The amount of feedback I received from our last episode has been outstanding, and as of this posting, still coming in. I talk about that feedback for quite a bit during this episode and really appreciate everyone taking time to get in touch. Quality stuff!
We also talk about a pen Myke MUST own, a new notebook from Doane Paper, and some of my recent pen and PENCIL(!!!) reviews.
I've done a few notebook reviews in the past several weeks, so don't take it lightly when I say that this is one of the best value notebooks available today. The Apica CD11 A5 notebook has quickly flown up the ranks in my mind of notebook ratings. Let's take a look at my reasons for such an opinionated statement.
Wowzers — this is some nice paper. It's on par with the Clairefontaine paper that I've reviewed, but it's available at a lower price. $6.95 is the price at JetPens for the A5 size. Oh, and that price includes 3 notebooks that have 28 sheets a piece. I know, right?
The paper is white with gray-blue lines. According to JetPens, the lines are 7 mm apart, which is similar to narrow or "college" rule. It's very smooth to the touch and when you write. Every pen that I've used with this paper has performed admirably. I haven't noticed any negative qualities with the paper except with one ink, but I'll cover that later.
In all the inks and pens I've tried, there's been no feathering (except for one ink) and no bleed through to speak of. Every pen I've tried glides effortlessly over this paper. It's as smooth as can be.
I noticed some feathering when I used J. Herbin Eclat de Saphir on this paper. I used the inks in two pens, and they both had the same symptoms. I wasn't really surprised when the Plumix created some feathering, but I was perplexed when the Kaweco EF also did it. My only answer is that there's some property (or properties) in the Eclat de Saphir that make it susceptible to feathering on this paper. I haven't noticed this behavior from this ink on other papers. Strange.
Anyway, apart from that one downside, I love this paper.
I went with the navy cover, but the other color options aren't bad. I might end up trying other colors out at some point. JetPens offers these books in yellow, white, sky blue, red, navy, mustard, light green, light blue, and black.
The cover is a thick paper that seems to do OK with regular wear and tear. Personally, I think a nice leather cover would be a great addition to this book. The paper just isn't thick enough to stand up to some of the abuse it might see during its tour of duty. There's silver decorative print (or black, depending on the cover color) and designs on the front cover, and minimal product information on the back. The paper has a nice texture that adds to the feel and aesthetic of the book. Overall, it looks nicer than what it cost.
The book is bound with thread. So far, it's a strong bind and the book has no problem laying flat once you've broken it in a little.
For the quality of paper in this notebook, you really can't beat the price. Like the description from JetPens says, these "notebooks are ideal for your basic writing needs." Yes, they're relatively inexpensive. Yes, they're fairly basic and offer no perks. But they offer a writing experience that is friendly to every pen I've tried. That's difficult to come by. Give these notebooks a shot! They're available in the A5 size that I've reviewed here, or in semi B5.
Sorry for the delay in getting the winner posted gang! Yesterday was spent cranking out cases at Nock Co. HQ and mostly off the grid. But I have a Groove to giveaway, so let's do it:
Congrats Tim! I'm not sure what is worse - pen puns, or pen holder puns? I'm going with pen holder puns, but we will let you win anyway. Please get in touch via the Contact Page within the next week and I will arrange shipment.
Thanks to Mike for offering up The Groove for giveaway. Be sure to check out Mike's blog The Clicky Post and all of his pen holders at The Clicky "Trading" Post
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-- Blog Archive » A Brief Review — The Chimneytop Pop-Up Zip Case by Nock Co. (patrickrhone / journal)
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When I posted my review of the Sailor Limited Edition Oku Yama a few weeks back and explained my current ink fetish, I was actually reviewing the inks I purchased a bit out of order. Seeing writing samples of the Limited Edition Autumn 2010 Kin Mokusei online was the real impetus for my shopping spree.
It is a surprise to no one that I am a fan of orange, and Kin Mokusei is a brilliant orange ink. The shading is beautiful, ranging from yellow to deep orange without any appearance of brown or red. It is very rich looking and well behaved too, with excellent dry times. It flowed equally as well from both my TWSBI Mini 1.5mm stub nib and Pilot Falcon SEF.
