======================================================================== Nib Noise * Volume 9 Number 10 * January 2011 ======================================================================== Welcome to Nib Noise. This e-newsletter is a joint effort of Richard Binder and Don Fluckinger. We hope you'll enjoy reading this month's issue. PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS NEWSLETTER! For comments or questions, send email to: richard@richardspens.com To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit the Free Email Newsletter page on our site: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=nibnoise ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Happy New Year! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2011 is here, and we're excited. We're looking forward to a year of fun with pens and people as we travel to pen shows; introduce new pen models in our favorite lines; repair and customize nibs; rescue and restore ancient relics of writing history that come our way from flea markets, antique stores, family treasure chests; and more. Join us for our 365-days' adventure! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** In Honor of Which... *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Throughout 2010, we added accessories, tools, and other items to enhance your enjoyment of your pens and to make your repair work better and easier. As our site's Accessories and Tools section has grown, it's gotten a bit disorganized. We've done a little houselcleaning to make things easier to find. More about tools and stuff later, but right here we want to say, If you have ideas for accessories, tools, supplies, etc., that you'd like to see us carry, please let us know by email. We can't guarantee that we'll add your item or items, but we'll certainly consider each and every suggesstion we receive. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc= ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** And Speaking of the New Year *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Yay! The first pen show of the year is coming up this month, and it's a goodie. From January 21 to 23, things will be hopping at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel in the heart of the City of Brotherly Love. The Philadelphia Pen Show is famous for some of the weirdest weather around, and it's also famous for being a show that Goldilocks would love: not too big, not too small, but just right. Make it a destination, and start the new year right! If you plan to come and haven't ever been to a show before, you might want to read my article on Your First Pen Show: http://www.richardspens.com/?shows=firstshow For more information, visit the show's Web site: http://www.philadelphiapenshow.com/ We'll have a selection of new pens from the companies we represent (see below). THESE CAN HAVE THEIR NIBS CUSTOMIZED WHILE YOU WAIT. We'll have a stock of my preground Pelikan M200 specialty nibs, with demonstrators of them all for you to try before you buy. These nibs fit M200, M250, M400, and M600 pens, including the M640 Beauties of Nature series. If you don't have a Pelikan pen to go with your new nib, we'll be happy to fit your nib with a new M200 pen body in your choice of colors. We'll also have preground nibs for Pilot Vanishing Point pens -- and Vanishing Point bodies, too, if you haven't yet succumbed to this pen's techno-cool appeal. As always, I'll be regrinding and tweaking nibs while their owners wait. Bring a pen, and share some chatter at my table while I jazz up your writing experience. PLEASE READ OUR "TABLE TALK" FAQ TO LEARN HOW WE OPERATE AT A SHOW: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=shows+faq If you have pens that need repairs other than nib work, we'll be happy to save you some you shipping costs by collecting them at the show and bringing them home to my studio -- or you can hand them to Ron Zorn of Main Street Pens, one of the best repair guys I know, and have them fixed right there. To find Ron, just look for the traffic light! We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones. We hope to see you there. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The New Year Means a New Bexley Owners Club Collection *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 2011 Bexley Owners Club pen is available now! This new collection uses new acrylic materials that are very eye-catching, in three marbled colors, all with matching sections: Blue Royal (Midnight blue and pearl), Sunflower (Yellow pearl and black), and Merlot (blood red and light gray). Combining a custom-engraved sterling silver or vermeil cap band identifying this pen and the year of production with Bexley's new custom-imprinted two-tone gold plated stainless steel nib with an option to upgrade to 18K gold, this design gives a nod to current economic life style and market realities. Until February 15,2011, only registered Bexley owners are eligible to purchase these pens, but I recommend not waiting. Sellouts do happen, you know... http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=bex+owners ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The BELMONT PEN Is New, It's Here, and It's a Hit! