21 replies to this topic

[JanesvilleJones]

The topic says it all -- I'm quite curious as to what some of the really serious collectors actually use from day to day. Is there a point where collecting and use intersect? A separate "collection of users"...?

Thanks for your thoughts and/or photos.

[AltecGreen]

I use my Nakayas on a daily basis. But I collect mostly vintage pens.

[penmanila]

my daily users include a conway stewart marlborough, an agatha christie, and a vac senior maxima (or sometimes, an oversize). the bulk of my collection is made up of vacumatics.

[Jiffypens]

I write with a paper-mate pen on most occasions

When I feel like using my pens though, I have a Sheaffer Levenger rollerball that writes excellent, as well as a Moore's fingertip.

[John Jenkins]

Pelikan 800 (fountain & rollerball)
Various Vacs (mostly Majors, Maximas & Oversizes)
Various combos (favorite is lovely silver Hicks)
Parker 51s
Various vintage "junk" pens

It boils down to whatever trips my trigger that day.

[Roger W.]

I still use the Targa I bought 30 years ago. Judd Perlson sold me a tip dip for $15 a month ago - been using that. I used to use two Statesman snorkels for a couple of years. I generally don't use anything rare or highly collectible as a user - I could I just do see the need to. I'd probably be more picky if I wrote a lot but, I just need it to start reasonably and jot a few figures. I almost never use ball points or pencils - just fountain pens and only a few of those a year. I used to use Zebra ballpoints - I did like those back in the '90's.

Roger W.

[Christof Z]

Although my collection isnot large, valuable or significant, I reply to this Topic. I apologize for that...


As Roger W. I also do not use my most valuable pens a lot. I have many pens with good writng Qualities and there is just no Need to risk damage, lost or just dicoloration of hard rubber and Celluloid of my best pens.

In most cases, I use one of my Parker "51". In y opinion, the "51" is one of the most beautiful and best designed pens ever. I have quite a number of "51"s and I love to Change my daily users. One of my favourite P"51" is this Nassau Green vac:



The nib is fine, smooth and wet and the pen holds quite a lot of ink.

But I also have a weak spot for Pelikan pens. This is my most used Pelikan 400:



This pen is fitted with an uncommon Steno nib, which is compareable to full flex Waterman's nibs. I love it!






But from time to time, I get appetite for somthing fancy and I take out one of my wet noodle Waterman's, like this RHR 52:



I just love this color! ....but this pen newer leave the house.



Christof

[wekiva98]

These days I'm writing the most with ballpoints and rollers -- they're simply easier to use when I'm editing page proofs at work. Most of my fountain pens are just for show. But I keep a number of them ready to go and use them away from work. Here's a list:

BALLPOINTS / ROLLERS
-- Parker 51
-- Parker75
-- Montblanc 163
-- OMAS MOMA
-- Waterman L'Etalon

FOUNTAIN PENS (partial list -- not all inked at the moment)
-- Parker 51 aerometric
-- Parker 75 cisele
-- Sheaffer PFM
-- Sheaffer TD Signarture
-- Pelikan 800
-- Waterman 7 emerald ray
-- Waterman 94 moss agate
-- Skyline w/gold-filled cap

There also are a couple of Vac majors that are out of action until I replace the diaphragms.

[Wahl]

I use all of my vintage pens, except my Duofold Senior Mandarin.

[soot]

I also use all of my pens, none are spared.

[philm]

Just snapped this of my carry case as it sits on my desk at work this morning....



Vintage Black OS Balance
Sheaffer Touchdown
Dani Trio
Redipoint Pencil
Filcao Columbia
Kimberly Ballpoint

I have been carrying these for about a week. Will probably change them out over the next week.

[Deb]

I have a sadly beat-up Conklin Endura that's a pleasure to write with and a thirties English Waterman with an oblique nib that fits me just right. And there's a modern Kaweco Sport that I like to use sometimes. No Swans or Conway Stewarts, you'll notice, but that's because whenever I have a good one someone wants it!

[Peterg]

I have 15 pens sitting in front of me waiting to be used. Some I've resaced and some came working. Similarly some are working but most waiting to be filled.

