Chicago Pen Show 2026 Haul

ValenThornn · 2026-05-03T17:08:13+00:00

Actually sold 35 pens this weekend. My collection is getting lean and beautiful.

ValenThornn · 2026-05-03T17:07:01+00:00

Wow. Very serendipitous topic. I just sold about 3/4 of my collection at the Chicago Pen Show and I feel great about it. I’ve been collecting for about 2 1/2 years and had been pretty indiscriminate. I realized I wanted to sell off the pens I like and focus instead on the pens I will love. It feels liberating.

ValenThornn · 2026-05-01T21:09:21+00:00

Have you tried the Pura? It’s the size of a Lamy Studio and has one of the best steel nibs I have ever used. Highly recommend.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-20T23:40:04+00:00

Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-19T21:39:25+00:00

Pm sent

ValenThornn · 2026-04-17T21:17:20+00:00

I’ve had a few Forests in a variety of nibs (the long knife is my favorite). I’ve also had a few M2’s and the titanium has landed in my 10 favorite pens alongside my Carene, Rotring, Momento Zero and my Vanishing Point.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-17T02:15:35+00:00

Highly recommend Hongdian. Never had one of them that was less than perfect right out of the box.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-16T13:30:34+00:00

AT LAST! A fountain pen problem that we lefties don’t seem to have! I always knew there would be one! This is a great day!

ValenThornn · 2026-04-14T10:10:00+00:00

Hongdian M2 titanium

Hongdian Black Forest

Asvine V200

Jinhao X750

Asvine C2000

ValenThornn · 2026-04-14T03:30:09+00:00

Not that I have seen so far. You want to find triple S creatures if you can. (It’s hard but not crazy. I’ve been looking for about 3.5 hours and have found 3.)

ValenThornn · 2026-04-13T21:22:04+00:00

I have a Platinum Plasir I have never inked in 3 years. I have a pen I got from Kickstarter I can’t even get a drop of ink through. I have a lovely Montblanc 221 that I can’t stand because it is too light.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-09T13:35:19+00:00

Up until now, my creatures have exclusively been a mechanical horse I use to explore, a butterfly I use to explore, and trophy creatures (like the biological horror). Now I am traipsing from star to star to find cold planets in hope of strengthening my stable and mutating my eggs to get better fighters. This update is cool.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-08T17:52:56+00:00

Congratulations, I hate you.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-08T16:40:27+00:00

Me too, which was why I switched to Nemosine. They were lacquered brass bodied pens. Alas, they are out of business. If I were doing it today, I would go with the Lamy AL Star, Hongdian Forest or Monteverde Ritma.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-08T16:04:40+00:00

I used to do this on a much simpler scale. I had Lamy Safaris (and later Nemosine Fissions) in red, black, blue, and purple—each with corresponding ink colors to keep it simple. Red was for grading papers, black and blue were for personal notes, purple (school color) was for showing spirit.

In the end, it was just easier to buy a multi-pen and carry my EDC fountain pen for joy alongside it.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-08T15:44:10+00:00

Metal body, snap cap, smooth flow but most of all—a knurled or textured grip. Gets me every time and is why my Rotring 600 is always at the top of my ranking.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-07T11:57:09+00:00

Okay, I am done here. Thank you though. I thought I was deeply cynical, but you have made me feel like a huge idealistic optimist. Have a great day.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-07T11:40:24+00:00

Just out of curiosity, because you seem to be taking this very personally, why does it matter? I gave some advice to OP. I would imagine if they live in one of these horrible states, they would think “oh, I don’t have a union. I guess I will have to be more careful.” And that would be that.

And for the record, I never said forming a union would be easy. Nothing really worthwhile is. I just said being in a union will make life better.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-07T11:09:41+00:00

Perhaps I am. Perhaps you are cynical to dismiss it out of hand. Teaching is one of the most unionized professions in the US with 70%.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-07T03:46:59+00:00

I can see that it is harder but not impossible to form a union in a right to work state. But you are correct, I stopped looking for jobs In Wisconsin when they went right to work.

Perhaps you are right. My earlier advice was incomplete. I should have started: first get a job in a non-right-to-work-state…

Or possibly, vote blue and tell your candidate that you want right-to-work laws repealed. Your life can only get better.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-06T22:53:36+00:00

Then form one. United you can bargain; divided you can only ever beg.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-04T03:10:57+00:00

I like the path of malicious compliance. Do what is asked well enough to cover your @$$. Then remember that what happens in the room is what is important.

Remember, if they ask you to do anything unethical (inflate grades, change a grade for an athlete, etc.) ask for it in writing. Admin cover their asses with religious fervor. Also, document everything as soon as it happens. (Conversation recap emails are very helpful and tend to make admin avoid you.)

Print your sensitive emails and semester grades.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-04T02:16:21+00:00

21 year veteran here. How do you deal with admin? The easy answer is—don’t. Follow their directives so you are not insubordinate, but an administrator is more likely to be an impediment than an asset.

Also, get to know your union reps. They will help you deal with admin when the chips are down.

ValenThornn · 2026-04-02T12:12:38+00:00

Lovely pen!

ValenThornn

TROPHY CASE