I’m a professor and I write all day long on a with a desk camera using my fountain pens. It takes me about 5 pens to get through the week. So I ink them up on Sunday and then I don’t have to worry about refilling my pens during the week. So I keep five in rotation.
I have a Levenger Write & Read glasses case that I'm using as a pen case. It holds 5 pens. I need a pen with black ink for all the writing I do, one inked up with red ink for editing, and three accent colors for color coding my notes and writing.
I have about 12 pens inked up at a time. I’m a student and like to use different pens & colors to organize my notes like title, subtitle, definition, highlights, etc.
I’m just getting into fountain pens for planning and bullet journaling. I color code all my stuff based on specific family members and categories. I was just wondering if 12 pens would be too many so this makes me feel better and not crazy.
My rule is that I only keep as many pens inked up as I have cases or pen sleeves for. And then I definitely don't just buy more cases and pen sleeves. I definitely don't do that.
I’m with you on this one, Drew. Although my policy is “no more than four pens inked”. That means sometimes is just one or two but never more than four. That way I get to enjoy each and every pen in my collection and cleaning is not a daunting task. Thanks for all you do.
I'm with you on this, Drew. With only three pens inked at any one time, you can spend more quality time with each pen and not have ink sitting around for too long in any one pen.
I must be on "team Brian"... I just counted 24 pens inked-up in my office (although one is due to be cleaned today, so the total will be 23 by the end of the day)!
I currently have 16 pens inked... and yet I basically agree with you. My situation is driven by my love of trying new inks, so this is just the only way I can get through a batch of samples in a timely fashion. But if I wanted to be practical and focus on enjoying the pens, and my ink choices were more stable, I'd definitely aim for closer to three at a time. Ideally and practically, I think I'd aim for about four pens: The BB italic I keep inked with a different color each month for journal headings. A pen that's quick to cap and uncap for taking quick book notes and marking off to-dos. A pen capable of writing very fine in tight spaces. And my Kaweco just so I always have a small tossaround pen I can drop in a pocket. Of the two that are only loosely defined, one would probably almost always be the fine 3776 because it's just solid all around and does an excellent job of reverse-writing an EF line, and the other one would be vintage.
I agree wholeheartedly Drew! Generally I only keep about 2, 3 at the most, pens inked up at one time and they're just mini pens I leave out on my desk for note taking. The third one will be a nicer one for cards or something. I don't write as much as I used to write.
I've been keeping a higher number of pens inked, currently around a dozen. I make sure to rotate between them regularly, using a different pen as my "pen of the day" every day. The main reason is that I have gotten a lot of really attractive inks lately, and I want to use them all! I've lowered the number of pens I keep inked, over time, but I still struggle to keep it super low.
I tend to keep only 2-4 pens inked up at any given time. Anything beyond 4 honestly makes me feel anxious, as there are then too many for me to keep track of and concentrate my enjoyment of. There are usually two that I write with regularly throughout the day and one as my "purse" pen; sometimes a 4th stored with my checkbook.
I also ink up only three pens one for the purse and two at home with different inks and nibs, but now that I’ve discovered all of these new wonderful inks, that’s going to change!
I do the same! I only have three pens that I use at a time: professional, fun, and personal :D Also agree with having a smaller carrying case that physically limits you! Great wisdom and well said :)
I agree, three pens is about my limit. At this moment, I have a Parker 51 (Green), a Platinum 3776 (Blue), and a Pilot Falcon (Red). I do a lot of voluntary writing during my day and switch between these pens and colors often.
I am trying to get mine down to 5 inked up, including use for journaling and work. Right now I think I have around 20 inked up. That is because there are many I used exclusively for work, but still it's way, way too many. My goal is 5 at a time, and my goal date is by the end of the year. So I've not been inking up new pens, and trying to run through the ones that are close to empty. I needed this video.
The three-pen system is the result of a stroke of genius (or just a stroke?). I also ink just three pens and keep them in a three-pen case for manageability reasons, but I rotate all three pens at once. But I do--hush--have a pen dedicated to my 3-year journal and one dedicated to my daily planner. Both sit in pen loops attached to those journals and I will use the same two pens for the whole year.
Yeah, technically I keep three inked up that go everywhere with me - but also keep one inked up that stays one my desk in case I forget to bring my bag to work. - Drew
@@johannesmuller2956 LOL! Actually sounds like Drew's 4th pen is a spare, so it would be a bit like saying my car has five wheels though one is always in the trunk. But we should reframe Drew's position as disciplined inking.
Hi Drew! Good to see you. I tried it your way but want more variety in ink and pen so I have a case with ten pens I rotate. To remember the ink I write it on a paper and keep it in my case. So true about cleaning. But would rather get out all the cleaning tools for three pens than one. And I do clean them very good. Thanks for these little videos too. I looked for the answer for this question and couldn't find it. Why do inks start out dark and fade as you write? BLESSINGS
Great idea! I have been trying to figure out a system like this myself to not get overwhelmed. I'm going to try the three pen now system now and see how it works out. Thanks!
So many different experiences and viewpoints! That's the thing I love about fountain pens - you can really adapt it to you. My approach is similar to Drew's but with a higher pen count! I keep about 20 pens inked, and clean them out when I notice I'm no longer wanting to use that particular pen-ink combo. These mostly stay at home, since I work from home a lot, and if I go out to work, I take a three pen case of that day's favourites. This gives me the variety I need as well as taking care of my pens in a manageable way. Best of both worlds!
Another pro to the three pen philosophy for listing/calendars--one is your listing color, one is your completion and/or notation color, and the third is perhaps, as in my case, my "push to tomorrow" color. Choosing just three colors isn't too hard and it consistently looks organized and clean every time.
Love this advice! I've adopted it myself choosing 1 pen that can be used at work, 1 pen for ink capacity (piston/vac), and 1 pen that is cartridge/converter.
Since I primarily use my pens for daily journaling, I settled on six. My rational being, that gives me the opportunity to write with each pen five days each month. And, still makes cleaning manageable!
Drew, that was very interesting and sounds quite functional for you. I usually limit myself to 10 inked pens at a time, which is the number that fits in the top shelf of my pen case. Since I have my office in my home, I don't "carry" pens every day, so I feel I can have a few more pens inked at a time. I also have a variety of colors that I use each day. It takes me about 2 weeks to go through the ink in my pens. But whether I have used all the ink or not, all of my 10 pens get cleaned and stored, then I rotate in another 10 and ink them. Also, I do not use inks that are really difficult to clean, and I only use permanent inks infrequently.
I keep six inked at a time, but like you, the number is based on how many my case will hold. It definitely makes life easier to ink fewer and just clean as needed. I never have a “pen cleaning day”, since I clean and swap as soon as a pen is emptied. It also helps make each cleaning easier when the ink isn’t allowed to dry up in the pen.
I have a case of 6 . I think that is ideal. Just enough to play with different color inks, but not too much where it is a chore to clean them. I highly agree need a barrier or holder system.
I'm close to this. Though I struggle with throwing away ink when I'm sick of it, and so usually keep a pen in rotation until I've used up the filling. So I will go up to four or maybe five pens from time to time.
I saw the pen cast episode where this was debated and decided to give it a try because previously I was using Brian’s method and well let’s say there was a lot of dried out pens and a lot of wasted ink. I also combined with with having a pen of the day. I am a student taking notes and found switching pens mid lecture difficult. With the combination of these two systems I have almost completely written 2 piston fillers empty (previously I almost couldn’t get through a converter without changing or having to clean). This system has been a revelation for my fountain pen use and it’s all thanks to Drew 👍🏻
It sounds like you need different pens. The worst of my pens will go at least a month without drying out. I also have some cheap pens, primarily the Pilot Petit1, that seem to never dry out. They go months without going dry. I had one that went over a year. Platinum pens can go two years, or longer, without going dry. For that matter, my TWSBI Eco and 580ALR pens never seem to dry out, either. I easily go through a full fill without have a hard start, and I've gone through several fills without having to clean a pen. I never had a problem changing pens at a meeting or a lecture. I often change because I want to use a different color of ink. My padfolio holds more than enough paper to last me a week, and it holds four pens. Just slip one in, and pull a different one out. Before I had this padfolio, I carried pens in my shirt pocket. This made it very easy to change pens.
I only have 4 pens but I have different ink in each and constantly use them. I am planning on getting about 5 more and will likely have them all inked at once since I love using multiple colors and line weights for writing and drawing. I understand the thought behind your limit but I don’t think it would work for me.
Hey Drew, I got to admit I failed after a few days. But stumbling over this video again after like half a year, I feel like I should give it another try.
