Posts filed under Fountain Pens

Penventory 2020: Reassessing My Pen Collection

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

I have too many pens. I hear pen addicts all around the world immediately objecting, “You can never have too many pens!” But I have too many. I can’t use all of them. I can’t seem to keep them clean. They multiply like rabbits in my home office. It’s overwhelming.

So, I decided to take a penventory of my collection. My goals: (1) Clean all the currently inked pens (of which there are too many), (2) begin updating my database inventory of all my pens, (3) determine which pens are definitely keepers, (4) set aside pens that need repair or nib work, and (5) decide which pens to sell or give away.

Step 1: Cleaning

I have been very bad at pen maintenance over the past six months. Instead of cleaning pens before inking new ones, I just kept inking and rotating pens into various pen boxes, cases, and pen rolls. This is not a good system because it’s not a system at all. So, I wound up with 33 inked pens to clean. (For tips on pen cleaning see this post).

It took me all morning, but I cleaned the pens in two batches.

Now that the pens are clean, I can store them in pen boxes and try to keep only five or six pens inked at one time. That’s all I can carry in my pen case, so it makes sense to limit myself to five. Perhaps every two weeks I can change the pens out--cleaning the inked pens, storing them, and selecting five to six different ones to use. A new good habit to start, yes?

Step 2: Group the pens by brand, photograph (groups and individual pens), and update my database

I decided to group the pens by brand, rather than, say, color, to determine which brands are most appealing to me. Perhaps I have too many pens from one particular brand and I could downsize. I also wanted to see if there were some brands that I’d like to expand on in my collection. I know. I have too many pens, but if I sell pens I don’t love and use, then I can add a few pens that I know I will use, such as another Leonardo, maybe? The addiction is real, folks.

Clearly my favorite brands are:

Nakaya

Yes. I love me some Nakaya. I actually sold a few Nakayas last year, believe it or not. But I sold them so I could buy a Dorsal Fin 2 in Heki-Tamenuri (review coming soon). I prefer the earth-toned Nakayas, and I absolutely love the nibs.

Platinum

I didn’t realize I had so many Platinum pens. It makes sense, however. Platinum pens have the same nibs as Nakayas but they are much less expensive, especially when you purchase acrylic models. Still, they are lovely, and I enjoy writing with them.

Sailor

So, I went on a Sailor spree last year right after I told a pen friend, “You know, I just don’t like Sailor pens. They seem kind of cheap looking, and the nibs are scratchy.” Who’s eating crow now? I am. It started with the Tequila Sunrise--those colors! Then I discovered the joys of the architect nib ground from a zoom nib. Then I saw a turquoise Sailor I had to have. And, oh my gosh! BLUE! Now I have six Sailors. Crow.

Montblanc

Montblanc is one of those divisive brands--love, hate, snipe about the “precious resin” and the snowflake or snow cap or whatever it is. But I love Montblanc. It’s not reasonable or rational or based on the supposed “elite” status of the brand. I just love writing with these pens. I have a glorious Agatha, a Virginia Woolf, a 1970s 149 I named Walter (review here), a 146 with a flex nib, the 1912 Heritage, and the 75th Anniversary 149. I used to own others, including a Dumas that I wish I hadn’t sold. I realized when I took the photo that all my Montblancs are black. Oops. I’m definitely thinking about replacing that Dumas just to shake things up a bit. More pens!

Pilot

I own several different Pilots: a Custom Heritage 92, a Custom 912 with a Falcon nib, a Custom 823, and three Vanishing Points. The nibs on every Pilot I own are superb, especially the medium nib on my 823. The Falcon nib is fantastic. Although Vanishing Points aren’t for everyone, they are terrific for students and professors. I love having a VP with me when I’m teaching, especially in discussion-based classes. I can click the pen to write down comments and click when I’m not using it. It’s so much easier than capping and uncapping.

Clearly my preferences are for Japanese brands and one European brand: Montblanc. I’ve kept a few Pelikans but have sold off most of them from my collection. I think nib quality issues on modern Pelikans has turned me off from the brand.

Franklin-Christoph pens are some of my favorites, especially with fun nibs like the SIG and the new flex nib. I also love their acrylics, especially the diamond fleck blue (review coming soon!)

I own several TWSBIs, mainly because they are great for testing inks and they are so easy to clean.

I got on a PenBBS kick this summer, so I now own three of them, but the nibs are exactly the same--fine with no line variation. They are pictured with a couple of fabulous Omas pens and a totally unique Danitrio.

*Top to Bottom: Omas Ogiva Vodka, Omas Israel, three PenBBS pens, Danitrio*

And I own just one piece from several different different brands: Kanilea, Danitrio, Laban, Leonardo, etc. I’m a big fan of Leonardo pens and there are several I’d like to buy: the Furore Deep Purple and the Momento Zero Grande Caraibi for example. More pens!

