There is wow and there is WOW. The Platinum 3776 Century UEF nib fountain pen that Thomas loaned me late last year falls clearly into the latter category. This nib is something to behold.

Thomas knows my preference for super-fine pens and this one takes the cake. And the thing is, I was wrong in my handwritten review below. Mike Masuyama did not grind down the pen to this size. This is the stock UEF nib from Platinum! According to Thomas, Masuyama only tuned the nib so it was perfectly aligned, wet, and smooth. I can't fathom how steady Mr. Mauyama's hands are to be able to work on pens this fine. I would end up with some wonky half-stub nib if I even thought about trying this.

The 3776 in itself is one of Platinum's cornerstone pens, similar in style and price to Sailor's Sapporo line and Pilot's Custom Heritage line. Basic, but classically designed barrels and 14k gold nibs at a fair price. The 3776 was a glaring omission on my 2014 wish list from yesterday's podcast and I can assure you I will own one by the end of the year.

Will it be the UEF nib? I'm not sure, but probably so. I own several Japanese EF nib pens so why not go one step further. This one was an amazing writer. The line was as advertised - consistent and smooth - and required only a very light touch to move it across the page. My only hesitancy is if I could use the UEF nib all day or would it actually be too fine? Only time will tell I guess.

For your reading pleasure, Thomas passed along this Tipping Sizes Comparison Chart from Nibs.com where you can compare different nib sizes from company to company. Notice that only Platinum/Nakaya and Sailor dare to dip their toes in the 0.1 mm range. Also be sure to read up on the history of the 3776 from Platinum and watch the nib size comparison video from Brian Goulet. Awesome stuff!

January marks the time of year where we all vow to try something different, or improve on something we already do. For me, I'm attempting to pry open my creative side a little more, and what better way to do that than with some new goodies from my friends at JetPens!

The winner of this giveaway will win a $50 Gift Certificate from JetPens. How will you spend it? I've recently restocked some of my favorite drawing pens such as the Sakura Pigma Micron and 0.3 mm Pilot Hi-Tec-C refills for my Render K in the form of the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Maica. Maybe a new fountain pen or bottle of ink is in your future? Or some cool paper to play around with? Or maybe all of the above!

Here is how to enter:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Saturday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Sunday, January 12th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

That's it - good luck!

-- Pilot Razor Point Marker Stick Pen 0.5MM Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Friends don’t let friends let the ink dry up in their fountain pens (Rhodia Drive)

-- Forest Choice Pencil by Palomino (The Daily Carry)

-- Pilot Automac 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil - Review and JetPens GIVEAWAY! (The Clicky Post)

-- Homebrewing Brown Ink (Pen Envy)

-- Review of Write Notepads & Co Gear, Part I. (Pencil Revolution)

-- Kaweco Dia2, 2013 (writing without rhythm)

-- The Frugal Fountain Pen: Frugal Extravagance (Edison Collier Persimmon Swirl)

-- Testing: Pencil Bluetooth iPad Stylus (Tested)

-- Review: Kaweco Turquoise/Paradise Blue Ink (Gourmet Pens)

-- Word. Notebooks Standard Memorandum – Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Intro to the TWSBI Classic Fountain Pen (Ink Nouveau)

-- Pelikan 140 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- J. Herbin Bleu Pervenche ink review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- The Spectrum is Green: A comparison of five delicious green inks… (A fool with a pen)

-- Roo Reynolds (The Setup)

-- 2013 in review (JustDaveyB)

-- Koreana (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- Review: Apica C.D. Premium Notebook (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- January 2014 Carnival of Pen, Pencil, and Paper (A Penchant for Paper)

-- Review: Hobonichi Techo Planner 2014 (Notebook Stories)

-- The Notecard System: The Key For Remembering, Organizing And Using Everything You Read (Thought Catalog)

-- Blog: Karas Kustoms Machined Pen - The Bolt Brass (Blank And Write)

-- Pensieve: Dance of the Fountain Pen (Scribalishess)

-- Nib Notes: Esterbrook #1314 Flexible Stub (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Lamy 2000 (That One Pen)