I have somewhere between 50 and 60 inked at any one time, divided between a bulging case of maybe 30 I take to work for my own amusement, and the rest which stay at home. Many are cheap pens, generally Chinese, but some are a bit more upmarket. I keep a log of what's in each and, in most cases, its nib size since that's often not obvious. I know this is far too many and indicates a problem, with the main one being that my nicest pens rarely get used. Those are a Lamy 2000, Elite/E95S, Custom 74 and a Capless/VP. Maybe one of these days I'll flush out all the mountain of others & just use that group of four lovelies as my inked pens. Realistically I fear pigs will fly first.
I use my fountain pens for drawing and have narrowed it down to 3 as well. EF for fine details, F for general and M for filling in larger areas. (All Pilot)
An excellent minimalist perspective by Drew! My philosophy of inking is harmonious with his. It hinges on how we use our pens. I use them at work for pratical, workplace reproduction technology purposes: good photocopying ink that doesn't bleed through execrable copy paper. I use them for journaling where all I ask is that it behave well on the books I purchased without complete assurance that they would handle fountain pens. Some assurance. I use them for correspondence, where I can choose my paper and pen and ink with abandonment. So . . . Black; Blue-Black; Blue; Suitable nib for the paper; Gold nibs; Funky inks; and, just in case. Seven.
I thought deeply about my pen rotation and I have settled on 12 pens inked up. On each day I bring six pens to work. Normally I choose two flexible nibs, one medium nib, two fine nibs (blue and black inks), one specialty nib like the Naginata-Togi. Then after two to three months, I choose another 12 pens for the next rotation. Anyways, it’s great to hear your insight, I’ll consider to have fewer pens for each day, though that won’t be easy due to the magnificence of each fountain pen. Cheers.
I usually have 9 inked up at any one time with varying nibs and inks. When I travel I either use the 3 pen case with 3 different inks different inks and nibs or my 2 pen case that has one with blue and blue 1 with black. Both are med nib Pelican brand.
I usually have 5 pens inked up. (Maybe because I only own 5) I have 2 twsbi eco's, one with Diamine majestic blue and one with aurora borealis. The other one is a Parker pen which used to have blue quink in it but I replaced it just yesterday with j herbin perle noir! I plan on using this pen for journaling. The other two pens are my fine and extra fine kaweco sport pens. I use both with black ink for drawing exclusively and Sometimes take one out with me for notetakimg
I fall in Brian's camp. I have made a real effort to keep my inked pen number to below 20. I know it's crazy but at least it's not like when I had 30+ pens inked up. I have a small number of always inked pens that never are stored and always have the same ink in them, and the remainder are rotation pens and rotation inks.
My carrier is about the same size of yours, but I have 12 pens in there with a range of ink colors. Each pen is associated with an ink and doesn’t really get ink swapped. I write A LOT for work. I only use fountain pens so every Sunday night, I have to take the time to clean/reink my pens for the week, usually for anywhere from 9-10 pens needing it. If I only carried three, that would carry me only thru Tuesday afternoon. But you do you. That’s the beauty of it.
When I was in person for classes I usually kept 3-4 pens inked up. One or two in black depending on ink capacity or how full the first black one was or on nib size. If I had a black in a medium then I would also have a black in a fine or extra fine since I wasn’t always writing on pen friendly paper. Then I had a blue pen. Then I had a usually a red pen or I would use that one to try out new inks. I didn’t have a three pen case I had a typical pencil pouch because I also had to carry a pencil, a regular ball point pen, highlighters, post it tabs. I found that works best for me and I usually would go a week in between needing to fill them. When I took a creative writing class and I was hand writing stuff daily I would fill my black pens every other day.
Thanks Drew. This is really helpful. I used to use the "Brian method" of having lots of pens inked up at the same time, but that doesn't work well for me. So...... here's what I'm going to try. I have 2 pens inked for sketching...... and those always stay inked. For "regular writing" for every day stuff and in my daily journal, I'm going to do the 3 pen system. I just received my turquoise Coozy 3 -pen holder thanks to your recommendation. Thanks for the idea !!!
I tried very very hard to follow Drew's advice. And I managed to do it. For one month. But then I caved. Still, I managed to keep to just 7. I'll try harder next month, Drew.
I agree! I keep 2 inked, that way I'm not so overwhelmed at cleaning time. I also don't fill the converter (or cartridge) all the way, so they get rotated out quicker. It's fun to pick out the next pen and ink and enjoy the variety in my collection.
I'm with you, but for a different reason. If I have more than 2 or 3 pens inked, I can't seem to settle down and just use one pen through a writting session - be it journaling, letters or getting work done. I start feeling aggitated and want to switch pens mid-stream. Like someone continually tapping me on the shoulder waiting their turn. Just 2 or 3 is more peaceful. Just sayin'......
I keep more like 20-24 inked. I admire those who only ink three, but I can't manage that. Cleaning is not an issue though. I never batch clean; instead, I clean as I empty and clean one pen at a time, usually while having my morning coffee. That makes it a pleasant ritual, and it's easy to find a place to set it to dry. I also do partial fills of converter-fill pens so that I can change inks more often. I do think 24 is too many and am trying to cut back a little, but new pens and new inks keep me wanting to fill up more.
I ink 2 at a time. One for my EDC, which is usually my Pilot Decimo with a fine nib. Always a blue ink thats water resistant. Usually a Noodler's ink. The second is my journaling pen. Inked with whatever feels right for that fill.
I came to this conclusion earlier this year, and with the same 3 pen sleeve. 1 for my use, 1 for writing on not-great paper (VP in F), and one in a blue/whatever ink for color contrast. It was more practical when I was traveling for work, instead of trying to pack in a pen roll and a bunch of different paper for certain pens, etc. But now I work at home, and I keep eying my larger pen rolls. I see the draw to both really, but for me it narrows to one question: how much time do you want to spend cleaning pens on a weekly/biweekly basis.
I'm just starting and I only have 4 pens with a 5th on the way as well as 16 ink colors. I want to have a variety to chose from and I use them all enough that they shouldn't dry out. Once I get my samples I'll get another bottle or two and a pen or two and see how that goes!
I have felt intrigued by your talk of the three-pen system, Drew, but in this video you reveal what I think is the key that cinches it, the three-pen case! I think that could work for me moving forward, but I don't have the crucial case with which to restrain myself. Good thing I know where I could go find one...! :)
I keep six in a Nock case. There's also a little notebook in there for writing ideas (I write fiction as a hobby and hopefully soon, a job) and in the back I keep a record of what is filled with which ink. (I have far too many blues in nearly identical shades) The only time I find multiple pens needing cleaning is when i'm sampling inks - to control variables I use the same Pilot Metros and Clairefontaine paper, so the only variable is the ink. But sometimes it means the three of them need to be cleaned and put away after. I recently acquired a glass dip pen and I'd like to change over the process, it just means resampling a hundred or so different inks ^^
I am also a 3 inked pen person, it just works for me. However I only have 2 currently as I have an Opus 88 in the mail so on my ink switching day (today) i only inked up 2 today in anticipation. My Galen leather folio holds my 3 and my token rollerball nicely.
I came into this video ready to (playfully) judge you for your choices, but one of the three pens you had was the TWSBI 580 ALR Prussian Blue, so you are correct. Especially if you have Robert Oster Fire and Ice in it.
Great video with great rationale. My sweet spot for number of pens is six. I'm a writer and my first drafts are done with fountain pen and notebook so I go through my pens rather quickly but six keeps me from having to clean more than one or two at a time
So this is my philosophy I started with this to improve my handwriting. My magic number is 5 pens inked up at a time kept in a beautiful Galen leather old school pen case. I thought I would limit myself to 10 iconic pens or so I am trying. So far Monte Blanc Starwalker (Gift) Waterman Carene (My first decent pen and still by far the smoothest writing pen I own.) Pilot Vanishing point, Pilot E95S, Visconte Wheatfields with Crows, TWSBI 580 Diamond in rose gold, TWSBI Eco, Pelikan Limited edition M205 petrol. So the other two pens are the Pilot 823 Smoke fine, and of course the Lamy 2000. Now there are some notable maybes. The Visconti Homo Sapien Bronze Age EF though gone a bit cold on that one), and a Kaweco brass or Travelers brass travel pen or maybe the TWSBI Supra. Not sure how important it is to have a converter for travel. . Then I promised my wife I would stick to inks. So then if I want other pens I have to sell one of my 10. The philosophy being I wouldn't sell my children. Bottom line I do lots of other things but at the moment I am recovering from shoulder surgery so this has been alot of fun discovering the pen fraternity.Mind you that Laban is pretty sweet! Only 10 Paul! Only 10.
I'd have a hard time having only three inked up at a time. Right now I'm at twelve out of fourteen ready to write. It's easy to remember what ink is in what pen with the help of of a ridiculously complicated multi page spreadsheet.
