Editing The Pen Addict 289/transcript (section)

== Pimp My Pen ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' Let's get, let's get Exhibit on the phone and we'll, we'll start a new show called Pimp My Pen and we're going to, we're going to LED it up. So we need to figure that out a way. I'm sure there's some, some pen out there with, with lights in it. So we just need to put them in our fancy pens now. So Ted writes, I just lost the first and only $150 plus fountain pen I ever bought. Thoughts on coping with my loss and my growing hesitation about making such an investment. Again, your own horror stories.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' We've talked about this before. I've never lost a pen like that. I've very rarely lost a pen ever. So I feel you Ted, I feel for your loss, but that can't stop you from getting the next pen. That's important to you.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I'm very particular about where I put things down or store things. So I know if I've used a pen, there's only X amount of places it can be, right? It's in my shirt pocket. It's in a pen case or it's in the storage. And I don't leave things around randomly. You know, I don't have the opportunity to, you know, I don't put myself in situations where I can lose a pen. So it sucks that you lost the pen. Don't let it stop you from getting another one, but just try to think about, okay, well, this pen has a home somewhere and, you know, I'm going to use it. And when I'm done with it, I'm going to put it in its home, whether that's in this specific spot on a desk, whether that's in your pocket, whether that's in a pen case or a backpack, give it a home and that'll help you, you know, keep track of it a little bit better.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' You've lost pens for certain time periods, right, Myke? But you've never lost, lost a pen. Like it's gone, lost, right?

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah. I don't think that I've had any of that. I've like gone, gone, gone.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Yeah. Is that a song? Gone. That was a song. Probably. I mean, there's got to be a song that's been gone, gone, gone, gone.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' All right. Bring it wants to know. This goes back into our eyedropper question. Just got a new Franklin Kristoff O2 and antique glass. Any thoughts on inks that might stain if eyedroppered? If you're worried about that, you probably shouldn't get the pen, which is something I wouldn't have said a few years ago because I was exactly in the same boat. I have this clear barrel pen. I'm worried about the ink staining it and I would hesitate and I didn't know what ink to put in it. And sure, there's some really strong inks that you probably don't want to put in there.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' But I decided that I could get past that. You know, when I cleaned out the eyedropper pen and I could see a faint hint of blue, that didn't bother me. You know, I don't think it stained it. It may just not be cleaned perfectly. But guess what? The next time I fill it with ink and use the pen, I'm not going to see that. So that's kind of the path I took on staining an eyedropper pen.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' That I don't put extreme inks in there to begin with, but I'm also not going to hesitate to do what I want to make me enjoy using the pen because that's what it's about. And if I use some bright purple ink and then I clean it out and there's a hint of purple in it, that's okay. Like I've gotten to a point in my pen collecting and pen using to where that's okay because the next time I use it and put in a blue ink, you're not going to see it. And I'm going to enjoy using the pen more than worrying about staining it. So that's kind of how I feel about that. So there are a few inks you should avoid, but you know, on the extreme end of things like Noodler's Baystate Blue, but in general, use it. If it leaves a little mark, you're going to be fine because you're going to fill up with something else and you're going to keep using it. Enjoy the pen. And if that takes away from your enjoyment of the pen, you should sell the pen.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' So Joe says, I'm branching out ink wise for the first time. I really like JFK Navy Blue. Any good similar inks. I'd like a blue black that's more black than blue.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' JFK.

'''Myke Hurley:''' A blue black that's more black than blue. I just like that sentence.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' It's a thing. That's I like when I review blue blacks, I'll say it's more black or it's more blue or it's more blue or black black. Yes, for sure. So JFK Navy Blue is one of my favorite inks. You can get a black or a blue black with Diamine. That's one I've even their their regular blue black or if you want it really black there. What do they call it? 1851 edition. Whichever their special edition blue black is really black of the blue blacks that I use. I actually don't like it because it's too black for me. I like more blue or gray. But that's a blacker blue black ink, if you will.