Pilot-Lamy-Overlooked-Underloved-Fountain-Pens

Overlooked and Underloved: Three Fountain Pens That Don't Get the Attention They Deserve

March 9, 2019

The current fountain pen market can be driven to a large degree by hype, with new or “limited edition” pens selling quickly, only to have sales peter out as the novelty wears off and users figure out that maybe those “next big thing” pens aren’t the best for actual daily use. I’ve been as guilty of this as anyone, as some of what I consider to be the best fountain pens in my collection have unfortunately fallen by the wayside. Today I’ll take a look at three pens that have been around for a while, but don’t necessarily get a lot of attention on pen blogs and websites and social media. That’s unfortunate because all three are exceptional, well-balanced writing instruments that are generally reliable “out of the box” and available at most pen retailers. I’m talking about the Pilot Custom 74, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, and, yes, the Lamy 2000.

You can read my full write-up on the Pilot Custom 74 here.

Pilot Custom 74. At the top of my list of pens that deserve more attention is the Pilot Custom 74. We did end up selling a handful of these pens in Baltimore, and these colorful demonstrators are what I consider to be one of the better bargains on the market. For $176, which is rapidly becoming the price point for many steel-nib pens, you get a sweet 14k Pilot rhodium-plated nib, paired with Pilot’s high-capacity pump converter, the CON-70. You can also use Pilot’s cartridges if you prefer the convenience, and they hold a ton of ink and last forever. The rhodium trim on this pen nicely complements the jewel-like acrylics. I own the blue version, and Violet, Orange, Smoke, and Clear versions are also available, along with two limited editions arriving in the coming months. Stay tuned!

I’ve previously written a full review of the Custom Heritage, but the orange acrylic version has become somewhat more difficult to find, even online.

Pilot Custom Heritage 92. Sitting at a slightly higher price point than the Custom 74 is the Custom Heritage 92, which runs $220 and pairs the same 14k nib from the Custom 74 with an integrated piston filler. One of the main reasons that I love Pilot pens is the mix of quality and price - with the exception of the Lamy 2000 (discussed below), it’s rare that you will find a quality piston-filling fountain pen with a gold nib for under $300. The main drawback to the Custom Heritage is the fact that it’s only available in a single color. At one point Pilot made this pen for the Japanese market in orange, blue, and smoke as well, with the different colors being readily available online, but those appear to be phased out and are not as readily available as they once were. I recently saw someone trying to sell the orange version for close to $1,000, which is silly.

Most people won’t notice that the Lamy 2000 fountain pen isn’t a ballpoint or a rollerball.

Lamy 2000. And finally, we get to an old standby that rarely sits uninked and out of my rotation for long. Talk about a pen that’s not “sexy” in the traditional sense: the minimalist, somewhat brutal, fiberglass design of this pen hasn’t changed at all since the 1960s, and it certainly isn’t going to win you any “likes” (or generate much blog traffic, for that matter), but if I were to open a pen store, you can bet that I’d stock these in all available nib sizes and try to push them on everyone who walked through the door looking for a durable, bottle-filling daily writer. Especially for an office professional, the Lamy 2000 gives you an understated, reliable pen with a large ink capacity that can get you through long meetings, hearings, depositions, or whatever your need may be. It’s first on my list of “workhorse pens.”

So what prompted this post? At last week’s Baltimore Pen Show, a handful of people came by the Vanness Pens table and described to me what they were looking for. In a few instances, the Pilots would have made a perfect match but didn’t get any consideration at all. I sensed a real hesitation to give these pens a chance, whether because they were slightly more expensive than steel-nib options that customers ended up purchasing, or simply because some people hadn’t heard of these pens before or hadn’t seen them online. Don’t get me wrong - if a pen doesn’t speak to you, then don’t spend your money on it. But one of my resolutions for this year was to shift the focus of the blog from merely following market trends back to highlighting those products that I love and believe will serve readers well over the long term. Sometimes the best option isn’t the newer, shinier release - it’s the old standard that’s been around for many years, for good reason, and you owe it to yourself as a user and enthusiast to give these pens a chance.

