pen 52: pilot explorer

this is one of those pens that, by all rights, i should never have used, let alone own. like the varsity featured for #50, this pen was given to my by a good friend, and in some odd way makes me a little sad knowing that, like those summer romances before the internet, the relationship has an expiration date and
makes me wonder is ignorance is bliss because i now know about its existence and will feel its lack in my heart, in my soul.

what?

the pilot explorer is an amazing pen that has, for whatever reason, been discontinued. it's solidly constructed, has an bizarre but comfortable ergonomic grip that allows for several different grips, made of durable plastic that has an albeit "dated" overall look. this pen looks more like a syringe than anything else really.

when i went online to search for outlets that might still have a few of these babies left. i was met with frustration, it seems that there are none to be found, which isn't all that surprising i'm sure that anyone who owns them use them and treasure them.

the thing that really irritates me is that there are probably boxes of these pens lying unused in landfills following the death of a grandparent or the closure of some company in middle america. i was a bit surprised to discover that there are a few grass-root campaigns to get this pen back into production - i don't know how that's working out for them but i plan on researching it further and adding my support to the cause.

as i mentioned, the explorer is a well built tool, the ink is quick drying although it does build up on the tip and can create blotches if you aren't careful, it's a wonderful pen to write with, it inks over pencil and is perfect for contour, gesture and detail work. if you can find one, count yourself lucky and if you find two, please consider sending me one.

the greatest praise i can think of, when it comes to pens, is that i like this one so much that i don't want to use it, if that makes sense.