My hangup with Kin Mokusei is I already own this ink in the form of Sailor Jentle Apricot. I had this concern when I ordered the ink and it turned out to be valid. Unlike Oku Yama, which I felt was able to stand on its own and seperate itself from other inks, I think Kin Mokusei is not worth the money. It is so similar that the 2-3 times premium price to Apricot is money better spent elsewhere.
How similar? Take a look at this chromatography test
So far, I'm 1-for2 with my Limited Edition Sailor ink purchases. Oku Yama is a keeper and Kin Moskuei is redundant. I have two more to test and review, and early indications show that this next one may be the big winner of the bunch.
Myke and I were joined by Andy Welfle from Woodclinched to discuss the most traditional of writing instruments: The pencil. My interest in wood case pencils has grown slowly over the past year and I was excited to get Andy on to teach Myke and I a few things. Thanks for joining us Andy!
The Pointy End
I've taken my first dip into the world of squared nibs, and I'm afraid I'll have to jump all the way in before long.
The Pilot Plumix with a medium italic nib is my first experience with an italic nib. From what I understand, the italic nib is different than a stub nib, but similar. I did a little research and found this article on Richard Binder's site that explains the difference. Italic nibs are squared off while stub nibs are rounded off a bit. This information will become relevant a little later in this review.
The Plumix is made almost entirely of plastic, save the nib. Even though it's made of a cheap material, it doesn't feel cheap. The plastic is sturdy and has a gem-like appearance that makes it pleasing to look at in certain light.
The grip section has a triangular grip that resembles what you find on a Lamy Safari. In my use, I prefer the grip of the Safari over the Plumix. If it were up to me, I'd stick with a plain grip section. I'm sure Pilot representatives are listening and will change their entire design to please me. Right?
There's an interesting bulb further down the body of the pen, just past the grip section. The bulb faces down (opposite the top of the nib) and provides some support when writing by snugging up to the space where your thumb meets your hand. I thought the design was a little odd when I first saw the pen, but I have to admit I really like this feature. An added bonus of this bulb is that it keeps the pen from rolling. This is important since the pen has no clip.
The fact that there is no clip on this pen isn't a huge deal for me, but it does mean I don't want to take it out with me. Pilot did integrate some small tabs on the lid of the pen to keep it from rolling.
One of the strangest things about this pen is the cap. It's tiny. It's only long enough to cover the nib and screw onto the section. I've never seen a cap that's so small. Surprisingly, it posts to the end of the pen, but it's not sturdy enough for my taste. A slight bump will send it tottering across the desk.
Overall, the build of this pen is better than I expected for the price. It's actually quite pleasant to hold and use. The quirky design is endearing to me.
In my mind, this nib would create a large, dramatic line variation that would rival calligraphy nibs. In reality, a Japanese medium is not that wide to begin with. The nib lays down a line that's a bit thicker than a regular medium nib when drawing with the flat side of the nib square to the paper (the thick end). If you turn the nib sideways, it lays down a really fine line.
The nib is smooth and has no starting or skipping issues. It ran a bit on the dry side for me. I'm not sure if this is a common issue, but it did annoy me several times. On the other hand, it also forced me to slow down to get the adequate ink flow that I wanted. This was good practice and actually improved my handwriting.
The pen ships with a standard blue Pilot cartridge. I skipped that entirely and went with one of the bulb converters from one of my Metropolitans. I tried several inks in the pen, and found that they were all a bit dry. My only guess is that the feed might need an adjustment or that the wide nib is spreading the ink further. I'd love to know if anyone else has mentioned or noticed anything similar.
The italic nib caused some trouble for me. The squared off edges don't play nice with thin or cheap paper. This nib is definitely much happier with a nice, smooth paper. It's because of this nib that I'm convinced one of my next fountain pens will be a stub. I imagine a stub is better suited to everyday writing. I'll keep the Plumix around to help me improve my handwriting.
Overall, this is an excellent deal for a quirky little pen that will open your eyes to a different world of nibs. And if you're already a member of this other nib world, it's still fun to try the nib and the shape of the pen.
