(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Metaphys Famm Leather Roll Up Pen Case is made from super soft sheep skin lined with textured rayon. It comes in a simple cardboard box and exudes a zen-like simplicity.

The outside of the case is beautiful dyed sheep skin that is silky smooth to the touch. There’s no visible stitching, and the only branding is a small “Metaphys” imprint near the edge.

Inside the case are four pen slots that can accomodate even the largest of my pens (my Wahl-Eversharp Oversized Decoband) as well as smaller pens, though the pen slots are not all the same size. For example, the slot closest to the zippered portion is smaller than the others. A flap protects the pens from scratching one another when the case is rolled up.

In addition to the pen slots, the case has an open pocket where you can store an additional pen or two, as long as you don’t mind them knocking together.

There’s also a smaller zippered pocket for another pen or maybe an eraser or small ruler. The zipper on my case is rather rough and stubborn, which is unfortunate given that the case is otherwise well made.

The case rolls up and is secured with a single leather strap.

When rolled up, the Metaphys case is small (185mm x 60mm/7.3 inches x 2.4 inches), so it’s ideal for purses or the pockets in backpacks and briefcases. It does not have any padding, however, so I wouldn’t put it in a bag with heavy items like books that could potentially crack delicate writing instruments.

At $92.50, the Metaphys Case is rather expensive. But if you want an elegant leather carrying case for a few pens, it might be worth the expense. You can purchase it from JetPens in black, orange, camel, or navy.

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Kaweco Sport fountain pens are some of the most fun and functional pens on the market, and these two models add another bright color to an already vivid lineup. The Sunrise model features a warm yellow barrel with silver trim and silver steel nib, while the Sunset model uses the same barrel and changes out the trim and nib colors to gold. The end result is one of the most fun Kaweco Sport barrels I’ve seen to date.

Fontoplumo also added a new brand to their ever-expanding product lineup: Leonardo Officina Italiana fountain pens. The Momento Zero is their first release, and it looks like a stunner.

Based in The Netherlands, Fontoplumo has a wonderfully unique inventory, great prices, and fast international shipping. My thanks to them for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Sorry I'm a little late this week gang! Maybe I could use a Leuchtturm1917’s Some Lines A Day Journal to keep me in line? I hope the winner of this giveaway can put it to good use too.

Congrats Melody! I've sent you an email to collect your shipping address. Stay tuned for the next one on Tuesday, as I keep the 52 Weeks of Giveaways rolling!

(Original Mai-bun.com article. Written by Takuya Takahashi. Translated by Bruce Eimon.)

Did you know Japan has its very own field notebook? As its name implies, Sokuryo (survey) Yacho (field notebook), was originally designed for civil engineers to record measurements in the field.

Originally released by Kokuyo in 1959, it is a long-seller that is about to celebrate its 60th birthday. While it has been a long-time stalwart at construction sites, it is steadily gaining popularity with the general public for its handy size and sturdy build-quality. Its die-hard fans have even come up with a term for themselves - “Yacho-lers.”

What I want to highlight here is how this is an excellent notebook even for an office environment. I have a job at a large corporation (known in Japan as a “salary-man”), as far as can be from a construction site, but I still find it to be an excellent carry-everywhere notebook for my work. Let’s start by taking a look at the specs of the Sokuryo-Yacho.

This is a slim size that fits nicely in a jacket pocket. Its dimensions are 165mm (6.6”) x 95mm (3.8”) x 6mm (0.24”), which is roughly the width of American Field Notes, but about an inch taller.

It fits easily in a suit pocket, and won’t add any bulk when carried with your planner or other notebooks. I particularly like how thin it is.

The cover is thick cardboard imprinted with a cloth-like texture. It has a sturdy no-frills aesthetic.

The hard cover is sturdy enough to give you plenty of stability to write while standing.

The paper is high quality fine paper that handles fountain pens with ease. The paper is easy to turn and has a nice smooth surface. I feel 40 sheets (80 pages) is just the right amount, neither too thick nor too thin.

