The Pen Addict 697: Use What You Have
Jan 2, 2026
Kickstarting the new year, Brad and Myke dive into the impact of price increases on the stationery hobby. They discuss nib grinding techniques and customer feedback, highlighting the art of tailoring custom requests. Rising prices for popular pens like the Pilot Metropolitan and Platinum Procyon spark speculation about value perceptions. The hosts encourage using what you have, exploring vintage options, and enjoying affordable inks. Lastly, they emphasize creativity over collecting, urging listeners to find joy in less expensive hobby items.
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Talk Before You Tweak Nibs
- Talk to a nibmeister about what you like and don’t like before requesting secret-menu mods.
- Let the expert guide adjustments rather than rigidly demanding extreme changes on a first grind.
Use What You Have
- Pen hobbyists will likely shift from buying new high-end pens to using and customizing what they already own.
- Price increases across brands are forcing the community to explore creativity and other stationery categories.
Numbers Reveal The Scale
- Published MSRP increases reveal the scale of widespread price changes across brands.
- The relative scale matters more than exact retail discounts when assessing value shifts.