-- Private Reserve Ebony Blue (Inkdependence!)

-- 2014 Starts With a Rip-Off? (Dave's Mechanical Pencils)

-- Pilot Vanishing Point in Matte Black with Fine Nib (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Compare and Contrast: Kaweco Classic Sport Liquid Ink Rollerball (From the Pen Cup)

-- Diamine Oxblood - Review (Ionsomnia)

-- Review: OrganicsStudio Arsenic Grey Ink (Gourmet Pens)

-- One Star Leather Goods Kaweco Sport Sleeve (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- Monteverde Engage (That One Pen)

-- How green is my pencil? (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- TWSBI Classic 1.1 Stub - Pen Review (all iOS test...) (The Clicky Post)

-- Zebra Surari 0.7mm Emulsion Ink Ballpoint Pen Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Pilot Capless - 1964 - C-300SW and variations (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- Artisinal Pencil Sharpening (Rad and Hungry)

-- Pen Cleaning II: How to clean cartridge pens (Write to Me Often)

-- Zebra Prefill 3 Color Multi Pen (No Pen Intended)

-- An Italian beauty: A review of the Omas Notti di Bologna (A fool with a pen)

-- Cheat Sheet for the Japanese Big-3 Fountain-Pen Makers (Atramental Otaku)

-- Lamy CP1 & Pilot Iroshizuku Ink (Minimally Minimal)

-- Sheaffer Taranis Fountain Pen Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Pen Review: Parker “51″ Special (The Pen Habit)

-- Reviews - Zebra F-701 Ballpoint Pen (Inventory Magazine)

-- Noodler's Liberty's Elysium - Cheap Paper Review (I Laike Pens)

I have been on an ink kick to start 2014, adding 6 or 8 bottles to my collection already. Some are of the basic variety, like Pilot Black, while others I went to great lengths for. Sailor Jentle Limited Edition Autumn 2010 Oku Yama Maroon is one of those.

I don't know where I caught this limited edition bug from. It may be I realized a few weeks ago that I missed out on the Rohrer & Klingner Blau Schwarz in 2012 (and thanks to kind listeners I now have some), or maybe I'm just certifiable. Regardless, I went on the hunt to see what else I have missed and what else I could get my hands on.

I know Sailor produces special colors frequently so I set my sights there, which led me to Aesthetic Bay, a highly respected pen shop in Singapore. I picked up four (I know, certifiable) Sailor LE inks, the first of which is this Autumn 2010 Oku Yama Maroon.

I've never been a red ink guy but the few reviews I found of Oku Yama were positive. I wasn't sure what to expect when I inked it up in my recently acquired Franklin-Christoph Model 40 Pocket Fire and Ice with a broad Masuyama cursive italic nib but I have to say it exceed all expectations.

First off, the color is great. It is a solid maroon, not too bright and not to purple. I like purple on its own, but not in my red inks. The shading is better than expected too, with excellent color range in the lines. Secondly, it is a very lubricated ink, at least that's how it felt with this nib combo. I think it would work well in some of my EF nibs too.

Something interesting about Oku Yama caught me off guard, and that is the dry time. When I did the five-second smear test there was no smearing. Did I forget how to count to five all of a sudden? Nope, this is legit, and on Rhodia paper it is impressive. It was a pointless exercise to even bother with the 10 and 20 second tests.

How close is Oku Yama to the less expensive and widely available Sailor Jentle Grenade? I haven't reviewed Grenade yet but did have an ink sample to swab. It is lighter with more pink at first glance but I will need to do more testing. Compared to Diamine Oxblood, Oku Yama is less saturated and lighter in color. It falls right in between these two popular red inks. You can see more comparisons in the reviews below.

The real measure of an ink for me is will it make my regular rotation and I think I will be loading up Sailor Jentle Oku Yama often.