Currently, I only have 3 fountain pens to ink up, so that solves that problem. ;-) Who knows what birthday/holiday presents will bring...maybe I will receive a fourth pen, so I can switch one out of the rotation!
I have three Opus 88s with Pilot #15 PO, WA and C nibs in them(with the help of Flexible Nib Factory housings) and the same three inks; that covers every nib need I have. Then I have a Custom 823 that I put a FM nib into which always has iron gall ink in it in case I need something waterproof, and a Conid Regular with a BB with whatever ink I fancy. The only other pens I own are all 3B ink blunderbusses and I just pick one to ink up to write a letter or do calligraphy from time to time. They usually projectile vomit their whole ink capacity in one to three days, so they get cleaned quickly.
You have developed a cogent and reasonable methodology for keeping track of your ready-to-write pens. As for me... nah... not gonna happen. I thrive in an atmosphere of semi-controlled chaos. Great video as always... WTH
I tend to gravitate to that same amount of pens inked, between 2-4. It's not as if I have a lot of options to choose from, so that probably helps. I know people tend to buy a lot more new pens and ink than I do, but I first started writing with a fountain pen because of ecological reasons and as much as it tempts me to go wild with the purchases it'd be counterproductive. Ink bottles go a long way and I want to actually get through them, there's something satisfying about that. I also only ever swap a pen once it's running dry for a similar reason. Since I mostly use long cartridges I refill manually (for the bigger ink capacity) they stay with me for a long time.
I second this strategy. I like the comforting idea of having most of my pens cleaned, stored and ready to be inked at my whim. I wish I could join your faction, Drew. But you post your pens and I'm a non-poster, therefore our respective parties still have a lot of negotiations to do before we could find an mutual agreement. 😄
Yes! This is my rule, too. I allow myself up to 4, but usually have 3 inked. I don't fill them up all the way, because I like to switch them out often. Don't really keep them in a case anymore, since I work from home now. They sit in an antique crystal tray on my desk, lol.
I tend to stick to four or five. I don't have many pens, but I do like having different colours. Usually two basic colours, and maybe two others with cooler colours. So blue, black, and or red, then green, pink, violet, etc. Currently saving for a Noodler's Ahab that my local shop stocks now. Writegear. Love em.
My problem is I love changing inks very often. I never ink up a pen fully because I have too many inks I want to go through. I also realise I’ve got so many pens many of them are super expensive gold nibs etc but it seems like the twsbi eco stub is always inked up. What does that say about “expensive pens”?
I don't feel like three is enough for me. I would rather have 5 at a time. 1- extra fine for small writing or writing on cheap paper. 2- medium for my Rhodia grid notebook. 3- flex or stub for beautiful headlines. 4 and 5 colorful inks for underlining
Definitely Team Brian here. I keep about a dozen faves inked with a variety of colors and nib sizes. They get used regularly, and don't dry up or need cleaning. Pens that don't get used...color is out of favor or just not that fun to write with compared to current faves, get rotated out. I have one box of ”in” pens, and another of ”out” pens. Seems to work for now. There are about 4-5 pens that have been in the ”in” box for decades.
I only keep about 3 pens inked at a time. I do not use the case method you do. I keep one black, one orange and one with a sample color I am trying out. I will eventually maybe swap to a non-sample color pen and just pick some fun color. But I have found not inking too many helps keep the cleaning down.
That’s a very good presentation of your system! Although you “sell it” well, I’m not buying, lol. I am not one who feels the need for multiple pens inked, but it’s really dictated by the nature of the pens and inks themselves…for example I have a lot of piston fill or eye dropper pens and their large ink capacity means they last a really long time (I don’t typically suffer from dry out issues, I guess they all have great caps), or certain nibs that are for artistic purposes or signing cards, necessitate the need for additional pens in use; and then there’s the inks that just aren’t for everyday writing or could be difficult to read in full page length, such as yellows, reds, purples, shimmer or big sheening - I might have only 3 pens currently inked, or I might have more (I have thus far not had a 12 case full of pens in use, but I don’t hold a mental limit to that maximum or any other, my purposeful use is my only limit). I never clean a pen until the ink is entirely used, and I like batch cleaning (“bath day”), so for times when I have had only 3 pens in use, they sadly wait neglected until there’s at least 5 or 6 needing to be cleaned. I do find it useful to keep a passport sized notebook of Currently Inked, not only to remember what colour inks are in which pens (I never purposely match the colour of the ink with the colour of the pen, but they sometimes match up randomly), but also to note how long ago the pens were inked before they were written dry; which helps me find patterns of use and preferences. I do think I might feel overwhelmed with 30 inked pens, or whatever, but that’s down to my writing habits (and time available for writing), it would be excessive to my needs, unless they had mini ink capacities. I happily applaud all those who are able to use a double-digit amount of inked pens - write on! ❣️😉
im a writer and i used to hand write everything so i had probably 30 pens inked all the time. over the pandemic i switched to typing to shake things up and forgot which pens were inked /how many. this led to me spending 2 days cleaning out nearly every pen i own (since some had to soak overnight) currently i have 1 pen inked and that's only bc it somehow did not dry out over the probably 12 months it sat. for reference it was a twsbi eco M nib and inked with diamine blue velvet
Interesting. I earned a living as a writer for thirty years, and handwrote every draft, unless a publisher gave me a ridiculously short deadline to meet. Then I used a manual typewriter, which, for some unexplained reason, automatically uses the brain's creative center almost as well as handwriting does. This makes sense with handwriting because we don't "write" letter and words, we draw them, and this requires using the creative center. Electronic typewriters are lousy at this, and computer keyboards have zero automatic access. Anyway, I used pencils, first woodcase, and then mechanical, for about ten years, and then switched to fountain pens. Now I ink and use every pen I own, though I usually have only twenty something inked at once. During my writing career, though, I almost never inked up more than two pens, n original Conklin Crescent Filler, and a Parker Duofold Button Filler. I did do some work where I needed red ink, black ink, and green ink constantly, so I had to use three pens to keep from falling behind. Too, I wrote three novels, and numerous short stories, humor pieces, essays, etc., with a dip pen. Shelby Foote convinced me to try a dip pen. I did, and I loved it, and for the same reasons that he loved using one. There's something about the process of pausing to dip the pen, some reason those few seconds aids in thinking, that I found both pleasant and useful. I was a very good first draft writer, and over the decades I sold at least fifty first drafts. I sold the first draft of my first novel, and the first draft of my first short story, which was actually novelette length, even though the magazine listed it as a short story, because there wasn't time to do a second draft of either. I wrote the novel in twenty-one days, and the novelette in two days. I had to be very good at first drafts to accomplish that, and I seriously doubt I could have done it without a manual typewriter for the novel, and a dip pen for the novelette. But I knew first drafts could be excellent because I studied the writing habits of every writer I read. Shakespeare wrote most of his very long plays in a fortnight using a quill. I found dozens of famous writers who never outlined, and who wrote first drafts that sold, and became bestsellers. That was my natural way of writing anyway, and learning that many other writers were the same let me know it was fine. Especially when I learned that many, many writers who did a second draft were just tightening the scenes and dialogue. Point being, fountain pens and dip pens were what made this work. It isn't how many words you write pen minute or per hour that produces a fast, good novel, it's the quality of the words. I followed Heinlein's Rules of Writing to the letter. Just about all successful writers do, even if they've never heard of them. These are actually business rules, and you can find what I believe is the best explanation of these rules here: sfwriter.com/ow05.htm Now I use a LOT of pens because I have a ridiculous number of inks, with more coming in every month, and because I like to use fountain pens for sketching and drawing. Anyway, fountain pens have made many writers more creative, and just plain better, than they would have been without them.
Amongst all the world's blacks, what is it you prefer about Bad Mocassin? I am currently using Noodler's Borealis, which I like because it is so wet and dark.
@@ichirofakename i have been looking for a "blacky" black, that is not so warm (like my Lamy black) or greyish (like my Noodler black), I think that is no other colour interference. For me Sailor's Kiwaguro is my black, but it is Carbon Ink. I have tried Lamy Black (too many red), Pelikan (Black/Onyx, too warm), Diamine (Jet/Onyx, the same), Pilot Take-Sumi (which I like but a little bit thin), Noodler Black (too greyish), so I stay with my Noodler's BM Black. I was about to buy Borealis but the shop didn't have it in stock so I bought BMB.
@@ichirofakename no not at all, with the micro carbon pigment of Sailor I have no problem, in fact I have the black and blue, just don't like the visual effect after it dried. In deed I would also recommend Sailor Pigment ink.
