Rediscovering Lost Pen Treasures, October Top 5 Pens, Christmas inks - The Write Stuff ep. 18

[@cmac1100]

Wow! Whoever wins this week will be ultra lucky! Also just gotta say, i appreciate the fact that goldspot shoots their videos in wide format. It makes me feel like i didnt waste money on the screen size of my phone lol. Also, happy fountain pen day! Cant wait to get my hands on the new leonardo collab. Just ordered one this morning!! It looks stellar

[@dianewalker9154]

I have both Fright Night and Frankenstein Retro 51 pens. Plus the Kaweco Orange AL Sport pen. All 3 are wonderful.

[@savvast8275]

Hi Tom, great episode. My question is … if you had to choose 5 pens to go into a time-capsule only to be opened say, 100 years from now, which ones would you choose that would still likely be relevant then? 😮 Enduring pens for .. classic design, timeless writing appeal, rich history or unique style are some considerations. P.S. HOT TAKE: I prefer the Lamy Safari over the Al-Star & LX hands-down …. Can’t change my mind ;)

[@lisakillz1853]

awesome! thankyou

[@IoannisChiotis-e9i]

I love the Dark Lilac Safari.Hope it comes back.My question is what pen you didn't like at first but now you can't get enough of?

[@evanbasnaw]

That Lamy Dark Lilac keeps coming up, even many years later. I hear a lot about people trying to recreate the ink too. What's the top discontinued pen (either style or color) that you would bring back?

[@moryvr3374]

love the Dark Lilac Safari.Hope it comes back.My question is what pen you didn't like at first but now you can't get enough of

[@blythetretick7081]

Beautiful lilac pen. Tom, what was your training to have such fine handwriting? It is so skillful that I watch your youtube shorts over and over!

[@GoldspotPens]

Not much formal training. Just a lot of practice and observing from other calligraphers and writers.

[@aleksandarp3388]

I have the Pelikan M205 in an extra fine nib and it is the most reliable writer. The 800 looks amazing!

[@Dragon_Drawer42]

Another wonderful show to finish my week. So many awesome looking pens. What is your signature ink? (The ink that you use a lot and people know it’s you just by looking at the color)

[@dutchessdoolittle7477]

Love the pens you mentioned this video! Especially the Laser AL Sport Mercury Orange! Would love a chance to get a Lamb Safari Lilac Fountain Pen. When would you use a lubricant in your inks and how much do you use?

[@moses4484]

The Lamy is a wonderful deep purple. My question for you is, with all the seasonal pens featured recently, what is your favorite current or past seasonal or season-themed pen? Great vid as always!

[@charlespitts5867]

Ooooh the lilac Safari is stunning! Tom, what are inks that you like that seem bland at first, but really prove to have a unique feature with a second glance?

[@Jason-pq5mq]

Another excellent review, Tom. Thank you for the advice on the limited edition Leonardo, beautiful pen. Have you seen the Radius Prisma? (which is owned by Leonardo). I love the options and creativity from Leonardo, not to mention the nibs are baby bottom smooth.

[@Ursulas_Odds_and_Sods]

The Autumn Leaves pen has quickly become one of my favorites! I love the combination of purple and autumn. It's inked with Fire Embers from Diamine, to add to the autumnal theme. What nib size or specialty nib would you most recommend for showing off ink with special properties?

[@anaouzounian1557]

Thanks for another interesting episode, Tom. I'm looking to make an impact with my Christmas cards this year. What ink(s) do you carry that have the most shimmer and/or glitter. And what is the best type of pen I should use with them.

[@georgeelgart1060]

I enjoy these monthly presentations. My question is what is regarding inking high end pens. Do you recommend just using ink from the pen producer or are there inks you like for all quality pens that you feel are safe and good writers?

[@carolbrozman1415]

Lamy dark lilac is a dream pen! My question for you Tom is “what was your first fountain pen purchased and do you still own it? Thank you.

[@lilit3307]

Happy Fountain Pen Day! I can't believe you found a dark lilac 😮 my question is what are your top 5 inks for a winter vibe? (Bonus points for wintry pens to go with them!)

[@lej5055]

I ADORE that Purple edition Lamy! My question for the Lamy pen is “What ink would your recommend for that pen, would you go with a complementary color, a sheening ink or a polar opposite color to pop?” Thanks & fingers crossed!!

[@JenniferHRoss]

I will *not* go investigate the Marianas Trench pen with the gold nib. I will not. I will not. I will not. (I might have to just take a little peek). Thanks for only showing one pen I really want to purchase today. I have already placed my FP Day order but fear I will have to go back again. This is the danger of the videos.

[@KennyLarson]

My wife would love that Safari! Question: With all of the inks I have in my collection, what's some tips/best system to organize my swatches?

[@GoldspotPens]

lol. I'll let you know once I've found one for myself. My organization isn't the greatest in that domain.

[@wendyholiday2021]

Happy fountain pen day! I've enjoyed the Nahvalur I purchased from Goldspot Pens last year. The ebonite is wearing beautifully. Is there anything I should do to keep it shiny?