Further reading:

-- Sailor Jentle Oku Yama (via FPN)

-- Sailor Grenade vs Oku Yama vs 1670 vs Yama Budo Chromatography (via FPN)

Instagram close-up:

A reader sent me these pictures of a Sailor Maki-e fountain pen he received from a Japanese businessman over 20 years ago. He would love to know more about this particular model, and I am unable to come up with a match to the artwork and barrel color. As best as I can tell, it is a Sailor Young Profit (or Somiko in some markets) with a titanium gold plated nib (TIGP), but that's all I have.

If anyone can help nail down the remaining specs of this pen let me know.

Most of us can agree that the Retro 51 is one of the finest and most accessible roller ball pens on the market today. Brad did a great job of reviewing the classic model in 2012. The point of this review is to showcase the art and beauty of the Franklin version of the Vintage Metalsmith series of the Tornado line. Let me just say, I completely agree with the people that say the Schmidt refill that Retro 51 use in these pens is absolutely fantastic. Like Myke, this isn't my first Retro 51, and it likely won't be my last. They're like the Pringles of pens: once you pop, you can't stop.

Once I decided that I wanted to try one of the more expensive Retro 51 models, I had to decide which of the three in the metalsmith line. I really liked the looks of the Lincoln and the Jefferson, but I decided to take a chance on the Franklin because I liked the subtle ivy relief on the barrel. This is a hunch that I'm extremely happy I followed. The pictures on the JetPens website don't do this pen justice. In person, it's much more elegant and gorgeous.

A few things are different about this pen than the regular lacquer version. For one, it's just a teensy bit heavier, but not in a bad way. For me, the texture of the ivy relief on the barrel makes for a more enjoyable writing experience. It gives my fingers something to hold onto. The metal barrel also adds gobs of class to the already classy pen. I've gotten more than a few compliments on this pen, even from people who don't care about pens. This is an object of beauty, and it also happens to offer one of the best writing experiences for the money.

If I had any negative comments, it would be that this pen is a little more expensive than the regular line of Tornados. It's not much, though -- just a few dollars. To me, the few extra dollars is more than worth it. I actually bought a Jefferson version of the pen as a gift for someone else, so I can say that I prefer the looks and feel of the Franklin. Don't get me wrong, the Jefferson is still a gorgeous pen, but it has a different look.

Retro 51 certainly have a lot to offer in the way of variety, but keep the Franklin in mind if you're thinking of expanding or even starting a collection.

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

In this episode I try to define what an EDC pen is. Is it purely a utilty object, the one pen that writes better than any other, or a combination of the two? It's not so easy to define in the big picture but individually everyone knows what is best for them. We also talk about two new products on the market and my current ink problem.

Show Notes & Download Links

Maxmadco Bolt Action Retractable

Working on my Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto N 3 review last week made me realize I did not have a multi pen list on my Top 5 Pens page. I would have bet money it was there. In fact, it was only when I went to make sure that the Coleto was locked in at number one that I realized no such list existed. That will change soon because the Ohto Multi-Smart needs to be on it.

The Ohto Multi-Smart succeeds in packing four total cartridges - black, blue, and red ballpoint, plus pencil - in what I consider to be a standard size diameter barrel. This is no small feat but Ohto has pulled it off well. The failing of many multi pens is that poor design often leads to the pen tip coming out of the barrel at an angle (the Pentel Sliccies has this problem) and I actually wonder if the narrower barrel helps with that. There is no room for play in the Multi-Smart and the pen and pencil cartridges deploy at a perfectly straight angle for writing.

The Multi-Smart uses a gravity knock mechanism, meaning you turn the pen to where you can read the color label and press the knock to deploy that cartridge. It works smoothly, and a quick press down of a small button on the clip retracts the cartridge quickly. The knock itself hides an eraser. You would think that would be standard with multi pen + pencil combos but many companies can't seem to fit it into their design.

To top it off, this is an aluminum barrel pen so it is lightweight and easily pocketable. The aluminum construction may also explain the almost $25 price tag, which is the only downside I can find with this pen.

Job well done Ohto! Now send some of your multi pen designers over to help out your fountain pen team. They could use it.