Looking across there are:
Late Croxley,
Modern Cross
wood grain Fleet (than you Deb)
wood grain Alfa with a steel nib
black senior Vacumatic lock down
standard Duofold in pink & black marble missing a ring
brown Swan 3250 with a 3 nib (lovely writer)
green marble Pelican 100
black Burge, Warren & Ridgley (?) syringe pen 'The Champion' with over feed
wood grain Unique with a very smooth nib
a scratchy Conway Stewart in green marble
a black CS Scribe 330
a black ladies Seal
a pink and black marble Stephens 270 with a smooth nib (as expected of a Langs product) and finally
a black National Security similar to the Stephens.

Time to make our supper.
Cheerio
Peter

[Teej47]

Lately I seem to be very fond of Esterbrooks (various Js, Dollars, and a Visumaster) and most mornings one of those goes in my shirt pocket as I head out the door. Thus far today I've used two different Esties (one with a 2556 nib and the other with a 2788 that's like butter), a '51 "51" (1951 Parker 51), and a 95 year old or so Moore's Non-Leakable.

I also frequently carry a Sheaffer TM Sentinel, a Wahl Rosewood, or a gorgeous little coral orange Mabie-Todd from the '30s. When I reach for a pencil it's either a Snorkel or a Skyline.

The only time I ever use a ball pen is when I have no other option, which generally means thermal print receipts from debit purchases.

Tim

[Penman]

Standard daily users are very ordinary, a Parker 51 and a well used Conway Stewart 28, both with remarkable nibs. From time to time I bring out something more interesting, today its a Duofold Streamline, looks like it was made yesterday, it has a Parker Maxima 50 nib and every word is a pleasure.

[plmadding]

I wouldn't say I have a significant collection, only around 100 pens.

The pen I use every day is a Sheaffer Sentinel Deluxe. It holds loads of ink and is a wonderful writing, sturdy pen.

[jonro]

I wouldn't say that I have an especially large or valuable collection, but each of my (approximately) 250 pens has some meaning for me. I like to switch around a lot. I often ink up a new pen when one runs out of ink, but there are a few that stay in rotation. My old style (1992) Omas Arco Paragon has been in rotation for nearly two years. I almost always have one or two OS or full size Sheaffer Balances in rotation. I frequently have a PFM and another Sheaffer Touchdown or Snorkel inked up. A modern Aurora (i.e., Talentum or 88) is usually ready to go. I'll also keep a couple of less expensive modern pens inked up for when I don't want to take something expensive with me. After that, it's whatever pen I feel like writing with next.

[snorkelcc]

I have been using Snorkels, Lamy 2000 & Geha (the flexible nib of this pen write beautiful characters).
Recently I switch to Esterbrook J pens with various nib, trying to find an alternative to my Geha but those Esterbrook flex nib are not as flex as I had expected...
CC

[david i]

My old essay at Vacumania does touch on the collecting vs. using thing...

http://www.vacumania...ucationuser.htm

Truth is, counting sales stock and recognizing that for years (not so much now) I had the pens in my own collection restored, I probably have 3000 working pens lying around now, and maybe another 1500 not restored. Maybe more. I tried a 12 step program, but ended up with 12 more pens...

Have used about 3 during the last six months. The two key users have been a lovely late 1930's Sheaffer Balance in Carmine celluloid, and a Labrou/Sheaffer CP4 Richmond. The Balance has typical fine-med nib. The Sterling Lambrou/Sheaffer has a rather monstrous chiseled stub, arguably a double broad italic in practice.

At this rat\e, it will take a fair bit of time to complete the "rotation"...

regards

david

[Procyon]

These are the pens I tend to keep using over and over. I occasionally use other ones as well, just to see how they write. The reason I use these pens is mainly historical, I guess. The four on the right are some of the first pens I collected. Since I liked the way they wrote, and they were reliable, I carried them and used them at work for years. The Deco Band has an interesting nib - a very flexy, italic nib that is fairly narrow - one of my favorite to write with. The green Sheaffer flat top I like because of the color. I have a couple of the same model that are mint in color, whereas this one has darkened. But the darkening is only in between the bright green parts, and the whole thing is very uniform. I really think it is prettier than the original color. The Parker 51s I use because of reliability primarily. The newer Parker Duofold has an italic nib that I like.