Six “Workhorse Pens”, from left: Pilot Custom 74, Pilot Custom Heritage 92, Lamy 2000, Montblanc 146 Ultra Black, Lamy Safari, and Faber-Castell e-Motion Pure Black.

Disclaimer: As of 2020, T.G.S. is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.

What Makes a Pen Show "Great"? Takeaways from the 2019 Baltimore Pen Show

March 6, 2019

You often hear people saying: “It was good, but it could have been great” when discussing a recent pen show (or any other large public event, for that matter). What’s less common is attending a pen show that should have been “good,” or maybe even “meh,” but turned out to be fabulous. This year’s Baltimore Pen Show was one such event.

On paper, everything pointed to Baltimore being just an ”ok” show. The weekend started with snow and the Sunday forecasts were even nastier, which ordinarily translates into low turnout. The show was also set in a single ballroom, which typically signals a smaller show with fewer vendors. Finally, the Baltimore Pen Show is the second (and smaller) of two shows in the greater Baltimore-Washington area, with the other show being the “Supershow” held in August, which is a hard act to follow.

The Baltimore Pen Show ballroom from the back looking forward, early on Sunday morning. Note to other pen show organizers: wide aisles + good light + air conditioning = happy everybody.

None of this mattered. Organizer Bert Oser and his team, led by Corinne, did an exceptional job coordinating the weekend, and the entire show went off without a hitch. (And if there were any “hitches,” they weren’t visible to attendees or vendors.) So what made Baltimore such a good pen show?

Hotel and Location. Sure, it’s hard to get excited about an airport Marriott, but it’s also nice to have a shuttle running to/from the Airport, reducing transit time and expense for people coming in from out of town, which is especially important if you have dicey weather. Better yet, this hotel was well-ventilated with good air conditioning, so the ballroom wasn’t 1000 degrees, and the bar setup was pretty good with tables and a secondary sports bar attached to the hotel that stayed open later after the lobby bar closed. I’d definitely attend a show at this hotel again.
Ballroom Setup. Despite my initial hesitation, the single ballroom turned out to be one of the best things about this show. Baltimore isn’t the largest show in terms of number of vendors or attendees, but the mix and quality of the vendors was exceptional. More on that below. The ballroom was bright and easy to navigate, with wide aisles and plenty of room behind and between tables.
Events. Show organizer/promoter/hype-master Corinne described this show as “Pen Camp,” and it definitely had that vibe. All three days featured classes and workshops, with events at night. On Friday night, Brad Dowdy of The Pen Addict featured a “Meet the Makers” panel; Saturday night featured the obligatory “Pen Shows after Dark” meet and greet/show and tell in a commandeered conference room that we almost - but not quite - got tossed out of; and Sunday was your typical laid-back final day where vendors got a chance to breath and walk the show for themselves.
Friendly Attitude Among Vendors and Attendees. Baltimore had none of the near-hostility that can develop at larger, more crowded, and less well-managed shows like the D.C. Supershow and the L.A. Pen Show, which I wrote separately about last week. From what I could tell, everyone had a great time, and I had better conversations at this show than I’ve had in a long time, not to mention getting to try a ton of pens. Just check out the video from the “Pen Shows After Dark” meetup and spy all those pens on the table, just waiting to be shared!

Jonathon Brooks was next to Hugh Scher of the Kanilea Pen Company all weekend. You could lose a lot of money in that corner!

So What Did I See?

As I noted above, the Baltimore Show usually features a good mix of different vendors, both vintage and modern, as well as both custom and production-line writing instruments. This year’s list of exhibitors was OUTSTANDING, and included:

For custom and “small-batch” makers, Kanilea Pen Company, Carolina Pen Company (Jonathon Brooks), Desiderata Pens, Woodshed Pen Company, Herbert Pen Company, Additive Pens, Franklin-Christoph, and Ryan Krusac Studios.
For Nib Workers and Pen Restorers, Richard Binder, Ron Zorn, Martin Ferguson, Nibs on Point (JC Ament), and JJ Lax Pen Co. (who also had Yoshi Nakama pens in stock, and no, I still haven’t picked one up).
For general retailers, you had Vanness Pens (where I was working), Federalist Pens, Total Office Products, and Nock Co.
For vintage retailers, in addition to the typical traders, you had Paul Erano, Jessica Coles of The Vintage Pen Shop, and Nik Pang (who also set up for calligraphy).
For distributors and manufacturers, you had Coles of London (Visconti), Kenro Industries (Montegrappa, Esterbrook, and Aurora), and Private Reserve Ink.

