======================================================================== Nib Noise * Volume 11 Number 1 * April 2012 ======================================================================== Welcome to Nib Noise. 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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** FLASH! THIS JUST IN! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Late Saturday afternoon, a project finally came together! I haven't had time to put the finishing touches on its page on our site, but I wanted to let you know about our new "Mad Scientist" Ink Mixing Laboratory! It contains two funnels, two 60-ml bottles, six 1-ml transfer pipettes, and a special NON-WETTING 10-ml graduated cylinder for more accurate measurements than you can get with an ordinary cylinder. (Accuracy means repeatability!) With its own box and a special label created by noted children's author and illustrator Steve Light, this kit should be on every FP enthusiast's ink shelf! http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=lab ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Longevity Rocks! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In case you didn't look up there at the top, this is the first issue of the eleventh year of Nib Noise. We owe a lot of thanks to you, our clients, for the longevity of our newsletter. Without, there would be no one to send it to, and I'd probably be bored silly. Thank you. Please give yourself a pat on the back and three attaboys/attagirls for keeping me hopping. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Cigar Box Pen Chests: Did You Know They Come in Vintage Models?? *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don acquired a handful of rare CAO Criollos -- out of production for many years, they are the boxes that first inspired him to make pen chests from cigar boxes in the first place -- and hand-finished them, as well as added exquisite black nickel hardware. Old customers and new, jump on this very special offering of tiered, 4-drawer chests. And in addition, there are hand finished 601 Trabucos in a new shade, Sedona Red. And as per usual, there's a broad selection of other chests for every pen-collector taste and budget. Jump in early and get your pick of the litter! http://www.richardspens.com/?acc=boxes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Reminder: Changes at RichardsPens.com *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We are in the process of discontinuing the repair and regrinding of pens that would be sent to us by clients. The growth of our retail business has made it impossible for us to continue to take on this type of work. We will complete all work on pens that are now in house, but we won’t be taking in any further pens for repair or customization. We will continue to sell new pens and accessories, and to adjust or customize pens or nibs purchased from us, and we’ll still also continue to put up our monthly tray of restored vintage pens. And of course we’ll continue to sell pens and accessories at pen shows and to work on pens there just as we’ve done in the past. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Your 2012 Bexley Owners Club Pen Is Ready for You *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ As of April 1, remaining stock of the 2012 Bexley Owners Club pen is available for purchase by those of you who are not already among the growing ranks of Bexley owners. This is a gorgeous piston-filling pen, M800 size, in three great colors. Get yours now, before they're ALL gone! http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=bex+ownersclub ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** The Tattler, Inexpensive but Never Cheap *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Gate City Pen Company's New Dunn Tattler has come down in price. Its new price is $200.00, a saving of more than 10%. This pen is a limited- production version, remember, and when it's gone there will be no more Tattlers. http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=gct+dunn ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Broad Strokes" by Richard Binder *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ March was a month of major overload, but I did find time to put together a new episode in the ongoing Pen Doctor saga: http://www.richardspens.com/?pendoc=xxiv If you're averse to Roman numerals for some inexplicable reason, the following address will get you to the same page: http://www.richardspens.com/?pendoc=24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** "Extra Fine Points" by Don Fluckinger *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Don takes off his jaded, cynical glasses and pens a rare love note, documenting his own version of the Nashua Pen Spa's history. http://www.richardspens.com/?xf=1204 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** NIbapalooza in Trayland *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I stumbled into some wicked cool pens during the month of March, and the first of those pens, including some amazingly good Nib Alert specimens, have hit the Pen Show Tray. Don't miss out -- choose yours yesterday! http://www.richardspens.com/?pens=vint ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** 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 Bexley, Edison, Gate City Pen, Namiki and Pilot, Onoto, 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! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** We're Still Building a List of Pen Clubs! *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pen collecting is a lot more fun when you share your passion with others. We have a new page listing pen clubs that we know. There's probably a club near you. If there is, and it's not listed on our page, please let us know about it. If not, maybe you should start one! http://www.richardspens.com/?info=clubs ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *** Follow Us on the Internet with RSS, Facebook, and Twitter *** ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Follow us on the Internet by subscribing to our RSS feed. Click the orange RSS button at the top of our site -- or plug the following URI into your browser or RSS reader: http://www.richardspens.com/richardspens.rss We'd like to be liked on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NashuaPenSpa And you're invited to follow us on Twitter: @RichardsPens ======================================================================== 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.