The Retro 51 Blog - "Archives" | “Life’s too short to carry an ugly pen!”™

May 15, 2012 · 4:15 pm

NEW Retro Designs!

Each May Retro 51’s offices begin to buzz with excitement as the start of the National Stationery Show approaches. Months of hard work are finally realized as new products start to roll in and we can finally put our hands on them. And what a feast for the senses we have this year! New finishes, textures, concepts, and colors abound! Here is a sneak peek of the items that will be making their debut at this year’s Stationery Show in New York on May 20th.

Who could make a grander entrance than the King and Queen? This pair of Tornado pens are covered in iconic playing card graphics that we hope will improve your luck, if you keep them at hand that is!

We are particularly excited to introduce you to the Vintage Metalsmith series. Each pen in this series has a brass barrel that has been finished with a unique process to provide some stunning results! Whether they make you nostalgic for that old pen your grandparents used to carry, or you simply find them intriguing, we think you will love the sensory experience that these pens have to offer.

The Jefferson and Franklin have been acid etched to produce distinctive raised designs and then treated to an antique finish. The Lincoln also has an antiqued finish, but in a copper color that is reminiscent of a lucky penny, and finished off with a light lacquer coating for a smooth touch. And finally, the Monroe’s diamond cut barrel is truly a textural wonder with its lacquer overlay that adds a smoothness to the texture that is quite delightful!

Be the Big Shot again with our latest designs in this classic Retro series. The Black Label offers yet another new finishing process with its matte black barrel that has been overlaid with contrasting black gloss checkers. The result is not only pleasing to the eye, but gives a smooth yet ever so slightly textured feel that makes for some excellent gripping. As for the new Infusion, acrylics are always a favorite with their bold blend of colors that an acrylic material can offer. And the Infusion does not disappoint in this regard with its mélange of vibrant colors. The Infusion is also available in a 1.15mm Tornado pencil as well as a classic Tornado Fountain Pen!

Last but not least and driven by our devoted fountain pen lovers we introduce the Tornado Fountain Pen EXT. Yes, that’s right; EXT means that the barrel has been extended! Our latest Tornado fountain in a classic White Nickel finish (look familiar?) comes loaded with two standard ink cartridges in the barrel and a converter on the side! We think you will enjoy this new spin on a classic.

Which one is your favorite? We’d love to hear your opinions!

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Tagged as Accessories, fathers day, fine writing instruments, Gifts, graduation gifts, great pens, Life is too short, mothers, mothers day, National Stationery Show, Retro 1951, Tornado, unique

April 19, 2012 · 6:59 pm

Simple Ways To Organize Your Pen Or Pencil Collection

As pen and pencil collectors, we’ve all been there. Over time you manage to amass a sizable, not-to-mention visually impressive, collection of pens and pencils (or you’re at least well on your way), but exactly how and where to display them remains a mystery of sorts.

You wonder: Do I keep them on my desk, where adoring eyes- including your own- can admire them tirelessly? Or in a drawer where they’ll remain protected and safe from damage, and sticky finger specialists? Will an ordinary box fit the bill? Or do I need something more?

Balancing your desire to display your pens or pencils with your need to keep them protected can be tricky. But here a few options that will allow you to do both.

Pen Boxes

Image: Nibs.com

If you’d like to display your pen or pencil collection on your desk, pen boxes are a great solution. With many offering hinged and glass lids, you can still show off your collection and keep it protected. It’s like having the best of both worlds.

Pen Shelves

Image: FountainPenNetworkForums

If you have the space, and a collection worthy of the attention (see above), then pen shelves offer another interesting way to display your pens. Having multiple shelves and dividers can also provide a great way to organize your collection by style, brand, etc.

Pen Cabinets

Image: Fountain Pen Network

For you die-hard collectors, pouches, boxes, and not even shelves will do. You pros require the big-boys- pen cabinets. Typically made from wood or metal, these multi-shelf units offer a great way to protect, organize, and keep track of 100s of pens and pencils. They’re also a great motivator for adding to your collection. 🙂

Pen Pouches

Image: Selectism.com

If portability is a concern, pen pouches are definitely the way to go. Available in materials ranging from felt to leather, they’re a great way to safely carry around your favorite pens and pencils.

