Thread: 2010 Australia Day SWAP PENS

This is the pen and blanks I received last week from my partner Kenny Mayes, thank you Kenny they are wonderful. Some of the blanks I have never seen before , also the kit and leather pen wallet are new to me.

The pen is a Jnr Retro from CSUSA and the blank is maple I think the finish is CA.

the leather wallet is the softest leather I have come across.







Well that's another successful pen swap completed and I hope there is no one out there who will not receive a pen this year.

If you have missed out please leave a post here and we will see what can be done. There are people willing to complete the swap if it has not happened.

Got my swap todat from Salty72. Thanks. Closed in Fountain pen and some great blanks.

Sadly, I seem to have missed out on the swap. I sent a swap pen to my partner (HDB) in Canada at the beginning of Feb by registered mail. My pen was a Tassie Tiger Myrtle on Titanium gold and black Titanium Sierra. I haven't received acknowledgement for pen or to my PM to him. Not encouraging for any more participations in pen swaps.

Coral

Originally Posted by CeeGee

Sadly, I seem to have missed out on the swap. I sent a swap pen to my partner (HDB) in Canada at the beginning of Feb by registered mail. My pen was a Tassie Tiger Myrtle on Titanium gold and black Titanium Sierra. I haven't received acknowledgement for pen or to my PM to him. Not encouraging for any more participations in pen swaps.

Coral

I am sorry you did not get a response. However, you should not give up on swapping. There are a lot of really good people who love to do this. I am one of those people. I too sent a pen, it got acknowledge but the return pen has not arrived here for unknown reasons. He said the pen has been shipped out twice. He is going to do another pen and send it again.

Larry

Originally Posted by CeeGee

Sadly, I seem to have missed out on the swap. I sent a swap pen to my partner (HDB) in Canada at the beginning of Feb by registered mail. My pen was a Tassie Tiger Myrtle on Titanium gold and black Titanium Sierra. I haven't received acknowledgement for pen or to my PM to him. Not encouraging for any more participations in pen swaps.

Coral

That is very disappointing Coral and hard to understand as HDB was on the forum last yesterday morning.

I have sent a PM to HDB on your behalf and hopefully this will get resolved one way or another.

I honestly don't know why people put their hand up to take part in these swaps and then don't do the right thing. I fully understand that life can get in the way of these things at times, but if you have time to log on to the forum, surely you have time to send a brief PM to acknowledge receipt of a pen and answer a PM sent to you. Just plain good manners IMHO.

I am wondering if anyone else had problems with the postal service getting their pens to their destination. Spanner69 (Dave) sent his to me some time ago and it has still not arrived. It has been over a month+ now.

On another note, thanks to everyone who participated and made this a successful swap. It has an interesting experience for me.

Larry

Originally Posted by ldubia

I am wondering if anyone else had problems with the postal service getting their pens to their destination. Spanner69 (Dave) sent his to me some time ago and it has still not arrived. It has been over a month+ now.

On another note, thanks to everyone who participated and made this a successful swap. It has an interesting experience for me.

Larry

did Dave send it by air mail or sea mail?

I had some blanks take 2 1/2 months to get from Canada to me from a real reputable guy on the IAP, they did finally come must have been in a Mounties mail bag at the bottom while he got his man but not his mail.

Coral if in the event you do not get your swap in one months time tell me and I will make one and send it to your details.

I take it seriously as well if people get dissapointed it can be mutually rewarding for both parties. Suggest organisers say three weeks to get the pens sent after advertising the swap from and to at least three weeks before the drawing of names etc
that then gives us 6 weeks to prepare.. Trawling the sites around the world soliciting to get great numbers sometimes can bite you on the rear. A few conditions honoured by sincere folks can mean more than records.

To the previous organisers I say good onyou for your real hard and dedicated efforts to share our fantastic hobby with others everywhere. My other observation is responses to something free get immediate replies so therein is the contrast.
When we all who participate in a swap of pens really make an effort it will sit better with me.taking the exchanges to new heights. If a pen and say five blanks were in the rules it would make it more evenhanded, like for like.

Having said all of this I will continue my active participation in the event of my not being able to turn pens any more anything I have will be for sale at a reasonable price to at least recover my costs.

I repeat I will send but only after a reasonable time to genuinely missed swapees.

Regards Peter.