-- Sherlock’s pencil (Bleistift)

-- Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-Same (Informal Scribble)

-- Pencil Lead Tubes and Cases (Palimpsest)

-- Drawing with pens, Rotring, Lamy, ballpoint, Sharpie and Tombow (paintings prints and stuff)

-- Write Notepads & Co – Notebook Review (My Pen Needs Ink)

-- 2013 Planner tally (Plannerisms)

-- Art Tools of Swasky (Parka Blogs)

-- new toys for the new year (Dispatch From LA)

-- Edison Menlo Review (Stephen Brown/YouTube)

If there is one thing I love as much as reviewing pens and paper it is giving other people the chance to try out some of the awesomeness as well. Thanks to my good friends at JetPens I am able to do just that, and plan on doing much more in 2014. The winner of the $50 JetPens gift certificate is:

Congrats Anthony! I'm pretty sure I won't have to hunt you down so get in touch via the Contact Page and I will get you set up.

Thanks to everyone who entered, and stay tuned for much more frequent giveaways here at The Pen Addict!

One of my favorite pens keeps on getting better as Pilot has added color to its excellent Acroball ballpoint pen line.

The Acroball has picked up steam since I first reviewed it in 2009. At that time they were only available in Japan, but soon started showing up at importers in the US like JetPens. Nearly four years later, Pilot decided to put the Acroball on the store shelves and at least by the chatter surrounding it, it seems to be doing well.

Why does it take a popular Japanese pen from a major manufacturer four years to hit the market in the US and other countries? I'm still searching for that answer.

Back to the Acroball Color before I go completely off the rails. It's great - as good as any Acroball I have used in fact. If you have never used one or heard of it, what sets it apart from most ballpoints is the use of a hybrid ballpoint ink, similar to the Uni-ball Jetstream that is so loved. This gives it a smooth, clean ink flow that is as good as you will find in a ballpoint. It allows for a vibrancy in color too, which is shown in the writing sample below.

The use of the Miami Dolphins color scheme is unintentional, but it kind of works, doesn't it? Both light blue and orange are difficult to get right in ballpoints but Pilot pulls it off here. I could use both of these colors on their own without pause. And the grip? Why this hasn't propagated through Pilot's offerings (especially the G-2) is beyond me. It is fantastic.

The Violet model is in my future, and if they come out with a good blue black it might be game over for the Jetstream.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

There is great customer service and then there is GREAT customer service. Myke experienced the latter in his recent dealings with TWSBI - now if we can get them to come through with the colored aluminum piston 580 we would be golden!

We also talk about a new-to-us stone paper notebook, writing with your opposite hand, and the challenges of finding the perfect pen for someone new to the game.

Show Notes & Download Links

(This is a guest review by Blake Feinstein. You can find more from Blake at The Unroyal Warrant.)

If you are reading this blog you likely have a grail pen, something that you think is beyond or in some way more exciting than what is in your current collection. I have been collecting fountain pens for almost 10 years now and I strive to buy great writers over anything else. With the help of some friends at the Fountain Pen Network I landed on the Montblanc 146, specifically one from the early 1950s as the pens of this era had the most appealing features of the Meisterstück (masterpiece) line: a celluloid body, a softer 14C gold nib, and the flat ebonite “ski slope” style feed.

The 146 is a piston fill fountain pen that is larger than the 144 (Classique) and smaller than the 149. Compared with the modern 146 (often referred to as the “LeGrand”) the vintage 146 is slightly shorter with a shapelier barrel and deeper engravings on the gold furniture. The vintage 146 also has a larger more attractive two-tone 14-carat gold nib.

Vintage 146 Nib on the left, modern 146 nib on the right.

The 146 fits comfortably in my hand and weighs approximately 26 grams full of ink, and 18.5 grams uncapped. This pen does not post well. I have to apply more pressure than I would like to get the cap to sit straight on the body so I usually write with it uncapped. At 4.75” uncapped and just under 5.5” capped (not posted) it’s average sized and will be comfortable for most people to use.

