Thoughts on Every Day Carry on the road

[ethernautrix]

Yes, you are giving your perspective. I am not arguing with your perspective.

I'm not arguing with you, either.

Of course, other people are different, and have different experiences - which is fine.

You'd think (not you specifically; you, generally) -- you'd think that'd go without saying, but here we are. I agree with you: no argument; different experiences and similar experiences (I've had ink leak on flights, too, which is why I don't carry vintage pens inked), different perspectives are fine. Whatever works.

[ethernautrix]

In other news, regarding the Fates...

Attachment 49800

That's a man who recognizes the reality of his situation. This is when one hopes one's house insurance is paid up.

[guyy]

I want to be where ethernautrix is, but i confess that i am not. I am no longer young, at the point where amassing a lot of things is opening onto grand vistas of absurdity. Especially in New York. I give away books: Take ‘em! And yet here i am with more pens than i need.

And that’s even with spreading pens around, ethernautrix style, too. I let go of the modern ones. I can repurchase them if i care to. Sometimes i have, sometimes i haven’t.

It’s the vintage ones that i don’t want to leave to just anyone. The random person who chances on a vintage pen might destroy the pen before figuring out how to use it. That would be shame because, after all, they don’t make ’em like they used to. For that reason, i’d rather “distribute” vintage pens to people who know at least a little bit about them.

[Paddler]

Can't do anything about fate; just don't let the bastard see you sweat.

[penwash]

Here's the funny thing about hobby and traveling.

At one time, I was on a driving trip from Texas to California. I brought no less than seven vintage cameras, from the pocket size (Olympus XA4) to a very heavy Bronica. And when confronted with the question: Why on earth???

Because I want to take as many film photos with as many diverse cameras that I collected. Simple.

At least today, I can bring 10 pens with me during travels and they don't even occupy as much space as my carry-on toiletries bag. Win

[Stevil]

Having had the experience of someone at work nearly destroying a Parker 51 I left at my desk unattended, I looked for a solid, cheap pocket pen that could be a warrior on the road. I decided that a wet writer was called for and wanted to keep it under $10. I found reviews for the Iraurita solid brass pen out of China. I purchased a 0.5 nib, and got the shinny chrome version. I have been astounded by the quality, feel and durability of this very reasonable pen. Right from the first day it performed very well. I now take it with me everyday and after 3 months it performs as well as day one. Although it is developing a few scratches now as it sits clipped in the same packet as my car keys.

If interested the eBay listing from the seller I bought from, and it is cheaper now, is at: https://www.ebay.com/itm/brass-iraur...YAAOSwbZBbvMo7

A review by Chris on his YouTube channel Pen Talk can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P-ije2hUqg


... off to pick up a second since it has gotten cheaper.

[Wahl]

On the road...I keep it simple.

Visconti three pen case, quite sturdy. One of my P51, matching pencil, Pilot V Pen with red ink.

[Voiren]

My 'on the road' is not a very rugged one: it is travelling on generally comfortable trains to somewhere at most 9 hours away (and that far is rare), then staying in a hotel or with mine or my OH's parents. I'll have the same three pen case in my backpack that I do every day for work, the same pens standing up in compartments, and maybe another pen case if I'm going to be away longer. There's not a lot of opportunity for things to get banged up, so I'll take whatever pens I felt like using. My Vacumatic was in that three pen case for some time. I have written with it on trains.

Currently I'm using a ~70s Sailor pocket pen for my small daily use pen, and unusually I've got that in a notebook pen loop because it was convenient for a conference and it is pretty well protected in there. My main criteria is to make sure I've got something with a very fine nib with me, then the others are there for variance.

Oh, and I don't post unless it is a pocket pen and has to! So I hold the cap in my left hand.

[Fermata]

Just a small brass pen, takes international cartridges and is a tough cookie. When I fly I empty the pen and put a new cartridge in on landling.

If I want a back up I have a Sheaffer propelling pencil from the 50s, school type pencil.

Keep it simple,

[amk]

"On the road" covers two possibilities for me:

(1) travelling "nice" for business or visiting friends. I won't take my nicest Manu Propria or Waterman Man 100, but I'll take a Parker 51 or Lamy 2000 or Edison Collier or other nice pens, in a decent case. I've occasionally had an interviewee express interest in my pens, which is a nice way to break the ice when doing a business interview for a magazine.