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

-- Drawing for Copic Marker Figure Drawing Wallet (Drawing with a Squirrel)

-- What my handwriting actually looks like (X Over It)

-- Design Craft: Try, Sketch and Collect (Interbrand Blog)

-- Conklin's Endura Ink (Inkdependence!)

-- Buying a “Grail Pen” – A How-To Guide For Purchasing Your Dream Pen (Ed Jelley)

-- Pilot Capless - 1965 (I) - RW Models (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- Better off red: A comparison of three Diamine red inks (A fool with a pen)

-- Review: ACME Studio Hatch, Proust, and Henry II Rollerball and Fountain Pens (J. Robert Lennon)

-- Visconti Burgundy (Informal Scribble)

-- Review: Franklin-Christoph Olde Emerald Writing Fluid (Gourmet Pens)

-- Namiki Maki-e Pine Tree Bonsai Fountain Pen Review (Scribalishess)

-- Sailor Chalana – Pocket Feather Quill (Atramental Otaku)

-- Rhodia Bloc Pad No 11 Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- Jetstream BLX 1.0mm – Green Black, Blue Black, and Purple Black (No Pen Intended)

-- Pen Review: Pilot Vanishing Point (The Pen Habit)

-- Diamine Teal ink review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- Wanted Down Under: the Castell 9000 (Bleistift)

-- Lifesaver: Monteverde Artista Crystal Wild Stripe Fountain Pen (From the Pen Cup)

-- TWSBI 580 (That One Pen)

-- Platinum Balance PGB-3000 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- Pilot Capless (penfan.ru)

-- Pencil Review: Sanford Design Drawing 3800 6B (A Penchant for Paper)

-- Rotring 300 versus Redcircle 300 (Taking note)

-- EDCpen in Titanium - Review (The Clicky Post)

-- I May Never Buy A Moleskine Again (Notebook Stories)

-- Budget Pen Mini Reviews (My Pen Needs Ink)

-- What to Journal (Tulio Jarocki)

-- Delta Serena Handwritten Review (Inktronics)

-- Tale of a Vandal Pen Collector: I’ll Take the Moon with a Wabbit (Peaceable Writer)

I've had Lamy Studio envy since I saw Office Supply Geek's lovely Instagram photo of his blue barrel model back in December. I decided this was it and headed over to JetPens to pick up the exact same steel nib model. Who am I to argue with good taste? I hit the page, then had a "Squirrel!" moment. 14k nib? Yes please.

The only other 14k Lamy nib I own is on my Lamy 2000, and it is of the hooded variety. I thought I would give the full-sized 14k nib in the Lamy Studio a shot to see if there was any difference. If you recall my experience with the 2000 I felt it needed some nib work to get it where I wanted it. As fate would have it, I had to go the same route with the Studio.

There was nothing wrong with the Studio's performance right out of the box except the EF line was too wide and too wet. Much more than I expected from an EF nib, even a German one. One of the reasons may be that the 14k Studio nib has some flex to it. I'm used to stiff Japanese nibs and this one is very different. I liked it a lot, but something had to be done about the line width.

Enter Shawn Newton.

My enabler Thomas has a few of Shawn's pens, and recently has used Shawn for some nib work and spoke very highly of his talents. When Thomas says "Jump!" I say "How high?" so a week or two later I had my Studio headed Shawn's way to turn the German EF nib into a Japanese F nib. Not a huge change but more in my wheelhouse. The results were fantastic. The line is clean and smooth and right where I wanted it to be. I can't recommend Shawn's services higly enough. Contact him if you are in the market for nib work. (Full disclosure: Shawn provided his services at no charge for this pen as a trial run and I paid full freight for a second I had him work on.)

Back to the Studio itself...it is a fantastic pen. The barrel design is what originally sold me, and as usual, Lamy nailed this one. The stainless steel grey-lacquered barrel is sleek with slight tapers on each end with a chrome clip, grip, and end caps. I was curious how slick the grip would be and I found it to not be an issue. The slight natural tackiness of my fingers held well, although I left plenty of fingerprints behind. Not crime scene friendly.