I owe you an explanation for six weeks now the vultures as well as the angel of death around our house all through this time waiting for me to drop off the perch.
We SWMBO and I collect the overbake from an upmarket Bakery every Saturday night. Last week we had 2000 at least Hot Cross Buns excess to find a home for plus several hundred loaves of bread. I ended up Sunday morning at two retirement villages then almost soliciting patrons at a hugely successful Trash and Treasure giving away plastic packs of X Buns. Remarks such as what types do you have Mocha, Raisins etc or those Chocolate two types Chip and Chock crosses, refraining from asking were they OK for jocks and socks. Packing last night a woman raced over and said I want bread to feed my kids, great gave her one expensive loaf then she said havent you got sliced so I bit my lip and tongue gave her another loaf and shook my head to indicate no, she walked back to her 80 thousand dollar four wheel drive vehicle. Wilma makes now into the thousands small quilts to bury still born babies in with a very small one of the same material for a keepsake for the mums and dads, she buys the blatest knitting mags and makes the equivalen6t quality as the most expensive pen kit you can buy complete layettes in beautiful wool in January the hospital sent her a card saying your holiday is now over get making we need more of everything, twenty charities haunt us with and have received donations. Last night I surrendered the bread cartage, deliveries etc to friends so it may continue and my desire is not let one experience cloud your spirit of happiness and goodwill. Have a real good look at the positive vibes out there on the forum and share to the best of your ability within the guidelines of the worthy souls who help us to swap etc. After aq lifetime of sharing and giving no one person has the right or privilige to destroy the joys of life.

Kind regards Peter.

Well said Peter.

I also will send to anyone who after time has not received a pen in the swap, there are others that have either emailed me or PM'd me that they are ready to do the same.

I have been stiffed three times in pen swaps and I think it is about time those that do not complete their swap should be named and banned from further swaps. The minority are ruining what I see is a good thing and a way to make new friends.

Originally Posted by Reece

did Dave send it by air mail or sea mail?

Not sure how the piece was sent. I thought maybe the tree was being planted, grown, cut down, aged, trimmed, drilled, turned, polished, then boxed up. I may have missed a step or two. I thnk it was by priority mail usually flown across the pond to the next primary destination then trucked (or walked) to the end of the line. He said he is considering doing a second one and trying again. Determined guy, Dave.

Larry

Originally Posted by Simomatra

Well said Peter.

I also will send to anyone who after time has not received a pen in the swap, there are others that have either emailed me or PM'd me that they are ready to do the same.

I have been stiffed three times in pen swaps and I think it is about time those that do not complete their swap should be named and banned from further swaps. The minority are ruining what I see is a good thing and a way to make new friends.

I have not been stiffed in a swap but I feel bad for those who have to experience this. I am excited to do these and look forward to the pen that is coming to me. It is like Christmas as I have heard many times. I drive my wife crazy checking the mail or asking of there is a package for me.

I too will make and send to anyone who has not received a pen. I enjoy doing this and look forward to making friends and sharing our knowledge with others. If that means I get to make a few extras and send to people, so be it. I count myself very lucky to be able to participate in these especially since I have just recently started doing this.

Larry

Originally Posted by CeeGee

Sadly, I seem to have missed out on the swap. I sent a swap pen to my partner (HDB) in Canada at the beginning of Feb by registered mail. My pen was a Tassie Tiger Myrtle on Titanium gold and black Titanium Sierra. I haven't received acknowledgement for pen or to my PM to him. Not encouraging for any more participations in pen swaps.

Coral

Coral, hopefully you have by now had a PM from HDB. I received a reply to my PM to him and he tells me that he sent a pen to you about a month ago. Mail from Canada is notoriously unpredictable, as I have found in the past, and he did not say whether it was sent air mail or surface mail. If surface mail from Canada it could take up to 3 months.

Anyway, it sounds like your pen is on the way and the problem appears to be one of communication, if only people answered their emails/PMs these situations wouldn't arise.

Addendum:

HDB reminded me that he and I were swap partners in a swap on TPS last year, although he uses a different name there, that's why it didn't click with me.
Can I just say that his pen then arrived in a timely manner, together with some blanks, and I certainly didn't experience any communication problems then.

Whilst some bad eggs populate our forums they are by far a minority ,still it only takes a few to spoil an otherwise friendly and generous majority. Simply put their attitude is what can you do about it. Or "WGAF" attitude. Having been an admin for a fairly strict site for some years you actually can do a lot at the top end . AN ip ban is effective ,also a message to all members ,either posted on site or bulk PM. This only works of course if relevant sites work together one out all out. Safeguards can be put in place to ensure that a particular member does not have a reasonable excuse (got killed in an accident ) Whilst a lot of members all over the world are largely anonymous usually someone will have had personal contact with them and may be able to follow up.
If you enter into a contract to do something ,such as a pen swap, then renege it is breach of contract in my book ,and stealing as well as sowing doubt on future swaps . We do a lot of things on trust and as Peter says it comes at a cost , Me I don't turn the other cheek ,one sore one is enough lol.