The nib is the softest non-flex nib that I have used and provides some mild line variation. The buttery soft springy writing experience makes the 146 one of my favorite fountain pens. The nib writes wide and wet for a fine. The pen always starts right away and does not skip. I have left the cap off for over a half hour and it started without a hitch.

The vintage 146 uses a unique two-stage piston filling system that holds a lot of ink. You unscrew the piston knob, which will come up away from the body, but this does not move the piston. You keep twisting until you feel a transition at this point the knob becomes harder to turn (but still smooth) and no longer moves away from the body; it is at this stage that the piston moves. The mechanism behind this is complicated and likely discontinued due to cost. One weak point is the cork piston head; it is likely less durable than the synthetic ones found in most modern pens.

Being around 60 years old there is some loss of plate on the gold furniture but overall it is in great shape. If you look closely you can see that the nib tines are not in perfect alignment but the pen writes without a hitch so I haven’t been in a huge rush to get it to a nibmeister.

The prices of these pens have been going up and can be bought between $500-$700 on auction sites and for around $900 from a reputable dealer of vintage pens (I highly recommend the latter option). I bought mine on an auction site and got lucky as my pen turned out to be in great shape and functioned wonderfully.

To me the price is worth it as it offers a fantastic writing experience with an elegant high quality body but these pens can be tricky to buy and even trickier to fix if you get a bad one. I highly recommend the vintage 146 to experienced fountain pen users.

There was a brief period where I was trying to find a cheap notebook that would perform admirably with all kinds of fountain pens. I've since given up on this endeavor. I'm convinced that buying notebooks that use high-quality paper is much more beneficial than buying notebooks that I hope will perform. The Pro Art sketchbook is one of the many notebooks I bought on this ill-fated journey.

For around $7, the Pro Art sketchbook is a pretty solid little notebook. It's 8"x5.5" inches in size, has 110 pages (220 sheets) of 65# white, acid-free paper, and a hard cover. Sounds like a great contender on paper, and I firmly believe that this is a solid notebook. There are just a couple of downsides to this notebook that keep me from carrying it with me and using it daily.

The first, and most crucial, downside is the paper feel. This paper has a tooth on it that's noticeable with every pen I've tried on it. For me, this makes it difficult for long writing sessions or quick bursts. There's too much friction between the nibs and the paper. The finer the nib, the more accentuated the feeling. I'm sad to say it, but this isn't the perfect paper for fountain or gel pens.

Another downside is the cover. I don't expect much from a notebook that costs this little, but the sharp corners are a point of concern for me. They tend to get hung in different parts of my bag when trying to tuck it away or pull it out. Not a big deal really, but I thought I'd mention it. It's one of the small quibbles that adds up in the grand scheme.

It's also a bit thick for just 110 pages. That's due to the thick paper, so I won't complain about that. It's about half an inch thicker than other similar notebooks.

Top to Bottom: Clairefontaine 1951, Moleskine, Leuchtturm softcover, Ecosystem Journal, Pro Art sketchbook.

There are still plenty of positives for this paper. For one, it's thick. I've only noticed minimal show-through with even my wettest pens. Only a couple of my nib/ink combinations resulted in bleeding on the page. Not perfect, but much better than other notebooks in the same price range or even a Moleskine.

Overall, I think this notebook is meant for other dry art instruments, such as graphite and charcoal. At some point I'll give it a shot, but I've misplaced my art supplies from college somewhere in the attic.

It's hard to tell people this is a bad notebook when it costs so little. The paper is scratchy, the corners are sharp, and it's a bit thick. It's also a heavy paper that takes well to wet inks and wide nibs. Keep these things in mind and give it a try if it sounds like your sort of thing.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)

-- Self-pimp time! Check out my Weekly Loadout at EdJelley.com.

-- Noodler's Black Swan In English Roses - Review (Ionsomnia)

-- InCoWriMo or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Write a Letter (Pen Envy)

-- A Survey of Browns (Inkdependence!)