(2) off in the mountains of Central Asia or touring Ethiopia or India, staying in yurts, huts, hostels, temple forecourts, and occasionally a nice guesthouse, with just a backpack and a couple of changes of clothes. No way do any of my good fountain pens come with me. I travel with a couple of cheap ballpoints. (Okay, in India I did use some nice cheapies like my 'disco' coloured pens bought in Chanderi, but then Camlin ink was cheap.)

With the exception of Parker 51 and 61/65/45, vintage pens just don't work for me on the road.

(BTW Stevil, how on earth can someone nearly destroy a Parker 51? I thought they were nearly indestructible, apart from dings in the cap!)

[ethernautrix]

(BTW Stevil, how on earth can someone nearly destroy a Parker 51? I thought they were nearly indestructible, apart from dings in the cap!)

I'm not Stevil, but I have an example: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...er-51-carnage/

(From eleven years ago.)

[empliau]

Wonderful thread about the carnage and miraculous recovery, ethernautrix. Those 51s are workhorses - John Cameron Swayze should do a commercial for them! (For the young, he was the spokesman for Timex - tagline "it takes a licking and keeps on ticking"). The Posse is a wonderful group. I've always hoped to crash a meeting when visiting family in Marin, but due to petsitting I haven't been there in a few years. I'm still hoping for the SF show, now postdated (my hope, that is) to 2020.

In every day carry news, I've been bringing a few pens to my classes (one I'm taking, one I'm teaching) - currently Nakaya ao-tamenuri 17mm, Pelikan brown tortoise 400 NN, and MB Agatha, to use. My Italian teacher, after admiring the Taccia wrap I use to carry them, informed me that in Italy nobody uses fountain pens any more. Only if you're trying to be "fancy". It has always been my policy not to tick off my teachers, at least not on purpose, so with difficulty I kept my mouth firmly shut and did not inform her that I've been using fountain pens on a daily basis nearly twice as long as she has been alive, some fancy, some not. However, a freshman sitting next to me was whomperjawed by the 400 NN, telling me it was the most beautiful pen he had ever seen. So the young are a mixed bag.

[BlkWhiteFilmPix]

Thank you, Sandy, and everyone.

My EDC changes from a Pelikan M800 with BSB and a MB 146 bold with Lucky Orange ink to a MB 145 Chopin with a bold nib and a MB 163 rollerball. The rollerball is for writing postcards, which generally don't do well with fountain pen ink.

A few years ago, the rollerball fell out of my pocket while I was wandering around a one-block long town during a road trip. Fortunately, I noticed the loss and quickly discovered it lying on the ground next to the car.

[Chuck Naill]

I've enjoyed reading through this thread and can relate to both taking their high end pens on the road or keeping them at home. I hate loosing anything regardless of the cost because of the aggravation of having to look for a pen or not having the pen to use.

I'm a novice to FP, but I did a Mont Blanc in the '90's. Now I chose to focus on Esterbrook restorations. Even though I've not paid more $20 for most excluding replacement parts, there is not a one I would be okay with loosing. Perhaps restorations increase the bonding. That said, I carry them daily. A long time acquired habit, my pens are clipped into the button column or the collar of a t shirt.

[Empty_of_Clouds]

My pens are for use. Having said that, not every environment is conducive to each pen's characteristics. Thus, for ensample, I tend to leave a flexible Waterman's 52 at home because it is not something I can use readily at work. The most expensive pen I have is a Pilot 823, and that goes with me everywhere. I don't tend to think about losing these things, as they are only temporarily in my stewardship.

[carlos.q]

My pens are for use. Having said that, not every environment is conducive to each pen's characteristics. Thus, for ensample, I tend to leave a flexible Waterman's 52 at home because it is not something I can use readily at work. The most expensive pen I have is a Pilot 823, and that goes with me everywhere. I don't tend to think about losing these things, as they are only temporarily in my stewardship.

I agree with this. All my pens, inexpensive or not, are for use. The only exception is a vintage (and clipless) Mabie Todd Blackbird that refuses to follow me around.

[Deb]

Those Blackbirds have a mind of their own...

[amk]

Whaaaaaaa/1 i;ve just seen that P51 thread Ethernautrix referred to .... I am now afraid. Very afraid.

Gonna have to sit vigil over my box of 51 s with a fully loaded Lamy 2000, just in case any of these pen-destroyers come my way :-)