One Pen

[fountainpenkid]

As of today, I have listed all of my collection (a mere 6 pens) for sale, as well as a good portion of my inks and will hopefully soon be left with only 1 pen--a Pelikan m400 white tortoise. Has anybody experienced having just one pen before (as a person who has been in the hobby for a few years)? How long did you last if so? I will report on this odd phenomenon if necessary. I think I will be able to last.

[welch]

I had one pen for two or three years; tossed it and wrote with one pen for the next six or seven years. Parker 45. One ink: Sheaffer washable black, most of the time. Of course, nobody had more than one pen in the olden dayes...

[Laura N]

I had one fountain pen and one ink for years, but it wasn't a hobby for me then, honestly. You'll be fine. To everything there is a season.

[earthdawn]

While I have only had a brief period where I owned just 1 pen I can tell for sure that the Pelikan m400 white tortoise is one SWEET pen to be left with. I mean to have just one pen is how it was back in the day.. and to have it be such a stunning one at that I think you will be fine. How long will you be able to resist getting something else I can't say.

PAD (Pen Acquisition Disorder) is a slippery slope my friend!

[Dreck]

You'll be fine. To everything there is a season.

Truer words were never spoken ( especially since this is from Ecclesiastes Ch 3). Revel in and enjoy to the fullest your one pen & feel no shame. If I were forced to own/use but one fountain pen, I would do so without compunction or regret. Considering we are halfway through Lent, this is a great time for you to cast off the Lust of the Flesh, The Lust of the Eyes, and the vaunting pride of possessions. : D

[Manny]

[Jon Szanto]

I spent many years with only two fountain pens, but at any given time I could usually only find one. So I understand, and neither was as nice as the Pelikan. At the end of the day, it's what you write, not what you write with, that counts.

[amk]

If you had only one pen and it was a Bic biro, that would be sad.

But a white tortoise Pelikan... displays taste.

[Paul-H]

Hi

I also had only one pen for many years, it was a Parker 51 Aerometric and was my only fountain pen for the best part of 30 years. I still have it but now I collect pens so its one of many.

A pen for use can be quite different to a collected pen.

Paul

[da vinci]

I think this is a great thing to do, and i am looking forward to hearing how you get on. I would love to simplify my life in all sorts of ways, but collecting fountain pens is proving as hard as nicotine to cut down on!

How did you select your 1 pen? Did you consider selling your all your collection to buy 1 new pen?

[kaisnowbird]

Hi Will, if you don't mind me asking, what made you want to reduce to just one pen? Would you consider having at least two - one as back up, or more than one nib grades?

[tiffanyhenschel]

You will do fine with one pen. For the first. Several years after I began using fountain pens, I had two pens and two inks and was perfectly happy. I have expanded beyond that now, but I still embrace a less is more policy. After I reach a saturation point, I inevitably sell off pens that were previously indispensable. There comes a point where you can enjoy other people's pens without needing to own them yourself.

[Waski_the_Squirrel]

I functioned just fine with a Parker Vector as my only pen. My ink was Parker Quink Permanent Black.

[kia]

If I had to, or felt compelled to, I could use just one pen. For myself, I hope that does not come to pass, as some of my pens were acquired for specific reasons. Honestly, I would go through some serious withdrawals before becoming accustomed to only one pen. But that is me, not you.

If you feel you wish to only use one pen, then one pen it is. It is your personal choice, and you have my respect for being you. If you should return to having multiple pens, I'll respect that, too.

[kaisnowbird]

Same here. I totally respect, and admire, those who can use just one pen and/or one ink, but reckon I would face serious withdrawal if I should attempt it.

[pico]

One pen is fine, and great choice. I used one pen at a time since I was in high school. My Parker flighter lasted me from about 1982 until about 2010, then I broke it and replaced it with a Parker Urban. Only used Parker black quink for that entire period until I discovered these forums and the FPN a few months ago. I've enjoyed exploring some other pens, nibs and inks. But, I will probably settle on a favorite set of a few nib/pen/ink combinations and go another 30 years. haha.

[rdcalhoon]

I think having just one pen would be like having a tool box with just one wrench. It would work if you only had one size bolt, I suppose.

[79spitfire]

One pen to rule them all???

I could do with fewer, but I'm fascinated with the variety still.

I am over my Indian pen phase. In order to make them useful I have to put a western or Chinese made nib in them. It ruins the 'point' for me. (Still love the feel of the ebonite ones though!)

[00Photo]

I color code data and notes at work. There is NO way I could make do with one pen. That's crazy talk.

[Plume145]

oh yeah - you're entering a One True Pen phase. I reckon most people who have used pens for quite a long time go through those

I've used FPs since second grade, and I've had times where I had several pens in use with different inks, and times when I had just one and maybe a backup (eg with exam friendly Erasablue ink back when I used to have exams). It just sort of cycles, y'know? It's often triggered (for me) by coming across a truly awesome pen, or one that took effort getting my hands on (eg when I got my MB145). Maybe that's the case for you too? It sounds like that Pelikan is a pretty awesome pen The multi-pen stage comes from an expansion of horizons, eg when I got all my dad's pens or when I came across the online FP community in 2012 and discovered a ton of new stores, ink brands, and types of nibs. I'm still in that phase, but I can feel an OTP phase coming on because lately I catch myself chafing at frequent refills and cleanouts and am starting to feel like I have too much ink to really enjoy. I don't see it going with a single pen, so maybe it will be the four musketeers or whatever :P

But I do think the One True Pen phase is something that happens more to those who are more users than they are collectors.