Three different layouts are provided for three different surveying use cases: Level, Transit, and Sketch Book.

The most popular layout for the general public seems to be the “SKETCH BOOK”, which offers a 3mm grid. The simplicity of the design offers great freedom and versatility. Let me show some of the ways I like to use them.

Since this easily fits in my jacket pocket and is thin enough to be carried with other notebooks, it is great as a dedicated To-do list notebook that can be carried everywhere.

It can even be used as a highly portable bullet journal.

I also like to carry one around as a notebook to collect ideas I have when I’m out and about. Such moments of brilliance can easily get lost if buried in my regular notebooks, so I like having a dedicated notebook for this.

You can even slip it into the cover of your planner.

Given its size and versatility on the go, this is a great notebook to capture small snippets of information and even advice you get from your boss and colleagues. As you burn through them with nuggets of wisdom, I recommend you number them sequentially before your archive them. Looking back, they will serve as a visual reminder of how much experience you have gained over the years, boosting your confidence at work.

This is a simple, yet versatile, all-around notebook. I can guarantee that it will come in handy at the workplace.

Recommended for:

• People who need to take a lot of notes at work.
• People who tend to lose their T0-do lists.
• People who need to better organize their random ideas scattered in several notebooks.
• Young people who have a lot they need to learn at their new jobs.

Information: Sokuryo-Yacho, Kokuyo

(This article was originally written for GetNavi.jp and modified for republishing.)

Image via JetPens

Karas Kustoms is well-known for their machined pens, including one of my favorites, the Fountain K. Not only is it wonderfully designed and manufactured, the anodization options are a great bonus. This grey finish is the best of the bunch in my opinion, and I have one with a silver section and fine nib to give away. Read the rules below and enter away!

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

The TWSBI ECO-T is an update to the original ECO released a few years ago. Not a lot of changes were made and people seem divided over whether or not the changes were improvements. The old version is still available, though, so whichever you prefer, you're good.

I prefer this new version. The main body of the pen is the same, but the cap, piston knob, and grip have been made triangular. The old version had a hexagonal cap and knob, and the grip was rounded with three flared barbs at the end to stop your fingers from sliding forward. Some people loved the grip, but I found the barbs uncomfortable, and I like that the ECO-T has opted for a more subtle, molded grip. The triangular grip does encourage a certain hold, but it's rounded enough that it may not be too intrusive for alternative grips. It's definitely not as bossy as the Lamy grip section.

Another small improvement they made is to put a rubber o-ring at the back end of the pen to help with secure posting. It does work--the pen posts with no wiggle--but it's very long and back-heavy when posted. It may work okay for larger hands, but I suspect it's a bit much even then.

Otherwise, my experience is the same as with the previous ECO. The nib writes wonderfully and starts up right away every time. I love the sloshy ink tank and the alarming key-lime color.

After several broken TWSBIs, I still have the TWSBI jitters--I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. But this model has fewer moving pieces and fewer threads, so I'm hoping it might be more durable. I haven't babied it--it's been a purse and pocket carry for a few weeks now without the cracking and leaking issues I've had with my other TWSBIs. So I find myself, once again, cautiously hopeful. I've had too many sour experiences to consider myself a fan of the brand, but I am enjoying the heck out of this pen. I want to believe! If it holds up, this pen could easily be a daily writer for me.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Montegrappa CEO Giuseppe Aquila (L), with Larry and Michael Dromgoole

My trip to Dromgoole’s this past weekend was one of my personal pen highlights of the last several years. It was a different sort of trip, and it was fantastic! I recap my trip with Myke, discuss a couple of new Kickstarter campaigns, and have a Retro 51 new release-palooza!

Show Notes & Download Links

This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:

Harry’s : Claim your trial set!

Pen Chalet : Click the ‘podcast’ link at the top of the website and enter the password ‘penaddict’ for this week’s special offer, and to get your code for 10% off.