*Top to Bottom: Kanilea Hanauma Bay, Lamy 2000, Shawn Newton, Leonardo Hawaii, Scriptorium Burkina, Waterman Edson Sapphire*

*Top to Bottom: Armando Simoni Pavarotti, Aurora 88, Kaweco Student, Conway Stewart, Laban, Opus 88*

Updating my database will take some time. I use TapForms (reviewed here), and I need to import fresh photographs, add information on pens I bought in 2019, and update listings of all the pens that I sold.

Step Three: Determine which pens are keepers

I know for sure that I’m keeping all the Nakayas and my Danitrio. I definitely want to keep all my Montblancs except, perhaps, the 75th Anniversary since I prefer writing with my older 149. I went crazy buying Sailors last year, and I surely don’t need to keep all of them, but I’m not ready to part with any of them quite yet. The Kanilea, Leonardo, and Lamy 2000 are all staying. So far, it seems I’m really good at keeping pens, but I’m not making any progress on the letting go bit.

Step Four: Set aside pens that need repair or nib work

I have a gorgeous Shawn Newton in vintage tiger acrylic that started leaking badly. So, that needs to go in for repair. I think the sac on my Parker 51 is screwed up and I’ll need to send that in. My Montblanc 146 had a luscious flex nib that I botched up when I used a plastic template guide to address my daughter’s graduation announcements. I’d like to get my MB Virginia Woolf medium nib ground into a stub and my Sailor Tequila Sunrise needs some smoothing and maybe an italic grind.

Step Five: Decide which pens to sell or give away

Ugh. This is the hard part. I’m pretty sure I will sell my Montblanc 75th Anniversary pen. It’s gorgeous, but I prefer writing with my other 149. I also plan to sell my Armando Simoni Pavarotti (review here). Although it is a beautiful pen and the nib is terrific, it’s not a pen that I use often. Aside from those two pens, I’m struggling to decide on others to sell or give away. I don’t use my Scriptorium Burkina much, but the celluloid is so unique that I can’t part with it. I’ve tried selling my Omas Israel, but no one seems interested in it, and it’s such a perfect pen for a Hebrew professor like me. That leaves many of the less expensive pens that are hardly worth selling once you take into account PayPal fees and shipping. Oh my! I can hear myself rationalizing keeping most of my pens. What a surprise, right?

So, dear readers, I’ve achieved most of my goals. I cleaned my pens. I began the process of updating my pen database. I determined which pens are keepers (alas, most of them). I set aside the pens that need work. And I found two pens I might be willing to sell. I wish I could part with more, but it’s a start.

If you were me, which of my pens would you sell and why? You’re welcome to make suggestions in the comments! As an addict, I could really use some help getting rid of some pens and I am so indecisive.

Are you doing a penventory as we begin a new year? If not, it might be a good thing to do before all the pen shows begin and the announcements of new models come out and the coveting burns hot again.

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Posted on January 3, 2020 by Susan Pigott and filed under Fountain Pens.

Platinum Prefounte Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

Platinum offers quite a few entry-level pens that lead you all the way from the minimal investment of the Platinum Preppy on up into the stratosphere. You could have a full-spectrum pen collecting career just within the one brand. Perhaps the folks at Platinum noticed a gap between those who love the Preppy and those who took the step up to the Procyon. The Prefounte addresses a lot of the wishes expressed by Preppy fans while still keeping it at a great intro price.

The feed, grip, section, and cap are the same shape and design as the Preppy and Plaisir. The shape, size, and polycarbonate material are the same between the Preppy and Prefounte. The Prefounte also has the special feature of Platinum's spring-loaded inner cap seal that supposedly allows it to be left for over a year without drying out. Obviously I couldn't test that. The nib is also the same. The clip is upgraded to a metal one. The busy branding and info has been removed from the body, with only a minimal bit of text around the edge of the cap. The Prefounte is also available in a variety of fun colors, all demonstrators, and generally has a more elevated look. Where the Preppy looks like a disposable pen, the Prefounte looks like something a little more special.

Are these changes worth the jump from $4 to $10? I think that will depend on the user. For me, yes, because I'm a magpie and I think the Preppy looks awful and I hate the plastic clip. For me, they've taken what didn't work on the Preppy and fixed it, and still kept it at a price point where it makes a great gift.

Maybe it's not fair to only rate this pen in terms of how it compares to its predecessors. It does stand on its own very well. If the Preppy didn't already exist, the Prefounte would be a revelation in the pen world.

The pen takes a proprietary cartridge or converter, but the converter costs $8, or almost as much as the pen itself. The cartridge is hardy, though, and I bet it would last a few refills, if you have a blunt syringe to clean and fill it with. This pen can also, in theory (I have not tested this), be eye-droppered for a massive ink capacity and cool ink-sloshy effect. Personally, I think this plastic feels a bit too brittle to risk filling it entirely with ink. It's more substantial than a throw-away pen for sure, but I could see a drop onto a hard surface ending in an inksplosion.

