There have been a lot of moving parts on the blog over the past few months so I thought a quick post was in order to catch you up on all of the details.

RSS Feed - This is the biggest change. If you are still using the old Feedburner feed it is no longer redirecting and you are not seeing new content. Please update your feed to: http://penaddict.com/blog?format=rss

Also, I do not truncate the RSS feed or blog posts, and never will. Ease of use for the reader is way more important to me than another click.

Podcast - The move to 5by5 is complete. If you subscribe in a pod catcher your feed should have updated automatically but you may want to double-check. If you use iTunes please rate and review us!

Social - Find me on Twitter @dowdyism, App.net @dowdy, and Instagram @penaddict. That is where I am most active. Watch the buttons on the sidebar as I add new services (there is no ADN button currently).

Contact - There is a Contact link at the top of the page. Fill out the form and I get sent an email. I answer all of my emails, but it may take me up to a week. If you need a quicker response the best way is to reach me on one of the social networks listed above.

Commenting - Comments are always open on each post. I read them all and try to respond when I can. If there is a question that you absolutely must have answered your best bet is to try one of the methods above.

Search - Wondering if I have reviewed a pen already? Click on the Search box over there to your right and type away.

Advertising - I accept advertising on PenAddict.com but I try to keep it minimal and unobtrusive. I am prone to trying new things and if I do you can count on being notified publicly and transparently.

Thank you for your continued support! If there are any additional questions please let me know.

Not all drawing pens are created the same. In fact, there are more differences in these types of pens than you can imagine. Archival, water-proof, fade-proof, lightfast, pigmented, cushioned, metal encased, light, heavy, refillable - I think you get the picture. No one pen can cover all of those bases, but most of them can handle a few very well.

From a feature standpoint, the Stabilo Sensor Fineliner brings cushioned writing and a metal encased tip to the table. The latter is a very import thing for those that use drawing pens alongside rulers or stencils. It gives the tip added durability that other similar pens can't handle. The cushioning works in conjunction to make this a very comfortable pen to write with.

I noticed when using it that this is a very inky pen, something it shares with another metal encased tip pen in the Rotring Tikky Graphic Drawing Pen. I didn't care for it in the Tikky but now I am wondering - is this a feature? Does it need to be this wet to keep up with the speed the pen travels while using it against a ruler? I'm not sure, but it's a thought.

Outside of the writing aspects, the barrel is very comfortable and lightweight. It is also priced right at $1.60. If you don't require archival ink properties in your drawing pens this is one to check out.

This has been one of the coolest giveaways I have done on The Pen Addict and it was all made possible by my friends at Huckberry.com. Huckberry sources some of the finest goods on the planet and keeps their inventory fresh by making those products available only for a limited time. And, if you shop at Huckberry using the link above, I get a small percentage back which helps support this site.

Without further adieu, the winner of the giveaway is:

Congratulations Julia! Please reach out via the Contact Page and I will coordinate getting you these awesome prizes.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and thanks to Huckberry for their support of The Pen Addict!

In Episode 55 of The Pen Addict Podcast Myke and I have fun catching up on new releases and purchases, including a killer new Retro 51 limited edition model, two new fountain pens I have on the way, and a possible new addiction entering my life in woodcase pencils.

Myke also drops the hammer on me concerning two new pens that recently landed in his mailbox.

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#Boom

Mechanical pencils? Yes.

Drafting pencils? Absolutely.

Wooden pencils? Almost never.

Why is that? These are obviously beloved writing instruments with traditions carried through the centuries. I like writing and tradition, so why no love for wooden pencils?

I think for me it boiled down to portability and convenience, plus the inability to write the super-fine lines that I love. But change, it is a comin'. I think my relatively new love for fountain pens has changed my perspective a bit. What started as a strict adherence to extra-fine nibs has branched out as far as 1.5 mm stub nibs. I had no idea what I was missing!

That may be the case too with pencils. There are some great products on the market that I am missing out on. I reviewed the Blackwing 602 in late 2011 and enjoyed it. So much so, I vowed to continue using it regularly. I didn't. Now that I have the new Blackwing Pearl in hand I'm starting to realize how much I am missing out.

The Pearl is a fun pencil to use. It is beautifully designed with a pearlescent sheen and gold accoutrements. I would have preferred a pink eraser over the black, and luckily you can make that happen if you so desire (there are even orange erasers!)

