{"id":505,"date":"2017-10-16T10:07:41","date_gmt":"2017-10-16T14:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/?p=505"},"modified":"2024-01-15T13:19:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-15T18:19:07","slug":"bertrams-inkwell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racheldelafuente.com\/blog\/bertrams-inkwell\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Times at Bertram’s Inkwell"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you\u2019ve been following my blog, you know I like \u201cpimping\u201d companies that I\u2019ve had good experiences with. So far, I\u2019ve discussed <\/span>Edison Pen Company<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Goulet Pens<\/span><\/a>, and <\/span>Surreal Makeup<\/span><\/a>. This time I\u2019ll be telling you about <\/span>Bertram\u2019s Inkwell<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Bertram's<\/p>\n

Shopping Experiences<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"PhotoBertram\u2019s holds a special place in my heart as the store where I bought my first fountain pen. It was a red-nibbed Platinum Preppy 05. I don\u2019t have a picture of mine, as it sadly disappeared in my recent move, but I did find this photo<\/a> from <\/span>WonderPens<\/span><\/a>. It was my gateway pen, and the experience of purchasing it was so pleasant that Bertram\u2019s was forever fixed in my mind as a top-notch store. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"PhotoThe next time I visited, I picked up a Lamy Safari Dark Lilac, completely oblivious to the fact that I was buying a special edition. I just knew I liked the color and feel of it. I also picked up bottles of Diamine Meadow and Diamine Aqua Lagoon because they were beautiful, bright colors. I\u2019ve since learned that just because a color is pretty doesn\u2019t mean it will make a good writing ink. Meadow hasn\u2019t gotten much use because a full-page of it can be hard on the eyes. <\/span><\/p>\n

While we were there, Jim bought a Namiki Falcon as a birthday present to himself. I can\u2019t recall if it was Bert or Adam (or both) who helped us out that day \u2014 I was too focused on buying my first \u201cnice\u201d pen \u2014 but whoever it was was incredibly patient with me as I went through all of the Lamy colors, and let me dip test a few different nib sizes. Jim was also treated very well as he tried to decide if he was actually willing to buy such an expensive pen (oh, how our views have changed).<\/span><\/p>\n

And now the really fun part. I get to tell you about some of my customer service experiences that I feel went above and beyond what your typical store offers.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Crimson Sunrise & Stipula Nib Exchange<\/span><\/h2>\n
\"Photo
My “series pen” – the pen I intend to sign books with – that I’ve dubbed Moon Blood.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Goulet Pens announced the Pilot Vanishing Point (VP) Crimson Sunrise, I was intrigued. I\u2019d considered buying it as my \u201cseries pen\u201d until I found Moon Blood at the DC Pen Show (Read my <\/span>2nd DC Pen Show post<\/span><\/a> for that story). But as its release date drew nearer, I wasn\u2019t positive I wanted it. To help me decide, we took a trip to Bertram\u2019s. I figured I could hold and write with a regular VP, and, if I liked it, I\u2019d order a Crimson Sunrise when they were available. I\u2019m not going to lie, I intended to order one from Goulet Pens. I even signed up for the in-stock notification email.<\/span><\/p>\n

At Bertram\u2019s, I found that I liked the way the VP felt. Bert dipped a nib for me and let me try writing a bit, and I was rather happy with the line quality and flow. I wasn\u2019t positive I loved it, but I knew that if I bought a Crimson Sunrise and decided it wasn\u2019t for me, I could sell it and get my money back very easily. After all, the 2015 special edition is selling for around $500 on eBay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most likely seeing my approbation, Bert asked if I\u2019d like to pre-order the Crimson Sunrise. I started to decline, but Bert\u2019s price was a couple bucks less than Goulet Pen\u2019s, and I wouldn\u2019t have to pay shipping. Bertram\u2019s had been good to me thus far, and, honestly, who doesn\u2019t like saving money, even if just a bit. Deciding to give it a go, I said yes, paid, and was informed that they were expecting the pens to ship in a couple of days. Since I couldn\u2019t decide if I\u2019d rather come in and pick up my pen or have it shipped, Bert said he would call me when it came in.<\/span><\/p>\n

With my business out of the way, Jim brought out his Stipula (You can read the story about it in my <\/span>4th DC Pen Show post<\/span><\/a> and a shortened version of this exchange in my <\/span>Rainbow Pens Update post<\/span><\/a>) with the question, \u201cDo you want to see something I bet you haven\u2019t seen before?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jim proceeded to point out the crack in the nib right along the stamped design. It was sheer unlucky coincidence that the nib was bent (to wrap around the feed) precisely at the edge of the design, creating a weak point. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Photo
This is the replacement nib. I don’t have a photo of the original nib with the crack.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Out came Bert\u2019s loupe, and I was surprised to hear, \u201cYou\u2019re right, I haven\u2019t seen this before. It\u2019s a manufacturing defect.\u201d That\u2019s paraphrased, it was long enough ago that I don\u2019t recall precisely what was said anymore.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, while I wasn\u2019t in Jim\u2019s brain, I\u2019m as certain as I can be that he just intended to show Bert something different. Neither he, nor I, had any expectation of getting the pen fixed at Bertram\u2019s. However, Bert disappeared behind a wall (I strongly suspect there are various pen parts on the other side, although I\u2019ve never asked) and emerged with a new gold-colored Stipula Titanium nib. <\/span><\/p>\n