I have several journals and notebooks that all have their dedicated pens attached to them. So therefore i know what ink they contain. Apart from that, i keep an ink journal because i find it fun to keep track of my ink use (to find what pen or nib i like best for what ink, how much ink i use, whick ink i use most or need to use more of). I'm still under 15 pens and about 20 inks. But i guess that i have only 3 in rotation, and 5 have their dedicated spots.
I'm not great at this system, but it also has the benefit of allowing you to take breaks from certain pens and kind of discover them anew after a few weeks or months.
I own 3 inexpesive fountain pens. I recently pulled them out after 2 years of just sitting. They are writing well for me. I am thinking about digging out my calligraphy stuff to do that again, after a couple of decades off. My go to pens for that...dip pens with broad sizes of nibs.
Only 3 pens wouldn’t ever work for me. I’ve always had around 15-20 pens inked at once. It eventually got problematic. But I still cannot do without 10 pens inked at any given time every day of the year. Because I greatly like using many different favorite pens, through the week or occasionally even during the same day. with different nibs, and a varied palette of inks. Cleaning is a bit of a chore, but I don’t mind much. In any case, I had resolved at the start of this year that I would begin to fully savor the joys of using (not simply storing) almost all of my fountain pens consistently, by rotation. I’m now doing just that.
I am curious to know how Brian manages so many pens in rotation (keeping them from drying up, cleaning schedule, etc). Can someone provide a link to a video where he describes HIS method? Thanks.
I take two pens with me to work each day and give a lot of thought to which pen I want to take and what colors I want to write with, so this plan won’t work for me. But it is certainly something worth thinking about and I’ll bet this is a great idea for many people.
Excellent video Drew! Thank you! What were some of those awesome rock bands you recommended (a while ago in one of the podcasts)? It was some high-energy stuff like Allied Forces, Fortuner, or Yngwie Malmsteen...
I'm with you, but I'm more of a 4-pen person (all fine nibs for lefty-me: black for work, grail pen with fave ink bcos I adore that combo, contrasting color for whims & marking up stuff I write, and another one for note-taking in general). Right now I have 5, but that's because I want to use up the ink that's in my TWSBI Eco. The most I ever had inked was 11, and it was too much hassle to clean them all (though I never had problems knowing what the colors of ink were). Everyone's balance point is different, & mine is closer to yours than to Brian's, LOL. ;-)
Fellow lefty checking in! How have fine nibs been for you? I've learned that JoWo's #6 fine nibs seem to do alright for me, but I know their nibs are generally a bit larger than others of the same size.
@@marcudemus I've mostly used Japanese nibs (Pilot, Platinum, Sailor), and those work well for me in Fine. I have a Pelikan with a Fine nib, and that works OK too, though it's broader than a Japanese Fine. Hoping to try a JoWo soon. I wish I could learn to write in a way that I could use something broader - even a Medium ... goals! 🙂
I have one pen in my kitchen, one in my de facto office, one in my studio. I rarely carry a fountain pen because it’s never used. I used to carry a pen with my always for drawing. Lamy pens can be left for days or weeks and still perform. I also use Herban pearl black which doesn’t seem to dry either. I’m not a fountain pen aficionado. I use them because the deliver the results I want. Fill up as many pens as you like and use them as you like. Mine are low maintenance but if you love fountain pens the maintenance is part of the journey
I'd be completely lost without at least three pens in my carry case. I use fountain pens because they give me the results I want, too, but it takes many pens and inks to get all the results. When it comes to writing, I never write less than five hours per day, and usually longer, and for proper results there, I need expensive pens with soft gold nibs. Twenty years of writing and average f seven to eight hours per day, and sometimes up to sixteen hours, proved to me how valuable high-quality pens with soft gold nibs can be. Used properly, a good pen with a soft gold nib all but eliminates hand fatigue and cramping. I am a fountain pen aficionado. I wouldn't use fountain pens if I weren't. But I'm also a dip pen aficionado, a mechanical pencil aficionado, and a manual typewriter aficionado. For me, knowledge of, and deep love for, the writing instrument is as important as the writing or drawing I use an instrument for. If not, I'd use a keyboard, a Pilot G2, and a high-quality paint program. But that's just me. I love fountain pens, whether a Pilot Metropolitan, a TWSBI 580ALR, a Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, a Scribo feel, or any Namiki Maki-e or Chinkin. Again, for me, many of these are far more than high quality writing instruments, they're works of art that I can hold and use, rather than just hang on the wall and look at. I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing because it's almost an obsession, and I've spent far, far more money on fountain pens and on ink, than I could afford. What rational person borrow a ridiculously large sum of money to buy two "previously owned", which is a polite term for "used" fountain pens that, together, cost more than his new car? I did just that. That's one of the interesting things about the fountain pen world. We're all different, we all come to fountain pens for different reasons, and what's sane and perfectly logical to one is insane nonsense to another. I've had several people think I was nuts when they learned a pen cost a hundred dollars. I thought a woman at an ICAP meeting I attended was going to have a stroke when I told her how much the Bronze Age I was using cost. She seemed very angry that anyone would pay that much for a pen. But it's all interesting to me. The different attitudes, the different reasons, the obsessions, all of it.
Drew, question for the Pencast: if you had to choose one fountain pen/nib that could do double duty for fountain pen friendly paper and everyday office paper, what would you choose? As much as I like the idea of carrying around 3 pens, most of the time I like to throw a single pen in my pocket.
I only have three FPs, so i guess its an easy choice for me. I have my copper lilliput for my pocket, my Cheapie pilot for my work desk, and I also have my cross just because. It's a medium nib so I like it better for signing
I have 6 pens. Blue and black and black permanent and dark red are constant, same ink in the same pen. The other two pens jump around, darker solid color ink in one, paler pretty inks in the other.
Hmm, that would be challenge for me. I routinely use ~ 6 different pens daily...and a different set of pens the following day. Yes, yes, I know...I have a disease! I rotate a few into use and a few out when the mood hits (about every other month).
I have been restricting myself to only keeping inked what I can fit into my two Rickshaw cozy cases - which is a whopping 23 at the moment. Those things are stretchy! Probably will eventually transition over to having some trays and/or drawers, and then maybe a few more. For me, it’s mostly about the inks I want to use, and a bit about special pens that I don’t want to have sitting in a drawer. I know it’s easy to go ink up a clean pen, but it’s even easier if I just keep it inked. And over the past year or so I haven’t had any trouble with dried up pens, so I guess my system works for me.
I was really surprised at how much I could cram into one of those Rickshaw Coozy Cases! They're deceptively versatile..not that I'm complaining! - Drew
I'm a student and I like to change colors in my notes in order to make different points more visible. For me I enjoy having 4 pens inked with black/gray, blue,green and red
Same idea - current colors are black, brown, blue, and red (maroon). Wakes up my attention to my journal entries. A full page of purposefully consistent script often doesn’t stop my eye. I have five pens inked up currently.
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I’m a professor and I write all day long on a with a desk camera using my fountain pens. It takes me about 5 pens to get through the week. So I ink them up on Sunday and then I don’t have to worry about refilling my pens during the week. So I keep five in rotation.
Wow! That's a lot of writing! - Drew
Philip!!
@@Gouletpens Yep same here, I carry 5 pens with different colors of ink in a Lochby tool roll.
I am using seven so I can understand you.
I have a Levenger Write & Read glasses case that I'm using as a pen case. It holds 5 pens. I need a pen with black ink for all the writing I do, one inked up with red ink for editing, and three accent colors for color coding my notes and writing.
I have about 12 pens inked up at a time. I’m a student and like to use different pens & colors to organize my notes like title, subtitle, definition, highlights, etc.
I’m just getting into fountain pens for planning and bullet journaling. I color code all my stuff based on specific family members and categories. I was just wondering if 12 pens would be too many so this makes me feel better and not crazy.
My rule is that I only keep as many pens inked up as I have cases or pen sleeves for. And then I definitely don't just buy more cases and pen sleeves. I definitely don't do that.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
You definetely don't 😂
Definitely…..
You would never do that…….
I’m with you on this one, Drew. Although my policy is “no more than four pens inked”. That means sometimes is just one or two but never more than four. That way I get to enjoy each and every pen in my collection and cleaning is not a daunting task. Thanks for all you do.
I'm with you on this, Drew. With only three pens inked at any one time, you can spend more quality time with each pen and not have ink sitting around for too long in any one pen.
I must be on "team Brian"... I just counted 24 pens inked-up in my office (although one is due to be cleaned today, so the total will be 23 by the end of the day)!
Finally! A voice of reason to counter Drew's lunacy.
@@paullambert7840 🤣🤣🤣
I currently have 16 pens inked... and yet I basically agree with you. My situation is driven by my love of trying new inks, so this is just the only way I can get through a batch of samples in a timely fashion. But if I wanted to be practical and focus on enjoying the pens, and my ink choices were more stable, I'd definitely aim for closer to three at a time.
