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Thread: One pen per month challenge

  1. #1
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default One pen per month challenge

    Usually I have about 9-15 pens inked but lately I've found it more of a burden than fun. Is that weird or normal?

    As with my wristwatch collection I've decided to settle in on one pen for a month at a time. I didn't quite get there but I'm down to two pens.

    In June I pulled out a pen that had been languishing for months, my Waterman Hemisphere Sapphir Nocturne from Le Collection Privee and filled it up with some Waterman Bleu Mystère.



    It's been lovely. I'm really liking the ink a lot. It's so well behaved, flows nicely, and I love the color. Dark blue but muted. Easy to clean too. Perfect for personal or work writing.

    The pen has been wonderful. The only reason I haven't used it more is the narrow grip but I'm finding that less of a problem. The weight is good for me. And the pen is gorgeous. I'm always a bit happier to see and admire it.

    I filled it twice so far. But I decided I would try a different pen in July--a Parker 45 in XF with Quink Black. It writes a bit smoother but flows a bit much for my tastes. I used it for several days but I'm back to the Hemisphere.

    Anyway, it's been a nice change to spend less time thinking about what pen or ink to use, what needs cleaning, etc.

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    Senior Member NumberSix's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    I did the same thing back in March, I think it was. I used a Parker Vac 51 loaded with 4001 Royal Blue. Put away all the other pens on my desk, which was fantastic for clutter. My bullet journal and random thoughts notebook didn't look like a rainbow vomited on them, and my fingers were clean all month.

    I did switch to black ink in the middle of the month - for about a day. I found I was missing Blue, so I filled the rest of the month as Quink Washable Blue. But I could have happily stayed with the Pelikan Royal Blue the entire month. I have Quink Blue-Black in that Vac 51 right now, or I might consider going back to the 4001.

    I have never used a Hemisphere, but I have frequently thought it looks like a nice pen! And Waterman Mysterious Blue is a terrific ink - I have a bottle and like it very much.

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    Senior Member Ole Juul's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    I'm going through and experimental/learning stage and it's been on my mind that I don't want a lot of pens inked up. I've pretty much got it narrowed down, but since I use different papers, one ink will not do it. Besides, I like using several tones, especially when I'm doing markup. I've now got it down to three or four pens. There are at least two others whose purpose has past, and I can't decide whether to write them empty or just pour it out. I hate to waste ink, but wasting may be the best plan. In any case, I've recognized that too many pens inked up is indeed something to keep an eye on.

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    It's tough if you're dealing with many different paper types. I only write notes for work on one kind of paper so one pen is no problem and most inks work fine.

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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Wouldn't it be interesting to know why folks end up with so many things? Some do and some don't of course. I mean, having more than you could possibly need where having to choose just one for a month is necessary?

    Right now I have multiple shaving toola, pens, pocket knives, but only one watch. I wear the watch all day everyday. It is the best watch I have ever had.

    If the truth be known, my Lamy Al-Star is the only pen I really need. It is like the watch. That said. I enjoy seeing the other antique pens sitting in the coffee cup. I can enjoy them without using them. Most days I have a Parker 51 or Sheaffer Crest coupled with a vintage Autopoint.

    This is a hobby of much enjoyment and it is nice to have something of excellent quality to use for a daily need.

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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    I did something similar a couple of years ago. I challenged myself to one pen per week. I dumped however much ink was left, and filled a new one. I had to go through all my pens before getting to reuse a pen. This allowed me to experiment with all my pens, and rekindled my enjoyment of them.

    I'm back to inking 3-4 at a time, and within two weeks, I am usually a little tired/bored/overwhelmed by them.

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    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Relief! I’m glad that you didn’t actually throw down the challenge gauntlet. I write many letters each week and find it impossible to confine myself to a single ink. I generally change pen and ink for each page, so 5-6 pens inked at any given time.
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Wow yeah I don't write *that* much or I'd be refilling all the time. Yikes.

    Although I just tried to use my Parker 45 again and found it almost empty. Seems like it went pretty fast this time. It was writing kind of wet and I was using a squeeze converter. Anyway, still using the Hemisphere.

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    Junior Member SManZ's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    This is a wonderful idea. I've got seven pens and when one ran dry I just cleaned and didn't refill it. The rest have ink in them and I take two to work with me each day. As I use them up and clean them I'm going to work towards using a pen or two for a period before moving on to another. Trying to remember which still need to be used in the rotation is silliness and I think I'll enjoy all of the pens a lot more when I use them more exclusively for a time.

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    I have to keep a notebook record to track pen and ink usage.

    The Hemisphere ran out today. I now have two pens filled. Bad me.

