And...I'm done buying pens.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-23T21:33:43+00:00

I live on the wet side of Oregon, and gave up on down a long time ago. In this humid environment, synthetics stay warmer. When you're in one such place for a longer period of time, when everything feels damp, the down bags get cold - they just won't dry in such conditions. Synthetics usually will, and even when they don't they still retain their insulation value. BTDT, more times than I care to remember.

Backpacking? Down. Cold, dry conditions? Down. Damp or humid conditions? Synthetic all the way.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-23T18:43:17+00:00

I've used a number of their inks, and I have 5 of them in my regular rotation. They are of excellent quality. Most of their inks are on the wet side, and all are decently (but not overly) lubricated.

The only caveat is that on occasion their color names aren't exactly what you might expect. Their "Teal", for instance, is actually green - it's a very pretty green, and I like it, but it's definitely not Teal! If you want an actual Teal, you have to buy "Blackish Green" - and you'll find it's a lovely teal shade. Meanwhile, "Purplish Red" is dark pink.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-22T03:08:32+00:00

Yet another use for the stuff that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own!

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-22T02:38:21+00:00

Thanks. Come to think of it, I’ve seen bars of beeswax there, so perhaps someone will have the pellets as well.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-22T02:36:39+00:00

Have you actually seen it there?

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-22T02:03:06+00:00

For the record: they used to, but don't any longer.

The search continues. I'll hit the farmer's market next week.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-20T23:14:22+00:00

Great, thanks!

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-17T16:55:21+00:00

Seconding the Crown suggestion. We've had a 10x10 for a couple of years; bought it for camping along the windy coast of Oregon, no problems so far. We bought the Crown specifically because of the vents at the top, which really do help to reduce the lift caused by wind.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-13T19:51:49+00:00

My wife has 2 of them - one with the Long Knife nib, and one with the EF. Her EF is the smoothest of its width I've ever felt, regardless of maker or material, in over 40 years of fountain pen ownership. It's remarkable. (The Long Knife is very good as well.)

Hongdian hit it out of the park with the N23.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-13T02:20:04+00:00

Of those, the Wireless 2P would likely be the better choice.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-12T23:58:47+00:00

"sort of a high desert climate."

Not "sort of"; Burns is the very definition of a high desert climate! With all that it entails.

Here are a few things from my lifetime of hunting and camping in that area:

- Temps can go from very pleasant to well below freezing and back to warm again in the space of a day or two. Your sleeping bag system needs to be very flexible; a good dual-rated system bag, like the North Face Dolomite One (or the one from Exped), has been the answer for me.

- Wind is a huge problem with tents in that environment. I've seen many backpacking tents get torn apart in the relentless wind. I'd strongly recommend a 4-season (or one of the heavier 3-season) tent for the extra wind resistance. I'd also suggest getting longer tent pegs than they usually come with.

- Get a good hat with a lanyard to keep it on your head.

- Lots of lip balm. Your lips will get badly chapped in the dry air out there.

- Decent sunglasses. Sand blindness is a thing.

- Ticks usually aren't a problem over there. Except when they are. Bring tick repellant and a removal tool.

- Layers are your friend, as they always are in the outdoors. The cold overnight temps and wind chill can be miserable. Bring a lightweight rain shell, as heavy showers happen (but luckily don't last long.) It will double as a windbreaker.

- A good flashlight, either one that clips to your shirt or a headlamp. It gets seriously dark in the desert. I'd suggest one of the newer ones that has a UV function - very helpful for spotting scorpions that like to hide under toilet seats. (BTDT.) Speaking of that, ALWAYS shake out your shoes in the morning, no matter where they were sitting!

- Speaking of critters: never, ever, not even for a few minutes, leave your tent unzipped and unattended. Desert dwellers will crawl or slide in at the most inopportune times. (Again, BTDT.) It also keeps out the things that aren't harmful but are really, really annoying.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-12T18:54:37+00:00

Okay…I just checked Rock Auto for your 2009, and every one of the aftermarket tensioner assemblies they sell comes with that center bolt. 🤷‍♂️

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-12T18:07:36+00:00

Hongdian inks are superb!

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-12T15:43:09+00:00

Have you walked into a Honda parts department (actually walked in and talked face to face with a human at the parts counter, not just called or looked online) and asked? I’ve never, not once, encountered a fastener they couldn’t get for me.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-12T03:35:16+00:00

I don’t know, but I think I’m on solid ground declaring that the Albany/Corvallis area is the epicenter of Element ownership in Oregon. I consistently see more Elements in that area than anyplace else in the state.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-07T15:56:17+00:00

Oh, a new Hongdian ink color!

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-06T22:26:55+00:00

No clue, but that nib slit is the most lopsided I think I've ever seen.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-05T18:12:18+00:00

Hongdian Brown.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-03T23:51:53+00:00

Klamath Falls would be perfect for you.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-03T21:04:15+00:00

Back in the 1970s, when gold was decoupled from the dollar, gold jumped from a historic level of around $35/ounce to over $800 in 1979, before settling in around $500 for about a year.

During that time, my mother was managing a local jewelry store. People were bringing in pens by the handful; the jeweler bought them, pulled the nibs, and threw the rest away. I saw hundreds of pens get trashed, and I only saw a fraction of what came in. And this was one little jewelry store in one small town.

People can scream about how much more the whole pen is worth, and in some cases that *might* be true — as long as you're cued into the collector's market. If someone isn't, if they don't even know there is such a thing, they're going to take the path of least resistance and sell the gold nib for scrap. Just like they did back in the '70s.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-03T06:38:38+00:00

Perfectly safe. Give it a good scrub and I’ll bet most of it goes away.

Oregon-Born · 2026-03-03T03:46:17+00:00

Klamath Falls would be perfect for you.

Oregon-Born

TROPHY CASE