I haven’t bought a lot of pens lately. Part of that is of course due to the fact that I’m finishing up multiple home repair/construction project that’s occupied a lot of resources and torn up most of my leisure space, but the other part is that, well, things aren’t looking so bright for the ol’ economy and I tend to react by downscaling hobbies and generally tightening my belt. So how do you stay engaged in a hobby you love while still trying to act responsibly? As someone who’s been a pen enthusiast through at least two different recessions - including the “Great” one - here are a few observations I’ve made over the years about staying connected to the community and enjoying my stationery even when I need to scale things back.
A handful of lower-cost pens I’ve been enjoying recently, including the Platinum Carbon Desk Pen, a Platinum Plaisir, my TWSBI 580 with a Mark Bacas “Predator” Nib, and a good old Bic Clic.
Focus on Using Your Stash. And most of us have one. When I was packing up my office prior to construction starting, I was astonished/embarrassed at the amount of ink, paper, and pencils I had accumulated, and immediately started sorting through it, giving paper and pencils away to family and friends and setting aside others for incorporation into the rotation or review/giveaway on this site. It’s amazing how much headway you can make even in just a couple of months - I do use a lot of paper between my day job and the website, so I’ve made progress to the point where I’ve had to replace stuff I need for work.
Scratch the “New Stationery Itch” with Less Expensive Items. My own recent stationery purchases have focused mainly on paper, as work is still busy and I find myself actively using notebooks and writing pads at a faster clip than I was previously. I’ve also rediscovered the joy of less expensive pens and appreciating good value where it can be found, whether it’s the insanely good extra-fine nib on something like the $13 Platinum Carbon Desk Pen or the fun colors available in the TWSBI Swipe and ECO lines. This has definitely informed how I stock my own shop, making sure that most of what I carry remains accessible to as many people as possible across a wide range of price points..
Have Nibs Customized! Honestly, discovering the joys of nib customization completely changed my outlook on this hobby. I very rarely find myself selling or parting with pens I otherwise enjoy simply because the nib doesn’t work for me. Even the most complicated of nib grinds usually cost $50-60 - less than the cost of a new pen in many cases, and it comes back tuned and adjusted to your personal preferences! I’m in the middle of a larger review project in which I’ve sent out a dozen or so pens to be ground by several different nib grinders, and plan to review the various offerings as they come in. I’ve also created a resource page where you can access all T.G.S. content relating to custom and specialty nibs.
Sell or Trade Pens and Inks. Slack, Discord, Reddit, and Instagram are full of communities eager to help you offload gently used stationery, and often you can maximize the value of your unused stuff by trading with somebody else. Pen clubs, meetups, and pen shows are also great venues for meeting other people and seeing what they have to offer in person before you agree to a deal.
When You Do Shop, Shop Intentionally. These are fraught times not just for consumers, but for business owners struggling to stay on top of rising costs and inflation. It’s more expensive than ever to run any sort of business, much less one based on the sale of relatively low-cost items. In short, if you want your local pen shops or favorite online haunts to stick around, be sure to patronize them rather than automatically looking for the lowest-cost option. Often the difference between supporting a smaller, family-owned retailer and a high-volume discounter or big-box store is only a couple of dollars, and small purchasing decisions can have big implications for what the community looks like going forward.
How do you stay engaged in the community during those down periods when you have to take a break what can be a consumption-focused hobby? Feel free to drop me a line via e-mail or our various social media channels!
This post does not contain affiliate links. The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program.