylograph similar to Twain's that works, sort of.  At least it works as well  as Twain's MacKinnons did which means it's a better aggravation/profanity inducer than a writing instrument.  I have some nice early Wirt pens (including one originally sold by Twain's favorite New York jewelry store) that are better writers than the MacKinnon and Conklins, Twain's favorite pens and mine are a joy to use.  A couple of references claim that Twain used an S4.  I have never seen one for sale but...

 

Pen about which you are most obsessive?  Squid pen and the S4.  Most my attacks of  SPL (Spontaneous Pen Lust) go away after a few days or, at most, a week or two and the pen goes to somebody else.  Squid pen and the S4 have been nagging at me for years.

"Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you..."  I found an S4 and completed the sale today.  The price was a borderline sumgai.  It will be in my hands by Friday.  The pen has some issues, understandable for a 115 year old pen, and will need a goodly amount of TLC to return it to functionality but nothing I can't handle.  My wife already understands that the honeydo list for this weekend is on hold unless another one of the Ogeechee tupelo seeds decides to sprout.

[fireant]

On 4/10/2023 at 2:35 PM, inkstainedruth said:

 

That and possibly a full size Parker 51 in Plum (but since I have the Plum Demi, I'm not looking all that hard -- because again, the prices of those are more than I can currently afford.  

 

Why did I google this pen? It's beautiful!

[fireant]

 

Hmm I am kinda a weirdo. The two vintage pens I wanted so much I have had for several years. The bad thing about owning them, is because they are rather rare I find myself seldom using them which is a shame. They are the Waterman Red Ripple 7 wiht a pink nib and a Wahl Doric adjustable nib that Syd restored for me. As far as modern pens, I had drooled and chased after the Montblanc 149 calligraphy (about 2 years too late). I bought the 146 calligraphy and was/still am quite happy with it. Every now and again I'd google for the 149 calligraphy and low and behold I found some in Italy. I snagged one, my sibling got one and I think at least one other person in the MB forum groups got one. I have no idea why they had them so far out of production, but I was happy to get it for the going retail price.

 

Bucket List pens - 

Dream Pen - I am on Bokumondoh's waiting list. She's going to modify an older MB 149 with lacquer/abalone shell. I saw an older Pelikan she'd worked on and her work/pens are breath taking. I think I will be on the list for at least another 18 months.

EDC pen - Vintage Parker 51, some TWSBIs and just about anything I am not afraid of banging up. I even like the Pakastani Dollar pens.

Favorite Pen - Usually is one of several beat up vintage hard rubber pens (waterman, conklin, mabie todd) with flexy nibs. One of the modern ones I've been using a lot is a awkard (for my hand size) Franklin Christoph 19 with a Regalia Crossfire nib. Since I don't like the outter pen, I use it a lot more because I am not afraid of banging it up. Probably very weird and stupid.

Grail Pen -  a Nakaya Dorsal 2 in Aka-Tamenur (red lacquer)- I saw a piccolo cigar version and I held it up to the son and it was so beautiful.

 

As far as the vintage Parkers, someone on instagram sent me (over the last year) four bags of vintage pens from her great uncle's estate. I've given away many of them (to my local club). This weekend I just found out at our meeting that one of the ones that I use is a rather rare color (baby poop beige) and another that I haven't tried because I just received it, has a rather rare nib. sigh. So now I will probably be anxious about these as well. I swear I should just use Lamy Safaris so I can be let out in public.

[amberleadavis]

2 hours ago, fireant said:

I swear I should just use Lamy Safaris so I can be let out in public.

 

I totally empathize. 

[fireant]

3 minutes ago, amberleadavis said:

 

I totally empathize. 

 

 

Hey I saw your picture comparing a music nib to the Italic Edge. Are they (IEs) really selling for 2500 now o.0

[amberleadavis]

7 minutes ago, fireant said:

 

 

Hey I saw your picture comparing a music nib to the Italic Edge. Are they (IEs) really selling for 2500 now o.0

 

I saw one on ebay that day for that price.  The ad was removed so I don't know what happened.  I think they were originally about $1850.  It's a lot of money for a really cool nib.

[RJS]

I don't take my most expensive pens with me to work, and I don't usually even carry a fountain pen if I'm out hiking (which I love doing). I bring robust pens like the Kaweco AL Sport to work if the pen is dropped in a pocket (despite its shortcomings I still like holding the pen), or general sub £100 pens if I bring a case with me.
 

Work doesn't require I do too much writing aside from on the computer, but I do as much as I can on paper. Typically one pen was always loaded with green (MB Irish Green commonly), but I've started annotating PDFs electronically rather than by hand, for a speedier workflow. 😕 If the notes are just for my own use, I've started branching out into more unusual colours.

[Penguincollector]

2 hours ago, fireant said:

Franklin Christoph 19 with a Regalia Crossfire nib. Since I don't like the outter pen, I use it a lot more because I am not afraid of banging it up. Probably very weird and stupid.

  I loved that nib (and the IE)! While the pen body is not as visually appealing as it could be, the material has a really nice feel to it and I really enjoyed taking it on a test run. Thanks for being awesome! 
  I started collecting school pens because of the anxiety that leaving the house with a nicer pen gives me. Well, that and because they’re cute.

[fireant]

1 hour ago, amberleadavis said:

 

I saw one on ebay that day for that price.  The ad was removed so I don't know what happened.  I think they were originally about $1850.  It's a lot of money for a really cool nib.

 

 

They sold for €1.252,10 and €80 shipping. I have one. Shipping took forever because it was held up in customs due to the inks of all things. So $1461 all together on todays rate. I don't remember what the exchange rate was when I bought it but I think it was a little better on the US side.

 

[amberleadavis]

7 hours ago, fireant said:

 

 

They sold for €1.252,10 and €80 shipping. I have one. Shipping took forever because it was held up in customs due to the inks of all things. So $1461 all together on todays rate. I don't remember what the exchange rate was when I bought it but I think it was a little better on the US side.

 

 

The prices on Fritz Schimpf are higher than that, but they have been sold out forever.  

 

How do you like yours?

 

 

https://www.fritz-schimpf.de/en/Brands/Montblanc/Montblanc-x-Fritz-Schimpf-Special-Editions/Montblanc-x-Fritz-Schimpf-Special-Edition-Italic-Edge.html?force_sid=nt5vfg9iot00kqj583556s8cr3&listtype=search&searchparam=italic edge&listtype=search&searchparam=italic edge