Editing The Pen Addict 81/transcript (section)

== Multi-Pen ==


'''Anna Reinhardt:''' Absolutely. And then, I mean, if buying somebody like a whole set of pens wasn't something that appealed, my other option would be to do like a multi-pen. So, if you were looking for something that was like a higher end, the Zebra Charbo, which comes in at about $50, but will hold – is it two? Two plus one. Two plus a mechanical, or you can put a gel or ballpoint in there. Yep. But that seemed like the kind of thing where you could, again, maybe buy the case for somebody and then give them a gift certificate for JetPens to fill it themselves or at least get them started with some stuff. And if, you know, $50 for a Charbo is too much for somebody, something like the Uni Style Fit, they have a new one called the Meister. I hadn't seen it before. It's a three color and it's $16.50. It seemed like a good option. And of all the multi-pens that I have, I tend to use the Uni Style Fit more than I use the Hi-Tech C Colito or any of the other ones I have floating around. I keep them all at work and they just sort of randomly go with me to meetings. So, I really like the Unis. They write really well even after they've been sitting on my desk for a year.

'''Myke Hurley:''' The Colito would actually be my choice. I bought one of those well over a year ago and I don't use it very often, but I did really, really enjoy it. I like that a lot. A lot of really cool colors you could get for that too.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' Yeah.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Well, like you, Anna, I assume for my regular pen category, I assume someone on this panel would mention Retro 51, so I didn't go there either.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Mr. Predictable.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So, I went a little bit off the reservation and this is a new pen. I just, I bet I've only had it not even a month and it really caught me off guard how much I like it because I thought it would be okay. I didn't expect to love it like I do and that's the Lamy 2000 ballpoint.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' It's, when I buy a pen and I spend as much time just looking at it and holding it as much as I do writing with it, I know it's pretty special. So, it, I've shown this pen to a couple people like Jeff, my partner at Knock and he's just like blown away by the construction of it. But, um, I was a little bit worried before I ordered it about the refill. And, you know, if the refill was no good, I was going to be disappointed. Um, the refill is actually spectacular. It's very smooth, very clean writing. Um, and as a matter of fact, my wife has already laid claim to this pen. So, if that tells you anything, um, I'm going to have to order her some blue refills for it. But, um, I no longer have this Lamy 2000 that I just bought because she liked it so much. Um, I, I gave it to her. So, she's going to use that at work. But, I was very impressed with this pen. And, um, surprisingly so. And, and liked it enough that I think it's, uh, it's well worth a recommendation for, uh, if someone's looking for a good gift for someone. I think it's $65. So, it's not exactly cheap. But, compared to the rest of the Lamy 2000 line and as beautiful and classically designed as this pen is, I think it's a pretty good deal.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' Well, my initial thought as soon as I heard regular pen was to recommend the Karas Customs Retract. But, I don't think that they're finished with their Kickstarter yet. I went and looked at their website. And, um, it says you can pre-order. But, I don't know if they'll have them ready in time for the holidays.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yep. That was on my short list as well, too. And, I just got mine in, uh, from the Kickstarter campaign, uh, last week. And, I'm liking it a lot.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' Which one did you get?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I got the, the regular, the standard aluminum. And, I have filled it with the Uniball Sino RT .38 millimeter blue black refill. And, it's killer. Fits great. Works great. Looks great. It's awesome.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' I'm curious about the weight on the, uh, the aluminum. If you get around to, uh, weighing it, I'd be curious. Because, I have a brass one and it weighs a ton.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' It's beautiful, but it's heavy.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. Myke, I sent Myke the Render K in brass. And, I have the Bolt in brass. And, they're all way too heavy for me.

'''Myke Hurley:''' No, I have the Bolt in brass.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Oh, you have the Bolt in brass. So, I have the Render K in brass. I'm a mistake. And, those crossed up.

'''Myke Hurley:''' It's a lot lighter. I've had my retract for a while. Because, I'm special. Yeah. And, it's, it's much, much lighter than the brass Render K. I think, the brass ones are just heavy. Works heavy by nature, you know.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' I like keeping it on my desk as a potential weapon.

'''Myke Hurley:''' That's, do you know what? I kind of feel like the Karas Customs guys would like that, in a way. Oh, yeah. Totally. I think they would be happy to hear that people are protecting themselves with their pens. I thought that's something Dan would be happy with. So, moving on to fountain pens.

'''Myke Hurley:''' So, I, recently I've been using the stuff that I bought at the pen show. However, due to a package that I received from our guest today, I came in possession of a Twisby nib in fine. And, I put it on my Twisby 540. Which, I have the 540 ROs. The Rubber Cochina, the ROC Special Edition. And, I've fallen in love with the Twisby 540 again. It's all I've used for the last week. Sweet! I just, I'd forgotten how incredible this pen was. Because, I'd been using the Mini. And, I'd loved the Mini. And, then I moved away into other things. And, now I've gone back to the 540. And, the fine nib is just incredible. So, like, as I've moved towards that a little bit more as well since the last time I used this. And, it performs excellently on all paper types. So, I can write. I love having a fountain pen that I can reliably write in field notes with. When it's clipped to my field notes, it's pretty much just the same size as the book. Which is good. And, having the full size pen again has just been fantastic. And, in the same vein as the Retro 51.

'''Myke Hurley:''' If you can, the thing is, if you can find a 540. Because, they're more difficult to find now. Because, they, I'm right in thinking that, aren't I Brad? That the 540 is a little bit harder to come by.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, the 580 is essentially replaced the 540.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Now, it may be that the 580 works just as well. But, I haven't used that. So, I wouldn't want to recommend it. But, you can grab it from Colt pens. Colt pens have a few colors of the 540 left. And, it's pretty well priced. I mean, it's 42 pounds. Which, for the quality of fountain pen that you're getting. I mean, obviously, if you're in the UK. It helps with not having to do the exchange. I just think it's absolutely excellent. And, thank you Anna for highlighting this pen again to me.

'''Anna Reinhardt:''' No problem. Actually, I think the 580, the only change was they did some improvements on the plastic. Because, I guess some people were having issues with the plastic on the 540s cracking. So, I think there's an extra ring somewhere just to protect the plastic from, I think maybe people were over twisting the cap or the nib. Do you know Brad?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah, there's a metal piece in the section now. So, to help prevent that cracking.

'''Myke Hurley:''' But, you can't get the beautiful 540 ROC. No. No. No. That was one of my favorite purchases. I think it's potentially one of the, if not most, beautiful pen that I own, in my opinion. I just love it. I love it so much. Especially with blue ink in it. Because, it's got a clear body. So, yeah. Thanks to Brad for first planting that seed in my mind.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Hey, I bought you that one too. Well, I mean, you paid for it. But, I ordered it for you. You did?

'''Myke Hurley:''' Without you, I wouldn't have got it.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yes, sir. Awesome. That's a good one.

'''Myke Hurley:''' So, Anna, what is your fountain pen of choice?