Ideally and practically, I think I'd aim for about four pens:
The BB italic I keep inked with a different color each month for journal headings.
A pen that's quick to cap and uncap for taking quick book notes and marking off to-dos.
A pen capable of writing very fine in tight spaces.
And my Kaweco just so I always have a small tossaround pen I can drop in a pocket.
Of the two that are only loosely defined, one would probably almost always be the fine 3776 because it's just solid all around and does an excellent job of reverse-writing an EF line, and the other one would be vintage.
I agree wholeheartedly Drew! Generally I only keep about 2, 3 at the most, pens inked up at one time and they're just mini pens I leave out on my desk for note taking. The third one will be a nicer one for cards or something. I don't write as much as I used to write.
I've been keeping a higher number of pens inked, currently around a dozen. I make sure to rotate between them regularly, using a different pen as my "pen of the day" every day. The main reason is that I have gotten a lot of really attractive inks lately, and I want to use them all! I've lowered the number of pens I keep inked, over time, but I still struggle to keep it super low.
I tend to keep only 2-4 pens inked up at any given time. Anything beyond 4 honestly makes me feel anxious, as there are then too many for me to keep track of and concentrate my enjoyment of. There are usually two that I write with regularly throughout the day and one as my "purse" pen; sometimes a 4th stored with my checkbook.
I had the entirety of my humble 9-pen collection inked up for a while and it got so overwhelming that I now have one and the rest are clean xD
I also ink up only three pens one for the purse and two at home with different inks and nibs, but now that I’ve discovered all of these new wonderful inks, that’s going to change!
I do the same! I only have three pens that I use at a time: professional, fun, and personal :D Also agree with having a smaller carrying case that physically limits you!
Great wisdom and well said :)
I agree, three pens is about my limit. At this moment, I have a Parker 51 (Green), a Platinum 3776 (Blue), and a Pilot Falcon (Red). I do a lot of voluntary writing during my day and switch between these pens and colors often.
I am trying to get mine down to 5 inked up, including use for journaling and work. Right now I think I have around 20 inked up. That is because there are many I used exclusively for work, but still it's way, way too many. My goal is 5 at a time, and my goal date is by the end of the year. So I've not been inking up new pens, and trying to run through the ones that are close to empty. I needed this video.
The three-pen system is the result of a stroke of genius (or just a stroke?). I also ink just three pens and keep them in a three-pen case for manageability reasons, but I rotate all three pens at once. But I do--hush--have a pen dedicated to my 3-year journal and one dedicated to my daily planner. Both sit in pen loops attached to those journals and I will use the same two pens for the whole year.
Yeah, technically I keep three inked up that go everywhere with me - but also keep one inked up that stays one my desk in case I forget to bring my bag to work. - Drew
@@Gouletpens So you actually have 4 pens inked up..
Guys, I think he have caught him in a redhanded LIE!!!
Heresy I say! 🤣
@@johannesmuller2956 LOL! Actually sounds like Drew's 4th pen is a spare, so it would be a bit like saying my car has five wheels though one is always in the trunk. But we should reframe Drew's position as disciplined inking.
@@edreilly6674 haha Yeah I know... ;)
Hi Drew! Good to see you. I tried it your way but want more variety in ink and pen so I have a case with ten pens I rotate. To remember the ink I write it on a paper and keep it in my case. So true about cleaning. But would rather get out all the cleaning tools for three pens than one. And I do clean them very good. Thanks for these little videos too. I looked for the answer for this question and couldn't find it. Why do inks start out dark and fade as you write? BLESSINGS
Three pens. ONLY three pens? There's something WRONG with you, Drew. (Walks away shaking his head in befuddlement.)
@TheNightowl001 🤣🤣🤣 I'm right there with you. lol. Three. That's like having a whole bag of m&m's and only eating one.
Great idea! I have been trying to figure out a system like this myself to not get overwhelmed. I'm going to try the three pen now system now and see how it works out. Thanks!
So many different experiences and viewpoints! That's the thing I love about fountain pens - you can really adapt it to you. My approach is similar to Drew's but with a higher pen count! I keep about 20 pens inked, and clean them out when I notice I'm no longer wanting to use that particular pen-ink combo. These mostly stay at home, since I work from home a lot, and if I go out to work, I take a three pen case of that day's favourites. This gives me the variety I need as well as taking care of my pens in a manageable way. Best of both worlds!
Exactly! Adaptable to whatever works for you! - Drew
Another pro to the three pen philosophy for listing/calendars--one is your listing color, one is your completion and/or notation color, and the third is perhaps, as in my case, my "push to tomorrow" color. Choosing just three colors isn't too hard and it consistently looks organized and clean every time.
Love this advice! I've adopted it myself choosing 1 pen that can be used at work, 1 pen for ink capacity (piston/vac), and 1 pen that is cartridge/converter.
Since I primarily use my pens for daily journaling, I settled on six. My rational being, that gives me the opportunity to write with each pen five days each month. And, still makes cleaning manageable!
Drew, that was very interesting and sounds quite functional for you. I usually limit myself to 10 inked pens at a time, which is the number that fits in the top shelf of my pen case. Since I have my office in my home, I don't "carry" pens every day, so I feel I can have a few more pens inked at a time. I also have a variety of colors that I use each day. It takes me about 2 weeks to go through the ink in my pens. But whether I have used all the ink or not, all of my 10 pens get cleaned and stored, then I rotate in another 10 and ink them. Also, I do not use inks that are really difficult to clean, and I only use permanent inks infrequently.
I keep six inked at a time, but like you, the number is based on how many my case will hold. It definitely makes life easier to ink fewer and just clean as needed. I never have a “pen cleaning day”, since I clean and swap as soon as a pen is emptied. It also helps make each cleaning easier when the ink isn’t allowed to dry up in the pen.
Yes! The case is a big part of it. Much like a purse or backpack, it'll always end up full! - Drew
I have a case of 6 . I think that is ideal. Just enough to play with different color inks, but not too much where it is a chore to clean them. I highly agree need a barrier or holder system.
I'm close to this. Though I struggle with throwing away ink when I'm sick of it, and so usually keep a pen in rotation until I've used up the filling. So I will go up to four or maybe five pens from time to time.
I saw the pen cast episode where this was debated and decided to give it a try because previously I was using Brian’s method and well let’s say there was a lot of dried out pens and a lot of wasted ink. I also combined with with having a pen of the day. I am a student taking notes and found switching pens mid lecture difficult. With the combination of these two systems I have almost completely written 2 piston fillers empty (previously I almost couldn’t get through a converter without changing or having to clean). This system has been a revelation for my fountain pen use and it’s all thanks to Drew 👍🏻
Yay! That's awesome to hear! - Drew
It sounds like you need different pens. The worst of my pens will go at least a month without drying out. I also have some cheap pens, primarily the Pilot Petit1, that seem to never dry out. They go months without going dry. I had one that went over a year. Platinum pens can go two years, or longer, without going dry.
For that matter, my TWSBI Eco and 580ALR pens never seem to dry out, either. I easily go through a full fill without have a hard start, and I've gone through several fills without having to clean a pen.
I never had a problem changing pens at a meeting or a lecture. I often change because I want to use a different color of ink. My padfolio holds more than enough paper to last me a week, and it holds four pens. Just slip one in, and pull a different one out.
Before I had this padfolio, I carried pens in my shirt pocket. This made it very easy to change pens.
I only have 4 pens but I have different ink in each and constantly use them. I am planning on getting about 5 more and will likely have them all inked at once since I love using multiple colors and line weights for writing and drawing. I understand the thought behind your limit but I don’t think it would work for me.
I currently have thirteen inked up, and wish I could whittle it down to three!
I’m with you Drew. I ink up 3 pens and keep them in a pen holder like yours. Makes fountain pen life workable and enjoyable.
Very good idea. I should limit myself... 3 inked up plus 2 Kaweco for the pocket. Fair deal.
Hey Drew, I got to admit I failed after a few days. But stumbling over this video again after like half a year, I feel like I should give it another try.
Now I have a justification to buy a three-pen case. Thanks!
I have somewhere between 50 and 60 inked at any one time, divided between a bulging case of maybe 30 I take to work for my own amusement, and the rest which stay at home. Many are cheap pens, generally Chinese, but some are a bit more upmarket. I keep a log of what's in each and, in most cases, its nib size since that's often not obvious. I know this is far too many and indicates a problem, with the main one being that my nicest pens rarely get used. Those are a Lamy 2000, Elite/E95S, Custom 74 and a Capless/VP. Maybe one of these days I'll flush out all the mountain of others & just use that group of four lovelies as my inked pens. Realistically I fear pigs will fly first.
