FPGeeks Give Away #6

**dannzeman** · April 19th, 2010, 09:08 PM

First of all, let me apologize for not getting this up on time. We think all you foutain pen geeks out there will really like this one. It’s a nice package deal that includes a Moleskine 5×8 Sketchobook, a vintage bottle of Skrip ink with the integrated ink well, and a black Esterbrook SJ with a 9550 nib. Are you salivating yet? The best part about this contest is that all you have to do to enter is tell us how many pens you have in your collection AND how many do you think it will take before you’re content? Pretty simple, eh? Since I was late getting this up we’ll give you a little more time to enter. You have until Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 11:59pm to enter.

**Kelly G** · April 19th, 2010, 09:45 PM

Wow, simple you say?
How many pens in the accumulation? I'm a couple of hours distant from the Pen Cave (where the pen cabinets reside) so this is a guess - educated, but a guess nonetheless. Somewhere between 250 & 275. I may be counting high; it may be only 225 to 250 - I haven't taken a count in awhile. All restored and ready to write BTW. I have a bunch more in parts and pieces - but they don't count.

I'm pretty content right now. Having said that, I did put out a few bids on e-bay recently and I'm jonesing after that Henry Simpole pen that Ghost Plane is working on over on FPN as well as the Edison Pearl Urushi pen Brian Gray is pitching. But I don't have that kind of money in my pen savings right now - although....

**Okami** · April 19th, 2010, 10:03 PM

I think that I have about 75. I'm pretty content, but there is always something that catches my eye....

JohnCruzNg · April 19th, 2010, 10:43 PM

Currently I have only five fountain pens in my collection. I only started about a year and a half ago. I would probably be content with my collection when I reach about 10 or so. I am very picky about my pens so only the best get into my collection. Of course three of the five fountain pens I currently own were gifted to me.

FAmore · April 19th, 2010, 10:55 PM

I have three pens currently, I just started on this hobby in collecting and using fountain pens, its expensive but awsome. I don't think I will over do it and have a lot of pens, i'll be content with maybe 5-10 pens, including some everyday pens and some collectables.

**donwinn** · April 20th, 2010, 05:50 AM

I have about 60, but the number fluctuates, as I sell long-term unused pens, and get infatuated with new ones. Currently saving for a Pilot Custom 74 with SF nib, possibly a Bexley Ranger, or other similar pen, and likely an Indian ebonite pen of some sort. I had a few Wality eyedroppers once before, but sold them. Looking at some of the ones allwritenow.net has, with a converter installed.

Content, probably never, as my likes and dislikes change.

Donnie

Bourgeoisie · April 20th, 2010, 06:21 AM

I have 6. I think 10 will be enough, but I expect that to take a little while to get to because I have decided not to buy anymore "cheap" pens. All but one of my pens is worth less than $20, and now that I'm hooked all that I want are some higher-end pens.

**Koyote** · April 20th, 2010, 06:34 AM

I have four fountain pens, with nibs ranging from xf to medium. That about covers it for me, so I probably won't buy any more right now. Oh, wait a minute, I would really like to try a broad nib, so may buy one for my Pelikan (love those interchangeable nibs!) or just buy a whole pen with a broad if the opportunity presents itself.

gillyohan · April 20th, 2010, 07:36 AM

I currently have four FPs in my collection (Sapporo EF, m205 M, Safari EF/1.1i, Estie SJ w/ 2668). I don't want to have so many pens as to have to rotate in and out, to be honest, so I've just been trading or giving away pens, to keep my collection relatively small. I think one more pen, maybe an Estie SJ w/ 9550 (hah!), will keep me satisfied, as far as number is concerned.

sokuban · April 20th, 2010, 08:12 AM

I currently have 3 fountain pens.