The Plumix is available in purple, light blue, and black. When I purchased the pen, I was under the impression that purple was the only color. Bummer. That light blue looks awesome. But, it's fairly easy to swap the nib to a Metropolitan or a Prera body, so that opens up a lot of style options.
If you're in the mood for an affordable, quirky italic pen, try out the Plumix.
(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)
The Pilot Ageless is a pen I have been fascinated with for years but was never sure how it would fit into my writing rotation. I was finally able to pick one up courtesy of JetPens and it is an interesting pen. Let's check it out!
The primary selling point of the Pilot Ageless is the barrel design, and specifically, the retractable mechanism. It features a double-twist deployment. Twist the section once and the nose cone appears. Twist again and the ink cartridge pops out and its ready to write. Reverse the twist and it retracts in the same two-stage process.
There are many things I like about this feature. First of all, it can be operated with just one hand. Rest the barrel in your palm, put the grip section between your index finger and thumb, and give it two little flicks to get writing or retract it for storage. The mechanism is smooth and flawless. Secondly, it is integrated seamlessly. There is no visible knock like with traditional retractable pens, and really no indication of how to deploy the nib if you aren't already aware. It is very well designed.
The barrel itself is made of metal and has a good weight to it. If you have a Retro 51 Tornado Laquers Edition it is close to that weight, maybe a touch lighter. It feels great and is well balanced when writing. When fully deployed it is a full length pen, too.
I have the Carbon Black Gray model with the 0.7 mm gel ink refill. It is ultra smooth and dark but I would prefer a finer refill alternative. I'll need to do some research because the refill is an interesting size to fit this pen. If you like 0.7 mm gel ink you will have no issues writing with this pen.
I compare the Pilot Ageless to the Zebra Sharbo X. It is a premium pen at a premium price, and for that reason it is not for everyone. For me personally, I love the design and if I can find an alternate refill I will use it a lot. If not, It will probably sit on my desk, look pretty, and be used sparingly.
(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)
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Instagram is one of my favorite tools for discovery of new and interesting products. It is where I first stumbled on the ridiculously cool Pilot Kakuno and, more recently, where I found a curious notebook with a curious name: JAWNS.
JAWNS is an acronym meaning Journal for All things Written Needed and Sketched. An all encompassing name for an all encompassing notebook, JAWNS tries to cover it all with the number of features they pack into a 3.6" x 5" notebook. I think they succeeded.
The first thing that caught my eye in the early images I saw was the use of two credit card slots inside the front cover. While that idea isn't exactly new and novel in leather memo book covers, it is less frequently seen built into a paper cover notebook. JAWNS uses 80 lb. Yupo cover stock to handle the added wear and tear the cover gets. If Yupo sounds familiar, it is the same water and tear proof paper used in the Field Notes Expedition Edition. The JAWNS cover is going to hold up well to daily use.
That's good, because the front card pockets are only the beginning. The inside back cover contains a single full-length utility pocket for larger paper notes, receipts, stickers, etc. While that is standard fare in many notebooks, the money pocket across the insdie back length of the notebook is a cool addition. Before I dropped my singles in there I assumed it would be a full-depth pocket but was pleasantly surprised that it was only half-depth, meaning your bills are easily accessible as if they were in a bi-fold wallet.
When it comes time to jot down your innermost thoughts, international flight changes, or make a depression robe shopping list, the uncoated 50 lb. triangle grid paper in the JAWNS notebook gets the job done. It's not fountain pen friendly as evidenced by the writing samples, but handled everything else (except the Pilot FriXion) well. The rollerball and liquid ink pens were the best, with my Kuretake Mangaka 02 Purple getting the call for the handwritten portion of the review.
In talking with Daniel, the co-founder of JAWNS, simplicity and freedom drive the design behind the brand. That shows through in this limited all-white design, with cool added touches like embossed stamping and an edition card with specs like manufacture date and edition run. Future editions will include varied cover styles, designs, and colors.