He had the old, broken nib out, the new nib inserted, and was handing the pen back to Jim before either of us had really processed what was happening. I was so flabbergasted that I don\u2019t recall precisely what was said next, but it was basically Jim making his surprise and thanks known, and Bert telling him no thanks were really necessary.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m well aware that Stipula stands behind their pens, so you can send a pen in for servicing at any time. Jim had already filled out a form to do just that. But Stipula nibs aren\u2019t exactly cheap, and Bert just handed us a new one. We left that day with a new level of respect for Bert and his store.<\/span><\/p>\n

I waited impatiently for the week to end, feeling a little disappointed each day that I didn\u2019t receive a call. Another week went by, and again, no phone call, so on Friday, I called the store. The pens hadn\u2019t shipped, but they\u2019d let me know when they did. <\/span><\/p>\n

Around this time, I started seeing photos on Instagram of the Crimson Sunrise. Patience, never my strong suit, became that much harder as I more and more images appeared.<\/span><\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t make it another week. On Wednesday, I caved and left a message on Bertram\u2019s <\/span>Facebook page<\/span><\/a>, asking if there was any status update on the Crimson Sunrise. I got a rather quick reply that the pens would probably be shipped that day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sure enough, the next day (Thursday), Bertram\u2019s sent me a Facebook message saying the pens had been shipped, and when they came in, I\u2019d get first pick of the numbers. As if waiting wasn\u2019t hard enough! I allowed myself a brief moment of fantasy and imagined getting another #19 pen, or maybe pen #1988, despite knowing the odds were astronomical.<\/span><\/p>\n

Come Monday, I decided to check in, as the pens were now available on Bertram\u2019s <\/span>website<\/span><\/a>, and I wanted to make sure I hadn\u2019t been forgotten. The shipment was out for delivery, but may not arrive until 4pm. Sure enough, around 4:30, I got a message that the pens had arrived. They\u2019d received numbers 1969-1980.<\/span><\/p>\n

My thoughts were a roller coaster. Disappointment that I wouldn\u2019t get #19 or #1988. Immature silliness imagining having pen #1969. *eyebrow waggle* Confusion, because what pen <\/span>did <\/span><\/i>I want. Distress at needing to pick a number quickly. Relief at figuring out the perfect number: 1971.\u00a0<\/span>I had a 1988 pen for my birth year, and now I\u2019d have a 1971 pen for Jim\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

I thanked Bert profusely, and worked out details to have my pen shipped. It showed up two days later in all it\u2019s colorful glory.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/p>\n

I\u2019m well aware that my repeated check-ins were wearisome (some would say nagging), and I can only feel eternally grateful that Bert, or whoever it is that mans the social media post, has the patience of a saint. The responses were always quick, friendly, and helpful, which means a lot to me.<\/span><\/p>\n

Montegrappa Coffee Brown Ink<\/span><\/h2>\n

And now for the Tale of Montegrappa Coffee Brown. Just imagine a creepy face with a flashlight held underneath. \ud83d\ude09<\/span><\/p>\n

A while back Jim bought a bottle of Montegrappa Coffee Brown ink. He\u2019s a big coffee drinker, and the color is almost spot on, so of course he had to get it. He loaded up a pen almost immediately, I filled a pen a bit later after seeing the color.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because Jim put the ink in a wet writer, he didn\u2019t notice a problem at first. I, however, put it in my Jinhao x450, which is a fairly dry writer, and noticed flow issues almost immediately. I had to wet the nib every time I started writing. It annoyed me enough, that I finally decided to put in a different ink. <\/span><\/p>\n

While cleaning my pen, I decided to just dump what was left in the converter. As I twisted the piston, the ink bubbled at the top, then dripped down slowly, more like syrup than ink. Jim and I have since dubbed it \u201cink snot\u201d. I\u2019ll let you soak in that lovely mental image for a moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jim decided to clean out his pen almost immediately after I finished explaining my \u201cEwww!\u201d I did some research online about the ink drying out or coagulating in a pen, with no real results, so I sent out a tweet to see if this was a one-off or a known problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Has anyone had problems with Montegrappa Coffee Brown coagulating in their pen? @GouletPens<\/a> @InkJournal<\/a> @AndersonPens<\/a> @BertramsInkwell<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rachel de la Fuente (@authorracheldlf) August 25, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n