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Thread: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Thanks to a Tandaina in the thread on How Many Pens Do You Carry it occurred to me that one question that has not been explored is figuring out which pens to take with you on a trip. I'm going to be traveling for about a week soon, including at least 4 different airplane flights. I am trying to figure out how to decide what to take with me. Any suggestions?

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    Senior Member jar's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Take one cartridge filled pen and a few cartridges.

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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    How much writing do you honestly plan to do?

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    Senior Member thagbert's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    You should take at least two.

    As the military says, "two is one and one is none"!
    --------------------------------
    I am but a simple caveman.

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Take one cartridge filled pen and a few cartridges.
    I can't bear to use cartridges. I know its crazy.

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle Red View Post
    How much writing do you honestly plan to do?
    At the very least, I write a few page in my journal everyday.

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by thagbert View Post
    You should take at least two.

    As the military says, "two is one and one is none"!
    I'm considering that, but the decision as to which two is wrenching

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    Senior Member kaisnowbird's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    I had a Rotring Initial FP (a c/c filler), which supposedly has some APC - "Air Pressure Control" system/feature that prevents leaking during flights. Alas, I sold it some months ago because it's all metal and just a little too heavy for me.

    I too am going on a holiday soon and will change 8 fights in 10 days (that's not really a holiday, right? ).
    I'll either buy a demonstrator with a clear cap (so I can see any leaking without having to uncap the pen) or just take a
    ... ballpoint
    Kai

    "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." -- Lao Tzu


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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by kaisnowbird View Post
    I had a Rotring Initial FP (a c/c filler), which supposedly has some APC - "Air Pressure Control" system/feature that prevents leaking during flights. Alas, I sold it some months ago because it's all metal and just a little too heavy for me.

    I too am going on a holiday soon and will change 8 fights in 10 days (that's not really a holiday, right? ).
    I'll either buy a demonstrator with a clear cap (so I can see any leaking without having to uncap the pen) or just take a
    ... ballpoint
    I'll certainly take my vac700 which is perfect for short flights. That's one.

    Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
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    Dunno ergo sum

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    Senior Member reprieve's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    I have flown numerous times with my fountain pens, and have not had any leaking problems as long as I keep the pens nib-up during the flight. I usually stick my pen case in the seat pocket in front of me (just don't forget it's there!). Also, don't take a pen with a sac (like a lever filler) as those are much more prone to air pressure changes even if kept nib-up.

    I usually take a reliable piston or vacuum filler with an ink window (such as a Pelikan M605 or a Pilot Custom 823) and a cartridge/converter filler with a pack of spare cartridges. I take pens that I enjoy using but that aren't irreplaceable--just in case they were to get lost or stolen.

    I rarely carry ink with me on flights (other than the pack of cartridges), but if I do, I carry a traveling ink pot inside my pen case. I have also carried a small plastic sample vial or two inside of a ziploc bag without issues. I've never had problems with carrying fountain pens through airport security in the United States or in Europe.

    Have a good trip! I always enjoy picking which pens to take with me.

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    Senior Member caribbean_skye's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    I tend to carry the pen/s I enjoy writing with the most and for extended periods of time. I have some that I enjoy writing with but after about an hour my hands hurt, those tend to stay home. Also make sure to take enough ink (and cleaning supplies if necessary) to last the duration, in whatever form you prefer.

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    writingrav (April 28th, 2013)

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    Senior Member fountainpenkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    I would take my OMAS Paragon and my Pelikan m400 white tortoise.
    OMAS Paragon for a blue ink pen with a high ink capacity, nice flexy nib, and very comfortable in the hand. The m400 because of its beauty and fine nib and decent ink capacity.
    Last edited by fountainpenkid; April 28th, 2013 at 07:30 PM.
    Will
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Not crazy. I refuse to use carts, hate tem. Find the colors dead boring. And most of my pens are antiques long before carts anyway.

    I just pack two tough pens and my Visconti traveling inkwell in my leather pen holder and go!

    Pack pens you like and nibs you enjoy or you won't write anyway.
    ---
    Current pen rotation: way too many!

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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by tandaina View Post
    Not crazy. I refuse to use carts, hate tem. Find the colors dead boring. And most of my pens are antiques long before carts anyway.

    I just pack two tough pens and my Visconti traveling inkwell in my leather pen holder and go!

    Pack pens you like and nibs you enjoy or you won't write anyway.
    Would you travel with your vintage flexy germans?
    Will
    If my p.m box is full, feel free to email me at dabantur@gmail.com.

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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    One fountain pen and a Visconti Traveling Ink Pot. Last trip a few days ago was a Pelikan M805 Broad Stub by John Mottishaw inked with Iroshizuku Take-sumi (Charcoal). I just rotate through the pens, never having more than two or three inked up at any one time and typically not having a pen in rotation more than a couple or three weeks. Then I flush with water, run 'em through the ultrasonic cleaner, air dry and put away to await the next calling.

    Traveling ink is usually either a black or a very dark blue-black.

    If I suspect I'll be signing company legal documents, I'll load with a waterproof/bulletproof black.

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    Senior Member Bogon07's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    What about elevators in really tall buildings and fountain pens ?
    sinistral hypergraphica - a slurry of ink
    "Nothing means less than zero"

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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    I travel by air fairly often for work. I bring whichever FP I feel like using that week, and a couple bottles of ink, whichever ink I feel like using. I usually fill the pens full prior to travel, and just ziplock both pens and ink (just in case). I have not had any pen leaks, though had a bit of ooze from one bottle. No biggie. Cleaned up fine.

    I will NOT be deprived of my fountain pens!

    Ken

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    Senior Member Tracy Lee's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by reprieve View Post
    I have flown numerous times with my fountain pens, and have not had any leaking problems as long as I keep the pens nib-up during the flight..
    I recently traveled by air and took 10 with me (I can't begin to explain how I decide, it's complicated though some favorites always travel with me), some full with no leaking. I haven't had any trouble either on this issue. I brought bottles double bagged in my suitcase and let's just say one whole bottle of Iroshizuku was leaked and ruined. I think the cap was faulty. Then I remembered I have three travelling ink pots . . . Doh!!!! They are new so I just forgot. But now I get to buy some new ink. Win, win. . But let me share that this time the scrutiny by TSA was positively fascinating. My trip home the case was scanned twice, hand inspected twice, they didn't understand at all so I explained as much as I could. The rods in the power fillers particularly disturbing. Finally the young man turned to me and said "What, do you do a lot of penmanship or something?" I had no idea how to respond to that. "Yes, I write a lot of letters." He finally let me go 20 minutes later. The marathon bombing had been the day before so I just smiled a lot and stayed patient. I certainly fit no profile for alarm.

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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    On this last trip (5-6 days), the Pilot Varsity pack was my traveling companion. Had several different colors to write everyday in my journal, maybe not pages and pages. Liked not having to worry about my pens and yet still enjoying ink.

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    Senior Member writingrav's Avatar
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    Default Re: How Many Pens Do Yo Travel With and How Do You Decide Which?

    Quote Originally Posted by raffaela View Post
    On this last trip (5-6 days), the Pilot Varsity pack was my traveling companion. Had several different colors to write everyday in my journal, maybe not pages and pages. Liked not having to worry about my pens and yet still enjoying ink.
    Interesting solution.

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