Comparing the Pearl and the 602 directly, the Pearl is softer and slightly darker. I actually prefer the firmness of the 602 over the Pearl, especially since it is close in darkness. Both are super smooth with points holding longer that you would expect.

I hope I find a way to work these Blackwings into my regular rotation. I also want to try out other wooden pencils. What do you recommend?

I finally got around to doing a little testing with my fountain pens in Field Notes and Doane Paper notebooks like I've been swearing to do for months. I can't say there were any real surprises, but here are a few takeaways:

Field Notes America The Beautiful Edition

The Spring 2013 COLORS subscription release from Field Notes is what got me interested in doing this test due to the thicker 70# Finch “Soft White” paper. As expected, it handled the sampling of inks I threw at it very well. There was little feathering, and virtually no bleed through the back of the page. This is a nice upgrade to the standard Field Notes paper.

Field Notes Red Blooded

Speaking of the standard Field Notes paper, the stock Red Blooded Edition uses Finch Paper Opaque Smooth 50# Bright White. I have good luck with my ultra fine nibs on this paper, but as the nib gets wider the feathering becomes more noticeable. There is also more bleed through to the back of the page, rendering it useless if you like to write on both sides. Others report using wide nibs with success but I'm not seeing the same results.

Doane Paper Utilty Journal

Being the genius that I am, I cleaned some of the fountain pens I had inked before testing them in the Doane Paper Utility Journal. I think the 80# Text Stock 100% recycled pages handled my pens wonderfully. Writing felt smooth and clean with no feathering and only slight bleed through to the back.

Conclusion

With the rare exception, notebook manufacturers don't put fountain pen friendly paper high on their spec list for pocket sized notebooks. Which is the best notebook for fountain pens? This test is far from exhaustive, but from these three popular models I prefer the Doane Utility Journal. I thought it had the cleanest overall writing performance. America The Beautiful is right there performance-wise if you prefer lines over grid + lines, with the Red Blooded (and other stock Field Notes) further down the list.

As manufacturers keep making them, I'll keep testing them. Stay tuned!

-- Noodler's Rome Burning (Inkdependence!)

-- Signo e Signo: RT Showdown (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- Feathers And Pens (Goodwriterspens's Blog)

-- Landmade Cork Journals With Cork Paper and Covers (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- First Impressions – TWSBI Notebook (inktronics)

-- Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook Review (Write to Me Often)

-- A Tale of Two Nibs: Lamy Safari Neon Yellow (2013 LE) (From the Pen Cup)

-- Word Lined Notebooks - Swedish Camo (Gourmet Pens: Review)

-- My Fountain Pen Evolution (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Karas Kustoms - Render K White Delrin (The Clicky Post)

-- Review: Iroshizuku Asa Gao Ink (Comfortable Shoes Studio)

-- Pelikan M300 Black inked with Noodler’s The Blue Nose Bear (JustDaveyB)

-- Uni Mitsubishi Pure Color-F Double-Sided Sign Pen (A Penchant for Paper)

-- Mac Travelling – My Entire Setup In Overview (SimplicityBliss)

-- Daily survival kit (these beautiful pens)

-- Cue the Imperial March (Leigh Reyes)

-- Memorandum Card | World's Tiniest Notebook (Brian's Backpacking Blog)

-- Star Wars Pen Wrap (inktronics)

-- TWSBI Vac 700 Fountain Pen (Ed Jelley)

-- Pilot's Safety (Crónicas Estilográficas)

If it hasn't become clear by this point let me lay it out for you in no uncertain terms: I love blue black ink. I use it in every style of pen where it is available, especially fountain pens. Why? Anyone can use a basic blue or black ink. Using blue black shows that you put a little extra thought into your ink selection while still keeping it sane. I love wild, vivid colors as much as everyone else, but for daily use it is blue black all the way.

Sailor Jentle Blue Black is one of the recent additions to my ink collection and it has me perplexed. It is a well respected ink and is highly rated by many. For me, I think I am having a hard time coming to grips with where the color falls in respect to the other blue black inks I use regularly.

As I look at the pictures now I think the shade of blue black looks fantastic, but I distinctly recall more of a "meh" feeling when first inking the page. It is possible I didn't get the proper perspective by judging the ink immediately - there are often changes the longer ink sits. I want that initial satisfaction though, which I do get from other inks. Do you wait a certain amount of time before rating your inks?