[@Jason-pq5mq]

Happy FPD 2023! ✍🏽

[@jamieloom22]

Purple Lamy looks so yummy! What is your best selling color for fountain pens and ink?

[@fangdangle21]

With the holidays and the end of the year coming up, what are some must have accessories for card writing and/or planning for next year?

[@DoctorNoMD]

Tom, in all the frenzy over planners for next year, I still haven't found what I'm looking for. Can you recommend an A5 planner with a January start, Sun-Sat week, and fountain pen friendly paper? I'd prefer it to be in English, but that's been a big sticking point when I've looked in the past.

[@amandagoins8169]

Hi Tom! I will be preparing holiday cards for friends and family soon, what ink you would recommend that is both festive a smear-proof? Thank you!

[@notmypresident]

Great video! What’s your favorite pen/ink combination?

[@ryanschuyler4840]

Love seeing all these beautiful pens. New to the hobby, yet a lot of what made the top 5 were beautiful and not crazy priced. So I keep hearing people mention these holy grail pens they keep searching for, and how difficult it is for them to find their pens. My question is what do you find is the best way to research and locate those hard to find “holy grail” pens that you search for?

[@GoldspotPens]

"Holy Grail" is a subjective term and has a different meaning for everyone. It need not be crazy-prized or extremely difficult to get. It could be a pen that is on top of your wishlist that might take you a while to save up for. Or, a pen you've always had your eye on that would become the best in your collection.

[@debramaertens893]

Purple is my favorite color. Love that dark lilac color Lamy! What color is the most popular selling color pen?

[@Prince_VaPer]

Go purple Lamy!! Tom, my question is this: what advantages or disadvantages would there be for a fountain pen, newbie to circumvent the “natural progression” from lower dollar, steel nib, pens to high dollar golden nib pens. Example, I started with a Twsbi eco for my first pen. I was so excited about my newfound hobby that I purchased a pilot custom 823 shortly after. I’ve learned to appreciate that pen, but it has taken some time and experience with a lot of other pens to truly appreciate fully. Your thoughts?

[@bluejchou4404]

That purple Lamy is the perfect Halloween purple to add to my collection. 😊 My question is, what fine or extra fine nibs write the smoothest and the wettest? I would like to write with a finer line but find the ink colors I use often become too light when I write with finer nibs.

[@fh791]

A unique purple Lamy. What vintage pen (from the '60s or '70s) would you like to add to your collection?

[@OverwhelmedGeek]

I’m new to fountain pens and recently heard about inks having mold issues. What is the best way to store ink to prevent mold and make it last as long as possible?

[@mahdigharavi8425]

Got a kick out of hearing about surprise warehouse finds! Very cool. My Q: I prefer thicker pens and grips, and I'm a sucker for pocket pens. I love my Kaweco Sports and vintage Pilot Elites, but can you recommend a pocket pen that has a heftier grip section?

[@GoldspotPens]

The Kaweco Supra is a nice option here. Especially since you can shorten the length of the pen by removing the one part of the barrel.

[@Alliejay-C]

Happy fountain pen day! As always, great video. I know the dark lilac ink was also a limited edition. What ink would you recommend that is pretty close? Asking for a friend 😉

[@GoldspotPens]

De Atramentis Alexander Hamilton was the closest that I've found to Dark Lilac.

[@judyjacobs5827]

Wow, Tom, the Lamy Safari in purple is wonderful. I had one, the special edition released for the European market, iirc, and when it turned out to be so popular, the company made oodles more in a slightly different shade. I'm wondering how the material in the all-black Estie resembles and differs from that in the Lamy 2000? Both matte, both light-weight, both stylish.

[@GoldspotPens]

The Lamy 2000 black macrolon finish is still 100x more awesome than the Estie Raven.

[@jerrycarter8210]

Hey Tom, what is a great new year fountain pen resolution?

[@lflines]

All such beautiful top pens for October, Goldspot customers have great taste. If you could design the perfect fountain pen, what would it be? Is there one brand that tickles your fancy more than others or would it be more of a Frankenstein mix from your favorite manufacturers?

[@theinkyhobbit7052]

My colleague has shown genuine interest in my fountain pens. I'm thinking about putting together a small "must haves" for a Christmas gift. I want her to have the best experience as a beginner. What would you recommend? Thanks!

[@devonnalathrop9293]

I love that purple Lamy!! Happy fountain pen day! My question is what pen would you recommend as a gift for Christmas this year? For someone who loves fountain pens of course!! 🤔

[@SunshineFL]

Happy fountain pen day

[@dorysintuitiontarot4894]

What 5 fountain pens would you recommend for arthritic hands?

[@StephLane]

Over the years, what Lamy pen has gone up in value the most? I guess it would be on the secondary market, but have you heard what model and how much?

[@dcm103]

What fountain pen is the thinnest at the grip section?

[@jesschoi1801]

I have the latest Lamy purple pen but that dark lilac is a beauty!! Got a question, what do you think the best A5 notebook for fountain pens other than midori?

[@GoldspotPens]

Here are my favorite recommendations - kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqmqZ5Z8jJWaY6c

[@pennyc6316]

I’m still trying to figure out why you would use shimmering ink if it is so difficult to clean out of your pen. Could you explain why you use shimmering ink and how you clean your pen afterwards?

