Am I a geeky FP geek?

[DickBrowne]

I've been inspired to make this confession after reading Empty of Clouds thread about swapping inks - "Confessions of an Inkaholic"

Of late, given the number of pens and inks I'm accruing, I have found it difficult to keep track of what ink is in which pen - especially where I have similar colour inks such as Diamine Merlot and Mont Blanc Burgundy, its tricky to know which is which.

I am, as some of you may already have realised from other threads, a bit of a watch-nerd - I am a part-qualified horologist, and a collector. To keep track of my watches, I use my "other" occupation - IT nerd - to good effect. I have written a database which details every watch I own, where it was purchased, when, how much for, it's current value, every piece of work I have ever carried out on the watch and, if it's sold, details of that also.

It's a great way of knowing what I have, what it owes me and, if things take a turn for the worse and I need to make an insurance claim, there is even photographic evidence the purchase, the watch and every receipt relating to it. All replicated to the cloud.

My pen-life isn't that involved yet (yet!), but I still need some sort of record, so I've built a quick and dirty spreadsheet - similar details - purchase, history, costs etc. but I also have a column showing if the pen is inked an in use, or resting. If it's inked, I also record what colour ink.

Is this something that others also do?

[Chrissy]

I have a Seven Seas Writer Journal of Tomoe River paper, and a batch of pages was set aside for pens I own and ink that they are filled with. Each pen gets one side of a page, and when I empty it then refill it, I cross out the old ink and write in what ink the latest fill is. A bit crude and old-fashioned maybe, but I can't do data spreadsheets.

[grainweevil]

Others do indeed do the spreadsheet thing, although I'm in Chrissy's camp and turn to pen and paper instead. It seems appropriate. Thus I have a notebook with a page for each pen, price paid, when, where, observations on any repairs or customisations etc. Whilst for the inking, another notebook where the pen and ink in question is used to note the date inked, pen, ink, and subsequently the date it was cleaned out again. The beauty of that, for me, is that over time you get lots of different writing samples of lots of different inks, and the gap between dates will quickly show if I found that combination successful or not.

Does this make me geeky? Possibly. Although I suspect it merely adds weight to existing geekhood.

[catbert]

I track my pens and inks in a spreadsheet but record ink/pen pairings in a dedicated notebook, one page per pen, with date inked and date emptied or changed. It provides a visual record of how each combination looks and behaves, and an indication of which pens are used most and with what inks. I haven't yet got around to the reverse — a notebook with one page per ink and a record of which pens were filled with it and when.

And no, this isn't geeky at all ...

[Paddler]

Seems to me, you would have to have a huge collection to make a spreadsheet worth the trouble of learning to use it. My small accumulations of things aren't large enough that I would need a spreadsheet to keep track. I just use a small notebook and make a list. The computer hardware can stay cold and silent.

[Kaputnik]

I do have a spreadsheet listing all my fountain pens, and what I paid for each. For keeping track of what ink is in what pen, a notebook works perfectly well. I only have maybe two to six pens inked at one time, but if I'm going to refill one directly instead of flushing it, it's convenient to remind myself exactly what ink is in there. When I flush the pen, I cross out the entry.

[Voiren]

Seems to me, you would have to have a huge collection to make a spreadsheet worth the trouble of learning to use it. My small accumulations of things aren't large enough that I would need a spreadsheet to keep track. I just use a small notebook and make a list. The computer hardware can stay cold and silent.

That rather depends on whether you already use spreadsheets - there is no learning curve in that case. (Also, just keeping a sequential record of things is a use of spreadsheet-as-table that doesn't actually involve any spreadsheet functions! Merely typing).

I have a spreadsheet for pens bought which is only vaguely up to date. I also write them down some of the time. I write what inks are when I start using them. That probably should be in one notebook but is actually spread over several. I haven't forgotten what I have in a pen yet...

I suppose when I have a spreadsheet I only have one spreadsheet, as opposed to lists here, there and everywhere!

[Wahl]

I have a spreadsheet as a record of pens I own, and another of pens I have sold.

Brand, model, color, date of manufacture, price.

They are simple tables which do not require any IT proficiency.

[DickBrowne]

My spreadsheets are really simple - mono dimensional, no pivot tables, not even any formatting. It's pure info, and I can back it up it to the cloud so it's safe.

That said, I really like the idea of the notebook - a visual representation of the ink, how it looks from the pen it's in - affected by flow, nib and all that stuff - really appeals. And it's a reason for a new notebook! What's not to love?

[penwash]

My spreadsheets are really simple - mono dimensional, no pivot tables, not even any formatting. It's pure info, and I can back it up it to the cloud so it's safe.

That said, I really like the idea of the notebook - a visual representation of the ink, how it looks from the pen it's in - affected by flow, nib and all that stuff - really appeals. And it's a reason for a new notebook! What's not to love?

I used to scribble some writing sample and sketches with pens that I acquire (usually broken, clogged up, or both) mainly to test the result of my restoration, try new inks, etc. As people started to buy my restored pens, those writing samples became irreplaceable tokens for me to remember the pen by.

Over the span of 3 years, those scribbles and sketches had turned into a collection that -- for all intent and purposes -- is catalogued digitally in my Instagram account. I just passed 300 mark not too long ago.

So I guess I am a geeky FP guy

[azkid]

Though I also am a geeky IT guy and would be expected to create a spreadsheet or web app or something, with pens and watches, part of the allure for me is the simplicity.

I used to take notes in OneNote but frankly it was a pain in the ass and I couldn't find anything anyway. My bullet journal is much better.

So the only records I keep on pens is a small Goulet pocket notebook listing what's inked with what, what is dirty, and what is clean.

I am pulled in too many directions to worry whether I lose money or make money on pen sales so I don't bother recording purchase prices or cost of repairs. I ballpark for the few pens I restore and sell and probably make a couple bucks each. Or not. Who cares, it's fun

I use pocket watch database online for pocket watches, the wristwatches I don't care.

I probably would keep track of this stuff in a notebook if I got the urge to do so. I'd rather spending my scant coding time on other projects.

[VertOlive]

It is something others do. I do not. I do always remember what I'm using in any given pen despite the fact I've got at least a dozen murky green inks.

That's my geekdom.

[Kulprit]

I used to track such things in my head, but after twice dumping ink back into the wrong bottle, I bought up a bunch of Matt Armstrong’s Currently Inked notebooks to keep me straight.

As for prices and dates of acquisition, that’s all in my email so searching takes no longer than it would searching a spreadsheet.


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[KrazyIvan]

My problem is I keep starting a new ink journal before finishing the several I have already started.

[azkid]

Thanks to this thread for the reminder to update my Currently Inked Journal. I was behind due to several new pens

[FredRydr]

I do not memorialize my ink or pen usage. I only keep track of which ink is in what pen currently filled in my pen rack. I keep my list with my stationary in my briefcase, and update the list from time to time until I run out of space and make a fresh list (which is about due).

For example, as of today, these are in front of me ready to use or put into my writing case:

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[DickBrowne]

Ooh, nice rack! You’ve given me an inspiration for when my in laws turn up for a week over Xmas... Fire up the lathe!

[calamus]

I was wondering what to do with my pipe racks now that I've stopped smoking. I'll have to get them out and dust them off and see how well thy'll work for pens.