FInally, the Baltimore show featured a number of local specialty shops, including Write Notepads, The Queen’s Ink, Drama Mama Bookshop, and Jinji Chocolate. It added a great local flair to what was already a top-notch show. I’m sure I’ve missed a ton of people, but I didn’t have much time to walk the entire show (plus I’m forgetful), so apologies in advance!

And I did forget someone! Story Supply Co. was there with all of their standard and special edition notebooks!

As always, Franklin-Christoph brought trays of prototypes, which went quickly each morning.

Jerry from Additive Pens brought a bunch of new models to test, including these “ribbon” and “inverted ribbon” models.

So What Did I Bring Home?

Baltimore wasn’t a huge show shopping-wise, but I did bring back a couple of interesting pens that you all will see up on the blog in the near future. In terms of pens, I purchased one of the “Double Helix” eyedroppers from Additive Pens, which I’m excited about reviewing. I also picked up a Parker 51 “Fantasy” by Nik Pang, which incorporates a classic Parker 51 nib and aerometric filling mechanism into a new body and cap. Finally, I took home a Spoke Pen Prototype and few bottles of ink from Vanness that I’ve been meaning to try.

From left: Additive Pens “Double-Helix” eyedropper, Spoke Pen Prototype, and my Parker 51 “Fantasy” from Nik Pang.

From Left: 3 Oysters Black Moss, Taccia Ebi, Taccia Uguisu, and Private Reserve Burgundy Mist, a former favorite of mine that’s recently been reformulated.

I can’t tell you how much time I killed at work playing with this Additive Pens eyedropper yesterday.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts on the Baltimore Pen Show

I definitely plan to come back to the Baltimore Pen Show next year. It might actually have become my favorite overall show on the circuit, though I’ve heard that the Philadelphia Pen Show has a similar vibe and I’m going to make a point of attending. Next stop for me is the Arkansas Pen Show in Little Rock next weekend, followed by Atlanta at the beginning of April. Then I’ll need a break…. until D.C.!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. Many thanks to Mike and Lisa Vanness for letting me tag along and work the Vanness table this weekend!

2019 Baltimore Pen Show: Friday Pictures!

March 2, 2019

The Baltimore Washington International Pen Show has grown into one of my favorite shows on “the circuit.” It’s a well-run, medium-sized pen show that may not be the largest out there but attracts a great group of vendors and attendees. I’m back behind the Vanness Pens table this weekend, winding towards the end of my insane February-March travel schedule, so come visit and get your hands on all the pens, ink, and paper we brought with us before it’s gone! The Vanness-Shawn Newton collaboration, the Pinnacle, is nearly sold out with only one or two pens remaining, and we very quickly sold out of certain colors of Akkerman ink. As is usual on pen show weekends, I’ll have a full recap with my thoughts on this show up on the blog next week.

The Vanness Table. We’re to the left against the wall as you enter the ballroom.

Vanness brought all sorts of Aurora pens to the show, including the last of the Minerali demonstrators, Optima Flex Pens, and some new limited editions!

What are you lookin’ at? Cary mans the Kenro table across the aisle from us.

The Joey Feldman/Rickshaw bags collaboration intended for the L.A. Pen Show is finally available for Baltimore! Come see these, they’re great!