    I have my Stargazer filled with RO Black Violet and filled one of my Jinhao 51A pens with Mysterious Blue (which was in the Hemi). The latter pen has a super smooth nib so I actually find it hard to write with so I think I will run that one out of ink and go back to the Pilot for a good long while.

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    Senior Member jar's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Surprisingly I've been using the same pen now for over a year. It's an old Aurora 888P most likely from 1959 and filled using Platinum cartridges.



    Granted with all that's been going on, particularly down here it's often sat unused for a month, maybe more but always starts up at the touch of paper.

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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Thinking about giving this a go. Currently have about 6 or 7 pens inked with different inks, and every time I go to write something I hesitate a fraction over which pen to pick up (ties in a little with the 'too much choice' thread), and sometimes wonder at getting value from those not being used.

    I may empty all but one, and call the empty ones 'the collection'. Kind of like museum pieces that should stay behind glass.

    Further to this, and to the horror of many no doubt, I am considering using a multipen (4 colours) in my Hobonichi instead of FPs for next year. Wet ink just does not dry quickly enough for workplace jottings, in my experience, YMMV of course.

    That would pretty much limit my FP use to journaling and correspondence, but I am finding FPs at work generally impractical.

    Now to choose that one pen... oh the agony of choice!

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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Quote Originally Posted by jar View Post
    Surprisingly I've been using the same pen now for over a year. It's an old Aurora 888P most likely from 1959 and filled using Platinum cartridges.



    Granted with all that's been going on, particularly down here it's often sat unused for a month, maybe more but always starts up at the touch of paper.
    Nice Aurora! I had an unnumbered 88P. Great writer and IMHO nicer than a P51 in many ways. Wish I had kept it now.

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    Senior Member guyy's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Aurora 88s are nice, but i prefer the nibs on my 51s, especially the English ones and the stubs.

    One pen would overly constraining, at least for me because i like to switch pens while writing. I might use 2 or 3 in a session and then i’ll always have a fine nibbed pen for markup. Why frustrate myself?

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    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    It depends on your use case I suppose. I take notes in a bullet journal and write to do lists (seemingly less often I cross off items...). So I can do all that with one pen.

    Sounds like other scenarios call for more pens.

    My objective was simply to not have a bunch of pens inked for no good reason. So... Make it the "Only As Many Pens As Needed Challenge" or something.

    I'm kind of failing still because I have 3 inked. One was for the Guess the Ink! thread so I could demo RO Cafe Crema. So I guess I *needed* it. I can empty it once I review it, I suppose.

    The Stargazer is acting scratchy, dry, unlubricated especially on upstrokes. I suspect the Black Violet ink dried out. So much for my go to, work-appropriate purple. So frustrated.

    I am still working through the converter full of Bleu Mystère in the 51A.

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    Senior Member youstruckgold's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    I have had around 10-15 inked and I'm down to 5. Impressed with myself. But I have no desire to reduce this further. A 5 pen case is a good size to carry; and 5 choices means I HAVE choice; and i NEED choice. Different inks and nibs gives me just the sort of variety I need to keep things interesting.

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    Senior Member Detman101's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Outside of the two fountain pens my wife and son own (that I used to before they wanted them) I only (technically) have two fountain pens.
    The Flex pen I built and when it gets here... a Penbbs-456 destined for flex duty.
    So...I only technically have one FP that I use...my good old reliable brass flex pen.

    Does that mean I've achieved the goal already?

  27. #18
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Yes, congrats Alas, there is no cash award.

    I decided to ink another pen with permanent ink for postcards (postcrossing).

    Besides that, I've been working with my Pilot Stargazer all week and it's almost out. After that I'll use the 51A until it is out. Then ??

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    Senior Member Detman101's Avatar
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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    REVISED: My next pen (September) will be a Jinhao 992 AND a moonman T1. Amazon will 2-day deliver those.
    And...it's a better modding platform to start with. Acrylic body...eyedropperable...can mod it with an ebonite feed and flex nib...No problemo...put all these modding pieces to use.

    I'm soooooooo friggin sick of waiting 2 months for these stupid pens to come from China when ordered.

    By the time everything arrives I don't hardly remember why I ordered it all. I've gotta write down this mess more...

    Sent from my LG-M210 using Tapatalk
    Last edited by Detman101; August 21st, 2020 at 12:08 PM. Reason: Noodlers pens suck(and stink)...not buying that junk

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    Default Re: One pen per month challenge

    Oh dear, I misunderstood.

    I thought the challenge was to restrict oneself to only *buying* one pen a month.

    And I failed :-)

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