Your impartial and comprehensive review site for writing instruments

Snap decisions

I take pens with me practically everywhere. Even when there’s little likelihood that I’ll actually write anything, I still like to have a case with multiple pens on my person or in my bag.

As I’ve written in my ‘travels with pens’ series over the years, I plan the selection of pens I take when travelling days in advance. In the distant past when I used to go into the office to work, I used to load my bag with pens the night before, along with choosing my tie and cufflinks. (I may be a weirdo, but I like to prepare…)

Now in Covid times I barely leave the house, and no matter where I am I’m rarely more than 20 seconds from the pen collection safely nestled upstairs in my home office.

Yet I still take a pen case downstairs with me in the morning.

Why? I guess I like the ritual normality, and I take some comfort from having these precious and empowering objects with me. Like a talisman as well as a useful tool.

I also enjoy the nature of this interaction with my collection. Choosing just three or four pens — even if it’s an artificial selection that I can reverse at any time — has the same delicious difficulty as choosing the next chocolate from a selection box. Like when someone asks you what your favourite books or albums are, it triggers engagement with memory, and I enjoy the tingle of mild stress.

The ritual forces me to think about my collection in helpful ways: why do I never pick this pen? Do I have too many pens like this? Why do I always choose this one over this one? Which ones do I pick, but never actually write with? Which ink colours do I find myself actually picking to use, and which make me leave favourite pens in the tray?

Nowadays, honestly, choosing the day’s pens is not a decision I can agonise or luxuriate over in this analytical way. It’s often done at 5am in near-darkness, with a toddler in one arm, as we blearily make our way downstairs for the day.

Making this snap decision takes seconds, but I still find myself following certain logic for how the choices fit together. Take this morning, for instance.

I knew I wanted to spend as much time as possible with the new Visconti Lava Color that arrived yesterday, so that was my first choice.

It’s inked with the magenta Vinta La Union, so for my second choice I went for the Onoto Sequoyah, which not only looks and feels very different from the Visconti, but is inked with KWZ Turquoise.

With stone and plastic pens covered, I picked a fuss-free metal one, the ystudio Portable Copper, inked with green Edelstein Aventurine.

Then I looked for a fourth, and skipped over a lot of pens inked with blues or reds before I saw the Leonardo Cuspide inked with Scribo Grigio. But then I remembered my Lamy 2000 Black Amber was also inked with Grigio and I hadn’t used it for a little while — sure it’s also a metal pullcap like the ystudio, but very different in feel.

So there we go, I had my four, in less than ten seconds.

Will I write with all four today? I may not write with any of them, to be brutally honest. I’ll be looking after a toddler, cooking and cleaning, wrapping some Christmas presents. Not much need for pens. But it’s nice to have interacted with my collection even for a few seconds, and it’s a comfort to know I have this little totemic bundle with me wherever I go — even if I don’t make it out of the house today.

14 Comments

  1. Charles

    Anthony, Hope you are all well.
    As always an interesting and informative article.
    Having been working from home since March I find I am now using my pens and larger number of them far more regularly than I was when heading to and from the office. I, for some reason, am getting great pleasure and a strange sort of comfort from using a fountain pen everyday whether for seconds or longer.
    Stay safe and well and have a very happy and healthy Christmas and New|Year

  2. Kate

    Lovely, contemplative yet thought provoking piece; lovely photos! Wishing you and your family a Happy Christmas.

  3. rupertarzeian

    Thanks for this most enjoyable read and insight into the decision making process. I find that with 20 or so pens inked, certain favourites rise to the surface like croutons and so a conscious effort needs to be made to give the rest some use.
    Best wishes to you and your family for Christmas and the New Year.

    • Anthony

      Croutons! Quite right, an astute observation. But croutons without the soup are dry and dull. I’m sure there’s a point there somewhere 😁. Merry Christmas to you too sir!

      • RUTH FEIERTAG

        Anthony,

        That depends on the crouton. If it’s been toasted with some butter and light seasoning, then it’s a snack! 🙂

        I am pleased to read that you are raising your child to value what’s important. Your example sends a clear message that, after family, pens must be given the attention and care they deserve. It is evident from your photo that the lesson has taken root.

        Someone should suggest to Rickshaw Mark that his company make a pen case that can double as a teether.

        Happiness, prosperity, and above all, good health attend on everyone in the coming year!

        Ruth

  4. An Englishman in Paris

    I wrongly keep my fountain pens constantly inked and split between two cases.

    I tend to only use the same pen until it runs out then move to the next along the line, after having refilled t’empty one.

    I’m often having to flush them through and can’t begin to tell you the amount of ink I’ve wasted whilst using this silly method…

  5. moniefp

    So true 😆 Do you mind sharing where did you buy that pen case? Is very nice and looks comfortable to carry 4 fountain pens🖋

    • Anthony

      It’s from Rickshaw Bagworks in San Francisco — they make amazing stuff, I love them ❤️

      • Mark Dwight

        Thank you Anthony. I love these photos. Happy Holidays!

  6. moniefp

    I have a Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight. How does your white lava performs?

    • Anthony

      I put a few comments on Instagram along with some photos. It’s a nice pen. The magnet closure is the biggest difference. The nib writes but the tipping is a mess.

      • moniefp

        I’ll check out your Instagram. I’m sorry the tipping is a mess. I had the same nib issues with Leonardo Momento Zero. For the prices, they should be better. I’m seriously thinking on send many to a nib meister…more money to add though🙄

  7. moniefp

    You are fast! Thank you🧤

  8. Tommy Phillips

    Thank you for this little rumination on the mixed pleasure of choosing the pens for the day. It’s good to know I’m not the only one!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

© 2024 UK FOUNTAIN PENS

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