Joe Pera Talks With You : Sundays at midnight on Adult Swim.

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Sailor has been producing the 1911 model for thirty years in a variety of colors. The most recent iteration (available only in North America) is Stormy Sea.

Stormy Sea is a gorgeous deep blue with silvery chatoyance.

The rhodium-plated 21k nib and rhodium trim complement the color perfectly. The large version is 140.5mm/5.53 inches capped, 122.7mm/4.83 inches uncapped, and 153.6mm/6.05 inches posted. I think of this as a medium-sized pen, especially since it’s slightly smaller than a Montblanc 146. A large pen (to me) is one that is comparable to a Montblanc 149.

I bought my Stormy Sea from Dan Smith and had the medium nib ground to an italic.

This gives the nib a bit of line variation and a lot of character, though you definitely have to find the sweet spot to avoid scratchy writing and corner snags.

If you prefer a smoother writing experience, I’d suggest a stub, but I’m really enjoying the crispness of this italic grind.

Stormy Sea comes in a typical Sailor dark blue clamshell box—no super fancy packaging for this pen.

One cartridge and a converter are included.

The pen is a typical cigar shape with rhodium trims on the cap, grip, and barrel. The cap sports Sailor’s simple clip and a large ring engraved with “Sailor Founded 1911.”

The 21k nib is decorated with scrollwork and the Sailor anchor logo. I think Sailor produces some of the most beautiful nibs available today (though Aurora nibs are my absolute favorite).

Although most of my Sailor nibs are unyielding, this nib has a tiny bit of give to it, which I like.

I inked my Sailor Stormy Sea with an ink brand that is new to me: Krishna, purchased from Vanness. The color is called, appropriately, “Sailor’s Blue” and it’s a perfect match for this pen. I’ll be reviewing several Krishna inks soon.

Many retailers offer the new Sailor Stormy Sea 1911 in large or standard sizes, but I highly recommend purchasing from Dan Smith since you get a complimentary nib grind along with your purchase. The pen (with nib grind) costs $288 plus shipping.

Pros

• The Sailor 1911 Large is a comfortable pen and will fit all but the largest hands well. Because it is made from resin, it is not heavy (24.5 grams capped), and, in fact, it might be too light for those who prefer hefty pens.
• The Stormy Sea color is one of the most beautiful Sailor colors I’ve seen. I absolutely love the silvery sheen and deep sea blue color.
• As you would expect, the nib is outstanding. Sailor nibs do have some feedback, but if you don’t like that, you can have them ground into a smoother tip, such as a stub. If you plan on having the nib ground, I highly recommend purchasing from Dan Smith since a nib grind is included with the purchase.
• Even though the Sailor converter doesn’t hold a ton of ink (1.1mm), I like converter fillers because they are super easy to clean.

Cons

• Sailor pens are on the expensive side, especially since they are made from resin and the cigar shape isn’t especially unique. But, the price includes a solid 21k nib.
• If you prefer weightier pens, the Sailor 1911 (even the large model) will probably be too light for you.

This grey anodized Fountain K may be my single favorite Karas Kustoms fountain pen, and I’m happy to be able to give it away to one lucky reader. And that reader is:

Congrats Dave! I’ve sent you an email to collect your shipping address and will get this out to you ASAP.

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

— Review: Franklin-Christoph Model 31 Omnis Purpurae Fountain Pen 18kt Gold Nib (Gourmet Pens)

— The Jinhao X750 (The Pen Boffin)

— Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Acquires 34 Works by Outsider Artists and a Basquiat Sells for $45.3M at Phillips (Hyperallergic)

— Book Review: The Perfection of the Paperclip (Write eXperience)

— Six Month Review: Favorite Pens from the First Half of 2018 (The Gentleman Stationer)

— Kubo, Momose, and Iwase (Crónicas Estilográficas)

— Railway Logos (Reagan Ray)

— Ink Review: Ink Institute Cut Jade (Macchiato Man)

