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.
“Less Expensive” Pens
We’re back to posts you requested! I’ve been considering dedicating a post or two to showing off my pen collection for a while. When I saw that quite a few of you were interested in that as well, I started thinking about how best to manage it.
I knew I couldn’t share them all in one post. That’s WAY too much at once. Instead, I’ve decided to break this into three roughly equal parts. This one will focus on my less expensive mainstream pens. I’ll link to part two and part three once they’re posted.
As you all also want to see more pen porn, vote for which pens you’d like a dedicated post on at the bottom of this page.
Let’s start with an overview of this set. Yep, I keep them in color order. Pen rainbows are so pretty!
I’ve been considering lowering the threshold for my “more expensive” pens since I’ve got such an imbalance — 26 vs 41 — it’s making it difficult to plan my usage rotation. But I digress… back to pens.
Benu
I’ve only got two Benus, and I love them both. I’ve already shared a post about the Wild Rose, but the Pacific Coast was my first Benu. I love both it and why it was created. These aren’t ever going anywhere. Quite the opposite. I expect they’ll be joined by at least two more by the end of the year.
Esterbrook
I have one old and one new. The “old,” J in Dubonnet Red, was a gift, so it’s a keeper. The “new,” Estie Sunflower is such a fun, happy color. It’s a portable ray of sunshine.
Kaweco
I’ve written a post on my feelings about the Kaweco Sport. I have three. The Rose Gold and Stonewashed Blue are great. The red is my favorite color pairing, but the powder-coat metal rubs a bit when capping which is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I’m seriously considering selling it.
Lamy
My first “decent” fountain pen, the Dark Lilac, has a lot of sentimental value to me. The Lamy 2000 has been impossible to sell. Every time I consider doing so, I use it and am reminded why I enjoy it so much. The writing experience is great. And there’s the Mango. I bought it because it’s a great color, and the clip matches. But, the Safari writing experience is just average, so I could see myself selling it at some point. My Safari Petrol is already for sale. Any takers?
Moonman
I bought this guy because I like the idea and style of the Bohème, but not the high price. The X1 is a nice little pen, especially when considering how inexpensive it is.
Opus 88
I already wrote about this one. It’s a nice pen. I’m still happy with it.
Pelikan
Admittedly, this isn’t a great picture for showing off the beauty of this pen. Check out ferociousnprettypens’ post for that. But, the Moonstone is gorgeous. As I’ve said before: rainbow glitter.
Pilot
I’ve written about my first Custom 74 and my customized one. I love the writing experience. And the Metropolitans are surprisingly good for their price point. Plus, the colors are fun.
Retro 51
I only have the one Retro 51 fountain pen. I’m not a big fan of them. But, monarch butterflies, and butterflies in general, are pretty important in Mexico and Mexican culture, so I really wanted this pen when I found out about it. I’m kind of hoping to find the rollerball at a decent price so I can have the set.
Sailor
Eventually, I’ll probably whittle down my Sailor collection, but for now, I’m good with what I have. As an Aries, I’ll keep the mini Aries as representation. The 1911 is the only one I have of that model. The Blue Dwarf and Purple Cosmos are fantastic colors. My Bungubox exclusive Pro Gear Slim Magnolia is for sale.
Sheaffer
I just have the one Sheaffer, the Triumph Valiant. I plan to write a post on how I identified it, I’m just not sure when. Jim smoothed the nib some for me, and it’s a deliciously smooth writer. As I mentioned in my post about choosing ink for my pens, my Sheaffer is one of two pens that have a permanent ink match. In this case, Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri Same.
Stipula
This is my only “less expensive” Stipula. I went back and forth on buying this pen, ultimately caving when it went on sale. I’m glad I got it.
Tibaldi
This pen is adorable, and reminds me of a pasty tassel in the best way. But, the section is a bit too short for my liking, and the writing experience is not my absolute favorite. I can see myself selling this at some point when the novelty has worn off.
TWSBI
You’ve been subjected to enough of me singing the praises of the TWSBI 580 series. So, I’ll just let you enjoy this lovely pen rainbow. It doesn’t include my newest pen, the RBT 100th anniversary, which just arrived yesterday evening.
Visconti
Like the Lamy 2000, every time I consider getting rid of my Breeze, I use it and decide to keep it. It’s a very nice writer, especially for a steel nib.
Alright, those are my less expensive pens. It’s the largest of my pen groupings by a significant margin (mostly thanks to all those TWSBIs). I don’t expect it to grow too much, as I only have 5-7 pens that I’m even considering buying in this category. For now…
Anyway, what do you think of my collection so far? Do you own any of them? Have I made you want any? Are you interested in any of the ones I’m considering selling? Let me know in the comments. I love hearing from you! Thanks for reading!
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very clear and good article easy to understand. Thank you