I use my fountain pens for drawing and have narrowed it down to 3 as well. EF for fine details, F for general and M for filling in larger areas. (All Pilot)
An excellent minimalist perspective by Drew! My philosophy of inking is harmonious with his. It hinges on how we use our pens. I use them at work for pratical, workplace reproduction technology purposes: good photocopying ink that doesn't bleed through execrable copy paper. I use them for journaling where all I ask is that it behave well on the books I purchased without complete assurance that they would handle fountain pens. Some assurance. I use them for correspondence, where I can choose my paper and pen and ink with abandonment. So . . . Black; Blue-Black; Blue; Suitable nib for the paper; Gold nibs; Funky inks; and, just in case. Seven.
I thought deeply about my pen rotation and I have settled on 12 pens inked up. On each day I bring six pens to work. Normally I choose two flexible nibs, one medium nib, two fine nibs (blue and black inks), one specialty nib like the Naginata-Togi. Then after two to three months, I choose another 12 pens for the next rotation.
Anyways, it’s great to hear your insight, I’ll consider to have fewer pens for each day, though that won’t be easy due to the magnificence of each fountain pen. Cheers.
I usually have 9 inked up at any one time with varying nibs and inks. When I travel I either use the 3 pen case with 3 different inks different inks and nibs or my 2 pen case that has one with blue and blue 1 with black. Both are med nib Pelican brand.
I usually have 5 pens inked up. (Maybe because I only own 5)
I have 2 twsbi eco's, one with Diamine majestic blue and one with aurora borealis.
The other one is a Parker pen which used to have blue quink in it but I replaced it just yesterday with j herbin perle noir! I plan on using this pen for journaling.
The other two pens are my fine and extra fine kaweco sport pens. I use both with black ink for drawing exclusively and Sometimes take one out with me for notetakimg
I fall in Brian's camp. I have made a real effort to keep my inked pen number to below 20. I know it's crazy but at least it's not like when I had 30+ pens inked up. I have a small number of always inked pens that never are stored and always have the same ink in them, and the remainder are rotation pens and rotation inks.
I love that, I'm crazy but at least I'm not as crazy as I used to be😆
My carrier is about the same size of yours, but I have 12 pens in there with a range of ink colors. Each pen is associated with an ink and doesn’t really get ink swapped. I write A LOT for work. I only use fountain pens so every Sunday night, I have to take the time to clean/reink my pens for the week, usually for anywhere from 9-10 pens needing it. If I only carried three, that would carry me only thru Tuesday afternoon. But you do you. That’s the beauty of it.
When I was in person for classes I usually kept 3-4 pens inked up. One or two in black depending on ink capacity or how full the first black one was or on nib size. If I had a black in a medium then I would also have a black in a fine or extra fine since I wasn’t always writing on pen friendly paper. Then I had a blue pen. Then I had a usually a red pen or I would use that one to try out new inks. I didn’t have a three pen case I had a typical pencil pouch because I also had to carry a pencil, a regular ball point pen, highlighters, post it tabs. I found that works best for me and I usually would go a week in between needing to fill them. When I took a creative writing class and I was hand writing stuff daily I would fill my black pens every other day.
I only own two pens and two inks (as of now) and only recently started keeping both inked up with their respective ink
I've been a two pen guy for a long time, only recently bumped it up to 3. So I keep 3 inked at all times now. I'm on your side!
Thanks Drew. This is really helpful. I used to use the "Brian method" of having lots of pens inked up at the same time, but that doesn't work well for me. So...... here's what I'm going to try. I have 2 pens inked for sketching...... and those always stay inked. For "regular writing" for every day stuff and in my daily journal, I'm going to do the 3 pen system. I just received my turquoise Coozy 3 -pen holder thanks to your recommendation. Thanks for the idea !!!
Wow! A reasonable "voice in the wilderness". What great common sense advice. Thank you.
I tried very very hard to follow Drew's advice. And I managed to do it. For one month. But then I caved. Still, I managed to keep to just 7. I'll try harder next month, Drew.
I agree! I keep 2 inked, that way I'm not so overwhelmed at cleaning time. I also don't fill the converter (or cartridge) all the way, so they get rotated out quicker. It's fun to pick out the next pen and ink and enjoy the variety in my collection.
I'm with you, but for a different reason. If I have more than 2 or 3 pens inked, I can't seem to settle down and just use one pen through a writting session - be it journaling, letters or getting work done. I start feeling aggitated and want to switch pens mid-stream. Like someone continually tapping me on the shoulder waiting their turn. Just 2 or 3 is more peaceful. Just sayin'......
I keep more like 20-24 inked. I admire those who only ink three, but I can't manage that. Cleaning is not an issue though. I never batch clean; instead, I clean as I empty and clean one pen at a time, usually while having my morning coffee. That makes it a pleasant ritual, and it's easy to find a place to set it to dry. I also do partial fills of converter-fill pens so that I can change inks more often. I do think 24 is too many and am trying to cut back a little, but new pens and new inks keep me wanting to fill up more.
I ink 2 at a time. One for my EDC, which is usually my Pilot Decimo with a fine nib. Always a blue ink thats water resistant. Usually a Noodler's ink. The second is my journaling pen. Inked with whatever feels right for that fill.
I came to this conclusion earlier this year, and with the same 3 pen sleeve. 1 for my use, 1 for writing on not-great paper (VP in F), and one in a blue/whatever ink for color contrast. It was more practical when I was traveling for work, instead of trying to pack in a pen roll and a bunch of different paper for certain pens, etc.
But now I work at home, and I keep eying my larger pen rolls. I see the draw to both really, but for me it narrows to one question: how much time do you want to spend cleaning pens on a weekly/biweekly basis.
I'm just starting and I only have 4 pens with a 5th on the way as well as 16 ink colors. I want to have a variety to chose from and I use them all enough that they shouldn't dry out. Once I get my samples I'll get another bottle or two and a pen or two and see how that goes!
I have felt intrigued by your talk of the three-pen system, Drew, but in this video you reveal what I think is the key that cinches it, the three-pen case! I think that could work for me moving forward, but I don't have the crucial case with which to restrain myself. Good thing I know where I could go find one...! :)
I keep six in a Nock case. There's also a little notebook in there for writing ideas (I write fiction as a hobby and hopefully soon, a job) and in the back I keep a record of what is filled with which ink. (I have far too many blues in nearly identical shades) The only time I find multiple pens needing cleaning is when i'm sampling inks - to control variables I use the same Pilot Metros and Clairefontaine paper, so the only variable is the ink. But sometimes it means the three of them need to be cleaned and put away after.
I recently acquired a glass dip pen and I'd like to change over the process, it just means resampling a hundred or so different inks ^^
I totally agree with you Drew! Once again, because I also love brown pens. Hi!! 👋 from Chile 🇨🇱
Hello! - Drew
I am also a 3 inked pen person, it just works for me. However I only have 2 currently as I have an Opus 88 in the mail so on my ink switching day (today) i only inked up 2 today in anticipation. My Galen leather folio holds my 3 and my token rollerball nicely.
I came into this video ready to (playfully) judge you for your choices, but one of the three pens you had was the TWSBI 580 ALR Prussian Blue, so you are correct. Especially if you have Robert Oster Fire and Ice in it.
Great video with great rationale. My sweet spot for number of pens is six. I'm a writer and my first drafts are done with fountain pen and notebook so I go through my pens rather quickly but six keeps me from having to clean more than one or two at a time
So this is my philosophy I started with this to improve my handwriting. My magic number is 5 pens inked up at a time kept in a beautiful Galen leather old school pen case.
I thought I would limit myself to 10 iconic pens or so I am trying. So far Monte Blanc Starwalker (Gift) Waterman Carene (My first decent pen and still by far the smoothest writing pen I own.) Pilot Vanishing point, Pilot E95S, Visconte Wheatfields with Crows, TWSBI 580 Diamond in rose gold, TWSBI Eco, Pelikan Limited edition M205 petrol. So the other two pens are the Pilot 823 Smoke fine, and of course the Lamy 2000. Now there are some notable maybes. The Visconti Homo Sapien Bronze Age EF though gone a bit cold on that one), and a Kaweco brass or Travelers brass travel pen or maybe the TWSBI Supra. Not sure how important it is to have a converter for travel. . Then I promised my wife I would stick to inks. So then if I want other pens I have to sell one of my 10. The philosophy being I wouldn't sell my children. Bottom line I do lots of other things but at the moment I am recovering from shoulder surgery so this has been alot of fun discovering the pen fraternity.Mind you that Laban is pretty sweet! Only 10 Paul! Only 10.
I'd have a hard time having only three inked up at a time. Right now I'm at twelve out of fourteen ready to write. It's easy to remember what ink is in what pen with the help of of a ridiculously complicated multi page spreadsheet.