And that clip - wow. Sometimes the simplest little feature grabs me and won't let go and with the Studio it is the clip. The paddle design is unique even among Lamy's other highly engineered offereings, and might be their best.

So after all of the praise I have heaped would I recommend this pen? I'm 0-for-2 with Lamy's gold nibs. Whether that is the manufacturers fault or my pickiness (I think it is one of each in my case) you should understand that the nib may not be perfection when you first ink it up. Some will argue that for a pen this price it should perfect out the gate, and that is fair. For me, a little extra work gave me a pen even more suited to me than when it first arrived.

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

Image via JetPens

EDC pens have been a popular topic this week, and while most fountain pens don't normally make the cut in the traditional EDC sense there is one that does: The Kaweco AL Sport. At one point I owned four of these bad boys but have cut myself down to two. They are that good, and thanks to JetPens you have a chance to own your first or add another to your collection.

One winner will be able to pick out a Kaweco AL Sport in the barrel color and nib size of their choosing. Which one will you go for?

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, February 14th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Easy mode. Get on it!

I love Twitter. I'm on App.net too, but Twitter is home. And thanks to an amazing group of Twitter followers I never have to plan for a podcast again! Just kidding, but it is always nice to field current questions and talk about topics people are interested in. Myke and I did that today, and it always makes for a great conversation. At least I think so - what do you think?

Show Notes & Download Links

I've barely ventured into the realm of red inks, but the experience I've had with J. Herbin Encre Rouge makes me want to try more. I'm a little confused as to what to call this particular ink, so I'll just stick with Encre Rouge (translates to "red ink") for now. This ink is part of the Les Subtiles ("subtle") line of scented inks, available in 5 different flavors/colors. Each scent is matched to a color, so in this case: roses are red.

I don't remember the exact circumstance that landed this ink on my radar, but I bought a bottle last year to use for a Valentine's day note for my wife. What started as a fun idea for Valentine's Day has become one of the most interesting inks I own over the past year. I don't really care for the scented aspect of the ink, but I'm in love with the color.

Before we look at the writing qualities of this ink, let's talk about the special part: the scent. Remember scratch-and-sniff stickers from grade school? This is a more grown-up version of that in a way. The scent of this ink is roses, and from what I can smell, it's dead on. It's not overpowering when writing -- it smells like fresh roses are sitting on the desk next to you. That's about all you get though. Once the ink dries, the scent all but vanishes. That's my major complaint for this ink. The scent just doesn't last once the ink dries.

When writing a letter with this ink, I would expect the scent of roses to greet the reader upon opening the letter. This just isn't the case. Only the writer gets to enjoy the scent.

It's still an interesting concept. Here's how J. Herbin describe the process of infusing scents into ink:

J. Herbin scented inks are made from floral water (hydrosols) of rose, orange, lavender, apple and violets. The hydrosols used by J. Herbin come from Grasse, France, a Provencal town long associated with the perfume industry and famous for its floral scents.

Fancy!

Now, on to the writing qualities of this ink. This is where I'm really happy. I describe the color as a medium red. I can see faint shades of brown in some of the lines, but it looks more like oxblood to me. Mostly, the lines just look like the color of red rose petals. Based on Brad's description of red inks, I'm not sure if I'd call this a dark or bright ink. It seems to possess qualities of both. On one hand, I can detect some oxblood/brown shades, but it also seems to pop off the page. What do you think? Dark or bright?

Opinions on color aside, this is a very well-behaved and enjoyable ink. In my use, it shows some excellent shading qualities, no feathering on nice paper, no bleed through, and it dries relatively quickly. I've tried this ink in a few pens, and I'd say it has average lubrication qualities.

Apart from my complaints about the quickly fading scent, this is a great ink. I'm afraid it's the reason that I might launch into a red ink journey in the near future. It's a few dollars more expensive than the regular J. Herbin inks, and I'm not sure it's worth the extra money. If there's a regular J. Herbin ink or an ink from another brand that has the same qualities as this ink, I'd be very eager to try it.

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

Put your nose close to the screen ...

