Wednesday, October 17, 2012

We Obviously Need More Fountain Pens

After viewing a Master Class at the Kauffman Center, MEK, the nerdlings and I dropped by the Pen Place at Crown Center in downtown Kansas City.  Yeah, that was probably a mistake.  But we came for ink and we left with ink.  Except for the Retro 51 glow-in-the-dark robot roller pen I picked up.  I'm a sucker for robots.

Anyway, here are some examples of the temptations of Pen Place.


How about an entire wall of ink?


I have also been known to get into total guy mode.  These Porsche pens are overstated, but I'm still in like with them.


As with watches, selling nice pens is all about the presentation.








Enter if you dare.  Pen Place is waiting for you.

Here is the new Retro 1951 pen.  It isn't a fountain pen, but it is heavy and rolls well.  It glows in the dark and is probably radioactive.  Did I already mention that I am a sucker for robots?  The notes are from a talk at TEDxKC 2012 and are the subject of recently released book on the subject of the half life of facts.  I recommend the talk and the book is getting solid reviews.





13 comments:

  1. Fountain pens are like typewriters, just one more. BUT fountain pens take less room.

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    1. That is a very good point. I've enjoyed reading your pen posts and will probably get a cheap Chinese pen to try or at least have loaded with a different color of ink.

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  2. I so want that robot pen. Very cool! A couple of the other ones grab me, but I never really find a design that 'speaks' to me.

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    1. Pen style preference is as subjective as watch style preference. I missed a few of my favorites in the shop window. Delta makes some nice looking orange celluloid pens that are totally pimped. The dang things cost several hundred dollars. Perhaps I should buy a lottery ticket.

      The robot pen was a surprise. I am defenseless when in the presence of robots.

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  3. I was unaware that there are entire stores for pens! I would love to find one down my way, even though I really don't use them. The place seems to just ooze...well, it oozes something. Something I like!

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    1. Ken, I was unaware of their existence until my wife got interested in pens and I went in search of ink for Mother's Day earlier this year. My handwriting is atrocious, but these non-disposable pens have a great feel and I slow down with the fountain pen. I have been using a TWSBI Diamond 540 at work for several weeks and actually look forward to running out of ink so I can swap colors.

      Pen shops are tempting. Try one of the cheap $10 pens mentioned on Bill's blog and see how you like the experience. My wife loves her $25 Lamy Safari pens. The price may sound steep, but a well maintained pen lasts for decades.

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  4. Replies
    1. Yeah, serious temptation. I confess to posting pen prn.

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  5. I tend to spend far too much time in pen stores. The prices for fountain pens aren't exactly cheap, either, so I usually wind up buying a bottle of ink instead. Nice store. All those different coloured pens look like candy.

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  6. I have fond memories of that store, with a Cross fountain pen to remind me of the Good Times When I Had Money.

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  7. Truth be told, I know nothing about fountain pens, but those look cool. Robot pen and notebook, what a surprise. (:

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  8. Inky goodness. Also, I have a Typogram for you. It will be going out with Monday's post. I am way behind my correspondence.

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  9. That is one pretty cool place to stumble upon. That zero-gravity space pen would've been hard for me to pass up.

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