And finally, we have the full range of Pilot Custom 74 demonstrators. These are excellent pens that don’t get the love they deserve, for some reason. The nibs are outstanding and the price point is excellent. Stop by and try one out!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

2019 Pen Show Prep! Where I'll Be This Year and Tips for Surviving Pen Shows

February 27, 2019

You may have noticed that posts have been somewhat irregular around here over the past few weeks. As it turns out, I’ve been traveling, including my first pen show of the year, the Los Angeles International Pen Show. The travel is not going to end soon. Quite a few people have asked me which other shows I’ll be attending. So far, they are:

Baltimore Washington International Pen Show (March 1-3, 2019). I will once again be behind the Vanness Pens Table this coming weekend! If you’re at the Baltimore Show, stop by and see me.
Arkansas Pen Show (March 15-17). I’ve never attended this show before, have been meaning to go for the past few years, and I’m not going to miss it again! Especially not the open house at Vanness Pens and the $10 weekend pass.
Atlanta Pen Show (April 5-7). After a little bit of a break, I’ll drive to Atlanta for what’s basically my “home show” since it’s only about four hours away. It’s also the site of the annual Pen Addict Live show. The Kickstarter is running now, with some great rewards and extras if you back.
Washington, D.C. Fountain Pen Supershow (August 1-4, 2019). In all likelihood there will be no planned pen show trips between Atlanta and D.C. That’s a busy time for me in terms of family vacation and work, but I’ve attended D.C. every year for the past several years and for all its “challenges,” it’s still the Big Show.
San Francisco Pen Show (August 23-25, 2019). This one is a stretch, and will depend on how busy my August is at the Day Job, but I’ve heard so many good things about the SF Pen Show (aka “The Fun Pen Show”) that I’m going to make every effort to be there.

I’ll be behind the table at Vanness Pens for at least part of this year’s Baltimore Pen Show.

Other shows that I consider attending every year include the Chicago Pen Show from May 2-May 5, the Triangle Pen Show from May 30-June 2 (Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina), the Dallas Pen Show from September 27-28, and the Ohio Pen Show (Columbus, Ohio). Most of these are last minute trips, and I currently don’t have concrete plans to go, but hey, you never know….

I’ll definitely be hanging out a lot at the Kanilea Pen Co table in Baltimore! (Pic here is from 2017, since the “Bomb Cyclone” - remember that? - caused me to miss last year’s show.)

Whenever I publish pen show recaps, I end up getting a lot of questions about how to prepare for and best enjoy a pen show. Here’s a quick summary of the advice I always give people:

Pick the right show. My first pen show was the Ohio Pen Show in Columbus, which was just the right size. It’s a mid-sized show, but definitely bigger than anything I imagined could exist at that time. I attended a couple of other smaller shows before I tried a larger show like D.C., which can be overwhelming and take you three days to fully explore. Bigger shows also attract large crowds, especially on the weekends, and I actually enjoy the smaller and mid-size shows because it’s MUCH easier to talk to people.
Don’t try too hard and take your time. It’s supposed to be fun. You don’t need to see everything at a show, and even that’s probably an impossible goal for your first excursion. Pick out 3-4 pens you want to see/look for and make those your focus.
Don’t spend too much money. Set a budget. In addition to getting overwhelmed, it’s easy to get carried away and purchase stuff that you don’t really want or need “just because it’s there.” Know yourself. If you’re prone to overspending, leave the credit cards at home.
Eat. Somewhat self-explanatory, but it’s also easy to get caught up in everything, miss lunch, and the next thing you know you’re crashing mid-afternoon.
Socialize. I waited far too long to take advantage of the opportunity pen shows present to hang out and meet people who you may only know via the internet. Don’t miss the chance to put faces with names, it’s one of the best parts - if not THE best part - of the pen show experience. If you’re staying at the show hotel (something I recommend), after-hours at the bar is a great opportunity to try out different pens and ink that people bring with them.
Take Advantage of the Opportunity to Get Work Done on Pens. Maybe you have a nib that doesn’t write well, or you’d like to try a custom grind? Pen shows are a great way to get pens worked on by a “nib doctor” in person, which is much more efficient than sending pens back and forth through the mail. Plus they can see how you write with the pen and adjust the nib accordingly, which makes a huge difference.
Bring a Pen Case with Room and Plastic Bags for Ink. For shows, I travel with one of my Aston Leather 10 Pen cases, as well as a bunch of Ziploc sandwich bags (heavy duty or double seal) to wrap ink in for the trip home. Most ink bottles are less than three fluid ounces, which can go in your carry-on bag, but some TSA checkpoints enforce the “all-liquid-in-a-plastic-bag” rule so be prepared!