Where does the JAWNS brand notebook fit in this great big world of paper at our fingertips? At $12 each it isn't cheap but it provides high utility. For urban warriors bouncing through the city or travellers looking to lighten their load it is ideal. It is a notebook begging to be used and carried daily with the inclusion of the card pockets and money pocket. Leave the junk behind and simplify with JAWNS.
Big thanks to Daniel and JAWNS for providing this review sample free of charge. Daniel has also offered up a discount to all Pen Addict readers for 15% off at checkout by using the code PENADDICT. The offer expires on 3/28 so get on it if you want to give JAWNS a try.
What happens when you show off a pouch style pen case to fountain pen fans? Your hear a pretty common refrain, as TWSBI found out this week. We talk about that plus the JAWNS notebook, the story of how my Edison Menlo came to be, and begin a rivalry with a podcast that hasn't recorded their first episode yet.
"Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident."
The Zebra R-301 is a metal (mostly) rollerball pen that didn't show up on my radar until I was idly browsing JetPens when I should have been working. I can't lie – this happens more than once a week. I haven't really been interested in rollerballs since I'm really happy with my Retro 51 Tornados, but I wouldn't refuse a new player with a nice design.
Now, the Zebra doesn't really compare to the Retro 51s in quality, but they're also around 15% of the price of a Retro 51. There's a lot to love about this pen, so let's jump in!
The Zebra R-301 doesn't look like a cheap pen in my opinion. The stainless steel give it a great shine and feel. Unfortunately, the stainless steel only covers parts the barrel and cap. The grip section is made of a textured plastic that I imagine creates a great divide in opinion.
Upon first looking at the pen, I was displeased by the grip because its diameter is smaller than the body and cap. It just looks odd. But then I started writing and let that little detail go. I enjoy the grip, and if you're a fan of other Zebra pens that have a similar plastic textured grip, you'll probably like this one just fine. It's the kind of design that fosters a "love it or hate it" response.
The pen is fairly light, so long sessions aren't a problem. The cap secures tightly when the pen is closed, but it tends to wobble a bit when posted. Not a huge issue for me, but this will annoy others. If it were just a fraction of a millimeter tight, it would be perfect.
The cartridge on this pen is a good size. It's much longer and wider than an international short cartridge. It pops in with no trouble, and I was able to start writing in seconds.
Now, on to the important part. This pen feels amazing when writing. It glides across all sorts of paper like smooth glass on silk. It's on par with the Retro 51 Schmidt refill. The ink is very dark and bold – something that I love in a black ink.
That said, it's a very wet writer. Zebra claims it's a 0.7mm tip, but the wet ink lays down a wider line. There are absolutely no feed problems with this pen. Ink is always plentiful.
For being such a wet writer, it dries extremely quickly. I did a couple of tests and found that the ink would no longer smudge after 2 or 3 seconds. That's impressive!
On the downside, the ink seems to feather on every paper I tried. Rhodia, Clairefontaine, Apica, or cheap notebook paper – they all suffered from noticeable feathering.
There are a couple of things to note about the cartridges for this pen. For one, they're proprietary. I didn't look for very long, but I wasn't able to find any satisfactory replacements for this pen. I've thought about trying to refill the cartridge with a syringe, but I don't know if a fountain pen ink would work properly with this pen. Who knows? At this price, I wouldn't be upset if it ruined the pen.
Ah, the price. At JetPens, the Zebra R-301 is currently priced at $3.20. The pen comes with two cartridges. A set of two cartridges (no pen) is priced at $2.30. That's only a $0.90 difference. I guess the pen is worth a lot less than the cartridges. Personally, I wouldn't mind if they made the entire pen out of stainless steel and bumped the price up a bit. That would be an excellent EDC pen.
Despite the issues that I found with this pen, it's actually real joy to use. It's a great rollerball with great flow, bold ink, and durable body. And at this price, it's easy to try.
(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)
I think this wooden pencil thing just might stick this time around. If it is sticking with me, I am going to stick it with you too. Time to be enabled!