EcoDisplay

Our Eco-Display is another unique way to display your pens and pencils. Made from 100% Bamboo, this stand is a great way to display your pens while keeping them safe from rubbing and scratching. We unfortunately no longer carry the Eco-Display, but you may still be able to find them at your local Retro 51 retailer.

How do you organize and store your pens and pencils? Do you use any of the methods we listed here, or do you have another system in place? Share your ideas with us here and on our Facebook page.

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Tagged as pen boxes, pen cabinets, pen pouches, pen shelves, Retro 51 eco-display

March 30, 2012 · 5:04 pm

Pull Out Your Number Twos, It’s National Pencil Day!

For pencil lovers across the world, March 30th of every year is a day to celebrate!

Established in 1858, National Pencil Day was created in honor of the modern day pencil’s first patent. It was on this date that Hymen Lipman was issued a patent for the first pencil with an eraser.

Interestingly, Mr. Lipman’s patent was later challenged, and ultimately revoked by the U.S. Supreme Court, who ruled the pencil was not an invention but rather a combination of two preexisting things with no new use: pencils and erasers.

Never-the-less, the holiday endured. And pencils are now used for everything from taking standardized tests to jewelry and artwork!

Here Are Some Fun Facts About Pencils:

More than 14 billion pencils are produced in the world every year- enough to circle the globe 62 times.
Pencils don’t really contain lead. That gray matter is graphite and clay.
Two billion pencils are made in the United States each year.
The pencil was invented more than 400 years ago, in 1565.
Famous novelists Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck used pencils to write their books.
Pencils didn’t always have erasers on them because teachers felt they would encourage children to make mistakes.
It would cost $50 in labor and materials for a person to make a 10-cent pencil.
One million pencils are used annually on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
The average pencil can be sharpened 17 times,write 45,000 words or draw a line 35 miles long.
A good-size tree will make about 300,000 pencils.
Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” in pencil.
A pencil can write in zero gravity, under water, and upside down
Pencils were originally painted yellow because the color was associated with royalty and respect
The #2 pencil is the most common. There is a #1, #2.5, #3 and #4. The numbers are based on hardness and darkness. That’s why most tests are taken with #2 pencils.
John Steinbeck was an obsessive pencil user and is said to have used as many as 60 pencils a day. His novel East of Eden took more than 300 pencils to write.
Henry David Thoreau penciled Walden Pond. After all, his father was a pencil manufacturer.
Thomas Edison had his pencils specially made by Eagle Pencil. Each pencil was three inches long, was thicker than standard pencils and had softer graphite than was normally available.
Vladimir Nabokov rewrote everything he had ever published, usually several times, by pencil.
Vincent van Gogh only used Faber pencils as they were “superior to Carpenters pencils, a capital black and most agreeable.”
Johnny Carson regularly played with pencils at his Tonight Show desk. These pencils were specially made with erasers at both ends in order to avoid on set accidents.
Roald Dahl only used pencils with yellow casing to write his books. He had 6 sharpened pencils ready at the beginning of each day and only when all 6 pencils became unusable did he resharpen them.

Happy National Pencil Day!

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March Is Red Cross Month- Learn How You Can Give Back

Photo Credit: Daniel Cima/American Red Cross

March is Red Cross Month, and with so many natural disasters in the news these days, we thought it’d be a great idea to highlight this important and historical organization- and ways in which we can all give back.

The American Red Cross was founded in 1891 by Clara Barton, and officially chartered by Congress in 1900 to:

Provide assistance during national and international disasters
Give relief to the military
Serve as a means of communication between the Armed Forces and their families

Beginning in 1943 with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, every president has declared March as Red Cross Month. In doing so, it serves “as a time to remind everyone of the work of the American Red Cross in communities across the country and around the globe – and how we depend on public support to help people in need.”