-- Bic Duo – Ballpoint Pen and Highlighter (No Pen Intended)

-- A major Waterman history discovery (Vintage Pen News)

-- Kaweco Art Sport Amber Fine Nib (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- Post-It Flip and Fold Notes Cube Review (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Nomadic Wise-Walker Fanny-pack (American Otaku)

-- What's a Billet Pen? (legomac)

-- Uni Jetstream 3 Multi Pen 0.7mm Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Pilot Vanishing Point (That One Pen)

-- Review: Uni-ball Jetstream Color Series Ballpoint 0.7mm (Gourmet Pens)

-- Back to doodling in a Hobonichi Techo! (Filofax Love)

-- Nib Notes: Esterbrook #1461 Rigid Fine (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Pelikan N100 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Papermate Flair (My Supply Room)

-- Guest post: Review of the X47 DUO4 wallet (Plannerisms)

-- Pilot Hi-Tec C Coleto 4-Color Multi Pen (The Daily Carry)

-- Hocus-Pocus: Delta Fusion 82 (From the Pen Cup)

-- Tombow 2558 B Wooden Pencil (Economy Pens)

-- A gift horse: A short review of Pilot Iroshizuku ‘Tsuki-Yo’ Ink (A fool with a pen)

-- Writer's Choice - Black or Heart Of Darkness (Bert Carson)

-- Review of Write Notepads & Co Gear, Part II. (Pencil Revolution)

-- Amber: Graf von Faber Castell's Pen of the Year 2004 (these beautiful pens)

-- Nockco Brasstown pen case review (The Write Obsessions)

-- J. Herbin Black Metal Ink Rollerball Pen review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- White for an Asian Christmas (And All Other Tasks)

-- First Ascent Topos (Huckberry)

-- The Search for the Ultimate Drawing Pencil! (stefan's sketch blog)

-- Pocket Notebooks: What does Fountain Pen Friendly really mean? (Ed Jelley)

-- Hand Written APICA CD11 Notebook Review (Inktronics)

-- Private Reserve Blue Suede (The Five Cat PENagerie)

Will Hodges and I have played email tag since he launched his first Kickstarter campaign for the EiMIM Pen in 2012. We have never been able to get in sync for a product review until now but the wait has been worth it. The Tactile Turn Mover is one of the best machined pens I have reviewed.

Will sent over a sample of the Dark Red Mover pen for me to check out and I was impressed right out of the envelope. First of all, the Dark Red finish is spotless. Admittedly, this would not have been my first color choice but I am glad I got to see how nice it is in person. Pictures don't do it justice.

Color aside, what really stands out with the Mover is the overall fit, feel, and finish of the pen. In the hand it feels outstanding. The weight is good, the balance is solid, the clip is tight, the knock is quiet, and the grip - wow - the grip is awesome. Will calls the grip a "custom lay pattern". The conical grooves start at the tip of the pen and run about an inch up the barrel. When gripping the pen it feels like your fingers lock into place, but it is comfortable at the same time. Much more so than a traditional knurled pattern which can get rough to hold over time if not done right.

Dat Grip.

The Mover ships with an 0.38 mm Pilot G-2 refill, and fits a wide variety of other refills as well. Will can add another to the list: The Pilot Juice. I recently bought a few 0.38 mm blue black pens to have on hand so I swapped in that refill and went to town. It fit perfectly with no modifications and no gap around the tip opening. The tolerances seem to be spot-on.

Along with the Mover, Will is offering up the Shaker which takes Fisher Space Pen and compatible refills. Both models come in the standard aluminum machined finish, as well as Black, Dark Red, Desert Sand, and Green anodized finishes.

While I received this review sample at no charge I am so happy with it I put my money where my mouth is and backed this project for an additional Mover. Well done Will, and for your next Kickstarter I would like you to manufacture that bitchin' jacket you are wearing in the video.

For more reviews of the Tactile Turn Mover and Shaker check out posts from Ed Jelley and The Clicky Post.