I use Random.org to pick the winners of all of my giveaways. I also screengrab the results and save them off to a folder, but I almost never post them to the site. Frankly, there is no need. I have neither the time or the inclination to mess with the results. Click the button, get the number, find the winner. The end. This one though, this one had to be posted because it was pretty awesome:

I don't think Random.org has landed on #1 before for a giveaway on The Pen Addict, and if it did, it was certainly for a giveaway with waaaay fewer entrants. I thought it was pretty cool! Anyway, I'm pretty sure I will hear from the winner on short notice:

Congrats Andy! Get in touch and I will get your pen shipped out ASAP.

Thanks to everyone who entered and big thanks to JetPens for making this possible!

-- Private Reserve's Cosmic Cobalt (Inkdependence!)

-- Pelikan Wanderlust (Bleistift)

-- Hitting a blurple patch: a short review of Diamine Bilberry ink (A fool with a pen)

-- Field Report: Matsuya Fountain Pen Hospital - Nagasaki, Japan (/r/fountainpens)

-- Pilot Capless - 1965 (II) - C-500MW and variations (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- Platinum 3776 Century Fountain Pen and Nib Comparison (Write to Me Often)

-- Kaweco AL Sport (That One Pen)

-- Plastic Pen Showdown: Pelikano Junior vs. Lamy Safari (clickthing)

-- One Pen to Rule Them All (Paul McAleer)

-- Stationery Store Series: Fabriano Boutique (Palimpsest)

-- Kaweco Dia2 Fountain pen (The Pencilcase Blog)

-- More on Finishing Notebooks (Notebook Stories)

-- 2014 Hobonichi Planner (English version) review! (Plannerisms)

-- J Herbin Lie de Thé (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- Refreshed Palomino design at Pencils.com (Woodclinched)

-- Diamine Ancient Copper – Ink Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Rhodia Meeting Book Review (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Dixon Ticonderoa Laddie Review (and Giveaway!) (The Daily Carry)

-- Embrace the Darkness: Pilot Iroshizuku take-sumi (From the Pen Cup)

-- Pilot Acroball 3 Multipen Review (The Clicky Post)

-- How to turn a fountain pen nib to italic or stub (Atramental Otaku)

-- How to Sharpen Pencils, The Documentary (Pencil Revolution)

-- Nib Notes: Esterbrook #1550 Firm Extra Fine (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- The DIY Nibmeister – Part I (Inktronics)

-- Midori…. (lots of pictures!) (evelinetimeless)

-- Product Review: Pilot Hi-Tec-C Coleto Multi Pen (Fueled by Clouds & Coffee)

The latest entry into Uni-ball's ever changing Jetstream multi pen line, the Prime 3 Color Ballpoint is the professionally-styled pen many users have been waiting for. It features the first metal barrel in the lineup and a classic style perfect for the office. But is it worth the premium $45.00 price? Maybe.

There is no denying the design of the Prime is excellent. I chose the two-tone black model and it is sharp looking with chrome accents against the black barrel. The grip is smooth and I had no troubles gripping it but sweaty fingers might pose a problem. The retractable mechanisms are flawless - very responsive and snappy. They pop out one of the three ink colors, all of which are standard D1 refills. That is a big deal because that opens up a wide range of refills to use, like my favorite D1 the Zebra Sharbo X Gel 0.4 mm.

On the downside, the Prime falls victim to what all most barrel multipens have trouble with: Rattling noise while writing. It is almost unavoidable with all of the moving parts. It just depends on how much it bothers you. This pen falls in the middle of the noise category. I've used quieter and louder. What actually bothers me more is the silly faux jewel on the top of the clip. Why it is there I have no clue. This pen has many beautiful Lamy-like design elements going for it then boom! Tacky jewel.