This a really great idea. Since most of my pens are now dried out. This is a very implacable method. Thanks
It works for me! - Drew
This is brilliant - a simple system that can work! Thanks!
Good luck! - Drew
Currently, I only have 3 fountain pens to ink up, so that solves that problem. ;-) Who knows what birthday/holiday presents will bring...maybe I will receive a fourth pen, so I can switch one out of the rotation!
I have three Opus 88s with Pilot #15 PO, WA and C nibs in them(with the help of Flexible Nib Factory housings) and the same three inks; that covers every nib need I have. Then I have a Custom 823 that I put a FM nib into which always has iron gall ink in it in case I need something waterproof, and a Conid Regular with a BB with whatever ink I fancy. The only other pens I own are all 3B ink blunderbusses and I just pick one to ink up to write a letter or do calligraphy from time to time. They usually projectile vomit their whole ink capacity in one to three days, so they get cleaned quickly.
You have developed a cogent and reasonable methodology for keeping track of your ready-to-write pens. As for me... nah... not gonna happen. I thrive in an atmosphere of semi-controlled chaos. Great video as always... WTH
I love that quote! Semi-controlled chaos. Hey, that's pretty perfect for the here-and-now! - Drew
🤣🤣🤣
I tend to gravitate to that same amount of pens inked, between 2-4. It's not as if I have a lot of options to choose from, so that probably helps.
I know people tend to buy a lot more new pens and ink than I do, but I first started writing with a fountain pen because of ecological reasons and as much as it tempts me to go wild with the purchases it'd be counterproductive.
Ink bottles go a long way and I want to actually get through them, there's something satisfying about that. I also only ever swap a pen once it's running dry for a similar reason. Since I mostly use long cartridges I refill manually (for the bigger ink capacity) they stay with me for a long time.
This is why I love demonstrators!
I second this strategy. I like the comforting idea of having most of my pens cleaned, stored and ready to be inked at my whim.
I wish I could join your faction, Drew. But you post your pens and I'm a non-poster, therefore our respective parties still have a lot of negotiations to do before we could find an mutual agreement. 😄
Fair enough. I'm sure we can meet in the middle somewhere. Lol - Drew
Yes! This is my rule, too. I allow myself up to 4, but usually have 3 inked. I don't fill them up all the way, because I like to switch them out often. Don't really keep them in a case anymore, since I work from home now. They sit in an antique crystal tray on my desk, lol.
I tend to stick to four or five. I don't have many pens, but I do like having different colours. Usually two basic colours, and maybe two others with cooler colours.
So blue, black, and or red, then green, pink, violet, etc.
Currently saving for a Noodler's Ahab that my local shop stocks now.
Writegear. Love em.
My problem is I love changing inks very often. I never ink up a pen fully because I have too many inks I want to go through. I also realise I’ve got so many pens many of them are super expensive gold nibs etc but it seems like the twsbi eco stub is always inked up. What does that say about “expensive pens”?
I can't bring myself to un-ink my TWSBI either! Also a stub nib! - Drew
I don't feel like three is enough for me. I would rather have 5 at a time. 1- extra fine for small writing or writing on cheap paper. 2- medium for my Rhodia grid notebook. 3- flex or stub for beautiful headlines. 4 and 5 colorful inks for underlining
i need to start doing this, great tip, thanks!
Definitely Team Brian here. I keep about a dozen faves inked with a variety of colors and nib sizes. They get used regularly, and don't dry up or need cleaning. Pens that don't get used...color is out of favor or just not that fun to write with compared to current faves, get rotated out. I have one box of ”in” pens, and another of ”out” pens. Seems to work for now. There are about 4-5 pens that have been in the ”in” box for decades.
I have 12 pens inked. I switch between them often using different in colors, nibs size, and style
Although I could never limit myself to three, this video is interesting even for the idea of limiting to *a number.* Maybe 10-12? 🤔
What was the pen in "Paul Blart Mall Cop" that was offered to Amy by the pen salesman?
I only keep about 3 pens inked at a time. I do not use the case method you do. I keep one black, one orange and one with a sample color I am trying out. I will eventually maybe swap to a non-sample color pen and just pick some fun color. But I have found not inking too many helps keep the cleaning down.
That’s a very good presentation of your system! Although you “sell it” well, I’m not buying, lol.
I am not one who feels the need for multiple pens inked, but it’s really dictated by the nature of the pens and inks themselves…for example I have a lot of piston fill or eye dropper pens and their large ink capacity means they last a really long time (I don’t typically suffer from dry out issues, I guess they all have great caps), or certain nibs that are for artistic purposes or signing cards, necessitate the need for additional pens in use; and then there’s the inks that just aren’t for everyday writing or could be difficult to read in full page length, such as yellows, reds, purples, shimmer or big sheening - I might have only 3 pens currently inked, or I might have more (I have thus far not had a 12 case full of pens in use, but I don’t hold a mental limit to that maximum or any other, my purposeful use is my only limit).
I never clean a pen until the ink is entirely used, and I like batch cleaning (“bath day”), so for times when I have had only 3 pens in use, they sadly wait neglected until there’s at least 5 or 6 needing to be cleaned.
I do find it useful to keep a passport sized notebook of Currently Inked, not only to remember what colour inks are in which pens (I never purposely match the colour of the ink with the colour of the pen, but they sometimes match up randomly), but also to note how long ago the pens were inked before they were written dry; which helps me find patterns of use and preferences.
I do think I might feel overwhelmed with 30 inked pens, or whatever, but that’s down to my writing habits (and time available for writing), it would be excessive to my needs, unless they had mini ink capacities. I happily applaud all those who are able to use a double-digit amount of inked pens - write on! ❣️😉
im a writer and i used to hand write everything so i had probably 30 pens inked all the time. over the pandemic i switched to typing to shake things up and forgot which pens were inked /how many. this led to me spending 2 days cleaning out nearly every pen i own (since some had to soak overnight) currently i have 1 pen inked and that's only bc it somehow did not dry out over the probably 12 months it sat. for reference it was a twsbi eco M nib and inked with diamine blue velvet
TWSBI! For the win.
Interesting. I earned a living as a writer for thirty years, and handwrote every draft, unless a publisher gave me a ridiculously short deadline to meet. Then I used a manual typewriter, which, for some unexplained reason, automatically uses the brain's creative center almost as well as handwriting does. This makes sense with handwriting because we don't "write" letter and words, we draw them, and this requires using the creative center. Electronic typewriters are lousy at this, and computer keyboards have zero automatic access.
Anyway, I used pencils, first woodcase, and then mechanical, for about ten years, and then switched to fountain pens. Now I ink and use every pen I own, though I usually have only twenty something inked at once. During my writing career, though, I almost never inked up more than two pens, n original Conklin Crescent Filler, and a Parker Duofold Button Filler. I did do some work where I needed red ink, black ink, and green ink constantly, so I had to use three pens to keep from falling behind.
Too, I wrote three novels, and numerous short stories, humor pieces, essays, etc., with a dip pen. Shelby Foote convinced me to try a dip pen. I did, and I loved it, and for the same reasons that he loved using one. There's something about the process of pausing to dip the pen, some reason those few seconds aids in thinking, that I found both pleasant and useful.
I was a very good first draft writer, and over the decades I sold at least fifty first drafts. I sold the first draft of my first novel, and the first draft of my first short story, which was actually novelette length, even though the magazine listed it as a short story, because there wasn't time to do a second draft of either. I wrote the novel in twenty-one days, and the novelette in two days. I had to be very good at first drafts to accomplish that, and I seriously doubt I could have done it without a manual typewriter for the novel, and a dip pen for the novelette.
But I knew first drafts could be excellent because I studied the writing habits of every writer I read. Shakespeare wrote most of his very long plays in a fortnight using a quill. I found dozens of famous writers who never outlined, and who wrote first drafts that sold, and became bestsellers. That was my natural way of writing anyway, and learning that many other writers were the same let me know it was fine. Especially when I learned that many, many writers who did a second draft were just tightening the scenes and dialogue.
Point being, fountain pens and dip pens were what made this work. It isn't how many words you write pen minute or per hour that produces a fast, good novel, it's the quality of the words. I followed Heinlein's Rules of Writing to the letter. Just about all successful writers do, even if they've never heard of them. These are actually business rules, and you can find what I believe is the best explanation of these rules here: sfwriter.com/ow05.htm
Now I use a LOT of pens because I have a ridiculous number of inks, with more coming in every month, and because I like to use fountain pens for sketching and drawing. Anyway, fountain pens have made many writers more creative, and just plain better, than they would have been without them.
i am with this 3 pens system, I always have 2 colours 1 cold/1 warm, the third is my fav. Noodler's Bad Mocassin Black. Thanks for the share.