Interesting Facts about the Red Cross

Responds to nearly 200 neighborhood emergencies every day
Each year the American Red Cross collects nearly 6.1 million units of blood from roughly 3.6 million volunteer donors
More than half a million people a year volunteer with the Red Cross
Provided urgent assistance to more than 5.3 million people affected by international disasters
More than 9 million people a year receive Red Cross training in first aid, water safety, and other skills that help save lives

Giving and getting involved with the Red Cross can be done in a number of ways:

Donate– Making a difference in someone’s life begins with each of us. Making a donation is one of the fastest ways you can help someone in need.
Volunteer– Time is one of life’s most precious commodities. Why not share this precious gift by giving some of it to others?
Give Blood– We are all potential lifesavers. Giving one pint of blood can save up to 3 lives.

For more information about the Red Cross Month and ways you can give back, please visit redcrossblood.org.

Retro 51 Luck ‘o the Irish St. Patrick’s Day Contest

St. Patrick’s Day is this Saturday, March 17th. And in recognition of this Irish Holiday we wish to give our fans, followers, and fellow pen enthusiasts an Irish blessing…

“Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May the luck of the Irish be there with you.”

In honor of this tradition, Retro 51 is having a contest in which you can win a Green Croco Tornado (a $30 Retail value)! To enter all you have to do is give Retro 51 an Irish Blessing by filling in the second half of the following…

Wherever you go and whatever you do,
May…

Enter by commenting below or by writing us on Twitter @Retro1951. Each person who enters will be entered into a drawing to win one of (6) Croco Tornados. One entry per person. Contest ends this Saturday, March 17 at Midnight.

Good luck!

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March 12, 2012 · 8:36 pm

The Pros And Cons of Daylight Savings Time

“Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”- Benjamin Franklin

Like many Americans, there’s a pretty good chance you woke up just a wee bit more tired than usual this morning, or you feel like your day is flying by just a little faster than you’d like- all thanks to the semi-annual observance of Daylight Savings Time this weekend.

First proposed in New Zealand, in 1895 by entomologist George Vernon Hudson, Daylight Savings Time wasn’t actually observed until World War I (it began as a way to conserve coal by the allies).

Since its implementation, the controversial practice has had a polarizing (and sometimes draining) effect, to say the least. For those who support DST, they point to the following pros:

1. More daylight– More sunlight means potentially more time for work, safer roads and conditions for children walking to and from school, better health, and reduced crime

2. Energy savings– Although this point is often disputed (especially in modern times), the theory is that the longer the sun shines, the less electricity will be used

3. More outdoor time– The longer the sun shines, the more time there is for recreational and other outdoor activities

For the naysayers, they point to the following cons:

1. The adjustment period– In addition to our bodies internal clocks adjusting to the change in time, we also have to update our regular clocks and other electronics- which we all know can be a total drag

2. Loss of patronage and spending– During the fall observance of DST, many businesses (especially land workers, farmers, etc) site a connection between the darker evenings and slower business

3. Crowding and congestion– On the flip side, during the spring observance, more sunlight brings more people out to play and work, which can lead to congestion on the roads, and at malls and recreation facilities

Whether you’re for, against, or indifferent to Daylight Savings Time, one thing’s for certain- as for now it’s here to stay. Which means we’ll just have grab that extra cup of coffee or 5-hour energy and carry on!

Do you think Daylight Savings Time is necessary? Is it hard for you to adjust? Do you have any special ways you make the transition easier? Share your feedback and tips with us!

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March 6, 2012 · 7:58 pm

13 Things To Do With A Retro Pen

When we create our pens, we do so with the hope that our customers will be inspired.

Inspired to dream. Inspired to create. Inspired to never, ever carry an ugly pen again!

So it’s hard to imagine you’d need our two cents when thinking of fun and creative ways to use our pens. But just in case you’re looking for some inspiration, or just need a good laugh, here are 13 things you can do with a Retro 51 pen:

Seal The Deal

Whether you’re purchasing your first home or saying “I do”, nothing commemorates the occasion like a fine pen.