In this episode Myke and I take a stroll down the Perfect Pen path again. Is there an actual answer to that question? There is if you accept the "Now" aspect of the answer. There is always something else that enters the fray down the line, and that is ok. We also chat about Visionnaire converts, ink, Ink, and several of my recent pen reviews.

Show Notes & Download Links

Nakaya Naka-ai Cigar Tame-Sukashi "Seiryu" (Blue Dragon) Fountain Pen (via Nibs.com)

Retro 51 fountain pens have been on the market for a while now and I finally got my hands on one from JetPens. I went with the Black Acrylic - Fine Nib model and while it is beautiful and has a fantastic nib, there are a couple of issues keeping this pen from being a daily writer.

First off, the grip section is exceedingly poor for a pen of this quality. It is a cheap, slick plastic that does not fit in with the overall design of the pen. I'm assuming Retro 51 made this choice for a good reason, but for the life of me I don't know what it could be. Awkward looks aside, it is a bad gripping surface. My fingers slide constantly when writing.

Secondly, the balance is wrong in both posted and unposted writing modes. Unposted, the pen is too short, too light, and uncomfortable to write with. It is very close to an unposted Pilot Prera. I don't like writing with the Prera unposted either, but the difference is the Prera is perfectly weighted and balanced when posted. The Retro 51 is not. The sexy cap bling and knurling make the pen too top heavy.

The Schmidt nib, on the other hand, is good. As in really, really good. I chose a fine nib and it is smooth, consistent, and a true joy to write with. The barrel design outstanding as well, as we all have come to expect from this popular pen maker.

In the end, the problem with this pen is there is no middle ground. The nib and design are 10's, the section and balance are 1's. I expect a more functional pen than this from Retro 51.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Yasutomo was a brand I was not familiar with until JetPens started stocking a few of their pens last year. They originally started out in the 1950's as an importer/exporter of Japanese and American goods between the two countries and later got in to designing their own products, such as this Y&C Stylist Gel.

While the Violet gel ink color looks nice on the page, there aren't too many other positives to be taken away from this pen. The design leans very much towards the Pentel R.S.V.P. and is right in the same price range. That's not a knock on the Stylist Gel per se, but if you are looking for innovation you are going to have to look elsewhere.

The writing experience is poor as well. The tip is scratchy and there is a persistent clicking sound when writing. There is also a sharp plastic ridge near the grip area of the pen. If you grip too low it will dig into your fingers and become uncomfortable.

You aren't going to go broke trying the Y&C Stylist Gel but I would pass and go for that extra cup of coffee the next time you are out.

-- Changes in Hand Writing (East...West...Everywhere)

-- Zait Jerusalem Olive Wood Fountain Pen (No Pen Intended)

-- Word Notebooks Blue Floral Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Wahl Eversharp Wahlberry Ink Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Pilot Capless - 1963 - C-600MW (Crónicas Estilográficas) - I rarely editorialize my links but Bruno is starting a series to document all of the models in the 50 year history of the Pilot Capless model. The link above is the first in what is going to be an amazing project that will eventually spawn its own website.

-- nu: World – A5 Tradie Wiro Notebook (Informal Scribble)

-- Custom Notebooks Hand Crafted by imakenotebooks.com (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Handicraft with Bleistift IV – epic fail (Bleistift)

-- Review: Zebra nuSpiral 0.7mm Ballpoint Pen - Teal (Gourmet Pens)

-- Pilot Matte Black Vanishing Point Review (I Laike Pens)

-- OSD: Tricked-out Notebook update (Playing White Noise)

-- Ink Review: Rohrer & Klingner Alt-Goldgrün (A Penchant for Paper)

-- Namiki Blue (Inkdependence!)