Amongst all the world's blacks, what is it you prefer about Bad Mocassin? I am currently using Noodler's Borealis, which I like because it is so wet and dark.
@@ichirofakename i have been looking for a "blacky" black, that is not so warm (like my Lamy black) or greyish (like my Noodler black), I think that is no other colour interference. For me Sailor's Kiwaguro is my black, but it is Carbon Ink. I have tried Lamy Black (too many red), Pelikan (Black/Onyx, too warm), Diamine (Jet/Onyx, the same), Pilot Take-Sumi (which I like but a little bit thin), Noodler Black (too greyish), so I stay with my Noodler's BM Black. I was about to buy Borealis but the shop didn't have it in stock so I bought BMB.
@@siyuanxu3537 Are you afraid that carbon ink will damage your pens? I've used pigmented inks with no problems.
@@ichirofakename no not at all, with the micro carbon pigment of Sailor I have no problem, in fact I have the black and blue, just don't like the visual effect after it dried. In deed I would also recommend Sailor Pigment ink.
I have several journals and notebooks that all have their dedicated pens attached to them. So therefore i know what ink they contain. Apart from that, i keep an ink journal because i find it fun to keep track of my ink use (to find what pen or nib i like best for what ink, how much ink i use, whick ink i use most or need to use more of). I'm still under 15 pens and about 20 inks. But i guess that i have only 3 in rotation, and 5 have their dedicated spots.
That's a really well-structured system you have there! Nicely done! - Drew
I'm not great at this system, but it also has the benefit of allowing you to take breaks from certain pens and kind of discover them anew after a few weeks or months.
I own 3 inexpesive fountain pens. I recently pulled them out after 2 years of just sitting. They are writing well for me. I am thinking about digging out my calligraphy stuff to do that again, after a couple of decades off. My go to pens for that...dip pens with broad sizes of nibs.
Only 3 pens wouldn’t ever work for me. I’ve always had around 15-20 pens inked at once. It eventually got problematic. But I still cannot do without 10 pens inked at any given time every day of the year. Because I greatly like using many different favorite pens, through the week or occasionally even during the same day. with different nibs, and a varied palette of inks. Cleaning is a bit of a chore, but I don’t mind much. In any case, I had resolved at the start of this year that I would begin to fully savor the joys of using (not simply storing) almost all of my fountain pens consistently, by rotation. I’m now doing just that.
I am curious to know how Brian manages so many pens in rotation (keeping them from drying up, cleaning schedule, etc). Can someone provide a link to a video where he describes HIS method? Thanks.
He'll tell you that he doesn't really have a "method". It's more of a "lack of method". He just cleans them whenever he feels like it. :) - Drew
I take two pens with me to work each day and give a lot of thought to which pen I want to take and what colors I want to write with, so this plan won’t work for me. But it is certainly something worth thinking about and I’ll bet this is a great idea for many people.
Excellent video Drew! Thank you! What were some of those awesome rock bands you recommended (a while ago in one of the podcasts)? It was some high-energy stuff like Allied Forces, Fortuner, or Yngwie Malmsteen...
Avantasia is awesome - and if you search for European Power Metal I'm sure you'll be pleased. - Drew
@@Gouletpens Awesome! Thanks Drew
I'm with you, but I'm more of a 4-pen person (all fine nibs for lefty-me: black for work, grail pen with fave ink bcos I adore that combo, contrasting color for whims & marking up stuff I write, and another one for note-taking in general). Right now I have 5, but that's because I want to use up the ink that's in my TWSBI Eco. The most I ever had inked was 11, and it was too much hassle to clean them all (though I never had problems knowing what the colors of ink were). Everyone's balance point is different, & mine is closer to yours than to Brian's, LOL. ;-)
Fellow lefty checking in! How have fine nibs been for you? I've learned that JoWo's #6 fine nibs seem to do alright for me, but I know their nibs are generally a bit larger than others of the same size.
@@marcudemus I've mostly used Japanese nibs (Pilot, Platinum, Sailor), and those work well for me in Fine. I have a Pelikan with a Fine nib, and that works OK too, though it's broader than a Japanese Fine. Hoping to try a JoWo soon. I wish I could learn to write in a way that I could use something broader - even a Medium ... goals! 🙂
I have one pen in my kitchen, one in my de facto office, one in my studio. I rarely carry a fountain pen because it’s never used. I used to carry a pen with my always for drawing. Lamy pens can be left for days or weeks and still perform. I also use Herban pearl black which doesn’t seem to dry either. I’m not a fountain pen aficionado. I use them because the deliver the results I want. Fill up as many pens as you like and use them as you like. Mine are low maintenance but if you love fountain pens the maintenance is part of the journey
I'd be completely lost without at least three pens in my carry case. I use fountain pens because they give me the results I want, too, but it takes many pens and inks to get all the results. When it comes to writing, I never write less than five hours per day, and usually longer, and for proper results there, I need expensive pens with soft gold nibs. Twenty years of writing and average f seven to eight hours per day, and sometimes up to sixteen hours, proved to me how valuable high-quality pens with soft gold nibs can be. Used properly, a good pen with a soft gold nib all but eliminates hand fatigue and cramping.
I am a fountain pen aficionado. I wouldn't use fountain pens if I weren't. But I'm also a dip pen aficionado, a mechanical pencil aficionado, and a manual typewriter aficionado. For me, knowledge of, and deep love for, the writing instrument is as important as the writing or drawing I use an instrument for. If not, I'd use a keyboard, a Pilot G2, and a high-quality paint program.
But that's just me. I love fountain pens, whether a Pilot Metropolitan, a TWSBI 580ALR, a Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, a Scribo feel, or any Namiki Maki-e or Chinkin. Again, for me, many of these are far more than high quality writing instruments, they're works of art that I can hold and use, rather than just hang on the wall and look at.
I'm not entirely sure this is a good thing because it's almost an obsession, and I've spent far, far more money on fountain pens and on ink, than I could afford. What rational person borrow a ridiculously large sum of money to buy two "previously owned", which is a polite term for "used" fountain pens that, together, cost more than his new car? I did just that.
That's one of the interesting things about the fountain pen world. We're all different, we all come to fountain pens for different reasons, and what's sane and perfectly logical to one is insane nonsense to another. I've had several people think I was nuts when they learned a pen cost a hundred dollars. I thought a woman at an ICAP meeting I attended was going to have a stroke when I told her how much the Bronze Age I was using cost. She seemed very angry that anyone would pay that much for a pen.
But it's all interesting to me. The different attitudes, the different reasons, the obsessions, all of it.
Drew, question for the Pencast: if you had to choose one fountain pen/nib that could do double duty for fountain pen friendly paper and everyday office paper, what would you choose? As much as I like the idea of carrying around 3 pens, most of the time I like to throw a single pen in my pocket.
An EF or F Vanishing Point. The EF may be a little too toothy for some, but that's my go-to. - Drew
I usually have two fountain pens inked and have a ballpoint / rollerball added for filling forms etc.
I do this too. ❤️
I agree, this way I actually use all the pens, and get a variety by trading out a pen every week or two, I also have that exact same case!
I only have three FPs, so i guess its an easy choice for me. I have my copper lilliput for my pocket, my Cheapie pilot for my work desk, and I also have my cross just because. It's a medium nib so I like it better for signing
I do two times 3 pens. 1st 3 for writing in 3 different colors. 2nd 3 for drawing/ sketching with different nibs (fude) with waterproof ink.
I have 6 pens. Blue and black and black permanent and dark red are constant, same ink in the same pen. The other two pens jump around, darker solid color ink in one, paler pretty inks in the other.
Hmm, that would be challenge for me. I routinely use ~ 6 different pens daily...and a different set of pens the following day. Yes, yes, I know...I have a disease! I rotate a few into use and a few out when the mood hits (about every other month).
I have been restricting myself to only keeping inked what I can fit into my two Rickshaw cozy cases - which is a whopping 23 at the moment. Those things are stretchy! Probably will eventually transition over to having some trays and/or drawers, and then maybe a few more.
For me, it’s mostly about the inks I want to use, and a bit about special pens that I don’t want to have sitting in a drawer. I know it’s easy to go ink up a clean pen, but it’s even easier if I just keep it inked. And over the past year or so I haven’t had any trouble with dried up pens, so I guess my system works for me.
I was really surprised at how much I could cram into one of those Rickshaw Coozy Cases! They're deceptively versatile..not that I'm complaining! - Drew
I'm a student and I like to change colors in my notes in order to make different points more visible. For me I enjoy having 4 pens inked with black/gray, blue,green and red
That's a great assortment! - Drew
Same idea - current colors are black, brown, blue, and red (maroon). Wakes up my attention to my journal entries. A full page of purposefully consistent script often doesn’t stop my eye. I have five pens inked up currently.