— Naples (and Amalfi Coast) Pen Store Recap (Hand Over That Pen)

— Review: Sailor Moon x Sailor “Make up Pen” Fountain Pen (All about the Ink)

— Imagined Insects Camouflaged as Star Wars Characters by Illustrator Richard Wilkinson (Colossal)

— Chicago Pen Show 2018 Recap (Part 2) (The Well-Appointed Desk)

— Review: Pilot Custom 823 - Waverly Nib (Alt. Haven)

— The Many Odd Jobs of Andy Warhol (Messy Messy Chic)

— The First 300 Inks (Mountain of Ink)

— Hobonichi Haiku (From the Pen Cup)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!

If you have been following me for any length of time, you will have heard me discuss the cigar box pen storage I use on my desk. They are made by a friend of mine named John, better known online as Bamapen.

John is a tinkerer at heart, and a lover of pens of all types. These two things came into play with the latest toy he sent me: A 3-D printed adapter to allow D1 refills to be used in the Esterbrook FJ ballpoint pen.

It took me a while to get to this review (sorry John!) and I’m sorry I waited so long because this is a fun pen to use, and a part of what makes this hobby of ours so great. There was a time not so long ago where pens like this Esterbrook with proprietary refills were a lost cause. With the advancements and accessibility of 3-D printing technology over the past several years, enterprising writers can get their old favorite pens up and writing again.

John did just that by designing an adapter based on the original Esterbrook refill, and making it compatible with a common refill from the modern market - in this case the D1 sized refill. The D1 is commonly used in mini pens and multi pens due to its short, skinny format. It has become popular enough that many top manufacturers, such as Uni-ball, have added them to their product lineup using their best ink formulations, like the Jetstream.

I’m using a black 0.7 mm Jetstream refill with the Esterbrook adapter in this FJ pen, and it works like a champ. The fit is perfect, almost as if it is the original setup. That’s kind of the point, right? The original pen, with a modern writing experience.

Using Shapeways, or other 3-D printing services, has become a great way for us to get old pens back in action, or make changes to modern pens - like adding clips - to better fit our respective styles. The growth and popularity of services like these can only benefit us all.

Maybe I need to 3-D print one of my old favorite pens, The Pilot Explorer, and get it back into the market.

My thanks to John for entrusting me with his creation. I may just need to buy this one off of him.

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Image via JetPens

I love the Uni-ball Kuru Toga, and when I saw the latest batch of Limited Editions, I jumped right on the Skeleton model. Turns out, I picked the right one, because it is already sold out! You are covered though, as I’m giving this one away to one lucky reader. Read the rules below and enter away!

Sailor Pro Gear Slate Blue, via Anderson Pens

Sponsor support is very important to me here at The Pen Addict. My sidebar advertisers put their faith in me to deliver good value for them month in and month out, and I want to shine the light on the best of the best for you. If you are shopping for pens, paper, inks, and more, please check out these great companies and see what they have to offer. Some recent highlights:

Goldspot received the Faber-Castell Grip 2010, a continuation of their popular Grip lineup and a nice looking choice for an entry-level fountain pen.

Anderson Pens has their new exclusive Slate Blue Sailor Pro Gear ready to ship, available in both the Regular and Slim sizes.

JetPens has brought the cool and functional Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter lineup to the US market, including leather covers and notebook inserts.

Pen Chalet has a brand new Retro 51 store-only limited edition titled “Argo”, based around the story of Jason and the Argonauts. The two colors are limited to 250 pieces each.

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

There's never a shortage of notebooks available on the market at any given moment, and that means that the choices are nearly endless. Interested in a minimal, no-frills notebook? Easy. Something rugged and suited to outdoor use? You have several options there as well. The one thing that they all have in common, though, is that there was significant thought put into the printing materials and method before the product ever existed. These design decisions sometimes get left out once the final product is completed, but some companies like to publish that information along with the stationery products they provide. Field Notes is a great example of this. The materials, machinery, print shop, and other meticulous details are documented in the back cover of each notebook. You know, in case you're interested in that.