-- TWSBI Vac 700 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Golden Bear #2 HB Pencil by Palomino (The Daily Carry)

-- Blue Monday: A comparison of six excellent blue inks (A fool with a pen)

-- Philadelphia Pen Show (That One Pen)

-- Sitting Pretty: ACME “Eames Chairs” Rollerball (From the Pen Cup)

-- My BIC Collection (My Supply Room)

-- Levenger L-Tech Stealth fountain pen review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- Sky High - Sailor Jentle Ink Review (Ink of Me Fondly)

-- Vintage Pen Review: ca. 1929 Parker Lady Duofold “Lucky Curve” (The Pen Habit)

-- rOtring Lava Multipen Review (The Clicky Post)

-- Inktastic: Kaweco carribean Turquoise Ink (The Pencil Case Blog)

-- My Flexible Common-Place Notebook Journaling System (Atramental Otaku)

-- Levenger Sunset Handwritten Review (Inktronics)

-- Stationery Store Series: Boesner of Dusseldorf (Palimpsest)

The Black n’ Red notebook line from Hamelin, which is a part of Oxford, is a simple, no-frills book that delivers decent quality at an outstanding price.

I’ve had a Black n’ Red notebook in my possession since 2009. I think I bought the first one at Target. This was a time before I was a Registered Pen Addict (RPA) and didn’t know or care about paper quality. I thought it looked unique, so I bought it. I still think the notebook look unique, and I’m attracted to the simple black and red design. It’s the composition notebook of the Moleskine class, if you will.

Specs

The Black n’ Red notebook I have is pretty average. It’s an A5 sized notebook with 96 pages (192 sheets) of white, lined paper. The lines are gray, which is awesome, and they’re about 7.5mm apart. This is perfect for my handwriting, which is on the medium to large side. In American terms, this spacing size is very similar to college ruled paper.

A nice feature of the paper is the 24 lb weight, which contributes to the nice feel and accommodating behavior toward all sorts of pen inks.

The front cover contains a calendar and dates table, and a table of contents on the first page. The back cover has a US map and a few of the more popular public transit maps. I’ll be honest, I’ve never referred to the maps, but they’re interesting to look at.

According to the Black n’ Red site, the notebook is “casebound.” This is my first time to stumble across this term, and I wasn’t really sure what it meant. A little research led me to this definition: “bound by gluing sewn sheets into a separately made cover.” So, very similar to lots of other hardcover notebooks.

The hard cover is very unique because of the color scheme. The front and back are black with a heavy texture, and the spine is red. There’s also a small red ribbon for holding a place in the notebook, naturally.

Feel and Performance

The paper is smooth and quiet. Every pen I’ve tried with this notebook glides with ease and hardly makes a noise. It took me a while to notice, but some papers are noisier than others. I like the quiet nature of this paper.

Bleeding and show-through are almost non-existent. Of course, the ink will vary. You can see in my samples that the paper does a great job of preserving the lines.

A major downside for this paper is the dry time. Since the paper is thick and not super absorbant, it takes a while to dry. For me, this means I have to wait a few minutes before closing the book if I want to avoid getting ink spots on the opposite page. For left-handed writers, I’m sure this is a much larger issue. I would expect lots of smearing and smudges.

Another general comment I have repeatedly had about this notebook is it is very stubborn about laying flat. It requires a heavy hand to keep the pages down and the notebook flat. It won’t entirely close on itself, but it tries. The good news is that even though I have to apply some “tough love” to the binding, it doesn’t really show any signs of wear. It’s resilient, and that’s great.

Overall, this is a great general notebook. It’s not the best out there, and it can hardly shake a stick at a Rhodia book, but I can also buy 3 of these for the same price. They also offer a larger A4 version as well as spiral bound versions.

JetPens has brought in several new brush pen models recently and I have two of them to give away to one lucky reader. I'm not artistically inclined in the least so I may as well put these in the hands of someone who can work their brush pen magic.

Up for grabs is one Pentel Kiriari in the Fuji Purple barrel and one Pilot New Brush Pen with a fine tip. The winner will receive both pens to add to their artistic arsenal

Here is how to enter:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Thursday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Friday, January 31st. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

That's it - good luck!

Myke and I dig into the mailbag this episode, getting schooled on Japanese translations and a suggestion for a new recurring podcast topic. Myke also wraps up the 'Perfect Pen' hunt while I open my wallet for a new pen from the Far East. I also discuss a pen that was a huge disappointment. All of that and ... murder by pen!