[@MarshaLove0723]

How long does it take to film these Write Stuff segments? Are they pretty straight forward, or are many takes required to get the desired shots? Also, is the set stationary, or do items need to be moved back for filming? Drool on that Dark Lilac. Purple is my favorite color, but I didn't get back into fountain pens until it was long gone. I remember wishing that there was a purple Safari when I bought my Charcoal pen, and later found that there had been one in the past, but I missed it. Heh. 💜

[@GoldspotPens]

We'll do a bit of "behind the scenes" in a future episode. :-)

[@NotesFromPastAmy]

Happy fountain pen day! Do you have any tips for finding sales at this time of year? I have seen advertisements on the homepage of websites, information in emails, notices on instagram, but nothing that collects all the information into one location. How can I make sure I'm finding the information and not missing out on deals?

[@pomoster]

Agreed! I’d love the same info!

[@GoldspotPens]

There isn't a central location that lists all the deals. However, you could lean on the vigilance of other pen enthusiasts active on pen forums. Try the "Market Watch" channels in the Pen Addict Slack and the Pendemic Discord. Once the deals start coming, people will post the sales and drops on those forums.

[@greggodwin781]

Do you have a go-to ink that you use when inking a new pen for the first time? Or maybe when doing a writing sample?

[@fountainpengrandpa]

What fountain pen would you recommend for a left handed teenager's first pen and ink?

[@MissMarilynDarling]

What is your favorite lamy nib out of the many nibs they now have ?

[@GoldspotPens]

For Tom, it's a medium Lamy 2000. Writes like buttah

[@spiderwrangler4457]

Speaking of things getting lost then found in the warehouse, have ever lost or misplaced a pen, only to find it years later? For me it was a Cross ballpoint with my name engraved on it that I received as a graduation gift. Currently the only ballpoint I own after getting deep into fountain pens.

[@GoldspotPens]

Can't say that I have... yet! Glad that you found yours. :-)

[@davidmangum1348]

What’s the best brand or type of ink for those who forget to cap their fountain pen when thinking of what to write next?

[@GoldspotPens]

Although we don't carry it at the moment, there's the Private Reserve Infinity ink collection, which allows you to keep the pen uncapped for hours without losing flow.

[@mreed247]

With Thanksgiving around the corner, do you have any suggestions for Thanksgiving inspired inks?

[@cvk4860]

I did buy a Lamy Safari Lilac EF pen in 2016. I didn’t use it much. A few weeks back I took it out of my pen bag and cleaned it. While cleaning I pulled out the nib and feed and washed the section. Then I attempted to reassemble the pen and did the mistake of putting the feeder in the wrong way in to the housing. It got struck. I used pliers to pull it out and in that attempt broke the feeder mid section and the remaining feeder piece has rendered the pen unusable. Is there any way I can extricate the feeder piece from the section. Otherwise can I buy a feeder and the section for the Lamy Safari so that I put the EF nib and the feeder and reuse the pen?

[@GoldspotPens]

I suggest contacting Lamy after sales service. Lamy Bob Nurin is an experienced repair specialist for Lamy products. I've experienced exactly what you had happen with another Lamy Safari. It was impossible for me to remove the feed and I ended up sending it to Lamy for repair. e-mail [e-mail] to get help on this repair.

[@fancyfaceb]

What would you get as a gift for a fountain pen enthusiast and long time collector? And what gold nib pen you get for someone who is newer to fountain pens (it will be her first gold nib pen)?

[@jag-justaguy]

I'm curious to know what the employees of Goldspot prefer writing with (ballpoint vs. fountain). What is the consensus favorite type of pen of the Goldspot employees?

[@GoldspotPens]

Out of the 15 or so of us that work at the office, a majority of folks enjoy using ballpoint pens more than fountain pens. That is to say they haven't been converted yet...

[@kavanpreetsingh2743]

Hi Tom, my question if you were told that you can use only one pen for the rest of your life which one would you choose?

[@GoldspotPens]

My quick take is the Lamy 2000.

[@karenholden4740]

I would like to know what is an elastic nib?

[@GoldspotPens]

I think this video will answer your question - kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4PZkGSufq6er9U

[@Jabdragon]

What do you think Retro 51 will do for a Christmas release?

[@HiBlock1]

My question is: how do you celebrate Christmas and holidays being a pen enthusiast? How does it affects your celebration?

[@biggsheba1]

What would be your top five wettest and best flowing inks?

[@kaankorund8026]

what is the best way to clean out your pens ?

[@archivist17]

With all the buzz in the community I'm amazed the Raven isn't No.1. Supply maybe hobbled it.

[@GoldspotPens]

I totally agree about the Raven. If there were more of the piston pens available, it would have charted much higher.

[@archivist17]

@GoldspotPens Hope you get more stocks soon, and that they continue to sell like hot cakes!

[@oldladywithacamera]

Thanks, but where is Penboyroy?

[@GoldspotPens]

He's been extremely busy lately. He hopes to be back soon.

[@Chezon]

Why are there so many limited edition inks? If it’s released with a pen, why not keep making that ink?