u/DIYYYner

https://imgur.com/a/xuWJ18k

Hoping to trade my black and gold Pilot e95s in fine for the same pen with a medium nib. Open to any color.

Mine’s been inked and used, so it’s in B condition. I have the original box and papers, as shown, and it’s in excellent condition.

All sub rules apply- including posting here before messaging. Look forward to hearing from you :)

This is my A5 Hon, which currently stays at home and is used for memory-keeping and a little light habit-tracking. I also have a Weeks for appointments and to-do lists that goes with me everywhere. Lately, I’ve been reconsidering my setup - partly bc I’m not getting as much use out of my A5 weekly spreads as I’d like and partly bc it can sometimes be a pain to switch back and forth between two books.

I think, if I had a larger bag, I could move into using the A5 exclusively, but I’m wondering what other folks’ experiences have been with doing this.

If you carry your A5/Cousin around with you, do you like it or find it too bulky and unmanageable? Or, have you done this in the past and abandoned it? If so, why?

Any comments, insights, etc. would be much appreciated!

p.s. I’ve considered trying to force myself into an A6, but I need weekly layouts and more room to spread out in general. Hence this question.

Thanks to the best seller on r/pen_swap, u/Unhappy-Celery-7664, I’m the proud new owner of this gorgeous, well-restored Esterbrook J - with the unusual and lovely 3668 nib, no less. (See photo 3.) The nib is a medium, tipped with iridium, and sports a beautiful sunburst pattern.

What a pen it is! I inked it with Montblanc Romeo & Juliet, and it lays down such a smooth, wet line and has the most satisfying feedback. I’m head over heels in love.

While it’s not my first vintage pen (that was a Parker 45), I now understand why this model so highly recommended for beginners to the world of vintage. They’re beautiful, write like a dream, and are super easy to care for. If you don’t have one in your collection, I highly recommend considering it.

This is my second Lady Sheaffer, and I’m pleased to announce that I’ve fallen head over heels in love with her.

She’s a member of Sheaffer’s final run of the model, which you can read about HERE, and was made sometime between 1971 and 1973. I love her short clip and how glittery she is, but most of all I love her broad, or “coarse,” 14k nib that’s easily the softest one I have in my collection. I feel like a fancy lady of leisure whenever I pick her up.

ETA I got her from u/ImperatorLucius, who was kind enough to ship her all the way from Cyprus to her new home in the US. (I may or may not have spent a couple of weeks compulsively refreshing the tracking page because I was so excited for her to arrive. I wasn't prepared for how fabulous she'd be, though.)

I’ve currently got her inked with KWZ Honey - a truly lovely ink - but I feel like she needs a more dramatic color to match her personality and am considering something like J. Herbin Rouge Grenat for her next fill. Other suggestions welcome.

Either way, thanks for reading this and showing her some love. 💖

I've still got a couple vintage pens coming - a red Esterbrook J and a black tulle Lady Sheaffer - but I felt like sharing my collection tonight, for some reason - maybe partly bc it feels like a fitting way for a pen nerd to recognize the first week of Pride month.

I'm happiest when I'm surrounded by color, and I find extra special joy in having a big, broad palette of inks to work with when I journal. Thanks to this sub, I've been able to amass a crew of affordable pens that have allowed me to write in rainbow, - as well as get to know a variety of nibs and body styles.

The most expensive pen in my collection - the blue Platinum 3776 - cost me $180 and, while I have a few pens in the $50-100ish range, most were far less expensive. The wonderful thing is that all of them write beautifully, and I smile every time I open my pen case. I hope they make others smile, too.