In the case of Print Prologue, the assumption is that you're definitely interested in those details.

The front cover of the Foil Stamp limited edition notebooks contains the detailed specifications of the notebook, from paper, ink, size, machinery, binding, and more. Print Prologue are definitely serious fans of the printing process, and that enthusiasm is seen in every detail of these notebooks.

While you can't buy these notebooks anymore, this review will hopefully provide some awareness for the company and help you decide if you'd like to jump on the next limited edition notebook they release.

The Foil Stamp ed. 1 notebook features 48 pages of 5" x 7" 60# white paper. I'm not an aficionado when it comes to paper stock, but this sounds (and feels) very similar to the paper you find in the standard Field Notes. And, of course, there's a single black foil stamp on the front cover to commemorate the edition.

The edges are square, and the binding is "perfect binding," which means the spine is square and uses glue to bind the pages. The notebook is fairly easy to open and break in, meaning it lays open fairly easily when in use. But, this also means that the front cover will always be slightly ajar once you break it in.

The inside covers are blank, and the back cover features a few places to organize your notebook. There's a place to add a date range, and there's also a nifty "Thumb Index" built into the notebook. This allows you to categorize the notebook into the three areas.

Overall, I'm not a huge fan of the exterior aesthetic of this notebook. But, I can see how it would speak to others. It's classy and well-done.

As for the insides, the notebook has a great dot-grid system using a "light-black" ink. The grid spacing is 0.25" (no metric system here) and feels comfy when writing. As an added perk, the notebook comes with a 6-inch ruler inside.

While trying out different pens and inks with this paper, I came to the conclusion that I would only use this notebook with gel or ballpoint pens and pencils. Fountain pens and rollerball pens just bleed too much to be useful. Another thing I noticed when using fountain pens is that this particular paper stock has a lot of fibers in it that get caught between the tines. I've never had this experience with other notebooks, so this was fairly disappointing. For gel pens, ballpoints, and pencils, the paper works great. It's a smooth surface with minimal feedback.

This particular edition cost $16 per notebook when it came out. Each notebook came with a 6-inch ruler and one Print Prologue branded pencil. It certainly nails the aesthetic they're after, and I'm sure that it appeals to a wide range of people. For me, the Foil Stamp ed. 1 missed the mark both aesthetically and performance-wise. That said, it's still a well-executed notebook, and I'll be interested to see what Print Prologue come up with next.

(Print Prologue provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

If you're going to a writer's conference, you're probably planning on writing. Or maybe not--maybe you're taking a break from writing to socialize. But you might write... What if ideas start filling your head? Best to be prepared either way. Use this list to pack for your next writer's conference! Note: to use this list for a pen show, double the numbers.

1 large satchel. No, larger. Worried it might be too unwieldly? Perfect. Make sure it has a ridiculous number of pockets, then add a bag-in-bag for yet more pockets. Partition everything for ease of locating tools in its depths.

In the satchel, pack the following.

Paper:

X number of pocket notebooks where X = Z + 5 and Z = the number of friends you're trying to win over to the analog life.

3 large notebooks, ideally each in a separate case. One for the project you're currently working on, one for the project you wish you were working on, and one for the project you're supposed be working on. Add additional notebooks in the last category as necessary.

3 (or more) notebooks for planning and organizing the above projects.

1 planner for organizing everything else.

1 small notebook for writing down all the brilliant, intrusive ideas that don't fit into the above categories.

1 small notebook for taking conference-related notes on panels, speeches, workshops, etc.

Pens:

3 pens for everyday writing. One with high ink capacity for text, one in a contrasting color for notes within the text, and one with a fine point and bright ink for proof marks.

X number of additional pens where X = Y + 3 and Y = however many fit in your case(s).

2 (or more) pen cases, one for bulk storage and one more portable for just the essentials. Fill to capacity.

