I think the only real regret I have is the Wingback Mechanical pencil - It is beautifully constructed, fully metal, “custom” fully brass mechanism - really wonderful and right up my alley. But going back in time, I paid $208 dollars for a customized, engraved stainless steel pencil that is wayyyy too short for my liking and also has some rather notable tip wobble/rattling, as the back of the mechanism isn’t held to the body at all and has a rather wide tolerance in the gap between the body and the mechanism.
This was also, at the time, the most money I’d ever spent on a pencil as I was on a mission to collect a bunch of modern, machined pencils. I think in retrospect I’d be much happier with, say, an IJ instruments piece, or hell even a Nicolas Hemingway piece.
Whatever, though. This thing look super cool, it has a sweet etched octopus on it, and is 1 of 25 to be made, so I guess I can’t regret it too much. Cool desk piece at bare minimum. Plus I always have a respect for some impressive metalworking.
This JUST happened to me recently. Ended up with TWO extra OHTO ballpoints that were matched to a golden / black pinstripe model because I forgot I already had one.
I have a slightly different perspective on the ‘mostly harmless’ rOtring Freeway. In profile, I think it is actually inspired by the classic Tikk-kuli ballpoint. The same cigar shape, the middle band, even the clip attachment method and position of the red ring.
Likely an unpopular opinion, but I regret buying a Smash. I really didn’t enjoy the experience. The grip isn’t for me.I only have one and have no interest in collecting them beyond the Person’s versions.
For me, I think regrets are mostly for conscious decisions to bid or buy 80s-90s vintage MPs for the style despite KNOWING that they were made with resin clutches. I am especially prone to Zebra and Tombow from this period. I am drawn like a moth. Then one press and ploop! the lead drops out and I hear the squeak of death and the clutch comes apart.
Yikes–how often has that happened to you? Are these primarily the lower end models that were made for students, with all sorts of curious and daring silkscreened bodies?
TOMBOW… angers me right now. Yeah, I know their cheaper Dimple models had them, but the Metal Dimple? It was ¥1000. I just assumed it was brass. Well, I just checked. Green. Green plastic. Perfectly serviceable and no issues, but I’m seriously disappointed. Thankfully the Keshiman has brass.
I regret a few purchases of 1940s items that just don’t have a home in my collection. A square lead Square 4 demonstrator Wahl Eversharp and another Eversharp executive pencil. They are such genre-specific items and I feel I overpaid.
There have been a few ‘worse than advertised’ items, but often ebay or the seller have made it right.
So I guess I can say that Wahl Eversharp is my biggest regret.
Not to offend you — but I was really disappointed with it.
It’s not a great pencil in terms of quality. It feels cheap. It’s not bad in terms of what people expect from “design” though. They decided on a bare bones concept — they found out grooves was the minimal action it takes to make a pencil somehow, so they do grooves all over and you click on a grooved cap and a piece of ungrooved lead comes out.
It’s okay, but I just can’t bring myself to believe in designers, I’m sorry.
No need to apologize, I have no investment in it at all, nor am I a designer! Not really surprising that it’s rather lacklustre, once you look past the grooves it doesn’t exactly scream unique or well-made.
