DISCLAIMER UPDATE (6/24/22): TWSBI and Narwhal have released a joint statement which I cover in my most recent TWSBIgate post. While not completely satisfied with TWSBI’s response to the situation, I no longer feel the need to dissuade people from purchasing their products.
DISCLAIMER (5/1/22): Since writing this post, TWSBI has been involved in some unsavory actions, and I am currently boycotting them. For more information, refer to the #twsbigate tag page.
This post is inspired by Angelica Nyqvist‘s video One Wasn’t Enough… | Products So Good I Went Back and Bought More!!. In that video, she credits Lauren Mae Beauty with coming up with the idea.
While the idea is pretty straightforward, I’m taking a specific facet of it. I’m not examining all pens I had to have more than one of. Instead, I’m only taking a look at those pens that I purchased more than one of the same model because I loved the way it writes. Maybe later I can share pens I bought more than one of because of the way they look. Would you be interested in that?
Anyway, that’s enough blathering, let’s get to the fun stuff.
In reviewing my pen collection for this post, there is a very specific shared quality about my “one wasn’t enough” pens: smooth, wet nibs. They all put down quite a bit of ink, regardless of tip size, and glide across the page. some have a teeny bit of feedback, but others are like a hot knife through butter.
Benu
I’m counting Benu pens as one, since they all use the same delightful Schmidt nibs. These fall into the “teeny bit of feedback” category. After testing Jim’s Benu, I knew I wanted one, because the nib was great. But it took me a while to find the right one. My first was the JetPens Exclusive Briolette Pacific Coast. The second was the Talisman Wild Rose. I have plans to get at least two more, another Talisman and an Ambrosia.
Pilot Custom 74
I love how smooth these nibs are — definitely hot knife through butter. What keeps these from being my favorites is the price difference. They’re well-priced — extremely so for gold nibs — but they’re double the price of the TWSBIs.
Pilot Metropolitan
Early on, I bought several of these, both to collect the color set and for love of the way they write. I sold most of them as I “graduated” out of beginner pens, and forgot about the two I kept. A couple of months ago, I found them again, and inked one up. Despite the extra years of experience, I still think they write really well. I don’t expect to buy any more of them, since I already have two, but I’m enjoying having them back in my collection. The Metropolitans have the teeny bit of feedback.
TWSBI 580 Series
Yep, these again. I doubt I’ll ever shut up about them. I now have 13 total between the full size and minis, with a variety of nibs from EF to B. These are my favorite non-flex nibs, and fall into the hot knife through butter category.
Honorable Mentions
These last two are special cases. Technically, they don’t meet the criteria I laid out at the beginning of this post. But I feel they’re worth mentioning.
Platinum Izumo
I don’t own multiples of the Izumo model, but I really want to. The pen shape is very comfortable in the hand. The nib has a teeny bit of feedback.
Stylo Suite Nibs
I own 2 nibs from Les, with the intention of buying at least one more at BWIPS. I adore the line variation he gest out of his nib mods. The Spencerian, especially, is fantastic. I have it in one of my always inked pens so that I’m never without it.
Well, those are my “one wasn’t enough” pens. Do you have more than one of any of these pens? What other pens do you need more than one of? Let me know in the comments!
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