Make Your Mark

No matter what your station in life may be, everyone from artists, writers, and even golfers can make their mark just a little more emphatically with a Retro 51 pen.

Pencil In Your Priorities

Life shouldn’t be all work and no play. Pencil in more time with loved ones and your passions.

Put A Pen In It

Looking for a gift? A great writing pen? A pen strong enough to jack a car (yep you read that right)? Whatever your need, always rest assured that we’ve got a pen that’s just right for the occasion.

Life is too short

Retro 51 pens are more than just great writing instruments, they’re also fashion accessories! Dress to impress!

Pen Point The Answers

Whether you’re writing a research paper, searching for a job, or doing a puzzle, with a Tornado the answer is at your fingertips!

Start A “Pen”sion Fund

Literally or figuratively, using a Retro pen to save for your future (or to save for a future pen) is simply a stroke of genius!

Dot Your I’s and Cross Your T’s

We’ve worked hard to bring you a fine writing instrument so you can focus on your details at hand.

Sign Us Up

Grab their attention! Promote a sale, make an announcement, enlist the help of others! Whatever you write, do it loud and proud with a Retro pen.

A “Pen”ny for Your Thoughts

Journal your thoughts, outline an agenda, create your dreams…whatever is on your mind, we have a a pen that’s just right for you.

Nothing like a Pen Pal

When it’s time to write, reach for the pen that has the right stuff and brings a smile to your face.

Declare your independence

Put a pen to paper and the possibilities are endless!

A little luck…

We can’t promise you good fortune with our Bamboo Tornado, but with every purchase, Retro makes a donation to the Arbor Day Foundation, to save 250 square feet of rainforest ensuring a fortuitous future for this invaluable environment.

How do you use your Retro pen? Let us know!

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Tagged as kaligraffiti, retro 51 bamboo tornado, retro 51 harley davidson collection, retro 51 tornado collection

February 22, 2012 · 7:34 pm

Extend The Life of Your Fountain Pen With These 5 Easy Steps

For we pen aficionados, our relationships with our favorite fountain pens can be akin to a real-life romance. We initially admire them from afar. Pursue them relentlessly. And cherish and fearlessly guard them from the hands of evildoers (also known as thieves) once we have them. 🙂

But just like in any great love affair, making sure your pen endures the test of time requires special care and attention. So here are a few easy ways that we’d like to recommend to help you extend the life of your favorite fountain pen.

Always protect the tip of your fountain pen by keeping it covered
Keeping the tip of your fountain pen covered when not in use is important. Contact with air, liquids, and other elements and substances can damage the nib, and cause the ink to dry out or leak. Besides, losing the cap to your favorite pen is a terrible feeling. 😦
Keep away from extreme temperatures
Extreme hot and cold temperatures can cause serious damages to pens. Common problems can include damage to the finish and seals, discoloring and fading, cracking, swelling, ink evaporation, and leakage. Don’t leave your pen in vehicles or other areas where it may possibly be exposed to extreme temperatures.
Use the refills and parts suggested by the manufacturer
Every fountain pen is unique. And as I’m sure we all can attest to- not all pens, nor their parts, are created equally. This is why it’s so important to always use the manufacturer’s suggested refills and parts. While lower costs and convenience can make it can tempting to use generic parts or refills created by different makers, doing so can not only damage your pen, but may also void the manufacturer’s warranty.
Handle with care
No matter how durable your pen appears to be, or what incidental damage it’s previously been able to withstand- pens are fragile. They are not designed to be thrown around or handled roughly. Don’t shake your pen, or press too firmly on the tip while writing. Nor should you use it on surfaces and materials it wasn’t designed for. However, you should routinely polish it, as well as drain your inking system.
Store them properly
When you aren’t using your pen, it’s important that you store it properly. Don’t toss it aimlessly into your purse, briefcase, pockets, drawers, and other unsuitable areas. Whether in your day-to-day activities or during traveling, for long-lasting results, it’s important that you store your pen in an upright position with the cap tightly secured. When storing for long periods of non-use, your pen should be kept in a flannel, suede, felt or leather protective case, pouch, or cabinet. Regularly clean your nib to keep it flowing well. Doing so protects your pen from damages such as abrasions, nicks, and breakage. Also make sure to refer to your owner’s manual on how to best do so, since again, every pen is different.