I will be giving Sailor Jentle Blue Black a longer look in a wider variety of pens, especially finer nibs. That too makes a difference in how much I like a particular ink. I have been swayed by performance in an EF nib more than once and I look forward to seeing what else this ink can do.

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

In Episode 56 of The Pen Addict Podcast Myke and I discuss refills for his Render K and a better option for me in my Retro 51 Vintage Surf. We also cover some new products we each have on the way plus my recent post on Field Notes and Doane Paper fountain pen ink testing.

Show Notes & Download Links

Every time I use the Retro 51 Vintage Surf this song plays in my head...

As was the case with many of my friend Thomas' pens that he sent me, I didn't know what to make of the Pilot Metal Falcon when I first inked it up. I had heard raves about its flexible nib but never having used one before, I was tentative. It didn't take long for me to get the hang of it and I discovered quickly why it is so well regarded.

It is hard to explain the feeling of a flex nib to someone who has never used one before. In a nutshell, the nib is reasonably firm and produces a fine line while using light writing pressure. When pressure is added, the tines spread and the lines become wider, giving the output on the page a little more flair.

My written review actually does a poor job of showing off the line width variation. Part of that is due to this being an SEF nib, or Soft Extra Fine. The other part is me not wanting to really lean into someone else's pen and spring the nib. If you need more variation, the Falcon nib is available up to Broad.

There were two things I did not like about this pen. One, the metal barrel felt awkward in the hand. I'm not sure if it was the added weight or that it was cool to the touch at start, but I never got used to it. Two, at nearly $250 from most US retailers it seemed expensive for what it is. I didn't find that much novelty or uniqueness to justify the price.

All was not lost though, as Thomas later pointed out to me that there is a Japanese model in black resin with rhodium trim for about $100 cheaper, which we both subsequently ordered. And you guys think I have a problem?

Look for more on my very own Falcon in the near future.

-- Lamy White Joy Set Special Edition (2013) (kmpn)

-- A No-Number Nineteen-Twenties Swan (Goodwriterspens's Blog)

-- Testing my Lamy Safari (Hjertnes.me)

-- Lamy Safari 2013 Neon Yellow (Does This Pen Write?)

-- Esterbrook J Double Jewel – Restored – NPI Gregg 1555 Nib (No Pen Intended)

-- The Sketchnote Typeface (Rohdesign)

-- "Premium" Writing Paper (Clairefontaine & Rhodia) (The Daily Acquisition)

-- Ask The Desk: Pen Testing Notebook (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- WAY Better Than Poi or Don Ho: Retro 51 Vintage Surf Tornado Rollerball (Limited Edition) (From the Pen Cup)

-- Ink Notes: Namiki Blue (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Palomino Drawing - Luxury Notebook Series (Pens Paper Inks...Whatever!)

-- Burton’s technical drawing arsenal (doane paper feed)

-- Newest additions to the Collection: Faber Castell TK 9600 Clutch Pencil and Ohto Graphic Liner Needle Point Drawing Pens Set (Lung Sketching Scrolls)

-- Pilot Vortex Fountain Pen (OfficeSupplyGeek)

-- Review: Montblanc Je T'aime Love Letter Ink (Gourmet Pens)

-- Aurora Talentum Black/Chrome inked with Rohrer & Klingner Blau Schwartz LE (JustDaveyB)

-- Pilot Custom Heritage 91 Fountain Pen Broad Nib & Tsukiyo Body (Ink of Me Fondly)

-- Pilot Petit 1 Fountain Pen Review (Write to Me Often)

-- BIC 4colours (penfan.ru)

-- Kokuyo Ink (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- 2013 Lamy Safari Special Edition - Neon (My Orange Brompton)

-- Rotring 600 Ballpoint - Lava Pen Review (The Clicky Post)

-- Handwritten Post: The Story of My Pen and Paper Addiction (A Penchant for Paper)

I am rarely caught completely off guard by a product these days. Sure, there are plenty of surprises and disappointments along the way, but to be shocked is a rarity. Tomoe River Paper shocked me.

I heard many of my fountain pen friends sing the praises of this brand but I never dug in and learned more about it. Who knew how much I was missing. A kind reader emailed one day offering up samples (hi Rachael!) and before you know it they landed in my mailbox.