Show Notes & Download Links

Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto N 3 (Image via JetPens)

The Pilot Hi-Tec-C has long been a favorite of mine and to this day remains the best multi pen on the market. While the refills have remained unchanged over the years, Pilot introduces new barrels to the lineup regularly. This time around it is the Coleto N 3 and N 4.

Coleto barrel designs haven't changed too much over time - a new body finish here, a rubber grip there - but the N models have a small design tweak that was needed. The flip-top cap where you refill the pen has always used a flat design with a small tab you had to get under and snap up. It worked, but a fingernail or two have been lost to the cause along the way. The N model uses a larger cone shape which allows you to use your thumb pad for an easier opening experience. Sometimes it's the little things.

Old (top) vs. New

And little things is all the Coleto needs. The rest of the N model has been done before, especially with the clear, smooth grip section. Somehow it isn't slick, so keeping your grip steady is not a problem.

What makes the Coleto so great are the Pilot Hi-Tec-C refills, which haven't changed a bit. I tend to lean towards the three cartridge barrels because I am locked in on what refills I want to load up: Blue Black, Clear Blue, and Apricot Orange, all 0.4 mm. These three colors give me the range I want while having fun at the same time. Adding in a fourth color confuses my brain. I can never settle on what combo works best so I stick with what I know.

The Coleto N 3 is one of the least expensive barrel options in the line at $2.50 from JetPens. I like it as much as the base model with grip and is more solid than the Smart model. Of the higher end barrels I prefer the Me over the twice as expensive Lumio, and it's not close.

One of the base models is all you need to get started with the Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Multi Pen Line, and the new N model is a good one.

Do you have a favorite Coleto barrel? And what inks do you load it up with?

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

If Iroshizuku Kon-peki is my favorite blue ink, then J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir is my close second.

Éclat de Saphir is a gorgeous, vibrant blue ink with lots of character and depth. I love how it pops off the page when I’m writing and even after it’s dried. I'm very pleased when inks retain the same level of saturation when they dry as when the ink is wet, and this ink is no exception.

Before I dive into the detailed notes, I do have some general comments about this ink. I love the color and shading qualities of this ink, but you really need to try it in a fine or larger nib (or medium and larger for Japanese nibs) to get the full effect. After playing with this ink for a while, I really want a stub nib. Secondly, many reviews I've seen on this ink praise its fast-drying property, as well as many other J. Herbin inks. This has not been the case for me with this ink. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or if I'm just using wet nibs on heavy paper, but I would not say it's fast to dry. In my tests, it took about 20 seconds to dry to a point where it would not smudge when I brushed my finger across it. With that being said, it's still an excellent ink that I highly recommend.

This is one of the most well-behaved and easy to maintain inks I've tried. I currently only have cartridges, but will buy a bottle very soon so as to use it in even more pens. It's extremely easy to clean out of pens and washes off my fingers easily.

My favorite quality of this ink is the color. It's a medium to dark blue, very similar to what I think of as "royal" blue. It's nice and saturated, which is something I long for in inks. It has good lubrication and excellent flow in the handful of pens I've used so far.

On nice paper, this ink does not feather or show through the page. Sure, it does feather on cheap paper, but what ink doesn't?

The shading properties are fantastic. Again, I see a stub nib in my near future just so I can play with this beautiful ink some more.

Overall, this is one of my favorite inks and I can't wait to introduce it to more of my pens. Aside from my quibble with the drying time, it's close to a perfect ink for me. I'd like to hear from you if you have some information about the drying time or have advice on performing ink drying tests. Next time you're looking for a nice blue ink to try, grab some Éclat de Saphir.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)

Do brush pens bring out your artistic side? They have to, right? They are some of the most expressive pens you can buy and are flat out fun to use, even if you are not artistically inclined like me. Hopefully our giveaway winner can put them to good use:

Congratulations Cassandra! Get in touch via the Contact Page and I will get the pens headed your way. You have one week to claim your prize.

Thanks to everyone who entered and thanks to JetPens for providing great products!