I like the Jetstream Prime a lot but in the end it comes down to a value proposition. If you want the full metal barrel and D1 refill flexibility then it is worth it. If that is not important to you and you just need a good Jetstream writing experience then their less expensive models will suit you just fine. I have reviewed some of them here:

Uni-Ball Jetstream 4+1 0.7mm Ballpoint Multi Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstream 3 Multi-Pen

Uni-Ball Jetstram 3 0.5mm Multi Pen

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

In this epidosde Myke and I tackle some high-quality feedback, LA Pen Show pictures, and those bleepity-bleepers at TWSBI teasing us with new pen prototype pictures. I then go on a disorganized delusional diatribe about innovation and expectations in the pen world.

Show Notes & Download Links

Should we expect more???

The list of pens that I've owned for over a decade is extremely small, but the Fisher Space Pen Bullet is one of them. At some point in high school, I picked up a matte black version of the Bullet with a medium point. I only recently replaced that refill with a fine point, which I prefer. For me, this pen is all about the aesthetic and form factor over the writing quality.

People have different opinions about the writing characteristics of the Fisher refills. I find them extremely useful and utilitarian, but they aren't particularly enjoyable to write with. That's not a problem with the Bullet, however. This pen is my go-anywhere-anytime-no-matter-the-risk pen. If it's not bullet-proof, it's pretty darn close. It's never failed me in its many years of use.

The line that the Fisher refill is like any normal ballpoint refill. It's smooth and easy, but the line is a bit varied and sometimes skips a little. I've had better experiences with the fine refill over the medium. This isn't a major concern for me since I usually carry this pen as a tool instead of a writing instrument that I enjoy using. Different tools for different jobs, right?

This was a favorite pen of mine before I became a Registered Pen Addict (RPA). Of the dozens of pens I own now, I think it might be the one that holds the most sentimental value -- I mean, look at all the character on this pen! If I bought a new one, it would never be the same pen. This pen has a history that can't be repeated.

The Bullet is a solid pen that I really encourage you to try if you haven't. I personally like the clip, though some might worry about the security risk it poses since it is removable. In normal use, it's quite strong. It also serves as a sleek anti-rolling device, too. Personally, I think black is the right color, but there's plenty of other colors to choose from.

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

OMG a pencil review!!!

In looking at a product like the Faber-Castell Grip 2001 Pencil I can understand why there is so much love for this oldest of writing instruments. Something about graphite on paper fires off those often under used creative brain cells.

I know the Grip 2001 comes highly recommended by many pencil addicts so I wanted to give them a try. I was not disappointed. The package I chose from JetPens contained three different lead grades: 2B, B, and HB. As an admitted pencil newbie, I always have to double-check the hardness chart to see where these grades fall in the scale. All three are right in the middle, with 2B being the softest and darkest, and HB being the hardest and lightest. It is relative though, as all three are neighbors.

The 2B did a wonderful job in the written review but I found that I much prefered the firmer HB for regular use. In fact, I have picked it up and used it several times over the past week and it was great. I loved how clean and sharp my lines were.

On the design side, the Faber-Castell 2001 is famous for those little black bumps on the barrel known as the Soft-Grip-Zone. They make for a non-slip grip and a comfortable writing experience. The barrel shape is triangular, and my only gripe with the pencil as a whole is that the overall diameter is slightly smaller than other pencils I have reviewed like the Blackwing 602. It's a minor complaint and I didn't notice until I picked up other pencils after using the 2001.

I'm not at the level yet where I can deep dive on all the reasons why you should or shouldn't use one pencil over the other but I will say I prefer my Blackwings over the 2001. That said, I just ordered several more pencils to get a better feel for different brands. The hook has been set folks.

For more reading on the Faber-Castell 2001 check out these great reviews:

Pencil Revolution

Pencil Talk

The Well-Appointed Desk

The Pencilcase Blog

Stationery Traffic

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

-- Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen – White Body, Black M Nib (No Pen Intended)

-- Noodler's Liberty's Elysium - Ink Review (Ionsomnia)

-- Cult Pens Deep Dark Purple (Informal Scribble)

-- Mitsubishi Hi-Uni and Uni Nano Dia Graphite leads, assorted mechanical drafting pencils (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

-- Pilot Capless - 1968 - C-250SS (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- So, you want to buy a vintage rOtring? A "guide" of sorts. (The Clicky Post)