Since I hadn't done any previous research on Tomoe River I was nothing short of stunned when I opened the envelope. Did you ever use tracing paper when you were a kid? That is essentially the look and feel of Tomoe River Paper. It is thin, transparent, and crinkles with ease if you are not careful. There is no way fountain pens will perform well on this paper, right?

Wrong. In so many ways.

To begin with, Tomoe River Paper is very smooth when writing. Rhodia/Clairefontaine level smooth. No matter the size of the nib - from 1.5 mm stub nibs down to my Japanese EF nibs - they all glide across the page with no feedback at all. On top of that, there is no bleed or feathering. That is the real shocker to me. I'm not sure how a paper this thin manages that but it is the truth.

As great as it is there are some downsides to consider. With the Rhodia-level smoothness also comes Rhodia-length dry time. Lefties beware. You also will not be able to use the back of the page either. Remember my tracing paper comparison? That's what the back of the page looks like. And like I mentioned before, it is fragile, crinkling with ease if you bump it around a lot.

That said, I'm sold. The uniqueness and feel of the paper has me wanting more. Nanami Paper seems to be the main source at this time, and bookbinder Jesse Aston has journals available from time to time (reviewed here). Both sell blank Tomoe River Paper - where are my beloved grids?

I may not be completely out of luck if I want to branch out a little. Did you hear me butcher the name Hobonichi in episode 54 of the podcast? What I was referring to is the Hobonichi Techo Planner, which uses gridded Tomoe River Paper. I'm not a planner guy, but this might make me change my mind (see how the Japanese use their Hobonichi Planners). If nothing else, it gives me hope I will be able to get gridded Tomoe River Paper in the future.

To read more about Tomoe River Paper and see many more ink samples and dry time tests check out Azizah's review at FPGeeks.

Pilot Iroshizuku fountain pen ink is one of the most well respected inks on the market. The colors are varied and vibrant, and they behave well in all types of fountain pens and on all types of paper. Talk to anyone who has used Iroshizuku ink and you will hear raves.

Which Iroshizuku ink is your favorite? Mine is currently Shin-Kai, a beautiful blue grey which I need to review soon. I want to try more colors, and I bet you do too. Here is your chance to win a single bottle of Pilot Iroshizuku ink in the color of your choosing!

How to enter:

1. Leave one comment on this post telling me your favorite Pilot Iroshizuku color, or which color you would like to win anytime between now, and Thursday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is limited to US residents only.

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, June 7th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Thanks and good luck!

In Episode 57 of The Pen Addict Podcast Myke and I discuss my Tomoe River Paper review, Myke's new TWSBI Mini, issues with shipping and customs, plus part one of a discussion around nib/tip sizes.

If there are any topics you would like to hear us discuss in the future please get in touch!

Show Notes & Download Links

Among the hybrid ballpoint ink pens the Pentel Vicuna is a sneaky good option. For me, it ranks only behind the Uni-ball Jetstream and the Pilot Acroball, and it may have darker black ink than both of them. The Pentel Vicuna EX Multi Pen stepped up the Vicuna's game with an upgraded barrel to hold two ink cartridges (red and black) plus an 0.5 mm pencil.

The three cartridge setup works well with the pen design. The barrel diameter is just big enough to fit everything and not have an overly large pen. In fact, it is just about the perfect size. Some multi pens get too wide or have cartridges that come out at a slight angle but that is not an issue with the Vicuna EX.

As I anticipated, the ink cartridges are as smooth, solid, and vibrant as the single color pens. The black leaves a solid line and the red is sharp and bright (my photo makes it look duller than it actually is). The 0.5 mm pencil is a nice addition, and unlike many other multi pens it contains an eraser under the end of the cap.

I won't be leaving my Jetstream's for the Vicuna anytime soon but it is a tougher decision than you would think. Maybe one day Pentel will see fit to bring them to the US.

Thank you to the nearly 300 readers who entered this great giveaway for a bottle of Pilot Iroshizuku Ink from JetPens! I am a huge fan of it and apparently so are many of you.

And the winner is:

Congrats Oli! Send me an email using the Contact form at the top of the page and I will arrange shipping for the color of your choosing.

Stay tuned next week - I may be giving away something you can use this ink in!