A handful of Stranger Danger crappy pens to hand to people who ask you for a pen, which will happen approximately every 30 minutes. More can be obtained from around the hotel, or from bystanders who no doubt have dozens of dubious pens marinating in granola dust at the bottom of their bags. These pens can also be used for bar and coffee receipts.

Spare ink refills--cartridges and sample vials--in case you manage to write enough to run out.

Other essentials:

As few electronic devices as possible and their chargers.

Headphones

At least one pencil.

A fidget, if that helps keep you in your chair writing.

Water

Something to read that isn't your own writing for when you get sick of your own writing.

Directions to the nearest stationery store. For emergencies. Or for the fun of it.

If your satchel does not fit these essentials, obtain a different satchel. Optional: a small pack animal, such as an alpaca, for portage. Enjoy your conference knowing you are prepared for any writing scenario.

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Krishna Ink is made in Palakkad, Kerala, India, and is the brainchild of a doctor and pen enthusiast named Sreekumar. He researched ink-making because he wanted to produce high quality fountain pen ink in India. You can read about his process here. Krishna inks are made to be safe (neutral) for all fountain pens and are water soluble (except for the Kot-massi series which are iron gall inks). Krishna inks are available to people outside of India through retailers like Vanness Pens.

Krishna inks come packaged in a plain cardboard box. The bottles hold 20ml of ink and are made of glass.

I saw photos of Krishna Jungle Volcano on Instagram and knew I had to get a bottle. I am thrilled with this ink. It’s a georgous orange ink that I find hard to categorize. Is it a terra cotta or a peach or a sunset? I don’t know because it looks different depending on the paper. Jungle Volcano also has a crazy lime green sheen—it’s unlike any orange ink I’ve tried.

I used a Maruman Septcouleur notebook for my initial ink testing because it contains smooth, pure white paper that shows off the ink’s true color(s). Jungle Volcano is a saturated orange with a definite pink tint on this paper.

I did not observe much shading with my Franklin-Christoph medium italic nib, but the ink flowed well and was not too wet, drying completely after 30 seconds. The ink is definitely not waterproof, and it’s not meant to be. You can see the pink tint clearly in the water test.

Although the green sheen did not show up much on the Maruman paper, it absolutely exploded on my MD Cotton Paper. Just look at those colors! Now you know why this ink is called Jungle Volcano.

You can really see the green sheen on the Col-o-dex card (review coming soon), both in the swirls and the splats.

The chromatography test I did demonstrates the complex colors in Jungle Volcano ink. The base color is a neon pink, with orange and green components.

I am crazy about Krishna Jungle Volcano ink. I love how it’s a gorgeous, deep orange when you use a fine nib. But when you use a wide nib it erupts with green sheen. This stuff is amazing! It reminds me of Hawaii! It makes me want to eat bananas and sing Jungle Book songs! Seriously, though, I’ve had so much fun playing with this ink.

You can purchase a 20 ml bottle of Krishna Jungle Volcano from Vanness Pens for $8.00. Be forewarned, the bottle is tiny, so you won’t be able to fill pens with super large nibs from it. You’ll need to use a syringe or, if you’re using a converter, just fill the converter itself rather than filling through the nib.

(This ink was purchased from Vanness Pens using a reviewer’s discount.)

Image via Fontoplumo

What, did you think I forgot this week’s giveaway? Just running a bit behind, but hopefully this pen makes up for the delay.

I recently ordered a few pens from Fontoplumo, and made sure to add something just for you fine readers of this blog. The Kaweco Sport Sunset is a Fontoplumo exclusive, and I have one of these beauties to give away. Read below and get to entering!

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Lamy Studio is one of those $80-$100 fountain pens that doesn't get enough attention for the value it provides. I wrote about the steel nib Studio back in 2014, and everything still holds true. The clip still irritates me, even though I like how it looks. And, the Studio is still a great value and a classy pen.