-- Pen Review: Conway Stewart Marlborough (The Pen Habit)

-- The Joy of Rotring (EE Times)

-- LA Pen Show - Susan Wirth (Pentulant)

-- Sending Out For Nib Work (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Iroshizuku Syo-ro (The Five Cat PENagerie)

-- Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pen Review (I Laike Pens)

-- LA Pen Show 2014 Report (FPGeeks Forum)

-- Eyecandy from San Francisco (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- My first eyedropper: Franklin Christoph M40P ‘Fire & Ice’ (A fool with a pen)

-- Top 10 Signs You Know Your Addicted to Your Pens (Pen Pursuit)

-- Review: Organics Studio Pendleton's Purpillusion (Gourmet Pens)

-- Kyokuto Cambridge Notebook – Review (Ed Jelley)

-- Rotring Tikky Graphic Fineliner 0.5MM Review (THE UNROYAL WARRANT)

-- A Guide To Erasers (JetPens.com)

-- Touching Paper (Sunnyside Tuxedo)

-- The Woodclinched Pencil Vector Pack (Woodclinched)

-- TWSBI Diamond 580 fountain pen review (Pens! Paper! Pencils!)

-- The Hero 529 Fine Point Fountain Pen (The Frugal Fountain Pen)

-- Hobonichi A5 Cousin: Monthly, Weekly AND Daily planner!!!! (Plannerisms)

-- Iroshizuku Kon-Peki Ink (An Inkophile's Blog)

-- Retro 51 Tornado Stealth (That One Pen)

Outside of the Sailor Clear Candy there are not many opportunities to own a Sailor fountain pen under $150. Granted, the more expensive models come with 14k gold nibs, but the Sailor Reglus can hold its own with some of the pricier Sailor options on the market.

As with any Sailor I have ever used, the nib is the standout. The Reglus comes stock with a steel fine nib that is smooth, clean and enjoyable to write with. I loaded mine up with Sailor Nano Ultra Black ink cartridges and they are a perfect match. The cartridges desrve a review of their own one day but they are spectacular and have me not even considering using a converter in the Reglus. It's a perfect combination.

The barrel design of the Reglus is excellent as well. The shape is slightly narrower than many fountain pens but it is by no means skinny. Think of it around the size of a larger gel ink pen barrel like the Pentel Energel and narrower than more common fountain pens like the Lamy Safari. The cap snaps on and off both ends of the barrel, and that leads to one minor issue: Unthreaded metal on metal cap connections allow for rotation. I didn't find it to be a nuisance when writing but you will get some spin movement if you are looking for it.

It was a no-brainer for me to go with the orange barrel, but after receiving it I think I would have preferred one of the darker barrels. The shade is a little light and and the pearlescent sheen a little too sparkly. The blue, black, and gray all look like great choices instead. The clip is a big win though. Very tight and the dagger design is spot on.

As I review the Sailor Reglus I cannot help but think of the Pelikan M205. They both hold a similar place in their respective product lines, and both offer a high quality entry into their brands. If you force me to pick one I'll take the M205 for the piston filling mechanism but the Reglus gets heavy use in my rotation.

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

Mike Dudek is one of the good guys. He is always quick to lend an ear, give some feedback, or tease me about ANOTHER r0tring deal he got. Did you know he makes killer products too? His pen and notebook holders are works of art and he is offering one up for giveaway to the readers of The Pen Addict.

The Groove is my personal favorite design, and I think it might be Mike's too. The description from his website:

Handmade from solid walnut and finished in a soft, satin poly, this piece combines a place to hold 9 of your writing instruments up to 1/2 inch in diameter and a space to store/display three of your favorite pocket notebooks all in one tidy place.

Mike sent me one of these early on and I fell in love with it so much that Jeff and I decided to work with him for an upcoming Nock Co product. I think you will love it too so let's give one away, shall we? (Pens and paper in the picture not included!)

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, February 28th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Thanks to Mike Dudek for offering up this great item and be sure to check out his shop for more great designs!