Apologies for my absence. It’s that time of year when other things demand our attention, sowing and planting and getting the garden in good order.

I’ve been buying and restoring pens too, though. It’s hard work to get decent pens at a reasonable price these days. I think a large proportion of pens go through eBay without attracting a bid because of the crazily high starting prices. I will have to look elsewhere.

Perhaps the most important part of pen restoration is assessing the pen when it arrives. Sometimes sellers miss things. A cracked cap or nib is too serious a fault to keep the pen. Other undeclared faults and blemishes can be the subject of negotiation with a reasonable seller.

One annoyance is bad packing. A pen arrived this morning covered tightly in layers of paper and plastic, held together with masses of sticky tape. It makes removing this mess so difficult that it endangers the pen. A few layers of bubble wrap and a strong container is all that’s needed.

Grouch over.