At the end of 2017, Lamy released a special edition of this pen: Racing Green. Unfortunately, the pen sold out very quickly, and you can no longer buy it from retailers. If you want this pen, you have to find someone willing to part with their own. While this isn't impossible, it's not exactly easy and it's certainly something that Lamy could fix by offering Racing Green as a standard color. In a lineup that currently offers a measly two colors at the sub-$100 level, it desperately needs some variety. I wish that Lamy would make this happen, but who knows what they'll end up doing with this line.

Regardless of the color, the Studio is an excellent pen. The Racing Green edition is exactly the same as the standard $80 pen, save the exterior color. The color is a dark green with subdued metallic flakes that you can just make out in direct, bright light. When you glance at it quickly, you might mistake it for a black pen. And that's part of the reason I love this color. Similar to a green-black ink (or any half-black ink, really), there's a depth of color that's fascinating to discover and admire.

Apart from the special edition color, this is the same pen you can purchase today with a steel nib. There's also a gold nib available, but it costs roughly twice as much. At that price range, my suggestion is to go for the Lamy 2000.

The Studio has a bit of heft, but not so much to make it difficult to handle. I imagine the inside of the pen is made of brass, which would account for the weight. When writing, it's very comfortable and not fatiguing. The grip section is a polished metal that picks up fingerprints quickly, but it's comfortable to use and easy to clean. If you don't enjoy smooth grip sections, this pen likely isn't for you. If your fingers have any moisture on them, this pen will become slippery. For most indoor writing situations, this shouldn't be a problem.

The EF nib on this unit is exceptionally smooth, and I've really enjoyed using it. The nibs used on the Studio are the same nibs you find on the Safari and AL-Star, making it easy to swap out for other sizes. The pen also includes a converter along with the standard blue cartridge, making it easy to pick your own ink right out of the box. The flow from the nib is smooth and plentiful without being too wet. I've been really pleased with the performance of this pen.

It's a shame that Lamy released Racing Green as a limited edition. I would love to see it offered alongside the standard black and Imperial Blue pens available year-round. If you're interested in finding one of these pens, your best bet is checking out the used markets and pen shows. But, if you're interested in the Lamy Studio, you can't go wrong with the standard colors.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

There's a lot of overlap between fountain pen fanatics and those with an affinity for vintage and midcentury aesthetics. So it's no great surprise when a throwback limited edition comes along and steals our hearts.

The understated elegance of the Pelikan M120 Iconic Blue makes it a total heart thief. In photos it looks plain. Nice, but unimpressive. In person, it has a certain air about it. Somehow, they haven't just put this pen in a vintage suit--they put the soul of vintage in it. When I write with it, I feel like Agatha Christie. And I like it.

The pen is a reproduction of one of their old school pens. School pens weren't meant to be fancy, and this isn't. It's classy.

The body is a smoky cobalt blue plastic. It has 14k gold and gold-plated furniture, including the iconic Pelikan beak clip. The piston knob is a subtle step down from the body. It turns smoothly and extends just a little bit on the outside, but the ink capacity of the pen is impressive. I've been writing with it regularly for weeks and only just started seeing the ink level in the blue tinted ink window.

The cap screws on. It posts securely at the back without interfering with the piston knob. It's a small pen, so I imagine a lot of people will want to use it posted. I find it comfortable both ways. The cap is light and it doesn't affect the balance too much. The top of the cap is rounded, so it doesn't have the newer painted pelikan finial, but it does have a debossed logo set into the plastic. It's tricky to see, but is in keeping with the understated design of the pen.

The nib is gold plated steel, this one a fine. It is incredibly smooth and is nicely wet, so it writes closer to a medium line. The nib is surprisingly springy. I had to look it up to confirm that it is indeed steel, because this feels like a gold nib. The scrollwork on it is some of the prettiest I've ever seen, with lovely filigree flourishes.