The Prefounte writes much better than I'd expect for a pen of this price. It isn't perfect. I get some hard starts and skipping, more often with some paper than others, and the .5 medium nib writes a lot more broadly than I'm used to seeing from a Platinum medium. This is more like a western medium, and it's much wetter than my other Platinum pens. That's not a complaint--I like it. But it may not be what people are expecting when they buy it. If you like Platinum nibs because they tend to be dry and fine, size down for this pen. Unfortunately, it looks like it is only available in .3 fine and .5 medium at this time. Hopefully the finer .2 extra-fine that is on the Preppy will also hit this model.

Overall, I think this is a good value, and an exciting new line for Platinum. I've already caught myself thinking, "Do I need a whole set of these for school?" I mean, of course I don't, but I might. If you already love the Preppy, I don't think you need to upgrade to the Prefounte, though. And a lot of people love the Preppy! That could be the Prefounte's doom. But I still think this might be the perfect pen to give to a child or a friend who is interested in fountain pens. It is just enough better to make it special.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 2, 2020 by Sarah Read and filed under Platinum, Prefounte, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Kaco Retro Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Trying new and unique fountain pens is always fun, especially when they come in at the lower end of the price spectrum. The Kaco Retro fountain pen is a sleek design from a Chinese company that offers a sense of nostalgia and modern colors.

I've definitely done my share of eBay perusing when trying to find some fun and inexpensive fountain pens to try from top Chinese sellers. But, you do run some additional risk when you purchase these pens because quality control isn't the best and your options for correcting any problems are convoluted. In the case of the Kaco Retro, you can purchase your pick from Cult Pens and be sure that your experience will be top notch. This takes all of the guess-work out of this particular pen!

Purchasing options aside, the Retro is actually a good pen. Like the name implies, it borrows heavily from the Parker 51 aesthetic, but manages to add some modern flair in the way of colors and the clip accent. Possibly the coolest feature of the pen is the use of a hooded nib, which means the grip section covers most of the nib and only allows the very tip to show through. The orange one I have is an eye-catcher, and it's also fun to pass around and let people try since it's an inexpensive fountain pen.

To me, the aspect of this pen that grabs my eye first every time is the little pin head at the end of the clip. The bright blue-green always catches my attention and I can't help but pick it up for a quick writing session. Each pen color has a coordinated clip accent, which just adds to the fun of these pens. The functionality of the clip is also excellent! It's strong and does a great job of holding the pen in place during transport.

Moving on the cap, it features a smooth friction-fit design to secure it to the pen when not in use. You can also post the cap easily while writing. The amount of force necessary to uncap or cap the pen feels almost perfect to my preference. It's a bit tight when trying to uncap, but you quickly get used to it after using the pen a few times. One thing I noticed quickly is that you should avoid twisting the pen in a counter-clockwise motion when uncapping it because this unscrews the grip section from the pen body! I never realized how much I rotate pens when removing the cap, but I have certainly noticed during my time with the Kaco Retro. This hasn't resulted in any ink accidents, but it is slightly annoying to be made to tighten the grip section after uncapping the pen.

Aside from the clip, the only other feature on the cap of the pen is a small embossed KG, which stands for the company name. It's very low-profile and is difficult to notice in most light.

The pen body and grip section are the same width and match up perfectly against a small clear ink window. The ink window is handy to show you how much ink is left in your converter or ink cartridge, but it's also really easy to just unscrew the section and take a closer look. Either way, it's definitely a nice visual point to break up all the orange.

The grip section is somewhat uncomfortable for my fingers due to the material and smooth, sloped nature of the grip. I always struggle with glossy plastic grips, and this one is no exception. It is comfortable in my hand at first, but quickly becomes slick and difficult to hold after I use it for a minute or two. Your experience will vary, but you should have a pretty good idea of whether this grip will work for you just based on the shape and materials used.

Now, how about that nib? It's a good nib! The manufacturer says it's an extra fine, but the one I have writes like a European fine. The Cult Pens website even notes that some of the pens write like a European medium, so keep that in mind when ordering. This isn't a good choice if you're trying to dial in your nib preferences or are only interested in certain nib sizes!

The nib is smooth, the feed provides plenty of ink while writing, and I've been really impressed with how well the pen works in general. My only complaint is due to the design of the grip and nib. The hooded nib looks great, but it's always difficult for me to make sure I'm holding the pen at the right orientation while writing. Fountain pen nibs work best when the nib is parallel to the page. In most cases, the nib ceases to function when you roll the nib too far to one side or the other. Not a big deal in most cases, but this pen lacks the visual cue of the actual nib, and it also has a featureless grip section to let you know when your grip is rolling a bit too far. The hooded nib is so hooded that I have a difficult time knowing where the sweet spot of the nib is located!

Minor quirks aside, this really is such a fun pen. It includes a couple of ink cartridges as well as a cartridge converter so that you can use your own bottled ink. As a writing instrument, it functions beautifully and manages to be really dependable and robust. The materials used are mostly plastic, but the pen body and cap feel solid instead of like thin plastic that will break easily. For a pen that costs about ten dollars, it's a fun experiment!

Aside from the awesome orange color featured in this review, you can also purchase the Kaco Retro in a variety of other fun colors, like Red, Blue, White, Turquoise, and Black.

(Cult Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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