Throwing Pens in the Trash

[FredRydr]

Is it "vintage"?

You might think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

[welch]

I have thrown away a few third-tier pens that came in batches of the sort that were inexpensive ten or fifteen years ago..."a dozen assorted fountain pens, Wearever, Whatever, Arnold etc". One was a late-40s Whatever that needed a new sac. The barrel refused to release the section, so I tried waving a heat gun over it. Rather than give up, the barrel stretched and twisted, snarling, "Go ahead...I'll be a pretzel before let you separate me from my grip." That's one I tossed.

[Ron Z]

Whatevers - that's what we call them. It got me in trouble with a couple of people... I don't through them away because I never willingly buy them.

[carlos.q]

I usually keep all my pens, no matter how terrible or mangled. That said, I gladly threw away a Zebra V-301. Worthless piece of @#$&!

[eicart0523]

I've thrown lots away. Mostly Asian pens that I bought from Wish.com for a few dollars each. It wasn't worth my time tinkering with them to get them to work half way decent. I yanked the nibs and feeds.


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[scrivelry]

I think I have thrown out a Zebra and a couple of other disposable pens that either had caps which could not be kept alive or which I just could not figure out a way to refill.

When it comes to real pens, though, no matter how whateverish and stubborn they may be, I don't think I've tossed one yet. Then again, this may or may not say anything good about me... All I can really through out is stuff like used tissues and rotten fruit. My tossing anything else is usually worthy of media attention, like a 100 year flood...

[amk]

No. I keep them for bits.
I have thrown parts away - cracked barrels, sections that have been smashed, broken caps. But there's always something to save.

By the way, cracked celluloid bits are worth keeping. They can be used with a solvent or dissolved into a puree to fill cracks and repair missing bits of cap lips.

[SlowMovingTarget]

I've tossed some cheap pens made in India: FPR Muft, Jaipur v1, Airmail 71J... the first two for leaks from the pen body (piston-fillers), the last for leaks around the feed. I kept the nibs... they were all good nibs, just low-quality pens.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I've encountered a couple today that are tempting me.

[Jon Szanto]

I've encountered a couple today that are tempting me.

[Runnin_Ute]

I had a Parker 45 go through the wash once. Still writes great, but I did replace the barrel. Ended up changing it from a burgundy to a forest green. And yes I tossed the broken barrel.

Have thought about it with a Parker IM I have that has the dry out issue. Had two, gave one away. I had the original box, so put it back and have almost completely forgotten about it. It hasn't been used in as much as two years, maybe more.

There is a Targa that I got in a PIF that someone in the past tried to stub by cutting the tines. It is angled, so more like a Oblique. The cartridge has a hole in both ends. I just can't bring myself to toss them in most cases.

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[ethernautrix]

Seems that I prefer to lose pens than throw them away. Sigh.

[An old bloke]

Seems that I prefer to lose pens than throw them away. Sigh.

I like that idea. It is one I have been contemplating recently. I have a few 'low-budget' (AKA cheap) pens that I've been considering off-loading. I'll 'accidentally' leave one behind at my next dentist's appointment.

[ethernautrix]

Seems that I prefer to lose pens than throw them away. Sigh.

I like that idea. It is one I have been contemplating recently. I have a few 'low-budget' (AKA cheap) pens that I've been considering off-loading. I'll 'accidentally' leave one behind at my next dentist's appointment.

Alas, I tend to lose expensive pens. A Nakaya Piccolo Cigar. An intentionally mismatched set (FP & BP) of Montblanc La Bohemes. Barrel and nib of a Pelikan 600. Just the barrel of a Parker Cisele (a 75? - not sure). Those are the ones that spring to mind. Oh, the barrel and nib of a Sheaffer Connaisseur.

I've also given away plenty of pens (a range of prices). But thrown away? I would think I'd remember, but... This is a very vague and faded memory (is it even real?), did I throw away a Montblanc 146 cos it kept leaking and I didn't know I could send it in for service? (I was alone in this so-called hobby for years. I had no idea, for instance, about "nib-meisters" until after February 2008, which is when I Googled my way to FPN.)

Oh yeah, I had to throw away a Pelikan...I don't know, 200? Solid green barrel. I was a teenager and filled it with India ink. I didn't know. I kept it for a while even after it was (I thought) irreparably damaged. I had to have thrown it away.

Cheap pens, though? I typically find new homes for them rather than throw them away. I used to take all my unwanteds (that I didn't think about selling) to Pen Posse in SF, which started the Box of (I've forgotten what Ricky ended up calling it) -- people would bring their unwanteds and take other people's unwanteds. I loved that.

[Chip]

I've tossed a few parts, e.g. a cracked Wahl Eversharp cap, an orphan that I bought on the web to get a gold-plated clip with the wee roller, that I needed to restore a nice coral flat-top. But most of the pens I couldn't use or fix went into a box: the Bone Pile.



Posted the photo on this board and someone spoke up, so I sent her the lot. Which made both of us happy.

[Kaputnik]

Well, to start with, we mean fountain pens, right? Let's see.

Lately, on the rare occasions when a Pilot Varsity has run out of ink, I've thrown it away. Yes, I know that they can be refilled, and have done it successfully, as well as having a couple of failures. But I don't want to bother any more.

I've done the same with some Bic disposable fountain pens some years ago.

One of my first fountain pens was a Hero Parker 51 clone which I'm almost certain was not even a real Hero. Their actual products are decent quality for the price, but this thing was unbelievably badly made. Instead of a normal nib with a slit in it, it had two separate metal pieces side by side. Into the trash with it.

I think that's about it. Everything else has at least been saved for the possibility of using some of the parts. Maybe some of the parts have been thrown away.

I've given a few fountain pens away to friends who may very well have ended up throwing them away, but it's more likely that they just lost them. In one of those cases I know that she uses it occasionally.

[Ugly Old Guy]

Like a watch that a replacement battery or strap costs more than the same watch new, I have tossed ballpoints that used a refill that cost as much as or more than a new one.

[Chip]

There are so many free/promotional ballpoints and rollerballs to be had, that finding refills is a butt-cramp. I've never bought an upmarket ballpoint or roller-ball pen that would justify the effort.

Never lost a fountain pen. Nor my spectacles or car keys. Being a backcountry ranger, with all my stuff in a pack, taught me to avoid losing things.

[Chuck Naill]

The Parker ball points are cheap and easily available as well as several refills to fit them perfectly. My Parker Flighter 24 is superb with an Onto .05 mm refill

[Scrawler]

There are so many free/promotional ballpoints and rollerballs to be had, that finding refills is a butt-cramp. I've never bought an upmarket ballpoint or roller-ball pen that would justify the effort.

Never lost a fountain pen. Nor my spectacles or car keys. Being a backcountry ranger, with all my stuff in a pack, taught me to avoid losing things.

I really don't like throwing away the platinum ball at the tip when I need a refill. If I stick any old refill in to a fine pen I will have an "any old" writing experience.