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gate City Pen and Ink Company's second pen arrived in December, and we're in love! I've been carrying a Tortoise Belmont in my pocked since the day the pens arrived, and I'm not even close to ready to change it out. The Belmont Pen fills faster and more easily than any other self- filling pen ever made, and it simply oozes that great 1930s/1940s styling. Designed to fit almost every hand, it handles beautifully either posted or unposted. We're not the only ones who like the Belmont; we still have a good stock of all three colors -- but, to misquote Johnny Horton in "The Battle of New Orleans," there isn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=gct+belmont ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Where Ya Gonna Keep Those New Pens You Got for Christmas? *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ January is the Month to Get Organized. A great way to organize your pen collection is to set your pens neatly in the slots of one of our popular cigar box pen chests. Some you've seen before, some you haven't -- don't miss out on the one that would look right on your desk! http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=boxes If you're looking for pen storage that's a little more along classical lines, you should be looking at our Girologio pen cabinets. Hand fitted, assembled, and oil finished, they're heavyweight solid rosewood. These cabinets are pure elegance without the unnecessary flash you see on other brands that are more interested in wowing you than in doing right by your pens. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=girologio ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Speaking of the New Year, Do You Have Your Calendar Yet? *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our 2011 fountain pen wall calendar is still available for purchase now at our CafePress shop. At only $16.99, it features pens old and new, and it's just right for your den or cubicle wall. Don't be left with no pix of pens to ogle, snag your calendar now! http://www.cafepress.com/richardspens.479208207 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Prices Reduced on Pen Sacs -- and a New Jumbo Assortment *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Since we began offering pen sacs, we've been buying them in larger quantities -- which means we pay less for each sac, which means that you pay less. We've reduced prices a little on all our straight and Skyline sacs, and we've created a new Jumbo Sac Assortment for collectors who are repairing more of their pens than before. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=sacs ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pen Repair Essentials: Alligator Forceps *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our new solid stainless steel alligator forceps are extra sturdy to give you the sure gripping power you need. And size does matter -- because they're short and stubby, only 3-1/2" long, our forceps are handier in close quarters. http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=alligator ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Happy New Year, Happy New Pen Show Tray *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's time to write up your New Year's resolutions, and chores are always more fun when you can do them with a nice fresh pen: http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=vint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Jim's Apprentice Tray Isn't Empty Yet *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In case you missed back on December 10, our assistant Jim put up a new tray of pens he dug up while winnowing his collection. There are still some of them available; check 'em out! http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=app ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Broad Strokes" by Richard Binder *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Among modern pens, the Tibaldi Modello 60 has deservedly achieved a strong following. It's an excellent pen, attractive and well made, and good in the hand. But it suffers from a fatal flaw, in the form of a design error. Here's an illustrated step-by-step how-to article on repairing a Modello 60's failed piston. http://www.richardspens.com/?rep=tibaldi_60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Extra Fine Points" by Don Fluckinger *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ You could resolve to lose 20 pounds in 2011, not waste so much fossil fuels, even volunteer for some cause. Nah, go do what you do best: Play with more pens! Along the way, help fountain pen collectors have a better experience by bringing your best ideas to the table. http://www.richardspens.com/?xf=1101 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Pens That Write Right! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Unless otherwise requested at the time of sale, we tune each new pen or nib at no extra charge before shipment. We fill the pen with Waterman Blue-Black ink and write with it on paper from the same fountain pen friendly pads we sell, adjusting as necessary to bring it up to the RichardsPens.com "factory" standard for smoothness and flow. If you order a new pen with a customized nib, I will modify the nib (for an extra charge) and ship the pen immediately instead of putting it into my regular queue. Remember, we are authorized retailers for Aurora, Bexley, Classic Pens Inc., Namiki and Pilot, and Pelikan. We don't always have a complete line up on the site, but we can get anything our manufacturers offer -- if you don't see it, just ask! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Subscribe to our RSS Feed *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ RSS means Really Simple Syndication. You can subscribe to our RSS feed by clicking the orange RSS button at the top of any page on our site or by plugging the following URI into your browser or RSS reader: http://www.richardspens.com/richardspens.rss If you're not already hooked up to RSS and what it can do for you, take a peek at our introductory page: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=rsshelp ======================================================================== If you received this newsletter from Richard Binder, you are a Nib Noise subscriber. If it came from someone else, I invite you to subscribe. To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit the Free Email Newsletter page on our site: http://www.richardspens.com/?info=nibnoise Note: We will never sell your name or email address. Your privacy is as important to us as it is to you.