Fountain Pen "Hobby" Comfort Zone...?

[aggoo]

I guess I treat my pens with some respect but I'm not overly careful. They are generally there to be used, and those I'm too scared to damage I keep locked up. I believe tools are made to be used and art to be appreciated, and I have pens which fit both categories. I'm not ashamed to have pens which I haven't inked, as they were probably never designed to be inked much in the first place (looking at you Montblanc POA etc), and the artistry is what makes them appeal in the first place. Tool pens though, I don't baby much at all, and I call a 'tool pen' anything I enjoy writing with. Some of these are relatively modest and some cost several hundred dollars, but they go in the pocket with my phone, sometimes in a pouch, but often bare. I do keep them away from keys though - thank God, most trousers have at least 2 pockets.

I used to be in the watch game but pulled out when I realised virtually all of my watches purchased brand new had developed significant scratches from regular wear and desk diving, and were no longer something I could sell to recoup my investment. I sold the few pristine and fancy branded ones I still had and I now wear the others with the same abandon as you would a G-Shock, and it's highly liberating. I realised as one of the previous posters wrote, I cannot afford to collect something if I can't afford to lose money on it. In contrast, I can justify using the same item even if it might devalue, the same way as I would use a fridge or washing machine. So I ditched expensive watches and diverted my hoarding instinct in to fountain pens ............. I now have far more money invested in to pens than I ever did watches, but each item costs a lot less and is more fun to use.

That being said, I do get sad when I damage something which was pristine, which is why I have a strong preference for preowned pens. If it's already slightly damaged, another light scratch or mark isn't going to hurt. Obviously much cheaper too and with most teething/tuning problems already ironed out.