With its subtlety, light weight, and fantastic ink capacity, this is the perfect everyday pen. I've used it at work every day (if there's ever been a pen that screams "librarian" more than this one, I haven't met it) and keep picking it up on the weekends, too. If I had to pick one downside to this pen, it would be the price. At $188, it's a bit steep for a steel nib, factory-made pen. But price is always going to be my downside with Pelikans--and it sure doesn't stop me from loving them. I always cringe when I spend the money on one, but I never regret it.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

When Ana Reinert from Well-Appointed Desk came out with her Col-o-ring cards, I was thrilled. I wrote a review here, and discussed the nice quality of the cards and how convenient they were for doing ink swatches.

Recently, Ana came up with a new ingenious idea: Col-o-dex Rotary Cards. What a terrific brainstorm! The Col-o-dex cards work on any normal-sized Rolodex card system. So, no longer do you have to fiddle with rings, now you can put your ink swatch cards in a Rolodex and organize them with the Col-o-dex Tab Cards.

The Col-o-dex cards are 4 inches x 2.625 inches, which is plenty of room for whatever you want to include. On my cards, I put a large swatch at the top so that I can easily compare colors within color groups. I wrote the name of the company and the ink color in the middle. On the left side I did some swirls to test for shading, and on the right I did splats since those often are what show off an ink’s sheen. For all my cards, I used a Brause 361 Steno Blue Pumpkin Calligraphy Pen Nib for consistency. Plus, this nib (for dip pens) is super easy to rinse off, so I could do numerous cards at once.

The Col-o-dex cards are made of 160gsm European pure white paper. The paper is thick enough that ink does not bleed, feather, or show through. It has some texture that you can see in your swabs, but the paper fibers do not get caught in your nib.

However, the cards do curl a bit due to the wetness of the swabs. I’m sure you could press them between heavy books to flatten them out before you put them in your Rolodex.

The best part about the Col-o-dex Cards is that you can organize them with a set of tab cards. I labled the tabs with color names and then organized the cards by company name alphabetically. This is an OCD-ink-fanatic’s dream system!

Another wonderful thing about organizing your ink swatches this way is you discover interesting things about your ink collecting trends. For example, I have a zillion blue and turquoise inks, which makes sense because blue is my favorite ink color.

But, I was surprised to discover that I own only three red inks: Montblanc Corn Poppy Red (my favorite); Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot, and Diamine Red Dragon. I don’t use red ink very often, so that’s why I don’t own many bottles of it, but it’s definitely a color I need to test more. In fact, I need to get out of my blue ink rut and try more pinks, yellows, golds, and browns.

I think the Col-o-dex Cards are an absolutely fantastic way to organize your ink swabs. The only caveat is that it is super hard to find a freaking ordinary Rolodex! Sure, you can find some models on Amazon, but most of them are for business cards or they get horrible reviews. I finally caved and bought this massive Rolodex 200-card File.

This thing is TOO BIG, but it matches my triple-decker pen box, so . . .

At first I thought, “This thing is way too big! I’ll never fill it up enough for it to work well.” And, it’s true. Right now, the cards just dangle like limp fish and won’t rotate when I turn the knobs.

I thought about sending the thing back, but then I realized how much ink I have. I spent several hours swabbing most of my bottled ink. But I haven’t even touched all the samples I’ve accumulated over the years. Maybe my Texas-sized Rolodex isn’t too big after all.

Obviously, you can find older, ordinary Rolodex systems on eBay or in your mom’s garage. I know I had my mom’s old Rolodex, but I think I threw it away when I cleaned my home office a while back. Now, of course, I’m upset that I didn’t keep it.

You can purchase the Col-o-dex Rotary Cards from Vanness Pen Shop for $15.00. The pack comes with 100 cards. I suggest also purchasing the Tab Accessory Pack ($5.00 for 20) so you can organize your swatches. The Tab Accessory Packs come in three colors: kraft brown, blue raspberry, and limeade green.

(Vanness Pens provided the Col-o-dex Rotary Cards and an Accessory Tab Pack to Pen Addict for review at no cost.)

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!