The Tombow Mono 100 is considered by some to be the best wooden pencil on the market. I've tried them, and while I am too inexperienced to make that same claim I will say they are awesome. And I am going to share the awesomeness with three readers who will each take home a dozen of these pencils in their choice of one of the 17 different lead grades!
Here is how to enter:
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.
For this contest, I will pick three winners 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 numbers of the winners.
The contest winner will be posted on Sunday, March 16th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.
Thanks and good luck!
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It is fun to get hooked on new types of products, isn't it? Wooden pencils will never top some of my favorite pens but they are shooting up the charts of some of my most used writing instruments. And thanks to JetPens I am able to share awesome products like the Tombow Mono 100 Wooden Pencil with readers like you.
And the winners are:
Congratulations guys! Get in touch via the Contact page and let me know what lead grade you would like and I'll ship them right out. You have one week to claim your prize.
Thanks to everyone who entered!
I received an epic batch of not-easy-to-come-by ink samples in January that knocked my socks off (thanks Richard!), and while I have had a chance to play with some of them I'm just now getting the chance to write them up. Sailor Bung Box Blue Black (aka Sailor 4B) is the first, and maybe the best.
My love of blue black inks is well known, and this package contained a wide variety of samples I had never heard of, much less tried. I went with the Sailor 4B first because I was also sent a cool empty box and bottle of this ink to see how Sailor packages these specialty inks for Japanese retailer Bungubox. Yes, it is only available directly through them unfortunately, unless you want to work some eBay magic.
The ink itself is fantastic. It is one of the most shaded blue black inks I have used and it has a nice red sheen that I had a hard time capturing. This ink could use more close-up photos to show off all of its properties. I'll work on that. It nails the color ratios too. There are no hints of stray colors - like green - that often ruin some blue black inks for me.
This is a standout ink, one I would give up a body part or two to acquire more of. Thanks Richard for sending me this sample!
(Note: Bungubox just launched an Amazon Shop. Several inks are available (not this one) but I'm not going to bother linking them because it would cost you almost $60 for one bottle of ink with shipping.)
I have been a fan of Chadwick Parker and Joe Huang's Kickstarter pen designs since they released the PHX-1 back in 2011. While that pen no longer sees action in my rotation their Solid Titanium Pen + Stylus still hits the page frequently, loaded out with an 0.3 mm Pilot Hi-Tec-C Cavalier refill. The design is excellent, unless you want to post the pen. The Ti POST RAW changes that.
Chadwick was kind enough to loan me one of his prototypes for a quick look and I am pleased with the new design. The main feature is the cap is able to post much deeper into the barrel as opposed to near the very end of the barrel in the previous design. The threads are also wider and longer, making for a more secure fit when the cap is posted. This gives the pen an improved overall balance.
While this is essentially an iterative design, it is one that was much needed for those who want to securely post their Ti pen. The other features, such as the ability to add a stylus tip and use a wide variety of refills, have gone unchanged and provide the excellent options available in their other offerings.
Their Kickstarter campaign for the Ti POST RAW has cruised past it's initial $5000 goal and is sitting above $40K with three weeks to go. Be sure to check it out if you are looking for a great EDC titanium pen. I did.
Thanks for the loaner Chadwick! I'll be mailing it back your way this week.
Myke and I were happy to have Ed Jelley back on the podcast, especially to discuss the recently completed Long Island Pen Show and the crazy nib grind he came home with. We also talk about the arrival of Myke's Nock Co. order, the Retro 51 Tornado Touch, and Myke's first ever fountain pen.
via Ed Jelley on Flickr
After seeing a couple of different reviews about affordable pens from China, I decided to take a chance and order a few. The first one I received was a Kaigelu 316. So, is the price difference worth it? In a word, no – not in this case at least.
Why did I go out on a limb and buy a $33 pen from China? It's something new to try. Granted, most of the pens you can find on eBay that are made by companies like Kaigelu, Hero, or Jinhao aren't even close to $33. Normally, they're less than $10. I really liked the look of the barrel material in the photos, so I decided to take a chance. There's something so enjoyable about landing a really great deal for something that provides a lot of value. I was looking for the rush of getting something that feels and performs like something that costs 5 times more.