Please refer to your Tornado warranty instruction booklet for even more technical details on how to keep your fountain pen flowing smoothly for years to come.

Do you have more questions on how to properly care for your Retro 51 fountain pen? Wondering what refill or cartridge to use? Leave a comment here, or on our Facebook wall and we’ll be more than happy to respond to your questions!

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Tagged as caring for your fountain pen, caring for your retro 51 fountain pen

January 31, 2012 · 6:30 pm

The Tornado POP Series

Click to enlarge

If you’ve been a fan or customer (we have a particular fondness for the later :)) of Retro 51 pens for a while, then you’ve surely seen our Tornado Pop Series. But what you may not be familiar with is the story behind these uniquely designed pens.

Beginning in the spring of 2008, we thought it would be a great idea to create a seasonal themed pen, in addition to our more traditional Tornado collections. As a maker of fine writing instruments we not only want to make high-quality pens and pencils, but to also design writing instruments that push the boundaries of themes and stylistic appeal. And the Pop Series provided us with a unique opportunity to do just that- using the latest trends, retro fun, and new production techniques.

Our first POP Series (see above) was spring-inspired and featured the Bocks Green, Torsion Pink, and Coil Yellow Tornado. That same summer we created our second Series, which had a tropical flair and included: Tropical Paradise, Route 66, and Waikiki. And we closed out our first year of the Series with the winter themed Skiing Tornado.

Due to the overwhelming response and popular demand, the designs for our POP Series quickly morphed into fashion forward, artistic, and even pop culture themes. The Series now features designs ranging from the eye-popping Yipes to the glow-in-the-dark Zap! But one characteristic remains the same.

All Tornado POP Series pens are limited editions. For each release we only make 500 pens (With the exception of Yipes and the Summer 2008 series, for which we made 1000 pieces. And the Zap, of which we made 525 ).

So if you see a POP you love, don’t hesitate to grab it. High-tail it to your local retailer ASAP! Because once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Do you own a Tornado POP? Which one is your favorite? Did you miss out on one you really want? Leave us your feedback on our Fan Page. We love hearing from you!

To find a retailer near you, please visit our website.

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January 10, 2012 · 5:05 pm

January is National Get Organized Month

If getting organized was one of your New Year’s Resolutions, you aren’t alone. January is National Get Organized Month- and for good reason. Every New Year’s, thousands of us vow to make getting organized a priority. From our finances, closets, and even kitchen cabinets- almost everyone has some area in their life in which they’d like to clean up their act.

If getting organized is one of your resolutions, here are three simple steps you can take to help ensure your success this year:

Stick to A Plan– There’s an adage that simply says, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” And in so many ways, it’s absolutely true. Getting organized requires that you start with a plan- and stick to it! Identify the specific areas in your life that you’d like to get organized in, and develop a step-by-step plan for addressing them. If you’re unsure of where to start, or need some help developing your plan, check out this great article on goal setting by world-renowned motivational speaker and training expert, Zig Ziglar.

Be Realistic– Rome wasn’t built in a day. And your all-new organizational system won’t be either. Change takes times. So don’t set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals that will only lead to frustration. Break down your plans into hourly, daily, weekly, or even monthly goals. This way you know exactly what you’ll need to do to to achieve your plan, without becoming totally overwhelmed.

Don’t Quit– One of the easiest things in the world to do is quit. Many of us give up on ourselves before we’ve even had a chance to fully develop our new positive habits. No matter how hard the process gets, don’t stop. Even if you fail more than once, just get back to it. Remember, getting organized is often one of the first and most important steps you can take to achieving new levels of success in every area of your life.

It’s a new year and a great time to get organized. So what are you waiting for? What areas of your life could stand reorganization? Which spaces in your home or office could use some decluttering? Let us know on the Retro 51 Fan Page.