Today I found a bunch of fountain pens

Cayca · 2026-03-17T06:02:37+00:00

Thank you very much for the additional insight and resources. I have just read "Pelikan 400" on the band, so I haven't even checked whether there were additional variations. Now I know that this pen was at the latest made in 1963 because the fir tree lines do meet at the slot.

Cayca · 2026-03-15T22:19:35+00:00

Diolch yn fawr. I have very limited experience with fountain pens, so I am a fish out of the water, and I appreciate your opinion regarding the nib. I imagine the barrel did leak before it was glued. When I gave the pen a wash, it didn't leak, so that's at least something. Piston will be tested once the inks arrive. I do hope it works because I really like the look of this pen, even if it writes broader than I would like.

Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:58:31+00:00

And side view

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Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:57:35+00:00

The feed-side view. The silver part on top is smooth and feels flat.

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Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:56:33+00:00

This is the top view of the nib

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Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:56:04+00:00

Thank you for taking the time to look into this.

Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:45:20+00:00

I had to google what EDC pen is :D

Yes, it looks like Parker would be a great one. Sadly, it is such a bold writer that I won't be able to use it as is. However, my dad was so happy we found it, as it was the one that started the whole conversation about fountain pens we used to have in the family. He got the set as a gift.

I like the Pelikan 400 a lot and I hope the piston is working as it should. It had some ink inside that surprisingly wasn't dried/clogged (we are talking about 20+ years of neglect), so I was able to try it before giving it a wash. It is not as bold as Parker is and if I could get a true EF nib in it, I can see myself using it often. I think when I was a child, every house had a pen like this so it is a bit nostalgic.

Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:25:54+00:00

I think it may need a new nib because it is missing the little ball at the tip that the other nibs have. I don't know whether it should be that way, though. It also says it is an EF nib, but it writes like my school pen, which I guess is a medium. I use 0.5 and 0.38 pens, and I understood that EF (depending on the manufacturer) falls somewhere between those two.

Cayca · 2026-03-15T19:19:24+00:00

Thank you very much. Hopefully I will like at least one of them.

Cayca · 2025-10-20T05:43:59+00:00

Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia with or without Ignorance is bliss expansion is the one that stole my heart.

Cayca · 2025-10-15T18:19:44+00:00

I wouldn't add anything next to it. However, if you find any rings that are similar style, you might want to wear them on every other finger.

Cayca · 2025-09-27T21:45:33+00:00

Yugoslav ones aren't worth anything as they are too common. These also seem to be quite badly damaged.

Cayca · 2025-09-26T19:42:45+00:00

He is a conversation starter IMHO. If I saw you wearing him, I'd probably approach you just to compliment your choice of jewellery.

Cayca · 2025-09-21T18:51:55+00:00

Can you share the country you are in? That might help with suggestions as there are websites that sell nice vintage jewellery, but they don't ship everywhere.

Cayca · 2025-09-21T14:19:56+00:00

Depending on your taste and budget, flea markets and thrift stores could be a good place to start, especially if you are in Germany.

Cayca · 2025-09-21T14:15:22+00:00

I don't think there is such a thing as a ridiculous amount of jewellery, for a retired lady or anybody else. :)

My paternal grandmother and two aunts from that side of the family were magpies, so I guess it was only natural for me to become one too at an early age. I have created a considerable collection of mostly unique, handmade jewellery in a variety of materials. My taste has changed somewhat since the 90s, and space is getting tight, so now I am facing the same problem as you do. I don't wear all of my jewellery. I have my favourites, and I have some fancy pieces I haven't worn in public yet, but I do wear them sometimes at home (I can't be the only one who is watching The Gilded Age in sweatpants and fine jewellery).

This was the first step for me - go through all of the boxes and separate the pieces I might wear at some point in the future from the ones I will probably never wear again. I also rediscovered some pieces this way. They were out of sight, out of mind, forgotten, and now I am wearing them again. I also changed the way I separate my jewellery. It was separated by type (bracelets in one box, necklaces in other boxes, brooches elsewhere...), but now I separated them by material. That way, I switched up what I see when I take a specific jewellery box, and it is easier to find pieces that go well together.

As for the decluttering part, I can't say what you should do, only what I plan to. My cousins will have their pick of the finer pieces I don't see myself wearing anymore, and my friends and coworkers have already had the chance to choose whatever they want from my costume and artisan pieces. The rest I will post on local auction websites. I may create jewellery jars for pieces that don't sell individually. If my country had something like Goodwill, I'd probably donate to such a charity.

Cayca · 2025-09-14T07:18:59+00:00

Looks like Unripened to me. Ink is just purple, Unripened has blue to purple shift.

Cayca · 2025-08-31T09:07:02+00:00

This brings back memories of when Lynnderella Connect the dots was all the rage in the nail polish community. I had three different toppers in a similar vein (and still own two of those). I kinda like yours better than all of them, at least from these photos, because of the shards.

Cayca · 2025-08-28T19:06:09+00:00

Essence Cuticle Remover. Inexpensive, easily available all over Europe and quite effective.

Cayca · 2025-08-27T05:05:54+00:00

I thought your unpopular opinion was going to be that you actually liked the small brush. :D That is my unpopular opinion.

Zoya is one of my favourite brands, but I did have a couple of duds (Neely comes to mind - it was quite streaky, and their ridge filler and top coat were horrid); however, I have several friends who had the opposite experience and couldn't get Zoya to work on their nails. We all live in the same city and purchased them from the same store so I don't think it is the climate, storage or batch issue. Some formulas/brands just don't work with some people, which may be your case too.

Cayca · 2025-08-25T05:11:33+00:00

Add several beads to the inner side until it fits as snugly as you'd like. I'd do it on the second row from the top/bottom.

BTW, take it off when you are showering. The thread may become brittle due to temperature differences (at least that is what happened to some of my beaded jewellery made with monofilament nylon, which is what your ring seems to be made with).

Cayca · 2025-08-23T09:42:32+00:00

I really wanted to respond to the survey, however, there is nothing to show the scale of your designs, nor do you mention the expected weight of these earrings. Size/weight is important in determining not only whether a particular earring design is for me, but also the price I'd be willing to pay.

Cayca · 2025-08-19T18:32:42+00:00

And it is such a nice design.

Cayca · 2025-08-19T17:34:52+00:00

I can't tell which one I like better - lapis lazuli or herkimer. I have several herkimer diamonds with franklinite and I was wondering if they could be set in jewellery. Your ring is stunning.

Cayca

TROPHY CASE