As I was starting to write a post about equipment, I realized I should probably write up a quick statement of ethics for my site. All public sites which end up reviewing or talking about commercially available products or services should have one. So, this is mine.
I don’t accept free or discounted products or services. All products, services, sites, etc… I mention on my blog are there because I value them and use them myself.
Should anyone care to send me new products, highly unlikely and there wouldn’t be much I’d be interested in, if I wanted to keep it I would pay for it.
Vintage objects are in a different category because these are not, generally, commercially available objects and I doubt that sending me a box of Turner & Harrison pens, as an example, would corrupt me or enrich anyone else. I would only accept such objects if they contributed to the historical understanding and mission of this blog.
I may, rarely, place a link to an item on Amazon or another commercial site as part of their affiliate program. I will only link to items I use and recommend, and the pitiful amount of money this may or may not bring in will help defray the minimal costs of this blog. I send you to a useful item, I may get a few cents back. That works for me and it will be obvious when it happens. This site is not about modern items being sold today, so this will be a very rare occasion when or if it happens.
Why am I writing this? Mainly because these days it’s difficult to know to whom you should listen. I’m just a guy with a strange hobby who likes to share information. The opportunity for me to be corrupted by Big Steel Pen, and sell my soul for a slice of their riches is, um, less than likely. But I also want the readers of this blog to feel comfortable should I ever recommend someone or something. I want you all to know that I do it because I truly believe it’s the right thing, a good thing, and for no other reason.
Hopefully that’s the last I have to say about that.
