From London

[ZeroSugar]

I'm new to the network, so I'm just saying hello.

I've been using fountain pens since around 2009, when I bought a Lamy Safari. I have about 50 of them now. I'm mainly interested in vintage pens now.

 

I live in London, and I'm thinking about attending the London Autumn Pen show next month. It would be my first time at a pen show.

[Mechanical]

You've come to the right place.  Welcome!

 

You have a lot of Safaris!  I bought my first Lamy Safari in the 90s or early noughts and it has been in continuous use ever since.  Utterly reliable pen.  It's currently my main carry-about pen for my pocket planer.

 

In vintage pens, has a particular brand caught your interest?

[PAKMAN]

Hello and Welcome to FPN!! So glad to have you as a member!!

[OCArt]

[northstar]

Hello and welcome to FPN.

[ZeroSugar]

Haha. I meant I have 50ish pens now.

 

In terms of vintage, I don't have a specific brand that I collect. I'm interested in how pens developed from the first ones through to what we have now. So I want to collect pens that were innovative, defining, and that helped moved things forward - different filling systems etc.

[Format]

33 minutes ago, ZeroSugar said:

Haha. I meant I have 50ish pens now.

 

In terms of vintage, I don't have a specific brand that I collect. I'm interested in how pens developed from the first ones through to what we have now. So I want to collect pens that were innovative, defining, and that helped moved things forward - different filling systems etc.

 

 

The London Pen Show is terrific, so much to see. Take cash and your own notebook, a loupe, water if you need it, a shoulder bag so that your hands are free. take your time, everyone has similar interests so enjoy talking to people. Take a break and find a Pret, have a coffee and return.

 

There is always someone with a Show Special, usually close to the entrance, last time I was there for example he had a stack of Conklins at just £10, new and boxed.

 

You will enjoy your day.

[Mark from Yorkshire]

Firstly a warm Welcome from up north in gods own country. Secondly I would like to echo what @Format said. Get yourself to your local pen show. The Yorkshire one was brilliant as is the Newcastle one. 

[Mechanical]

8 hours ago, ZeroSugar said:

Haha. I meant I have 50ish pens now.

 

In terms of vintage, I don't have a specific brand that I collect. I'm interested in how pens developed from the first ones through to what we have now. So I want to collect pens that were innovative, defining, and that helped moved things forward - different filling systems etc.

Well it would not be out of the ordinary for FPN denizens to have 50 pens from a single brand.  I figured you simply had a Safari in every color scheme Lamy ever devised. 🙂 

[inkstainedruth]

1 hour ago, Mechanical said:

Well it would not be out of the ordinary for FPN denizens to have 50 pens from a single brand.  I figured you simply had a Safari in every color scheme Lamy ever devised. 🙂 

Yeah, I did too.  The nice thing about Safaris and al-Stars is that the Sis didn't cost any more than the standard colors did (I don't actually have any "standard" colors -- I did get my husband a standard blue Safari but he's misplaced it....

And I *easily* have 50 or more Parkers (heck, I have over 20 Vectors alone at this point -- that's not counting the 45s, 51s, Vacumatics, probably a half dozen 61s, and my sterling Ciselé 75....

@ZeroSugar -- Greetings from Pittsburgh!    I'll admit I don't have NEARLY as many Safaris & al-Stars (I tend to not like the standard colors, so all of mine are SE ones except for the one LX -- and I got that pen for less money than a Safari because Lamy's old US distributor had a closeout sale a few years ago).  Wasn't sure I would be able to get used to the section on them at first, but then someone gave me a Jinhao 599 (a knockoff of an al-Star) and it wasn't as bad as I expected.  

I like the fact that the nibs are easily interchangeable on Safaris & al-Stars (someone at a pen show I was at a few years ago was showing another customer how to do it) -- so I swapped out the M nib on one of them for a Hanzi nib.  Took maybe just a minute or two to do.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ZeroSugar]

3 hours ago, Mechanical said:

Well it would not be out of the ordinary for FPN denizens to have 50 pens from a single brand.  I figured you simply had a Safari in every color scheme Lamy ever devised. 🙂 

 

I know. I've seen some collections like that. People have different collecting styles. I'm not one for having multiples of the same pen in different colours/patterns. I only have 1 pair of duplicates in my collection.

[Mechanical]

5 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

I like the fact that the nibs are easily interchangeable on Safaris & al-Stars (someone at a pen show I was at a few years ago was showing another customer how to do it) -- so I swapped out the M nib on one of them for a Hanzi nib.

For me, that Hanzi nib is a delight.

 

3 hours ago, ZeroSugar said:

People have different collecting styles. I'm not one for having multiples of the same pen in different colours/patterns. I only have 1 pair of duplicates in my collection.

Your collection sounds interesting.  There are many variations in function and style, and I'm keen to learn more about what you've got. :-)

[ZeroSugar]

8 hours ago, Mechanical said:

For me, that Hanzi nib is a delight.

 

Your collection sounds interesting.  There are many variations in function and style, and I'm keen to learn more about what you've got. 🙂

 

I do like that nib as well. Lamy was the first brand I bought, and by the time I had 10 pens 4 of them were Lamy (Safari, Logo, Dialog 3 and Studio). I've added a Persona more recently (different nib).

 

My collection is a mishmash - A few Parkers, some Sheaffers, Pelikans, Waterman, Pilot - a some cheap Chinese ones.

[Mercian]

1 hour ago, ZeroSugar said:

Lamy was the first brand I bought, and by the time I had 10 pens 4 of them were Lamy (Safari, Logo, Dialog 3 and Studio). I've added a Persona more recently (different nib).

Hello from Staffordshire!

 

Given your interest in different filling systems, and your early fondness for Lamy, I’m surprised that you haven’t got a Lamy 2000. Have your Pelikans perhaps ‘scratched the itch’ for piston-fillers? Or do you perhaps dislike the appearance (or weight, balance, or feel) of the 2000?

 

Slàinte,
M.

[ZeroSugar]

6 minutes ago, Mercian said:

Hello from Staffordshire!

 

Given your interest in different filling systems, and your early fondness for Lamy, I’m surprised that you haven’t got a Lamy 2000. Have your Pelikans perhaps ‘scratched the itch’ for piston-fillers? Or do you perhaps dislike the appearance (or weight, balance, or feel) of the 2000?

 

Slàinte,
M.

 

Hi Mercian,

 

I will definitely be getting a Lamy 2000 at some point. I would prefer a vintage one, though. I keep my eyes open in case one shows up at an auction or anywhere else. 

[VacNut]

There should be a few at the London Pen Show. If you cannot find something that fits your fancy, you are certain to meet people who can put you in contact with who can help you. It is a great way to spend a mid-morning and afternoon.

[Wil D]

Welcome!

[Stompie]

Don't know how I missed your intro so, my apologies for the late response but Welcome among us.

 

I have only been to one London pen show and it was great.

Also, if any of your pens need nib work etc. take them along with you as there are folk doing nibs and repairs etc.

I don't know if there is any ink swopping that goes on, perhaps one of the more frequent visitors to the show can enlighten us as it would be nice to take inks you don't like or want and swop them with someone else.

[Tommaso Santojanni]

In a similar vein, I must offer my apologies for not extending a welcome sooner. I, too, shall be at the London Pen Show this October and hope to cross paths with you there! A hearty *ciao* from an Italian currently residing in Hampshire!