Don’t forget to plan: How am I going to bring all of this home?

This post just scratches the surface. Over the years, I’ve written several detailed pieces about attending shows, and don’t really have too much to add to them. Check out Pen Show Primer, Volume 1: Why Visit a Pen Show; Volume 2: Getting Ready for a Pen Show; and Volume 3: Tips for Surviving the Pen Show.

Give me a shout if you want to meet up in Baltimore or at another future show!

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates.

Sunday: the calm before the storm. You can see the line to get in start to snake around the outside of the hotel. The short video below shows the crowd at the front just as people started to come inside.

L.A. Pen Show Sunday Recap and General Thoughts

February 21, 2019

Sunday at the L.A. Pen Show lived up to everything I'd heard about it, both good and bad. First, the good, which centered around the enthusiasm of the attendees and the local pen community. You have to really care about something to put up with the "logistical challenges" presented by a pen show that only has one public day, and Sunday from 10am-5pm at that. Despite extremely long lines, uncomfortably warm temperatures (inside), and bustling crowds crammed into too-narrow aisles, nearly everyone I spoke with from behind the Vanness Pens table was patient, polite, and happy to be there, which always makes for a good "pen-show" atmosphere. Unfortunately, on the vendor side, those same "logistical challenges" are forcing many out-of-town vendors to make difficult decisions, since L.A. is effectively a one-day show. Traffic is very light on Friday and Saturday, so vendors basically have to make up the cost of the weekend, plus any profit, on Sunday. Given the cost of attending, in terms of both time and money, I got the distinct vibe that this show may be in danger of falling off the list of "major" U.S. Pen Shows.

Why do I say that? Let's compare to the D.C. Pen Show, which has had its own (much-discussed) issues over the past few years. Despite the fact that the D.C. Show can also suffer from long lines, high temperatures (both inside AND outside), overcrowded ballrooms, and an iffy location, at the end of the day it's still THE BIG SHOW, and people keep coming back because (1) all the vendors are there; and (2) the vendors are there because the show is profitable enough to justify the expense. [Note: I’m not trying to reduce everything to money, but at the end of the day, it sets a baseline. Most vendors can’t keep attending if they lose money every year on the show.] When a pen show is open to the public for just a single day, and that single day is Sunday as opposed to Saturday, it severely limits the number of non-trader/exhibitor attendees. While someone planning to attend a pen show for a three-day mini-vacation might gladly spend $50+ for a “weekend trader” pass (as opposed to $8 for Sunday admission), someone who’s only able to go for a single day probably will not do so.

One big plus for Sunday: Joey Feldman arrives to help manage the rush behind the Vanness Table, and to sign his show special notebooks!

The “show special” notebooks available at the Vanness Pens Table: a collaboration between Joey Feldman and Curnow Bookbinding. There were also some special edition pen wraps by Rickshaw Bags, but they weren’t quite ready for the L.A. Show. Stay tune… — The “show special” notebooks available at the Vanness Pens Table: a collaboration between Joey Feldman and Curnow Bookbinding. There were also some special edition pen wraps by Rickshaw Bags, but they weren’t quite ready for the L.A. Show. Stay tuned and hopefully they will be available in Baltimore.

A big bright spot, however, was the quality of the hotel and the space itself (other than size). The show had some of the best light of any pen show I’ve attended. That said, the decision to move the show to a downstairs ballroom caused problems, including views and traffic flows being obstructed by concrete columns, “dead ends” where people got stuck, and where some vendors were effectively hidden. For example, I had no idea Tactile Turn was at the show until Will posted a photo on Instagram after I was already back in Nashville, and I could have sworn that I walked by every booth at that show multiple times!