-- It’s Here! The June 2013 Blog Carnival of Pen, Pencil and Paper! (Ed Jelley)

-- Oh, so Retro… 51, that is: Retro 51 Tornado Review (and giveaway) (The Well-Appointed Desk)

-- What's in the 1st Official TRAVELER'S notebook Hong Kong Gathering 2013 (Scription)

-- Pencil Archaeology 2 (Palimpsest)

-- Visual Ode to Sargasso Sea (The Five Cat PENagerie)

-- The Penmen's Journals -- TWSBI (Earnest Ward: Drawn to Life)

-- Lamy Safari/Vista Grip Adjustment (Flounder's MindThots)

-- Forty Centuries of Ink (D.J. McAdam via Reddit)

-- Sailor Clear Candy Fountain Pen (Fountain Pen Quest)

-- Review: InkJournal Classic Notebook - 3 Pack (Gourmet Pens)

-- Three Rules Of Proper Notebook Management: 3-What To Do With Filled Notebooks (First Today, Then Tomorrow)

-- County Comm Titanium Embassy Pen Review (The Clicky Post)

-- Platinum Century #3776 C nib (Double Broad) (inktronics)

-- Sailor 1911 Medium Red/Gold inked with Noodler’s The Violet Vote (JustDaveyB)

-- Detour: The Retro 51 EXT Tornado White Nickel Fountain Pen (From the Pen Cup)

-- Wingflow by Platinum (Crónicas Estilográficas)

-- Post Office Pens (Sunbane)

-- Scout Books Brand Notebooks - Part 1 (Design Concussion)

-- Art Marker Showdown: Copic Sketch VS. Chromatix Markers (Nattosoup)

-- Waterman 44 Red Ripple 1923 (Silent Seeing)

-- Raleigh Pen Show, Day 2 (Inkdependence!)

-- Design.Y leather journal (these beautiful pens)

I'm a little late to the party on the Pilot Metropolitan, but with good reason. I was waiting for MY model to come in - Black Plain Body - and wasn't going to settle for gold or silver or some funky pattern on the barrel. I'm particular!

When I finally did get it I quickly understood what all the hype was about. I noticed two things immediately: The weight of the barrel and the smoothness of the nib. The barrel is made of brass which is something you don't see much with pens in this price range. It gives the Metropolitan a nice heft and the illusion that you are using a much more expensive pen.

The nib, to me, is the real standout. Medium nibs are outside of my normal comfort zone but that doesn't prevent me from knowing quality when I use it. This nib is as good of a steel nib as you will find, regardless of price. It is glassy smooth with nearly no feedback on the page. I loaded my Metropolitan with Aurora Black ink and used a Rhodia 80g DotPad for this review - the ultimate smoothness combination!

While the praise for the Pilot Metropolitan is warranted, it is not without flaws. The biggest one for me is the sharp metal edge on the step-down from the barrel to the grip section. It hits both my thumb and forefinger when writing, making it uncomfortable right out the gate. You can see pretty clearly in this image from JetPens what I am talking about.

The second issue I have isn't as much of a flaw as it is a personal preference: Medium nibs are the only option. Yes, I am aware that you can swap nibs from other Pilot pens into the Metropolitan, but that defeats the purpose of a $15 entry level pen to me. As great as the medium nib is I can't use it all day, every day. I would prefer the choice of an extra fine or a stub nib.

So now the question that many of you are wondering about: Is the Pilot Metropolitan the best entry level fountain pen on the market? No, I'm sticking with the Lamy Safari for the wider range of nib and barrel options. The Pilot Metropolitan is at least in the conversation though, which is more than most under $30 fountain pens can claim.

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

Did you see the new Lamy Safari 2013 Neon Yellow Limited Edition? I'm not sure how you could miss it - this sucker is bright! Bright, and very cool if you are a fan of the Safari like me. And, if you are a fan of the Safari, what could be better than a free one!

Here is how you can win this glowstick that doubles as a fountain pen:

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 limited to US residents only.

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

Thanks to JetPens for offering up this great pen and good luck!

In Episode 58 of The Pen Addict Podcast Myke and I give the listeners some love while feeling the pressure of recommending products. I also discuss an update to my Top 5 Pens list and continue part two of the nib discussion.

Show Notes & Download Links