Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 62

Thread: End of the road?

  1. #21
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    369
    Thanks
    115
    Thanked 247 Times in 125 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: End of the road?

    What I found took place after I reached a point where I was done "collecting" was that I became a "digger". I'll look for pens that need work, or for projects where I already have some parts, etc. Basically just tinkering around with old pens at a limited costs as a winter hobby. I may keep or sell the final product, but it's more about buying an old pen at a good price, then tinkering and fixing than about accumulating pens.

  2. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Ray-VIgo For This Useful Post:

    da vinci (October 7th, 2020), SchaumburgSwan (September 30th, 2020), silverlifter (September 29th, 2020)

  3. #22
    Senior Member VertOlive's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Gulf of Mexico
    Posts
    3,886
    Thanks
    4,128
    Thanked 3,788 Times in 1,642 Posts
    Rep Power
    14

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Still selling off, but not done whittling down the “collection” to its next configuration. Not even sure what that is yet. Mostly writing letters these days.
    "Nolo esse salus sine vobis ...” —St. Augustine

  4. #23
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,791
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 897 Times in 689 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: End of the road?

    For wharever reasons, some folks tend to accumulate a lot of items and later decide to purge. Other are more conservative, accumulating a small but significant collection, and tend to retain.

  5. #24
    Senior Member Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Saskatoon, Canada
    Posts
    1,237
    Thanks
    365
    Thanked 500 Times in 294 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: End of the road?

    I think the pen collecting fund needs to be protected, perhaps add to it monthly to hedge inflation and such and the next pen will emerge soon. Selling a pen off if not too precious and vintage may also assist just enough to nudge you towards one new to you pen from the wilds.
    Mags or Rob Maguire MB 149, 147, 146,144, Mozart, Boehme, Sailor Realo, Aurora Optima, Churchmen Prescriptor and Parson's Essential, Parker 51 1.3 mm stub, Parker Vacumatic 1939 OB Can, TWSBI's (540,580, Mini and Vac 700), Pelikan M 1000/800 Demonstrator 600/200 demoM/200 OBB, Visconti Rembrandts (2), Lamy, Cross, Watermans, Pilots, Sheaffer's, Omas 360 LE 84/360, GvFC, Esterbrooks J and SJ, Bexley Jitterbug, Taccia, Eversharp 1952 flex, Edison Herald, Franklin Christoph Piper.

  6. #25
    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Flagstaff
    Posts
    764
    Thanks
    1,204
    Thanked 826 Times in 352 Posts
    Rep Power
    9

    Default Re: End of the road?

    I'm not sure if I'm at the end of the road or not. There are very few pens left out there that truly excite me, even fewer that are modern productions, so I don't really get the itch to buy pens that often.

    That said, it was more about the hunt for a pen than the actual acquisition, I think. Being unable to stumble into an antiques shop and with eBay having gone absolutely bonkers with their pen prices, I find the thrill is pretty minimal.

    Its still there, the thrill, but its highly subdued when compared with its frenzy of the past.

  7. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to AzJon For This Useful Post:

    da vinci (October 7th, 2020), FredRydr (October 2nd, 2020), silverlifter (October 2nd, 2020)

  8. #26
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Posts
    616
    Thanks
    359
    Thanked 772 Times in 355 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: End of the road?

    I'm wondering whether it is similar to other interests, like pocket knives. For a couple of years, I actively traded those until I settled on a rotation of four. I lost one about 18 months ago, but have had no desire to replace it as the three remaining knives do everything I need. Ocassionally, I'll look at some knife boards to see what has emerged of late in terms of designs and materials, but I'm not looking to acquire another. Pens feel the same right now.

    Mind you, an unopened bottle of Montblanc Midnight Blue, the IG forumlation, arrived this week. So it's not like I'm not having any fun.
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

  9. #27
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    ...Mind you, an unopened bottle of Montblanc Midnight Blue, the IG forumlation, arrived this week. So it's not like I'm not having any fun.

    I've had a 60ml bottle of MBMB for a couple (or more) years that along with a '73 149 has made it to favorite combo status. How does one tell from the bottle's label that it's IG?

  10. #28
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Posts
    616
    Thanks
    359
    Thanked 772 Times in 355 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    ...Mind you, an unopened bottle of Montblanc Midnight Blue, the IG forumlation, arrived this week. So it's not like I'm not having any fun.

    I've had a 60ml bottle of MBMB for a couple (or more) years that along with a '73 149 has made it to favorite combo status. How does one tell from the bottle's label that it's IG?
    There are two indicators, Fred. If you have the papers that came with the bottle it includes a specific warning about Midnight Blues ferrogallic content. The other tell is the bottle Ident. 105194.

  11. #29
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    There are two indicators, Fred. If you have the papers that came with the bottle it includes a specific warning about Midnight Blues ferrogallic content. The other tell is the bottle Ident. 105194.
    Box and papers long gone. Label on the bottom: 1108-Aug16/Made in Austria ENCRE BLEU NUIT. I guess it's rust-free! I have two bottles of the old 50ml IG German stuff. I wonder if they're the same shade as your bottle.