I failed spectacularly at my stated goal of not buying anything. From left, a Desiderata Pens Soubriquet; a Platinum 3776 Celluloid “Karakusa” from Anderson Pens, and a vintage Aurora 88 with the “Nikargenta” cap. On the latter pen, I’ve been lookin… — I failed spectacularly at my stated goal of not buying anything. From left, a Desiderata Pens Soubriquet; a Platinum 3776 Celluloid “Karakusa” from Anderson Pens, and a vintage Aurora 88 with the “Nikargenta” cap. On the latter pen, I’ve been looking for one of those for years, but hadn’t ever spotted one without significant dents and dings in the cap. I also picked up a couple of samples of ink from Straits Pens (more on that below).

How the L.A. Pen Show organizers respond to this year's event will likely determine whether this show remains a truly “international” pen show, or evolves into more of a regional event. In order for this show to be successful - and I define success in terms of both the promoter AND vendors being able to make money, while at the same time delivering a worthwhile experience to attendees - I personally think that the show needs to open to the public on Saturday and assign vendors permanent tables for all three days (Friday-Sunday) to allow them to fully set up. Of course, people have been saying this about the L.A. Show for years, and here we are.

I hope this show sticks around. Why? Because the show draws from a different geographical area than most of the East Coast shows, offering attendees access to a different group of vendors and vice-versa. For example, this year’s L.A. Pen Show featured the following vendors who don’t necessarily travel to a large number of shows:

Classic Fountain Pens a/k/a Nibs.com. From what I understand, John Mottishaw used to be a regular on the pen show circuit, but has since limited his travel to Los Angeles and San Francisco (though a few of his employees did travel to the D.C. Pen Show a few years back when it was still at the old location. One word: Nakayas!
Eboya. The Japanese Ebonite specialists. I didn’t have a lot of time (or money) to spend at their table, but Eboya brought some absolutely beautiful polished ebonite pens. I’ve flagged Eboya for a possible purchase later this year.
Stylo Art Karuizawa. Purveyors of gorgeous urushi and maki-e pens, including lacquered wood pens featuring nibs from Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum. They also remain on my list for a possible purchase, but since the pens are quite expensive I’m holding out for the perfect one.
One Star Leather Goods. Makers of high-quality, custom-made leather goods. I’m a big fan of Keegan’s work, and he sets up on Sundays, and sometimes Saturdays, at the L.A. Pen Show. He made me a custom leather cover for my Baron Fig Confidant, which I love and previously reviewed here.
Tactile Turn. Most readers of this blog should be familiar with Will Hodges and his machined pens. Much to my surprise (and dismay that I didn’t get a chance to visit with him), Will was at the L.A. Pen Show and may be attending San Francisco.
Straits Pens. Part of my pen show haul was a bottle of “Poor Man’s Sapphire,” which Sunny brought with him from Singapore. I’m loving this ink so far, and you should look for a review soon.

I had the opportunity to meet all sorts of other new people whom I had never met before, but most of my interactions took place on the show floor. The after-hours bar scene wasn’t as vibrant in L.A. as it is at other shows I attend, though the newly renovated hotel has a pretty good setup with long high-top tables, attentive bartenders, and a bright and airy space.

We managed to get the Vanness “Ink Van” loaded in just over an hour!

Takeaways

As I might have mentioned, I’m making an effort to branch out and visit as many new pen shows as possible this year. L.A. was my first adventure, and I’m certainly glad I made the trip out to the West Coast. It was great to see familiar faces, and also to meet many readers for the first time, in person! For all its “quirks,” the Los Angeles Pen Show offers a unique opportunity to visit vendors who don’t appear elsewhere. The main question for me is how long these vendors (and even attendees) will continue to visit this show, especially with the rise of the growing San Francisco Pen Show which has earned rave reviews in recent years.

Next up for me is the Baltimore Pen Show in less than two weeks! See you there!

Disclaimer: All observations and opinions expressed herein are my own, drawn from personal experience working behind the Vanness Pens table in both L.A. and D.C., and from conversations I had at the show with many different vendors, manufacturers, distributors, and attendees.