Here's a list, from left to right of each pen and its current ink, starting with the left side of the case:

PINKS to YELLOWS
Jinhao 82 <M> - J. Herbin Bouquet d'Antan
Pilot Kakuno <M> - Diamine Wilted Rose
Jinhao 100 <M> - Monteverde Kindness
LAMY Safari <B> - Diamine Pink Glitz
LAMY Safari <LH/M> - Montblanc Romeo & Juliet
Pilot e95s <F> - J. Herbin Rouge Grenat
Jinhao 100 <M> - Wearingeul Dracula
Jinhao x159 - Wearingeul Heimdall
Lady Sheaffer <B/Coarse> - KWZ Honey
LAMY Safari <1.1 Stub> - Homemade mix of J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie & green mica powder for shimmer

GREENS to TEALS
Jinaho 82 <M> - Dominant Industry Seaweed
Jinhao 82 <M> - Diamine Apple Glory
Pelikan M150 (80s era) <M> - Waterman Harmonious Green
TWSBI Eco <M> - J. Herbin Vert Atlantide
Jinhao 82 <M> - Van Dieman's Cuckoo Wasp
Sailor Profit Jr. <MF> - Teranishi Guitar Brilliant Mint
TWSBI Eco <M> - J. Herbin Emeraud de Chivor

And on the right...

BLUES to PURPLES
Pilot Kakuno <F> - Robert Oster Clearwater (Crack on top's sealed with washi tape)
Lady Sheaffer <M> - J. Herbin Bleu Myosotis
Jinhao 82 <EF> - Akkerman Shocking Blue
Platinum 3776 Century <F> - Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao
Asvine V126 <1.1 Stub> - Diamine Shimmering Seas
Sailor Profit Jr. <MF> - Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu
Pilot Kakuno <F> - J. Herbin Violet Pensee
Asvine C80 <M> - Sailor Shikiori Potsu Potsu
TWSBI Eco <M> - Diamine Frosted Orchid

BURGUNDIES to BLACKS
Asvine P20 <M> - Diamine Writer's Blood
Sailor 1911S <F> - Pilot Iroshizuku Syun-Gyo
Hongdian M2 <EF> - J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil
Sailor Pro Gear (Old Style) <M> - Robert Oster Caffe Crema
Webson Gill The Mirror <M> - Diamine Lady Grey
Parker 45 Flighter <EF> - Diamine Earl Grey
Pilot Kakuno <EF> - J. Herbin Perle Noire
Pilot Kakuno <M> - J. Herbin Shogun

He’s been perfecting this move for weeks now and has achieved near max coverage of both paper and pens. So proud!

Hiya, pen_swap! This is a longshot, but I thought I'd give it a try. I've got a brass Hongdian M2 in perfect condition with an extra-fine nib on it.

See VERIFICATION

I'd really love a medium nib, though, and wondered if anyone might be open to trading their medium nib M2 for my extra-fine.

While I'd prefer the brass version, I'm open to one in another color, so definitely comment and DM me if you've got something else.

All sub rules apply. Be sure to comment before DMing. Thanks!

It took a little time and a lot of deliberation, but this beauty arrived at its forever home tonight, and I couldn’t be happier.

I’ve been Pelikan curious for so long, but I haven’t had a way to try one out. So I set a low budget and headed to r/pen_swap in search of a vintage model that I hoped would be a good fit for me. Thanks to r/Unhappy-Celery-7664, I found one. (Best seller ever, btw.) It writes so well, and I just can’t stop looking at it.

It’s currently inked with Monteverde Olivine, but I decided it deserves a bottle of Waterman Harmonious Green to complement its lovely green barrel and ordered one up on the spot. I can’t wait to get back to my journal and continue getting to know it.

I’ve been Pelikan-curious for a long time but haven’t been able to try one bc I don’t live near a pen shop or any meetup groups. So I decided to set myself a low budget of $100 USD and look for a vintage option to try out. After reading, my sense was that a 120 with a M nib would be a good fit for me. (I’m left-handed and do pretty well with stiff nibs but prefer them on the broader side.)

It’s been really hard to find one, though, so I posted a request for that model and nib size on pen swap and got two responses. One person offered up a circa 1980s M150 with a M nib and the other a 1970s M&K 120 with a F nib.

I went with the M150 in M and will, I’m sure, love it, but I’m curious to know from other Pelikanistas how my writing experience will differ from the 120 in F or a modern Pelikan. (I forgot thus sub existed before purchase, unfortunately, and only got one response to my request for input on r/fountainpens.)

Any insights in terms of how the 80s M150 writes in comparison to the more vintage 120s, as well as more modern Pelikans, particularly the M400, which is what I would probably upgrade to down the road?

All comments, thoughts, etc. would be deeply appreciated. Either way, thanks for reading! Hi