Hero 508: This was my first fountain pen. It is a nice fine soft nib, but it is a dry writer that skips sometimes with a tiny ink capacity. If you give it a little pressure when you write it "works" though; I guess it was one of those pens that came out of the factory with ballpen users in mind.
Sheaffer 440: This has been used by my dad for years. Also a nice pen, but it has a huge foot on it that makes it really smooth and well flowing, but really broad, and unfortunately I like fine (or maybe even extra fine) pens. Recently, I have tried holding it at a higher angle (the foot is a really low angle, so now I'm trying holding it at a "normal" angle), and I don't get the foot so it is a little finer, but a little scratchy.
Sailor Fude de Mannen: This is a special Japanese pen used to imitate Chinese calligraphy. It works well, but I'm not really trained in Chinese calligraphy, so I can't really use it to its best potential.

It will take 1 pen for me to be content. I'm a fountain pen user, not a collector, but I'm not content yet because all the pens I have have some sort of problem that makes them not perfect. Once I have that perfect pen, I wouldn't need any more pens. (except Italic, flex, special script and whatnot)

That Esterbrook has a 9550 nib eh? @_@

**major_works** · April 20th, 2010, 08:42 AM

I've been using fountain pens for less than a year now and have the following on hand:
1. Lamy 2000 EF (just bought this one about a week ago and love it!)
2. Parker 51 aerometric with F nib (teal with lustraloy cap, someone's name on the barrel, a beater but great pen)
3. Varuna Rajan black ebonite ED with M nib (from allwritenow.net)
4. Lamy Safari Vista F
5. Kaweco Colleg V5 piston filler with F nib; this one's got problems that I hope to solve someday
6. Hero 5020 with F nib
7. Huashilai 3000 with F/M nib
8. Platinum Preppy with M nib (my dedicated Baystate Blue pen; I converted it to an ED)

Wow, that's more than I even thought. What will make me content? Well, I'd love to have a Vacumatic and/or a Duofold someday. I like my Varuna ED pen a lot and would like to explore the Indian-made ebonites a bit more. A grail pen for me would be one of Brian Gray's Edison Pens. Oh, and those Esterbrooks are supposed to be pretty nice!

**Ernst Bitterman** · April 20th, 2010, 09:01 AM

I made entry #290 in my catalogue yesterday, although that's not an accurate count since I have sold a few on. Let's say 280. I don't think contentment is to be found in numbers, but rather finding the standouts in the swarm. That's not quite half of them, so far.

Ted H · April 20th, 2010, 09:05 AM

I have about 40, plus 3 dip-less desk sets. I'll be satisfied---NEVER!

**Lyntoni** · April 20th, 2010, 09:26 AM

I just signed up to this forum and am very excited about it! At this point I have about 300 vintage pens in my collection...many in various stages of restoraton. And how many until I am content? Yeah...right...content with the number of pens I have! You guys are funny!
Sure would love to add this Esterbrook...just saying!

**carpedavid** · April 20th, 2010, 12:41 PM

Including the Pilot Falcon I just bought yesterday, I now have 11 pens in my collection. I can't say that I'm ever going to be satisfied, honestly. There are too many wonderful writing instruments out there to ever feel like I'm finished.

**mollzo_DK** · April 20th, 2010, 03:39 PM

Wow. That is a really nice gesture!!

- I have 3 fountain pens at the moment. I started using them in school and my handwriting have improved a great deal using these fine writing instruments!

- I think I will gather a collection of about 10 pens in due time (in school right now, so not much cash to put into FPs). It is certainly a hobby that I will appreciate for the rest of my life!!!

Morten

penspouse · April 20th, 2010, 04:36 PM

Between my Hubby and I (OURS), too many to count. (They are stored in too many places.) Of those that I claim as MINE, I count 41. (All, but 3, are vintage) That is unless Hubby has snagged others, and has them with him at work, and I can't remember which ones they are. I am very content with what I have, but wouldn't discount buying more if the price was right.

**Tortoise** · April 20th, 2010, 04:38 PM

I have about 51 nice fountain pens that I use myself, plus two nice Pelikanos (courtesy of the wonderful Pear Tree Pens) and 10 Parker Vectors that I loan out to my students in Senior English. As for being content -- ha! I've been obsessed with pens and office supplies since I was a kid. This will never end!