The color of the 316 that I ordered is called "Tiger Eye." It's a blend of warm orange, gray, and black. It looks handsome in soft light, and gives a 3D look because of the different layers of color in the celluloid. The metal accents are a cheap looking gold. There's a large button on the top of the cap with the Kaigelu logo, which is a kangaroo. As far as I can tell, a medium nib is the only option. The pen came with a converter and was packaged in a decorated cardboard box.
The nib has a nice two-tone look with another kangaroo etched into the nib, along with "KAIGELU" just beneath it. I really like the look of the nib.
The pen has a heft to it that was new to me. I've never felt a pen this heavy. To make sure I wasn't imagining anything, I grabbed our kitchen scale to do a few quick comparisons. Turns out, this pen is actually overweight compared to others.
As you can see, the uncapped Kaigelu is a tad lighter than the uncapped Studio. I tend to normally write without the cap posted, so this is a pretty accurate comparison for me. Oddly enough, the bulk of the weight in the Kaigelu body is toward the rear of the pen, not the nib section. This can make for an awkward writing feel.
The converter worked great, but it does have one deal-breaker for me. There's a small metal ball bearing inside the ink chamber that tends to rattle around. This makes the pen feel and sound cheap. I assume the bearing is there to keep the ink from clotting, but I can't say for sure.
The cap screws onto the body when capped. On the particular copy of the pen I have, the threads don't have a satisfying "end" when screwing the cap on. On every pen that I have with a screw on cap, there's a very definite end point to the threads. You know for certain when the cap is completely secured and you can't possible turn it any further. This isn't the case with my 316 – it feelsl ike I could continue turning the cap onto the body. I haven't been able to find an "end" to the threads, and I'm always concerned that I'm causing some sort of damage to the pen or that I won't be able to uncap it later.
Yikes. The nib had a serious case of baby's bottom when I first inked it up. After 5 minutes of nib smoothing, it started writing like a charm. Despite the smooth nib and plentiful flow of ink, I can't write with this pen for more than a few paragraphs because of the weight. It's difficult for me to keep my handwriting neat because of the top-heavy nature of the pen. It wants to topple over, and that causes the nib to take its own direction sometimes when forming letters.
In short, I pick the pen up because I think it looks pretty, but put it back down shortly after because the writing feel is off-putting.
In retrospect, I wish I spent the $33 on a different pen. The Kaigelu 316 writes and feels similar to a Jinhao that I have, but the Jinhao cost $6. I wish I had more positive things to say, but it ultimately boils down to the fact that the pen isn't pleasing to use.
In my case, the cost of the Kaigelu 316 greatly outweighed the value.
(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)
So you broke down and bought a Pelikan M205 and you love it, right? It is an amazing pen that writes wonderfully, looks beautiful, and will last for decades. Your Pelikan fountain pen needs have been met! Or so you think.
Businesses love consumers like me and you. We obsess over the small details, latch on to the things we love, think we have found perfection, and slam our wallets shut.
What is that bright and shiny thing over there? You made a product I already think is perfection even better? Just take my money now!
Thanks a lot Pelikan.
The M205 is a near-flawless pen in my mind. The only teeny tiny thing that could be improved on is the overall weight. The M215 Rings model takes care of that by using the same M205 design and adding five metal rings to the barrel. This gives the pen some added heft that many writers may prefer over the base model M205. It's not a huge amount - 20 grams for the M215, 14 for the M205 - but you absolutely notice it when writing. It feels great.
My buddy Thomas loaned me this pen over a year ago, and the written portion of this review was done around then as well. At that time, I didn't own a Pelikan of my own, but a few short weeks later I bought an M405 at the Atlanta Pen Show. That was followed later in the year by my M205. To say I've been bitten by the Pelikan beak is accurate.
Thomas has since sent me the now discontinued M215 Blue Stripe model, which is a beauty, and the 2014 Atlanta Pen Show is only a few weeks away. I don't really have a shopping list for the show this year but the odds are good that I add another bird to the flock.
For more, check out Brian's review from way back in 2009. I wonder if he still uses his?