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to FredRydr For This Useful Post:

    silverlifter (October 2nd, 2020)

  13. #30
    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Posts
    616
    Thanks
    359
    Thanked 772 Times in 355 Posts
    Rep Power
    6

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by silverlifter View Post
    There are two indicators, Fred. If you have the papers that came with the bottle it includes a specific warning about Midnight Blues ferrogallic content. The other tell is the bottle Ident. 105194.
    Box and papers long gone. Label on the bottom: 1108-Aug16/Made in Austria ENCRE BLEU NUIT. I guess it's rust-free! I have two bottles of the old 50ml IG German stuff. I wonder if they're the same shade as your bottle.
    I've also got a bottle of MB's original iron gall blue black. I'll do some comparison swabs this week.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to silverlifter For This Useful Post:

    FredRydr (October 2nd, 2020)

  15. #31
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: End of the road?


  16. #32
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,791
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 897 Times in 689 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: End of the road?

    The problem that arises for anyone entering a new hobby is a lack of information. Many of our initial acquisitions stem from ignorance that would have never occured later. I have no idea how to prevent this problem.

  17. The Following User Says Thank You to Chuck Naill For This Useful Post:

    manoeuver (October 6th, 2020)

  18. #33
    Senior Member manoeuver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Near Midwest, US
    Posts
    1,594
    Thanks
    1,227
    Thanked 1,081 Times in 555 Posts
    Rep Power
    15

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Naill View Post
    The problem that arises for anyone entering a new hobby is a lack of information. Many of our initial acquisitions stem from ignorance that would have never occured later. I have no idea how to prevent this problem.
    If you solved this problem it would no longer be a hobby. It would be another modern abomination.

    life needs more low-stakes mistakes, not fewer.

  19. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to manoeuver For This Useful Post:

    Jon Szanto (October 6th, 2020), LeFreak (October 6th, 2020), penwash (October 6th, 2020)

  20. #34
    Senior Member Ole Juul's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Coalmont, BC, Canada
    Posts
    404
    Thanks
    561
    Thanked 400 Times in 208 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Naill View Post
    The problem that arises for anyone entering a new hobby is a lack of information. Many of our initial acquisitions stem from ignorance that would have never occured later. I have no idea how to prevent this problem.
    If you solved this problem it would no longer be a hobby. It would be another modern abomination.

    life needs more low-stakes mistakes, not fewer.
    Indeed. I consider my first mistakes to part of my education, and well worth the money. Are there even such things as "mistakes" anyway? That seems to me like the half full, half empty, discussion again.

  21. The Following User Says Thank You to Ole Juul For This Useful Post:

    da vinci (October 7th, 2020)

  22. #35
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    3,118
    Thanks
    874
    Thanked 2,528 Times in 1,299 Posts
    Rep Power
    13

    Default Re: End of the road?

    It's not a mistake when it's an experiment!

  23. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Empty_of_Clouds For This Useful Post:

    Ole Juul (October 6th, 2020), silverlifter (October 6th, 2020), TFarnon (December 15th, 2020)

  24. #36
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,791
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 897 Times in 689 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ole Juul View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by manoeuver View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck Naill View Post
    The problem that arises for anyone entering a new hobby is a lack of information. Many of our initial acquisitions stem from ignorance that would have never occured later. I have no idea how to prevent this problem.
    If you solved this problem it would no longer be a hobby. It would be another modern abomination.

    life needs more low-stakes mistakes, not fewer.
    Indeed. I consider my first mistakes to part of my education, and well worth the money. Are there even such things as "mistakes" anyway? That seems to me like the half full, half empty, discussion again.
    I started with vintage Esterbrooks circa 1934-55, so no regrets on my part.

  25. #37
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    96
    Thanks
    53
    Thanked 40 Times in 18 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    Love this!! 😆😆😆
    So true!

  26. The Following User Says Thank You to cj2020 For This Useful Post:

    da vinci (October 14th, 2020)

  27. #38
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2020
    Posts
    96
    Thanks
    53
    Thanked 40 Times in 18 Posts
    Rep Power
    4

    Default Re: End of the road?

    I have limited myself to 5 total pens. I hate having to juggle which one to use and don't like them just sitting in the drawer. This way, other than my Nakaya,which I only use for my journal at home, the other four travel with me and I use them as I fancy at any given moment.
    I think I am done collecting for now, at least for a few years. Saving money for everything else now (kids educations etc). I plan on spending my time hanging out in this forum and admiring all the beautiful pens.

  28. #39
    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
    Posts
    4,909
    Thanks
    1,396
    Thanked 6,390 Times in 2,505 Posts
    Rep Power
    18

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by cj2020 View Post
    I have limited myself to 5 total pens....
    I hope you've placed a time limit on that...say, one month?

  29. #40
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    US
    Posts
    6,791
    Thanks
    642
    Thanked 897 Times in 689 Posts
    Rep Power
    11

    Default Re: End of the road?

    Quote Originally Posted by cj2020 View Post
    I have limited myself to 5 total pens. I hate having to juggle which one to use and don't like them just sitting in the drawer. This way, other than my Nakaya,which I only use for my journal at home, the other four travel with me and I use them as I fancy at any given moment.
    I think I am done collecting for now, at least for a few years. Saving money for everything else now (kids educations etc). I plan on spending my time hanging out in this forum and admiring all the beautiful pens.
    Five is enough if it’s the right five.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •