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Thread: Good but seldom used pens.

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    Senior Member Kaputnik's Avatar
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    Default Good but seldom used pens.

    I posted this in another forum (no, not FPN), and then thought "why not here too?" But I'm writing a different text for the post, at least.

    Just last night I emptied my Pelikan M205, and on a whim decided to fill the Conklin Crescent Filler that you see on the right in the below picture. Moving right to left from that pen, you see an Esterbrook Dollar Pen, Moore L-72, Waterman's 12-PSF, Eversharp Skyline, Sheaffer Flat Top, Wearever pen/pencil combo, Paramount (model name unknown) and a Platinum 3776 Century. Only the Conklin is inked.



    All of these pens write very nicely, and the pencil part of the Wearever isn't bad either. But they are also very rarely used. When I'm down to just a couple of inked pens, I think about using one of these, or a number of others, but in the end I almost always use something else.

    This is not a preliminary to getting rid of "extra" pens, they aren't taking up a lot of room, and any of them could be used again; the Conklin only had to wait two or three years. Some people feel that they should get rid of things which they aren't using often enough. It's a reasonable attitude, but I'm not one of those people. But the downside of having a large selection of good pens is that it may be an impractically large selection of good pens.

    What pens do other people here have that haven't been used in a long time?
    "If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly."
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    Senior Member Tiggercat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I have been going through a similar thought process, but with different results. Rather than judge the pen, I judge myself - do I experience joy when I use a certain pen, or is it just a good writing implement? That can be a fine line, but I have decided to focus only on those pens that truly bring me joy when I use them. The others? There is no reason they couldn't bring joy to someone else, so I let them go, and reinvest the money into others. To answer your question, the next ones approaching the block are a Sheaffer Sentinel and a Parker 51, but there are more behind those.

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I have the same issue but for me I love the pen but can’t write with it for long periods. I have several in my collection that fit this description but I don’t want to get rid of them either lol


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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I think the age of the owner plays a big part here. Once you reach a certain age, you are more likely to decide it's time to let someone else have them so that you might be able to do all of those other things you always wanted to do with the money.

    It's not that I don't love my pens, but just that I've reached an age where I think maybe I should be parting with some that I don't use rather than buying more. It's time for some of them to go out into the world and take up their next lifetime with someone else who will hopefully love them as much as I did.
    Last edited by Chrissy; May 6th, 2019 at 12:15 AM.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I only use three of my pens. I've forgotten how many I own that don't get used.

    I have several pens which were stepping stone to get me to my favourites. Those stepping stones are no longer used. I also have duplicates of some of my favourites, which haven't been called into action yet, but are there in case of loss/damage.

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    When it comes to vintage pens there is a limited number of them. I guess a certain amount would have to change owner for the game and interest to be kept up. I like the repair and restoration part too. On the other hand, I guess selling these pens is about reaching the right owner, someone who would use them and take good care of them.

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    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I'm doing some serious winnowing and shifting these days.

    The pens that go up for sale are there for various reasons. One is an underused, gorgeous vintage pen that needs a more devoted owner, most are catch and release because the blind date didn't grow into a relationship, and one or two are pens given to me that I hadn't asked for.

    All of them will fund a harp which is something I'd like to get on with now because "The day grows late."
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I have a handful that I’ll sell off once I make the time to create listings.

    I don’t do nearly as much writing as I did a few years ago so I’m not rotating through my pens very quickly. At one point I even hoped to start making video reviews but I can never find the time to even do written reviews.

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    For many years I have been telling myself that it was my mission to save forgotten or abused pens. I took delight in servicing and returning to use things that were mostly just decent writers. Admittedly, reading about this pen or that pen increased my appetite for specific brands or nibs but I haven't been selective. The result is a large number of pens that I seldom use. Now that I've practically stopped rescuing them (the prices for junk have gone through the roof), I must find the time to have a last look at what I have collected and start passing them on. The only problem is that I also have too many inks and constantly try to match them to the right pen, which results in more and more inked pens that do relatively little writing. On the positive side, I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience, so I'm no hurry.

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I just let go of a few pens that were great writers but didn't get much use. A Jinhao x450, a Kakuno, and a couple others.

    Been wondering: could I trim down the collection to just a dozen, and be happy with that? There are some pens I cannot let go of at this point: my two Parker 45s, Pilot Stargazer, Parker Lucky Curve, Parker Black-Tipped Jade. But it changes over the months

    Not long ago I thought my MB 221 pens were The Pens, but now I am frustrated with how finicky they are with ink, how hard they are to tune for flow, and how it is tough to find a converter that fit and seal properly (which messes up flow big time).

    But some pens, it seems, I just want to collect because they are nice examples of vintage pens. They are good writers, but not so great I yearn to use them.

    My Burgundy Skyline set is in great shape but I don't love it as much as I'd hoped. It's not bad just not one I reach for. Same deal with the Blue Skyline.

    The Wahl Ringtop set is in super shape and in the original box. It writes nicely but is too short to be practical.

    Parker 51 was a great find but I haven't used it in forever. It isn't bad or anything. Maybe I will ink it up for my trip.

    The Parker 21 (first gen) is one of the smoothest writers but is prone to dripping ink. Actually will most likely sell this one.

    The Sheaffer Skripsert has an amazing nib but it is super finicky about ink and the barrel is too narrow to accept a converter and Skrip ink is terrible in it. It's just a pain in the ass. I've considered selling it before. I would likely be happier with the same type of nib in a different pen.

    I have some vintage pens that are decent but not standout enough to hang onto. Those will probably go up for sale at some point.

    Fortunately pens take up very little space. And my pen holder is about 75% full. So I can be very patient and deliberate.

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    Not long ago I thought my MB 221 pens were The Pens, but now I am frustrated with how finicky they are with ink, how hard they are to tune for flow, and how it is tough to find a converter that fit and seal properly (which messes up flow big time).
    I absolutely love vintage Montblanc pens, but it is precisely because of the issues you mention, that I have preference for their piston filler models.
    Only if the nib is extra special would I even consider their cartridge models.
    So far this "policy" had saved me from some headaches and net me some wonderful pens like my MB 344G.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    That sounds like great advice, penwash. I did find a converter that appears to fit well and it is also cheap. The vintage Montblanc converters I tried have leaky pistons. Maybe I will sell one of my two and use the funds to get a similar style piston filler.

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    Senior Member penwash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    That sounds like great advice, penwash. I did find a converter that appears to fit well and it is also cheap. The vintage Montblanc converters I tried have leaky pistons. Maybe I will sell one of my two and use the funds to get a similar style piston filler.
    I know that the 221 model has a piston filler version. I found and sold one and I was able to check and apply some silicone grease from the front part if I remember correctly. It's a great pen and easy to maintain.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by a_v_l View Post
    ...things that were mostly just decent writers. Admittedly, reading about this pen or that pen increased my appetite for specific brands or nibs but I haven't been selective...Now that I've practically stopped rescuing the...
    Give us a hit to which models you think are worth the time and money :- ) I'm on my third vintage pen now and still trying to get an overview of all the type of nibs and pens that once were made.

    I haven't had Mont Blank yet. My favorite pen used to be a Pelikan, late 50s, and I don't think it was a very fancy model, black zigzar shape, gold trims and the standard piston filler of the time. I still think it's one of the best types of ink reservoir, even for modern pens. Several brands had a type of built in plunger you sort of screw up and down to vaccume up the ink. The rubber bladder type works well too, it just needs replacement sooner or later.
    Last edited by arrow; May 6th, 2019 at 02:58 PM.

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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Reading this thread makes me very glad that I never let you lot talk me into spending more than £10 on a pen


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    Senior Member penwash's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wuddus View Post
    Reading this thread makes me very glad that I never let you lot talk me into spending more than £10 on a pen

    Congrats, I can see that you are very proud of yourself.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Senior Member Kaputnik's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Just a follow up to my original post. I've been using the Conklin to write in my journal at home, mostly. It is very nice to write with, no particular flex, but just a little springy, smooth, and leaves a nice consistent fine line. Perhaps it could write a little wetter, but I don't really want to mess with it. It's well suited to my hand, light and rather slim. And I like the feeling of writing with something not only older than I am, but almost certainly older than my late parents as well.

    But, I don't really feel that I can carry it around. Once I inadvertently flicked a drop of ink from the end, and remembered that it was best to keep it nib up when not in use. No problem since then, but I wouldn't want to risk having it shaken around in a pen roll in my laptop case. And although it doesn't feel exactly fragile, I can't help remembering its age, and don't want to subject it to unpredictable happenings away from home. By contrast, the other two vintage pens I have inked right now, a Parker Vacumatic and a Pelikan 140, are practical pocket carry pens.

    When this Conklin is empty, I have a couple of others, not shown in that photo, which I would like to take out and try again. And there's the Waterman's pen in the picture. Really not quite sure why I don't use it more often, but it's probably because it's on the borderline for pens that I feel comfortable taking around with me.

    And it's not just vintage pens. The one pen in the picture which isn't vintage is the Platinum 3776 on the left. A perfectly good pen, but when it comes down to it, I nearly always end up inking one of my Pilots instead. There is a Haolilai 801F, my one really good Chinese pen, 14k nib, quite attractive, and about as good a writer as my mid-range Pilots. But it writes a little broader than I like most of the time. Then there are the "good starter pens" which I could recommend to someone considering a first fountain pen, Pilot Prera, Lamy Safari, Kaweco Sport...you know the usual suspects. Okay to write with, but I don't use them any more. I actually have given a couple of those away, but only a couple, since most people just aren't interested.

    And of course, there are the pens which I don't particularly like to write with, but that's another post or several.
    Last edited by Kaputnik; May 7th, 2019 at 05:56 AM.
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    Member Butthurticus-VIII's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    That sounds like great advice, penwash. I did find a converter that appears to fit well and it is also cheap. The vintage Montblanc converters I tried have leaky pistons. Maybe I will sell one of my two and use the funds to get a similar style piston filler.
    You really can’t go wrong with one of the vintage Montblanc piston fillers. I have a 244 and a 342 and they are a pleasure to write with as both have flexible nibs. They are easy to clean and maintain. Same holds true for my vintage Pelikan 100N. The 149, vintage and modern are easy to clean and maintain pens too.


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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    I will give those models a look. I think it is the 220 that is the piston version of my 221s so will look at those too.

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    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: Good but seldom used pens.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wuddus View Post
    Reading this thread makes me very glad that I never let you lot talk me into spending more than £10 on a pen

    Why this is not a problem for me: I can usually sell my higher end pens for my original purchase price.

    Because they're higher end pens.
    Last edited by VertOlive; May 8th, 2019 at 06:54 AM.
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