Name: Andy

Age: 32

Gender: Male

Nationality: American with German, Scottish, and Swedish heritage

Current Location: SW Suburbs of Chicago

Favorite Ink: So far, I have loved my inks…though I really am fond of the color of Lierre Sauvage, for my everyday I do like the Noodler’s Old Manhattan Black. While it has some nib creep, it does write beautifully and I can’t accidentally wash it off!

Favorite Pen(s): Ok, I don’t know why, but I just love the Pelikan Technixx that I have. It just intrigues me to no end.

Favorite Pencil: One with lead! Honestly, I would have to say that either my Sharp Kerry or my Graph Gear 1000 depending on what I am doing with it.

Current Pens: Seeing as I have only been in the Fountain Pen world for about a year, I only have a few pens:

• Retro 51 Diplomat (M) (From Tuesday Morning) [Good pen for that Noodlers Old Manhattan]
• Parker (M) (From Tuesday Morning)
• Lamy Safari Black, Extra-Fine (from Century Pens in Chicago)
• Waterman Harley Davidson Fountain Pen, Orange, Medium (from ebay)
• Noname Cartridge Fountain Pen from West Germany, Blue – Fine (From ebay)
• Retro 51 Tornado, Stainless Steel, Medium (From Executive Essentials, Mt. Prospect, IL) **Retro 51 is an awesome company to do business with and stands behind their products.
• Franklin Covey (by Cross) Lexington Stainless Steel – Medium? (From West Suburban Office Supply, Elmhurst, IL)
• Baoer 517 Fountain Pen Black (from ebay)
• Hero 187 Silver Fountain Pen (from ebay)
• Hao Li Lai 661 Red Fountain Pen (from ebay)
• Baoer 355 Royal Fountain Pen (from ebay)
• Luo Shi 901 Red/Silver Royal Fountain Pen 329 (From ebay)
• Parker Vector Fountain Pen, Burgundy Club Design – Medium (From ebay seller: Streetfair)
• Eversharp NOS (From FPN user Speerbob)
• Namiki/Pilot Ecrino SP Red – Fine (From WorldLux via Amazon)
• Pelikan Technixx Black – Medium (From Fountain Pen Hospital) **Pelikan (really Chartpak) is top notch in their service…
• Shaeffer No-Nonsense Basketball Design – Fine (From FPN user Terim)
• Shaeffer Nononsense Translucent Turquoise – Medium (NOS) (From FPN user Terim)
• Shaeffer Nononsense Translucent Red – Medium (NOS) (From FPN user Terim)
• Shaeffer Nononsense Translucent Light Green – Fine (NOS) (From FPN user Terim)
• Shaeffer 330 – Fine (NOS) (From FPN user Terim)
• Monteverde Invincia Tartania – Medium (From Tuesday Morning) **Only problem is the large air hole, so it dries up fast
• Monteverde Invincia Rose Gold – Medium (From Office Depot) **Only problem is the large air hole, so it dries up fast
• Lamy Logo Stainless – Fine (My “everyday” writer) (From ISellPens.com)
• Caran d’Ache Dunas Black – Fine (From The Writing Desk)
• Waterman Phileas – Medium (From Staples)
• Non FP (Rollerball): An old Uniball rollerball which I don’t remember the name
• Non FP (Gel Ink): Signo 207 or Jetstream. Uniball has been very good to me.

Pencils: I’m in “Math Education” so I need to have pencils. Sorry, I make too many mistakes for a Fountain Pen!!! I use .5mm leads!

• Pentel Sharp Kerry Blue (From Office Depot)
• Mitsubishi/Uni Kuru Toga Pencil (From Jet Pens)
• Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Pencil (From Dick Blick)
• Real Wood pencil – Dixon Ticonderoga

Ink:

• Diamine Damson (From Nordic Pen Imports)
• Diamine Syrah (From Nordic Pen Imports)
• Sheaffer Skrip Red (From Atlas Stationers in Chicago)
• Pelikan 4001 Violet (From Flax Art & Supply in Chicago)
• Private Reserve – American Blue, from West Suburban Office Supply, Elmhurst, IL
• J Herbin – Lierre Sauvage, from Pieritz Brothers Office Supply, Oak Park, IL
• Noodler’s Old Manhattan Black, from Fountain Pen Hospital
• Waterman Black, from Executive Essentials

Favorite Paper: I have a few styles of paper. I like Staples M paper – it is good paper at a fair price. I also use Southworth 100% Cotton paper. Purchased some nice notecards from the college I attended and Cranes paper from Tuesday Morning (thanks to Market Watch!). I also have reams of paper that was on clearance at Office Max from World Fibre and some linen paper I acquired recently on clearance – dirt cheap!

Why the interest?: I have always admired fountain pens. Personally, I could never stand ball point pens – after writing with them – ouch! So, I saw a post on The Art of Manliness mentioning fountain pens and thought – what the heck! I used a coupon and picked up a Phileas from Staples and I loved it. Wouldn’t dream of using anything else. (Anyone want a boat load of cheap ballpoints??)

Favorite Movie: I watch lots of movies. However, my favorite has to be Blues Brothers. My father worked for the State Police and remembers the filming of it. He would always gather my brother and I together to watch the movie everytime it was on.

Favorite Book: The Bible.

Favorite Music: I have Sirius – so I mostly listen to Sirius Hits 1. However, I pretty much like any music that isn’t rap.

Favorite Color: Cardinal Red

Favorite Sports Team: St. Louis Cardinals

Favorite Food: I have too many…

Favorite Drink: I drink way too much soda. However, I never pass up a good cup of coffee.

Hobbies: I enjoy hanging out with my friends or my nieces. I am on the internet a lot and do a lot of technical consulting in my spare time. Movies occupy a lot of my leisure time…though I don’t have that much and my friends don’t seem to be up in the middle of the night. I also like writing, though I don’t always have a lot of time for it. Got to find a use for my pens!. I am active in my Church and attend a Bible Study each week with friends from a church in a nearby town. I also am getting into Ham Radio (Amateur Radio). Finally, I do like to spend time outdoors – I own a bicycle but don’t have the time to ride like I used to.

Current Computer Technology: I have a number of computers running a number of operating systems…

• Toshiba Laptop – running Windows 7 Professional and Ubuntu 10.4
• Sony Desktop – running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003.
• Dell Desktop – running Windows Vista
• No Mac – no desire to have one. Sorry, but think Apples are overpriced.

A little “secret”: Broke my elbow playing capture the flag in college.

Career/Life Goals/Brief Bio: I have a Business Administration and Broadcast Communications degree and have been on broadcast radio in the third largest market in the US (Chicago). After graduating from college, I spent a year living in St. Louis, MO attending seminary. I have great respect for pastors now – it also gave me the opportunity to meet lots of people from around the world! Well, I then spent six years in the Financial Services industry where I sold insurance products, did all kinds of banking stuff, and was the lead trainer for Illinois largest thrift. More recently, I have returned to school to obtain teaching certification. I am about a year away from obtaining my High School Mathematics Certification. To keep spending money, I do some technology consulting on the side and work at Starbucks. I do get to spend time in schools as part of my training, which is very exciting. I have two nieces and am going on my “third” career…wow!

** Just to note, I am including the names of the places where I have purchased products from because I am a satisfied customer and would recommend them. If you have questions about my experience, PM me. Remember, though, YMMV. If there is no name next to a product it is either that I am not happy with the place I purchased or simply haven’t yet received the product!!!