Editing The Pen Addict 556/transcript (section)

== Pens for desk use while working ==


'''Myke Hurley:''' John asks, I've got a couple of pens I keep handy while I'm working on my computer in case I need to scribble down notes throughout the day. I keep them off to the side but find I'm always bumping into them or shuffling them around the desk. I'd love some kind of low-profile pen tray that I could put out on my desk during the day and stash away when I'm done working. Could be fancy, but doesn't have to be. Do you have any suggestions?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. There's several different ways you can go here. And I'm looking at... Let's see. I got one here on my desk. Where's my other one? Oh, it's right behind me. So I have two things within Sight. One is a Toyocacraft six-pin tray. Right? It's a small, low-profile tray. It is obviously wonderfully made. It's very simple looking. It's not overly big. It's lightweight. It's lined. It's got the notches so the pens aren't rolling around in there so they stay separate. And you could just slide that in your desk drawer when you're done at the end of the day. The second one, it's not as self-contained. But the Yoseka walnut pen tray, it doesn't have sides. Right? It's more... That's one I'd probably leave on my desk. So maybe it's not the best choice if you want to put it into your tray, into your desk drawer at the end of the day. Because the pens might slide around a little bit. Right? It doesn't have sides on it. But it's a beautiful, functional, low-profile tray you could use. The third one is Rickshaw makes the fun, plush, little pen. I don't even know what they're called. But they hold like a single pen, maybe two pens. So if you needed something for just one or two pens, they make these plush varieties of pen trays that they just started making here in the last month or so. So I'm blanking on the name. Plush valet tray? Yes. There you go. And it holds... It doesn't hold like as many pens as the ones I'm talking about, like with the one from Yoseko or the one from Toyococraft. But it's just kind of a fun, neat desk accessory. And then like, I don't know. I'm really into pen trays and stuff. Like I have some from Bungu Box. What do you mean the pillows? Oh, the pillow. The pillow is what I'm talking about. Sorry. Okay. Yeah. Sorry. I didn't have the link pulled up. Yep.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And then I've had like a Lucren leather pen tray that holds like... It's got four slots. Again, it's like the Yoseko where it doesn't have sides. I like the Toyocraft for moving around a lot because it does have sides, right? In case you just accidentally, you know, like tip the tray like at an angle, the pens are going to stay in the tray. So maybe that's my first choice because it does have small sides and is just a really, really functional tray. And yeah. And I mean, you have to order it from Japan, you know, from Toyococraft, but it's pretty easy to do. They make it pretty easy. And I don't know if other people are starting to carry those single trays yet, but they're really neat. So that's my number one recommendation. But the other stuff is maybe more accessible.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I think the one thing I'll say about the wooden ones more than the leather one and the plush one. If you work in an office with other people, the wooden ones are very conspicuous. Like they're just big, right? And like it will catch people's attention where I feel like even though the rickshaw one is soft, like people might just think it's something else rather than this is a very specific wooden box for my pens.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. You know? Like as simple as the Yoseika tray is, if you put that on a desk at work and it's a seven slot tray, I believe, it's kind of ostentatious sitting out on your desk loaded with your pens, right? While being a completely simple and innocent product.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Beautiful thing.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. The end result in the context of your desk, it's going to really stand out.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Similarly, like my favorite is the Toyoka tray. But it looks like a cigar tray. Yeah. And again, that's not a problem. But like it just depends. If you're in mixed company, sometimes, I don't know, different people, like different strokes with different folks. I don't like to have to answer questions about my pens. You know what I mean? Like I just. Yeah. It's just like, no, this is just a thing for me. I don't have to explain it to you. But like people always want to know, like, why are you doing this? It's just like, why not? Uh, Josh asks, I purchased a pile at Metropolitan to begin my fountain pen journey. I've had it for about a week and I love it. There's just one snag. I recently filled the pen with the included Con B converter. But since then, a huge pool of ink will come out of the feed all at once sporadically as I write with it. Am I doing something wrong? Are there air pockets in the converter? Your ideas would be greatly appreciated. For context, I'm using Diamine Oxford Blue for the ink.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' The Pilot Con B converter sucks. I, but surely this is weird what it's doing though, right? It is weird. So one of the difficulties with the Con B is you might have to force seat it onto the back of the feed and the housing, right? It is a very tight fit. So you might think you have it on there. You have to shove it on there to get a good seal. Because it's like plastic lined at that connection point.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And it has to be tight, right? For the linking, for the leaking purposes, right? Which Josh is running into. So that's my first guess is that it might not be pushed down enough. And that's an unnatural feel to actually literally force that thing down in there. Yeah. Because it's not just like, you know, a very easy to remove and to pop back on. I hate this converter. You want to force that converter. It sucks. Everyone hates that converter. It sucks. You can swap into a Con 40, which isn't much better. But for some reason. It's better. It just doesn't hold a lot of ink. It slides on. It's better. It doesn't hold a lot of ink. But it will slide on the back of that feed a little bit better. Honestly, I think, Josh, you probably just need to force it. And then be careful when you pull it off that you're not throwing it across the room because you forced it on. So it's going to be hard to remove as well. So should you have to do this? No. Is that the likely issue for this? Yeah, probably. Just because it's not a great design.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I really would recommend getting the Con 40. I think it's just more comforting to use.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah. It's got the twist filler.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Filling the Con B is impossible. Everything about the Con B is bad. It's a sacrifice that I almost wish they would include. Yeah, I don't know what they do. It causes more problems than it's worth. I would just include converters and just be, I mean, include cartridges and be done. And if someone wants a converter later, they can get it. They're not doing anyone any favors with this Con B. Side note, the Diamine Oxford blue ink is completely fine. Like, it's not an ink issue. That's a great ink. That's an ink you should be using with that pen. So just put the converter on more forcefully, unfortunately.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Or swap it.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Or swap it.